“The parks department is holding our official permit for the picnic. They’ll be closing soon and I really need it today. Can you run over there and pick it up? Ask for Dick.”
Ralph nodded and waved a hand in the air as he walked away. “On my way. Be back in a jiffy.”
An hour later Carrie had just completed her committee meeting when Ralph peeked into her office. She’d expected him much sooner, but her door had been closed, so she assumed he’d been reluctant to interrupt. “Ralph. Thanks for doing this.” She held out her hand, but Ralph frowned and rubbed his chin.
“Well, now, I seemed to have misplaced it.”
“What? How could you misplace the permit between the courthouse and here?”
“I don’t rightly recall. I saw Dick and picked up the paper. He put it in a nice blue envelope for me so it wouldn’t get messed up. Then I started back here, and I ran into Billy Wilcox and we talked a bit. Then I came back here, but I didn’t have the envelope. I went back and looked, but I didn’t see it anywhere.”
Carrie’s heart sank. “Ralph, without the permit we can’t hold the picnic. I’m not sure we can get another one in time. I suppose I could talk to the director and see if he will issue another one.”
“I’m real sorry, Miss Carrie. I guess what they say about me is right. I’m too old for this job.”
Her irritation faded. “No, Ralph. These things happen.”
“What things?”
Carrie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Seth step into her office. “What are you doing here?”
“Just passing by and thought I’d see how things were going.”
Ralph twisted his ball cap in his hands, his head lowered. “I’m afraid I messed up good this time.”
Carrie rested a hand on Ralph’s shoulder as she explained.
“No problem, Mr. Ralph.” Seth patted his narrow shoulders. “I’m good at tracking things down. Why don’t you and I go see if we can find it? Someone must know where it is. We’ll investigate.”
Seth winked at Carrie as he ushered the older man out. Barely fifteen minutes later he reappeared, waving a big blue envelope. “Here you go.”
“Where did you find it?”
Ralph lowered his head and looked at her through sad eyes. “I must have left it on the bench when I was talking to Billy. I forgot we sat there.”
Seth smiled. “It was still there, just waiting to be found.”
“Miss Carrie, I think I’d better turn over the assistant’s job to Seth here. Full-time. I want to help, but I only seem to mess things up now. I’m sorry.”
Carrie came out from behind her desk and gave Ralph a hug. “Nonsense. We need you, Ralph. You’re important to the church. But I do have a suggestion if you’re willing to listen.”
The old man nodded.
“I thought it would be nice to have an official greeter at the picnic, someone to welcome the guests and direct them to the events and venues. No one is more welcoming or friendly than you. Would you consider becoming the church’s greeter? Not just at the picnic but every Sunday.”
A light bloomed in the pale eyes. “Yes, ma’am. I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
Carrie watched Ralph walk away, then looked at Seth. His warm and tender gaze softened her insides.
He pulled her toward him and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “That was sweet. You have a way with people. You know how to make them feel valued and important. I’m blessed to have you as a friend.”
The gesture left her weak and quivering inside, and she stepped back, struggling to keep her focus. She smiled and pushed the hair behind her ear. “You may not say that after next week. You might spend more time running errands than enforcing the law.”
He chuckled. “Finally. I’m going to get to do some real picnic-assistant work. Go ahead, lay it on me.”
“First, I have a meeting with the city parks manager tomorrow after lunch to go over the logistics of the picnic, discuss parking and mainly to make sure we have all the electrical power we’ll need for the vendors and bouncy houses. Since you come from an electrical family, I could use your knowledge.”
“No problem.” He rested his hands on his duty belt. “Though you should be okay. Dover has several big events at the parks and the downtown square, and power has never been an issue.”
“I’m also picking up a map of the park and I was hoping you’d help me decide the best locations for the various events. A second pair of eyes is always good.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up, and we’ll go see the park manager. Then, afterward, we’ll get Jack, grab some pizza and go to my place. We can sort it all out while we eat. Anything else?”
“I’ll still need to visit the park and walk the areas to make sure they’re suitable.”
“Sounds like a day at the park is in order. We’ll head over there Saturday with Jack. He’ll have a blast on that giant playground.”
“Thanks, Seth. I really appreciate your help.”
He held her gaze with his smiling eyes. “My pleasure.”
She moved behind her desk. “Was there a reason you stopped by today?”
“Yeah.” He ran a hand over his chin.
Carrie saw his eyes darken and prepared herself for bad news. “What happened?”
“My ex-wife, Tiff, called last night. She’s in Mexico with her latest boyfriend, but the important thing is she’s agreed to give up all rights to Jack.”
“That’s great.”
“It is. Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell me for certain that Jack is mine. So we’re still back to waiting for the DNA-test results.”
She moved back to his side and laid her hand on his arm. “I know it’ll prove you’re his father.”
“Let’s hope so. I’m not sure what I’ll do if the test is negative.”
She tightened her fingers on his arm, aware of the strength beneath her hand. “I’m praying every day that the results will be positive.”
“Thanks, Carrie. It helps to know you’re on my side. I’d better get back to work. Call me anytime for those errands.”
A sense of loss settled on her shoulders the moment Seth disappeared from sight. Like him, her hopes had soared when he said his former wife had called. He hadn’t gotten the answer he’d wanted and she hurt for him.
She wished she could do something other than pray. She knew it was the most important thing she could do, but sometimes it felt very inadequate. She knew God was at work in the situation, but she wanted to wrest control from him and force the outcome she wanted.
What she should be working on was rebuilding her protective barriers. Seth would be even more involved in her life now. The picnic was only weeks away and there was still so much to do, but spending more time with Seth made it harder to keep her feelings in check. On some level she suspected it was too late. She was falling in love with Seth, and one day soon she’d have to face the consequences.
Chapter Eight
Seth glanced out of the corner of his eye and watched Carrie as she studied the park map, searching for the perfect spot for each picnic event. Her brows were knit together, her teeth rested on her lower lip and her left hand toyed with the wavy hair behind her ear. She was the most adorable woman he’d ever met, and she smelled like summer.
He couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night. They’d agreed to work at his house tonight in case they went past Jack’s bedtime, and they had. Jack had wanted to show Carrie his new toy racetrack that he could slide the little cars down. He’d played with little else since Seth had brought it home yesterday. By the time Jack had finished telling Carrie all about his room and his toys, it was bedtime. Seth had managed to get him into bed, but only after reminding him of the trip to Friendship Park the next day.
Now he sat at the
dining room table with the map spread out and Carrie at his side. It was amazing how much warmth and softness she brought into his home. She was a woman he could easily fall for; in fact, he might have already begun to do exactly that. She occupied his thoughts more and more each day, and when he saw her with his son, his mind always filled with images of the three of them together. But he’d failed in every relationship he’d attempted, and he didn’t want to fail with Carrie. She’s been disappointed too much in her life. She must have sensed him watching her, because she jerked her head toward him.
“What?”
He grinned. “Have you sorted out all the spots?”
“I think so. I’m concerned about parking, though. We’re taking up big sections of the parking area for the airplane and the pony trailer and truck.”
“What about a shuttle service from the church to the park?”
She nodded. “That’s a great idea, but we’d have to hire buses and I’m not sure our budget can handle the cost.”
“Not buses. Little shuttle wagons designed to carry people. I keep forgetting you haven’t been in Dover very long, so you don’t know about the Founder’s Day Celebration we have each fall on the square. It’s a really big deal. One of the main events is the hot-air-balloon race. It’s held in a field on the edge of town, and Virgil Hall uses his wagons to shuttle folks from downtown to the launch site. I’ll contact him tomorrow.”
“All that leaves is to visit the park and make sure we’ve chosen the right locations for everything.”
“We’d better go early. I don’t think Jack will be able to contain himself if we wait too long.”
“I’ll be ready after breakfast.” She searched his gaze a moment. “Have you heard from Tiff again? Did she send you any information about Jack?”
“No. But it’s only been a few days.” He rested his elbows on the table, old regrets rushing out before he could stop them. “I always believed what I did wouldn’t affect other people. I never stopped to consider how my choices would impact the people around me. Now I see that I hurt my parents when I left Dover, and I hurt Tiff by presenting myself as something I wasn’t, then leaving her alone. I hurt myself by choosing to live against my values, and mostly I hurt Jack by not being part of his life.”
Carrie slipped her hand in his. “But you’re doing the right thing now. You’re a wonderful father, Seth.”
“I want to be. Jack deserves nothing less.” He looked into her beautiful eyes, the color of a summer sky. “You are a ray of sunshine in all of this. I would have been lost without you. Jack, too.”
“You would have done fine.”
“I don’t know about that. I’ve always looked at marriage as a serious commitment. I took a vow before God, but I didn’t take into consideration what He might think of the woman I chose. It’s who I wanted and I expected Him to jump on board and bless my choice.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve spent my life chasing the wrong kind women. All I want now is a woman who’s caring and strong and honorable.” He laid his hand on hers. “A woman of strong faith.”
The look on Carrie’s face sent a chill through him. Her eyes were wide with alarm; her lips were pressed tightly together and her skin was pale. She was obviously distressed by the things he’d said to her. Of course, a woman like Carrie would find his past behavior abhorrent. He’d been a fool to spill his guts like that. Maybe he could explain. “Carrie...”
She pushed back from the table and stood, folding up the map. “I’d better go. It’s late.”
Seth followed her to the door. “Look, Carrie I didn’t mean to unload on you like that.”
“It’s all right. I understand.”
“Are we still on for tomorrow?” Seth held his breath. There was a long pause before she answered. He’d really screwed up this time.
“Sure. I’ll be ready.”
Seth closed the door, kicking himself for his stupidity. He may have just sabotaged the first relationship that really mattered to him. Not only had his past caught up with him, but his rebellious nature might have killed any hope he had with Carrie.
* * *
Carrie waited at the bottom of the tall slide in the playground of Friendship Park the next morning, ready to catch Jack as he came down. The little boy was eager to experience the slide, but had gotten scared halfway up the ladder. Seth had helped him to the top, where he now sat, his hands clutching the handles, his eyes wide with anxiety and expectation while she encouraged him to let go and sail down the shiny silver chute. She saw Seth whisper something in his ear. Jack nodded, then let go, whizzing downward and landing with his little feet on the ground and right into Carrie’s waiting arms.
“You did it! Wasn’t that fun?”
Jack nodded rapidly, a huge smile on his face. “I want to do it again.” He raced around to the ladder and got a hug and whirl-around from Seth.
“Good job, buddy. You are a brave little boy. You want me to go up with you again?”
“No, Pop. I can do it.” He grabbed the handrails and made his way to the top, only slowing slightly on the last few rungs. He sought a reassuring glance from Seth before pushing off and flying downward again.
Seth chuckled and joined Carrie as they watched Jack tackle the slide a few more times. “Can you believe he’s the same quiet little boy you found that night?”
“No. I’m amazed at how quickly he’s adjusted. But that’s all because of you. He knows you love him and he responds to that.”
“I hope so.”
“Thank you again for all your help last night figuring out where these events should be set up, and I’m especially grateful for your idea about a shuttle service.”
“I put in a call to Virgil first thing this morning about it, and he was a bit offended no one had asked him sooner.”
“I would have if I’d known.” She grinned. “I never expected you to be so valuable. Pony rides, shuttles and power expertise. You are a man of many surprises.”
“So now you like surprises?”
She liked him. “Sometimes. But not right now. We still have to check to make sure the sites we’ve picked will actually work.”
“Then let’s get at it.”
It took some coaxing, but they finally got Jack interested in seeing the rest of the park, and he took full advantage of the wide-open spaces to run and tumble. Using the map, they walked through every section of the large park to check its suitability. Seth had brought a tape measure so they could measure how many vendor wagons and booths they could fit into the designated locations.
Seth rested his hands on his hips. “It looks like you’ll have more than enough space to set up. All that leaves is the pony ride, and I don’t think our original idea will work so well.”
“No. I think we put it too close to the food vendors.” She pinched her nose and grimaced.
Seth chuckled. “Right. Pony smells and food smells are not a good combination.”
“Maybe we could tuck it away near the edge of the field. It’ll be seen but not smelled.” She gave him a wink.
“That should work. I’ll measure it to make sure it’s large enough.”
Seth had just finished his assessment of the proposed pony-ride area when his phone rang. He answered, his expression tense and wary. Carrie met his gaze but he looked away, walking off a few yards as he conversed. A dozen bad possibilities surged into her mind. Did it have something to do with Jack? Had his mother changed her mind and wanted him back? If that were true, she couldn’t imagine the heartache Seth would endure. He loved the little boy, and he’d invested his whole being into caring for him. Losing Jack would destroy him.
And her, too. She swung her gaze to Jack, who was stooped down near a big tree, examining something on the ground. He’d become so much a part of her life. She pushed aside the disturbing tho
ughts. She was jumping to conclusions all because of a look on Seth’s face. It could be a call about work, some police matter he didn’t want to deal with or anything at all other than Jack. She needed to stop getting so immersed in other people’s lives. Hadn’t Seth stated last night that he was looking for a certain kind of woman to raise his son? His list of qualifications had flashed across her mind like a giant billboard, reminding her that she didn’t meet any of them. His bullet points hadn’t included a criminal past, a childhood of abuse and a close relative in prison. She had to get a grip on her emotions and keep the cold facts of reality at the forefront of her mind. She had no future with Seth.
But how could she do that when she cared so much for both of them?
* * *
Seth shoved his phone into his shirt pocket and scraped his hands through his hair. If he didn’t know better he’d think the universe was against him. But he knew the Lord had His hand on his life and it would eventually work out. He also understood that the Lord knew the long-term scope of his existence, and that meant that there was no guarantee Jack would end up with him.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Carrie and Jack walking hand in hand toward him. The little boy’s face was covered in a huge smile, and he looked up with adoring eyes at Carrie. She in turn gazed upon him with such love and affection his heart swelled with warmth. Carrie was an amazing woman. But they’d agreed to be friends only. Neither of them was in the market for anything more, though he couldn’t deny that he was beginning to think of more than friendship with his lovely neighbor.
Carrie’s blue eyes were filled with worry when she stopped in front of him. He was glad she was here with him. He needed her support right now.
“Is everything okay?”
He couldn’t find the words yet, so he scooped up Jack and held him close. “How about a few more trips down the slide before we go home?” Jack squealed in delight. Seth set him down and he dashed off full speed toward the playground.
“Seth?”
He took her hand, needing the contact, then started toward the playground equipment to watch Jack. He stopped at the bay of swings and sat in one. Carrie took the swing beside him.
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