by Laura Scott
Derek shrugged and nodded, still keeping his arm around Lexi. “Yeah, I learned in the Army.”
“Would you consider a temporary job for the summer?” Armbruster asked. “Obviously, we could use some help around here. With both Grace and Carol on medical leave, we’re really strapped for help. I can put in a good word with Sheriff Torretti once you fill out an application.”
Julie held her breath, waiting for Derek’s reply.
“I’d very much like a job, even a temporary one,” Derek said. “If you’re serious about hiring me.”
She closed her eyes with relief. Thank You, Lord!
___________
Derek knew he was crazy to even consider taking a job with the Hope County Sheriff’s Department. The risk was too high. But the lure of paid employment was too much to ignore. Since no one had come to arrest him, he had to assume his background check had been fine. Claire’s parents must not have sent the police after him, despite his fears. Or maybe hiring a private investigator was more their style, especially since he was Lexi’s legal guardian.
For now.
He couldn’t help thinking that this potential job was a sign from God. He’d considered settling down somewhere to establish himself as part of a community, so why not here in Crystal Lake? Wiping his damp palms on the sides of his jeans, he sat down in front of the computer.
“I’ll pick up your police report while we’re waiting,” Julie said, her eyes bright with excitement. She took Lexi by the hand and went over to talk with Deputy Armbruster.
Calling himself all kinds of a fool for taking the risk, he began filling out the online application form. His longest work experience was the eight years in the Army, but he also put in the technical college degree and the construction work he’d done prior to that.
When it came to references, he stared blankly at the screen. Claire’s parents were out of the question. After a long moment, he put in his CO’s name and number, along with Jake Strawn, his Chicago buddy’s name and number. Lastly, he put in Julie’s name and then felt foolish when he realized he didn’t have her number.
When he was finished, he pushed the send button and stood up. He glanced over to the two deputies. “I put in my cell number, and I’m staying in Julie Crain’s rehabbed townhouse if you need to get in touch with me.”
“Sounds good. Thanks again,” Deputy Armstrong said, offering his hand.
It was surreal to shake the deputy’s hand before walking outside to meet Julie and Lexi.
“Julie said we can get ice cream,” Lexi announced. “Can I have chocolate, Daddy?”
“Ice cream, huh?” he asked, sending Julie a wry smile.
“Well, why not? We’re celebrating, aren’t we?” Julie asked cheerfully. “I called into the ER, and Grace has been taken straight to the cardiac cath lab. They told me she was critical but stable, and her chances look fairly good at this point. And you have a new job. Two very good reasons to celebrate.”
“I haven’t been offered the job yet,” he reminded her. Although it surprised him how keenly he wanted it. He grinned at Lexi. “Yes, Lexi, chocolate ice cream sounds good to me, too.”
They left Julie’s car in the small parking lot and walked down the couple of blocks to Main Street. The summer sun was hot but not nearly as bad as what they’d suffered in Afghanistan. For a moment, he imagined himself back there, holding on to his rifle with a tight, sweaty grip as he stayed alert, searching for signs of Afghani soldiers. He shook his head to dislodge the painful memory and forced himself to glance around curiously. There were lots of cars and people crowding the street, which wasn’t surprising since he’d been unable to find a hotel with a vacancy over the holiday weekend. Still, being surrounded by families made him acutely aware of the way he, Julie, and Lexi fit right in.
Don’t go there, he warned himself. They were not a family. It would do well to remember Julie was being a friend to him, nothing more.
The ice cream parlor was packed, so they patiently waited their turn. They all three ended up with chocolate ice cream, but when Julie pulled out her purse, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I’ve got it.”
When she looked as if she were about to protest, he narrowed his gaze, shook his head, and fished out his wallet. After he paid for the cones, they strolled back outside.
“There’s a Fourth of July parade here tomorrow morning,” Julie said. “I have to work a twelve-hour shift, but you and Lexi should come and watch.”
“Would you like that, Lexi?” he asked, glancing down at his daughter’s chocolate-smeared face.
She nodded vigorously, too preoccupied with her ice cream to say anything.
“If you want to borrow my car, you can drop me off at work in the morning,” Julie continued. “Although I should warn you I need to be at the hospital by seven a.m.”
“Not a problem,” he murmured. He glanced around, wondering if this was real or little more than an incredible dream. He’d been on edge ever since leaving St. Louis, to the point he’d been unable to relax. Being here now, walking down Main Street with Julie and Lexi, he felt comfortable and at ease.
He told himself that he was taking the risk of staying here for Lexi’s sake. Because his daughter seemed to be happy. And he couldn’t bear the thought of hauling Lexi out of Julie’s townhouse against her will.
But deep down, he suspected he was really staying for himself. As much as he liked the town of Crystal Lake, he liked Julie Crain even more.
___________
Julie knew they were attracting some attention from the locals as they made their way through town but couldn’t bring herself to care. Derek was staying. He and Lexi were staying!
She knew Derek would be offered a job with the sheriff’s department and hoped and prayed he’d accept. Things were working out perfectly. It was almost as if coming in last night to find Derek’s packed suitcases hadn’t happened.
“Are you ready to head back?” she asked Derek as the crowds of people became suffocating. She understood the town depended on tourism to survive, but she preferred the quiet days when there weren’t so many strangers around.
“Sure,” Derek agreed.
She had some time yet before she had to go into work, and she found herself wishing she hadn’t agreed to help out. At least she was only filling in for four hours, and the extra money would come in handy. Especially once Derek was ready to begin putting up new drywall.
The thought pulled her up short. There was no guarantee that Derek would stay with her once he was offered a dispatch job with the sheriff’s department. He might insist on moving somewhere else. Although surely he’d still need her help to watch Lexi while he was working, wouldn’t he? Her mind spun with the logistics.
Obviously, they needed to talk once the job offer came through, but for now, she decided to take each day one at a time.
When they arrived back at the townhouse, Lexi wanted to go back out on the boat.
Julie glanced at the clock. “Sure, we can go out for an hour or so before I have to leave for work.”
“Yay!”
Julie smiled, glad to see Lexi jump from one foot to another with excitement. The shy little girl who’d come from the accident scene was slowly fading away.
“Okay, let’s get your swimming suit,” Derek said, taking Lexi by the hand.
“Don’t forget your waterproof dressings,” Julie added.
“I won’t.”
Within fifteen minutes, they were down on Zack’s boat. Julie held out the keys for Derek. “Do you want to drive?”
“Sure.” His eyes gleamed with anticipation, which made her laugh as she took a seat toward the front of the boat.
Dozens of other boaters were on the lake as well, but Derek did a fine job of steering clear of everyone else. “I should have inflated the inner tube for Lexi,” Julie said with a wry glance over her shoulder at Derek. “I have everything beneath the seat cushion but didn’t even think to use the pump to inflate the inner tube.”
<
br /> “Next time,” he said easily.
She sat back against the seat, thinking about how happy she was to know there would be a next time. She tipped her face into the sun and thought about how wonderful it was to be outside like this.
But all too soon, it was time to head into shore. She changed into her scrubs and then left for work with Derek’s promise to have dinner ready by the time she came home ringing through her ears. She couldn’t help the broad smile that seemed permanently grooved into her cheeks as she entered the busy ER.
“What is up with you?” Merry greeted her with a smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so happy.”
Julie knew Merry was referring to her sorrow over losing Amelia and her broken engagement. It wasn’t as if she’d tried to wallow in the past, but watching her young niece pass away had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. Much harder than suffering through the gossip of Andrew’s affair. She’d leaned on God and prayer, but for some reason, it had taken being with Derek and Lexi to pull her back to normal. “I am happy,” she responded lightly. “Have you been busy here?”
“You could say that,” Merry said with a sigh. “If you could take team one and the trauma bay, I’d appreciate it.”
“Sure thing. Fill me in on the patients who are in team one.”
Within minutes, she was swept away into the controlled chaos of the emergency department. Her cell phone rang, but she was busy admitting another patient, so she ignored it. When she had a break, she noticed the call was from her brother and made a mental note to call him back when her shift was over.
“How’s Grace Banner doing?” she asked Merry when they crossed paths.
“She’s doing great. She had two cardiac stents put in but thankfully didn’t need open-heart surgery.”
“I’m so glad to hear that,” Julie murmured. “I was really afraid she wouldn’t do well.”
“Everyone around here has been saying that Grace is alive today because of you,” Merry informed her. “If you hadn’t been at the sheriff’s department to start CPR, it’s likely she wouldn’t have made it.”
Since Grace had been alone in the dispatch center, Julie knew Merry was probably right. “Derek is the true hero,” she said. “He used the radio to call for help, and his chest compressions were far better than mine.”
Merry raised a brow. “Derek, huh? Would that be Mr. Derek Ryerson and his adorable daughter, Lexi?”
She blushed and nodded. “You know very well that’s him.”
Merry reached out to put a gentle hand on Julie’s arm. “Jules, be careful, okay? I know he seems like a nice guy, but after everything you’ve been through in the past year, I don’t think it’s wise to jump into anything.”
The memory of Derek’s kiss warmed her cheeks. “Don’t worry, I’m not jumping into anything. We’re friends, that’s all. And I’m hoping to bring him back to the church.”
Merry’s eyes were shadowed with worry. “While getting him to come back to his faith is great, just remember you felt the same way about Andrew, and look how that ended up.”
“I know.” Andrew had also come through the ER after a waterskiing accident, which had broken his left tibia and fibula. She’d reached out to him and offered her help, which he’d gratefully accepted. They’d grown close over the next few months, and he’d even proposed marriage, which had thrilled her. But then she’d discovered his old girlfriend had come to town and that Rebecca had stayed overnight at his place for the weekend. When she’d confronted Andrew, he’d told her it was her fault because she wouldn’t sleep with him. And he made it clear that he was only going along with her ideas of faith and attending church because that was what she’d wanted.
News of Andrew’s affair and their broken engagement had rippled through the town to the point she couldn’t go anywhere without someone offering her sympathy. Only after Andrew and Rebecca had returned to Madison did the wagging tongues die down.
She pulled herself back from the painful memories. “I know, Merry, but it’s different this time. Derek isn’t Andrew.”
“Maybe not, but he is new in town just like Andrew was. And really, what do you know about Derek on a personal level?”
Merry sounded just like her brother, Zack, which caused a rare flash of temper. “I know he’s a stubborn, hard-working guy and a very good father. And I know he used to serve our country in the Army, too. Honestly, Merry, he’s been nothing but polite and respectful.”
“What about faith?” Merry persisted. “Don’t make the same mistake you made with Andrew.”
“Granted, Derek didn’t attend church with me, but he participates in prayer, so I think there’s hope.” When Merry opened her mouth again, Julie held up her hand. “Don’t, Merry. Derek and I are friends, nothing more. So leave it alone, okay?”
“Okay,” Merry agreed with a sigh. Her pager went off, and she read the message with a grimace. “Looks like another ambulance is on the way in.”
Julie returned to work, glancing frequently at the clock as the last hour of her shift passed by with excruciating slowness. When her co-worker came in to relieve her, she headed out to the parking lot, happy to be going home.
To see Derek. And of course, Lexi.
True to his word, Derek had brats and hotdogs ready for the grill when she arrived. “Smells delicious,” she said as she stepped out on the patio.
“It’s nothing fancy,” Derek said. “Although I did make potato salad, too.”
“Wow, a man who can cook,” she said lightly, Merry’s concern echoing in her mind. Was she reading too much into Derek’s kindness? Was it possible this was all just a big act he was putting on for her benefit?
“Sit down. I’ll bring the food over in a minute,” Derek said. The relaxed smile on his face only emphasized his handsome looks. If this really was an act, the guy deserved an Academy Award.
Derek brought the tray of food over and set it in the center of the table. When they were all seated, Julie bowed her head to pray. “Dear Lord, thank You so much for providing us this food we are about to eat. Also, please keep watching over Grace as she heals in the hospital, as she very much needs Your strength and support. Amen.”
“And please watch over Grandma and Grandpa, too,” Lexi added. “Amen.”
Grandma and Grandpa? Julie raised her head. The stricken expression on Derek’s face confirmed he’d lied to her that night in the hospital about how he and Lexi were alone.
She felt sick to her stomach as she wondered what else he’d lied about.
Chapter Eleven
Derek swallowed hard as Julie went pale, her gaze full of reproach as she stared at him. He couldn’t very well chide Lexi for including her grandparents in their evening prayer, because for one thing, Claire’s parents needed prayers in a big way. And for another, this abrupt revelation wasn’t Lexi’s fault.
It was his.
“I’ll explain later,” he murmured, trying to reassure Julie with a half-hearted smile.
Julie frowned but thankfully didn’t say anything in front of Lexi. And he mentally kicked himself over and over again when Julie did little more than pick at her food.
He should have confided in her before now. Before she’d grown close to Lexi. Before they’d become friends.
Before he’d kissed her.
His own appetite vanished along with Julie’s, but he made an effort for Lexi’s sake. But no matter how hard he tried, there was no way to ease the strained atmosphere.
When they’d finally finished, he pushed his chair away from the table. “Lexi, help me clear the dishes,” he said.
“I’ll do it,” Julie said abruptly, jumping to her feet. He sensed she wanted to get away and wished he could think of a way to make her realize...what? That he was sorry he’d led her to believe that he and Lexi were all alone in the world? That he hadn’t intended to mislead her at all? That all he wanted was to help Lexi get out of that strict private school and recover from the shock of losing her mother?
For a moment, he dropped his head into his hands, feeling almost as helpless as the night Claire’s parents had informed him they were going to take him to court in an attempt to gain custody of Lexi. He’d been completely alone then.
But somehow, he felt even worse now. Because despite everything Julie had done for them, he’d let her down.
Guide me through this, Lord. Show me the way.
When he felt Lexi’s soft hand on his arm, he pulled himself together. His daughter’s expression was troubled, and he wished more than anything for her to be happy again. The way she’d been on the boat ride or swimming in the lake. “I love you, Lexi,” he said softly.
“I love you, too, Daddy.” Instantly, Lexi was crawling into his lap, and he held her tightly, almost afraid to let her go.
After several long moments, he kissed the top of Lexi’s head and eased away. “Come on, baby-doll, we need to help carry these dishes in for Julie.” Since Julie hadn’t returned after escaping inside, he figured it was the least they could do.
“Okay.” Lexi grabbed the ketchup bottle with both hands as he stacked the rest of the dirty plates and they both went inside.
The kitchen was empty when he set the dirty dishes on the counter. Should he try to find Julie? Or give her the privacy she deserved?
As he went back outside to pick up the last of the dishes and condiments, his chest tightened with panic. What if Julie planned to ask him and Lexi to leave? She had every right to kick them out if she wanted to.
How much would her sweet, Christian nature tolerate? He suspected he’d already pushed her past the breaking point.
His thoughts whirled as he cleaned up the after-dinner mess. Since Julie was still nowhere to be found, he decided he should wash the dishes, too.
It was the least he could do to make amends.
Sensing he’d intruded enough, he left the dishes to air dry and made his way outside onto the patio. The sun was low on the horizon, and he wished Julie were here to share in the wonder of the beautiful sunset over the lake.