by Erica Breyer
Carrick nodded. “Sure, take your time. No pressure,” he said as he opened her door. Bonnie had made her way hastily down the garden path and arrived at the car, dispelling the tension.
“Carrick, darling! It’s so good to see you,” her voice was filled with warmth. She leaned forward to give him a quick hug, which he returned.
“Mrs. Han— Bonnie,” he responded, “it’s good to see you too. How are you feeling today?”
“Oh fine, fine,” Bonnie answered, waving her hand as if dismissing some trivial topic. Only Kelly knew how ill she’d been that night. “Has Kelly told you that she’s relieving you of your tedious lift club duties?” Carrick nodded in reply, and Bonnie continued, “I’m so sad, of course, because now we won’t have a good reason to see you every day.” She gave a mock pout.
“Well, that would depend…” Carrick began, casting a meaningful glance in Kelly’s direction. She dropped her attention to her bag, which she rifled through, looking for nothing in particular.
“Won’t you come in for a drink, darling?” Bonnie interrupted him, hooking her hand through the crook of his elbow and guiding him up towards the front door. Carrick didn’t put up resistance.
“Sounds good to me, Bonnie,” he said. Kelly tried desperately to be annoyed but found it impossible. Carrick’s easy charm had clicked with Bonnie’s bubbling spontaneity, and she couldn’t resist anything that made her mother happy. She couldn’t resist Carrick’s charm either, if she was honest with herself.
The trio made their way to the kitchen, where Carrick helped himself to a cold beer, while Bonnie poured a glass of white wine for Kelly. She put the kettle on to make a cup of tea for herself. Within minutes, they’d made themselves comfortable in the tidy little sitting room, which was where Jarrod found them when he returned. With Baxter in tow.
‘Oh, shitake mushrooms!’ Kelly groaned inwardly as they all stood to greet the newcomers.
“Carrick! Buddy!” Jarrod called when he saw their guest. Baxter stepped in beside him and made a beeline for Kelly, slipping his arms around her waist and planting a kiss on her cheek. Kelly went rigid, but Baxter seemed oblivious. He turned to Bonnie and hugged her with equal enthusiasm. Kelly noticed that Carrick’s body language had shifted from relaxed to bristling in seconds, although his expression betrayed nothing.
“Bax, this is Carrick,” Jarrod made the introductions, “he’s been Kelly’s ride from work while the car was at the shop.” Baxter turned to Carrick, and it was clear that the men were sizing each other up. Baxter didn’t have Carrick’s powerful build or chiseled features, but his boyish good looks had won him enough female attention to give him a bit of a swagger.
“S’up,” he nodded at Carrick, stepping back towards Kelly and draping an arm over her shoulder. “I’m sure Kelly was grateful for the help. Thanks.” His tone made it seem as if he had the right to speak on Kelly’s behalf, and it set her teeth on edge. She made a show of lifting his arm off her shoulder and putting distance between them, but he didn’t drop the cocky expression. Carrick reached for his keys and held up his empty bottle.
“I think I’d better get a move on, folks,” he said, about to stride to the trashcan in the kitchen when Bonnie stopped him and retrieved the empty bottle. “Thanks for the drink, Bonnie,” he smiled, and she dimpled up at him. “Good to see y’all,” he said to the guys. Jarrod slapped him on the back, while Baxter gave him the stink eye.
“Thanks for the ride, Carrick,” Kelly said, suddenly wishing he wouldn’t leave. His eyes locked with hers for a moment.
“Anytime…always a pleasure,” he murmured. “See you tomorrow. We can finish that…chat.” Kelly felt Baxter step in behind her again and quickly moved to open the front door for Carrick. There was something about the way the fabric of his t-shirt clung to the broad muscles of his back that had her transfixed for a moment. She dragged her eyes away and returned to the others in the room. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember what she had seen in Baxter.
∞∞∞
“So…” Bonnie’s voice was lilting as she and Kelly washed up after dinner that night. “You and Carrick were having a…chat?" Kelly had to stop herself from dropping the side-plate she was drying, and Bonnie giggled.
“No, Mom, it’s nothing like that,” she answered, feeling like a liar. It was exactly like that.
“Then what is it like?” Bonnie pressed, handing her another plate.
“Carrick asked… He asked if there was anything he could do to help. With your treatment,” Kelly said.
“Oh…that man!” Bonnie’s voice was slightly shaky, and when Kelly glanced at her, she was sure could see the shimmer of tears. “He’s really a good guy, darling…I can just feel it. You know what a good judge of character I am.”
Kelly rubbed a damp hand on her mother’s shoulder affectionately. “Mom, you see the best in everyone,” she answered, keeping her voice light.
“That’s not true, Kelly, I often see that someone may have ulterior motives. I simply hold my tongue. You know what I always say—”
“Yes, I know, Mommy Dearest! If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all,” Kelly quoted as she took another plate from Bonnie and dried it with a dishtowel.
“That’s right. Although sometimes I’ll happily speak my mind. That Baxter, for instance, he was always wrong for you,” she said bluntly.
Kelly frowned at her. “But you never said anything to me at the time, Mom,” she said.
“It wasn’t my place. And I knew it was only a matter of time before you figured it out,” Bonnie explained. “I think he’s spoiled and self-indulgent. And it’s a pity he was blessed with that pretty face, because it’s allowed him to get away with murder. He thinks he can charm his way through anything.” Bonnie’s mouth set in a grim line.
“Wow, Mom, I think that’s the meanest thing I’ve ever heard you say about anyone!” Kelly was surprised, but she knew her mother had hit the nail on the head.
“Now, Carrick, on the other hand…” Bonnie looked a little dreamy for a moment. “Oh, he’s something else.” Kelly pulled a face, but Bonnie went on. “He reminds me a little of my own father, you know. Tries to put on a strong silent act, but you can just see that deep down, he’s a softie. A softie wrapped up in all that hard—” Bonnie stopped abruptly, and Kelly saw her cheeks turn pink.
“Mom! Have you been checking out Carrick?” Kelly teased her mother.
“Of course not, Kelly!” Bonnie snapped back, then softened. “Well, perhaps just a little… But really, could you blame me? He’s drop-dead gorgeous. And I may be pushing sixty, but I’m not dead!” Kelly swallowed hard as the words left her mother’s lips, and for a moment, they stood in silence.
“No, Mom, you’re not dead…far from it,” Kelly’s voice was gentle. “And you’re as beautiful now as you ever were. Even more! It’s your heart…you’re beautiful in your heart.” Now there really were tears shimmering in Bonnie’s eyes, and she dashed them away with the back of her hand, avoiding getting soapy bubbles on her face.
“And so are you, special child. You’ve always been my greatest miracle.” Kelly’s eyes were streaming too, and she turned to bury her face against her mother’s neck for a few moments, feeling her heart swelling. “Now tell me,” Bonnie broke the spell, “what was that chat about?”
Kelly swallowed the lump in her face and dabbed the tears off her cheek with the damp dish towel, happy for the change of subject. “He says that Cross Construction has an employee benefit fund for emergencies like ours,” she said. “He’s been finding out more for us, but he thinks there’s a way we’ll be able to get you a specialist who might be willing to perform surgery for you. The company will pay for the treatment, and I’ll be able to pay back the loan.”
Bonnie inhaled sharply, and Kelly saw hope flare in her eyes before she quickly hid her emotions. “Well, that sounds very generous, darling,” she said. “If it turns out that it’s manageable, I would be thrilled. Bu
t I won’t hear of you signing surety for any type of loan. I would make a plan to pay back any debts raised by my medical expenses.” Kelly considered objecting but knew that her mother’s pride wouldn’t allow her to argue. She nodded, then leaned forward and brushed a quick kiss against her mother’s cheek.
She would make sure they could arrange that specialist care if it was the last thing she did.
Chapter 9
Carrick headed to the site the next morning with a dark cloud over his head. He had grown accustomed to his morning rides with Kelly – despite the fact that the daily trips cost him an extra hour of travel time. He lived nowhere near her house. He hadn’t been thrilled to meet Baxter either. The guy clearly had a history with Kelly and didn’t seem eager to put it behind him. He felt his jaw clench as he remembered the comfortable familiarity with which Baxter had touched her. He hated that.
What really rankled, though, was their conversation in the car. In hindsight, he realized it had probably come out all wrong.
“Dude! Did you really tell her you’d help her mother in exchange for a date?” he growled at himself as he pulled into the site parking lot. His mind reeled back through their conversation, and he groaned.
‘I’d do anything to help my mom through this…’
‘How about dinner? This week. With me.’
Yup, that was totally what it sounded like.
“You are such an ass!” he muttered into the silence. Without his detour past Kelly’s place, he’d cut the trip time down and was in before the rest of the crew. It wasn’t unusual – it had been a regular habit before the delectable Miss Hanson had arrived. He had to make this right somehow. After a moment of reflection, Carrick got out of the pickup and headed to the site office. The temporary structure echoed oddly as he stepped inside. There was an emptiness to it that unsettled him.
He took a seat at Kelly’s desk and hastily scrawled a note on a slip of paper, then set it on top of her laptop. He lingered there a moment, imagining her sitting here, then reached for his cellphone and dialed his executive assistant. It wasn’t yet 7am, but Patricia Parker answered on the first ring.
“Carrick,” she answered briskly, “great to hear from you. How can I help?”
“Hey, Trish,” he replied, “I need you to set up a new company fund for me. Something that could work across the board.”
“Uh-huh,” she responded. He could tell she was taking notes.
“I’d like Cross Construction to provide an Emergency Employee Relief Fund that can accommodate personal emergencies for staff members,” he continued. “Things like critical health issues, housing, transport emergencies…we’ll have to assess situations as they arise.”
“Sounds good, boss,” she said. “Something like our childcare and spouse unemployment support?”
“Sure, you could base it on that,” Carrick agreed. “Just make it flexible and user-friendly. I don’t want people jumping through admin hoops when they’re in the middle of a crisis.”
“Good thinking,” Patricia said. “And repayment terms? Same as the others?”
“Yip,” said Carrick, nodding although she couldn’t see him.
“And when would you like that in place?” she asked.
“Now,” he said bluntly. “Today. This morning, if possible.”
There was a moment of silence, and then Patricia said, “Okaaay…I’ll get right on it.” She’d grown accustomed to Carrick’s tall orders.
“Good,” said Carrick. “Mail me the draft when you’re done, and then I want you to be ready to liaise with the first beneficiary.”
∞∞∞
The note on Kelly’s desk left her frowning in confusion when she arrived that morning.
‘Call Patricia. HO. 4pm sharp. JC’
She turned to Taneka and held the piece of paper towards her. “Any idea what this is about?”
“Beats me,” Taneka shrugged. “But you know The Man. He works in mysterious ways.” She rolled her eyes and chuckled.
Kelly pulled a face. “Bit odd,” she muttered. “It’s been weeks since I had a ‘decree’ from on high. I wonder what he’s up to now.”
Taneka shrugged again and got down to work.
∞∞∞
By four that afternoon, her curiosity had built to the point that she had the phone in her hand and was watching the seconds tick past. The minute the hour struck, she hit the dial button. Patricia picked up as if she’d been waiting on the other side.
“Kelly,” the woman said warmly, “how are you? And how are things with your mother.”
“Hi, Patricia,” Kelly responded. “She’s doing okay, under the circumstances, thank you for asking.” She cleared her throat, then continued. “I got a message from Mr. Cross to contact you at four today. I’m not sure what it’s about…”
“Yes, of course, I’ve been expecting your call,” Patricia replied. “Mr. Cross has informed me that you qualify for our Emergency Employee Relief Fund. I’d like to get the admin in order so that you can use the funding to get specialist care for Bonnie…for your mom.” Her voice was warm, and for a moment, Kelly felt a lump form in her throat.
“Oh! Oh, gosh, really?” she answered, at a loss for words. How could the man possibly know about her situation? “I…I’d heard there might be something like that, but I didn’t realize I’d been with the company long enough.”
“That’s not a problem at all, Kelly,” Patricia assured her. “You’re a valued employee facing a crisis. We want to help you through this difficult time.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Kelly whispered, choked with emotion. “What do you need from me? How does this all work?”
“Well, we have all your personal information on file with HR. All we need are the details of your medical caregivers. You’ll have to give consent for us to communicate with them on your behalf about the financial aspects of the case,” Patricia explained. “That way, you don’t have to worry about the money issues and can concentrate on taking care of your mother.”
“That’s amazing,” Kelly said. “And once it’s all finalized, how do I repay the loan? Will it be deducted from my monthly income? What sort of interest will be accrued?”
“None at all,” said Patricia. “In fact, this fund is structured in such a way that it’s accumulated from various investments. It doesn’t come out of the company overheads at all. Because of this, Mr. Cross has arranged that in lieu of repayment, employees are simply required to work off their loan with community service.”
“What?” Kelly said, almost sharply. “I don’t understand. You mean I’ll need to pay the money back to a charity? I don’t mind, of course, but—”
“No, there’s no loan repayment amount at all,” Patricia explained. “We’ll work out an hourly rate for you, and you can work off those hours for a charity of your choice.”
“But that’s crazy!” said Kelly. “My mother’s treatment is going to cost tens of thousands of dollars. I can’t expect to access that money from Cross Construction and not pay it back.”
“Well, as I mentioned, the funds aren’t really from Cross Construction. They’re derived from various investments. As such, Mr. Cross feels that it’s appropriate to channel them into worthy ventures. Also, our accountants have structured the fund in such a way that it is beneficial from a taxation perspective. So it’s a win-win all ‘round, don’t you see?”
Kelly pursed her lips. She didn’t really see. It felt too good to be true…but at this point, she wasn’t going to argue. “Okay,” she conceded. “Let me know what to do next, and I’ll get right on it.”
“I’ll email you the relevant forms, and you can fill them out and mail them back to me. I’ll get in touch with your healthcare provider’s accounts department and arrange for the bills to be sent to the fund.” Kelly closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. A day without dreading the mail would be bliss.
“Awesome,” she said. “I’ll look out for your email.” Kelly said goodbye and ended the call.
∞∞∞
When Kelly packed up for the day, she felt a slight pang as she headed to where her car was parked. She’d grown so used to the sight of Carrick’s clapped-out pickup idling in front of the office. It was familiar in a way that made her feel warm inside. He made her feel warm inside. She bit her lip, not wanting to acknowledge it. As if reading her mind, a tall figure emerged from the other side of the lot as she reached her little Hyundai.
“Hey,” Carrick said.
“Hey,” she replied, feeling like a shy teenager. ‘Oh Lord, he’s gorgeous,’ her mind murmured. There was something about the way his jeans clung to the strong lines of his thighs that made her want to peel them off and lick him like a candy cane. ‘Stop that at once!’ she scolded herself. Why did she keep having such dirty dirty thoughts around this man?
“Kelly?” Carrick’s voice intruded into her thoughts. The dirty ones. She blushed.
“Yes?” She tried to keep her voice neutral but ended up snapping a little. He seemed to back off.
“I want to apologize for last night,” he said quickly. “I was out of line.”
“Out of line?” she asked, confused.
“About…dinner,” he went on. “It came out all wrong. Obviously, I would never try to make you have dinner with me – or anything else – for the sake of your mother. I just wanted you to know that.”
Kelly stared at him for a moment, perplexed. She’d never even considered that was his intention. It was rapidly dawning on her that Carrick was not that type of man who did the wrong thing deliberately. Her mother was right. He was a really great guy.
“Carrick, I’d love to go to dinner with you,” she said. “I never thought for a moment that you were trying to force me to do anything I didn’t want to.”