by Leigh Bale
“That sounds good. I’ll come over tomorrow.”
“Fine, but keep in mind that I’m not always home. You should call first, to make sure Chrissy’s there. I’m coordinating some service projects for our church congregation. When Chrissy’s not in school, she tags along with me.”
He released a sigh of relief. “If I find her home, I’ll spend time with her. But it sounds like Charlie could use some help with his roofing project, too.”
“Yes, Dad won’t admit it, but he’s getting older. I’m afraid of him taking a bad tumble. I’m sure he could use your help, if you can spare the time. The shed’s in the back, so you’d be hidden if any reporters show up. Tomorrow I’ll be working at the front desk most of the day, but we’d appreciate it.”
“Then I’ll come over in the morning. And thanks.”
Thanks. He was saying that a lot lately. Maybe Charlie was right. Maybe Reese had changed.
“How about some lunch?” Charlie called from the cabin. “Chrissy and I made sandwiches for all of us.”
“That sounds great,” Reese called back.
In gentlemanly fashion, he waited for Katie to precede him up the path. Knowing he was behind her, she felt self-conscious, and her spine tingled. Forcing herself to walk in a steady stride, she told herself everything was going well. She’d finally told Reese that he was the father of her child. He’d accepted the news without causing a big scene, and he even wanted to get to know Chrissy better. And then what?
Katie had no idea what the future held. There were a zillion questions milling around inside her brain. Where had Reese been all these years? She assumed he wasn’t married or the national news would have mentioned his family. There would be time to ask him these questions later on. Since she’d graduated from high school, she’d learned to take things one day at a time. But now that Reese was back in her life, she figured she had better switch to taking things moment by moment.
* * *
Reese followed Katie into the cabin. Charlie was setting paper plates filled with sandwiches on the table. The air smelled sweet, like chocolate. Reese saw the cause. A plastic package of brownies sat open on the counter.
A noise came from the living area and Reese glanced to his left. Chrissy was crouched next to the wall, rifling through his duffel bag.
Katie gasped. “Christine Joy Ashmore! That doesn’t belong to you. Get out of it.”
She hurried over to her daughter, her face flushed with embarrassment. The little girl jerked around and dropped Reese’s shaving kit. It hit the wood floor with a thump.
Christine Joy Ashmore.
Reese couldn’t help noticing that Katie had given the girl her own last name. Not his. He shouldn’t be surprised. No one knew he was her father. But hearing Chrissy called by another surname caused something possessive to rise up inside Reese. Something he didn’t understand.
He looked at Katie. Really looked at her for the first time. All he saw was a beautiful, confident woman who was trying to do what was best for her child. And in that moment, he felt that familiar twinge of guilt that he hadn’t been here for her when she really needed him. But he also felt an edge of panic. He’d come here to be left alone. Then he planned to leave again. He had never wanted to be tied down. Not to an old high school friend and her cute little daughter.
Correction. Their daughter. He had to get used to that. He now had people depending on him. A responsibility to look after this little girl and her mother.
No, Katie didn’t need his help. She’d proved that she was capable on her own. He could leave anytime he wanted to, couldn’t he? Of course he could. Katie would take care of Chrissy. It wasn’t as if they were homeless and didn’t know where their next meal would come from. They were okay without him. So why did he get a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he thought of never seeing them again?
“I was just looking for something in Reese’s duffel bag,” Chrissy said.
The child stared at the floor, appearing rather dismal. Something softened inside Reese’s heart. He reminded himself that whether they knew each other or not, this wasn’t a stranger anymore. This was his daughter. His. And some hidden instinct caused him to walk over to the girl.
He bent to pick up things of his that Chrissy had strewn across the floor. A couple novels he’d been reading. Several pairs of clean socks and shirts, which had previously been folded in tidy piles. He didn’t know kids could be such a nuisance, but he wasn’t really bothered by Chrissy’s curiosity. He glanced at her bouncing, reddish-blond ponytail and guileless smile. It was difficult to be irritated by such a cute little girl.
His little girl.
“What were you looking for? Maybe I can help you find it.” Down on his haunches, he spoke in a gentle voice, highly conscious of Katie watching him closely from nearby.
His offer won an instant smile from Chrissy and she met his eyes. “I was looking for a compass. You’re a firefighter, so I know you must have one. Teacher said you can always find your true north with a compass.” Then her forehead furrowed in consternation. “What’s a true north?”
He reached into the duffel, rummaged around until he found what she was after, then held up a small leather case. He opened it as he spoke. “When you’re lost, your true north is how you find your way.”
He pulled out his compass, which he rested on his open palm. The shiny black needle slid smoothly into the northern position. Katie leaned over to see, too, and he caught her scent. Something delicate and tangy. Like citrus.
“See the arrow?” he asked, pointing at the device.
Chrissy nodded in awe, her eyes wide. “Yes.”
“Right now, it’s pointing due north. That’s what the N stands for. No matter where you are, it will always point north.” He handed the compass to the girl and she held it reverently with both hands.
“So, is that the direction I should go if I’m ever lost?” she asked.
He chuckled, amazed at her curiosity and intellect. Knowing she was his child, he felt a mixture of wonder and pride. “That depends. If you know that your destination is in the east, then you should head that way. But before you can find east, you have to know where true north is. Understand?”
He doubted that she did. The concept was pretty complicated for one so young.
“Ah.” Chrissy nodded. “So if I know which way is north, then I can figure out which way is east. Then I’ll know which way to go.”
Wow! He didn’t know any other six-year-olds, but he figured Chrissy’s acumen was exceptional. She’d grasped the concept of orienteering without a lot of explanation.
“That’s right,” he said, delighted by her achievement.
“Maybe we’ll have to get you your own compass,” Charlie suggested from the kitchen area.
“Yeah, then I can find my true north anytime I’m lost,” Chrissy said.
That gave Reese an idea. He thought of all the birthdays and Christmas gifts he’d missed with Chrissy. All the quiet moments when he might have taught her about things like orienteering. Maybe while he was in town, he could make up for lost time.
Chrissy smiled, her green eyes sparkling, and he felt enthralled. He hadn’t known about her, but Katie had given him a beautiful and amazing child. He didn’t deserve anything this wonderful, but he was beyond grateful. Because at this difficult time in his life, Chrissy was like a soothing salve to his tattered heart.
“Let’s eat before the sandwiches dry out,” Charlie urged.
Chrissy handed the compass back to Reese, sliding it carefully into his hands. She seemed to know that the instrument was expensive and should be handled with care.
As they walked to the table, pulled out the wooden chairs and sat in them, Reese stole surreptitious looks at Katie. Both she and Chrissy folded their arms and bowed their heads while Charlie said a quick blessing on their meal. Then Katie
placed apple slices on Chrissy’s plate.
“May I have a brownie, please?” the girl asked politely, turning to look at the counter.
“After you’ve eaten your sandwich and fruit.” Katie tapped her daughter’s plate.
Chrissy frowned. “Aw, do I have to?”
“Yes, bug.” Charlie laughed.
“Okay.” She smiled good-naturedly, swinging her legs back and forth as she picked up her ham-and-cheese sandwich and bit into the soft bread.
Katie reached over and brushed a long strand of hair back from the child’s cheek. In Katie’s eyes, Reese saw the blatant love and adoration of a mother. Watching them together, he couldn’t help thinking Katie was a good mom. But that didn’t mean they would ever be together. It was obvious that Katie disliked him. Now they had to do the best they could for Chrissy.
He bit into his own sandwich, feeling strangely calm with the happy chatter around him. He could almost forget the tragedy that had brought him here in the first place. He’d come home to be alone but now found himself surrounded by this family.
But Reese couldn’t stay. Sooner or later, he’d have to leave again.
Chapter Five
“I told you, Reese isn’t interested in giving anyone his story.” Katie gazed steadily at Tom Klarch, her editor from the Minoa Daily News.
He stood in the office at the motel, resting his forearms against the counter as he leaned toward her. It was late morning and she’d called to tell him she wouldn’t be into work today. She’d been stunned when he’d shown up here.
His beady eyes scoured her face, as though searching for the truth. “You went to school with him, Katie. He’ll talk to you.”
She doubted it. Reese had made his feelings on the topic clear. “It’s been a long time since high school. I barely know him now. He’s not interested in chatting about his hotshot crew.”
“A smart girl like you ought to be able to get him to tell you what happened,” Tom said.
She looked away, wishing he hadn’t arrived unexpectedly. She’d been working the reception counter and felt cornered. “I would never write his story without his permission,” she said.
“Then get his permission,” he insisted.
She glanced toward the open window. Sunlight streamed through the room, and a gentle breeze filtered through the screen door leading out to the parking lot. Katie released a quiet sigh, wishing she could slip outside and go for a long walk by herself. She’d been trying to think things through but so far hadn’t found any answers. Thankfully, Chrissy was at morning kindergarten. Charlie had gone to the hardware store, then would stop and pick her up on his way home.
“If you don’t want to write the story, I will. But I need the details,” the editor said.
“It’s not that, Tom. I’d love to write his story. But the guy is hurting.”
“So build some trust with him. Use your pretty face, if you have to, but get him to confide in you.”
She almost laughed. Her pretty face? Reese had never found her attractive. At least, not in high school. The only man to tell her she was pretty was her father, and that didn’t count. If the media discovered that Chrissy was Reese’s daughter, they’d park on her doorstep, hounding her for information and slathering embarrassing articles across the front page of every newspaper. Katie didn’t want to subject Chrissy to such a circus. Now that she’d told Reese the truth, she feared the news might spread. When she saw him again, she’d make a point of asking him not to tell anyone, at least not until the reporters left town.
“I won’t build a relationship with Reese just so I can get a story out of him,” she insisted.
“Why not?” Tom asked.
If he only knew.
She held out one hand. “Because it’s dishonest and sleazy. I can write the story, but I won’t let it be published unless Reese agrees.”
“If you wrote his story, we could get an exclusive that might get picked up nationally. It could mean big things for you and me. Maybe get both of us out of this little town,” Tom said.
Katie frowned. For years, she thought she would love to leave Minoa and go somewhere else, to build a real career in a big city. Now she loved Minoa. And what about Dad? He’d be all alone if she took Chrissy and left.
She stood up from the chair at the computer. Rounding the counter, she hoped to show Tom the door. Lifting her chin, she met his steady gaze. “Reese came to Minoa to escape the media. He’s not here, Tom. Can’t you leave him alone, at least until he’s not hurting so much?”
She didn’t know why she was defending Reese. Just like when the news reporters had clogged their parking lot, she felt protective of him. She told herself it was because she feared people might find out he was Chrissy’s father.
“That’s good! He’s hurting. You can really play on that emotion,” Tom said.
“Not without his permission,” she stated again.
At that precise moment, the subject of their conversation walked into the room. Reese stood there, a slight frown crinkling his handsome face, his wide shoulders filling the doorway. Katie hoped he hadn’t overheard her conversation with Tom.
The screen door clapped shut behind him. Katie stared with an open mouth and shifted her weight. He was early. She didn’t expect him until later.
In one hand, he held a small package wrapped in bright yellow paper that was decorated with pink bunny rabbits. An overly large white bow was perched on top. In his other hand, he held a bouquet of white daisies. The green tissue paper around the long stems crackled. While she tried to tell herself that she didn’t really care what Reese thought, she couldn’t help sympathizing with him for not wanting to talk about the fire. It irritated her that Tom wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Hi, there,” Reese said, the corners of his mouth lifting in an uncertain half smile. A smile that still had the power to turn her insides to mush. But that wasn’t going to sway her. He was Chrissy’s father, nothing more.
“Hello,” Katie said, wishing Reese hadn’t shown up just then. Not holding flowers and a gift, and not with Tom standing there gawking like a buzzard ready to swoop in for the kill.
The editor’s gaze centered on the bouquet and he tossed a knowing look in Katie’s direction. A slow, conniving smile curved his thick lips. No doubt he thought Reese was interested in her and she could wheedle a story out of him. But Katie couldn’t. She didn’t want to get close enough to Reese for him to reveal his feelings to her. Nor did she want the media hounding her because they thought she and Reese were close. She also didn’t want Tom to think she’d just lied to him about Reese’s whereabouts. Why couldn’t people leave them alone? And why did she even care?
An uncomfortable silence filled the room and Reese glanced from her to Tom. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked, his forehead creased with doubt.
“No, of course not,” Katie said, a bit too quickly.
“You’re Reese Hartnett, aren’t you?” Thrusting out his hand, Tom brushed her aside.
A glimmer of distrust crossed Reese’s face as he tentatively shook hands with the man. “Who are you?”
“Tom Klarch. I own the Minoa Daily News. Katie’s my star reporter.” His boisterous voice filled the office.
Reese glanced at Katie, his eyes wary. She almost laughed at being called a star reporter. For two years, she’d been submitting a variety of exciting articles for Tom to publish. Topics included governmental budget oversight, a terror threat in Reno, drugs and violence in the local high school. Time after time, Tom rejected every story and told her she was still too inexperienced. He’d assigned her to the obituaries and recipe column instead. Mundane issues she couldn’t care less about. Then articles similar to the ones she had submitted would soon appear in the paper. A word or two had been changed, but it was obvious that Tom had stolen her entire story. Because she wanted to keep her job, she
hadn’t objected to the plagiarism. But she had almost given up hope of ever seeing her work taken seriously.
Reese’s spine stiffened and he drew back ever so slightly, his eyes filled with suspicion. She hated for him to think that she had invited Tom here. That he might believe she’d conspired with the editor to get Reese’s story.
“I’d like to interview you,” Tom continued.
Reese was shaking his head even before Tom finished his sentence. “Sorry, I’m not interested.”
“How about if we talk off the record?” Tom pressed.
A deep scowl creased Reese’s forehead and his eyes narrowed. “I have nothing to say to you off the record, on the record or anything in between.”
Tom laughed. “Surely you know the press is going to write about you no matter what. You’re the man that survived. It’s big news. People care that your entire crew died. This is your chance to tell your side. You can help me get it down right.”
Reese’s jaw hardened as anger flashed in his eyes. “I said no.”
“You sure? I’d be willing to pay you. I’m certain we could come to some lucrative agreement. I’d make it worth your while.” Tom’s voice sounded coaxing and pushy.
Backing toward the door, Reese shook his head. He looked desperate to flee. To be anywhere but here.
The editor reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. When Reese didn’t take it, Tom slid it into the front pocket of Reese’s short-sleeved shirt. “If you change your mind, give me a call. Or talk to Katie. She could write a fair story for you.”
Again, Reese didn’t reply. He just stood there, his eyes chips of ice, his face hard as granite.
Finally, Tom took the hint. “Well, I better get back to the office. Think about it.” He tossed an expectant look at Katie. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nodded, dreading it. No job was worth the price of her integrity. She bit her tongue to keep from saying what she really thought. More than once, Tom’s aggressive behavior had been a big turnoff for her. She’d put up with his badgering for two years because she wanted a career outside her work at the motel. In this small town, her job choices were seriously limited. But more and more, Tom’s shady manners were getting on her nerves.