“Big Daddy said it was church tomorrow.”
“Oh, you’re right. It is. Well, you might be going to late service.”
“What’s late service?”
He laughed. “No more questions tonight. Go to sleep.”
He chucked her under the chin and quickly turned out the light before she could stall any longer.
He went past Shayla’s room and paused at her door. But he resisted the temptation to bother her again, since he’d already told her goodnight when they’d returned from the ER.
He went downstairs to the bakery, expecting to let himself out, but Shay’s dad was still up, sitting at a table with a cup of coffee—decaf, Link hoped. Michaels looked up at him.
Link risked putting a hand on the man’s shoulder. “She still doing okay?”
He nodded. “For all she’s been through, I’d say yes. I know you must be tired, but she wanted you to step in again for a minute before you go. Do you mind?”
“Of course not. I’ll go up now.” He was glad for permission.
Michaels scraped his chair back. “And I think I’ll call it a night. The door should lock behind you. Check it though. Please.”
Link climbed the stairs again—his second time tonight, which had given him his first glimpse of where Shayla lived. Her door was halfway ajar, but he knocked lightly before stepping into her room.
“Hey, you. You still awake?”
“Hi.” She smiled and started to sit up in the bed.
“Don’t get up.” He went to kneel beside her bed. In the dim light from the hallway and a tiny nightlight near the floor, her complexion appeared a worrisome gray. But with the cuts on her forehead bandaged, and the blood cleaned up, she didn’t look so battered. He found her hand atop the covers. “How’re you doing?”
“I’m a little afraid to close my eyes.”
“Don’t be afraid. You’re safe now.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re safe.”
“Stay with me for a while?” she whispered.
He nodded, and prayed he was telling her the truth.
***
Shayla opened her eyes to see Link sitting on the edge of her bed. “You’re still here?” Was she dreaming? She reached to touch his arm. No, he was the real deal.
He laughed. “You’ve been asleep for about three minutes. Don’t give out any Florence Nightingale awards yet.”
She swatted weakly at him. “Go home. It’s late. You don’t have to stay.”
“I want to stay. At least for a few minutes or until your dad kicks me out.” He looked behind him as if he expected to see Daddy standing in the doorway.
“Did they get him? Billy Waverton? Did they get him for sure?”
Link looked puzzled. “You didn’t hear the sheriff say they did?”
“I thought I did, but I just want to be sure. My head was pretty mixed up.”
“They have him, Shay. He’s in jail. The sheriff said even if somebody tried to post bail, they’d be watching him like a hawk. And given his homeless shelter address, I don’t think anybody is going to spring him. Besides, half the law enforcement in the county is going to be driving by here every half hour making sure you’re okay, and the other half is watching every road that leads here.”
She knew he was exaggerating, but she loved him for it.
“Sheriff Peterson told my dad if he has anything to say about it, Billy Waverton will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
She hoped that was true. But she suspected Daddy would be skeptical.
She closed her eyes, her mind a whirl of images. She wondered if they’d gotten her purse out of the van. And her phone. Would any of the catering equipment be salvageable? And—Oh! A little giggle escaped.
“What?” Link studied her like she might be having a breakdown.
“I just thought of something.” She giggled harder.
“What’s so funny?”
“We have our cover story now,” she whispered.
He looked askance at her. “Cover story?”
“The cake. It was in the van. Bree and Drew’s cake. We’ll have to break the news to them. But I’m sure that cake was completely destroyed.”
Her meaning dawned on him, and they dissolved into laughter.
“Shh! We’ll wake Portia,” Link said, his shoulders still shaking.
“Oh!” She gave a little gasp and tried to sit up. “Where is Portia?” Her head pounded and she winced. “She’s here, right? Everything’s such a blur.”
“Portia’s fine. She’s in bed, Shay. I tucked her in myself, just a few minutes ago. Shh.” He put a hand under her head and leaned across her to plump her pillow before easing her head back onto the bed. He smelled like wood smoke and pine, and she breathed him in.
“Where was she? While you were looking for me?”
“Your dad woke her up and brought her with him. But my parents met him out on the highway and took her back to the inn while we searched.”
“Oh, Link.” She winced again, but from humiliation. “I’ve ruined this whole night for your family.”
“Stop it. They were glad to do it. And apparently she was quite the little entertainer while she was there.”
“Oh, no.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t even want to know what she might have said. Oh, Link . . .”
He laughed, and she took comfort in the sound. “I’m so sorry.”
He patted her hand. “Shh. Enough of that. None of this is your fault. It’s all on him. Your dad is fairly certain they’ll discover Waverton is the one who loosened the battery cable.”
She shivered, thinking of that monster out there at the Whitmans’ while she worked, oblivious, inside. “But can they prove that? And why would he do that? If he wanted to get me on the road, why would he try to disable my vehicle? That makes no sense.”
“You expect a man like that to make sense?” He shook his head. “It was about revenge. He made you his target and he wasn’t going to rest until he felt like he had the upper hand.”
“Well, he has it.”
Link frowned. “No, he doesn’t, Shay. He hasn’t won. He’s caught. And he’s going to pay for what he did.”
She didn’t argue with him but instead closed her eyes. When she opened them again, Link was still there.
He smiled. “I should go so you can really sleep.”
“How long was I asleep?”
He laughed. “That time? About four minutes.”
“Oh.” She memorized the feel of her hand in his. Tried to remember if the kiss had been real. The whole night was a swirl of confusion. But she didn’t think she’d dreamt it.
As if he’d read her mind, Link cupped her cheek like he had out by her van at the inn. He leaned in, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m going home now. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
He started to rise but squatted down beside her bed instead, his words coming in a rush. “All I could think, Shay, all I could think when we were searching—” He stroked her face tenderly, and she could feel every nuance of emotion in his feather-light touch. “And when I started to know deep inside that something was wrong. That it was foul play . . . it was that creep. All I could think was how glad I was that I kissed you tonight. If things had turned out . . . different. If—” He shook his head. “At least I’d have the memory of that kiss. And”—his words breathed against her cheek—“that you kissed me back.”
Her throat full, she couldn’t find words. She only hoped the tears that rolled onto her pillow spoke of all that was in her heart.
30
Leave your jacket on, baby.” Shay hollered across the playground where half a dozen kids scrambled for real estate.
Portia defied her with her eyes—and let the jacket fall to the ground.
Beside Shay, Link snickered.
“Don’t laugh at her.” Shayla slapped his knee and gave a low growl. “Portia Beth!”
Sighing, she started to rise, but Link ruffled the hair at the
back of her neck, holding her back. “It’s really not that cold, babe. And she’s running around.”
“It’s February. And besides, it’s the principle of the thing now. Didn’t you see the defiant look that little imp gave me?”
“Here.” He pushed up from his spot beside her on the picnic table bench. “I’ll take this one.”
“Good! She listens to you better anyway.”
Tucking his chin, he spoke in a baritone. “It’s because of my low voice.”
She laughed, watching as he strode toward the jungle gym. That man would make a good daddy some day.
“Portia!” His stern voice carried across the park. “Did you hear what Shay said?”
The girl turned long enough to see that Link was gaining on her, then took off running.
“You go put your jacket back on.” Link trotted after her. “Right now.”
Shayla smiled. Link would catch her, but given Portia’s head start, it would be a race to watch.
A middle-aged woman, pushing a stroller with one hand and half-dragging a towheaded toddler by the other, parked at the picnic table beside theirs. “Is this taken?”
“No, it’s all yours.”
The woman plopped down with a sigh. Shayla guessed her to be the grandmother, but you never knew these days.
The woman looked up at the bright winter sun. “Nice to be able to get the kids out on a rare day like this, isn’t it?”
Shayla smiled. “It sure is. I was going a little stir crazy.” She leaned to peer into the stroller. “She’s darling. How old?”
“Let’s see. I guess she’s five months now.” The woman laughed. “I should probably know that. She’s my daughter’s. Her second. And this little guy is two. That’s not hard to remember.”
Shayla frowned. “Terrible two?”
“You got it.”
She looked up to see Link carrying a squirming Portia across the playground toward them. He hadn’t yet succeeded in getting her jacket on her.
Link acknowledged the woman with a brief hello, then sat beside Shay and secured Portia between his knees while he helped her back into the jacket. “Okay, all set,” he said when he’d zipped her up.
Portia strained to get loose, but Link held her shoulders and spoke quietly but sternly. “You take that jacket off again, and we will get in the car and go home, you understand?”
She nodded.
“Portia, answer me. Do you understand?”
Silence.
He lifted her to the seat between them. “When you’re ready to answer me like a big girl then you can go play.”
The grandmother at the table next to them chuckled. “That age can be a challenge, can’t it?”
Shayla laughed. “Terrible five?”
“She’s beautiful,” the woman said, ostensibly low enough so Portia couldn’t hear. She glanced at Link, then back at Portia. “There’s no question where she gets those pretty blue eyes.”
Before Shay could think how to answer, Portia jumped up and tapped Link on the shoulder. “I’m ready to be good.”
Link winked at the woman, then turned his full attention to Portia. “And you’ll leave your coat on?”
“Yes.” Portia bobbed her head.
Link looked at her.
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay.” He patted her behind. “Go play.”
“They listen to their daddies, don’t they?” The woman looked on in awe.
Shayla hesitated, feeling like she needed to set the record straight. Thankfully, Terrible Two chose that moment to throw a handful of gravel at the baby in the stroller.
Jumping up, the grandmother apologized and packed the toddler into the stroller with the screaming baby and headed across the park.
“Way to go, Daddy.” Shayla teased, when the woman was out of earshot.
He batted his eyes at her. “It’s the blue eyes.”
She cracked up. But what the woman had said was true. Portia’s eyes were an exact match to Link’s. And as much as her niece looked like her, Portia could have been their daughter.
Shayla thought about the incident long after they left the park. That simple exchange somehow filled her with hope. A stranger in the park had mistaken them for a family. A multiracial family. And the exchange had been so matter-of-fact. Talking about what they had in common. Not the things that might divide them.
She supposed that woman would have been surprised to learn how profoundly their little exchange moved her. But it had served as a reminder to her that there were still good people in the world. People who, if she and Link continued together, wouldn’t instantly judge them by the color of their skin, but . . . by the content of their character.
It scared Shay a little that she’d begun to think of them as a family—Link and her and Portia.
These last six weeks since the “accident”—as they called it in Portia’s presence—Shayla saw things—no, everything—in a different light.
Instead of making her bitter, though, the incident had somehow made her stronger. Helped her begin to see how bright the kindnesses were compared to the hate. News had traveled about the attack, and people had showered her and Daddy with kindness and concern. People of all colors.
Even Daddy seemed to have softened a little over these weeks, though she suspected his transformation had more to do with Jerry’s change of heart, which seemed to be sticking—knock on wood.
But Daddy hadn’t offered one word of protest when she and Link spent time together nearly every day—if not in person, then on the phone.
She and Portia had been to Tuesday family dinners with Link twice now—with her father’s knowledge, if not his blessing. Audrey had even invited Daddy to come along, though he’d used his Bible study as an excuse not to go.
Still, it wouldn’t surprise her if one of these Tuesdays he up and said yes.
And the thought of that happening made her heart sing for reasons she didn’t quite understand.
31
Grant swirled the ice in his glass and stared at his son, not sure how to even process his own emotions, let alone Link’s. “You sound like you’ve thought this through.”
“I have, Dad. I know Shay and I are going to face some challenges that most couples don’t. But now that I know her—and Portia—I can’t imagine not having them in my life.”
Beside him, Audrey sighed. “We love them too, Link. Both of them. And I can’t imagine you without them either.”
“But?” Link narrowed his eyes. “You sound like you have reservations, Mom.” He got up from the kitchen table and carried his glass to the fridge, filling it with ice and water from the dispenser in the door. “Anybody want a refill?”
Grant and Audrey both waved him off.
“The main thing that worries me is Jerry.” Audrey took a nervous sip from her glass. “What will happen when he gets out?”
“And what if he gets out early?” Grant had thought about that plenty. It could happen. And it would devastate Shayla. And Link.
“I don’t think he’ll get out early. And even if he did, I don’t think he’d try to make trouble for Portia or for us—Shay and me. Mike seems to think he’s really turned his life around.”
“Yes,” Audrey said. “But that’s all the more reason to think he might want Portia when he gets out.”
Link nodded. “Maybe. But I can’t just walk away from Shay and Portia because of what might happen in the future.”
“You’re right about that.” Grant knew it was true. But that didn’t keep him from worrying about what his son’s future might hold.
“It just seems a little soon, honey.” Audrey’s voice wavered. “We just don’t want you to rush into anything.”
“Honestly, Mom, right now Portia is growing up so fast we don’t want to waste another minute. We want to be the family she needs. And Shay and I . . . we’d like to have a family of our own. I . . . I want to make it official. I haven’t proposed yet or anything,” he added quickly.
�
��You sound pretty sure about all this,” Grant said.
“Well, I want to get Mike’s blessing first. But when you’re our age, Pops, you don’t have time to waste.”
Grant and Audrey cracked up at that.
“Oh, my sweet son, you have all the time in the world,” Audrey said, still laughing. “But it sounds like you’re going into this with your eyes wide open.” She eyed Grant, sending him a silent question, and he knew they were in agreement.
It was time.
Link’s quizzical expression said he saw what had passed between them.
Audrey nodded and cleared her throat. “We’ve been talking about something, bud, and wanted to run this by you.”
Link’s eyes held intense curiosity. Grant wasn’t sure how their son might respond to their proposition, but he was beginning to think God’s hand might be in this even more than they’d first known.
“Your mom and I have been talking about making some changes.” He reached for Audrey’s hand. Tears welled in her eyes, but Grant knew they were happy tears. Or maybe tears of relief was more like it.
But now Link looked worried, so Grant hurried on. “The inn is doing well, but it’s frankly more work than we ever anticipated. We’ve come up with some things we think will lighten the load a little and help us keep the inn going without burning us out. But we might be able to lighten your load a little at the same time. If you agree, that is.”
“And no obligation,” Audrey said. “None at all.”
“That’s right.” Grant cleared his throat. “We don’t want you to feel obligated at all. But it could be a win-win for everybody.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” Link shook his head, looking completely bewildered.
Audrey laughed and took up where Grant had left off. “Dad and I are going to move into the cottage.”
“CeeCee’s cottage?” Link pointed toward the meadow. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” Grant said. “With CeeCee’s blessing. She’s quite happy at the assisted living center.”
“Wow.” Link blew out a breath. “I didn’t see that one coming.”
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