“If you say so.” She didn’t look convinced. “Calliope is here. I think she might be plying Phoebe with more vegetables.”
“Really?” Hunter sighed. “Why can’t she like chocolate like every other kid? I guess maybe I’d best check and see what’s for dinner.”
They found Calliope stretched out on the ground beside where Phoebe was swinging back and forth, head thrown back, almost flipping completely over. Calliope was waving her hand gently as if conducting an orchestra.
“Careful!” Hunter warned.
“She’s fine.” Calliope lowered her hand, and Phoebe came to a gliding halt. “I was just telling Phoebe that Stella would like her, Charlie and Marley to come to a sleepover Thursday night. Since it’s a halfday at school and Friday is a teacher’s meeting, it seems ideal.”
“Thursday night, you say?” Hunter slipped an arm around Kendall’s waist and tugged her close. “That would mean she’d be ensconced with a babysitter.”
Phoebe didn’t look pleased with that phrase.
“That is exactly what it would mean,” Calliope confirmed. “I hope maybe the two of you can find something to keep yourselves occupied. Maybe dinner and a night out on the town? They’re having a run on Humphrey Bogart movies at the theater.”
“Quick, favorite Bogie movie,” Hunter asked Kendall.
“The Big Sleep,” Kendall responded immediately.
“Oh, so close. Maltese Falcon.”
“You’re both wrong. It’s The African Queen,” Calliope said with a sigh as she pushed herself up. “Well, I’m off. Must get back to the farm. Xander asked if you’d meet him tomorrow at the sanctuary site, Hunter. Eight a.m.”
“What for?” Kendall asked.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you. I’ve got a new job. Xander hired me to photograph the butterfly sanctuary build and maybe some other projects down the line. So it looks like we’ll be sticking around Butterfly Harbor for a while. That sound okay to you, Phoebe?”
But he wasn’t looking at his niece. He was looking at Kendall for some kind of hint, some clue as to how she felt about him, about them, sticking around.
“That’s great news, congratulations.” True to form, Kendall’s words and expression refused to reveal her true feelings. Personally, he was beginning to love the idea; he’d never settled anywhere for long, and besides, if anything was going to tempt Phoebe into returning to school, it was seeing Charlie and Stella enjoying their days of education.
“Thanks. But eight in the morning? Um, yeah.” He scrubbed a hand across his face. “I can make that work. I just have to figure out what to do with Phoebe.”
“I’ll watch her.” Kendall’s offer sounded more strained than he might have liked.
Phoebe gasped and launched herself off the swing, landing squarely in front of Kendall, a huge smile on her face. “Yes!”
“I don’t know,” Hunter hedged for fun and earned a glare from his niece. “You really want to do that, Phoebs? I might be gone most of the day. You’d have to be awfully good for a really long time.”
“Phoebe never has to be anything more than Phoebe.” Kendall reached out and brushed her hand over Phoebe’s hair. “We’ll be fine, won’t we?”
* * *
KENDALL BLAMED CALLIOPE for the fact that she couldn’t sleep. What had that woman done to her that she’d all but thrown herself into Hunter’s arms and then offered to watch Phoebe during the day while he worked?
Not that Kendall could have talked to Hunter about it. How could she when, after Calliope had left, he had withdrawn back into the house to finish writing whatever he needed to submit to his agent. If he could just get that marked off his list, he told her, things would even out.
She hadn’t been able to resist the excitement on his face when Phoebe had whispered something into his ear. Calliope had raised her face to the sun as if in silent thanks and then swirled off in a flash of color and a tinkling of bells.
But now, alone within the confines of the repaired keeper house, Kendall stared blankly up at the ceiling, counting her breaths, in and out. In and out. And wishing that darkness, that void she’d clung to for so long, would come back. She knew how to function with it hovering around her; now, she was in the unknown, both terrified and excited for what life might have in store.
She also couldn’t contain the restlessness that had taken up residence, as if something wasn’t quite right. Either with her or with Hunter or...maybe it was just her imagination. Throwing off the sleeping bag, Kendall rolled onto the floor, popping up despite the aching in her back. Might just be time for a new bed, she told herself. The thin mattress wasn’t cutting it anymore. And actually, as she looked around, she realized the place could really do with some more furniture. Maybe a small sofa. Or a comfy chair to curl up in and read. Just a few creature comforts to make this place a bit more homey.
She checked her watch. Three a.m. Way too early to be working on the lighthouse without making a racket. But something called to her. Something warm and comforting and...outside.
Kendall pulled open the door and inhaled the welcoming, cool breeze. Barefoot this time, and forgoing Hunter’s jacket she still had hanging on a peg in the kitchenette, she walked over to the scaffold. One hand wrapped round the solid piping, she hauled herself up. And climbed to the top.
If she’d needed any proof that Phoebe was one of the smartest children she’d ever met, she had it now. The instant she sat on the plank, dangled her legs over the side and stared up at the waning moon, her mind began to clear. And the heaviness around her heart began to lift.
“Is Calliope right, Sam? Did you send them here?” The wind kicked up and whipped her hair against her face. It was official. Butterfly Harbor had become her home. Why else would she accept Calliope’s explanation and advice as truth? Her friend had a way of cutting through all the pain, all the junk, and pushing right to the problem.
In war, fear had been her constant companion. But not one that prevented her from acting, one that had served as a guidepost, an extension of her conscience that somehow kicked into overdrive. As a soldier she knew what had to be done. It was in her training; it roared through her blood. In an odd way, even in those moments after the accident, she hadn’t given in to the fear. She’d embraced it. Wrapped herself in it, because once she did that, nothing else could hurt her. Fear, for her, became a kind of blanket of acceptance. What was she saying? Feel the fear and do it, anyway? Somehow a sniper’s bullet seemed less terrifying than risking her heart again, but she was only now accepting what Calliope seemed to already understand: she was falling in love with Hunter MacBride.
CHAPTER TWELVE
KENDALL’S NERVES DIDN’T come close to settling the next day. She half expected her work to slow to a crawl since she’d volunteered to keep an eye on Phoebe, but Kendall soon learned the little girl was more than capable of helping with the smaller tasks.
Kendall took the time to explain what the different tools were, what they did and how things were set up. She made certain Phoebe wore her safety goggles at all times, since Kendall was never entirely sure what they’d be tackling next. Eventually Kendall had set her up at the tower with a small roller and her own tray of recently arrived paint. She also made sure Phoebe was wearing some of her older clothes, since no doubt the mess she’d make would be extensive.
Kendall was looking forward to finishing this exterior part of the project. The railing pieces that would line the tower walkway, or gallery, as she’d learned it was called, had been ordered, as had the new lantern, clock and double-paned wind-resistant glass that would encase both. She’d been studying the intricacies of lighthouse construction, right down to the number of recommended vents to the various lightning rods available.
Saturated paint roller in hand, Kendall made quick work of a good portion of the exterior well before noon. Phoebe, just as she was chopping her favorite
vegetables, seemed to focus on the task at hand. When Kendall climbed down the scaffold to retrieve a new can of paint, she found Phoebe had exceeded her area and had moved under the scaffold, painting far more than Kendall had expected.
“This looks great, Phoebe.” Kendall came along beside her as Phoebe ran her roller in the crisscrossing motion Kendall had demonstrated. “You good to keep going for a bit? Then we need to head into town and go to the hardware store. We could go to the diner for lunch if you want?” Kendall could count the number of times she’d eaten at the Butterfly Diner on one hand; she normally did takeout, but these next few weeks weren’t about her, they were about getting Phoebe acclimated to this town and surreptitiously encouraging her to be with her new friends, and even go to school. “And I believe I owe you a trip to the bookstore. We made a deal, remember?”
Phoebe nodded, her paint-spattered face glowing with happiness. She pointed to the still-to-be-painted door of the lighthouse.
“You’ll be done when you get to there?”
Another nod.
“Sounds like a plan.” She then stopped. What looked like a whole community of butterflies flew by and up, up, up into the sky.
Kendall was awestruck and glanced over at Phoebe. “Did you see that?”
She looked up, but the butterflies had disappeared.
“Must be my imagination,” Kendall grumbled. “Ignore me. I’ll be back down in a bit, okay?” She grabbed a new bucket of paint and headed up the scaffold.
A little after noon, showered and changed into something more presentable, Kendall helped Phoebe clean up. They hunkered into the bathroom while Kendall tried to scrub the paint splatter off Phoebe’s nose, which earned her a stream of little girl giggles that acted as an unexpected balm on her heart. They unearthed a collection of new T-shirts Hunter had been buying up for her and chose a bright blue one that stated she was a “little girl with big dreams.”
She’d have thought the walk into town would be boring and the conversation one-sided, but Phoebe surprised her with efficient one-and two-word responses, each of which made Kendall feel as if she’d won some sort of prize. Because Kendall wanted Phoebe to feel more a part of the town, she took a detour to show her the yellow cottage where Charlie lived and the beautiful monarch butterfly stained glass window above the carved front door.
Phoebe made a C with one of her hands and pointed at the house just as a series of barks erupted from inside. Before they could move on, the door popped open and Paige Bradley came out, looking like the personification of sunshine and roses on what must have been a day off from the diner.
“Hello, you two.” If Paige seemed surprised to see Kendall escorting Phoebe about, she didn’t let on. “Perfect time for a break. I was just finishing up some paperwork for my nursing license. You ready for the big sleepover tonight, Phoebe?”
Phoebe gripped the hem of Kendall’s shirt and drew closer. “Yes.”
The three of them glanced down the street as Charlie raced around the corner on her bike, red pigtails flapping in the breeze. Phoebe let out a loud sigh, one that caught both Kendall’s and Paige’s attention but, both understanding that pushing the little girl wouldn’t do any good, they only looked at each other in silence when Charlie skidded to a halt at the gate.
“Three-day weekend!” She straddled the bar and raised her arms in triumph. “Woohoo!”
“You’d never know she loves her teacher, would you?” Paige joked. “We were just talking about the sleepover, Charlie.”
“It’s gonna be so cool! Calliope’s going to make a ton of popcorn and we’re gonna watch movies and listen to music and dance and stay up all night long!”
Kendall had been around Phoebe enough to know that wasn’t going to happen.
“I’m not sure Calliope is aware of that last part.”
“What kind of sleeping bag are you bringing, Phoebe? I can’t decide between my rock-star princess or the planets of the universe.”
Phoebe turned slightly panicked eyes on Kendall, who only then realized neither she nor her uncle had asked what all was entailed.
Kendall offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “Well, I know how to pack for a night in the desert. Can’t be much different, right?” She turned to Paige and mouthed, Help me.
“Charlie, maybe you could loan Phoebe one of your sleeping bags for tonight?”
“Sure. Yeah. You want the universe one? Then I don’t have to decide.”
Phoebe nodded.
“And I get to bring Tabitha. Calliope said, Mom. I asked. Tabitha’s my dog. You haven’t seen her ’cause she stays at the house when I’m in school but you can meet her now. You wanna?” Charlie asked Phoebe.
Phoebe nodded, but not nearly as enthusiastically as Kendall expected.
Charlie stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled. Loud. “My dad taught me that.”
A short, stout cocker spaniel came tootling out the front door. She circled Paige a couple of times before plopping her butt down beside her just as Paige clicked open the gate to let them all in. “Come on in and say hi. She’s friendly. Just hold your hand out... There you go.”
Phoebe giggled as Tabitha accepted her friendship with enough excitement to almost knock Phoebe to the ground. Kendall was smiling again. Her expression must not have been familiar to Paige, who did what Kendall could only describe as a double take. “You heading into town or home?” They moved away to let the girls play with the dog.
“Into town. We’re going to do lunch at the diner, and then we are hitting the bookstore. And I guess we’d best check with Hunter to see if she has a sleeping bag for the future.”
Phoebe glanced up and shook her head, her brow creasing in concern.
“She can always find one here. Charlie uses them to build forts in her room. And the living room. And the... Well, you get the picture.” Paige turned to Phoebe. “Then you’re all set. Calliope should have everything taken care of. Which means Kendall and your uncle can enjoy their date.”
Phoebe’s eyes went wide, and Charlie laughed.
Kendall rolled her eyes.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Paige laughed. “Your friendship time.”
Kendall didn’t believe for one second Paige had mistakenly mentioned her date tonight with Hunter. And if Paige knew, the entire town knew by now. Her months-long streak of flying under town’s gossip radar had officially ended.
As Phoebe skipped by her side, Kendall wondered what the little girl was thinking. Should she say something about the date? Ask her what she thought? Did she want to know? Clearly overhearing the discussion with Calliope the other day hadn’t made much of an impression, but Paige’s comments had. Why? What had changed?
“So, Phoebe? Phoebe?” Kendall had to reach out and catch her arm before she skipped too far. “This date with your uncle, you know it’s no big deal, right? It’s just two, um, friends, having dinner together.” Phoebe grinned in such a way that had Kendall doubting herself. “It doesn’t mean anything more than that.”
“Sure.” Phoebe shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but Kendall knew better. It mattered. It mattered a lot.
* * *
NERVES ATE AWAY at Hunter like termites at a lumber buffet. It wasn’t just because he’d sent his proposal to his agent; it wasn’t just that he had dived into potentially starting a new career, no, it was that in a few short hours, he’d get to be with Kendall. Not at the lighthouse. Not where little Phoebe ears were on high alert. Just the two of them alone.
Kendall. Funny to think a few short weeks ago he’d have worried about her roasting him over an open spit if he said or did the wrong thing. Funny how things changed.
Funny how the heart went in its own direction.
He’d been taken aback again by Butterfly Harbor’s outgoingness. The ground-breaking ceremony on the butterfly sanctuary was so full of goodwill that he’d f
elt it ricocheting around the soon-to-be construction site. The usual camaraderie that Hunter should have expected was there, even with Gil in the mix, who had wholeheartedly approved of Hunter’s new job. Just as long as it didn’t interfere with the still-in-progress project Hunter was determined to finish sooner rather than later. Gil’s promotional book on Butterfly Harbor might have brought Hunter to town, but that was only the first step on this new life path, a path that would ensure stability and a good future for both himself and Phoebe and hopefully deal with his sister’s in-laws’ interference. They’d be hard-pressed to use his meandering career against him when he’d be staying put for a chunk of time.
He showered and changed and, much like a teenager going to his first prom, was ready well before the designated meeting time. He’d gone for the monochrome look: black slacks, black button-down, slim black tie. He’d called for a reservation for Flutterby Dreams, and requested a table with an ocean view—easily accommodated, according to Lori Knight, who answered the call at the inn.
He’d debated stopping to get flowers for her, but Kendall Davidson didn’t strike him as the flower type, unless they were slightly wilting daisies. He reached over his desk and pushed open the window, breathing in the fresh evening air and looking into one of the half dozen window boxes Lori and Phoebe had filled. The once-empty wooden shells were now brimming with exploding colors, the white and yellow daisies interspersed with purple pansies and thick green ground cover to ensure a lasting season.
His and Phoebe’s morning ritual had expanded to watering those boxes with the can Calliope had conveniently provided in the basket. The house, this house, was slowly becoming their home.
He heard Phoebe’s pounding footsteps seconds before she burst through the door. She had in her hand a thick hardcover book with a bright emerald green spine with embossed gold lettering. She dived at him, and he hauled her up, already dreading the day she’d be too big to pick up.
Safe in His Arms--A Clean Romance Page 16