A Father for Bella

by Jill Weatherholt

  He walked toward the open shutters. “Apparently, the smaller system they predicted is going to pull in more moisture off the coast. It’s almost like a nor’easter.” Joshua wrung his hands. “It doesn’t sound good.”

  Faith paced the floor. “I’ve got to get Bella.” She grabbed her car keys off the counter.

  “Neither one of us could see our hand in front of our face out there, Faith. You can’t drive with zero visibility.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, but stopped when a loud crash sounded in the backyard. They ran to the other window. “Oh, my word, look at the size of the branch that just fell.”

  “Exactly my point—you shouldn’t be on the road. Those winds are much too dangerous.” Joshua carefully tried to remove the keys from her hand.

  Her grip tightened. “I have to get my daughter. She’s not safe.”

  “She’s inside a church. It’s a pretty good spot to be, if you ask me.”

  A shiver shook her body. The congregation had been trying to raise enough money for a new roof since last year. “No, it’s the worst place. The roof is damaged and in dire need of repair—actually it should be replaced.” She looked out toward the raging storm. “I need her here. It’s my job to protect my daughter. I made a promise.”

  Joshua picked up his phone and handed it to Faith. “Why don’t you call Joy’s house? They might be home safe and snug by now.”

  She took the device and punched in Joy’s home number. The phone dropped from her ear. “All circuits are busy.”

  “Try her cell.”

  When she did—nothing. No fast busy signal. No recording. Only silence. How would she know if Bella was safe? Tears soaked her lashes. “It’s dead. I’ve got to go.”

  “No. I will. You take care of the casserole and I’ll head to the church. If they’re not there, I’ll go over to Joy’s and bring Bella home.”

  “I can’t ask that of you. It’s too risky.”

  He reached for his jacket. Sliding his right arm inside, he turned. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take your SUV. It will do much better in the snow than my sedan.”

  “Yes...of course. Are you sure you want to do this? I’ve driven in these kinds of conditions before.” Faith didn’t think either of them should be out there, but she wanted her daughter home.

  “Write down the directions to Joy’s place.” He zipped his jacket as he waited.

  She scurried toward the desk and scribbled the route on the notepad. “Thank you for doing this, Joshua.”

  “I’ll try to call once I’m at the church.” He plucked the piece of paper from her extended hand. “I’ll help you get the food to the inn when I get back. Whatever you do, don’t go outside.”

  She wasn’t sure she could make that promise since she needed to check on the guests. Even though Mr. and Mrs. Watson were there, the inn and her guests were her responsibility.

  At the door, Joshua turned with a questioning eye. “Stay put, okay?”

  She gave a slight nod. “Please, be careful.”

  Joshua opened the door and Mother Nature’s fury burst inside the room. Icy air filled Faith’s lungs as the papers scattered on the kitchen table were caught in a whirlwind. After a struggle, he pulled the door closed behind him.

  Alone in the house now, she watched the howling wind, which was hypnotic. When another limb snapped outside, she walked to the window in search of headlights. A barricade of white surrounding the house made it impossible to see a thing. She moved toward the desk and opened the top drawer. Slipping down into the chair, she reached for something she hadn’t touched since Chris’s death...her Bible.

  An hour and a half later, she pulled the casserole out from the oven. She hoped it was done—the power had flickered several times while the dish was inside. She paced the floor, unable to stand being alone in the house. Constant glances at the kitchen wall clock did nothing but make her realize how long Joshua had been gone. Against Joshua’s advice, Faith bundled herself into her snowsuit and worked her way to the inn. A few gusts of wind nearly knocked her to the ground. She carried what she could of the food, and Mr. Watson went to retrieve the bread and the homemade brownies.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this bad,” Mrs. Watson said as she poured Faith a cup of coffee. The fireplace in the lounge area emitted an orange glow, a sharp contrast to the snow piling up outside.

  “Are you okay, dear?”

  Faith fingered her matted hair as they sat by the crackling fire. “I just wish the phones were working. Not knowing is making me crazy.”

  “Relax, dear. The Lord will look after them.”

  “But it’s my job to look after Bella. I promised Chris before he died.” Tears slid down her cheeks. “I feel so helpless and alone.”

  “You’re never alone when you put your trust in Him. Chris was strong in his faith, and you must be, too.” The older woman reached for her hand. “I know after his death you turned away from God, but He’s never left your side.”

  Faith sighed, feeling uncomfortable at the direction this conversation was taking. But maybe it was time to face the truth. Horrible things did happen to good people, but it was not God’s way of punishing anyone.

  “He wants to walk with you, dear, and bring you out even stronger on the other side.”

  Faith knew this. She and Chris were always guided by the word of God. “Thank you. I know you’re right. It’s just taken me a while to realize it again.”

  “Chris has been gone for a number of years. It’s time you move on with your life.”

  After Faith’s grandmother had died, Mrs. Watson, her grandmother’s best friend, had filled a void in her life. She was like a second grandmother to her. “I don’t know if I can.” Faith wept.

  “Do you want to know what I’ve been thinking?” Mrs. Watson asked.

  Faith nodded. “Sure.”

  “I hope I’m not being out of line, but you’re like my own child—what about Joshua?” A hint of a smile crossed Mrs. Watson’s narrow lips.

  “What about him?” Faith wasn’t ready to go down this road with her. She took a deep breath and prepared herself.

  “It’s apparent he’s quite taken with you. And, if you were honest with yourself, I think you might be a little attracted to him, too.”

  As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Mrs. Watson was right. She did find him handsome, and he’d shown nothing but concern for her and Bella since he’d arrived at Whispering Slopes. And now, who knew what kind of danger he could be in, trying to bring her daughter home. But none of it mattered, not when they both wanted the inn. “There’s no chance for us.” Her stomach soured by her words.

  “Why not, dear?”

  “He’s here for the auction. With all of his money, he’ll make the highest bid, and Chris’s dream and mine will die.”

  “Maybe it’s time for a new dream.” Mrs. Watson squeezed Faith’s hand. “What if God brought Joshua to Whispering Slopes to give you a new beginning?”

  The woman was being absurd. “I highly doubt it.”

  “This could be your opportunity to build a new life with someone and find a father for Bella. You could finally regain the sense of security you long for.”

  Faith knew Mrs. Watson meant well, but she was way off. “If God brought Mr. Carlson here, it’s to steal my dream. That’s it—nothing more.”

  “You’re not forsaking Chris’s memory by moving forward. It’s what he’d want.”

  When she and Chris had talked about the risks that came with his job, Faith had never wanted to face the possibility that each time he left for work, it could be the last time she saw him. He had needed to know she wouldn’t wallow in grief for the rest of her life if the worst happened, but she’d just listened without assuring him. He wanted a promise she’d never been able to give him. She’d only vowed she’d take care of their daughte
r by providing a safe and secure future. “A little girl needs a daddy. If something were to happen to me, I want to know she’ll be okay.” The memory of his words made her blood run cold.

  “Just think about it, dear. I’m going to get the guests some coffee and dessert.”

  Faith rose from her chair and walked toward the windows. Was Mrs. Watson right? Was she going against Chris’s wishes? She jumped when her cell phone chirped. Without looking at the screen, she answered. “Hello?”

  “It’s Joshua. I’ve got our girl and we’re on the way home.”

  The call disconnected, but his words lingered. Our girl. Home. As much as she wanted to believe Mrs. Watson about moving on, Joshua’s comment sprung her back to reality. Bella was her girl and the Black Bear was their home. There wasn’t room for outsiders.

  * * *

  An hour later, Joshua, Faith and Bella sat huddled by the fireplace at the inn, sipping hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. The fierce blizzard continued to rage outside. Despite the storm, a feeling of comfort washed over Joshua. It reminded him of his mother.

  “You should have seen Mr. Joshua driving through the storm, Mommy. He was like a superhero.” Bella had chattered nonstop since he’d brought her back to the safety of her mother’s arms.

  “She’s great for a man’s ego.” Joshua winked at Faith.

  “You couldn’t even see the road. Oh, and he had to get out of the car twice to move huge branches out of the way. He’s strong.”

  Faith fixated a gaze on him. There was something different. She actually seemed more tense than usual—if it were possible.

  “Thank you for bringing Bella home safe.” Her lips pursed.

  Yep—something was up with her. Her daughter was her world. He’d thought she’d be over the moon when he brought her home. “This is where she belongs.”

  His own words rang true. Bella belonged here, at the home where her mother and aunt were raised. But he couldn’t sacrifice his own mother’s dream.

  Bella squirmed from her chair and climbed into his lap. “It was like our own adventure, wasn’t it?”

  Around this child, he felt as though there wasn’t anything in the world he couldn’t accomplish, no matter what his ex-wife or father thought of him. “How about we have a little less adventure for a while? I don’t think I can take much more excitement.” He tickled Bella’s side.

  Bella wiggled free. “I’m going to go tell Mr. Watson all about it.”

  She took off skipping across the room and straight to the lobby.

  The room went dark, but then the lights flickered on again.

  Faith avoided eye contact with him and kept her gaze on the window. “If this snow keeps up, it’s only a matter of time before we lose power.”

  “Does the inn have a generator?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Thankfully, we have that, along with a stockpile of candles and flashlights. Of course, they’re stored down in the cellar, which isn’t a place you want to venture to in the dark.”

  When the lights sputtered again, Joshua pushed himself out of his chair. “Maybe we should go downstairs and get the supplies now, so we’re not fumbling in the dark.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” Faith rose and cleared away the mugs. “I’ll check with Mrs. Watson to see if there’s anything else she might need.”

  Ten minutes later, downstairs in the musty basement, they were digging through boxes thick with dust. Gurgles of water sounded from the pipes overhead. A sound all too familiar from his childhood stirred up memories he’d much rather forget.

  Joshua couldn’t help but sneak peeks at Faith to see if the tense look had faded from her face. Nope—still there.

  “Are you upset about something? Bella’s safe. I thought you’d be happy.” He lifted a box from a stack and placed it on the ground.

  “What makes you ask that?” She pulled her sweater down over her slim hips.

  Something was on her mind. It was obvious. “When I left your house to get Bella, you seemed fine, concerned for her safety, of course, but now—I don’t know...you seem mad at me. I’d like to know what I’ve done.”

  “It’s nothing...just—”

  “What? Please tell me.”

  She fingered the gold locket around her neck. “It’s Bella.”

  “What about her?”

  “She’s getting too attached to you.”

  He released a heavy breath. “Is that it? I thought I’d done something wrong.”

  Faith paced the floor with her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. “You did—you are. You’re letting her believe some fantasy you could possibly be her father.”

  “Seriously? How so? Really...I’d like to know.” This was crazy. She’d seemed okay with him taking Bella to the father-daughter dance last night. Did she have a change of heart about it? Well, it was a little late for that.

  “You said ‘our girl.’”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. This conversation was becoming more bizarre. “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “When you found Bella and you called to tell me—you said, ‘I found our girl’ and you were bringing her home...like our home was yours, too.”

  “Whoa, wait a minute. After driving in those horrible conditions, my adrenaline was pumped up. I was excited and relieved to have found her safe. That’s all it was. Believe me—I don’t think Bella belongs to me...to us. She’s a sweet little girl who I happen to enjoy being around—that’s it!” He turned and resumed going through the box on the floor.

  She stepped closer. “You have to understand. I’ve got to protect Bella from getting hurt, once you leave.”

  She really didn’t understand. After the auction, Whispering Slopes would become his home. Perhaps it was some kind of defense mechanism. Who knew? One thing he was certain of—he wasn’t going to be accused of leading on little Bella. He wouldn’t hurt her for the world. But then his gut wrenched when he pictured her packing up her room.

  He stood and stepped toward her. “I get it. But does this mean you don’t want me at her birthday party next Saturday?”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “She’d be crushed. You were the first person she put on the list.”

  “Fine—can we just drop this conversation before the power goes out?”

  Ten minutes later, they’d put their differences aside, at least for now. Joshua filled a box with lanterns for the guests.

  Faith opened a red storage container. “This box is full of candles.”

  Joshua rushed to her side. “Here, let me take that.”

  “I never knew there was so much stuff stored down here.” She scanned the room, which appeared to cover the entire length of the inn. “Do you think all of those belong to your father?” She pointed to stacks of boxes on the far side of the room. “I know they aren’t mine or the employees’.”

  Joshua’s curiosity got the best of him. He headed across the room. Cobwebs tickling his face, he bent down to open the first box he came upon. Carefully, he peeled back the packaging tape. “It looks like this one is full of photo albums.” He flipped through the pages covered with a clear plastic sheet protector. Inside, there were pictures of people he didn’t recognize. He tucked the book back inside the box and pulled out another.

  The sound of Faith’s shoes tapping on the cement floor echoed as she approached. “Do you recognize anything?”

  He opened the album and saw photos of his father as a child. In most of the pictures, he posed with another, much-younger-looking boy. “This is my father, but I don’t know who the other child is.”

  She peered over his shoulder. “Maybe he’s a cousin or neighborhood friend?”

  “Could be.” As he continued to study the young boy, he realized he had his father’s eyes. He gently unpeeled the plastic and pulled the photo from the cardboard backing. Turning it over, he
read the scribbled writing on the back. Jimmy and RC four months before Jimmy’s death.

  “Whoever this other boy is, he apparently died a few months after this photo was taken.” Joshua scratched the side of his face.

  “How sad.”

  Yes. But who was Jimmy? “I’m sure my father stored these boxes here, but why?”

  Faith shrugged her shoulder slightly. “Maybe he didn’t want anyone to see the contents or maybe he just doesn’t have the room in his own house.”

  His father’s house was a cold mansion capable of storing a million boxes. There was more to it. “Would you mind if I take a few of these boxes up to my room?”

  “Of course not. Let’s get the flashlights and candles upstairs first, and then I’ll help you with the others.”

  Joshua headed back to the other side of the room and grabbed two boxes. What else was tucked away in this secret storage space? Could the contents inside these cardboard containers give him the answer to a question he’d carried since childhood?

  Chapter Twelve

  After the storm had moved out late Sunday night, all of Whispering Slopes had been snowed in for almost thirty-six hours. But in the mountains, people were resilient. By early Tuesday morning, everything was business as usual.

  Faith glanced toward the open door in her office. Once again, she spotted the two men in dark pin-striped suits walking around the lobby as though they were looking for something, or maybe someone. They each carried a leather portfolio. What were they writing as they appeared to scope out their surroundings? She’d seen them wandering around the lounge earlier, pointing and whispering. Something didn’t feel right.

  When they exited the front door, she pushed herself away from her desk. Whenever she wanted to know something pertaining to the inn, she knew exactly who to ask, so she went in search of Mrs. Watson.

  Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows inside the dining room provided a picturesque view of the snow-covered grounds. A family of deer trekked across the icy grounds, leaving behind their footprints glistening in the morning sun. Faith’s heart fluttered. This was why she loved this land. She wouldn’t allow Joshua to swoop in and take all of this away from her. She’d never let it go.