Her Unlikely Family

by Missy Tippens

  “Ha! It’s in the Throckmorton genes to be critical.”

  “How so?”

  “If you ever meet my grandmother, you’ll know.”

  Josie knew about criticism from her own parents. Thinking of Lisa going through it hurt. And made her plain ol’mad. “What kinds of things does your grandmother say?”

  “I’ll tell you about it sometime when you have about a week. Right now, I want us to go, to catch Uncle Michael off guard. To see if he’s really human.”

  “Lisa, stop it. Go call to invite him.”

  “Wouldn’t it be fun to show up without calling? To teach him to be more spontaneous?”

  Josie would never admit that she was curious about the same thing. The man seemed like an automaton at times. Catching him unprepared could be a real hoot. “I guess we can surprise him if you want. But be nice.”

  Once they’d loaded the cooler into Betty’s trunk, Josie and Lisa headed to the motel where they banged on Mike’s door together. He answered it with hair standing on end, beard shadowing his face, in a T-shirt and pair of warm-up pants—barefoot.

  It wasn’t a hoot at all. He actually looked like someone who was her type, someone she could be interested in. The man was much more dangerous to her like this, when he didn’t look rich and pulled together.

  “What time is it?” he asked.

  “We, uh…Uh. We—” Josie’s mouth, or brain, wouldn’t form words.

  “Time to get up,” Lisa said.

  “What’s wrong, Josie?” he asked.

  Josie snapped herself out of her reverie. He was still Mike after all. Stuffy banker. “Not a thing.”

  Lisa pointed at his bed-head hair. “You’re a wreck. You’re scaring her.”

  Mike reddened as he brushed his hands through his hair.

  His wrinkled dress shirt from church the day before hung on the doorknob of the closet. When he yanked open the door and grabbed a pair of shoes, it fell off. After he’d slipped the shoes on, Josie handed him the shirt.

  “Thanks.”

  Brooks Brothers shirt and Nike shoes. The fact that he wore brand-name clothes reminded her of why she shouldn’t like him. Money. He wore the fact that he had loads of it like a designer label across his forehead, reminding her of all she’d run away from. Of all she refused to ever be a part of again.

  And Mike’s working to amass wads of the stuff had kept him from what should have been a priority: altering his busy lifestyle to keep Lisa in his home where she belonged.

  Instead of giving him a lecture, Josie said, “Lisa and I came by to get you to go hiking in the national park.”

  He ran his hand through his hair again. A hopeful look raised his brows. “You did?”

  “It was Josie’s idea,” Lisa blurted.

  His expression fell. Josie glared a warning at Lisa. “Actually, Lisa was the one who wanted to surprise you this morning.”

  His face brightened again. “Okay. Give me ten minutes to shower and shave.”

  “We’ll wait in the car.”

  As they turned to leave, he said, “How about I call that deli up the road and see if they can pack us a picnic basket. Sub sandwiches, chips, drinks?”

  “No, thanks,” Lisa said. “We packed bottled water and granola bars.”

  “But we’ll probably be gone through lunch.”

  “And we might get so into the hiking that it’ll be hours before we’re ready to stop,” Lisa said. “Your turkey on rye will be crawling with salmonella by then.”

  “Well, what about a park pass? Will we need one?”

  “We invited you, Uncle Michael. Do you wanna go or not?”

  “I’m just trying to help. A little organization never hurt anyone.”

  “You’re, like, about to kill my joy with it. Forget the details. Let’s go hike and have fun.”

  Josie looked back and forth between the two, waiting for the next volley, hoping they could settle it themselves. Instead, they stood, silently fuming, hands jammed on hips, a mirror image of each other.

  Josie sighed. “Let’s go wait in the car, Lisa. Mike, be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.”

  “I may need to stop and buy some hiking boots. These are my running shoes, but…”

  Lord, give me patience. And help them both quit being so hardheaded.

  Josie shepherded Lisa out the door and closed it on Mike’s plea for boots. Someone had to get them moving along or it would be dinnertime before they got there.

  Chapter Six

  As Josie took them on the short drive toward the national park, Mike—who’d had his offer to drive refused so had gotten stuck in the backseat—leaned over and pointed. “Hey, there’s a place that might sell boots.”

  “Forget it,” Lisa said from the copilot’s position in the front passenger seat.

  “There goes my chance at decent footwear.”

  He said it so wistfully, Josie almost laughed.

  “The mud will ruin my new running shoes.”

  Josie had seen them earlier. Brand-new, top of the line, with chambers of air cushioning each step. “How often do you run?”

  “Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Three-point-two miles.”

  Lisa snickered and looked at Josie as if to say see?

  “Three-point-two, huh? Never three? Or three and a half?” Josie asked.

  She glanced at him in the rearview mirror. His slow-forming, knowing smile sent a buzz clear down to the toes of her hiking boots.

  “No, ma’am. Never. Three-point-two, exactly three times a week. Every week.” He rubbed his chin. “Except today.”

  Instead, today you were standing in the motel doorway, your rugged, casual look sending my pulse on a three-point-two-mile run.

  In about one minute.

  Josie steered into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and drove upward, looking for a more secluded scenic overlook. One without so many cars.

  “Let’s stop somewhere near the river,” Lisa said. “I want to climb on the rocks.”

  They drove through the emerald-green scenery, lush with new growth and newly blooming wild dogwood trees, and pulled alongside the road to park in a deserted area. When they climbed out, the cool, misty air seemed to envelop them. Trees surrounded them so they could barely see the sky—their own little fairyland.

  Josie breathed in the damp, woodsy scent. “It’s so beautiful, I hate to speak and spoil it.”

  “I don’t mind,” Lisa said, much louder. “Come on. Let’s climb down to the river.”

  “What about the drinks?” Mike walked around to the trunk. “Do you want me to get the cooler?”

  Josie laughed. Did the man think they were going to let him die of thirst? “No. We can get it later. Let’s catch up with Lisa before she does something silly like dive in.”

  Once they’d hiked down the bank to the edge of the water, they found Lisa standing on a large rock. She leaned toward the next one, as if trying to jump rock to rock.

  “Lisa, that’s dangerous. Come on over here with us,” Mike said.

  “I’m fine. I have, like, the best balance of anyone I know.”

  Josie’s heart skipped a beat as Lisa leaped and nearly missed. One big black combat boot dipped into the rushing water. “Oops.”

  Mike lunged, as if to grab her. “Lisa. Come back here this instant. Those boots aren’t made for climbing.”

  “It’s not deep, Uncle Michael.”

  “But you could crack your head on one of those slick, mossy rocks.”

  “Lisa,” Josie said, her own fear growing. “Do what your uncle says.”

  “I didn’t come here just to stand and look at it.”

  “We can wade at the edge of the water,” he said.

  Lisa laughed as she threw her arms out to balance another near miss. “I dare you to take off your shoes and stick your feet in this ice-cold water.”

  “I’m not a fool. Now come—”

  “Your lily-white toes probably haven’t seen the light of day since
you were five.”

  Even though Lisa was talking big, she had started toward the bank. Able to take a deep breath at last, Josie plopped herself down in the grass.

  Lisa returned to the big rock at the edge of the water, faced the sky with arms out, then began to twirl around. “I love it here. Cool, fresh air. Not a musty dorm room in sight.”

  As she spun, Mike inched toward her, his hands out to catch her in case she fell. As soon as she stopped and looked down, he jerked his hands back to his sides.

  His actions twisted Josie’s heart. He truly did care for his niece and was trying to approach her on her terms. No more sudden hugs. He knew he couldn’t just grab Lisa and pull her off the rock.

  The look of insecurity on the face of a man who Josie imagined had never experienced such a thing in his life made her want to grab him and hug.

  She knew how it felt to try so hard, then to have it thrown right back in your face. She’d often hugged her parents only to have them shrug off her affections.

  Huge outbursts of emotion weren’t seemly.

  Lisa hopped off the rock—finally—and pulled her boots off. Socks followed, tossed over her shoulder. “Okay, Uncle Michael. Time to air out the toes.”

  He glanced at Josie. She smiled at him and shrugged. “You got yourself into this one. You can’t complain since she’s in one piece on dry land again.”

  “You’re exactly right.” He sat by Lisa and without any hesitation, pulled his shoes and socks off, then rolled up his khaki pants to just below his knees.

  His feet weren’t pale at all. They were nearly as dark as his tanned face and arms. She should have known the man wouldn’t have imperfect feet.

  Lisa was already in the water past her ankles. “Oooh, it’s freezing!”

  “Okay, here goes.” Mike stepped in, and sucked in a quick breath.

  “Man, I’m numb already,” Lisa said.

  Mike tried to step deeper, but said, “Oh, oh, ouch,” as he hopped from foot to foot.

  Maybe his too-tender feet weren’t so perfect after all.

  Lisa watched as he continued to hop around. A grin seemed to sneak up on her, then her shoulders started to shake. Finally, she gave in and howled with laughter. The kind of laughter a teenager should indulge in every day. The kind Josie hadn’t heard out of Lisa yet.

  Something that had been tight within Josie let loose. This is the way it should be, Lord. Lisa happy. Mike and me having fun. Like a family should be.

  A family? A chill as cold as the river water had Josie up off the ground and heading up the hill. Had she really placed herself in that loving picture? She who had no idea what it really meant to be part of a normal family?

  “Where’re ya going?” Lisa hollered.

  “I, uh. I’ll be right back.”

  A family? Yes, Lisa and Mike. They were a unit. Why should that send fear racing to her heart?

  She was acting crazy, just plain weird. Josie opened her car trunk and pulled out the cooler, then grabbed a blanket. After lugging it down the hill, she took off her boots to join them, trying to forget her overreaction.

  She climbed up on Lisa’s big rock.

  “Whoa.” Mike made his way through the water to take her hand. “Here, I don’t want to see your head cracked, either. You’re not quite as young and agile as Lisa.”

  “Now, how am I supposed to take that comment, Mike?”

  Another one of those dreaded slow smiles pulled at his lips and sparkled in his deep blue eyes. “I guess I would take it as an insult. What about you?”

  “You big oaf.” She shoved at him with the hand he was gripping, pushing him off balance.

  He tried to let go of her, but she held tight, trying to steady him. Unfortunately, he was too heavy for her. His feet went flying out from under him, and he yanked her off the rock as he landed on his rear in the water. She landed beside him on her hands and knees, banging her right knee on a protruding rock.

  All she could do was huff, trying to catch the breath that had been frozen out of her. But Lisa’s hysterical laughter brought reason back to Josie’s frosted brain. She slowly straightened, weighted down by sopping clothes and a throbbing kneecap, and offered Mike a hand.

  “I’m afraid I can’t move. I’ve become a chunk of ice,” he said.

  “That’s what you get for calling me old and stiff.” She reached and found his hand in the water. With a tug, she helped him up. They ended up about six inches apart, smiling like idiots.

  They stood like that for too long, yet she couldn’t resist. With slight pressure, he began to pull her toward him. But before her body would follow, he pushed her away and let go. The grin faded, and he glanced at Lisa.

  “Hey, you two. Let’s get going. I’m cold.” Lisa’s arms were crossed tightly in front of herself once again. She glared at them as if they had committed a crime.

  Close to it. Josie knew he had been about to kiss her. Had Lisa noticed?

  As Josie climbed out of the water, Mike held out his hand to help her. She acted as if she hadn’t seen it. Lisa marched up the hill, and Mike took the blanket and wrapped it around Josie’s shoulders.

  He untucked his shirttail from his waistband and squeezed out the water. “Go on up, Josie,” he said without looking at her. “I’ll bring the cooler.”

  “Sure. Okay.” She had no idea what to say, so she started toward the car. Lisa turned and shot daggers her way.

  Once she and Lisa had closed themselves inside Betty’s warmth, she in the front and Lisa in the back, Lisa said, “I saw the way you two looked at each other.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Yeah you do.”

  “We were just goofing off.”

  “It was more than that this time. You’ve looked at him like that before. But now he’s all interested in you, too.”

  “Lisa!”

  “He’ll hang around for you, now.”

  “Your uncle is here for you. Totally.”

  “Come on, Josie. What does he truly want with me? He’s here because he has to be, and you know it.”

  “He loves you.”

  “He’s Mr. Responsible. That’s the only reason he bothered to find me.”

  “Look, your uncle and I are as different as night and day. Sure, we may cause a few sparks to fly. But that’s it. It’s all in fun.”

  Lisa slouched in the backseat, silent.

  “I promise you, Lisa, that’s all there is to it. Your uncle is an old stick-in-the-mud, and I couldn’t ever fall for him.”

  Hope shone in Lisa’s eyes. “You promise? ’Cause once he and Gloria started seeing each other, I never heard from him.”

  So he and Gloria had seen a lot of each other, huh? “I promise. We’ll all hang out together. But that’s it. No relationship between Mike and me.”

  A sigh escaped Lisa as Mike opened the car door and slid the cooler in beside her.

  “Let’s get home,” he said. “Or we’ll all have pneumonia.”

  Josie started the car and put the heat on high. Her teeth began to chatter. But it wasn’t one hundred percent from the dunking.

  Lord, help me here. I can’t afford to think of Mike as anything other than a business relationship. And our business is Lisa’s welfare.

  The next morning, Michael sat in the diner drinking coffee that Bud had brought him. Josie seemed to be hiding in the kitchen.

  No wonder. He’d been a brute the day before. He’d practically dragged her to him to kiss her, right there in front of Lisa.

  Now Josie avoided him like a bad case of food poisoning.

  “G’morning, Uncle Michael.” Lisa climbed in across from him.

  “Good morning.”

  At least Lisa had greeted him. She’d even given him a tentative smile. And he could live with that.

  Forget Josie.

  Speaking of Josie…She walked out of the kitchen, grabbed a plate from Bud and plunked it down in front of him. “Here’s your breakfast.”

  She s
talked away, bracelets clanging in time to the sway of her hips. Once she reached a table across the room—where the same construction workers sat every time he’d been in the diner—she parked herself right beside the bearded giant.

  After a few minutes, Josie went back to work and didn’t pay Lisa and him an ounce of attention other than to refill his coffee and to bring Lisa a plate of fruit with one hardboiled egg.

  “Go ahead and take your break,” Josie told Lisa without acknowledging him. “You can eat with Mike.”

  “Is that all you’re going to eat?” he asked.

  “I usually eat fruit, but Josie makes me eat an egg sometimes, too.”

  “Well, good for Josie. You need some protein.”

  Lisa worked diligently to crack the eggshell on the edge of her plate, avoiding eye contact. “So, you like her, huh?”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  A repeat of the tension of yesterday stiffened her shoulders. “Josie. I saw the way you looked at her at the park. You like her. As more than a friend.”

  “I don’t have feelings for anyone.”

  “Yeah, right. And you weren’t just looking jealous, either.”

  Michael still couldn’t figure out Lisa’s attitude change. All he knew was that the near-kiss had incited it.

  “I’m not jealous, either,” he said.

  “Then why were you scowling at Butch?”

  “Butch?”

  “The guy Josie sat by.”

  “He seemed to be flirting with her.”

  “So? They’re buddies. They went out once, but there wasn’t any oomph there.”

  “Oomph?”

  “Yeah, that’s what Josie called it. It’s just like what you two have for each other.”

  She looked at him expectantly, as if hoping he would deny it. He sipped his coffee, unsure how to handle this newest dilemma. There was definitely unexplainable oomph between him and Josie. But how would that affect Lisa?

  “So, what do you think about Josie?” he asked to test the waters.

  Lisa mashed a clump of eggshell, then focused on rolling a grape around her plate. “She’s my friend. She took me in and helped me get a job.”