Family Ever After

by Margaret Daley

  Father, give me the strength to do what’s right in raising my son alone. I know he misses his dad. Please help me fill that role in Timothy’s life because I can never make the same mistake and marry for the wrong reasons. I—

  “What’s next?”

  She gasped and jumped at Noah’s deep voice cutting through her thoughts. Whirling around, her hand on her chest, she gripped the counter with the other one. “I didn’t hear you.”

  “Sorry, I thought I sounded like a herd of wild mustangs.”

  She drew in several deep breaths before saying, “Don’t you have to be at the restaurant?”

  “I called and got Lisa to meet with the produce guy. I’m all yours till I have to pick the kids up at school.”

  I’m all yours stuck in her mind. She couldn’t get past those words. Until she noticed him staring at her with a funny look as if he wasn’t sure she was completely sane and was having seconds thoughts about her being his housekeeper. “You don’t have to help. I know you’re a busy man.”

  This was a side of Noah that surprised her—pleasantly. Then she remembered the danger in getting too emotionally involved with a man like Noah—a self-proclaimed bachelor who wanted to stay as far away from a family as he could.

  “Who has rearranged his schedule so he could help. What do you want me to do next?”

  Leave, so I can concentrate on my work. “Uh—how about one of the bedrooms?”

  “Great. I’ll tackle Timothy’s. I’ll let you clean your own.”

  As he left the room, he shot her that funny look again and she wheeled around to stare out the window over the sink. Embarrassment flushed her face; she could feel its heat. She shouldn’t have taken this job. He wasn’t going to be an easy man to ignore.

  Lord, what was I thinking?

  * * *

  Noah stared at the beautiful woman across from him at the dining table, and all he could think about was Lindsay’s big blue gaze watching him as he’d driven off tonight. The little girl had never said a word about him leaving, but he’d seen it all in her look. Disappointment had curved her mouth in a slight pout and saddened her eyes. Then he’d made a mistake and glanced at Cara, whose expression mirrored Lindsay’s.

  Two hours later he still wrestled with what to do. Normally he didn’t second-guess his actions. He was always decisive until lately—since he’d met Cara.

  “You aren’t very hungry?” Jessica picked up her after dinner coffee and took a sip.

  His plate sat in front of him while hers had been taken away ten minutes ago. He studied his half-eaten T-bone steak, probably cold by now, and tried to summon his usual healthy appetite. “I’m on a diet?”

  She giggled. “You? You’re the last person I would ever think would go on one. You must not eat those pizzas you sell.” Her gaze slipped over what she could see of him above the table. “I’d give anything to eat like you and never gain an ounce. I have to watch everything I put in my mouth.”

  That was probably why she’d only had a salad and a glass of water with lemon for dinner at this four-star restaurant. They had been dating a few weeks and all he’d seen her eat was rabbit food. Jessica was tall and reed thin and could afford to add a few pounds—maybe ten or twenty.

  “My agent called and I have a photo shoot in Dallas at the end of this week so I have to cancel our date Friday night.” Her collagen-improved lips puckered in a pout that was not nearly as attractive as Lindsay’s—or Cara’s. “I’m so sorry. I won’t be back into town until Saturday afternoon, late.”

  He waved his hand for the waiter. “That’s okay. In fact, I need to cut this evening short. I took in three children today, and I should be at home.” Was that him saying those words? There was a part of him that was startled to hear them come out of his mouth, and obviously by the surprise on Jessica’s face she was, too.

  “Whose children?”

  “Some foster kids.” When the waiter appeared, Noah said to him, “I’m through with my dinner. May I have the check please?”

  “Was something wrong with the steak, Mr. Maxwell?” The man, dressed in a tuxedo, picked up the china plate.

  “There was nothing wrong.” At least not with the food, just me.

  When the waiter left, Jessica folded her napkin on the table. “You take in foster children?”

  “No, this is the first time.”

  “Oh, don’t you have something to do with Stone’s Refuge? I thought I read that in the newspaper.”

  “Yes.” Her statements confirmed in his mind what he’d already known. They had shared little personal information on the five dates they had gone on before this one. He knew she was a model and beautiful, every feature picture-perfect as though a plastic surgeon had created his ideal woman.

  “Oh, that must be…rewarding. I volunteered once at—”

  Noah heard her as she spoke about her experience in high school. Then she launched into a description of the upcoming photo shoot she was doing. He watched her mouth move, forming her words, and he couldn’t focus on what she was saying. He wanted to, but his thoughts kept wandering back to his house. Did Cara need his help with the kids? Had Rusty spoken yet or had he remained silent even through dinner? What did Timothy think of his new home?

  The waiter placed a small silver tray on the table near him. He glanced at the bill and laid his credit card on top of it, hoping the man would hurry. Jessica continued to chatter about her day, hardly taking a breath between sentences.

  Fortunately the waiter must have seen the distress in his eyes because he returned in two minutes. Noah quickly signed, giving the man a generous tip, then slipped his copy into his pocket and rose. As they walked out of the restaurant, he saw heads turn to watch them leave. Wherever Jessica went, men stared at her and she knew it.

  Thirty minutes later Noah finally pulled into the long drive that led to his Tudor-style house. The darkened interior alarmed him. He parked in front and hurried toward the circular porch. They should have been home from the hospital by now. It was nearly ten. Aren’t kids supposed to be in bed by eight or eight-thirty at the latest? Their first night at his house and something was wrong. He should have been here.

  He burst through the front entrance and rushed toward the great room, flipping on lights as he went. Voices from outside drifted to him. Cara appeared at the French doors with a smile on her face.

  “You’re home early,” she said, stepping inside.

  “Where are the kids?”

  Her grin died. “They’re okay. They’re outside. I was showing them the constellations.”

  “In the dark?” He hadn’t meant to sound so angry, but his heart still pounded a maddening pace.

  “That’s usually the best way to see them.”

  He took some calming breaths, and her vanilla scent saturated his senses, causing him to step back several feet as though distance between them would wipe her presence from his thoughts. He’d actually stared at Jessica’s salad and thought of Cara’s green eyes. Even the lemon in his date’s water began to remind him of Cara’s hair, which was really stretching his imagination since her color was more a platinum blonde.

  She tilted her head to the side, considering him with those liquid green eyes that he couldn’t forget. “Is there something wrong? Is that why you’re home early?”

  “Early? It doesn’t take all night to eat dinner.”

  “But I thought you had a date. At least that was what I assumed.” She blushed a nice shade of red.

  He heard Lindsay say something to Rusty. “Aren’t they supposed to be asleep by now?”

  Cara glanced at her watch. “Yes. I didn’t mean to keep them up this late, but when I start talking about the stars, I can get carried away.”

  “You like astronomy?”

  “Yes. Several years ago I took a class at the local community college to learn more about the universe. After I finished the course, I was even more in awe of God’s power and vision.”

  “In college I took several courses a
bout astronomy. I even considered majoring in it, but I didn’t in the end.” A common interest, which he had given up in the pursuit of making money.

  “Why not?” Cara asked.

  “There isn’t a great demand for astronomers in the job market.”

  “So did you just take it up as a hobby?”

  “No, this is the first time I’ve thought about it in years.” He looked around her and saw the three children in the doorway, watching them. “Time for bed. Tomorrow’s a school day.” He imagined—since he’d never had any experience as a child or adult—that many parents had been saying those very words all over America an hour ago.

  Lindsay walked up to him. “Have you ever seen the Little Dipper?” Before he had a chance to answer her, she added, “I can show you it, if you want. Cara showed me.”

  “Sure.” What was a minute or two if it helped the little girl go to bed?

  Lindsay slipped her hand into his and pulled him toward the French doors. Rusty glared at the two of them, but Timothy followed them out onto the deck.

  She stood at the railing and pointed skyward. “See, it starts there.” She drew her finger down and around. “That’s the North Star. Cara said that people have used that star to guide them home. I’m gonna show Adam when he comes tomorrow so he won’t get lost.”

  Noah’s throat thickened. Had his little sister ever looked up at the stars and thought about him and home? Now that she was an adult, why hadn’t she ever returned to Cimarron City? Was she even alive? A mantle of loneliness cloaked him. Usually he wore it with no problem, but today…

  “That’s a good idea, Lindsay. Adam will appreciate that,” Cara said as she came to the little girl’s side.

  Her presence yanked him back to the here and now. “Thanks, Lindsay.” He turned away and strode back into the house, shoving the past down into the dark recesses of his heart where it belonged. “Now, everyone to bed.”

  No one moved.

  He glanced from Lindsay to Rusty, then in desperation to Cara, silently sending her an SOS.

  Cara put her hand on the little girl’s shoulder. “Remember where we put your things? That’s where you’ll be sleeping. Lindsay, I’ll help you get ready before Timothy and I leave. Show me the way.”

  “You don’t remember?” the little girl asked.

  “If you help me, we can find it.” Cara and Lindsay started for the stairs with Timothy trailing behind them.

  Noah faced Rusty. “That includes you.”

  Rusty crossed his arms. “I’m not tired.”

  At least the boy was talking although his statement wasn’t what Noah wanted to hear. “Then lie in bed until you get sleepy.”

  “At home I never went to bed at the same time as Lindsay. She’s a baby. I’m not.” The nine-year-old lifted his chin in challenge.

  “This is a new house, new rules.” Did he sound stern enough?

  The boy’s eyes narrowed. “Says who?”

  Noah pointed to himself. “Me. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m bigger than you.”

  For a second Rusty’s eyes grew round before his defiant look returned.

  Great! I’m using terror tactics on a child. “But I’m not going to use that to prove my point. If you want to stay down here and sleep, go ahead. I’m tired and after your sister goes to sleep, I’m going to bed. Good night.”

  The area between Noah’s shoulder blades tingled as he strolled toward the circular staircase, switching off most of the lights as he went. At the bottom he glanced back and saw Rusty quickly turn away.

  On the second floor, Noah made his way to Lindsay’s bedroom and paused in her doorway. Cara tucked the little girl in and kissed her forehead, murmuring good-night.

  He advanced inside. “Please wait,” he whispered as Cara passed him on her way to the hallway.

  “See you tomorrow, Timothy.” Lindsay snuggled down under the covers.

  “Night.” The boy’s face reddened, and he hurried after his mother.

  Yawning, Lindsay looked up at him. “Timothy and some of the other kids at the refuge showed us around the school today.”

  He sat on the bed, feeling awkward. “Do you like your new teacher?”

  “She’s nice. She has a puppy at home and two cats.”

  “You like animals?”

  “Yes!” she said as though there should be no doubt.

  Duh, what kid didn’t! He would need to work on his repartee where kids were concerned. “I have some ducks on my pond.”

  “You do? Can I see them tomorrow?”

  “Sure. The faster you go to sleep, the faster tomorrow will get here.”

  She shot up and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek. “Good night.” Her baby-soft cheek brushed against his. Then she settled back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

  Her sudden action took him by surprise. Her kiss wormed its way into his heart.

  When he didn’t move for a full ten seconds, one of her eyes opened halfway. “You okay?”

  He blinked and rose. “Yes. I was just making sure you were going to sleep.”

  Instead of saying anything, she yawned again and hugged her pillow. Noah tiptoed out of the room, dimming the light.

  “You can turn it off. I’m not afraid of the dark,” Lindsay said from beneath the covers.

  He did but left the door open. Striding down the hall, he paused by Cara who waited at the top of the stairs. “Rusty refused to come upstairs. I told him that he could sleep down there, that I was going to bed.”

  “Do you want me to say anything to him?”

  “No, but set the alarm before you leave. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  She descended two steps, stopped and peered back at him. “You did a good thing today. Rusty will realize you aren’t the enemy. I’ll be over to fix breakfast.”

  The thought of someone preparing him breakfast brought a smile to his mouth and lightened his mood, in spite of the thought of Rusty downstairs, probably still standing in the very same spot.

  When Noah climbed into bed a few minutes later, sleep grabbed him and held him tightly…until a high-pitched noise pierced his dreamworld, and he bolted upright. The house alarm blared.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Cara leaped from her bed, her heart beating so fast that her head spun from the sudden movement. Snatching up her terry robe, she stuffed her feet into her slippers then raced toward the front door and yanked it open. The shrill of the alarm shattered the quiet; the flood of outside lights illuminated every dark crevice around Noah’s mansion, as though the sun had risen in the night.

  “Mom, what’s going on?” Timothy came up behind her, rubbing his eyes.

  “I don’t know. Noah’s alarm is going off.” What to do? Call him? The police? Hide? Go to the house and see if she could help?

  Before she formulated a plan, the alarm stopped and silence blessedly ruled. Then the French doors opened, and Noah, dressed in jeans and a shirt he was buttoning, strode outside and stood on the deck. He searched the back area, his gaze ending its sweep when he saw her.

  She belted her thick robe against the chill. “Timothy, stay right here. Let me see what the problem is. It was probably just a false alarm.”

  Cara skirted the pool and cabana and stopped a few yards from the deck off the great room, looking up the couple of feet to where Noah was. “What happened?”

  “We have two missing children. Since I have a high fence around the property and the gate is locked, they’re probably still nearby.”

  “I’ll get dressed and help you search. It’s cold. I don’t want them out here too long.”

  “I’ll get a jacket and shoes and meet you back here in a few minutes.”

  When she entered the cottage, Timothy hugged her. “I was scared when I heard that noise and then you weren’t in your room.”

  She knelt in front of him. “Everything’s all right. Rusty and Lindsay have run away again.”

  “Why? This place is so neat. There’s a heated p
ool, a game room, a pond.”

  “They aren’t happy. Their life is changing so much and they’re afraid.”

  “Oh, like me.”

  “Are you afraid now?”

  Timothy nodded. “I don’t know anyone but you, Laura and her kids.” Tears welled in his eyes. “I miss Daddy.”

  Cara rubbed her hands up and down his arms, remembering how excited he had been when they’d first left St. Louis. He had wanted to see his two friends so badly, but now reality was setting in for her son. “I know, sweetie. But he’s with Jesus.”

  “I want him here with me.”

  She embraced her son. “Everything is different now, but give it a couple of months. You’ll have new friends and as you said this place is neat.”

  When Timothy pulled back, he yawned. “Yeah, and I like visiting the barn at the farm.”

  “Remember Noah said something about ducks that live at his pond.”

  “Maybe they’ll have babies.”

  Cara rose. “I’m going to help search for Rusty and Lindsay. Why don’t you go back to sleep?”

  “I’m not—” A big yawn interrupted him.

  “You aren’t tired?”

  “Okay, maybe I am.” Timothy shuffled toward his room.

  Cara tucked him back into bed, kissed him good-night for the second time, then hurried to get dressed. Three minutes later she flew from the cottage and ran toward the pool area.

  Switching off the cabana’s light, Noah exited it. “They aren’t in there or around here.”

  “Where do you think we should look first?”

  Noah handed her a large flashlight. “The pond and gazebo. And remind me to sign both of the kids up for swimming lessons immediately. With all this water around here, I want to make sure they know how to swim well.”

  “I can teach them. The pool is heated and we can start lessons tomorrow after school. The days are pretty warm.”

  He shot her an assessing look. “I’m continually amazed at all your abilities.”

  “Except I have few marketable skills.”

  “It’s all in how you look at it. I find right now your skills are invaluable to me.”