The Soldier's Secret Child

by Lee Tobin McClain

  Lacey wanted to hug both of them, but her hands were full, so she settled for a “Wow” mouthed across the crate as they continued carrying it out.

  “Hey, Lacey,” Charlie added, coming up beside her, obviously unaware of the emotions he’d evoked. “Want me to help with that? That’s no job for a girl.”

  Lacey chuckled. “Girls can do a lot of jobs, including moving things. But yes, if you’d like to, you can take that corner.” She winked meaningfully at Vito, warning him to slow down.

  He gave a subtle nod, and something arced between them. It was nice to be able to communicate without words sometimes.

  After they’d put the crate down, Charlie grinned at her. “You wouldn’t mind having a dog around, would you, Miss Lacey?”

  He was way too cute with that grin. She couldn’t resist ruffling his hair. “I won’t answer that on the grounds that it might incriminate me with your dad,” she said, “but confidentially...I do like dogs.”

  “See, Dad?”

  “Way to throw me under the bus,” Vito complained, but there was a smile in his voice.

  “Can we get one?”

  Vito held up a hand. “That’s not a decision we’re going to make today.”

  Charlie looked like he wanted to whine, but shouts from a couple of newly arrived boys distracted him and he ran off. Vito watched him go, shaking his head. “It’s hard for me to deny him anything.”

  A man Lacey knew vaguely emerged from the barn with two pit bulls on leads. As he approached the boys, Charlie took several steps back in obvious fear.

  The man clearly noticed. “Hey, Troy,” he called, “we have some new Kennel Kids here today. You want to give the bully breeds talk?”

  She and Vito drifted over and listened while Troy explained that it was all in how the pit bull was raised, how some were taught to fight while others were raised in a gentle environment, how one always had to be careful in approaching a dog like this.

  Troy’s words triggered a thought. Charlie had apparently been raised in a rough environment, and he, too, acted out sometimes; he needed to be approached with care. But with love—the kind of love that Vito was so unselfishly offering him—he was starting, even now, to grow into his potential and to become the person God had made him to be.

  She watched as one of the smaller pit bulls, a white female named Gracie, was brought out and went from boy to boy. The group started dissolving, some of the boys playing with puppies, others learning to clean kennels, others helping to leash and train dogs. Charlie knelt, and the white pit bull approached him slowly, cautiously.

  “Hold out your hand so she can sniff it,” Vito encouraged, and after a moment’s hesitation, Charlie did.

  Watching Vito, she saw someone so much more than the handsome older boy who’d protected her from school bullies when she was younger. He was fatherly now, a man, a hero. He accepted what had happened to him and ran with it, growing into a person of value.

  But then again, the seed of the man he’d become had been present in the kind, handsome boy next door.

  “Lacey!” Susan gave her a light punch on the shoulder, and she started and turned to her friend. “I’ve been trying to get your attention forever.” She looked where Lacey was looking, and then a slow smile broke out across her face. “Are you sure you don’t have feelings?”

  “No! It’s just Vito.”

  “Somehow, I’m not convinced.”

  “No way! The truth is, I keep thinking about Gerry.”

  One of the other volunteers turned. “Gerry McPherson? Boy, that guy was a piece of work.”

  Lacey cocked her head to one side, feeling her smile slip a little.

  “What does that mean?” Susan asked, her voice protective.

  Lacey looked at the other volunteer, and suddenly, she didn’t want to hear what he was going to say.

  And then Vito stepped up beside her. “Gerry McPherson was my friend and Lacey’s husband.” He put an arm around her, a tense arm. “And he died serving our country.” His chin lifted a little and he gave the man a level stare.

  The other guy raised his hands. “Hey, didn’t mean anything.” He turned and walked rapidly away.

  Susan gave Lacey a curious look and went over to help one of the younger Kennel Kids, who was having trouble unhooking a black Lab’s leash.

  “Thanks.” Lacey sidestepped away from Vito so she could see him better, and immediately he let his arm drop from her shoulders.

  A chill ran over her where his arm had been.

  What had the man meant, that Gerry was a piece of work?

  She didn’t want to face the tiny sliver of doubt that had pierced her.

  * * *

  A couple of hours later, Vito stood up from repairing a broken crate and was startled to find himself surrounded: Susan on one side and Troy’s wife, Angelica, on the other.

  “So, Vito,” Angelica said, “what’s going on between you and Lacey?”

  “Not one thing. Why?”

  “Oh, just wondering.” The two women sat down beside him, each working on one of the broken crates.

  He wasn’t lying about nothing going on, at least not in a guy sense; there wasn’t anything of the dating variety going on, that was for sure. On the other hand, there was a lot going on emotionally, every time he saw Lacey.

  Man, that had been a close one with that stupid guy almost revealing something bad about Gerry. Lacey had looked so shocked and stricken that he hadn’t been able to handle it.

  She for sure still believed the best about Gerry. And that was good. He’d always remain a hero in her eyes.

  And Gerry had definitely had a heroic side. In battle, there wasn’t another man in the world Vito would’ve trusted more. They’d saved each other’s skins more than once.

  But the home front—specifically, women—had been Gerry’s downfall. Something rotten in the way he was raised, or maybe the fact that he’d been so handsome and suave. Too many women had flocked to him, and Gerry hadn’t ever been taught how to treat women with respect. To him, a woman who threw herself at him was fair game.

  Any woman was fair game. Lacey definitely hadn’t thrown herself at him; she wouldn’t have known how. But she’d gotten swept away and before Vito could turn around and warn her, she’d gone and fallen for Gerry.

  Vito had tried to talk her out of it, but that had been a miserable failure. Once someone was that far gone, you couldn’t bring her back.

  At that point, the only thing he could do was to insist that if Gerry wanted Lacey, he needed to marry her, not just use her and throw her away.

  It had just about killed him to do it, because by that time, he’d thought Lacey was something pretty special himself. Talking his friend into marrying her was like cutting off his own arm. He’d had to admit, just to himself, that he’d been waiting for Lacey to get old enough that he could honorably ask her out.

  Gerry had beaten him to it, had gotten in there and stolen her heart.

  And he’d treated her despicably.

  And now Vito was in a position of hiding Gerry’s wrongdoing from the woman he still, if the truth be told, carried a torch for.

  “Earth to Vito,” Angelica teased, and he snapped back into the here and now. “You sure there’s nothing going on?”

  “I’m sure,” he said heavily. “And there never will be anything going on.”

  Chapter Nine

  The next Friday, Vito heard a high-pitched shout from Nonna’s room. “Vito! Lacey!”

  He scrambled up from the computer and down the stairs on Lacey’s heels. “What’s wrong, Nonna?” she was asking as they both entered Nonna’s room.

  “Are you okay?” he asked his grandmother, who was sitting at the small writing desk looking perfectly fine. In fact, her color was better than
he’d ever seen it.

  Lacey put a hand on Nonna’s shoulder. “You scared us. What’s going on?”

  “It’s my first success,” the older woman said. “I found you both dates for tonight!”

  Vito had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Just what he needed, a blind date.

  “Tonight?” Lacey sounded just as distressed as Vito felt. “I...I have plans.”

  Nonna’s eyes sparkled behind her glasses. “The same plans you’ve had for the past three Friday nights, young lady? A date with a paint can?”

  Lacey smiled ruefully. “Actually...yes.”

  Nonna rubbed her hands together. “I hope you both have some dressy clothes. You’ll need to be ready at six o’clock.”

  Vito groaned inwardly. The last thing he wanted was to put on a suit. “Why dressy? This is Rescue River.”

  “You both have reservations with your dates at Chez la Ferme.”

  “No way!” Vito said.

  “That’s not how you do a blind date, Nonna.” Lacey’s forehead creased. “For one thing, it’s really expensive.”

  “You get coffee first,” Vito added. And then he processed what Lacey had said and looked over at her. How would she know? Was she doing online dating?

  He found her looking back at him with a similar question in her eyes, and he felt himself flushing. The truth was, he had put his profile up on a Christian dating site a couple of times. And he’d gotten no results worth pursuing, which he attributed to women being turned off by his ugly mug. Or his lack of wealth.

  “What if we don’t like them, Nonna? Then we’re stuck spending hours together.” Lacey sank down onto the edge of Nonna’s bed, facing them both.

  “Whereas with coffee,” Vito added, “you can escape after half an hour.”

  “You’re taking a negative attitude,” Nonna said. “Why do you think you’ll want to escape?”

  Vito looked at Lacey, and she looked back at him, and they both laughed. And then he narrowed his eyes at her. So she had online dated. But when?

  Nonna steepled her hands and stared down at the floor. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Do you want me to cancel the whole thing?” Her tone was desolate.

  Vito looked at her bowed head and slumped shoulders and his heart melted. “No, Nonna, it’s okay. I’m game. But just this once.”

  “Me, too,” Lacey said with a sigh. “Who’s my date?”

  Nonna smiled gleefully up at them. “It’s a surprise! You won’t know until you get to the restaurant.”

  “Wait,” Vito said. “We’re both at Chez la Ferme tonight? Why there?”

  “It’s the only nice place in town. I’m so excited for you. You’re going to have a wonderful time.”

  There was no trace of her former sadness, and Vito studied her narrowly. He had the feeling he’d just been manipulated.

  “Be ready at six. You’re meeting your dates at six thirty.”

  As they walked out, Vito couldn’t help shaking his head. That Nonna. She really was a matchmaker, and she was also someone to whom he, at least, couldn’t say no.

  * * *

  At five minutes before six, Vito came out of his room at the guesthouse. He’d driven Charlie over to a new friend’s house, and as a result, he’d had to get ready quickly. Not that it mattered. Less time to spend in this necktie that felt like it was strangling him.

  He needed to work on his attitude, he knew that. Maybe Nonna’s matchmaking was God’s way of finding him a partner, someone who’d help him fulfill his dream of building a loving family. Lacey wasn’t the only woman in the world, despite what his heart said.

  Halfway down the stairs, he caught his breath.

  There was Lacey in a sleeveless blue dress that highlighted her figure and her coloring. She stood in front of an ornamental mirror, attempting to fasten a necklace.

  Breathe. She’s not for you.

  He walked slowly the rest of the way down the stairs, watching her struggle with the small clasp. “Need some help?”

  “Oh! Um, sure.” She held out the ends of the necklace, her back to him, bowing her head.

  Her neck looked slender and vulnerable. Her short hair brushed his fingers, soft and light as bird feathers.

  He could smell her sweet, spicy perfume.

  Breathe.

  He fumbled a little with the tiny clasp, dropped one end, had to start over. “Sorry. Big fingers.” But that wasn’t really the problem. He knew how to fasten a necklace; he’d been doing it for his women friends forever.

  Why did it feel so different with Lacey?

  Why was he going slowly on purpose, trying to extend the moment, to stay close to her?

  He finished and stepped back quickly, forbidding his hands to linger on her shoulders. “Whoever you’re meeting tonight is going to be very happy.”

  She turned toward him, a smile curving her lips as she gave him an undisguised once-over. “Your date will be, too.”

  He laughed a little, shook his head. “My date is going to be in for a surprise, but not such a pleasant one.”

  “You look good, Vito.” She reached up and, with one finger, touched his face. The bad side of it. “Except that there’s a little shaving cream...right...here.”

  Their eyes met and her touch lingered on his face.

  That soft, small finger, touching a place no one had ever touched, except in a medical capacity, made him suck in a breath. “It’s hard to shave with...this.” He gestured toward the ridged, scarred side of his face.

  She let her hand open to cup his cheek. “I’m sure.”

  The moment lingered. He felt like he couldn’t look away from Lacey’s steady, light brown eyes.

  Until Nonna opened her door and clapped her hands. From her room came strains of opera music. “Don’t you both look gorgeous!”

  Vito took a step backward and Lacey let her hand fall to her side.

  “We clean up okay,” he said, clearing his throat, trying to keep his cool. “How are we going to know our dates?”

  “It’s all set up at the restaurant.”

  Vito bit back a sigh and slid his hands into his pockets. “You’re not going to tell us who, are you?”

  “And spoil the anticipation? Of course not. That’s just one of the things that will be unique about my matchmaking service. Now, you two had better get going.”

  That brought up another angle he hadn’t considered. “Would it be awkward if we walked together to dates with other people?” he asked Lacey. “Or would you rather drive, with those heels?” Which look spectacular, he thought but didn’t say.

  “They’re wedges—they’re fine.” Her cheeks were a little pinker than usual. “Um, sure, we can walk.”

  So they strolled together through the downtown of Rescue River, all dressed up. The evening air was warm, and shouts from the park indicated that families were enjoying the evening. Vito leaned just a little closer to Lacey to catch another whiff of her perfume, wishing with all his heart that he could spend this evening with her, as her date.

  His thoughts toward his old friend Gerry, who’d made him promise to keep Charlie’s parentage a secret, were becoming more uncharitable by the minute. The man had been a hero and a friend, and Vito mourned the loss of him, but he couldn’t deny resenting the promise that stood like a wall between him and the woman he was coming to care for more each day.

  “Who do you think our dates are?” she asked, looking up at him with laughter in her eyes. “Will it be people we know or complete strangers?”

  “Bound to be people we know. It’s Rescue River. And Nonna knows the same people we do.” He actually hoped it was someone who knew what he looked like, just to spare himself the awkward moment that often happened when people met him for the first time.

  They appro
ached Chez la Ferme to discover a small crowd of people waiting outside. “Looks like they’re backed up. Hope Nonna really did make a reservation.”

  “Or not.” Lacey made a wry face. “I do have that paint can waiting for me at home.”

  He chuckled. She wasn’t any more into this whole game than he was. “Look, there’s Daisy.”

  “And Dion.” Vito lifted an eyebrow. Were the police chief and the social worker officially admitting they were a couple? Because being together at Chez la Ferme pretty much guaranteed that they’d be perceived that way.

  “Hey!” Lacey hugged both of them, first Daisy, then Dion. “Long wait?”

  “Not if you let them know you’re here.” Dion punched Vito’s arm lightly. “Get with the program, my brother.”

  So Vito walked in to the hostess stand and gave his name.

  “Oh, yes, Mr. D’Angelo. We’ve been expecting you.” The hostess gave him a broad smile. “Your table will be ready in just a few minutes.”

  Obviously, she was in on Nonna’s secret.

  Almost as soon as he’d exited the restaurant, while he was still walking toward his friends, the hostess came behind him. “Dion Coleman?” she called. “And Lacey McPherson?”

  A slow smile crossed Dion’s face. “Oh, your grandma,” he said to Vito, shaking his head. And then he crooked his arm for Lacey. “Shall we?”

  Lacey’s eyebrows lifted as she looked up at the police chief. “Well, okay, then.” She took his arm and the two of them turned toward the restaurant.

  Vito’s stomach seemed to drop to his toes as he watched the pair. He couldn’t help noticing the details: the large squared-off college ring that glinted against Dion’s dark skin, the expensive cut of his suit, the suave way he put a hand on the small of Lacey’s back to guide her inside.

  They were good-looking enough that several people in the crowd turned to watch. Or maybe the raised eyebrows were because Dion was linked with Daisy in the town’s collective, gossipy mind.

  Vito had known he couldn’t be with Lacey himself, on account of Charlie. He’d almost—not quite, but almost—accepted that.