A knock at the back door drew his attention. Russ stepped into the hall, glancing between Shaw and Lainie. “You still need that ride?”
“I’ll be ready in a minute. Lainie, this is my foreman, Russ Franklin. Russ, this is Lainie Hollings.” Shaw ignored the stunned look on his friend’s face. “I asked him to stop by and take me to pick up my truck. Is there anything you need me to get for you while I’m out?”
Lainie crossed her arms over her chest, her reluctance to ask for more help evident in her pursed lips. “Food. The girls will be getting hungry and all I have are a few snacks.”
Shaw nodded. “No problem. Make me a list.” After muttering a pleasantry to Russ, Lainie returned to her side of the house. Shaw looked at Russ and saw his dark eyes brimming with questions.
“So that’s the woman whose husband fell.”
Shaw set his jaw. He didn’t want to discuss that day. “Yes.”
Russ whistled softly. “Interesting how the Lord works things out.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Putting this woman in your path again. Maybe He’s telling you it’s time to face a few things.”
Beaux slipped in through the doggie door and trotted to Russ’s side, wagging his tail at the rigorous rubbing he received.
Shaw ignored the comment and gathered up his tools. Russ was the only one who knew how the weight of Hollings’s death had affected Shaw. The guilt over the accident had sent him into a dark place. He’d left Beaumont Construction and moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and hired on with Russ’s company. When his behavior had started to affect his work, Russ had taken him under his wing, got him into church and helped him get his life back on track. Shaw had focused all his energy on mastering his craft, which had led to a job with Laura Durrant in Dover, a well-respected restorationist.
Russ examined the French door opening in the wall. “You used that to fill the hole?”
“Don’t have anything else. The boys used all my plywood during class last week.” He taught woodworking to some of the teens in town. Last week, they’d used the last of his plywood to make shelves for the church storage closet. He hadn’t had time to buy more.
Inside the cab of Russ’s truck, Shaw fastened his seat belt and stared straight ahead. “I had to tell her the library is behind schedule.”
“What for?”
He glanced at Russ. “Because she’s the new librarian.”
Russ exhaled a long slow whistle. “Not Miss Millie, huh?”
“Nope.”
“That’s not going to set well with some folks.”
“No kidding. I didn’t live here during her time, but even I know that Millie is the only person the town will accept to run the library.” Awarding the job to a stranger would cause a lot of hurt feelings and angry complaints.
“How’d she take it?”
“Not well. She’s depending on that job to support her kids.”
“That’s a shame.”
“Yeah. Another reason for her to hate me.”
“You sure having this woman stay with you is a good idea? I remember how you were after the accident. I’d hate to see you backslide after all this time.”
His friend meant well, but he didn’t understand. “I can’t turn her away. I owe her.”
“So you’re looking at this as some kind of atonement? It was an accident.”
“Was it?” Shaw faced the side window. Was it an accident, or had he been negligent? Only the Lord knew for sure. He had relived the events leading up to that moment a thousand times, but had never found an answer that satisfied him. He doubted he ever would.
* * *
Lainie tucked the covers around her girls then bent to kiss them good-night. They looked so small in the big iron bed. They were her whole life and the reason she’d gone back to school to get her degree in library science. More than anything, she wanted to give them a real home, a place with roots and tradition. Because of her father’s job, Lainie had grown up moving from one place to another, always the new kid with few friends and fewer ties. She wanted better for her girls, and Dover was the perfect place. Or so she’d believed until today.
“Mommy, I want to live in this castle forever.” Chrissy held up her glasses and Lainie laid them on the nightstand.
Natalie rolled her eyes. “It’s not a castle, silly. It’s only a house. We’re staying for a few days, then we’ll find us a house of our own.” She smoothed back Natalie’s hair, her heart swelling with love.
“But I like this house.” Natalie rolled onto her side. “Will our next house have trees in the yard?”
Chrissy sat up. “Can we get a dog? With polka spots like Beaux?”
“Polka dots. We’ll see.” Lainie gently pressed her youngest down into the covers. “Now go to sleep.”
Lainie laid the girls’ clothes on the window seat, taking a quick glance into the darkness. The moon was full, casting a stream of light across the wide yard and making the leaves sparkle. She had to agree with her girls. She liked the house, too. The window seat was cozy and inviting. She could imagine her daughters cuddled up reading or watching the rain. Despite its quirky appearance, there was a homey feel to the house. Too bad it belonged to Shaw McKinney.
Downstairs, Lainie set about cleaning up the kitchen, her emotions playing tug-of-war between gratitude to Shaw for a place to stay and irritation that she was indebted to the man who’d made her a widow. She tried to ignore the twinge of remorse that rose up. Shaw had done all he could to make them comfortable, including closing the hole in the wall to ensure their privacy. Though she’d had to tack an old curtain she’d found in the closet over the glass panes.
He’d thought of everything. Too bad he hadn’t done that five years ago.
The silence in the old house suddenly pressed in on her, unleashing the loneliness that always lurked in the recesses of her mind. She’d been a widow longer than she’d been a wife. She’d done the best she could the past five years, and the Lord had taken care of her and her sweet babies. He’d provided a home with her mother, then a home and a job with Mrs. Forsythe after Lainie’s mom had died. But there were times she ached for someone special in her life, someone to lift the load for a moment or two.
She’d known that feeling for a brief second today when Shaw had kept her from falling. Until she had remembered who was holding her and what he’d done. Determined to overcome her depressing thoughts, she walked into the living room and picked up the toys scattered in the rounded corner, which was now the new Princess Club. As she passed the sofa, she noticed the cell phone Shaw had bought for her resting on the end table.
As much as she hated to admit it, Shaw was not what she’d expected. Craig had complained that Shaw was an arrogant bully, who strutted around the job as if he was better than everyone else. But that wasn’t what she’d seen today. He’d returned from picking up his truck with enough food for a week and a cell phone for her. He’d convinced her to take it by pointing out she might need to call for help if he wasn’t around. He’d even programmed in his cell number along with other local emergency numbers she might need.
His thoughtfulness irked her no end. It was obviously being driven by guilt. Well, she had news for him. Offering a helping hand now wouldn’t erase his carelessness in the past. He might not be as arrogant as Craig had claimed, but that didn’t wipe out what had happened.
Her thumb slid over the small phone screen. Still, it felt good to have a connection to the world again. She didn’t feel quite so alone and cut off.
A gardenia-scented breeze stirred the aged curtains on the windows, beckoning her outside to enjoy the evening air. After the day she’d had, she could use a heavy dose of peace and quiet.
Stepping out onto the wide curved porch, she inhaled the heady fragrance of the elegant white blooms glowing in the m
oonlight. Lainie gripped the railing, allowing the sweet scent to soothe her frayed nerves and provide a new perspective on her situation. The day could have ended much differently. But the Lord had spared their lives, provided a place to stay and the means to restore her important information. The only glitch was the person sent to help them was Shaw—and the news her job wasn’t going to start as planned. There had to be a mistake or an alternative.
She wanted to trust in whatever plan the Lord was working, but she couldn’t see any reason for Shaw being the one to come to their rescue. Everything had been going so well, on time and on schedule. Now her life had been tossed in the air like confetti, the pieces scattered in all directions.
Turning toward the far end of the porch, she gasped when she saw a figure seated on the front steps. Shaw. He was stretched out along the top step, his back against the post, one knee bent and his arm resting on his leg.
“Why are you lurking there?”
“I’m not. You looked like you wanted some alone time. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“You should have spoken up when I came out then I could have—”
“Run back inside?”
She opened her mouth to deny it, then changed her mind. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking he had any influence over her. Shaw stood and ambled toward her, his boots thudding with solid force on the old boards. He was a hard man to ignore. At five feet six, she wasn’t considered petite, yet Shaw’s height and solid mass made her feel dainty. Irritated by her wayward observations, she crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin. He stopped a few feet away, but still close enough she could catch a whiff of sawdust. She’d always liked that smell. Quickly, she looked down at the cell phone in her hand.
“If you need to call someone, I’ll leave you alone.”
She shrugged, loneliness washing through her once more. “No one to call.”
“No friends or family?” His voice was low and gentle as he studied her.
“Nope. Just me and the girls.”
“I assumed when you left Baton Rouge you went back to your family.”
“I did. I went to live with my mother in Jackson, Tennessee. Chrissy was born there. After Mom passed, I went to work for her good friend, Mrs. Forsythe, in Memphis. Now I’m here.”
“I spoke to Mary Ogden this evening. The mayor’s wife. She told me he’ll be home around lunchtime on Monday. She said you should go by his office and speak to him about your job. She feels certain he’ll do what he can.”
She couldn’t see his eyes in the dim light, but she didn’t miss the conciliatory tone in his voice. He was still trying to make up in some way for the past. Something he could never do. “Can he get the library done by Thursday?” Shaw glanced away briefly, clearly stung by her question. She snuffed out the twinge of regret that surfaced.
“No. That’s all on me, but I promise I’ll get it done as quickly as possible. You can count on me.”
She started to remind him that she’d counted on him to keep her husband safe. But as distasteful as it was to rely on Shaw’s help, she couldn’t ignore the truth. If it weren’t for him, she and the girls might have been spending the next few days in a shelter, or living out of her car. He was doing all he could to help, even if his motivation stemmed from his own guilty conscience. She looked up at him and her gaze locked with his. The light had shifted and she could see the distress in his eyes. “I appreciate your help today. I don’t know what I would have done otherwise. I’d do anything for my girls.”
“Including taking help from me?”
Lainie squared her shoulders. “Yes.” The flash of pain that shot through his eyes surprised her.
She opened the door and stepped into her living room. Shutting the door, she inhaled a few deep breaths to ease the anxiety clogging her throat. For the time being, she had no choice but to accept help from Shaw. But as soon as she met with the mayor, she’d convince him to let her start work whether the library was done or not. And the moment she received her new cards, she would find a place for her family to live and put as much distance as possible between herself and Shaw.
But as she lay in bed that night, one image kept reappearing in her mind. The flash of deep pain that had filled Shaw’s eyes. Could the accident have affected him more than she’d thought? The notion disturbed her. If that were true, then her long-held assumptions about Shaw were wrong. And they couldn’t be wrong. She’d placed him in a nice little box. Labeled neatly and precisely. Irresponsible. Not to be trusted. Her world was neat and orderly, and if Shaw wasn’t the man she’d thought he was then that meant changing, and she didn’t like change.
Besides, his whole nice-guy routine was an act calculated to ease his guilt and redeem himself for the past. Well, she had news for him. No amount of help or phony concern could make up for his careless disregard for others.
Chapter Three
Shaw pressed the trigger on the nail gun, the kickback reverberating along his arm. The activity helped ease the knot in his chest, which had formed last night when Lainie had stepped onto the porch and stirred his emotions. Her presence was shattering the peaceful life he’d found and unearthing a past he’d fought hard to overcome.
Her thank-you had been frosty, but sincere nonetheless. Truthfully, he couldn’t blame her. He’d feel the same way if he were in her position.
A few more pops and the half-round molding was secured. He picked up the next section and placed it against the paneling, making sure the mitered corners fit snugly. This room was one of two with paneled walls that needed major restoration. He was anxious to complete replacing the wainscoting and trim boxes. Then he could let the painters match the new stain to the old, and he and Russ could get started putting up drywall on the second floor.
The back of his neck tingled and he glanced over his shoulder to see Russ eyeing him curiously. “You need something?”
“Nope. Just wondering why you’re here so early on a Saturday?”
“We’re behind. There’s a lot of work to do.”
“So it doesn’t have anything to do with your guests?”
“Why should it?”
“I thought maybe you were anxious to get out of the house. The lady isn’t happy to be staying with you.”
That was putting it mildly. “Can you blame her?”
“Maybe not. But you need to stop blaming yourself.” Russ strolled away.
Shaw pulled the trigger on the nail gun. Russ was never one for expounding on things. He stated his position and moved on, and he was probably right. Shaw should have paid for rooms at the Dixiana motel and gone on about his business. But he couldn’t. Lainie might never forgive him for the past, but he’d do all he could to make sure she and her daughters were taken care of until the library was done.
Job complete, Shaw shut off the compressor, questions from the past surfacing again as he headed out to his truck. Had he done all he could that day? Or had he shirked his duty because of petty resentments? He’d been a different man then. Not nearly as safety conscious as he was now, or as experienced in dealing with a crew. Over the years, he’d learned how to spot troublemakers, slackers and guys who thought swinging a hammer was a thrill. If he’d known then what he knew now, he’d never have agreed to train Hollings.
What would Lainie say if he told her the whole truth about her husband? Would she forgive him then? Doubtful. The truth would only tarnish her memory of him and make Shaw feel like a heel.
He wanted to make things right somehow. Last night, she’d stepped onto the porch into the moonlight and stolen the breath from his lungs. She was lovely, the kind of woman he’d always hoped to find. The one he could spend his life with. But she wasn’t for him and never would be.
Shaw tossed his hard hat into the truck bed then spread the blueprints on the tailgate. He flipped to th
e pages showing the lobby layout. He tried to focus on the lines and figures but found Lainie invading his thoughts again.
“Do all the doors have locks?” The panic in her eyes had wounded him. Did she distrust him that much? Or was she feeling vulnerable and scared in the aftermath of being robbed?
She was in a tough spot and he wasn’t sure how to help her. Technically, she wasn’t his problem. But how could he stand by and let her and her girls struggle? He was morally obligated to do whatever he could.
He stared at the blueprints, the web of tiny lines reminding him of his priorities. He needed to stop worrying about Lainie. His future depended on getting this library finished. If the building wasn’t completed, then their personal problems were immaterial.
A silver truck pulled to a stop near his and his cabinetmaker, Jeb West, got out. They’d run into a glitch and needed to find a way to reconfigure the reception desk.
Jeb hooked his hard hat under his arm as he joined Shaw. “Hey, boss. I have a few ideas on how to rework that counter.”
“Good. I don’t need any more complications.”
Jeb lowered his head a bit and peered over his glasses. “You okay? You’re looking a bit sour.”
Shaw frowned and grabbed up the blueprints. “You’d be sour, too, if you were weeks behind on a project.” And your biggest mistake was living in your house.
“Hey, is it true Miss Millie isn’t going to be the new librarian?”
“That’s right.” Word traveled faster than high-speed internet in Dover.
“Man, that’s hard to believe.”
The comment set Shaw’s teeth on edge. “Believe it. People will just have to get over it. Lainie is going to be a great librarian. They need to stop being so bullheaded and give her a chance.”
“Whoa. Don’t bite my head off. I’d just as soon have a new librarian. Millie was a scary old—” Jeb cleared his throat. “Me, I’m all in favor of the new gal. I hear she’s quite a looker, too.”
Shaw let his anger fade. He was being overly sensitive. He needed to remember that not everyone was opposed to Lainie. Just a few old-timers who thought they were protecting their friend. One of those rumors, however, was absolutely true. “I think there will be a lot of folks who’ll come to the library just to catch a glimpse of her.”
Love Inspired May 2015 #1 Page 42