by Aiken, Ginny
The ease he’d felt with her before he discovered the letter unnerved him. He’d felt comfortable at the Caldwell home. More than that, he’d felt right with Cate. He’d had an odd sense of belonging, of common purpose, and he’d told himself, more than once, it stemmed from their love for the kids.
But Cate Caldwell held an inexplicable appeal for him. When they were in the same room, he couldn’t keep his gaze from straying to her, no matter what the subject of the visit or discussion might be.
Not good.
What if…?
No! It wouldn’t do any good to go down the speculation route. No matter how Cate struck him, she was in one way or another involved in his current investigation.
She impressed him, he realized. She seemed to accept full responsibility for her choices and for the consequences they’d had. That appealed to his sense of right and wrong. Could she be involved in the drug trade and still speak as she did about the accident?
If he wanted answers he’d have to stay close, keep an eye on her, build a relationship of some sort.
To Rand’s dismay, the prospect held powerful appeal.
When she closed the front door behind Rand, Cate allowed herself a deep, relieved sigh. She understood why he’d felt the need to question her as extensively as he had, but the experience had been arduous. Understanding didn’t make it feel any better.
She much preferred to think about how he’d helped her tuck the kids into bed. Their gazes had met over Lindsay’s bed and she knew a special bond existed between them. It came from shared loss and love for three innocents, but she and Rand would always share that special something.
And that made his suspicion hard to take. How could he see her with the kids and continue to think she’d have anything to do with drugs?
If anything, his suspicion made her determined to prove herself to him. She wanted him to see how much she’d changed since that fateful day. She wanted to clear her name…because she wanted to get to know him better.
At times, the sharp stare from those blue eyes took her back to the days after the accident. Fast-forward eight years and here he was again. It still amazed Cate how far the tentacles of a bad choice could reach.
A stupid old album full of childish pictures. A criminal’s obsessive thoughts behind bars. An incriminating letter.
Didn’t Rand understand that just the thought of Sam literally turned her stomach? How could he think she’d want anything to do with the person whose substance abuse had taken her sister’s life?
Even after every one of her denials, her father’s number-two man had continued to press her. She could see why he’d been, and still was, such a successful investigator. He had the instincts of a pit bull.
In the end, the best she came up with was to repeat the only thing she could say for sure. “I don’t know what made me so self-destructive for a while back then. I just know it’s not anything I’m proud of, and Sam’s not anyone I’d have anything to do with these days.”
Whether it satisfied him or not, laying it all out was as honest as she could get. Cate really didn’t know why she’d taken a turn down the path of self-destruction as a teen. It had been a stupid thing to do. To live each day under that burden was tough. By the many mercies of her Savior, she managed. But only by His mercy and through His grace.
These days, she lived her life as close to the Lord as she could, clinging to His Word, claiming His promises, rejoicing in His steadfast forgiveness. Beyond that, all she had was trust. Cate trusted very little in life. She trusted her father, who’d loved her even in the middle of immeasurable grief at the loss of his oldest daughter and son-in-law. She also trusted the faith she held dear to her heart.
She had nothing else, not really. Not when it came to this, the defining issue of her life. And she considered herself rich, indeed, incredibly blessed to have that assurance, that certainty in God’s love and compassion. He was faithful and on her side. She knew that for sure.
The Lord had promised He would never leave her nor forsake her. She could trust in Him.
Rand? She’d have to get to know him better before she could ever trust him. Especially because he made no secret of his doubts. Exhausted, she made her way up the stairs to her room.
At nine-thirty on Saturday morning, the house spun madly in its usual three-ring-circus way. After a breakfast of pancakes and sausage, Cate had sent the kids off to take care of their chores while she put the finishing touches on the trademark cinnamon rolls she’d promised Alec. But every few seconds, or so it seemed, a new ruckus broke out, requiring her intervention.
She knew for a fact the mixing of cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk did not make for a time-intensive endeavor. Amazing how in her case making frosting had morphed into a nearly hour-long project.
“Aunt Catey…!”
Yup. Yet another interruption. Lindsay’s wail drew a groan from the depths of Cate’s frustrated pastry chef’s heart.
“Ignore them, my girl, and get back to that pile of clean towels I gave you. Fold them into thirds—”
“It’s not about the towels,” her niece said from the kitchen doorway.
“What’s it—”
One glance told Cate what it had all been about. Fat, white, shaving-cream caterpillars draped Lindsay from head to toe. Beneath the mess, the little girl’s downtrodden expression stung Cate’s heart. It triggered a memory, a remembrance just out of her reach, but she couldn’t put a finger on the exact image.
That’s when Alec walked in the back door, as she’d asked him to do. He froze at the sight of the foamy Lindsay, his gaze zipping between aunt and niece.
“Hmm…looks like you might need a hand with the boys.”
She squared her shoulders and shook her head. “Nothing a good threat to nix this afternoon’s Major League Soccer game on cable won’t cure.”
“Aunt Catey…”
“How about you give me a hand with those baked goods you like so much, Alec? If you’ll spread the rolls with the frosting, I can run up and deal with my two rats.”
“Only if I get to lick the spoon and bowl when I’m done.”
“You got yourself a deal.”
The boys apologized to Lindsay when Cate threatened their game-viewing pleasure. “I’m sure you’ll do a good job helping Lindsay clean up the shaving cream and then pitch in to put away the linens.”
Twin sighs were a study in long-suffering, but they agreed to do the right thing. Cate headed back downstairs to her culinary concoction. Back in the kitchen, Alec scraped a blob of frosting off the wooden spoon and popped it in his mouth.
“Delicious!” He pointed upward with the spoon. “All squared away?”
She nodded, took two large mugs from the cabinet above the coffeemaker and then filled them to the rim. “For right now. Never a dull moment and all that.” She plunked the mugs on the table. “Enjoy.”
Alec demolished a huge roll in seconds. “Tell me. Did I overburden you when I asked you to help out at church? You’re wearing a lot of hats these days.”
Different answers warred in Cate, but it took her less than a second to respond. “Not really. My work at the day care is more supervisory than hands-on. I have an excellent staff and I have to learn to delegate. These three are a full-time proposition, but they’re no worse than any other single mom’s kids.”
“I’ll be honest—and a bit selfish. I think you’re going to be phenomenal with the girls. Plus I need the help while Beth deals with this crazy pregnancy and all our babies.”
His frazzled father-to-be look made Cate smile. “You’ve got my help. So don’t worry, okay?”
Forty-five minutes later, Alec tapped a pen against the legal pad they’d used for their Tuckerpalooza lists and then grabbed another roll. “Looking good.”
As he munched, a question that had tickled Cate’s conscience refused to be silenced any longer. “I wanted to run something by you, something that really matters to me, and is part of why I agreed to help
with the youth group. Don’t you think, after all that’s happened in town, we should start a drug awareness and prevention program at church?”
Alec frowned. “That might be overkill. Our program at the high school runs year-round and is very explicit. We don’t want to bombard the kids and desensitize them. If that happens, we’ll blow any chance we might have to do any good.”
Cate’s initial reaction was to object. But the man was an expert in the field. “I just don’t want to lose any more teens—”
The doorbell rang. She hadn’t expected anyone and Saturday mornings rarely brought unexpected visitors. “I’ll be right back.”
Alec stood and followed her toward the front of the house. “Oh, I should get going. I’ve taken up a lot of your time and I’m sure you have plans for the rest of the day.”
As she opened the door, two sets of feet pounded down the stairs. A third set padded softly in their wake.
“Who’s here?”
“Can we take a break?”
“Aunt Catey…?”
Rand stood on her front porch. In spite of his sweat-stained hoodie, running shorts and shoes, he looked like he belonged on the pages of a men’s magazine.
“Hi. What a surprise. I didn’t expect to see you today.”
She felt Rand’s laser-like blue gaze take in the scene. As it had before, his perusal made her feel as though she disappointed him. Well, maybe that was a bit too strong. Maybe she just felt discomfort at his slight distaste.
Then their gazes met, and Cate felt a jolt of energy. She’d never experienced anything like it before and didn’t particularly welcome it. Not when Rand made no secret he questioned her honesty.
Yet there it was. She couldn’t deny it. She was more attracted to Rand Mason than she’d ever been to any other man. And he was standing on her front porch, for some as-yet-unvoiced reason.
That’s when she noticed the tension in the air. The two men stood, feet wide, Rand with arms crossed, Alec with hands in his pants pockets, measuring each other. Good grief! They might as well have been a pair of German shepherds in a short and narrow dog run.
The kids stared in fascination.
She nearly groaned out loud. “Alec misses home cooking while his wife’s in the hospital waiting for their triplets’ births. I took pity on his need for baked goods.”
The men exchanged a wary greeting. Then an awkward silence.
Alec blinked first. “Well. Like I said, I have to get going. Thanks for the cinnamon rolls. And I’ll see you at church tomorrow.”
Cate wrapped her arms around her middle as Alec strode down the front steps and across the yard toward his home. Behind her, the kids’ curiosity practically bristled. Before her, Rand’s attitude rankled.
She took a deep breath. “Can I help you?”
He shook his head and smiled—a smile that didn’t do a thing to warm those icy blue eyes. “The Rotary Club is sponsoring a hayride and bonfire. I thought the kids might enjoy going.”
Alone? It took every ounce of Cate’s strength to keep from blurting out her question. “We’ve already planned to watch an MLS game on cable this afternoon.”
Rand gave a brief nod. “The hayride’s not until seven. The game won’t go on that long, will it?”
“YES!” Robby yelled. “I mean, no. The game starts at three. It’ll be finished by then. Please, Aunt Catey. Please, can we go?”
“Please, please, pleeeeeeeze!” Tommy echoed.
In the face of such enthusiasm, she’d have felt like an ogre if she refused. “Looks like we’re on, Captain Mason. I guess we’ll be roasting marshmallows tonight.”
He grinned and the kids cheered. As he jogged back toward the sidewalk, Cate couldn’t help but wonder if she’d just agreed to a date with Rand Mason.
SEVEN
Rand arrived at the Caldwell home at six-fifteen, as he and Cate had agreed. The doorbell’s ring sparked a chorus of excited yells and cheers. He smiled.
He needed to strengthen his relationship with the kids. He hadn’t done much in that regard during the years he’d been away and he acknowledged that personal failure. But now he had a chance to remedy that.
And more.
A number of reasons drew him to the Caldwell family. His friendship with Joe and his cousin’s kids were only two of them.
The door opened and a thick patchwork quilt came at him. “Hi, Rand. I checked the weather forecast,” Cate said. “A cold front’s coming in tonight. The wind’s expected to kick up, too, so this should keep the kids warm in the hay wagon.”
Rand stared at the pretty woman who’d shoved the pink and purple fabric at him. Her cheeks glowed with a rosy tint and her brown eyes sparkled with a rich warmth that drew him closer. At that moment, he surrendered. He’d been looking forward to the time they’d planned to spend together, kids or no kids. And his anticipation had nothing to do with the pending investigation. Every day that went by, Cate Caldwell intrigued him more.
He gave her a wry smile. “You don’t happen to have a more…um…masculine blanket we can use, do you?”
Cate studied the offending fabric and then ran a slow look from his head to his toes. To his surprise, her perusal made him uncomfortable. And the fussy feminine blanket had nothing to do with his dropping comfort level.
What did she see when she took his measure?
When she grinned and her eyes twinkled, he realized he’d set himself up. “You’re not afraid of your more feminine side, now, are you?” She tucked her tongue firmly in her cheek. “A great, big fireman like you?”
“Aw…Aunt Catey!” Tommy, bundled in a plaid flannel jacket, mittens and cap peered around Cate and stared at Rand. “I’m not sitting under that sissy thing of yours. The other guys on the team’ll all make fun of me.”
Rand couldn’t corral the grin that tipped the right side of his mouth. “From the mouths of babes. And just so you know where I stand, I wouldn’t do a thing to take away from your feminine appeal. You look great.”
The mulberry wool coat and the cream-colored knit hat that tamed her tawny waves enhanced Cate’s coloring. The pink comforter provided the perfect frame. Rand felt the urge to run a finger down one silky-looking, flushed cheek, but common sense held him back.
As did her widened eyes and stunned expression. He’d thrown her off balance with his compliment. He hadn’t meant to, but at least he wasn’t the only one feeling the strange pull between them. And fortunately, she didn’t seem offended or upset by his words.
Cate herded her three charges out of the house and locked the front door. “Come on, guys. I just grabbed the quilt on my bed. It was the first thing I got my hands on.”
With a sheepish grin, he stepped aside as Cate headed down the front steps. “Let’s give your aunt a break, guys. Real men can do pink and purple any time.”
Cate laughed. “I’m so glad you approve, Captain Mason.” She turned to the twins. “Now, Tommy, you get the way-back seat, and Robby. the middle-back one. Lindsay, you ride next to Robby.”
The two boys grumbled on their way to the van, their shoulders crashing accidentally on purpose two or three times. Lindsay tiptoed after them.
Rand tucked the blanket under his arm. “Is there room for me, too, Aunt Catey?”
Her blush made her look young, vulnerable and innocent. The effect took him by surprise. Had she really escaped the hardening that came with the choices she’d made as a teen? True, she was older now, but not that much older, maybe all of twenty-five.
She smiled. “Hey, you’ve just scored the shotgun seat, Rand. That’s big around here. Really big.”
Rand threw his head back and laughed. “Hayride and marshmallows, here we come.”
“Woo-hoo!” Tommy crowed as they piled out of the van at the hayride field. “There’s Phil Britton. Can I go say hi, Aunt Catey? Huh? Huh? Can I?”
“Me, too,” Robby begged. “He’s awesome.”
Cate spotted the captain of the high school varsity soccer team surroun
ded by a group of teens. The popular athlete had earned his referee’s license and he officiated the boys’ games, to their enormous thrill. Phil was said to have a brilliant future, with college scholarships and a possible professional career included.
“We can spare a few minutes.”
Tommy and Robby ran over and high-fived Phil, and Cate, who’d had him babysit a couple of times, gave him a hug. “Great game last night,” she said. “You had a nice hat trick.”
Two other boys, also on the varsity team, whistled.
“Star power!” one cried in a teasing voice.
Another one pumped a fist. “Duuuuude! Three goals.”
Four girls giggled, sending the whole group into a riff of adolescent giddiness.
Cate glanced at the crowd waiting for the next wagon. She recognized just about everyone there, a bonus that came from living in the same small town where she’d grown up.
“Cate!” a woman called.
She turned and spotted Abby Colby, the high school foods and nutrition teacher. She stepped away from the chatty teens and closer to her friend. “Are you and J.J. here with the team?”
Abby’s jet-black ponytail flew from side to side as she shook her head. “Not officially. This is our date night for the week. Can you believe the coach himself took time away from his soccer team to spend the evening with his wife during playoff season?”
Cate laughed. “He’s crazy about you and you know it.”
“Yeah, but the team made playoffs and I know that, too.”
“Is she complaining again?” Zoe sauntered up, a wink and a grin taking the sting away from her words. “I wouldn’t mind a guy with J.J.’s focus and ability to care for kids. Where do they mint them?”
Cate swatted Zoe on the shoulder. “Who let you out of the hospital, you vampire you? Aren’t there sick people who need blood drawn tonight?”
“I’m due back in an hour and a half.”
After catching up, Abby walked away to join her husband and Zoe headed toward her car. Cate made her way back to where the twins and Lindsay still stood in awe of the star athletes. Rand approached Cate.