Child of Grace

by Hannon, Irene

  Had she tugged free, Luke could have resisted the temptation to kiss her. And she had every opportunity to do so in this quiet house that had long been her refuge.

  But she didn’t. And it was impossible to ignore her silent message—and invitation.

  Cupping her cheek with one hand, he stroked her silky blond hair with the other. Traced the elegant curve of her jaw with a finger that wasn’t quite steady. Inhaled the faint flowery fragrance that was all Kelsey.

  And then he bent down and claimed her lips.

  A gentle, searching, exploratory kiss. That was all he wanted.

  But when Kelsey melted against him…when her arms went around his neck…all his good intentions evaporated. The kiss deepened…lengthened…grew more potent.

  Until finally Luke broke contact. By necessity, not choice. The electricity between them was getting way too intense.

  Trembling, she rested her forehead against his chest, in the circle of his arms—until at last she backed up. “I didn’t expect that.” The whispered admission was wobbly.

  “I didn’t, either.”

  She searched his face. “It doesn’t change anything, though, does it?”

  “For me or for you?”

  “I can’t give up Grace, Luke.”

  “I know.” He exhaled. “But she’s not the only problem, anyway.”

  Kelsey stiffened. “She isn’t a problem, Luke. She’s a person.”

  Bad word choice, Turner.

  “I realize that. I’m sorry. But there are other issues. Like geography. I have a job waiting for me in Atlanta. Your life is here.”

  She played with a button on his shirt, and he had to force himself to concentrate on what she was saying.

  “I love Gram’s cottage. It will always be my refuge. But my work is mobile. Most of my business comes from my website anyway, and if I do design a line of quilted items, those will be mass-produced elsewhere. Besides, I think my shop mate may soon retire. Dorothy and Charles are getting serious, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there’s a wedding in the not too distant future. If that happened, I’d close my shop and work from home.”

  So Hannah had been right. Kelsey wasn’t married to Michigan.

  That was encouraging news.

  She lifted her chin, and her hand stilled as she continued. “And home could be anywhere—as long as I’m with the people I love.”

  Including Grace.

  They were back to square one.

  Yet the thought of losing this woman without giving their relationship a chance twisted his gut. The two of them had potential. Serious potential. That was becoming clearer with every passing day.

  “Maybe we could give this some time.” He brushed back a few stray strands of her hair. “I may be able to work through my issues with Grace.”

  Her posture stiffened. “Accepting her just to get me doesn’t cut it, Luke. I would never, ever want my daughter to think she was excess baggage.”

  That was difficult to refute…because his motive in accepting Grace would be to get Kelsey—not her daughter—in his arms.

  As if she’d read his mind, Kelsey disengaged from his embrace and stepped back. “I wish things were different, Luke.” There was a catch in her voice.

  He swallowed. Shoved his hands in his pockets. “So do I.”

  “Thanks again for helping with the crib.” She edged past him and led the way to the back door, leaving him no choice but to follow.

  When he caught a glimmer of tears as she pushed it open, he took a step toward her.

  She jerked back and angled away from him. “Don’t.”

  At her choked plea, he froze. She was setting boundaries he needed to respect. “I’ll talk to you this week—about the benefit.”

  She gave a taut nod.

  As he exited through the screened porch, the door shut behind him—and the lock clicked into place.

  The symbolism ate at his gut.

  Kelsey was locking the door not just to her house, but to her heart.

  Perhaps forever.

  Unless he could figure out how to reach the key to unlock it that was just beyond his grasp.

  16

  At the sound of the doorbell, Kelsey shifted Grace onto her shoulder and patted her back as she walked toward the front of the house. “Come on, sweetie. Burp for me. Please?”

  That pleading refrain had been her mantra in the two days since she’d brought her daughter home. The sweet, compliant little bundle of joy in the hospital nursery had morphed into a fussy, unhappy baby who didn’t want to eat, sleep or poop, let alone burp.

  According to the woman on the help line at the birth center, Grace’s fussiness and irritability were normal as she adjusted to her new environment. But it was nerve-wracking. At only an ounce over five pounds, Grace couldn’t afford not to eat.

  The bell rang again, and Kelsey mashed her lips together. Picked up her pace.

  She did not need company.

  But it was hard to resent a visit from Reverend Howard, who stood on her doorstep holding a basket of flowers with balloons attached, a small stuffed animal with a bow around its neck tucked under his arm. After all the hours she’d spent bending his ear as she agonized over her decision, he deserved more than the quick call she’d made after Grace’s birth to inform him she was keeping her baby.

  “Is this a good time?” He surveyed the bundle on her shoulder. “If it isn’t, I’ll leave these and stop in another day.”

  “To be honest, there haven’t been any good times recently.”

  As if to verify that, Grace spit up on her shoulder.

  “I’ll come back.”

  The minister started to set his gifts inside the front door, but Kelsey stepped back and motioned him in. “No, please stay. I could use a distraction for a few minutes. Let me just get rid of this towel.” She ushered him into the living room and waved him toward the sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

  She ditched the damp towel on her shoulder with a quick detour to the improvised nursery, but her attempts to put Grace in her crib were met with howls of protest.

  Kelsey sighed. No way could she ignore her child’s distress—as Grace had already learned. She picked her up again, bouncing her slightly in her arms as she rejoined the minister and took a seat on the couch beside him.

  He leaned close, and Kelsey folded back the blanket. The baby stared up at him and hiccupped.

  “She’s a cutie.”

  “Thank you. She also has strong lungs.”

  “I assume you’re not getting much sleep.”

  “Not enough.” She picked up the stuffed animal the minister had set on the coffee table and tucked it next to Grace. “Thank you for this and the flowers.”

  “My pleasure. Celebrating the miracle of birth is always a joy. Other than not getting much sleep, how are you feeling?”

  “Physically, okay. Emotionally, at peace.” She stroked a finger down Grace’s satin-smooth cheek, smiling as the baby gripped it.

  “I can see that. I’m happy for you.”

  “I kept meaning to call you back and talk more—but it’s been hectic.”

  “So I heard. I thought you might be up to attending services Sunday, but Luke told me afterward that Grace was coming home that day. I imagine you’ve had your hands full.”

  “That would be an understatement.”

  “Luke also filled me in on all the publicity work you’ve been doing since our celebrity guest agreed to come to the benefit. He’s very grateful. We all are.”

  “It’s a worthy cause. From everything I’ve learned about him, Carlos was a man who deserved to be honored.”

  “I know his friendship meant a great deal to Luke. As a matter of fact, so does yours.”

  Grace gurgled and burrowed deeper into the blanket, giving Kelsey an excuse to redirect her attention. “He’s a very special person.”

  “I gathered that the feeling is mutual.”

  Kelsey swallowed past the sudden constrictio
n in her windpipe. “But he doesn’t think that about Grace.”

  “He has nothing against Grace, Kelsey. He recognizes that she’s an innocent party in this situation, and that she’s a child of God. But he has concerns about his ability to love her as she deserves to be loved.”

  “I’m not willing to settle for anything less.”

  “He knows that. That’s why he’s struggling.”

  “Loving someone shouldn’t have to be a struggle.”

  “Ah, my dear.” The minister offered her the hint of a smile. “Loving people is often a struggle in our imperfect world. All we can do is keep trying with a sincere heart. And he is trying.”

  Kelsey creased the edge of Grace’s blanket between her fingers. “Did he ask you to talk to me?”

  “No. But I’ve come to admire him a great deal in these past weeks. And you, over the past few months. I can’t help but feel God brought the two of you together for a reason.”

  “Maybe it was simply to give Carlos’s dream wings.”

  “That could be true. Then again, he may have had something more in mind. Many blessings come in unexpected ways, as you well know. That’s why it’s important for us to be open to the opportunities he sends our way.” The man rose, rested a hand on Grace’s head, and moved to the door. “I’ll let myself out. Call if you need anything.”

  Long after he departed, Kelsey remained on the couch, Grace’s rosebud lips suckling in sleep, her countenance peaceful. It was amazing how fast the two of them had bonded.

  Was it possible Luke would connect with her too, given time? After all, in the beginning he’d resisted Carlos’s efforts to break through the barricades he’d erected around his heart in the months following the roadside bomb. He’d considered the man a pest. Yet Carlos had triumphed in the end. With his solid faith, persistence, and positive outlook, the young medic had won Luke’s respect, friendship, and love.

  Could Grace’s innocent sweetness eventually work the same magic in his heart?

  As she settled back into the corner of the couch, her baby tucked close, Kelsey’s eyelids grew heavy. Should she risk a romance with Luke and pray he’d come to love Grace as she did? Or was she doing a disservice to all of them by holding out hope for a happily-ever-after?

  No answer came to her.

  But as she hovered in that ethereal state between slumber and wakefulness, she sent a silent plea heavenward for guidance in the days ahead.

  Because if she made the wrong choice, the happiness of three lives could be at stake.

  * * *

  Sliding into his car as the bells at St. Francis chimed the midnight hour several blocks away, Luke loosened his bow tie and exhaled.

  What an incredible night.

  The hotel ballroom had been packed for the dinner auction, every item had sold at an amazing price, and his talk about Carlos had been met with a standing ovation. Best of all, they’d raised every dollar needed to not only build the youth center, but fund an endowment, as Kelsey had predicted.

  Too bad she couldn’t have been there to witness the fruits of her labors.

  Luke twisted the key in the ignition, backed out of the parking spot, and pointed the car toward Pier Cove. Her absence had been the only flaw in the evening. It was understandable that she hadn’t wanted to leave Grace home only six days after her daughter was released from the hospital—but he’d missed her.

  In fact, he’d been missing her all week, despite the calls he’d placed in between running to meetings and interviews, dealing with their special guest star, and finalizing banquet arrangements. He’d even stopped by twice when he’d been home during the day, just to get a glimpse of her. But she’d answered the door bleary-eyed and sleepy, so he’d left after a brief exchange. Interrupting her much-needed rest was selfish.

  Still, having her by his side tonight would have been the proverbial icing on the cake. They could have celebrated the moment together.

  And it was a moment worth celebrating.

  As he covered the dark miles between Saugatuck and Pier Cove, Luke’s lips ticced up at the thought of the ovation he’d received tonight after he’d spoken of the young medic who had inspired him, and whose memory the youth center would honor. Perhaps Carlos somehow knew his dream would become a reality. That because of him, other teens would have the opportunity to turn their lives around, just as he had.

  As for himself, his mission was complete. Now he could go home—and move on with his life.

  Except his gut ached at the prospect of leaving Kelsey behind.

  Luke exited I-196 at Pier Cove and navigated down the narrow, woodsy road that paralleled the shore. The only item on his schedule for the next two days was a meeting with the Interdenominational Youth Fellowship board to tie up loose ends and talk about the role he’d play as an advisory board member until the center was completed. That left plenty of hours in the day for Kelsey—his top priority.

  Because he couldn’t walk away in three days with no hope of ever seeing her again. There had to be some way to convince her to give him a chance to learn to love Grace.

  Maybe he’d never be able to get past the trauma of her conception and the bad feelings it evoked. But perhaps with prayer—and God’s grace—he could manage it.

  The headlights picked out his driveway, and he swung in. In the distance, Kelsey’s lights were on. Not unusual. She always left several burning at night. Considering what she’d been through, her aversion to darkness and shadows wasn’t surprising.

  But tonight there were far more lights than normal.

  As he braked and slid out of the car, the faint wail of a baby floated through the cool night air.

  If Grace was awake, so was Kelsey.

  Should he cut through the trees and knock on her door?

  No.

  It was the middle of the night, and while she might be awake, she was probably not in the mood for visitors. A recap of the evening could wait until a decent hour.

  Halfway to his door, however, he paused when a crash came from Kelsey’s cottage. The baby’s wails increased in volume.

  Following his instincts, he pivoted and strode through the trees toward her back door.

  From the screened porch, he surveyed the scene inside through the kitchen window. The counter was littered with broken crockery, the baby was wailing in Kelsey’s arms, and tears were running down her cheeks.

  He moved to the back door, calling through the window as he knocked. “Kelsey, it’s Luke.”

  She swung toward him and stumbled toward the door, disappearing from view.

  A moment before the locks were flipped, she gave a startled yelp…then the door was pulled open and Kelsey stood before him, still bouncing Grace on her shoulder.

  She was a mess.

  Her hair was tangled, there were bruise-like shadows under her eyes, her T-shirt was stained, and she was trembling.

  “What’s going on? I heard the crash as I was walking toward my door.” He had to muster up every ounce of his willpower to fight the impulse to pull her into his arms.

  “I was up anyway, so I thought I’d empty the d-dishwasher. The plates slipped when I tried to slide them in the cabinet.”

  In one sweep, Luke took in the scene behind her. It appeared as if several plates had shattered on the countertop and floor.

  There was also a trail of blood leading across the floor to her foot.

  Pulse surging, he reached for the baby. “You’re hurt.” The infant scrunched Kelsey’s T-shirt in her fists, and Luke had to pry them free. Settling the squirming, kicking, screaming bundle against his chest, he motioned Kelsey toward a kitchen chair, away from the mess on the floor. “Sit down and let me see your foot.”

  Distress etching her features as her daughter howled, she limped over to the chair.

  Once she was settled, Luke handed Grace back, dropped to one knee, and picked up Kelsey’s bare foot. The inch-long gash on the bottom was jagged but not deep enough to need stitches. Setting her foot on an adjace
nt chair, he rose. “Where’s your first aid kit?”

  “In the hall closet. Where the ice pack was.”

  He found it in thirty seconds. After cleaning the cut and bandaging it, he closed the box and motioned toward the baby, who continued to cry. “Is she due to be fed or changed?”

  “I just finished both.”

  “In that case, go to bed.” He tugged his tie free from his collar, slipped off his jacket, and plucked Grace from her arms again. “You need to sleep.”

  “Whenever I try to put her down, she cries.”

  “Babies are very adept at training their parents with that technique.” He flashed her a quick grin. “But I’ll hold her until she settles down—and I’ll stick around awhile, so you can get at least a couple hours of sleep.”

  “I don’t want to put you out.”

  “I’m not tired. I’m still on a high from the dinner. You won’t believe how much we raised.” When he told her the amount, her mouth dropped open. “Add that to all the individual and corporate contributions that have come in over the past few weeks, and we not only have our center, but the endowment fund you hoped for.”

  Excitement sparked in her eyes, chasing away a bit of the tension in her features. “That’s fabulous, Luke.”

  “We’ll talk more tomorrow. Now go get some sleep.” He waved her toward the bedroom. “I’ll keep this little lady company.”

  “Thank you.”

  She was limping down the hall before he could reply.

  Once she disappeared, Luke moved into the living room. Grace continued to flail in his arms, and he bounced her gently as he settled into a rocking chair with a colorful quilt draped over the back.

  “How about letting your mom sleep for a little while, hmm? Can you do that?”

  To his surprise, she snuffled and quieted as she regarded him, blue eyes swimming in tears, blond ringlets framing her cherubic face, tiny fists clenched around a pink blanket. She was cute. And now that he was up close and personal with her, it was easy to see the features she shared with her mom. The hair was an obvious connection. But she had Kelsey’s jaw too. Strong, with a hint of stubbornness. And her mouth—definitely the same shape as her mother’s.