Her pulse rate accelerated. She wouldn’t be surprised if he felt it beneath his fingertips near her wrist. “I’m not quite ready to go running down the street stark raving mad. A few more months like the last ones, however, might change that.”
The corners of his mouth hitched up. “Just give me fair warning so I can run for cover.”
“Chicken.”
“You got it. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A really smart man learns from other people’s mistakes.”
The warmth in his eyes and touch urged her to snuggle against him. She tamped down that feeling. She didn’t need to add more stress to her already strained life, and getting involved with Zane again would do just that. He wasn’t the answer for her—only a diversion she couldn’t afford. Right now her father needed her, and that was where she should put all her energy.
He grazed his finger across her cheek. The roughened pad illustrated a man who worked with his hands. “Take care of yourself, or you won’t be able to take care of your father.” After giving her a quick hug, he stepped back, dropping his arms to his sides. “When you figure out what you want me and Dad to do about the house, let me know.”
“I will.” She leaned back against the wooden railing of the gallery and watched him take the stairs down to the ground level.
At the bottom, he peered back at her and smiled—that brilliant, dazzling one that rivaled the sun on a bright day. She nearly melted into the floor of the gallery. Strengthening her grip on the wood, she managed to stay upright.
After Zane disappeared from view, she stared at the door into the game room. She should go in and see what Dr. Blackman thought after talking with Cody. But she couldn’t just yet. She rounded the side of the house and walked to the front. From this height she could glimpse the Gulf in the distance. The water reminded her of Zane’s eyes—blue and glittering in the sunlight.
She needed to spend less time with Zane and more time with her dad. He needed to be reassured their life would return to normal in due course—even if she had to wait to get the interior of the house back to the way it was. She would do what she could to the upstairs until her father was better. His well-being was top priority.
For a few moments longer, she relished the light cool breeze laced with a salty tang before she went back into the game room. Both men looked toward her when she came inside.
Taking a chair, she folded her hands in her lap and asked, “Have y’all decided what’s wrong?”
“Dr. Weston feels that your dad is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I’ve seen some cases since the hurricane and so has Dr. Weston. But I’ll know more after I run some tests. I want your father in my office first thing on Monday. Once I rule out something going on with his illness, I’m encouraging your dad to talk with Dr. Weston on a regular basis for a while. I’ll prescribe some medication that should help his anxiety and depression while he’s getting counseling to deal with the stress. He has a lot of anger built up that he needs to find a better outlet for.”
“What about continuing the repairs on the house?” Her role had shifted over the past few years as her dad’s illness had progressed, which probably fueled his stress and anger, too. He had been the provider for the family. Now he had to depend on her.
Dr. Blackman and Cody exchanged looks before the counselor said, “We discussed this. I think ultimately the repairs to the house are important to your father’s frame of mind. Give me a couple of weeks to work with him and for the medication to take effect. Then you should be able to resume work, especially if you’re able to get him out of the house more. I’m not sure even I could take constant hammering and sawing without breaks.”
“Now that our roof has been replaced, that should work out for everyone.” And the time away from Zane would give her a reprieve, a chance to deal with her changing feelings for him.
Chapter Nine
Over a week later, Zane approached Kim in the hall at Hope Community Church after the late service. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me again.”
“Again? Me?” Mischief flirted with her blue gaze.
“Yes, and you know exactly what I’m talking about, but then I did my fair share of avoiding you, too.”
She tilted her head to the side and peered up at him through lowered eyelashes, something she often did when she was trying to make a point. “Except for the house, when do we see each other?”
“What prompted you to come to the late service? Usually when you come to church it’s the early one.” Before, he’d known that was her routine when she did come to church and made sure to avoid the early service as she had the late one.
“Dad. He wanted to come this Sunday, and first service is too early for him. He doesn’t move as fast as he used to, so it takes him longer to get going in the morning.”
The Keith Sommerfield he’d known years ago had been a power to reckon with. There was little left of that person, stamped out by the disasters that had befallen him. When Zane was younger, he would have gloated over that. Not now. He’d wanted revenge, but he’d never wished for the man to lose his business and a good part of the land surrounding his family home. Those losses had stripped the man of his identity.
Zane searched the large room and found Keith talking to his father. “Your dad is looking better. Should we rescue them?” He nodded toward the pair on the other side of the hall.
“No, one of the reasons he came this morning was Maggie said your father has been coming lately with you. Dad needed to apologize again to him. He’s been talking with Cody every other day for the past week and working through some of his problems. That man is perfect to work with my father. He won’t let him get away with much.”
“If there are no more supply problems, the school will be finished after this week. You asked me to schedule your home repairs after that.”
“So, the school might not be ready to move into this coming weekend?”
“It’s gonna go down to the wire to be ready by Friday for the decorating committee to prepare for the grand opening.”
“What supply problems?”
“Things like the paint. There was a fire at the factory that has shut down their operations for a few days. I’m thinking of painting the rooms orange or cherry red.”
“Oh, please, no. That’s bound to cause the children to bounce off the walls. Cool green or blue would be better.”
“It might be that or plasterboard white.”
“White I can live with.” She hesitated for a moment then said, “Remember, I offered to help paint if you needed an extra pair of hands. Maggie, too.”
“I can’t ask you—”
“Zane, I’ve got a proposition for you. We’ll paint, and you can deduct what you think we’re worth from your bill for repairing our house. I know you aren’t charging us for labor so consider it your tip.”
Laughter welled up in him. “Tip? You make me sound like a waiter.”
“There’s nothing wrong with waiting tables. Didn’t you do that for a while in high school?”
“Yes, my second job to earn money for—” He suddenly snapped his mouth closed.
“For what?”
He stared at their fathers still having a conversation. His dad had a neutral expression on his face. Not bad, considering how he’d felt about Keith Sommerfield several weeks ago.
“Zane?”
“For prom and—” he cleared his throat as thoughts of that night fifteen years ago flitted through his mind “—for your engagement ring.”
“My engagement ring? You never said anything about that.”
“It was gonna be a surprise the night of prom.” It hadn’t been much—a fourth of a carat diamond—but to him it had been simple and elegant, something that personified Kim. Sitting in jail that evening, he’d realized he’d been a fool to think it was enough for Kim. She’d deserved so much better, and he couldn’t give it to her. At nineteen, he’d thought material objects were important. Now he knew there was a lot mo
re than that. Material possessions didn’t keep the loneliness at bay.
“Oh. A lot changed that night.”
“I grew up fast.”
“So did I.”
His gaze bound to hers, the air charged between them. “I’ll give you a call about the painting. It may not be until Wednesday or Thursday.”
“Cutting it close.”
“Yup. But it should dry overnight in time for the decorating committee.”
“Are you going to the grand opening?”
“I love a good Mardi Gras party.”
“Costume and all?”
“I’ve been known to don one in New Orleans.”
“This I’ve got to see.”
Her scent of jasmine toyed with his senses. Her nearness even in a sea of people affected his heart rate. He probably shouldn’t ask this, but he’d missed her this past week. He’d even driven by her house late one night—not a good sign.
“Do you want to go together?” The invitation came out before he could stop it.
“A date?”
Although he hadn’t had time to go on many dates lately, working sixteen-hour days, he’d done his share of dating. But at the moment the word terrified him, its implication taking what was happening between them to a whole new level. “That’s up to you.” He was a chicken, avoiding a direct answer, but her expression had settled into a neutral one, much like his father’s a few minutes ago—one he couldn’t read, one that gave him no indication of where he stood with her.
“Then let’s keep it between friends.”
“Of course,” he murmured, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. “I can pick you up at seven on Friday. What about Anna?”
“She can go with Maggie and Brady.”
“That’s okay. Have her come with us.”
Her attention fixed on a spot behind Zane. A smile spread across her mouth. “Are you ready to leave, Dad?”
Zane stepped to the side as Keith joined them. “It’s nice to see you at church, sir.”
“It’s been a while.” Kim’s father swiveled toward her. “Ruth and I are going out to eat at the café to talk campaign strategies.”
“Good. I’ll see you later at home then for dinner.”
“Maybe. Her opponent is running a negative campaign. We need to work out how to address his innuendoes.”
“I hadn’t heard.”
Her father frowned. “Just started yesterday in an interview he gave Mrs. Calvin for her blog. She posted it last night. Not flattering at all. I’ll see you when I see you.” Keith weaved his way through the crowd to Ruth. Putting his hand at the small of her back, he escorted her from the hall.
“Gideon said your dad went over to Ruth’s a couple of afternoons this week,” Zane said.
“Yeah, I didn’t even have to orchestrate that. He took it upon himself.” Kim’s attention turned to Zane. “I never thought I would hear the word blog in my dad’s vocabulary. When it comes to technology, he’s gone kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century.”
“I’ve heard about Mrs. Calvin’s blog. She talks about the stuff that happens around the town. Dad has told me she has a humorous outlook on life.”
“I’ll have to check it out. I haven’t known Mrs. Calvin to take sides in something like this.”
“If it was an interview, then it wasn’t necessarily her opinion. But my curiosity has been piqued.” He caught sight of Anna waving toward Kim. “Is she staying for the youth group?”
“Yes, and Brady, too.”
“Good. I see Gideon leaving. We’re going to the park with the kids to play basketball. I think he’s determined to teach me or humiliate me in the process.”
“I’ll warn you. Anna is good. Get on her team.”
“Will do.”
As he strode toward the double doors into the hall, he tried to stamp out his disappointment they weren’t going to the Mardi Gras party as a couple. But it was her choice and probably for the best.
* * *
In the full-length mirror on her closet door, Kim surveyed herself in the yellow taffeta hoop gown, her hair done up in a coiffure of curls that cascaded down her back. It was a far cry from how she’d looked when she’d returned home late last night after painting at the school for hours. She’d always thought of herself as neat and meticulous, but one look at herself in this very mirror last night—with paint everywhere—she’d had to revamp that assessment. But Zane had needed all the assistance he could get in order for the Mardi Gras party to take place this evening.
“You’ve still got some paint on the back of your arm.” Maggie pointed at Kim’s left one.
Kim rotated until she could see it in the mirror. Laughter sprinkled the air. “Good catch. If I’m going to dress up as a Southern belle, then I need to look the part. Paint on my arm sorta kills the vision of a life of leisure.” Kim traipsed to the bathroom to wet a washcloth and scrubbed off the pale blue paint before returning to the bedroom. “Is it all gone?”
“Yes. Now you have a red blotch where you rubbed it off.”
“That’s going to be the least of my worries. How are we going to sit in these hoop skirts? For that matter, walk through a doorway?”
“Delicately.”
“Or we’ll be the sensations of the party.”
“I heard the upstairs doorbell. That must be Zane. Where’s Anna?”
“Letting Zane inside right about now. She wanted to show him her milkmaid costume.”
Maggie headed for the hallway. “I’m rounding up Brady and Uncle Keith. After we pick up Ruth, we’ll be at the school.”
Having to go sideways through the doorway, Kim made her way to the game room where she found her daughter sitting on a stool pretending to milk a cow. Her giggles echoed through the air. But it was Zane who demanded Kim’s attention. Dressed as a pirate with a black patch over one eye, he looked like a handsome rogue, who was not her date, she reminded herself. They were going as friends. But for days that thought had left her disappointed, wanting more.
“Where did you learn how to milk a cow?” he asked Anna though his gaze brushed down Kim’s length in a leisurely survey before returning to her face.
“Papa Keith. He did it when he was a little boy back a looong time ago. I’m glad I don’t hafta milk a cow to get my milk for my cereal every morning. I might never get to school.” Anna saw Kim and hopped to her feet, her white mob cap sitting lopsided on her head.
Glancing away from Zane, Kim approached her daughter and straightened the cap. “Now you look like a proper maid.”
“Maid? Just so you know, I don’t do windows.” Anna covered her mouth and more giggles spilled out between her fingers.
“Silly. You know it means a young woman.” Kim felt the scorch of Zane’s eyes and shifted from side to side, resting her hands on her full skirt of yellow taffeta as it rocked with her movements.
“Y’all both look wonderful as young maids.” Zane’s husky Southern drawl nipped at the tight control she had on her emotions. Friends only, she reminded herself.
Kim finally locked gazes with Zane. Her throat grew dry, and her pulse began to pound against her veins, throb in her head. “You look interesting. Where’s the parrot that should be on your shoulder?”
“I knew I left something at home. I guess it’s just me tonight.”
The intensity in his regard robbed her of a coherent reply. She observed his mouth moving as he said something to her daughter, but the words didn’t register in her brain. This man before her, within arm’s reach, was anything but a pirate. He was caring and giving to others. There had been hints of that when they had dated as teenagers, but she liked very much what she saw now—a compassionate person who gave away a lot of the money he made.
She became aware of her surroundings slowly as she realized Anna was waving her hand in front of Kim’s face. “I want to go. I’m meeting my friends, Mom.”
Kim blinked, inhaled a deep breath and smiled, the corners of her mouth q
uivering. “Don’t you know a lady is supposed to keep people waiting?”
Anna pointed at herself. “Not this lady. Let’s go.” She charged for the door, flung it open and headed down the stairs, the sound of her footfalls loud.
“I guess she wants to go,” Kim said with a chuckle and trailed after her daughter.
Behind her, Zane said, “You probably should ride in back by yourself. I’m not sure your gown will fit in the front with me.”
Tossing a glance over her shoulder, she hiked her dress up a little as she carefully maneuvered the steps sideways. “That’s fine by me. I always wanted to be chauffeured.”
On the ground level, he swept his arm across his body. “At your service.” Then he moved to the back door of his truck and opened it. “Not exactly a limousine but it will have to do.”
As Kim settled onto her seat, fighting to keep the material of her dress down, Anna’s giggles erupted yet again. “We traded places, Mom. Like that movie I love to watch.”
Kim gave her hoop skirt a shove down and laid her arms across it. “When we get to the party, I want you to stay in the gym unless you let me know where you’re going.”
Zane slipped in behind the steering wheel, flipped up his black patch so he could see and winked at Anna. “Aye, matey. Ready to take this wench to our ship?”
“Ship? You’re silly.”
“Hey, I have a sailboat. We could skip this shindig and go sailing.”
“At night?” Anna grinned from ear to ear.
The whole way to the school Zane and Anna continued to carry on as if Kim wasn’t even there, discussing where they would go if they sailed away. Listening to their conversation made her wonder if Zane had ever wanted to be a father. When they had been young, they had talked about starting a family in the future—the distant future. Why hadn’t Zane ever married? Had those children?
At the school, her daughter spied Polly with Lily, Anna’s cousin on Scott’s side of the family. “Polly’s been hanging with Lily more and more. I gotta go.”
“Be nice, Anna.”
“Well, Lily needs to be.” Anna jumped from the cab and ran to catch up with her friend, leaving Kim to try and make a graceful exit from the truck.
Love Runs Deep (New Beginnings Book 7) Page 11