The Way Home

by Irene Hannon

  “Your sister told me you had a weakness for cinnamon rolls and anyone who tempted you was in trouble, but don’t you think the pepper spray is a little extreme?”

  Amy stared at him in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

  “Fixing breakfast.”

  “I can see that. I mean…why are you here?”

  “I told your sister I’d check on you this morning. And she made me promise to try and get you to eat something.” He slid the omelet onto a plate and placed it on the table, then pulled out her chair with a flourish. “Can I tempt you?”

  That was definitely a loaded question, Amy thought wryly as she tried to ignore the sudden flutter of her pulse. “Actually, I’m, uh, pretty hungry today,” she stammered.

  “A good sign,” he pronounced, pushing in her chair as she sat down.

  “Aren’t you eating anything?” she asked as he walked back toward the counter.

  “I might try one of those cinnamon rolls with a cup of coffee.”

  She reached for one herself as he rejoined her, and closed her eyes to savor the first bite. “Mmm! This is heaven!”

  Cal chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. “I’ll have to tell your sister that her strategy worked.”

  Amy wrinkled her nose. “She knows me too well. Not that I’m complaining, you understand.” She took another big bite and chewed slowly. “Just out of curiosity, may I ask how you got in? Did you call on one of your police connections to jimmy the lock or something?”

  “Nothing so dramatic. I left your key on the table by the door when I brought you home last night, so I just borrowed it.”

  “How late did you stay?”

  He shrugged. “A couple of hours after you went to bed. I wanted to make sure you were sleeping okay before I left. By the way, your station called. Somebody named Jarrod. I told him you were asleep, and he said not to worry about coming in for a few days. How’s the omelet?”

  Amy speared another forkful. “Surprisingly good.”

  Cal pretended to look offended. “Well, thanks a lot. I do have some culinary talent.”

  She chuckled. “And I suppose you made the cinnamon rolls, too?”

  “You’ve got me there,” he admitted with a lopsided grin. “I know a little mom-and-pop bakery that works magic with dough.”

  “They have my vote,” Amy concurred as she helped herself to another roll.

  Cal drained his coffee cup and glanced at his watch. “When you finish that, why don’t I change your dressing before I head to the office?”

  Amy looked at him in surprise. “Cal, you’ve done more than enough as it is. And you’re probably already late for work. I can manage.”

  “Not easily. You won’t even be able to see what you’re doing without juggling a mirror in one hand, and I think it’s a two-handed job.”

  She couldn’t argue with his logic. “Don’t tell me you’re a medic, too.”

  He gave her a disarming grin. “Hardly. Believe it or not, the sight of blood makes me pretty squeamish.”

  Amy looked at him in surprise. “Honestly?”

  “Yep. So much for my macho image.”

  She smiled, charmed yet again by his lack of pretense. “Then your offer is doubly appreciated. I don’t think it’s a pretty sight back there. You’re not going to pass out on me or anything, are you?”

  He chuckled. “I’ll let you know if I feel dizzy.”

  He rose and retrieved the gauze and tape, as well as some antiseptic cream, then positioned himself behind her.

  “Ready?”

  “I guess so.”

  Cal carefully eased the tape off her scalp, and though she didn’t say a word, he knew by the rigid lines of her body and her white-knuckled grip on her coffee mug that she was hurting. When at last the dressing came free and Cal got his first look at the gouge on the back of her head, he sucked in his breath sharply.

  “You okay?” Amy asked, her own voice strained.

  “Yeah.”

  “Does it look bad?”

  Cal gazed down at the jagged abrasion. It was nearly three inches long, caked with dried blood and framed by angry, inflamed skin. “Bad” was an understatement.

  “Could be worse,” he replied, striving to keep his voice light as he reached for the gauze. “I think I’ll clean it up a little before I put the cream on, though.” He walked over to the sink and dampened the gauze, giving himself a moment to recover from his first look at the cut. He hadn’t been kidding when he told Amy he was no medic. He didn’t like blood. Never had. Especially when it was on someone he cared about. And seeing her injury in living color only brought home to him again how close she had come to something more serious.

  He took his time at the sink, and by the time he repositioned himself behind her, he felt calmer. “This will probably hurt,” he said apologetically.

  “I’m sure it will. But I can handle it,” she said with more bravado than she felt.

  Cal was sure she could. Amy Winter was one tough lady. But he didn’t want to test her limits, so he cleaned off the dried blood as carefully as he could until at last the long row of stitches was revealed. He paused once when she winced, and let his hand drop to her shoulder.

  “I’m okay,” she said shakily.

  He waited a moment, then carefully applied the cream and rebandaged the wound, using a much smaller piece of gauze than the one applied by the emergency room staff. “I think they overdid it with the bandage at the hospital. In fact, you should be able to disguise that premature bald spot pretty well with your hair,” he teased, hoping to distract her.

  When she made no comment, he finished up quickly, then came around and squatted beside her. Her face looked strained, and slightly paler than when she had first come into the kitchen, and he reached over and touched her cheek gently, his gaze tender. “I’m sorry if I hurt you,” he said softly.

  She drew in a deep breath. “It’s okay. There’s no way around it for the next few days, I guess. I’ll just try to get a lot of rest, and hopefully it will heal faster.”

  He hesitated for a moment, then cleared his throat. “I have a suggestion about the rest part.”

  He seemed suddenly…nervous was the word that came to mind, and she looked at him curiously. “What?”

  He didn’t answer her question immediately. Instead, he rose and returned to his seat, where he wrapped his hands around his empty coffee cup. Now he really had her attention. “What is it, Cal?”

  He looked over at her. The idea had come to him late last night, and at the time it had seemed inspired. Now, in the light of day, he wasn’t so sure. But he had already decided that he could no longer ignore the attraction between them, and this was an ideal opportunity to test the waters.

  “After the trial ended, my boss suggested I take a few days off and go home to the mountains to recharge my batteries. I’m leaving tomorrow. Your boss told me last night that they want you to take a few days off to rest and recuperate, too. Since there’s no better place for that than the Smokies, I was wondering if you—if you might like to join me. The mountains can do wonders for your mental and physical health.”

  Amy stared at him, clearly stunned by the invitation. Cal had expected her to be surprised, had known it was a gamble. And the odds of her accepting seemed to be dropping rapidly with each second that ticked by. When the silence lengthened, he shifted uncomfortably.

  “Listen, I know this is unexpected. Why don’t you think about it today and give me your answer tonight?” he suggested. “I’ll stop by on my way home to change the dressing again.”

  Amy hardly heard his addendum. She was still too busy trying to process the unexpected invitation. “Did you just ask me to go home with you?” she said carefully.

  “Yeah. There’s plenty of room in Gram’s cabin. I know it’s not the Caribbean or the exotic resorts you like, but it’s quiet and restful. And it might do you a lot of good.”

  His voice was casual, but Amy could sense his tension as she considered t
he invitation. While she wanted to explore the possibilities of their relationship, this was a giant step. One she wasn’t altogether sure she was ready to take. She’d figured on easing into this thing, not jumping in feetfirst. And a few days in the mountains, with Cal’s family and on his turf, was definitely feetfirst. On the other hand, maybe that’s exactly what she should do. She’d probably find out pretty quick whether there was any potential between them. As she tried to weigh the pros and cons of accepting, her head began to ache, and she reached up to rub her temples.

  “How long will you be gone?” she asked, stalling.

  “Until Wednesday night.”

  “Let me check with my station and find out just how much time I can take, okay?”

  “Fair enough. I’ll be here about six. And don’t worry about food. I’ll pick up a pizza.”

  She looked at him and shook her head. No matter what happened between them, one thing was clear. “You’re an amazing man, Cal Richards,” she said softly.

  He felt his neck grow red, even as his heart grew warm. “I have to eat, anyway.” He rose and reached for his coat. “Take it easy today, okay?”

  She nodded. “I don’t think I’m up to doing much else.”

  He laid a hand gently on her shoulder, and for a moment their gazes locked—and sizzled. Amy’s mouth went dry; she moistened her lips with her tongue. Cal’s gaze dropped, and she heard his sharply indrawn breath, saw his Adam’s apple bob convulsively. Then, without another word, he turned and left.

  “Amy! I’ve been praying for you ever since I woke up! If you hadn’t called me in the next ten minutes, I was going to call you!”

  Amy pulled her knees up and snuggled into the corner of the couch. “I didn’t want to wake you. I know you’ve been sleeping later since you got pregnant.”

  “Not this morning. I hardly closed my eyes all night, thinking about you. Did you call Mom?”

  “Yes. She hadn’t heard anything about it, so I downplayed the whole incident as much as possible. I don’t think she was too worried.”

  “Unlike your sister, who saw it all in living color.”

  “I’m sorry, Kate. I still can’t believe it made national news.”

  “I can. It was a pretty heroic thing to do.”

  “Anyone would have done the same.”

  “But they didn’t. You were the only one.”

  “You sound like Cal. And thanks a lot for telling him about the cinnamon rolls. I probably put on five pounds in the last two hours.”

  “He brought them!” Her sister sounded delighted.

  “Yeah. Bright and early. Almost too early, in fact. I heard noises in the kitchen and thought it was an intruder. I almost zapped him with the pepper spray.”

  “Amy! You didn’t!”

  “I said ‘almost.’ Good thing I didn’t. It would have ruined the cinnamon rolls. Not to mention the omelet.”

  “He made you an omelet?” her sister said reverently.

  “Yes. And a very good one, I might add.”

  “This man sounds like a keeper, Amy.”

  Amy sighed. “Yeah, he does, doesn’t he? The thing is, I’m not sure I have time for romance, Kate. And besides, we’re so different. He’s a country boy at heart, and I like the bright lights. I don’t see how it could ever work.”

  “You’ll never know if you don’t give it a chance. What do you have to lose?”

  My heart, Amy replied silently. But her spoken words were different. “You’re assuming that he’s interested.”

  “A man doesn’t show up at a hospital emergency room if he’s not interested, Amy. I bet if you gave him any encouragement, he’d pursue this.”

  Amy sighed. “It seems you’re right again, dear sister. He does want to pursue it. The station gave me a few days off, and he invited me to go to the mountains with him.”

  There was a long beat of silence, and when Kate spoke, her tone was suddenly cautious. “Look, Amy, maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all. Up till now, everything you’ve told me about this guy has led me to believe that he’s got his head on straight and has pretty solid moral values. But if he’s inviting you to shack up with him for the weekend, then—”

  “Hold on, Kate,” Amy interrupted with a laugh. “Trust me, that isn’t his style. We’d be staying with his grandmother.”

  The relief in Kate’s voice was obvious. “Well, thank goodness! You’re going, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Again there was a moment of silence. “It wouldn’t be because you’re afraid, would it?” Kate finally asked, her voice gentle.

  Amy frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know if I can explain exactly,” Kate said hesitantly. “It’s just that…well, all these years I’ve watched you single-mindedly go after what you want. I’ve admired you in many ways, even envied your drive and commitment at times, as well as your ability to stay focused. You just didn’t let anything into your life that could deter you from capturing the golden ring. But I honestly can’t say that you’ve ever seemed really happy or…or content. And I think maybe you’ve missed some good things along the way, all in the name of your career. I’m not saying career isn’t important, Amy. You’ve worked hard and done well, and I know that means a lot to you. But it’s not everything. And maybe it’s not even the most important thing.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I guess what it comes down to is this. I don’t want you to pass up a chance at love just because the guy came along at the wrong time or is a little different than what you expected.”

  Kate’s comments mirrored her own recent thoughts so closely that for a moment Amy was too surprised to speak.

  “Amy?” Kate’s concerned voice came over the wire. “Listen, I didn’t mean to offend you, but…”

  “It’s okay,” Amy assured her sister. “You just hit a little too close to home. I guess maybe I am afraid. After investing so much of my life and myself in my career—pretty much to the exclusion of all else—it’s pretty scary to think about changing course. Especially when I’ve been so sure about my destination.”

  “I know it’s hard for you. You’ve always been the type to hang on tenaciously once you set your mind to something. Remember the violin?”

  Amy chuckled. “Yeah.”

  “You drove us nuts at home. Even though the teacher kept telling you that it just wasn’t your instrument, you were determined to be the next Itzhak Perlman. We all deserve a special place in heaven for putting up with that screeching for…how long? Four years? Five?”

  “It was only two.”

  “Well, it seemed at least twice that long.”

  Amy laughed. “I must admit, you guys were pretty good sports. And you’re right. I have a hard time letting go, once I make my mind up to go after something.”

  “Well, let me tell you, we all got down on our knees and thanked the Lord when you took up quilting. It was the answer to our prayers. And you would never have discovered you had a talent for it if you hadn’t gone to that meeting for Mom. In fact, until then, whenever she brought it up you just laughed it off. You said it wouldn’t be a good fit. But you found out differently once you tried it. I guess all I’m saying about Cal is that maybe it’s the same kind of thing. It might not look like a good fit on the surface, but you might be surprised if you give it a chance.”

  “You know something, Kate?”

  “What?”

  “You’re one sharp lady.”

  Kate chuckled. “I wish you’d thought that when we were teenagers. It would have prevented quite a few squabbles. So you don’t mind the advice, then?”

  “No.”

  “Then can I give you one more piece?”

  “Sure.”

  “I know you haven’t kept up with your faith these past few years. But it wouldn’t hurt to ask for a little guidance. The Lord always comes through, you know.”

  “Frankly, Kate, I don’t think He even remembers my name.”

  “Of course He d
oes. That’s the nice thing about the Lord, Amy. Even if we ignore Him, He never ignores us. But enough preaching. You’ll let me know what you decide about the trip, won’t you?”

  “Absolutely. Just as soon as I know myself.”

  Amy sat there for a long time after she rang off, weighing the pros and cons of accepting Cal’s invitation. When the minutes ticked by and she didn’t seem to be any closer to a resolution, she decided to take Kate’s advice and try asking for guidance from a higher power.

  It had been a long time since she’d prayed, and at first she felt awkward. But as she closed her eyes and struggled to express her chaotic thoughts in the silence of her heart, the words suddenly came.

  Dear Lord, I know You haven’t heard from me in a while. It’s not that I stopped believing. I’ve just been too busy to take time for prayer. Or, I guess more truthfully, I just haven’t made time for prayer, the way Cal has. Anyway, he’s the reason I’m coming to You now. I like him, Lord. A lot. But I’m afraid if I let him get too close, it could change my life forever. On the other hand, Kate could be right. I might be letting something really good slip away if I don’t pursue this. I’m confused, Lord. I need Your help. I know I’ve been a wayward soul for too long, but I’m going to try to find my way back to You. And in the meantime, please guide me to make the right decision about this.

  When Amy opened her eyes, she had no magic solution to her dilemma. But somehow her burden seemed lighter. And she had a feeling that by the time Cal arrived that evening, she’d be ready to give him an answer.

  As the first blue-hued mountains appeared on the distant horizon, Cal drew in a slow, deep, cleansing breath. The familiar and comforting sense of homecoming swept over him, and he turned to glance at Amy, anxious to share this moment with her. But she was still sleeping soundly.

  His gaze softened as it lingered on her face, and only with great effort did he turn his attention back to the road. He was glad she was sleeping. She’d looked exhausted when he’d arrived to pick her up this morning. Though her wound seemed to be healing nicely, the skin around the abrasion was badly bruised from the trauma. Apparently she’d inadvertently turned on her back a few times during the night, and the pressure on her tender skin had rudely—and painfully—jolted her awake. Though she’d tried to keep up a breezy conversation during the first hour or so of the trip, the gentle lulling motion of the car had eventually made her drowsy, and she’d drifted off. That had been almost three hours ago.