I'll Be There For You (Canyon Creek, Co. Book 5)

by Lori Ryan

  Becca nodded. “Okay.”

  Valerie smiled, then turned to Lina. “Thank you again, Lina. For finding her and for…well, for helping, with everything.” She leaned in and kissed Lina on the cheek.

  As Valerie pulled back, Becca pointed to her stuffed animal. “You will fix him.”

  Lina nodded. “Yes, I promise.”

  Becca turned back to stare at Valerie. “Let’s go…” she paused. “Nonna,” she said as if trying it on for size. Valerie laughed and Becca smiled. The resemblance was remarkable.

  “One word first,” Valerie said.

  “Pleeeasse,” Becca drew out.

  Lina laughed.

  “That’s better.” Valerie turned and started walking toward the lodge. “We’ll see you two inside in a bit?” Her words were more of a question than statement. “Come grab a pastry or something at the café, Lina.”

  “Oh, thanks, but I can’t.”

  “Pleeeasse,” Becca said. “You have to fix Dog.”

  They all three laughed. Yeah, the girl was still manipulative, but sometimes you had to be. “Okay, we’ll see.”

  Becca pouted.

  “What?” Lina asked.

  “We’ll see always means no.” She sagged against Valerie’s shoulder.

  The little girl was too smart.

  Lina glanced over at Jake.

  He shrugged as if saying, she’s got you there.

  She turned back to Becca. “Not today, but I promise, I’ll fix Dog soon. Okay?”

  Becca smiled, not as big as before but she seemed appeased. Valerie began walking again, bouncing the little girl on her hip with joy. “Wait!” Becca shouted.

  All three jumped.

  She held out her hand, palm up. There was dried blood on the heel but Becca didn’t seem to mind. “A dollar,” she demanded of her father.

  Jake looked at Lina with an impish smile. “Swear Jar.”

  “She’d be a millionaire in one afternoon at my house.” Lina chuckled. “Maybe you should change it to quarters instead of dollars.”

  “Now you tell me.” He laughed, pulling a money clip out and peeling off four one-dollar bills. He walked to where Becca and Valerie were standing. “Here, shark face.”

  “Thanks, turtle nose.” She giggled. Becca stared down at the money, her eyes narrowed. “But you only said one word this time.”

  “It’s for later.” He glanced over his shoulder at Lina and winked. “I’m so screwed,” he mouthed.

  Oh, swoon. A handsome man with a sense of humor, a dirty mouth, and eyes that could melt the snow cap off Canyon Creek Mountain? Yeah, she needed to get the hell out of here. Now.

  Chapter Six

  Jake watched his mother and daughter walk away, wondering if he should go after them. He’d nearly had a heart attack when he looked back behind him at the lodge and discovered Becca wasn’t there. He’d searched high and low, never thinking she might be outside until one of the maids said something.

  He was a crappy father, that was all there was to it. Not only had he lost his own daughter only moments before, he hadn’t even been able to comfort Becca like this stranger beside him had.

  As his anxiety over losing Becca receded, he turned and studied the woman for the first time.

  She was tall and slender with long black hair pulled back in a pony tail, the ends dyed a bright blue. She wore dark pants and a starched white shirt, and a bow tie dangled from her hand. Her olive-toned skin and unique features marked her as either of Greek or Italian ancestry, an exotic look that was striking. His eyes lingered on full lips as he drank her in. Dark eyes stared at him, studying him, judging him.

  “You really need to be more careful with Becca,” she said, breaking his perusal.

  “What?”

  “Your daughter, Becca. This is a large property. She could get lost.”

  “I’m not used to keeping up with her,” he said absentmindedly.

  She tilted her head, her hair falling to the side. “What does that mean? You’ve never taken care of your child?”

  He shook his head again, not knowing how to describe his situation.

  “Do you have a nanny or something?” She stared at him quizzically, with more fascination than judgment now. At least, he hoped.

  “I just found out I have a daughter.”

  Her dark eyes went wide as she glanced at the lodge then back to him. “Just found out? What does that mean?”

  “I didn’t know I had a daughter until a few weeks ago.”

  “Oh, damn,” Lina said.

  “Yeah, oh damn.” He repeated. “Good thing I gave Becca four dollars.” He gave a humorless laugh as he walked toward the clearing.

  Just beyond them was the lodge’s garden, filled with wildflowers that his mother had designed and his father planted just before his death. Jake sat down on the memorial bench and let his head fall back. The sun beat down on his face and felt good. When was the last time he’d spent the day outdoors, he wondered? Too long.

  “Man, is your life about to change,” she said, her eyes going wide as if she was envisioning all the challenges he was about to face. “I’m sorry,” she flinched, “that was rude. I mean, there are good things and bad things about caring for kids. I’m sure you’ll love it. It’s just…” she stopped as though trying to come up with something nice to say. He wondered if she had kids. She seemed to know a lot about them.

  Jake closed his eyes.

  “It’s just a lot of responsibility,” she said. “So, what’s the story?” she asked after a long pause, her voice closer.

  Jake opened his eyes and turned his head, surprised that the woman had followed him. “Where should I start?” he asked, all sense of humor lost.

  “At the beginning I guess?”

  He sat up straight, staring at her in trepidation. Was it a good idea to spill his guts to a complete stranger? Better than dumping on his family. He held out his hand. “I’m Jake Sumner.”

  She slipped her hand in his, her long fingers wrapping around him with a strong grip as she shook. He’d always appreciated a firm handshake. His father had told him never to trust anyone without it.

  “I’m Lina Bianchi,” she answered in return.

  “Bianchi,” he repeated. “That’s Italian.”

  She released his hand. “Yep.”

  “Wait,” he sat up straighter, “Bianchi. Are you related to Antonio Bianchi who owns Antonio’s Italian Restaurant in town?”

  “Yep. He’s my dad.”

  “And Antonio’s Pizzeria on I-70 too?”

  She nodded.

  “They make the best pizza I’ve ever eaten.” He patted his belly. “And I’ve eaten a lot.”

  “It’s my nonna’s sauce. She brought the recipe over from Italy.”

  “Wow, a real-live authentic Italian.”

  She smiled, her face lit with pride, and a genuine beauty he hadn’t seen in a long time.

  “Second generation,” she announced.

  Jake studied her outfit. She looked like a waitress at a fancy restaurant. “Did you just get off work?”

  “No. I don’t work for my father.”

  The curt tone in her voice made it clear she didn’t want to talk about it. He could understand. There was a lot of stuff he didn’t want to discuss either. Couldn’t discuss.

  He thought back to the way she handled his daughter. His daughter. It still sounded strange. “You were really good with Becca,” he said, breaking the awkward silence.

  “I have three younger sisters I took care of growing up. A lot.”

  As the baby of the family, Jake wasn’t familiar with having to watch after younger siblings, but something about the tone said she hadn’t enjoyed that responsibility. “Well, thanks for stepping in. As if it wasn’t obvious, I have no idea what the hell I’m doing.”

  “You’ve never taken care of kids before?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. I was the baby of the family. Me and my twin brother Grant.”

  “Wait.
” She jerked up. “You’re Grant Sumner’s twin?” Her question was more of a statement and Jake laughed to himself. “I’d read somewhere he had one and I knew you were Jake Sumner, but I guess I forgot you guys were the twins in the family.”

  “Yeah, Grant’s my twin.” He wondered how she’d known he was Jake Sumner. He didn’t remember her from high school, but looking at her, she seemed younger than him. Maybe they hadn’t overlapped.

  He narrowed his eyes. No, that wasn’t right. Canyon Creek High School hadn’t been large when he went there. He definitely would have remembered her.

  She was still looking at him like he was a specimen under a microscope. He wasn’t surprised by her puzzled look.

  Grant was his fraternal twin, and a "stone-cold-fox." Words from the internet, not from him. Grant had graced the covers of tons of magazines, being awarded the sexiest-man-alive several years, which always made all the brothers laugh. Grant was sought after by every director in Hollywood. As an Academy Award-winning actor, he was one of the most popular, most recognizable men in the world. Thank goodness, Jake was not.

  “I’m his fraternal twin,” Jake offered up in explanation. He waved a hand over his face. “This mug won’t be gracing the covers of any magazines.”

  “You’re still handsome, just in a different way.” Her eyes went wide as if she hadn’t meant to disclose that bit of information.

  Lina’s response was unusual. Most people remarked how different he and Grant looked and then immediately went into pounding him with questions about his brother.

  Her cheeks flushed red. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to blurt that out.” He couldn’t help but think Lina Bianchi wasn’t often embarrassed.

  “Do you really expect me to accept your apology for calling me handsome?”

  She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “I guess not.”

  He studied her face now that she was closer. She had an exotic beauty, like Sophia Loren, with full, pouty lips and a flawless complexion. Hell, when was the last time he’d thought about a woman like that? He’d been too caught up in his work lately. Most of the time, when he looked at a woman, he was running the stats—who she worked for, what favors that person owed to his team, what favors Jake’s team owed in turn.

  “So, what’s the story?” she asked, breaking through the vivid dream she was starring in in his head. “With Becca, I mean.”

  He drew in a deep breath and fell back on the bench, hands behind his head as he audibly sighed.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” she said. “I’m Italian, I’m nosy. It’s a genetic thing.”

  Jake laughed. “No, it’s okay. I just don’t know where to start.”

  “That bad, huh?” She laughed.

  He couldn’t help but laugh with her. His situation was heart-achingly difficult but somehow Lina Bianchi had found a lighter side to his circumstances, and she hadn’t even heard the whole story.

  “Becca is a great kid,” she said. “A little manipulative, but great.”

  “You think so?”

  Lina laughed again. “Totally. My baby sister, Natalia was the same way. My dad used to fall for her antics, but my nonna and mom were way more sly. I always said Natalia should have been an actress, she was so dramatic.”

  “What did they do, to stop your sister I mean?”

  “They did what I did with Becca. I cut through her bullshit and made her fess up to the real story.”

  “Easier said than done,” he said, sitting back. “You’re a seasoned professional. You’re used to dealing with girls. I have five brothers. And you owe Becca a dollar by the way, don’t think I didn’t miss that ‘bullshit’ that slipped out.”

  She chuckled and the sound warmed him. “You have lots of female cousins who are like sisters. Surely you saw their antics and the way your aunt and mom handled them.”

  “True,” he said with a nod. His Aunt Sally had six girls and his Aunt Lisa and Uncle Mark had one. “But my Aunt Sally didn’t move back to Canyon Creek until Ivy, the oldest, was nine. And my cousin Rachel was like Becca’s age. I wasn’t really into watching my cousins get scolded. I was more into trying to get out of trouble.”

  Lina smiled. “I have a feeling Becca will school you very quickly. And you have your mom and aunts to help. Plus, all your sisters-in-law, or soon to be sisters-in-law. You’ll learn.”

  “You seem to know a lot about my family. I don’t remember you from school.”

  “I only came to Canyon Creek just before you left for college I think.”

  “Oh.”

  “I work at the lodge and the barn sometimes, so I know your family.” She grinned. “You might not come home often, but I’ve heard about you.”

  The reminder that he didn’t return home to Canyon Creek often hurt his heart. He knew his family needed him, and yet he’d put the senator and his campaign before everything and everyone else.

  Jake couldn’t help but wonder why he hadn’t run into Lina Bianchi on his visits home before now. She was definitely a woman worth knowing, if for no other reason than her insight into the five-year-old psyche.

  She narrowed her eyes. “You are the brother who works for that jerk-wad senator in California, right?”

  He chuckled. “Yeah. I guess some would call him that.”

  “Some?” She choked on a humorless laugh. “Yeah, given the way he’s flip-flopped on the environment, and unemployment…and don’t get me started on—”

  Jake held up a hand. “I got it, I got it. You’re not his biggest fan.”

  “Sorry.” She shrugged and pointed to her mouth. “Italian. Big mouth. Don’t know when to shut up.”

  He couldn’t help but notice how deliciously plump and rosy-red her lips were. He was almost certain her face was void of any make-up and yet she looked just as beautiful as the women he saw at political fundraisers who’d spent hours at a spa and thousands on their clothes.

  “What’s wrong?” Lina wiped at her mouth. “Do I have something on me? I wolfed down a pumpkin tart at the event earlier.” She pointed back to the barn. “Your Aunt Sally makes the best tarts.”

  He couldn’t disagree. His aunt was an amazing baker. But right now, Sally was the furthest thing from his mind. It was Lina’s mouth that infatuated him. And if he didn’t stop staring soon, she was going to realize he was a total pervert.

  “Sorry,” he shook his head, “you don’t have anything on you.” It was just me, visualizing your lips on—stop. Getting involved with a woman was the last thing he needed, even if she was beautiful and tempting and—stop!

  “Again, this is my Italian mouth speaking, but you look like you’re waging a war in your mind,” she said, her brows knitted as she studied him.

  “Sorry, just a lot going on up here.” He tapped his temple. “Between working for a,” he paused and stared at her, raising a brow, “jerk-wad senator as you called it, and finding out I was a dad just a few weeks ago, I’m pretty much fried. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  “For the senator or Becca?”

  “Right now, both I think.” He was beginning to realize how screwed he was on the political side of things, too.

  “Sorry. I’ll give you some space.” Lina moved to stand.

  “No, I’m sorry. I’m totally dumping on you.”

  “Actually,” she said, staring down at him. He liked how tall she was. “You haven’t dumped anything on me at all.”

  “That’s probably my problem,” he sighed, realizing he really had no one to confide in.

  “Maybe you need a drink.” She laughed.

  “Probably.”

  “Unfortunately, you have Becca so…”

  “Damn.” He ran a hand through his hair. “See, that—that right there is reason number 574 why I shouldn’t have a kid.”

  “I’m pretty sure you’re allowed an occasional drink as a parent.” She sat back down. “And I don’t think you have over five hundred reasons you shouldn’t have kid.”

  “No.” He shook
his head and let it drop in his hands, arms resting on his thighs as he squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s because I fucking forgot I even had a kid, and it’s the second time I’ve done that today.” Drawing in a deep breath, he rubbed his temples. This was bad, really bad.

  A warm hand slid across his back. He opened his eyes, head still bowed, and saw her sitting next to him, her leg pressed against his.

  Jake turned his head and stared into dark brown eyes that were so kind and concerned he damn near cried.

  A slow smile transformed her face in mere seconds.

  “It’s understandable,” she said, her hand slipping away from his back. “If you’ve only known Becca for a short time, of course you’re not used to having to be accountable for her.”

  “I lost her,” he said.

  “She probably wanted to get lost.”

  He studied her, brows wrinkled. “What do you mean?”

  “She lost her mother, right?”

  Jake sat upright on the bench, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Yeah.”

  “How long ago?”

  “A little over a year.”

  “She’s still lost, Jake. She’s lost, without her mom. And now she has a father she never knew about. She’s upset and scared and lonely…a hundred emotions jumbled inside a tiny five-year old body. She doesn’t know how to process it all.”

  “What the hell do I do when I have no idea what to do with a normal five-year old, let alone one who’s so…lost.”

  “You help her find her way.”

  He laughed with a humorless huff. “I’m just as lost.”

  Lina pressed her hand to his thigh and smiled. God, she had a great smile. Her palm burned through his jeans. “Maybe you’ll help each other find a way.”

  “A way to what?”

  “To find your new normal, as Oprah says.”

  He shook his head, having no idea what she was talking about.

  “When Becca’s mother died, her life changed forever. Every normal thing she knew with her mother was gone. She had to make a new normal. And now, here she is just a year later, finding out she has a father. She’s finding a new normal all over again, and that takes time.”