by Lois Richer
“I enjoyed it.” He grinned. “And my freezer’s stocked up, too.”
“Don’t pretend you can’t cook,” she chided. “Glory told me all about that casserole you made. It sounded delicious.”
“I can cook some things. What I haven’t been able to master are Eva’s recipes. They never turn out edible.”
“Then don’t make them anymore.” She tilted her head to one side.
“But she was adamant the twins eat healthy food,” he argued.
“There are lots of healthy recipes on the internet. Check them out.” Her suggestion made him feel foolish.
“I know, but—” He sighed. “Eva had a system. I’m trying to honor that.”
“Grant.” Dahlia almost touched his arm but then quickly drew her hand back, leaving Grant to wonder what had stopped her. “You’re striving to be both mom and dad to your kids,” she continued. “That has to be frustrating. Besides, I doubt you have the time to master her system.”
“No,” he admitted ruefully. “I don’t. But it was important to her.”
“More important than the twins themselves?”
He hadn’t thought of it that way. Still, guilt rose.
“But Eva would want—”
“—you to do your very best for her girls,” Dahlia finished. “Wouldn’t she?”
Grant slowly nodded.
“Stop beating yourself up. Eva wouldn’t have wanted you to feel guilty for doing things differently,” Dahlia insisted. “In fact, I’m sure she expected you would.”
Eva hadn’t been perfect and neither was he. She’d understand. A sense of relief washed through him thanks to the delicate-looking but tough woman in front of him. “You’ve made me see things from a new perspective. I appreciate that,” Grant said. “So will you consider helping me, Dahlia?”
“Find a wife?” She studied him. “I have to pray about it, and you should, too.”
“I will,” he promised.
“Bring the girls to my gymnastics class. If you want to meet women that’s a good place to go.”
“I didn’t exactly say I wanted to—” He loved it when she teased him.
He said good-night when she left, locked the door, cleaned up their tea things and then sat down to mull over the evening. A glow of hope flickered inside. Maybe soon he’d have someone to help with the twins.
Dahlia had told him to pray about it so Grant bowed his head and began to pray. But the funny thing was, whenever he tried to visualize a new mom for Glory and Grace, it was Dahlia’s face he saw.
Chapter Seven
Dahlia adored her gymnastics students.
Full of hope and potential, they were willing to push themselves to achieve, and they were an inspiration to Dahlia. They also seemed to be inspiring Grace and Glory, who were having a great time.
Having not seen Grant for a week, Dahlia had felt a bump of satisfaction when he’d walked through the doors with Glory and Grace. She’d tried to ignore the question that buzzed in her head. Was Grant here to meet a woman?
“I’ll have to spend some time showing our two newbies and their dad the ropes,” she told Rod, whom she’d hired as an assistant. “Can you keep the others busy running through their paces?”
“Sure.” He immediately called the group to order and began the opening routine.
“Hi. Glad you came,” Dahlia said, smiling at Grant after she’d hugged the twins.
“Thanks. So, I guess I come back in an hour?” He met her gaze.
“What? No!” She laughed. “Parents are required to stay and pitch in.”
Grant glanced at the girls, then back at her. “Pitch in?”
“Yes.” She raised one eyebrow. “Is that an issue?”
It seemed eons passed before he responded.
“It’s fine.”
“Great.” Dahlia chuckled at the pained look on his face. “You can put your jackets over there if you like.” Then she directed them to the beginner group. “Okay, folks, let’s finish stretching.”
Dahlia led everyone through the opening routine sequences, proud of the kids as they moved easily from station to station. She asked parents to stay partly to give those who were employed away from Churchill precious sharing moments with their kids.
Grant and the twins mimicked everyone else as they learned the routines. By break time, everyone was smiling, including Grant.
“Is everything okay?” she asked him. He nodded. She turned to the girls. “Are you having fun?” Their grins said it all. “There’s coffee over there for your dad and juice boxes for you. The cookies are for everyone.”
“Cookies?” The twins’ expressive eyes begged Grant for permission. He nodded and they dashed away. He and Dahlia followed.
“I’ve been meaning to call you about the track,” she said hopefully. “I have some time Saturday afternoon, after four. Would you be available to help?”
“That’s good for me.” He accepted the coffee she handed him. “What needs doing?”
“Weeding. But that should go quickly since Laurel’s bringing the boys.”
“Then what?” Grant asked.
“I’ve received a prefab hut, which I thought could be a starting point for the go-karts. It needs to be assembled.” She saw his doubt. “It’s not hard, but it takes several people.”
Grant agreed, but Dahlia noticed that his attention was on a woman in a red shirt chatting with Grace.
“That’s Enid Thompson,” Dahlia offered. “She’s a teacher. Her son, Ben, is the blond boy who’s bouncing all over the place.” Dahlia studied Grant. “Have you met her?”
“No,” he said.
“She’s single. Her husband divorced her and left Churchill just after Ben was born. She teaches fourth grade.”
“Single, huh?” Grant sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
“Would you like me to introduce you?” A twinge of jealousy caught Dahlia off guard. She suppressed her dislike at the thought of Grant being interested in Enid. But he was looking for a mother for the twins, and Enid had experience with motherhood. “Enid,” she called. “I’d like you to meet someone.”
Enid was smiling at something Glory had said when she looked up. Dahlia had never thought about Enid’s looks before, but at that moment, Dahlia realized Enid was lovely.
“This is Grant Adams. Those are his twin daughters you’ve been talking to.”
“Hello,” Enid said a bit shyly.
Dahlia forced herself not to stare as Grant suddenly became gregarious and talkative—a total metamorphosis. She excused herself and went to help Rod rearrange the room.
“I’ve never seen Grant smile so much,” Rod commented.
“Nor Enid. Since her husband left, she’s opted out of a lot of things in the community. She always uses Ben as an excuse.” Dahlia blinked when Grant’s smile widened. “I should invite them both for dinner so they can get to know each other better.”
“I thought Grant was your…friend,” Rod said.
“He is. I am. I mean, we’re just friends,” Dahlia told him then faltered to a stop, realizing how flustered she sounded when Rod lifted an eyebrow. “I mean, Grant needs someone in his life.” The more she insisted, the more misgiving bubbled inside her.
She wasn’t interested in him, so why shouldn’t he look for a wife elsewhere?
Perhaps because she was interested in him.
Dahlia pushed the thought away and went to organize the groups for tumbling, trampoline and parallel bars. As usual, Dahlia lost herself in teaching the moves she’d adored as a child. At the end of class, she went over to talk to Enid.
“I wonder if you and Ben would like to come for dinner tomorrow night?” she asked Enid as they stored equipment.
Enid looked slightly surprised. “That’s kind of you, Dahlia. We’d love to come. Can I bring anything?”
They discussed the menu for a few minutes; then Enid went to collect Ben. Dahlia walked over to Grant, who was helping the twins with their jackets.
�
��Would you three like to come over for dinner tomorrow night?” she asked. The twins bounced with excitement, making her smile.
“We’d love to share dinner with you. Could I contribute something?” He gave her a droll smile. “Pickles, perhaps?”
“Pickles would be great. And bring an appetite. See you then.”
“Dahlia,” he said before she could walk away. She stopped. “Thanks for helping me tonight. Meeting people, getting involved—it just seems to take so much extra effort for me. But you’ve shown me that it’s worth it,” he said with a smile. “I had a great time tonight.”
Dahlia’s heart seemed to skip a beat. “Good. And you’re welcome.” She struggled to ignore her response to that smile.
“We’d better go. See you tomorrow.” After Glory and Grace hugged her, he ushered them out.
Dahlia watched as he gave Enid a wave.
Maybe she should have talked to Laurel before she set this plan in motion.
As she walked home alone, Dahlia planned the menu for her guests. But no matter how she tried to take her mind off Grant, she couldn’t seem to do it. Grant was helping her with the go-karts, she reminded herself. Helping him find the girls a mom was the least she could do to repay him.
After all, it didn’t matter if she found Grant attractive, or kind, or anything else. She didn’t want the kind of marriage he was offering.
So why did she now regret having introduced him to Enid?
*
Dahlia had clearly gone to a lot of work for what Grant had thought would be a simple dinner. He noticed the extra place settings.
“I hope you won’t mind,” Dahlia said as she hung their jackets in the closet. “I invited Kurt—a friend of mine—and Enid to join us.”
“Another friend who needs a love life?” he teased.
“Kurt?” She chuckled as she shook her head. “Kurt’s already happily married. His wife, Trina, is a nurse practitioner. She flies out to Arviat in Nunavut two or three times a week. Kurt hates to cook.”
“So you have him over for dinner.” She nodded and Grant thought, typical Dahlia. She gave a lot to her friends.
She asked the twins if they wanted to help her make a salad. Amid their jubilant responses, Dahlia invited Grant to have a seat and relax.
“I’d rather help you and the twins,” he said. “I could cut the pickles if you like.”
“You actually brought pickles?” She chuckled when he retrieved the big jar he’d set on the floor near the door. “Then you have yourself a job.”
As Grant worked, he couldn’t help marveling at the sense of camaraderie he felt working with Dahlia. Everything seemed fun. The twins, who’d whined earlier about leaving their dolls behind, now giggled as they chopped mushrooms with plastic knives.
“I invited Enid to join us because I noticed you two seemed to hit it off last night. Is that okay…or will it make things awkward?” she asked.
Grant looked at her. The hesitation in her voice seemed out of character.
“Sometimes it’s easier to talk and get to know people in a homey situation,” she added. A pink flush tinged her cheeks, adding to her beauty. Her upswept hair and a hint of makeup emphasized her hazel eyes.
In that moment, Grant was surprised to discover that he thought Dahlia was gorgeous. He was so startled, he started to backpedal immediately.
“I guess that’s true, though it wasn’t hard to talk to Enid,” he said nonchalantly. “She seems very friendly.”
“She’s a lovely person. A little reserved, perhaps. She doesn’t trust anyone easily.”
“With her history, you can’t blame her for not being interested in starting another relationship,” Grant agreed.
“She told you she’s not interested?” Dahlia asked, sounding shocked.
“Yes. Actually, I think that’s why it was so easy to relax with her.” Dahlia gave him a look he didn’t understand. He mused on it as he took the knife from Glory before she could crush the life out of an innocent tomato.
“Good job, Glory,” Dahlia said. She scooped the tomatoes into the salad as the doorbell rang. “That must be the others.”
Enid, Ben and a tall, lean man Dahlia introduced as Kurt joined them.
“Everything is ready,” Dahlia said once she’d stored their jackets. “Why don’t we sit at the table?”
She asked Kurt to say grace. His low tones vibrated with reverence as he asked a blessing on the food. Then Dahlia filled everyone’s glasses with punch.
“So you’re helping Dahlia with the go-karts,” Kurt said to Grant. “That’s great. I’ve been out over the track a couple of times, checking it out. I was an engineer before I retired.” When Dahlia returned to the kitchen, he confided, “I’m a bit worried about that track.”
“Why?” Grant kept his own voice low.
“I think it’s going to take more money than Dahlia’s budgeted,” Kurt murmured. “I’ll explain later. Great salad,” he said as Dahlia returned to the table. “Some loving hands chopped those mushrooms.”
“Grace and I did that.” Glory held up her hands. “Daddy, do we have loving hands?”
Grant hesitated, uncertain how to answer.
“Hands that do things for others are always loving hands,” Kurt told them with a wink.
Dahlia skillfully drew Enid and Ben into the conversation and kept everyone laughing with stories about some of her customers’ requests. By the time she served dessert, Grant felt totally comfortable with Kurt.
“I’m sorry to hurry away,” Enid said half an hour later. “I’ve a lot of papers to grade. But it’s been so lovely, Dahlia. Thank you.”
“Thank you for bringing the squash. I’m going to need your recipe.” Dahlia waved them out, smiling at Ben’s sudden shyness when the twins hugged him. “Coffee?” she asked as the twins returned to a game they’d begun.
“Love to, but I can’t. I’ve got a web consult in twenty minutes,” Kurt said, rising. “I might be formally retired, but I still work the odd private engineering job. Difference is, I choose which jobs.” He enveloped Dahlia in a bear hug. “Thank you, sweet one. I loved it. Trina will be relieved I didn’t touch the stove.”
Grant watched Kurt give the giggling twins the same bear hug he’d lavished on Dahlia.
“Call me Uncle Kurt,” he ordered. “One of these days I’m going to take you fishing, if your dad agrees.”
The twins squealed with delight as he set them down. Kurt held out a hand.
“Nice to meet you, Grant.”
“Likewise,” he said, holding Kurt’s gaze. “What we were talking about earlier—I had a couple of questions. Can you do coffee tomorrow at three? I promised Dahlia I’d help her with the track at four.”
“Sounds good.” Kurt left.
“Well, you two sure hit it off.” Dahlia said, smiling when he moved to help her clear the table.
“He’s great. I’m glad you introduced us.” The truth was Grant could hardly wait to hear Kurt’s opinion on the track. If there were issues, he wanted Dahlia to know about them before she went any further with her project.
“Sorry my plan with Enid didn’t quite work out the way I’d hoped.”
“It was nice of you to try.” Without thinking, Grant reached out and touched her hand before she could grasp another dish.
The green of her eyes seemed to darken to match the emerald tone of the sheath she wore. “I’ll think of someone else. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” She looked at him for a moment longer, then withdrew her hand when the twins called out for her to join their game.
“Go and play with them,” he urged. “Let me clean this up.” When she hesitated, he said, “They’ve been looking forward to playing with you all day.”
She finally agreed. When he checked a few minutes later, Dahlia was sitting on the floor in her lovely dress, smiling from ear to ear as she played chutes and ladders, completely unaware that the twins had stuck a clown
face on her back. Tiny auburn wisps framed her face in curls, one of which slipped down her cheek to rest against her slim white neck.
How lovely she was. How absolutely perfect she’d be as a mom.
As a mom—that was all he wanted from her, wasn’t it?
Confused by his thoughts of his lovely hostess, Grant sighed and returned to loading the dishwasher. He had a hunch that whomever Dahlia found for him was not going to measure up to Dahlia herself.
*
The following day Grant shifted in the booth at Common Grounds, the local café.
“So tell me your concerns,” he said, impatient to hear Kurt’s opinion.
Kurt leaned back. “From what I’ve heard,” Kurt said, “Dahlia was told that fixing old tires along the edge of the old road will suffice. It won’t. The shoulders are crumbling and badly weathered. The whole thing needs to be resurfaced, but that won’t happen.”
“Why not?” Grant asked, his stomach dropping.
“Paving equipment and crews are in short supply here because it’s so expensive to bring everything by rail. Cement is out because the cost would be astronomical to remove the old surface.”
Grant’s heart sank at his words.
“I don’t think she can afford to do major repairs, but without doing that preliminary work, there isn’t much point in doing anything else.” Kurt tented his fingers. “There’s got to be a way to find some money. Dahlia’s project is too worthwhile to give up.”
“That means fundraising?” Grant frowned. “Is that possible?”
“Oh, yeah.” Kurt nodded. “This place is big on community. They’ll come through. A prayer or two wouldn’t hurt, either.”
Grant raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t believe in prayer?” Kurt asked.
“I haven’t had much success with it,” Grant admitted.
“Nobody ever said God would answer on our timetable, but if you’re as concerned with Dahlia’s project as you seem, it’s time to ramp up your efforts.” Kurt swallowed the last of his coffee, set down his cup and rose. “Because without some kind of heavenly intervention, I doubt her go-kart track is going to happen.”
Grant rose, too, his head whirling. Dahlia would be devastated if she couldn’t complete her project, especially since she felt she had so much to prove.