She produced a mock pout. “Well, I guess it’s the thought that counts.”
His grin spread and she slowly removed the lid. Inside were three exquisite charms for her bracelet, each much more elegant than anything a box store could provide. One was a mother and child, one was a house with family engraved across it, and the last was an open book. “They’re beautiful.”
“Three more amazing things about you. You’re a wonderful mother.” He pointed to the appropriate charm. “You love family.” His brow tilted with his smile. “And you’re an author.”
Well, not technically an author, but she wasn’t going to argue about a perfectly lovely birthday present. “Thank you. I love them.” He helped her fasten them to her bracelet.
“Thank you.” His gaze locked with hers as he adjusted her coat tighter around her neck. “For braving my batty world and not running away.”
“Ditto, mister. In our lives, it’s all the madness or nothing, right?
He kissed her forehead. “And, pet, I want it all.”
Twenty-Six
Eisley’s phone rang as soon as she nudged Sophie out the door from babysitting and drifted into her house with the afterglow of Wes’s goodnight kiss. Uncle Joe’s number popped up on the screen. She glanced at the time. Eleven o'clock. Crazy man.
“Hello?”
“I saw Wes’s truck leave.”
Eisley groaned, stomped to the back porch, and flicked the light on and off. “Would you stop snooping?”
He chuckled. “It’s real hard to break a good habit.”
She narrowed her gaze to try and see the light from his house on the hill. The leafless winter trees allowed for more visibility. “What are you still doing awake, anyway?”
“I had my own date night.”
Eisley paused at the comment. “Lizzie?”
“She won’t stop coming by, and I’ve grown tired of trying to convince her that a dying man doesn’t have a lot to offer a classy British lady.”
Uncle Joe couldn’t see her smile from all the way across the pasture, but he probably knew she wore one. A big one, with a few tears sprinkled in. Eisley knew Lizzie well enough to believe that when she made up her mind about something, she would be as stubborn as Uncle Joe. Nice match, for however long it lasted. Funny, after all these years of bachelorhood and spinsterhood, God would give the two of them this quirky opportunity.
“She’s pretty smart.”
“Yep, pretty and smart. Don’t know why she’s wastin’ her time with a geezer like me, but I’m not one to complain about good things.” He cleared his throat. “Besides, I didn’t call you about me. I called you about your book.”
“Our book,” she corrected.
“Oh hush, I ain’t got time for no book writin’. I got lots of other things to do.” His words teased with something unspoken. “Jack has a contract for you.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “A contract? For publication?”
“That’s right, Pippy. You’re going to be a published author.”
Eisley legs weakened and she reached for the kitchen barstool. “Are you serious?”
“I don’t have time to play games.”
She coughed out her laugh. “Yeah, right. Evidently you have enough time for romance, spying on your niece, and convincing an editor to publish this story.”
“It’s all based on your talent. I’ll forward the contract to you, and then the real fun—and work—begins.”
“Thanks, Uncle Joe. It means a lot to me.”
“Well, good.” He paused, giving the moment a gentle touch of silence. “I got one more thing to ask you.”
Eisley drew in a breath to prepare her heart. “What is it?”
“Wanna come to a party next weekend?”
Her brain hiccupped on the question. Not quite the direction she’d thought he’d go. “Sure. What are we celebrating?”
“The doc called today. He said the bloodwork came back as leukemia instead of myeloma.”
Eisley looked down at the phone in her hand as if he could see her confused expression. “And…and that’s good news?”
“It is for this type of leukemia. It’s called CLL and can kind of mimic symptoms of myeloma…’cept that the doc says I’m more likely to die of old age than the cancer.”
She released her held breath into a laugh, vision blurring with a swell of relief. “What?”
“So, I reckon we got some celebratin’ to do.”
“And some living.”
He chuckled. “Well, I was gonna do that ’til the end anyhow.”
Uncle Joe ended the call, but Eisley knew she wouldn’t be sleeping any time soon. Her brain buzzed with the news. Uncle Joe was going to have more time. Maybe a lot more time. And his own romance? She grinned to the ceiling and praised the Lord. And Joe had still let Eisley keep Julia’s story—a story that was going to be a published novel!
She was an author! She shook the book charm on her bracelet and then danced a happy jig, quietly so she wouldn't wake up the kids. Another reminder of God sprinkling pixie dust on her life. Maybe fairy tales weren’t just on paper.
***
Wes took the paper from Eisley’s front step and knocked on her door. He’d grown accustomed to arriving after breakfast on her days off, enjoying as much of the day with her and the kids as possible. A rush of feet clambered from the other side of the door, jolting his heartbeat with welcome. The door swung wide, revealing two faces he couldn’t quite get enough of.
“You’re here,” Pete screamed, as if he hadn’t seen the boy every day of the week.
“Good morning, boys.”
“We finished the X-wing fighter.” Nathan grabbed his hand and pulled him into the living room. “Look, it has five guns.”
“And the wings move,” Pete yelled with excitement, demonstrating. “See?”
“Fascinating.” Wes laughed and tousled the boy’s ginger hair. “A bit quieter there, mate, but I love your enthusiasm.”
Pete’s wide-eyed grin looked a lot like his mom’s. Adorable. Endearing.
“You’re going to lose your hearing by the time you leave.” Eisley walked in from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel, her long ponytail swishing behind her. The tight hug of her green sweater paired with dark jeans forced him to keep his eyes on her face for fear of dragging her into the nearest closet.
“Not a problem. In fact, I could get used to a similar welcome every day.” He backed her out of view of the kids, slid his arm around her waist, and kissed her until he trapped her against the kitchen wall. The kiss was decadent, flavored with the hints of butter and honey. Most certainly a breakfast of champions.
“I’d take a welcome like that every day too.” She tugged him forward for a few more quick kisses. “There’s a good chance I’ll go into withdrawal without a daily dose, mister.”
He grinned and followed her to the sink, placing the paper down on the counter.
“Whatcha got there?”
“I’m not certain. It was on your doorstep.”
“Oh, it’s the Southwest Virginia Chronicle. Comes every Saturday.” Her eyes shot wide. “Wes, that’s the paper from the interview. Do you think—?”
He opened it and flipped through the pages as she nestled up close beside him. He almost tossed the paper to the side and visited her lips again, but a headline on the second page chilled his blood. “No, no, no,” he murmured, setting the paper on the counter and reading over the piece. “Dana Lewis was exactly what we feared.”
Eisley looked up at him, a question in her eyes, and then pulled the paper closer. Personal information about her was splashed across the page. Her initial gasp, her hand to her mouth, and her uneven intake of breaths alerted him to each new thread of privacy unraveled: her history with Marshall and a few unsavory details related to Marshall’s choices; Rachel’s stint in rehab for her drug addiction, with a grueling quote or two from college mates; Greg’s exploits, including a comment from his former fiancée and two disg
runtled former patients.
“Why?” she whispered. “Why would anyone do this?” The pain registering on her face seared his conscience and broke his heart. What had he brought on her family? How could he promise never to hurt her if his life brought pain with it? She stepped from his arms and paced across the kitchen, stopping to review the article again and again.
“Someone’s targeting us.” His response was low, contemplative. “That sort of article doesn’t happen by chance.”
“Targeting us?” She slapped the paper against her thigh, fire lighting with the pain in her eyes. “Who would do this?”
“This Dana person, I fear, is not alone in her actions.” He ran his hand through his hair and slammed both palms down on the counter. “It doesn’t make sense. It’s almost like she’s trying to punish me or ruin us, and I don’t even know the woman. This isn’t typical. Not even close, Eisley.”
“Whether it’s typical or not, it’s happened.” She pointed the paper at him.
“Bad reporters can be very good at manipulating the truth.” Wes tugged her into his arms and sighed into her hair. “It is an unfortunate possibility in my line of work, but I’ve never witnessed anything like this. I’m sorry you must feel the sting of it, pet.”
“My family.” She stepped out of his hold and massaged her crinkled forehead, her breath catching on a sob. “They printed things about them—”
The implications dug into his chest. “Perhaps there’s something we can do. I can have my solicitor contact the paper and—”
“Could it happen again?”
He steadied his hands on her shoulders. “I suppose there is always a risk, but there are many couples who make it work. Together.”
She studied him for a long time, her face a wreath of pain, leaving a draining silence. The agony Nate spoke of when Eisley’s ex-husband hurt her came to life with aching clarity.
“What if she digs deeper, Wes? If Rick’s runaway bride story came out in the papers, he’d be mortified. Do you realize how reclusive he’s become since Anna disappeared anyway?” Her eyes flicked wide. “And Julia.”
Wes rubbed the back of his neck, another twinge tightening his clenched jaw.
“It’s only been four months. We’ve just gotten her smile back. If someone splashed the controversy from her date rape across the papers—” Eisley put her hand to her mouth and pulled away. “I know the guy involved would have plenty of lies to tell, and the court case is coming up next month.”
“Oh no, Eisley.”
“It’s one thing if the risk is only about me, but this hurts my family.” Her gaze met his, watery and sad. “You understand how important it is to protect the people you love.”
He did—and her statement crushed air from his lungs. Worth almost anything. “Eisley?”
“My family didn’t sign up for this, Wes.” She lifted the paper. “They didn’t know the risks. They shouldn’t have to suffer for them. And if it means the possibility of Rick or Julia reliving the pain, the nightmare—”
“Let’s talk about—”
“I can’t bear the thought of hurting the—”
“Listen to me.”
“I’m not saying this is over, but it’s much bigger than you and me now. If my family is going to suffer for my choices again, they have a right to be in the decision too.”
She leaned into him, pressing her damp cheek into his shoulder, her hand smoothing over his chest as if to make a memory. Something precious and beautiful began to slide from his grasp.
“I’ll give it up,” he whispered against her head, fingers grasping her closer.
She pulled back and the tears blinked more visibly in her eyes. “It’s a gift and a dream. A beautiful dream God created in you.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek as if in benediction. “You can’t give it up.”
“That’s not your decision, pet. Some things are more important.”
“I’m not sure I could let you give it up for me.”
His throat burned, clawing at his words. “Eisley, we can work through this. We can go to your family and sort it out together.”
Her lips tilted into a sad smile, and she touched his cheek. “I need to talk to them alone so they can speak openly.” She sighed. “They’ve been through so much, Wes. I need to protect them, if I can.”
His fingers trailed through her loose hair, afraid to let her out of his sight. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Her bottom lip wobbled, much like Emily’s, and pierced his heart all over again. “I don’t want to be lost.” She wrapped her arms around him and clung tight.
He ran his hand the length of her ponytail, over and over, as they stood in silence. He’d hurt her. He pulled her closer. He’d brought pain and embarrassment to her family. Lord, what do I need to do to repair this?
***
Wes offered to stay with the kids until Aunt Tilley arrived, but the fear in his eyes—the uncertainty—nearly had her turning her car back around and taking back all the words about her family. Why would God bring him into her life only to take him away?
She loved them too much not to care about their reaction to this risk. Had she somehow sabotaged her family with her little fairy tale? No, that couldn’t be true.
As she pulled into a parking place in front of Sugar and Spice, the full implication hit. She killed the engine and placed her head against the steering wheel.
She had to protect Julia and Rick, if she could. The agony of Julia’s upcoming court battle sent enough stress to her little sister. What would a slanderous article do to her, to the outcome, to the ego of Mack Larson?
The sweet memory of Wes holding her baby girl pushed into focus. He was everything she’d prayed for and so much more. An unimaginable dream come true. Kind, compassionate, tender, funny. He walked right into her kids’ lives as if he’d been tailor-made for them, too.
God, please don’t make me choose. Please.
Heat crept beneath her closed eyelids and a ping-pong match of emotions slammed against her rib cage. I love him. Why would you bring him into my life only to take him away?
Because she knew, if it came down to a choice between Wes and her family—she held back a sob—her family won.
***
As soon as the sitter arrived, Wes phoned his solicitor, followed by Andrew. There was no more time to lose. If Dana Lewis proved to be the culprit, then he’d make an example of her and anyone else who chose to slander his loved ones or invade his privacy. If Andrew didn’t get through to the little Virginia publication and force them to print an immediate retraction, his solicitor would be certain to make the point clear.
But one thing he couldn’t change was Eisley’s pain. The look of anguish on her face at this betrayal seared deep, and worse was the knowledge that his presence had brought this hurt and embarrassment to her and her family. He massaged a palm into his chest, where an ache throbbed. He didn’t want to lose her, but even more, he didn’t want to be responsible for another wound in her life.
“The little paper gave up no fight whatsoever. The editor promised a full retraction in the next print,” Andrew said from the other end of the mobile. “I was going to ring you later today, Wes. After some investigating and rather impressive threatening, the tabloid sent me a photo of Dana Lewis. She seems familiar to me. I’ll forward it to you once we end our call.”
“A photo? Nothing else?” It wasn’t very comforting, especially since Andrew had discovered nothing on the mysterious Dana Lewis. No address or phone number. He disconnected the call, but when the photo arrived on his mobile, all the pieces fell into place.
Dana Lewis was actually none other than Miriam Barry, who basically idolized her more famous and wealthy elder cousin, Vivian. Proof Vivian was behind it all—the photos of his father, the article about Eisley’s family, and who knew what else. His past overshadowed his present, but should it cloud Eisley’s, too? Her family’s?
He dropped to his knees. Only God had the answer, but the deep
ache in his chest alerted him to the right choice…his only choice. He closed his eyes on the sting. He had to let her go.
Twenty-Seven
“I’m so sorry, everyone.” Eisley pointed to the paper on the middle of the counter at Sugar and Spice and turned to her mom and sisters. “Wes just texted me that the paper is going to print a retraction, because he had his lawyer make a call. But I never imagined this could happen. Why would anyone have a reason to expose our family to this?”
“But you said even Wes was surprised by the article.” Mom stepped forward and scanned over the paper again, grimacing at the contents. “It must be unusual.”
“He thinks someone planted it to hurt him.”
“By hurting you?” Rachel reached across the counter and grabbed a cookie from the plate Julia placed in the middle of their girl powwow. They always thought a little clearer when chocolate was involved.
“Whoever is doing this must think Wes cares a lot about me, so by hurting me, it will automatically hurt him.” She shrugged. “It’s the only reason I can conjure up.”
Julia kept her gaze down, a sorrowful pull to her bottom lip making her look like a sad, porcelain angel.
“This could happen again.” She focused all her protective instincts on Julia’s bowed head. “I can’t let it go further and hurt anyone else.”
Julia’s head came up. “Further?”
“Wes is trying to stop it, but he can’t make any promises.” Eisley drew in a deep breath to gain strength, keeping her gaze focused on Julia’s. “I can end it now. Then there won’t be another risk for anyone else.”
“End what?” Realization dawned in her expression. “Wes?”
No, please God, no. Her throat repelled against forming the words, so they emerged in a rasp. “You’re my family. I’ll do anything for you.”
Just the Way You Are (A Pleasant Gap Romance Book 1) Page 30