The Dad Next Door

by Stephanie Dees

  “I see. Well, it seems like the police chief was making a big deal out of something that was a long time ago. I would be more concerned if it seemed like there was a pattern, but still.” The licensing worker didn’t smile.

  Panic started to bubble up in Claire’s stomach. “Look, I’m not going to pretend that I was a perfect teenager. I wasn’t. I was confused and hurting and did some stuff that I’m not proud of. But those same experiences give me insight into the kids who will come through here.”

  Livvie pursed her lips. “You’re going to need the support of the police department. The police chief also mentioned a big party on the property? Is that something we need to talk about?”

  Claire drew in a deep breath and struggled to answer calmly when everything in her wanted to throw something. “The only thing he could be talking about is that a lot of people came out to help me clean up after the storm. We built a big bonfire with all the fallen limbs. He wasn’t at the party, but the next day he gave me a citation for having a bonfire without a permit.”

  The licensing worker nodded slowly. “Okay. I don’t think this would be something that would keep you from being licensed, but I can’t say it doesn’t concern me that the police chief seems to be warning me off.”

  Claire struggled to maintain her dignity and not burst out crying. Even with the people going out of their way to support her, Roy had found a way to stir things up again.

  Livvie looked up. “I almost forgot. What ages were you wanting to foster?”

  “I was thinking older kids, or sibling groups, kids you might otherwise have trouble placing.”

  The social worker flipped her file closed and smiled. “Great. Got it. Hopefully, all this with the police chief will blow over, but maybe you should talk to him and see if you can set his mind at ease. I have high hopes for you and the children we will place here. Now, why don’t you show me the barn and tell me about your plans out there before I head back to the office.”

  She took Livvie around the barn, introduced her to Freckles, who showed off, and to Tinkerbell, who definitely didn’t. Tink’s babies, though, were a huge hit. Nothing much cuter than baby goats. Especially ones who look angelic but were so spunky and mischievous.

  She waved to Livvie as the licensing worker drove away, closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Done. One big step in her pages and pages of steps done.

  Claire wasn’t sure what to do about Roy, but it was clear that he wasn’t going to drop his war on her. The only thing she could hope was that she had made enough friends that when it came time to vote in the town meeting that they would vote for her to stay.

  * * *

  Joe sat down at the kitchen table in Chap Campbell’s house while the mayor himself poured Joe a cup of coffee.

  Chap placed the cup in front of him with a little grimace. “I don’t have too many visitors these days and since Margaret passed away last year, can’t seem to be bothered with getting to the store much. I hope black is okay.”

  “It’s fine, sir. I’ve been a cop for a dozen years. There’s not much worse than station coffee.” Joe took a big gulp of the coffee the mayor had put in front of him and almost took back his words. It was strong, hot and bitter. At least there was no danger of him falling asleep during this meeting.

  Chap looked deep into his coffee mug and then said, “You must be wondering why I asked you to come out here this morning instead of meeting you at the Hilltop when Bertie’s coffee has mine beat by a mile.”

  Joe didn’t say anything, although he had wondered.

  “I don’t even know how to broach this subject, to be honest. Roy has been the acting chief since your dad passed away last year. I know he expects the title to be made official, but I’m not comfortable with that, especially after the way he treated your friend. I admit I bought into the fear he was trying to hype, but hopefully most everybody has seen through that now.”

  Again, Joe quietly waited. It was one of those skills he had learned while working as a negotiator. Sometimes waiting and watching was better than trying to control the situation.

  Chap shook his head. “I don’t want to step out of line and share things I shouldn’t share about Roy. But I think we can do better for our little town. And I think we should.”

  “Have you asked other people to apply?”

  “We sent a notice to other law enforcement agencies that we were looking. As you might guess, we haven’t had a stellar response. A few résumés, no one that was qualified.”

  “All due respect, Chap, but what makes you think I’m qualified?”

  “I did some research. Made some calls. Your CO—Todd?—made it very clear that he wasn’t willing to lose you as a part of his team. But he couldn’t help but tell me about your strengths as a leader and an officer.”

  He leaned forward. “Listen, Joe, what we have here is a diverse group of people who sometimes get crossways with each other and sometimes fail to understand each other’s viewpoint. It’s my opinion that a skilled negotiator could make a difference here.”

  Joe hesitated, forming his words carefully. “You make a good point, Chap. It’s an idea worth some thought.”

  “We don’t have a lot of crime here, but we’re not naive enough to think that could never change.” Chap swigged the last of his coffee and slammed his cup on a table scarred with stories of family life. “We want to keep our town a safe place for our citizens to live. We want to give the people who do live here a sense of community and pride. I think you can do that in a way that Roy never could. He is divisive and judgmental and that’s just the truth.”

  “And you think I’m not...judgmental and divisive?”

  “I think you’ve had to learn to understand other people’s positions. And I think—and pardon my presumption here—that your background gives you a unique perception into all the people who live here in Red Hill Springs.”

  For as long as he could remember, Joe had wanted to escape his past in Red Hill Springs. He was having a hard time understanding that Chap considered his background a positive. The fact that he would even consider applying for the job seemed crazy. Thoughts buzzed in his head.

  He was rejoining his team. He had a plan.

  But his daughter was settled here.

  And Claire.

  He’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that leaving her would be hard, and not just for Amelia. He would miss her list-making mania, her beautiful blue eyes and ever-present calming force in both his and Amelia’s life.

  Joe raised his eyes to meet Chap’s shrewd gaze. “I’m really going to have to think this through and pray about it some. It’s not just me that an offer like this affects.”

  Chap nodded. “You’ll still have to go through the town council and there might be a few on there who still remember your wilder days and one or two of them are tight with Roy. But I think they’ll come around.”

  “Thank you, Chap. You’ve certainly given me a lot to think about.” Joe shook Chap’s hand and headed for his truck, sliding his sunglasses onto his face.

  It was a tempting offer, but being a part of the crisis response team had been a dream for a long, long time. His team trained every day to take the calls no one else wanted to take. When other people were running away, his team ran into danger.

  It was an adrenaline-pumping test of his intelligence and skill every day. Giving it up wouldn’t be an easy decision. His team was depending on him and that was a hard thing to turn his back on.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The door slammed open. “Claire!”

  Silence before pint-size cowboy boots came stomping up the stairs. “Claire! We have a surprise for you!”

  Claire stepped out into the hall from the second-floor girls’ room, wiping her paint-stained fingers on the apron she’d started wearing for that purpose. “Cal
m down. You’re going to burst a blood vessel if you keep that up.”

  Amelia put her hand on her hip and shot Claire a look.

  Throwing her own multicolor hands up in surrender to a twelve-year-old’s sass, Claire laughed. “Okay, okay. I’m coming, but only because it’s almost time to quit for the day and I’m hungry.”

  “You’re such a goober.” At the bottom of the stairs, Amelia stopped and whipped a bandanna out of her back pocket. “Blindfold.”

  “I don’t think so, missy.”

  Amelia smiled sweetly. “Joe said you were too much of a control freak to wear it.”

  Claire stared into Amelia’s shining eyes and wondered for the millionth time how a mother could have left this brilliant, feisty, beautiful child. “Fine, but only if you don’t tell him I balked.”

  Amelia turned an imaginary key in her lips and mimed throwing it away. “Lips are sealed. Turn around.”

  While Amelia covered her eyes, Claire tried to pick her brain. “Is it chocolate?”

  “No. Be still.” Amelia pulled it tight, getting a piece of Claire’s ponytail stuck in the knot.

  “Oww!”

  “Stop being a baby. Let’s go.” Amelia took her by the hand and led her down the long hall through the kitchen to the back door.

  The cool breeze wafted across her face as Amelia opened the door.

  “Wow, it feels good out here. Perfect weather.” A dog barked in the distance and Claire groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t get a puppy.”

  Amelia giggled. “Not a puppy.”

  Joe’s rough, warm hand gripped her free one and her tummy did a crazy flip.

  Crazy was right. She had already established in her traitorous little mind that the timing couldn’t be worse for either of them.

  Still. His hand felt so good, so right, in hers.

  “A little farther. Watch the goat poop,” Joe warned.

  “How can I watch the goat poop when my eyes are covered?”

  His laugh was a warm rolling chuckle in her ear. “I’m not sure, but it might’ve been too late for that warning. Almost there.”

  A high-pitched wheeze followed by a bellow cut through the yard. She stopped still, her mouth dropping open. “You didn’t.”

  Joe laughed harder. “Take a look.”

  She whipped the bandanna off her face and in the pasture just beyond the fence, she saw the cutest gray-and-white donkey she’d ever seen. “It’s a guard donkey. You guys!”

  “She’s really sweet, Claire. Her name is Radish.” Amelia pulled a carrot out of her back pocket and handed it to Claire. “She likes carrots and apples, like Freckles.”

  Her new donkey had a fuzzy forehead and long white eyelashes. When she nipped Joe’s hat off his head and trotted to the other side of the paddock, Claire fell hard.

  Joe vaulted over the fence and chased the feisty donkey around the enclosure. He grabbed his hat and smushed it back on his head before walking over to where Amelia and Claire were standing. “She had me fooled. I thought she was docile.”

  The donkey shoved her head over the fence and nudged Claire until she got the other half of the carrot with her soft, fuzzy lips.

  Claire put her free arm around Amelia and squeezed, but she was looking at Joe. “Thank you. She’s really something special.”

  Joe grinned, lifting his hat and settling it again. “She’s something, all right.”

  “Why don’t you guys stay for dinner? I’ve got some hot dogs in the fridge and marshmallows left from the other night that really need to be roasted.”

  “Yes!” Amelia bounced in her boots, but Joe settled a hand on her shoulder.

  “Homework.”

  Her face fell. “I only have a little.”

  His amused eyes met Claire’s and she knew there was about to be a compromise. “How about I help Claire to feed the animals while you finish your homework? Then we’ll all have dinner together.”

  An hour and a half later as the last of the light faded from the sky, Amelia slammed the back screen door open, a plate of hot dogs in one hand and a bunch of wire coat hangers in the other. “Are we going to use the hangers to cook the weenies?”

  Claire tossed her gloves to Joe. “Why don’t you get started unraveling those and we’ll get those puppies started.”

  “We’re grilling puppies? Eww!” He laughed as he took the coat hangers from Amelia.

  Amelia rolled her eyes but smiled to herself as she brought the plate of hot dogs to the chairs by the fire. Claire couldn’t help but think how far they had come in their relationship since their silent breakfast.

  Joe unwound the coat hangers while Claire taught Amelia how to skewer the hot dogs. The first two fell on the ground.

  “Ooh, Claire, I hope those don’t bring out the coyotes.” Amelia cackled at her own joke.

  Claire laughed and looked over her shoulder toward the paddock. “Lucky me, I have a guard donkey named Radish. Those coyotes aren’t going to come anywhere near me or my stock.” She handed Amelia a completed one. “Now hold it over the fire pit until it starts to sizzle. When it’s good and hot, that’s when it’s done.”

  Amelia squealed as her hot dog flamed up.

  “Or just catch it on fire.” Joe grinned as he pulled the hot dog out of the fire and blew it out. “Lucky for you guys, when I went to get my jacket from the cabin, I stuck one of Bertie’s casseroles in the oven. It should be just about done.”

  Claire laughed. “Thank goodness. I’m starved!”

  He started for the cabin and she watched him go, her smile fading as she realized she was starting to depend on a certain handsome cop who was planning to leave as soon as he got healthy.

  Already she wasn’t sure what she would do without him.

  * * *

  The fire had burned down to coals and Amelia was asleep in an Adirondack chair, wrapped in one of the quilts Claire had managed to salvage from the upstairs linen closet. Claire was snug against his side, quiet, watching the embers fly into the sky, tiny sparks of light. Country music played softly from a radio she’d set out on the back porch.

  Joe stretched his legs toward the fire, his arm around her shoulders. He felt...at peace. It had been a long time since he felt anything like contentment and yet he found it here with Claire and Amelia in the middle of a barnyard with a donkey staring at him.

  “The mayor asked me to apply for the job of the chief of police.” The words were out before he even knew he was going to say them.

  “What? Wow! That’s great! Right?”

  “It’s not something I ever thought about doing.” He played with the ends of her hair, the silky strands sliding through his fingers. “All of this was a surprise to me.”

  She turned toward him. “All of this?”

  “Amelia, the cabin...” His voice deepened further. “You.”

  Her eyes shimmered. Firelight gleamed gold. Her fresh scent wrapped around him, smoky and sweet. She was so beautiful. He skimmed his fingers down her cheek and her eyes darted to his.

  Her hand slid to his chest, her fingers spreading over his heart. “Your heart is so big, Joe. I knew it when you took one look at me and gave me your coffee the first morning I woke up here. Who shares their first cup of coffee?”

  Joe didn’t seem to be able to put two rational thoughts together in his head, but truth was he didn’t want to. He wanted to stop thinking altogether and just be.

  He lowered his lips to hers, drawing her closer. He wanted to drink in that sweetness, that irrepressible joy that was just her.

  She clenched his shirt in her fist. He brushed his lips across hers. Once. Twice. Once more. Then dropped his forehead against hers. “I don’t know what to do, Claire.”

  She placed a tender kiss at the corner of his mouth and eased awa
y from him so she could see his eyes. “Are you considering applying for the job?”

  Right this minute, he was so conflicted. What he really wanted was to stay in this spot forever, with the fire crackling and the stars glimmering above them in the vast country sky. “All I ever wanted was to be on the tactical team. I worked hard for it.”

  “And your life here?”

  His throat wanted to close around the words. “Frank and Bertie... I don’t understand why they loved me, Claire. I was a total idiot all the time when I was a kid. I earned my way when I left here. I earned my place on the crisis response team. I don’t want to walk away from it.”

  “I see.” She didn’t laugh. Her eyes, liquid pools of deep blue, searched his. She looked away and smoothed the flannel shirt under her palm. His heart gave a painful squeeze.

  He tried to explain, but his feelings were a mixed-up jumble inside. He wasn’t even sure how to make sense of them. “You mean so much to me, Claire. My life here with you and Amelia on the farm. My family. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve for it to make me feel so...”

  “Happy?”

  “I guess, yes.” He hadn’t thought of it that way. But yes, maybe that was what he was feeling.

  “You deserve to be happy, Joe. It’s not something you have to earn.”

  Rationally, he got the concept. But the free gift of grace and love was something that had always just eluded his understanding. He shook his head. He’d been content with his work on the tactical team. Shouldn’t that be enough?

  “What about your daughter? Amelia just settled in here. Now you have someone else to think about besides just yourself.”

  “I know. I haven’t stopped thinking about her. Staying means she wouldn’t have to leave you, too. I need one of your lists of pros and cons.”

  “No. You don’t. There are no lists that can tell you how to follow your heart. You’re not a defenseless kid anymore, Joe. You have the power in this situation.” She kissed him again, gently, making his heart ache. Longing. Loss. All mingled in together.