North Country Dad (Northern Lights #4)

by Lois Richer

  “There’s no secret, Arlen.” Grant leaned back and studied the boy. “If you want money, you get a job. If you want fame, you do something notable. If you want power, you become a leader.”

  “Who gets rich from working a job?” Arlen sneered.

  “Lots of people. They work, they save and they accumulate. Is money your goal, Arlen?”

  “It’s everybody’s goal.” Arlen stretched his legs out and leaned back in his chair.

  “Actually, it isn’t,” a voice from behind Grant said.

  Grant turned, surprised by the thrill he felt at the sight of Dahlia.

  “Lots of people with money are very unhappy.” Dahlia offered Grant an apologetic smile. “Sorry to interrupt.”

  The twins rushed to Dahlia, calling her name with glee. She hugged both of them, smoothed their hair and asked about the pictures they were creating.

  “Hi, guys,” she said to the boys. They all responded but one. “Hello, Arlen.” She looked directly at the sullen boy. He ignored her. “I should have phoned first,” Dahlia said, her gaze moving to Laurel. “I didn’t realize you were having a session this evening.”

  “We’re just talking.” Laurel held up the coffeepot. “Want some?”

  “No, thanks.” Dahlia turned to Grant. “May I take the twins outside to play while you finish your discussion?”

  “Sure.” Grant noticed how ecstatic the twins were to be with Dahlia, how eagerly they followed her from the room. Was he giving them enough attention?

  He waited for Dahlia to escort the girls outside before he steered the conversation back to money. The boys initiated a good discussion about the role of money in their lives, but Grant found he was distracted by the woman playing with the twins outside the big kitchen window.

  After half an hour, Grant knew it was time to shut down the group session. He wasn’t doing his best listening and the boys were tiring. He ended on a thinking point and after scribbling a couple of notes, Grant gathered his and the twins’ belongings and said goodbye. When he stepped outside, squeals of laughter greeted him.

  “You’re it.” Dahlia tapped him on the shoulder then raced away.

  Grant stood in the twilight, a memory weighing him down. Games were not something his father had permitted. In fact, he’d downright disapproved of them. The one time Grant had tried to join a school football league, he’d been severely punished.

  Keep your mind on your work, boy. You won’t live here free forever.

  Even now, the injustice of it burned inside. All through his childhood he’d slaved to keep the house clean and the yard tidy. He’d even learned to cook simple meals, which his father couldn’t bother with once he’d gotten a bottle in his hand.

  “Is something wrong?” Dahlia stood beside him, her face lifted as she searched his gaze.

  Those eyes saw too much. He couldn’t bear for her to glimpse that lost part of him that had never quite recovered from his father’s brutality. He shook his head then touched her arm.

  “You’re it,” he said.

  Though Dahlia smiled, her hazel eyes didn’t have their usual twinkle. They locked on to his and held as a fizzle of current zipped between them, freezing him in place.

  “Would you like to go for a coffee?” she asked.

  Grant was surprised by how much he wanted to say yes. But the twins danced at his side. “I should get them home to bed,” he said.

  “May I help?” The sparkle flashed back into her eyes.

  “You want to help with bath time? You’ll get soaked,” he warned.

  “It’s happened before. I didn’t melt.” Dahlia teased. “As long as you don’t mind sharing them for a while.”

  Mind? He was delighted. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  It turned out Dahlia had ridden her bicycle over to Lives, so Grant loaded it into his trunk. Then they headed home with the twins chattering all the way.

  “I’m hungry,” Glory announced to Dahlia. “We had beans for supper. They were yucky. Daddy forgot mommy’s special spices.”

  “He burned my toast, too,” Grace added with a baleful look. “Can I have not-burned toast before we go to bed?”

  “We’ll see,” Grant said so that Dahlia wouldn’t have to say anything. It was his favorite expression because he never actually had to promise anything. He didn’t make promises anymore, not after promising Eva he’d raise her girls the way she wanted. Look how that was turning out.

  “I’m not the world’s greatest cook.” Dahlia tossed Grant a smile. “But I can manage not-burned toast.”

  “Easy to say,” he warned. “Just wait until you have helpers.”

  Dahlia laughed as if it was the best challenge he could have given her.

  When they reached his house and she bounded out of the car, ready to face her test, Grant had two conflicting thoughts in his mind.

  He liked this dynamic woman—a lot. And he’d be doing her a favor if he kept his distance.

  *

  Dahlia wasn’t sure what she’d expected Grant’s home to look like, but it wasn’t this. An old sofa and a matching chair covered in a pretty chintz pattern framed a large coffee table, the perfect size for two little girls to sit at and color. In the corner a tidy desk nestled under the window. There was no dust and no mess, yet the room had a lived-in feel, as if people enjoyed each other here.

  She allowed herself to be pulled through the house as the girls chattered about their first day at school. It was while Grace and Glory were showing her their room that Dahlia noticed how few clothes they had in their wardrobe. None of them looked warm enough for the cold northern winter that would soon arrive.

  After a lively bath time, Dahlia made the girls cinnamon-sugar toast, which they devoured. Then she supervised toothbrushing, read them a story and tucked them into bed, conscious of Grant standing by, watching. As she was about to leave the room, she noticed that Grant seemed tense.

  “Good night, girls,” he said, his voice hesitant.

  “Kisses first, Daddy,” Glory reminded.

  He dutifully bent so that each girl could embrace him, and waited patiently as they plastered kisses across his cheek. But when Grace tipped up her face for his return kiss, Dahlia’s heart squeezed.

  A look of pure panic spread across Grant’s face. He hurriedly brushed his lips against Grace’s cheek, and a second later, did the same with Glory. Then he quickly drew away.

  A moment later, his composed mask was back in place. But Dahlia had seen the truth.

  Grant Adams was scared of his daughters.

  She couldn’t think of a thing to say as they moved back into the living room. Grant made tea and poured it, carrying her cup to where she sat in the easy chair. After the silence stretched out too long, he tilted his head and studied her in a quizzical way.

  “Why did you choose a hardware store?”

  It was exactly the right thing to break the tension that had fallen between them. Dahlia burst out laughing.

  “I’m serious. It’s not at all what I’d have guessed you’d do,” he said.

  “It’s not that far from architecture,” she mused. “Once I drew plans to build things, now I sell goods to make plans come alive.”

  “But don’t you miss the creative part of being an architect?”

  “Not really,” she said, only then realizing it was true. “I like the problem-solving aspect of running a hardware store.” She looked directly at him. “Besides, I couldn’t stay in the family firm anymore.”

  Dahlia knew he was waiting for an explanation, but she wasn’t sure how much to tell him.

  “You don’t have to talk about it if it’s painful,” he assured her.

  “It is quite painful.” Dahlia cleared her throat, sipped her tea then began. “I trained as an architect because my parents expected me to join their architectural firm. They told me that since Damon was gone, I’d take over.”

  “You didn’t want that?”

  “I did, more than anything.” She heard the
fervency in her own voice and smiled sadly. “I had a lot of dreams for the company. My fiancé, Charles, and I used to talk about the things we’d change, how we’d grow the business.” She looked down into her tea. “I had no idea my parents thought I was incompetent.”

  “But—” Grant raised an eyebrow.

  “They wanted Charles as CEO. I would be a figurehead, to carry on the family name.” The sting of it was as sharp as it had been four years ago. “I graduated top of my class, well ahead of Charles. I could have taken a fellowship with a prestigious Montréal firm. Instead I went home, because they ‘needed’ me.”

  Dahlia couldn’t disguise the bitterness that shone through her words.

  “Why would they do that?” Grant asked.

  “Because I was too weak, or so they thought.” Dahlia saw confusion on his face and decided to tell him the whole story. “I had cancer as a child. Despite the fact that I got better, my parents always considered me sickly. Fragile. The doctors said I was cured, but my parents never heard that. My entire childhood, they were always on the watch, protecting me from myself.” She exhaled. “Thank goodness for my Granny Beverly.”

  Grant sat silently watching her, waiting. That’s what made him good at his job, Dahlia decided. He didn’t have to say a word because you could feel his interest in you.

  “Granny Bev was a dragon. She suffered terribly from arthritis, but she came to see me every single day when I was in the hospital. And she always spoke the same message. ‘You are strong, Dally. You can beat this. You can do whatever you put your mind to.’”

  “Good ally to have,” he murmured.

  “The best.” Dahlia swallowed the lump in her throat. “Because of her, I beat cancer and finished school on the honor roll, though I’d missed more than half the year. Because of Granny Bev, I ignored my parents’ comments about being too delicate for gymnastics, too.” She smiled. “I actually teach it now, twice a week. You should enroll the girls.”

  “Maybe I will,” he said.

  “I’m a pretty good teacher.” Dahlia knew she sounded proud and she didn’t care. It had been a long, hard road to silence those negative voices that had dragged her down, and she’d succeeded.

  Almost.

  “Tell me the rest of the story,” Grant prodded.

  “I fell in love with Charles at university. He said he loved me, gave me an engagement ring. I thought my life was on track.” She made herself continue though she’d begun to wish she hadn’t started this. Revealing personal details was not her usual style and defending herself even less so. “We both interned at my parents’ firm. They loved Charles. They offered him a job when we finished school.”

  “Was he supportive of you?” Grant asked.

  “At school, yes. And at first he was a great partner at work.” She paused.

  “And then?” Grant nudged.

  “Then things began to change.” The understanding in his eyes encouraged her to continue. “Meetings were changed without notifying me. My parents took me off three large commercial projects I’d brought in and gave them to Charles although his specialty had always been residential.”

  “You complained?”

  “Vehemently. They said they were worried about my health. Charles didn’t want me to be run-down for the wedding. To prove them all wrong, I went out and found three more major clients.” She smiled wryly. “Didn’t do me any good. I caught the flu, which turned into pneumonia. I was out of the office for a week. By the time I came back to work, Charles was acting CEO. I had been given the title of assistant.”

  Grant whistled. Dahlia nodded.

  “My parents’ explanation was that in two months they would turn the company public so they could retire and travel. They felt Charles was a natural for CEO, but he needed time to prove himself before a new board came in. I was to be the company spokesperson and find new clients, because I was so good at it,” she mocked. “I’d be a figurehead, but Charles was the boss.”

  “What did Charles do?”

  “Charles pretended it was all a big surprise, that he hadn’t put in a word here and there to make my parents doubt my ability. He’d always promised we’d run the company together, but from the first day I knew who was in charge and it wasn’t me.” She forced a smile. “He said to think of it as a merger that would be cemented when we married. Later I could stay at home and ‘look after myself’ while he ran things.”

  Grant tented his fingers under his chin but said nothing. Dahlia continued.

  “It took just two weeks before my office was moved off the main floor and I lost all my clients. Charles said he was reorganizing, but I got organized right out. My parents wouldn’t listen to me. In Charles they’d found the son they’d lost.”

  “So what did you do?” Grant asked.

  “The day the company went public I bought as many shares as I could—enough to get me into the general meeting. The board suggested Charles as CEO. I publicly refused to support him and stated why. A vote was called. Granny Bev, who had also bought shares, voted with me. Charles lost.”

  “And your parents?”

  “They were furious. I told them how disappointed I was that they’d treated me so poorly.” She exhaled, brushed away a tear and continued. “I told them that I’d prove I am strong enough to build my life and that until they were ready to acknowledge me as a fully capable adult, I didn’t want to see them again.”

  “And you haven’t?” he asked when she paused.

  “Granny Bev had a stroke the next day. I stayed with her until she died. As soon as her funeral was over, I left. I’ve never gone back.” Dahlia had to stop for a moment. “Before she died, Granny Bev said to me, ‘You are the strongest person I know. Live your life your way, Dally.’ So that’s what I’m doing.”

  He nodded, his eyes on her, watching, waiting.

  “She left me her stock in my parents’ company. I sold my stock to buy my store here. I’ve never regretted that,” Dahlia added.

  “And Charles?”

  “I’ve regretted him many times, but I never heard from him again, which is just as well,” she told him.

  “So now you’re determined to live by your grandmother’s words,” he mused. “You’re proving you’re smart and strong and capable.”

  “Yes.” She frowned at him, hearing something underlying his words. “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing at all. I’m just wondering if it’s enough for you.”

  “What do you mean?” Dahlia found herself irritated by his words.

  “I’ve seen you with the twins. I’ve listened to you talk about Arlen. You have a heart for kids. You love people. You need people.” Grant paused, then quietly said, “Shutting out love because one man hurt you won’t heal your heart.”

  “I have lots of love in my life,” she replied defensively. “I have good friends. We support each other. And one day maybe I’ll have a child, too. Perhaps Arlen.”

  “Will that prove your strength?” he asked quietly. “Will he be enough to heal the pain Charles and your parents caused?”

  Dahlia stared at Grant. Images of the fairy-tale dream from her youth, one she’d never shared with anyone but Damon, played through her mind. A family, motherhood. A husband, laughter, love…

  “I don’t know what it will prove,” Dahlia whispered. “I only know I can’t give up everything I’ve worked for. I need to prove myself.”

  Grant didn’t say anything for a long time. Tension stretched between them like a taut wire and finally, when Dahlia could stand it no more, she rose.

  “I should go home. Thanks for sharing the twins’ bath time with me. It was fun.”

  “Not a word I would have used to describe it, but you’re welcome.” He smiled as he escorted her to the door.

  She started to say good-night, but instead, she asked, “After all I told you, aren’t you going to say anything?”

  “I’m not a judge, Dahlia. You have a right to live your life any way you want. I wonder thou
gh—” He paused, not taking his eyes off her.

  “Yes?” Dahlia shifted under that stare.

  “I wonder if you realize you just described love as making you vulnerable and weak.”

  Dahlia felt as if he’d somehow seen right into her heart. Without addressing his comment, she simply said good-night, took her bike from the driveway and rode away, aware that he stood there watching until she turned the corner. Her thoughts were on Grant and what he’d said.

  She was embarrassed by how much she’d shared with him, but more than that, she was floored by his observation. Did she really see love as making her weak and vulnerable? She’d certainly been made to feel that way by her parents and Charles.

  Then Dahlia wondered if Grant said that to her because he felt the same way.

  She remembered the petrified look on his face when the girls were saying good-night to him and decided that whether he knew it or not, she wasn’t the only one who needed help untangling feelings about love.

  Perhaps they could actually help each other. Dahlia could offer him assistance with the twins, and he could help her get through to Arlen. Perhaps they could help each other get closer to love.

  The question was, was it safe for her to spend time with a man who made her heart beat a little faster simply by studying her with those gray eyes that seemed to look right into her heart?

  There was only one way to find out.

  Chapter Four

  “I guess I don’t understand what Grant’s doing,” Dahlia admitted to Laurel. She glanced around Common Grounds, the local coffee hangout, relieved it was almost empty. She didn’t want anyone to overhear. “He never says very much to them.”

  “Grant explained to me that he’s trying to gain the boys’ trust first, by listening,” Laurel said. “It only seems like he’s not doing anything.”

  “I didn’t mean that.” Dahlia shook her head. “I’m sure he knows exactly what he’s doing with the boys. It’s his daughters I’m referring to.”

  “The twins?” Her friend shook her head, her confusion evident. “Grant seems like a very conscientious father.”

  “He is. That isn’t what I meant, either. It’s just—” Dahlia sighed. Laurel was looking at her quizzically. “Don’t you think he seems rather standoffish with the girls?”