A Father For Zach

by Irene Hannon

  His heart stuttered.

  As Catherine drew closer, his hand began to tremble. Setting his brush down, he shaded his eyes and tried to breathe. She was dressed as she’d been this morning, in a floral-print skirt that billowed around her legs and a soft-lavender knit top that hinted at her curves. Her clunky hiking boots were in direct contrast to her feminine attire, but despite the reinforced footwear she seemed to be treading cautiously on the shifting sand beneath her feet. A towel was draped over her arm, and she was toting a small insulated container.

  She stopped about six feet away from him and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Hi.”

  Her greeting was shy. Tentative. As if she was uncertain of her welcome.

  “Hi.” He wiped his hands on a rag and stood. “I didn’t expect to see you again today.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  When she didn’t offer anything else, he asked the obvious question. “What are you doing way out here?”

  “Looking for you.”

  He frowned. “How did you know where I was?”

  “I stopped by your cottage. Edith told me.”

  Who else? His neighbor was the only who’d been privy to his destination. “Where’s Zach?”

  “Edith volunteered to watch him for a couple of hours.”

  Nathan arched an eyebrow. That was a first. “I’m surprised you left him with someone else.”

  She shrugged. “With school starting in seven weeks, I decided I’d better get used to it. And it wasn’t a hard sell from his standpoint. There were two friendly little girls there, and Edith promised to make another batch of cinnamon rolls.” She swallowed and moistened her lips, distracting him. “If I’m not bothering you, I’d like to talk for a few minutes.”

  His gaze shifted from her lips to her eyes. “You’ve always bothered me, Catherine. In a good way.”

  At his husky, honest response, soft color flooded her cheeks. “Can we sit for a few minutes? Edith gave me a beach towel. And she dug some cookies out of her freezer in case we got hungry. I think she also threw in a couple of sodas.” She lifted the small insulated pack.

  “Okay.”

  Moving closer, he took the tote and set it on the sand. Together they spread out the towel, then sat next to each other, facing the sea.

  Nathan was tempted to take her hand. But he didn’t. For all he knew, she’d sought him out to do no more than apologize. He knew she’d seen the hurt in his eyes this morning when doubt had flashed through her own. Perhaps she was simply sorry for causing him distress—and had no interest in taking their relationship any further.

  Besides, he now had his own reservations about that, anyway. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the woman and little boy who’d added such light and grace to his days. And the stigma from his past that would follow him for the rest of his life could do that.

  He watched as she lifted a handful of sand and let it sift back to the beach. Some of the grains clung to her fingers despite several attempts to brush them off, and she tipped her head and studied them.

  “You know, this is a good analogy for what’s been happening to me in the past twenty-four hours.” She extended her hand toward him and wiggled her fingers.

  Her pensive voice was muffled by the boom of the waves, and he had to lean close to hear her. “How so?”

  “I have a lot of baggage, Nathan, as you know. Meeting you forced me to take a hard look at a lot of it. And to accept the fact that people who have done bad things can change. Letting go of my views on that score has been tough for me. But I thought I’d managed it. Until my money went missing and Zach found the bracelet in your toolbox.”

  She made another attempt to brush off the grains still stuck to her fingers, yet some remained. “Like this sand, I discovered some of my prejudices were still clinging to me. But since you left, I did a lot of soul-searching. And I purged them from my heart.”

  Lacing her fingers in her lap, her expression grew earnest. “Here’s the thing, Nathan. I can’t take back that moment of doubt. I wish I could. But I can promise you it’s gone forever. With every fiber of my being, I know you could no more steal money or a bracelet than I could neglect Zach. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for my brief lapse of faith in you. All I can do is try my best to make up for it in the future—if you think we still might have one. And if you can dig deep in your heart and find a way to forgive me.”

  Catherine’s earnest apology rekindled the tiny ember of hope buried beneath the ashes in his heart. Looking into her emerald eyes, mere inches from his, he saw nothing but sincerity.

  And love.

  Which made it all the more difficult to pull back. But he had to do that for the same reason she’d moved forward.

  Love.

  “The forgiveness part is easy, Catherine.” He took one of her hands, brushed off the last of the clinging grains, and twined his fingers with hers. “But your lapse, as you called it, forced me do some hard thinking. I care for you and Zach. A lot. And I was beginning to think we had a future, too. But after all that’s happened, I realized that by associating with me, you and Zach would be tainted by my mistakes. People could shun you. That wouldn’t be fair to either of you.”

  A spark of anger flared to life in the depth of her green eyes. “If people can’t judge you for who you are now, then I don’t care what they think of me. And I wouldn’t want to associate with those kind of people, anyway.”

  While her loyal words heartened him, there was more. “There’s a risk, too, Catherine. I learned that today. If J.C. hadn’t stood up for me, I would have been back behind bars. And no matter how hard I try to keep my nose clean, if I cross paths with the wrong kind of person, it could happen again. In a suspicious situation, my record will always work against me.”

  Her nostrils flared, and her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think there are many people around as vindictive as the customer you had the misfortune to run into. I’m not worried about that, Nathan. And as for Danielle Price—we’re not going to back off from this fight. I doubt your brother will let you, and I don’t intend to, either.”

  We.

  The word echoed like the peal of joyous bells in his mind. And told him two things. She considered them a team. And she didn’t know he’d been cleared. But of course, she wouldn’t. Who would have told her?

  Meaning she’d come out here today believing in him despite Danielle’s accusation. Despite that brief flicker of doubt in her eyes as they’d stood in front of her house.

  As he tried to grasp the significance of that, she angled toward him and took his other hand. “Earlier today, as I was trying to figure out how to make amends, Zach gave me some good advice. He said, ‘Just tell him we really like him. And it’s lonesome here without him. Tell him it feels like a rainy day even when the sun is shining.’ I can’t improve on his language. So if you’re willing to give this another go, I’d like to see where things might lead between us. Because the truth is, I…I think I’m falling in love with you. What do you say?”

  The ember of hope in his heart burst into a flame that burned steady and strong. He wasn’t certain what the future might hold for the two of them. But all at once he was certain he couldn’t pass up the opportunity for happiness the Lord had sent his way. Whatever challenges their tomorrows might hold, Catherine’s earnest speech and the warmth and determination in her eyes convinced him she was willing—and able—to meet them. As long as he stood by her side.

  Which was exactly where he wanted to be.

  “I say yes.”

  The tension in her features eased, and a slow smile lifted her lips as she leaned toward him. “Do you think we could put some action behind those words?”

  Nathan didn’t need any further encouragement. He leaned in, too—in time to hear a loud rumble from the vicinity of her stomach.

  Flushing with embarrassment, she dipped her head and laid a hand on her abdomen. “Talk about ruining a romantic moment.”

  He chuckled. “I’m a
little hungry myself. I skipped lunch.” In truth, his appetite had returned with a vengeance.

  “I only had a few spoonfuls of soup.”

  “How about we dip into Edith’s cookies first? Feed the body before we feed the soul?”

  She smiled and picked up the small insulated container. “Okay by me.”

  Setting it on her lap, she unzipped the top and withdrew two sodas. After passing one to Nathan, she pulled out a plastic bag of cookies. As she examined them, the soft blush retuned to her cheeks.

  “What?” He leaned closer for a better look.

  “She said she’d been saving these for a special occasion…” Catherine’s words trailed off and she tipped the bag his way.

  Edith had packed them heart-shaped shortbread cookies.

  He burst out laughing. “The Lighthouse Lane matchmaker strikes again.”

  Catherine gave him a puzzled look. “What are you talking about?”

  “Over the past few years, Edith has built quite a reputation as a matchmaker. And she’s had us in her sights for weeks.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. And so far she’s batting a thousand.” He took the packet, pulled a cookie out for each of them and lifted his soda can in salute. “To Edith.”

  She clinked her can with his, and in short order they’d each demolished three cookies.

  When he reached for cookie number four, she smiled. “You might want to save room for some cake. That is, if you still want to have that wrap party. A two-layer chocolate fudge supreme is waiting. And so is Zach.”

  He withdrew his hand. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Are we on for fireworks tomorrow night, too?”

  The wind tossed some strands of hair across her face, and he lifted his hand to brush them aside, fingering their silky softness. Then he took her soda can and set it in the sand.

  “I’ll be there. But how about a little preview right now?”

  The warmth in her eyes melted his heart. As did her whispered response: “I think that’s a great idea.”

  As the surf crashed and the gulls circled overhead, Nathan reached over and gathered her into his arms, finding it hard to believe that this moment wasn’t some fairy tale or a figment of his imagination. For happy endings had never been his lot in life.

  But when Catherine’s hands went around his neck, when he heard her soft sigh, when he felt the warmth of her breath on his cheek, when he inhaled the sweet scent of her skin…he finally believed it was real.

  And as he claimed her sweet lips in a tender kiss filled with promise and possibilities, he knew that here, on this tiny speck of land in the Atlantic Ocean—a world away from the life he’d left behind—he would find the bright and shining tomorrow of his dreams.

  Epilogue

  Seven months later

  “Watch your step. We don’t want any more broken toes.”

  As Nathan smiled and extended his hand, Catherine took it and stepped out of the car in front of Sheltering Shores Inn.

  Home.

  Warm, welcoming light spilled from the windows of the main house, and a heart-shaped cranberry wreath hung on the front door. As she tucked her arm in Nathan’s for the short walk past the banks of snow to the porch, she tipped her head back and inhaled a lungful of the cleansing, sea-kissed air. Above her, the night sky was crystal clear and studded with twinkling stars.

  “What a perfect end to a perfect Valentine’s Day,” she murmured, her lips curving into a contented smile.

  Nathan pulled her closer, his breath creating frosty clouds in the still night air as he spoke. “It’s not over yet. I’m assuming you expect me to stick around for a while after we relieve Edith and Chester of babysitting duty.”

  She snuggled next to him. “That was my plan.”

  “Good.” He leaned down to brush his lips across her forehead, then pulled back. “Wow! Your face is freezing!”

  “But your lips are warm. How about warming mine up once we get inside?”

  He chuckled. “That was my plan.”

  As they ascended the steps and Catherine started to reach into her purse for her keys, the front door opened.

  “I thought I heard a car drive up.” Edith, attired in white pants and a sparkly red sweater for the occasion, beamed at them. “Come in, come in. It’s too cold to linger outside.”

  With Nathan’s hand in the small of her back, Catherine moved past Edith and into the foyer. As she shrugged out of her coat, she glanced into the living room. A fire was burning in the grate, soft music was playing and at least a dozen candles were adding a warm glow to the room.

  She smiled up at Nathan as he took her coat, and his wink told her he’d noticed the romantic ambiance, too.

  The matchmaker was still at work.

  But Catherine didn’t mind in the least. And she was very grateful Edith had volunteered to babysit tonight. She and Zach and Nathan could have had dinner together here at the inn, as they had on many previous special occasions. But Nathan had insisted on a first-class Valentine’s Day celebration after all the years he’d spent the holiday alone, in a cell.

  Catherine hadn’t argued. She’d wanted a night to remember, too.

  So far, it was exceeding her expectations. He’d arrived with two dozen long-stemmed red roses. Plied her with designer chocolates. Treated her to an elegant gourmet dinner in town. And now a candlelit room awaited them.

  “Here you go, Edith.” Chester appeared from the back of the house, toting Edith’s coat. His own was already on.

  “You don’t have to rush out,” Catherine protested.

  “Of course we do. It’s Valentine’s Day. We have some billing and cooing of our own to do.”

  Chester’s cheeks flushed crimson as he helped Edith on with her coat.

  “Zach went down an hour ago,” Edith relayed, oblivious to her husband’s embarrassment as she pulled on her gloves. “You two should have some nice quiet time together. And a cold night is always a good excuse to get cozy. Well, we’re off.” She tucked her arm in Chester’s and propelled him across the foyer.

  “Thanks again, Edith,” Catherine called as the couple exited through the door, admitting a blast of icy air as they left.

  “My pleasure. You two go take advantage of that nice fire.”

  The door shut behind them.

  “Subtlety isn’t her strong suit.” Catherine gave Nathan a wry smile.

  “No. But she has a heart of gold.”

  “True.” Tipping her head, she regarded him. He had one shoulder propped against the doorway leading into the dining room and didn’t appear to be in any hurry to remove his coat. “I thought you were staying awhile.”

  “I am. But I have to get a present from the car. I just want to give Edith and Chester a chance to get away before I go back out.”

  The warmth of his smile did more to chase away the evening chill than the fireplace ever could.

  “You’ve already spent enough on me tonight, Nathan.”

  “You’re worth it. And I can afford an occasional extravagance.”

  That was true. Over the past seven months, he’d sold a dozen paintings. All had commanded sizeable prices. And his reputation was growing. A gallery in Boston had already approached him about doing a show in the fall.

  But his financial resources weren’t the point.

  “I already have the best gift.” She moved close and took his hands. “You.”

  He dipped his head to claim a kiss, but as she reached up to put her arms around his neck, he backed off, holding her at arm’s length.

  “Now you behave, young woman, or we’ll never get to the present.”

  She sidled closer, loving the way their relationship had evolved into a comfortable give and take, filled with teasing and laughter and a joy so complete her heart sometimes ached with the sweetness of it.

  “I’ll take the kiss instead.”

  “No, you won’t. Trust me, you’ll want this present. Now, go wait in the living room.”


  Heaving a put-upon sigh, she swiveled away, sending the skirt of her cranberry-red silk dress floating around her legs in a flirty flounce. “Hurry back.”

  Nathan turned up his collar and wiggled his eyebrows. “Count on it.”

  Grinning, she watched as he disappeared through the front door. Then she retrieved a red-foil-wrapped package from the kitchen and wandered over to the sofa. Thanks to Nathan, the rest of her home now looked as good as the two guest rooms that had been booked solid through the fall and were already being reserved for next season. He’d labored over it with the same meticulous care he gave to every task he undertook.

  That’s why she’d been able to recommend him without hesitation to several clients who had hired her to redecorate their homes. Not that he needed much of that kind of work these days. But he said it kept him grounded. And that it gave him a sense of security his painting didn’t yet afford.

  Settling into the cushions on the sofa, she decided she liked Edith’s selection of music. Gershwin was always a good choice for romance.

  The front door opened. Shut. She heard fabric sliding over fabric. The jangle of a coat hanger. And then Nathan joined her.

  Empty handed.

  She hefted the present in her lap. “I have yours. Where’s mine?”

  “In the hall. Why don’t I open mine first?”

  She smiled. “Anxious, aren’t we?”

  “Presents are still a novelty for me.”

  Although his tone was light, her throat tightened. They didn’t talk much about his dark days anymore. Or the childhood that had been stolen from him. But at unexpected moments, she sometimes caught a fleeting, shadowed glimpse of the innocent little boy he’d never had a chance to be.

  She handed over the package without another word.

  Tearing off the paper, he pulled out a glossy art book featuring the work of the classic Impressionist painters he admired.

  “This is fabulous, Catherine.” He flipped through it, devouring the images as hungrily as the birds searched for seeds in the feeder outside her kitchen window on a cold winter day. “I can’t wait to give this my full attention.” After checking out a few more pages, he set it aside and shifted toward her. “But for now, I plan to give you my full attention.”