Lou fanned himself and replied looking directly at a still flustered Emma, “Wow, that was one heck of an intense moment, darlin’, and yup, I agree, that man has got it bad for ya’. I swear I saw his life flash right before his eyes when he realized it was you he’d just knocked into.” Lou chuckled.
Emma blushed deep red and became increasingly flustered as the two guys still laughed at her expense. She had to admit it had been a very intense few minutes and she was slightly caught under the spell. Her waist and back continued to tingle from where he had gripped onto her as she stumbled, and the familiar smell clung to her nose. She was in serious trouble and she knew it. Her head and her heart were at odds with each other. She knew that she would have to tackle the Charlie issue sooner rather than later.
The shopping trip was a huge success, despite the distraction of the day. The new house was finally furnished and with a lot of hard work and late nights. Emma, Bruce, and Lou had decorated every inch of it. By the Friday of that week, it was finally ready for them to move in.
It took the entire day to transfer the mass of belongings Emma had brought from New York. The kids’ rooms were transformed into two separate kiddie oases. Lou’s newly discovered eye for detail made Adie’s room almost perfect. She would be so happy when they finally moved in on her birthday. It had been difficult because the birthday tomorrow coupled with Thanksgiving next week were the first two milestone events since the children had lost their parents.
Although there had been a lot of individual occasions where Adie had struggled to cope with the absence of her mom and dad, she was becoming increasingly more confident and asking about them less. Emma would never refuse to talk about them and in a few years, when Adie and Leo were older and could understand more, she would make them both memory boxes using the items she currently stored in a closet in the corridor of their new home. Tomorrow was going to be as happy as the family could make it for Adie. Undoubtedly there would be difficult moments, but she had hoped with all they had planned there would be more happiness than sadness. Moving into their new home would be one of the final steps in that process for them all.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The party and Thanksgiving went without a hitch and the family of three were soon established and happy in their new home. Emma was settling well into the work and whole life balance and the kids were thriving. Leo was growing at a tremendous speed and would shortly be toddling about. His birthday fell just after Christmas. Before Emma knew it, Bruce and Lou had gone back to New York and the end of the year was fast approaching.
The week after Thanksgiving shortly after they had moved in, Emma, Bruce and Lou had taken Adie and Leo to the tree lot and bought their first Christmas tree. She had then taken Adie for a special trip to the store to buy new decorations to hang. The house was an explosion of Christmas ornaments and lights. Bruce had enlisted Lou’s help in draping a selection of lights across the front of the house and into the yard to complete the picture. Even she had to admit, the house really did look amazing when they had finished. All that was left was for Emma to go and buy and wrap the presents for the children. She needed this to be perfect because it would be the first of many Christmases the children would be spending without their parents. She acknowledged the pressure she was putting on herself was more for her own benefit than anything, but it had become so important to make this festive period the best she could.
The week before Christmas she had been out around lunchtime, leaving her established office for a walk. She noticed a traditional toyshop at the end of the main street. As soon as she entered, she decided this was the perfect place to grab everything she needed for the big day.
Several hundred dollars later and a huge stack of wooden toys and clothes set to one side, her Christmas shopping was done. The store-owner was also happy to store the gifts until Christmas Eve that fell at the end of the week when Emma would be able to collect them. All she had to do now was stop by the local market and place an order for the food she needed for the day itself. She had decided to host the meal at her place. Nicky and Mike agreed in an instant when she suggested it.
She had insisted, though, that she would like to sort out the meal herself. She was sure that she could prepare a roast turkey dinner for the five of them without much of an issue, even with her basic cooking skills. It was important to her and it was something she needed to do, even if it was only to prove the point to everyone that she was up to the job of being a mom.
She headed to the local market and placed an order for a turkey, and also took advantage of the store’s pre-order facility, and ordered everything she needed for the big day. For a small fee, she could pick up her order after work on Christmas Eve. When she collected the two children that evening from daycare, she was finally feeling positive about the upcoming holiday.
When she got home, the phone was ringing and she caught it just before it switched off. “Hello?” she answered.
“Oh, Em, honey, its Mom. We’ve had to head out to see your Grams. She’s had a fall and they say she’s not good. We should only be gone a couple of days honey, but she needs us.”
“Oh, goodness, Mom, I hope she’s okay. Please tell her I love her, and I’ll try to get out to see her after this week. And don’t worry, I have everything sorted here now so just make sure Grams is okay.” Things had been so hectic with the move home that she had only managed to make a trip out to see her once since she had been back. She wasn’t in a good way. Emma doubted she had realized who she was. She hadn’t introduced her to the children, either, but the staff at the facility where she lived had dissuaded her from bringing them under the circumstances.
“I’ll send her your love, honey. We’ll be back by Friday, I promise,” she replied. Emma knew they would do their best to get home because this Christmas would be a milestone for them as a family. She hoped they would be back but she knew her mom being there for her Grams was as important too.
“If she needs you, don’t leave her. We’ll be fine. I have everything organized here.” She was surprised at how well she hid the disappointment from her voice. “Love you, Mom.”
“Love you, too, honey, and your dad is saying he loves you, too. Bye for now.”
She resigned herself to the fact that even though her Grams was little over half a days’ drive away and it didn’t seem likely they’d be back in time. Her Grams was important and it sounded serious. She realized that it was now fact that she would be alone with the kids this year after all.
The rest of the week flew by and reports of bad weather were coming across the radio as Emma headed into town to pick up the groceries. It was now mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve, and her mom and dad hadn’t yet been able to set off for home. The weather advisories being broadcast over the radio didn’t sound promising either. She now knew they wouldn’t make it for the holiday. This area was renowned for harsh and sudden ice storms and as she was still running her dad’s SUV, they would be struggling to reach home in time. Her mom had called earlier to say they would stay overnight and try to drive home on Christmas day once the storm had passed.
She had taken one of Adie’s pre-k teachers up on her offer of some after-hours care and had left both kids in the care of Miss Belmont, a student teacher who lived a couple of blocks away from Emma. It meant that she could get the groceries and gifts she had bought for them home.
She went first to the grocery store that closed at four and had retrieved the order she had placed without much drama. She then headed across town with roughly twenty minutes to get to the toy store before they closed for the holidays. She had plenty of time if the traffic continued to be light, but as she turned down one of the less busy side streets, she heard a bang. The vehicle lurched to the left. She slammed on the breaks pulling to a halt as quickly as was safe. She swore as she stepped out of vehicle and noticed that she had two tires blown out.
Emma began to panic and reached into her purse for her cell phone to call for help. She had a little over ten mi
nute to get to the store for the gifts, and now regretted leaving it so late in the day. She swore again as she realized that her cell had no service. Even if she ran now she would still arrive over twenty minutes after the shop closed. So she had no way of saving Christmas for the two adorable children she should be responsible enough to care for. This was a disaster. After five minutes of waiting on the solitary road, she realized it was too quiet and no one was coming to her rescue. She couldn’t do anything but lock the SUV and start walking back toward town. The further she got down the road, the heavier the disappointment grew until it almost crushed her. She had let those beautiful kids down. Now she had to try and salvage what she could from the disaster unfolding before her. When she was about halfway to town, the heavens opened and she was frozen and soaked through to the skin within minutes.
The cold froze the tears and rain to her cheeks. Finally approaching the outer limits of town, she heard the sound of an approaching motor. She was close enough to civilization to risk flagging down the passing vehicle. She was concerned at being out alone in the dark. Never mind the fact she was barely visible in the dark road. As the sound came closer, the vehicle sounded like it was slowing down. The beams from the headlamps flooded the road in front of her and she heard the vehicle come to a stop behind her.
The engine cut but the headlamps remained illuminated. She heard the door open then close then a hesitant, yet all too familiar voice sounded out from behind her, “Emma, is that you? What on earth are you doing all the way out here, sweetheart?”
She froze then turned to face Charlie. Without a second thought, she ran to him, almost collapsing at his feet. He grabbed onto her and pulled her close to him. She immediately closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of being in his arms once again. Then the sobbing began, gently at first and then harder and harder and all Emma could do was feel the strong arms that enveloped her, soothing her with just the simple contact. Right then, despite Charlie not knowing it, his comforting presence was the only think keeping her from completely falling apart.
“Shh, sweetheart, it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay,” he soothed as he held her close and rocked her. “Why are you out here all alone tonight?” He asked.
“Oh, Charlie, it’s all gone wrong. I’ve ruined everything. Absolutely ruined it all for the kids. Poor Adie, and little Leo.” She sniffed and ungracefully wiped her soaking face with her sleeve. She started shivering as she carried on, “I’m supposed to be there for them and it’s up to me to make sure that it all goes okay this year. I’ve failed them both. I really have. I can’t do this on my own, but they have no one else.”
Charlie pulled her in close to his side and guided her to his warm truck. Opening the passenger door he helped her inside and he grabbed his gym bag from the back. He opened it and handed her a clean, soft towel and started to dry her off. As she came down from her sobbing fit she realized she was sitting in his old truck. The familiar smells brought back so many fond memories. He hopped into the driver’s seat and cranked the engine, heat flooded through the vents, warming her instantly.
“Your old truck?” she whispered in awe as she ran her hand over the dashboard and looked up at a pair of familiar blue eyes.
“I restored her. Couldn’t get rid of her. Too much history here in this old girl.” He flashed her a crooked grin. She really couldn’t believe that after all the years that have passed that she was sitting there, all wet and flushed from crying. He was gorgeous and she had to use every ounce of restraint to stop from leaning over and taking his soft mouth. Instead, she leaned in as he reached over and gently wiped the drips of rain and tears on her cheek away with his thumbs. She reveled in the searing heat from their tips. He cupped her cheeks as she rested against his touch and closed her eyes, sighing deeply.
“What has happened, sweetheart? Why are you so sad?” he whispered.
She opened her eyes slowly and took in a breath. Where did she start? She had nothing to lose and being back with him in his precious truck made her feel safe enough to let it all go. She knew he couldn’t help, but he was there for her right then and she needed it.
“My best friend Lily and her husband were murdered a few months ago, and they left me,” she laughed out sharply, “as legal guardian of the two kids, Adie and Leo. The kids that you saw me with a few weeks ago in the store.”
Charlie visibly flinched at this disclosure and closed his eyes and leaned his head back onto the headrest on his seat as he blew out a breath. “Oh, Em, I didn’t realize…”
“Yes, well, that’s only the half of it. I’ve now got two of the most amazing adopted children and I’ve let them down. I was running late this afternoon and my parents have gone out of town. Bruce, my business partner and his boyfriend, Lou, have gone back to New York, and it’s just the kids and me. Well, my car is miles down the road that way,” she jerked her thumb in the direction of the broken down car, “and my guess is that’s now full of half melted and spoiled food I’ve picked up from the market earlier for our supposed perfect ‘first Christmas after the event’ meal I planned for them tomorrow. It’s their first Christmas without their parents, and I couldn’t even get that right. I was trying to take a shortcut to the toy store on main street downtown to collect all the gifts I’ve bought for the kids I get a fucking blowout on both tires and now the store is closed and now because I’m so fucking stupid the food is probably ruined, too. Oh God, Charlie, it’s all a total disaster. The poor kids have to go to bed soon and I know Santa isn’t going to come and they literally have nothing to open tomorrow and it’s all my fault,” she blurted out. The tears steadily flowed as she got the weight of it all off her chest.
“Come here.” Charlie swiftly grabbed her and pulled her across the bench seat and to his side. Emma just took the comfort he was offering and although she had a million questions she wanted to ask, she gave into the security he offered and relished in the fact she was finally in his arms again. The talking would have to wait but for now she needed his help.
Visibly steeling himself, he said, “Right, here is what is going to happen. You need to get yourself and that load of food back home. I’ll take you back up and you can drive my truck home. Go get yourself to those kids. Get them to bed. All I need is you car keys and a lift into town and I will see to the tires. I’ll just need you to drop me by the garage at the end of Main Street and I should get your car back on the road in an hour or so. And I may just be able to help you on the gift front, too. I don’t want you to worry about a thing, sweetheart, I’m here and I’m going to help you.” He did a quick u-turn in the narrow road and headed back to the disabled SUV.
“Don’t you have some place you need to be? If you can drop me in town I can get myself home,” she said quietly, wondering where he would be heading on Christmas Eve. Surely he would have someone or at least somewhere to be tonight. Secretly, though, she was so grateful he had been there to rescue her.
“No, sweetheart, nowhere as important as with you. Let me help, please.” He silently pleaded to her with his eyes. “Honestly, the only thing that’s waiting for me tonight is an empty shell of a house on a lonely plot of land somewhere a few miles out of town. Is this it?” he asked as he pointed to her dad’s SUV lodged on the verge at the side of the tarmac.
“Yes, there it is.” She sighed, surprised at what he had just told her.
“Can I have your keys? I’ll unload the food into the truck here and you can take me back up to town. I’ll figure out how to bring your car home, okay?”.
“Only if you’re sure you don’t mind. I don’t want to keep you from anyone tonight, of all nights.” She looked at him sadly.
“Believe me, you aren’t keeping me from anyone, the only thing I have in my life right now is this beauty.” He gestured with his thumb to his truck and smiled. “Even my mom isn’t here anymore. She moved out west with Uncle Hank a few years ago. The sun is great for her arthritis and they have gone on a Caribbean cruise until the New Year. So it’s my plea
sure to help.” He hopped out of the truck, she handed him the keys, and within a few minutes, he had everything transferred over to the back seat.
There were a thousand things running through her mind after his revelation and now she knew he wasn’t in a relationship, hope sparked in her chest. She knew that they needed to talk and clear their issues before she would consider moving forward. She was quietly hopeful now that she might be able to find the happiness she so badly wanted with Charlie. She slid across the bench seat and secured her seatbelt as he locked the SUV and hopped into the passenger seat. He turned his head and flashed her the most amazing smile she had ever seen. “You don’t know how fucking amazing it is to see you again, sweetheart. I can’t believe you are actually sitting here in my truck, Em. I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered the last sentence as he dipped his head and focused on his hands in his lap. And then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he reached over and took her hand in his and linked their fingers, resting them on the seat between them as she drove the short way to town.
Both of them were so overcome with sentiment during that short journey that they spent the time in comfortable silence, Emma concentrating on trying not to crash Charlie’s beloved truck in the worsening rain, and Charlie simply not speaking. He kept stealing glances across at her as she navigated the streets and he wore a mildly triumphant smile on his face. She realized that getting him back maybe wasn’t the lost cause she had believed it to be.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Emma dropped Charlie outside the closed auto repair shop over on Main Street and left him with directions as to how to get to her house. She would have to let the gatehouse know he was coming. Without his help tonight she would have been in a mess and she was sure she never be able to express just how grateful she was. She drove home feeling much lighter and happier, despite the disaster of the evening so far. As she pulled his truck into her driveway, she grinned like a fool and had thought of sending Bruce a message to fill him in. She had a lot to do tonight, though. So, the full take on the events of this evening would wait until they Skyped tomorrow.
Steeling My Haart Page 20