by Cassie May
Surprised Laynee’s head snapped up and she was met with Gavin’s charming smile. Immediately she knew that he just wanted to distract her from her pain, focusing on Abby’s story instead.
She was an ugly crier and embarrassed about her swollen eyes and runny nose, but Gavin didn’t seem to care. Instead he focused on her and waited patiently till she was ready to answer his question. “Abby is my ward, that’s what I told you earlier. What I didn’t tell you was that Abby’s mother, my best friend Kelly, was murdered a few months ago. Her father signed over all his rights when she was born, but now, since Abby is the sole heir to a big fortune he has decided that he wants her. He’s a trust fund baby and has spent all of his money. Now he wants Abby and use her to finance his lavish lifestyle and his drugs and parties. He doesn’t care for her, nor did he care for Kelly. He tried to fight for her in court and after he was declined any right to contact her and all that he actually tried to kidnap her from her kindergarten. I freaked out when that happened and packed all of our stuff and moved here to my parents.” Laynee shot Gavin a look, her stomach clenching in sudden anticipation about how he would react after hearing her crazy story. “That’s our story.”
Gavin’s arms tightened around her and she inhaled his spicy scent. “Do you think he will come here and bother you more? How did Abby handle all this?”
Shrugging Laynee tried to wiggle out of his arms. She wanted – needed – to get out of this vulnerable position, but Gavin held her close. Almost too close for this stage of their relationship. They were only acquaintances so far and she didn’t understand why she felt so comfortable in his arms. Finally she answered his question. Maybe then he would let her go and she could go home to figure out the feelings currently racing through her. “I don’t think he knows where we are. I have changed my numbers and only my publisher and my lawyers know where to reach me. I didn’t want to endanger Abby, since she is still struggling with everything that happened. She stopped talking when we got the message of her mom’s death.”
Laynee felt Gavin nod and with her head still laying on his chest she heard his voice rumbling and felt the vibrations through her whole body. “Do you think she’ll get better someday? That she will start talking again?”
Laynee thought about it and her heart swelled in her chest at Gavin’s concerned voice. “I think so, yes. Ever since coming to Peace and living with my parents she interacts more with the people around her. While living in New York she barely nodded when I asked her something, but now she actively searches out other people, mostly my parents and me and interacts with us. It’s beautiful to see her livening up again.” Silent tears of happiness rolled down Laynee’s cheeks and when Gavin forced her head to tilt up with his fingers she smiled up at him.
“That’s great news, sweetheart, so no need for tears, not even happy tears. That screams for a celebration, if you ask me. And if you want me to, I’d like to take you and Abby out some time. I want her to be comfortable around me, so she can come to the kindergarten.” His smile warmed Laynee’s heart and she nodded fiercely.
“I’d love that. I have planned to take Abby out to the alpaca ranch sometime, but I haven’t found the time to do so. Would you like to go with us? I mean, I know it is not that exciting, but I think she might enjoy it. We drove past the ranch when we came here and ever since then she’s only drawing alpacas and asking me when we finally go there. And believe me, even without a voice this kid can annoy the shit out of you.” Chuckling Laynee thought back on the times when Abby demanded from her that they go immediately to the alpaca ranch. Gavin joined her chuckles and then Laynee felt his lips on hers.
A little out of breath they separated and Laynee was stunned to see the desire shining in Gavin’s grey eyes. “What was that?”
“I am sorry. No, actually I’m not. I just hope it wasn’t too soon, but you intrigue me, Laynee. You and your little girl. When you came into the kindergarten this morning it was like the room was brighter than before. It just clicked and I think you noticed that as well. I want to come with you to the alpaca ranch and I want to stick around, because I have the feeling life is never going to be boring with you two.” His eyes twinkled with humor and Laynee exhaled slowly.
“You are serious.”
He nodded. “As a heart attack. I want to take care of you and Abby, so what do you say?”
“I don’t know. I never had a serious relationship before. A few casual hook-ups here and there, but nothing serious and I don’t want to bring a man in Abby’s life who isn’t going to stick around. She has already lost so much. I don’t want to add more pain to that. I need to know that you are really serious about what you are saying, do you understand me?” Laynee’s heart constricted with anticipation and she held her breath while waiting for Gavin’s response.
His eyes darkened to a stormy grey and when he nodded Laynee breathed deeply in relief. “I meant what I said, Laynee. I want to stick around. For you and for Abby, because I want to see that beautiful little girl smiling like she smiled today when playing with Jo at the kindergarten. No child should have experienced the loss she has suffered from and I want to help you and her overcome all this. I want you to feel welcome back here in Peace and build a life here.”
He said all the right words and Laynee’s heart sung in joy and happiness. She wrapped her arms around his neck and straddled his lap while pressing her lips on his.
“I didn’t hear you come home last night. Were you that late?” Eleanor asked curiously while preparing the breakfast for the family.
Blushing Laynee hid her face in Abby’s hair. “It was after midnight”, she mumbled.
“So you had fun? Good. Gavin really seems like a nice man and I wish him all the best after the problems he endured when he started working here.”
Laynee’s head snapped up and her eyes widened in alarm. “What do you mean? What problems did he have? He didn’t tell me anything about problems in Peace.”
Her mother shook her head and pointed to Abby before answering. “You little lady need to wash your hands and wake grandpa before breakfast is ready. Will you do that?” Abby nodded and wiggled from Laynee’s lap. The women heard her jumping upstairs and then opening the bedroom door.
“I didn’t want the little one to hear. A few people were against Gavin working at the kindergarten. You can’t imagine the awful things that were spread about him. Some people said that he just wanted to do that job, because he likes little children.” The way Eleanor phrased it, Laynee immediately understood what she meant and paled.
“Are you serious? People in Peace really think crap like that? I mean this is 2017 not the eighties. Men should be allowed to work with children without the fear of being discriminated.” Red hot rage rose in Laynee and it took all she had not to run outside to defend Gavin against every bad thing that was said about him before. “Let me have one guess who was the lead behind these rumors. Brent, Mrs. Johnson and rest of Brent’s feeble posse. I have the sudden desire to go to her flower shop and tell her what I think of her and Brent and everything that went down with him. Assholes!”
“Well, this is a lot of noise for such an early morning. What has you ready for World War Three? What’s going on here?” Smiling Jacob looked at his daughter and gave his wife a soft kiss.
Shaking her head Laynee picked Abby from his arms and sat down again. Putting a bowl with oatmeal in front of them she placed a spoon in Abby’s hand and waited for the small girl to start eating.
“Nothing, daddy. I was just disgusted about the darkness of the human soul even here in Peace, but I’m okay. Everything’s okay and we are going to the alpaca ranch this afternoon. Together with Gavin. Is that okay for you, buttercup?”
Abby nodded excitedly and put her spoon down, ready to go immediately. Laynee laughed loudly and put the spoon back in her ward’s hands. “No, no, you eat your breakfast first, then I have to do some work while you can play with grandma and grandpa and then we will pick up lunch and Mr. Chance from the ki
ndergarten. Is that okay for you, buttercup?”
Abby nodded a little less enthusiastically and dug in her oatmeal.
The rest of the morning flew by while Laynee worked to fit her characters into the plot she had developed for them. She tuned out everything around her and didn’t notice Abby and her father playing together on the floor next to her desk in her old room. Instead she sank in the world of police cars, high speed chases and blood. So much blood.
She flinched back into the reality when Abby touched her leg. “What the… Oh my god, Abby. You scared the heck out of me, buttercup.”
Abby made a heart sign with her hands and Laynee laughed loudly. “Is it already time to leave? Okay, where is your coat? Where are your shoes, little one?” Abby scurried away in search of her shoes and Laynee saved her work in progress while telling her parents that she and Abby would leave now and would come back later. After shutting down her computer she helped Abby with her shoes and jacket and both went out.
Laynee sat Abby in her car seat and drove to Generic Eric’s to get some sandwiches and of course milkshakes after Abby looked at her with big pleading eyes. “Okay, buttercup. You want strawberry? I’ll pick vanilla then and chocolate for Gavin. What do you think?” Abby nodded, her hair flying all around.
Abby danced in her seat and jumped out of the truck the moment Laynee put it in park in front of the kindergarten. Gavin was already waiting for them and stood smiling in the door of the building. Abby ran toward him and he easily caught her and whirled her around while the little girl squealed in excitement.
Amused Laynee watched them before getting out of the car and making her way over to them. “Hey you, we brought some food. I hope we are not too early.”
Gavin let Abby down and wrapped his arm around Laynee’s waist to pull her close and press a kiss on her lips. “Not at all. I was just tidying up the last stuff from the kids. I am ready. Do you want to eat here or drive over to the alpaca ranch first?”
Enjoying the warmth of his body Laynee leaned against him and smiled warmly at the stunning man who had so easily accepted her and the little girl that was part of her life.
He bent down and squatted in front of Abby. “So little princess. What do you say? First food or first the alpacas? But be careful. Grilled cheese sandwiches have to be warm, otherwise they taste like old socks. So what do you way?”
Abby giggled at his disgusted expression and opened her mouth to answer him. “Hmmm…” Blushing she hid her face behind Laynee’s legs and tried again. „Food.“
Excitement made a shiver run down Laynee’s spine. “Abby! That was awesome, buttercup! You want to eat first?”
Abby nodded and a beautiful smile spread over her face. “Yessss.”
Even Gavin joined their excitement and hugged the small girl hard. “I am so proud of you, princess. That deserves a special reward after we eat the sandwiches, don’t you think?”
Abby looked at him and extended her hand, indicating that she wanted her reward immediately.
“Oh no, buttercup. First we eat. Where are your manners?” Laynee grinned at the playfulness Abby showed while being with her and Gavin and her heart sang at the progress Abby had made since moving to Peace.
It was the right choice, she told herself. To move to Peace. Here Abby can heal. I can heal. We can heal together.
And maybe Gavin is the right medicine to help us with the healing, she added for herself while thinking about the night before.
Looking at Gavin and Abby laughing over the sandwiches Laynee smiled at herself. This was how it should be. Abby should have a fatherly figure in her life and it was awesome to see her blooming under the attention Gavin gave so freely. She needed this.
When Abby and Gavin waved her closer, Laynee walked the few steps over to them and sat down. Gavin immediately wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer while Abby held the vanilla shake closer to her. “Thank you, buttercup.”
They ate their sandwiches and drank the shakes while laughing and telling each other about the little things that mattered. Laynee told Abby and Gavin about growing up in Peace and the things she enjoyed doing with her friends.
“You played in the fountain in the park? Really? I mean I always thought it was some kind of holy grail and no children were allowed there?” Gavin asked incredulously when Laynee laughingly explained how they set almost the whole park under water one summer.
“Oh no, it was absolutely encouraged to play there. Dexie McBride’s mother always said that founding members of Peace would have wanted children to have fun in the town and during the summers the rivers were too soiled from being used to water the fields around Peace. It was a good time.” Till everything changed, Laynee thought and fought against the dark shadows that threatened to overcome her thoughts once again when thinking about what her friends from the past had to endure.
A warm hand on her arm snapped her back to the present and she met Gavin’s glance. With a shrug she pushed the dark thoughts aside and stood up. “Okay, looks like we’re finished. Should we drive over to Jacob’s now? What do you say, buttercup? Gavin?” Both nodded and stood as well. They cleaned up their mess from lunch and then Abby turned to Gavin with her hand stretched out.
A deep belly laugh shook his whole body and Laynee watched fascinated how it transformed his whole demeanor. Careless and young. That’s how he seemed while laughing like this. Bending down Gavin ruffled her hair and shook his head. “No little one, you have to wait till we are at the alpaca ranch. Your surprise is waiting there for you.” His wink prevented Abby from protesting and Laynee could only stare at how easily Gavin had charmed the little girl. Her skittish behavior with strangers was nonexistent with him. She could already see Abby falling for Gavin like she had fallen and it lifted a huge rock from her chest. It would have never worked out between them if Abby disliked Gavin. But like this? Laynee could easily see them as a family. A real traditional family with father, mother and at least one child. Not bound by blood, but by love and dedication for each other.
At the farm Abby jumped out of the car before one of the adults had the chance to help her and raced toward the house. Jacob was already waiting for her on the porch and when Abby saw him she stopped immediately.
“You can come closer, kiddo. I don’t bite and a nice lady like you is always welcome at Jacob’s alpaca ranch”, his gravelly voice full of suppressed laughter called out to Abby.
The girl turned around to look for Laynee and Gavin with a deep red blush spreading over her whole face. She grabbed Gavin’s hands in hers and stayed close to him while they approached the porch where the attractive older man was still waiting, a smirk on his face.
He squatted down and extended his hand toward Abby. “You must be Abby, Gavin already told me about you on the phone this morning. I hope you are ready to see something really special I have for you.” Abby nodded shyly while shaking his hand. Finally Jacob stood up again and greeted Laynee and Gavin. “Gavin, it’s good to see you again and Laynee, girl, you’ve really grown up since the last time I saw you. Obviously the big city was the right decision for you. How is it to be back after all this time?”
Laynee grinned. “It’s good, Jacob. Thank you for allowing us to visit. I’m sure you have better things to do than showing us your ranch and letting Abby play with the animals.”
Shaking his head Jacob’s smile widened. “Naw, I love having kids here. You know, the alpacas and I we get lonely from time to time. It’s good for them to see a different face sometimes and like I said. I have a surprise for this little angel.” He motioned to Abby and then to the stable next to the farmhouse. “Let’s go in the stable and I’m going to show it to you.”
He went ahead and Laynee, Gavin and Abby followed. With relief Laynee noticed that Abby’s shyness was overruled by her curiosity and the little girl turned her head as fast as she could to take everything in she saw at the ranch. In the distance Laynee could see some alpacas grazing in a pasture and she noticed with surprise how d
ifferent they looked. There were white ones, black ones, brown ones and mixed colors so every alpaca had its own unique look. Still lost in her thoughts they reached the stable and Jacob opened the door.
He put a finger on his mouth and now looked seriously at Abby. “Do you promise to not scream, little lady? The alpacas can be easily scared and you don’t want them spitting at you, do you?”
Abby shook her head, her long hair flying all over her face and nodded then. She put her finger on her mouth as well. “Shhh.”
“That’s right. And now come in and see the surprise.” Jacob let them in and immediately the smell of animal permeated the air. It was not a bad smell, just like animals and hay and straw. And then Laynee saw the surprise: in one of the stables a beautiful alpaca stood, her head bent over a little calf. Both mother and calf were painted white and brown, but while the mother had flecks of brown all over her body, the calf only had brown “socks” and a blaze formed like a heart on her forehead. It was adorable; blinking at them with sleepy eyes while getting groomed by the mother.
Abby looked at the calf with wide glittering eyes. Her little body shook with suppressed tension to not run toward the two animals till Jacob gave his okay.
“This is Moonlight and her calf. It is only three days old. Do you want to pet it?”
Abby nodded carefully and grabbed Jacob’s hand without hesitation to get closer to the animals while Laynee and Gavin stood back to not crowd them.
“Squat down so Moonlight knows you are not a threat. Extend your hand and let her sniff it. When she has sniffed you can pet the baby.” Abby nodded seriously and kneeled next to mother and calf while extending her hand.
Moonlight sniffed shortly, nodded quickly as if to say “You are okay, human” and then continued to groom her baby. When Abby started to stroke the calf’s fur carefully the little baby lifted its head and gave her hand a quick lick. Laynee couldn’t stop the gasp escape her mouth when a beautiful smile lit up Abby’s face and tears streamed down her face. It had been a long time since she saw Abby smile like this and she was incredibly grateful to be present to see it. Gavin’s arm wrapped around her waist and she felt him pressing a kiss on her neck.