“Good to know.” That sounded lame. “It’s nice you don’t have to work all day. I imagine that would be a long one.”
“I normally would. But my family’s celebrating my dad’s sixtieth birthday that evening. I scheduled to have the afternoon and evening off months ago.”
They reached her apartment complex. He pulled into the parking lot and followed her directions to her building. “Here we are.”
“Thanks again for the ride. And for picking up my car.”
“It’s not a problem. I can walk you to your door if you’d like.”
She smiled again. “Nah, I’m good.”
“In that case, you have a good night, Beth.”
“You, too, Tyler.” She gave him a little wave, got out of the truck, and walked away.
Tyler exhaled and headed home.
He’d have to think about it, but something told him he’d be taking Meg to the zoo for Halloween this year.
Chapter Four
“What do you think, Daddy?” Meg ran into the living room dressed in her Wonder Woman costume. She stopped, flexed her arms, and pasted a serious look on her face. “I wish we could go trick-or-treating today. I think I’ve been waiting for years and years.”
Tyler fought back a chuckle. “Honey, you’ve had that costume five days. And you’ll be gathering more candy than you’ll ever eat one week from today.”
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll be able to eat it all. I’ll share with you and Grandpa. Are you going to dress up?”
It was impossible to resist that hopeful look on her face. “I’m not going to wear a costume. But I will wear my Captain America T-shirt. How does that sound?”
“Good!” Meg took another dramatic stance and flexed her arms again.
“You’d better go take that off and get changed. We’re going to the shop in a while.”
Meg practically oozed stubbornness. “I’ll be careful, and I won’t get grease or anything on my costume. Can I wear it? Oh please, please, please?” She folded her hands and put them below her chin while tilting her head to the side.
His adorable little drama queen. That look of hope on her face was almost enough to make him cave. “You know the rules. Only play clothes to the shop. Besides, shouldn’t that costume be in the closet?” His daughter frowned. “You can wear it as much as you want to after Halloween.”
Meg’s arms fell to her sides, her shoulders rolled forward, and she stuck her lower lip out. “I’ll bet if I had a mom, she would let me wear it.” With that, she turned and stomped from the room.
Her comment hit Tyler in the gut with almost as much force as a punch. Why did Meg have to bring up her lack of a mother in nearly every argument now? Reece hadn’t seen their daughter since Meg was three days old. Tyler had tried to talk to Meg about her sudden obsession with her mother, but Meg remained tight-lipped. He would’ve been angry except that it was obvious his baby girl was hurting.
Dad came in then, concern on his face. “You okay?”
Tyler grunted. “Just dealing with the Reece effect.” He shook his head to clear his ex from his thoughts. “Meg wanted to wear her Halloween costume all day, and I sent her to change. She insists I dress up for next Saturday, too. You sure you don’t want to go trick-or-treating with us?”
Dad smiled. “I’m positive. I’m not one for all those crowds.”
Tyler wasn’t normally, either. But the thought he’d hopefully see Beth made him look forward to this one. “I figured we could head over to the shop in an hour. I’d like to look at Beth’s car right away and get her an estimate on when we can have it done.”
“Sure.” Dad gave him a knowing look. “Let me know what needs to be done, and I’ll be happy to give her a call.” There was no missing the teasing challenge on his face.
“I appreciate that, Dad. But I’ve got this one.”
“I’m sure you do, son. I’ll have to be around the shop when she comes to pick up her car. I’d like to catch a glimpse of the gal that’s got my son moving her vehicle up on the priority list.” He chuckled before dropping into the recliner and picking up the newspaper.
Tyler resisted the urge to protest, but even he could see right through it. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to an excuse to call the pretty blonde that’d consistently occupied his thoughts.
After three hours of working in the shop, he dialed her number and waited anxiously for her to answer.
“Hello?”
“Beth? This is Tyler with Martin Mechanics. I had a chance to look at your car and wanted to update you. Is this a good time?”
“Sure. Give me a second to get somewhere I can hear you better.” Her soft voice competed with noise in the background. She was probably working at the zoo. Was she stepping outside to talk?
Tyler tried to picture her, and all he could see was her sitting, relaxed, at the table near the jaguars. The image brought a smile to his face.
“Okay, I’m back. Sorry about that. How bad is it?”
Tyler relayed the news about her faulty ignition and gave her a quote on the price. “I should have it done and ready for you Wednesday afternoon.” A moment of silence. “Beth? You still there?”
“Yes, I’m here. Going over figures in my mind. I’ve got to have my car, so I guess let’s get it fixed. Could I come pick it up on Thursday? That’s my day off, and it’d be a lot easier that way.”
“Absolutely. Were you able to get into work okay?” He’d thought about calling her and asking if she needed a ride, but figured it was probably inappropriate seeing as how they didn’t really know each other.
“My brother is letting me borrow his car until I get mine back.”
“Sounds like you have a close family.” He thought about her dad’s birthday she mentioned last time they spoke. “How many siblings do you have?”
“I’m the youngest of five. Marian’s the oldest, followed by Gwen. Then my brother, Lance, Avalon, and then me. Everyone’s coming in for Dad’s birthday next Saturday, although he doesn’t know it yet.” She chuckled. “It’s going to be a madhouse.”
“I bet it’ll be fun.” Tyler had often wondered what it would’ve been like to have a brother or a sister. Not that growing up as an only child was horrible. Dad was always there, even after Mom passed. But he still thought it would’ve been fun to get into all kinds of trouble with a sibling. He often watched Meg and wished she had someone to play with at home, too.
He and Reece had been completely clueless when they found out she was pregnant. But he would’ve been willing to step up and marry her. Be the kind of father his baby deserved. It was Reece who wanted to walk away, and while it had hurt then, he knew they wouldn’t have lasted. The sound of Beth’s voice broke him from his train of thought.
“Things are getting busy here, I’d better go. Thanks for letting me know about my car. I’ll be by on Thursday. Call and let me know if it’ll be later.”
“I will. Have a good weekend, Beth.”
“You, too.”
The line went quiet and Tyler stared at the “call ended” flashing on his phone.
Dad came into the shop office then. “All right, Romeo. You ready to get back to work now?”
Tyler grabbed a rag off the table and flung it at Dad who easily dodged it.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”
~
Beth rapped on the doorway of Davenport Cabinetry late Thursday morning. Lance looked up from what he was doing and waved her in. “I’ll be ready to go in a minute.”
“Sure, take your time.” She sat on the edge of a small table and surveyed the workshop. She remembered spending time in here with Dad when he used to run it all by himself. Dad always had been proud of the work he did by hand. It’d been difficult for him to adjust to not working after his stroke.
Beth still admired the way Lance had retired from the Kitner Police Department to run Davenport Cabinetry for their father. Not every son would do such a noble thing. Then again, that was Lance. Always
looking out for the people he cared about.
Thankfully, Dad was now able to come in a few times a week and help some, which was good for his spirits. Only close family could even detect the lasting effects of the stroke. Mom still felt the most comfortable, though, when he was home.
Beth knew a lot of days were hard for Dad when he was used to keeping busy all the time. The birthday party on Saturday would be a good thing for him.
Lance tossed a notebook into a drawer and stood. “Okay, let’s go get that car of yours.”
Beth made sure she’d stuck her checkbook into her purse after going to the bank to move money over from savings. At least Tyler hadn’t called to say they needed to do more repairs than originally thought.
The realization that she was going to see him again sent her heart racing. She glanced sideways at Lance as she climbed into the passenger side of his vehicle and they pulled away from the workshop. As long as her big brother didn’t detect her interest in Tyler, she’d be okay. Besides, it didn’t matter anyway. It’s not like she’d see Tyler again once she got her car. Disappointment left a funny taste in her mouth, and she needed something else to talk about. “How’s Lexi doing?”
“She’s good. Looking forward to Dad’s party.” He smiled at her, although there was a touch of wariness to it. “Did I tell you the adoption agency called, and we may have been matched with another birth mother?”
“No! That’s awesome, Lance.”
“It is. But after the last time, we don’t want to tell everyone else yet.”
Beth nodded. “I get it. I won’t say a word, but I’ll be keeping fingers crossed and praying this will be the one.”
“I appreciate it.” He grinned.
Lance and Lexi started going through the process to become licensed foster parents at the beginning of the year. But halfway through the classes, Lexi doubted she’d be able to take a child in only to have to say goodbye if they weren’t able to adopt him or her. That’s when the couple decided on domestic adoption. Against all odds, they were quickly matched with a birth mother two months later, but the whole thing fell through when she decided to keep the baby. A good outcome for both baby and birth mom, but it’d been devastating for Beth’s brother and sister-in-law. The two of them would make the most amazing parents one day when they got a chance. Please, God, bring them a baby soon.
“Okay, the shop is ahead on the right.”
“I remember seeing this place a few times. I think Tuck brought his truck by once.” Tuck was Lance’s best friend and Lexi’s brother.
Lance parked the car and got out to follow her into the office.
A wave of nerves hit Beth, and she swallowed. Maybe Tyler wouldn’t be here, and she’d run into his dad instead. but that thought sent another wave of disappointment. She had to keep it cool so that Lance, with his teasing personality, wouldn’t pick up on something that wasn’t even there.
A bell over the door announced their arrival. A moment later, an older gentleman walked into the office with a rag in his hands. “Welcome, folks. Can I help you?”
“I’m Beth Davenport. I’m here to pick up my car.”
“Beth, of course.” He wiped his hands clean and held one out. “I’m Bill Martin. I’ll go tell Tyler—he left strict instructions to let him know when you’d arrived.” He gave her a wink and disappeared through a side door.
Lance’s eyebrows shot up. He started to open his mouth when Beth held up a hand.
“Don’t start.”
Clearly her defensive reaction told him more than enough. She pushed down a sigh.
Tyler came into the room then. His gaze landed on her face first with a smile before it shifted curiously to Lance. He stretched out his hand. “Tyler Martin.”
Lance shook it. “Lance Davenport.”
“My brother.” Beth probably didn’t need to clarify that.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Tyler tipped his head toward Beth but didn’t take his eyes off the man that was equal to him in height. “Beth mentioned her brother had loaned her a vehicle. That was real nice of you.”
Lance gave Tyler a genuine smile. “I’d do almost anything for my little sister.” Even though Beth gave him a subtle jab with her elbow, he continued, “I appreciate that you got her car fixed so quickly.”
The men spoke about the repairs for several minutes before Tyler took out a piece of paper outlining the costs of labor and materials and presented it to Beth.
She’d known what to expect but still had to force herself to not wince as she wrote a check for the amount.
Tyler handed her a receipt. “The car’s around the side. I’ll meet you out there.”
Lance and Beth went through the front door. They’d barely stepped outside when he tossed her a grin. “So how long have you two known each other?”
“It’s not like that,” she hissed in a whisper.
“Maybe not as far as you’re concerned. But he clearly has a thing for you.”
Beth snagged his arm to stop him. “Not a word to the rest of the family, Lance, or I swear…”
His face split into a big grin. “Your secret’s safe with me. At least for now.” He winked at her. “You should bring him to Dad’s birthday party.”
“That’s not going to happen.” She lowered her voice to a fierce whisper. “I doubt I’ll see him after today. The last thing I need is for everyone to bother me about something that’s a non-issue.” Her expression softened, and she gave Lance the pleading look that’d worked on him since they were young. Well, most of the time, anyway.
Lance put a hand over his heart. “I promise.”
Beth mouthed a silent, “Thank you,” and led the way around the building to where her car waited. The engine was running, and Tyler stood holding the door open.
“Thank you again for fixing my car, I appreciate it.”
“Not a problem. It’s what we do. Hopefully it won’t give you any more trouble.” He smiled, his gaze resting on her a few extra moments. He turned his attention to Lance and shook his hand again. “It was nice to meet you. If you have any need for a mechanic, I hope you’ll consider us. What kind of business are you in?”
“I run my father’s carpentry place now. Before that, I was an officer for the KPD for years. Still have a good buddy there.”
Tyler’s eyes widened slightly, and Beth covered a smile by sliding into the driver’s seat. Lance liked to drop that bit of information when he was protecting his family. The truth of the matter was he still went to the gun range and worked out regularly. He could get back on the force anytime he wanted to. He seemed content to work at their dad’s shop, though. She figured Lexi appreciated not having to worry as much about him that way, too.
Lance leaned down to speak with her. “Be safe, Beth. I’ll see you on Saturday.”
“Thanks again. I appreciate you.”
Her brother waved and went back to the front parking lot and his car.
Beth raised her eyes to find Tyler watching her, one side of his mouth quirked up in a smile. “I’m bringing Meg to the zoo on Saturday morning. We’ll keep an eye out for you.”
“What’s she dressing up as?”
“Wonder Woman. Possibly with a princess tiara thrown in.” He laughed.
“My kind of girl. I’ll see if I can spot her, too.”
Tyler closed the door for her. Beth pulled through the parking spot and made herself not look in the rearview mirror as she drove away.
Only then did she release the shaky breath she’d been holding. So much for her attempt to ignore the way Tyler’s presence made her pulse skitter. It was impossible to deny how happy she was at the prospect of seeing him again in a couple of days.
Chapter Five
Tyler planned to arrive at the zoo soon after ten when trick-or-treating started. He was surprised to see the long line of families waiting at the entrance. It was clear, however, that the staff at the zoo had this event down to a science. He and Meg got through the line quickly and were so
on handed a map of the stations offering treats, then turned loose inside the zoo.
Meg was excited and could hardly stand still. She was bouncing on one foot, hopping up and down, or holding Tyler’s hand and trying to pull him one way then another. He stopped her, handed the red bag to her, and crouched down to her eye level. “You are to stay right by me at all times. It’s busy here and it’d be easy for you to get lost. Again. Do you understand?”
Her eyes widened as she remembered the turmoil of their last zoo visit. “Yes, Daddy. I’ll make sure I stay next to you.” She clung to the bag with her right hand and then held his hand with her other. “I can’t wait to get some candy. And see the animals. I hope we can see Miss Beth again, too. What if she got sick and couldn’t be here?”
Tyler smiled at his enthusiastic young daughter. “She said she’d be near the giraffes. I guess we’ll find out when we get there. Are you ready to get started?”
She bobbed her head.
They decided on the path closest to the giraffes first. Since Beth said she had to leave early to go to a birthday party, Tyler didn’t want to chance missing her. As they progressed from station to station, Meg received more candy than she’d know what to do with. Everywhere he looked, there was a sea of kids dressed up like super heroes and princesses. The zoo staff were dressed up as well, and he wondered what costume Beth went with.
A colorful sign indicated they were nearing the giraffe exhibit. He scanned the crowd at the station ahead, and it was a full minute before he realized the woman he was staring at was Beth.
She wore a blue medieval-style dress that flowed in waves past her ankles to the ground. The neck scooped down a bit while gold stitching along the hems made the dress look like something a royal would wear. The shade of blue made her eyes appear almost electric.
As he and Meg waited in a line that slowly got closer to Beth, he thought this was the first time he’d seen her with her hair down. Instead of being pulled into a pony tail or braided, it flowed down her back like a blonde waterfall. A little was pulled into a clip with only a few strands escaping to hang around her face.
Finding Grace Page 4