A Father's Promise

by Mindy Obenhaus

  He grinned. “Yeah. A nice, leisurely dinner somewhere, just the two of us.”

  Shoving the fry in her mouth, she said, “What about Sarah-Jane?”

  “I’m sure Rae will watch her.”

  With the air-conditioning whirring in the background, Laurel stared at her burger. She hadn’t been on a date in...well, the last date she’d had, if one could call it that, was with Wes in Las Vegas. They’d had sushi and ice cream, then walked the strip for hours, talking. She’d never forget how special Wes had made her feel. He was the only guy she’d ever wanted to give her heart to. And now she found herself battling that same urge again.

  But Wes was leaving in only five days.

  “Dah!” Sarah-Jane reached for another piece of chicken.

  Wes’s mouth fell open. “Did you hear that? She just said daddy.”

  Laurel cast him an incredulous look. “Oh, come on, that didn’t sound anything like daddy.”

  “Dah!” Sarah-Jane grinned at Wes, scrunching her nose.

  “See.” He looked as though he might burst at the seams. Touching his forehead to his daughter’s he said, “You did say daddy, didn’t you?”

  She looked at Laurel then. “Mah!”

  “I’m right here, baby.”

  Sarah-Jane turned to Wes then. “Dah.”

  This time the word came out more deliberate and sweeter, like a term of endearment, and sent a strange sensation weaving its way through Laurel. Something giddy and exciting filled her, much the way she’d felt when Wes had held her hand that night two years ago. It made her wonder what things might be like if they were a real family. If Wes loved her and she loved him.

  Smiling, she captured his attention. “The nearest sushi place is about an hour from Bliss.”

  His eyes seemed almost riveted to hers. “Sounds perfect to me.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Wednesday and Thursday passed in a blur as a flurry of activity descended on Irma’s. The major work was finally over, and it was time to make the grand old Victorian a home again. Fortunately, plenty of volunteers had shown up, enough that Wes and Laurel had been able to call it a day early Thursday and take Sarah-Jane to the park before throwing some chicken on the grill back at Laurel’s. Wes enjoyed those times together, just the three of them. And now that he’d gotten used to them, it was going to make leaving even harder.

  At least they still had the weekend, just as soon as they got Irma settled back in.

  He stood on Irma’s porch with Laurel and Irma, overlooking a yard filled with people who’d pitched in to make this repair go as quickly and smoothly as possible, including Pastor Kleinschmidt and his wife, Paisley, the insurance fellow, the exterminator, and numerous others from the church and community. Wes was in awe of the way the people of Bliss had rallied to help one of their own.

  While Wes held Sarah-Jane, Laurel slipped an arm around Irma’s shoulders.

  “Are you ready to come back home?”

  “Oh, I’m more than ready, Laurel.” Irma quickly turned her attention to Joyce, who stood on the top step, holding on to the wooden rail. “No offense, Joyce. But as Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, ‘There’s no place like home.’”

  Laurel moved to the door and took hold of the handle. “In that case, Irma, the place is all yours.” Wearing a big smile, she pushed the door open wide.

  Wes followed them inside with Sarah-Jane. The once-musty smell of the house had been replaced with the fragrance of fresh paint and something sweet and floral Laurel had plugged into outlets in some of the rooms. “Just wait till you see your brand-new bedroom.”

  Still in the entry hall, near the base of the stairway, Irma turned to her right and stared through the doorway of her bedroom, her eyes widening as one hand went to her mouth. “This is my bedroom?” She stepped tentatively into the space. “It’s so beautiful and bright.” Her gaze shifted to the corner. “Is that my wedding dress?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” said Laurel. “It was too pretty to be tucked away in some box.”

  Reaching for Laurel’s hand, Irma grinned. “I never imagined it could look this way. The transformation is like those you see on TV.” She hugged Laurel then. “Thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome.” Laurel set the woman away from her. “Paisley and Drenda helped me, along with some other ladies.”

  “Well, it is just beautiful.” Irma chuckled. “Makes me want to take a nap.”

  “No naps yet.” Wes started toward the door. “We have more to show you.” He led them into the family room. “I’d never seen a family room with a bathtub in it before—” he turned “—but I think I like this much better.”

  “This looks like a brand-new room.” Irma spun in slow circles.

  “All we did was add some fresh paint and move the furniture around a little.” Laurel looked at the woman. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Mind? I might have to hire you to do the rest of the house.”

  Wes leaned toward Irma. “Would you like to see what we did with your bathroom?”

  “Oh, yes, please.”

  Laurel helped her up the stairs, then stopped just outside the bathroom door before turning on the light.

  Mouth agape, Irma scanned the space. “I was worried the tile might make the room too modern for the house, but this floor looks as though it could have always been here. This is a perfect Victorian bathroom.” She looked from Laurel to Wes. “I can’t believe the two of you did all of this. You should consider starting a business.”

  “We had lots of help,” Laurel was quick to say. “Which reminds me, we should probably let everyone else in so they can look around.”

  Things turned into a party then. Paisley and Drenda served up cake and punch on the sideboard in the dining room while people milled about, taking in not only the restoration, but the historic home itself.

  Sitting at the dining room table, sharing a piece of cake with Sarah-Jane, Wes experienced a sense of satisfaction he hadn’t felt since leaving the military. Was this how he’d feel about his work in Iraq? He’d be helping others, after all, though his heart would definitely be somewhere else.

  He snuggled Sarah-Jane closer, then offered her another bite that she readily accepted.

  “Mind if I join you?”

  Wes looked up to see the pastor easing into the next chair. “Not at all.”

  “Wes, what you did here is pretty amazing.” The man dug his fork into his slice of chocolate cake. “And in just a little over two weeks.”

  “A job can move much quicker when things fall into place.” Like the exterminator and the plumber. “Whenever anyone heard the work was for Irma, they dropped what they were doing and came right here.”

  “Everybody loves Irma. But you still did the bulk of the work yourself. And this was quite a feat.” The pastor set his fork down. “You know, I’m on the board of an organization that aids with rebuilding and disaster efforts right here in Texas. If you decide to come back to the area after Iraq, I’d like to talk with you about it. We could use someone with your skills to help head things up.”

  An opportunity to do what he loved right here near Laurel and Sarah-Jane? “Yeah, I’d love to know more.” His phone buzzed in his pocket just then. Pulling it out, he glanced at the screen. It was Eddie, the man who’d been Wes’s spiritual mentor even before he went to work for Servant’s Heart. “Excuse me, Pastor. I need to take this.”

  Standing, he tapped the screen and put the phone to his ear. “Hey, Eddie.”

  “Are you available to talk for a minute?”

  “Yeah, hold on just a second.”

  Laurel walked into the room just then and offered to take Sarah-Jane.

  “Thanks.” He smiled at her before heading toward the door. Outside, he moved around the side of the house. “Sorry about that. What’s up?”

  “We just
realized that there was a mistake on your paperwork. The info they sent you has you starting training here in North Carolina on the fifteenth. It should have said the thirteenth.”

  Wes’s heart sank. “That’s only three days from now.”

  “I know. I wish we’d caught this sooner. I know this is a lot to ask, and we’ll work around it if you can’t, but is there any way you could be here to start your training on Monday?”

  That meant he’d have to leave tomorrow, or early Sunday at the latest, but that would mean driving for eighteen hours straight. He’d done worse in the military, but what about Laurel and Sarah-Jane? He and Laurel had a date tonight.

  “I’m not quite sure, Eddie. There are some loose ends I’d need to tie up first, but I’ll certainly try.”

  “At this point, that’s all we can ask, Wes. Just holler at me when you know for sure.”

  “I’ll do that.” Ending the call, he stared up at the sprawling branches of an old live oak. God, I’m not ready to say goodbye to Laurel and Sarah-Jane yet. He’d already been lamenting the fact that his time with them was about to end. How was he going to tell Laurel?

  * * *

  Laurel had probably only had a handful of dates in her life. Throw in the fact that Wes was the father of her child and that her feelings for him were already veering out of the friendship lane, and she was doubly nervous about their dinner tonight. She just hoped she could cast those nerves aside long enough to actually enjoy herself.

  Glancing across the cab of Wes’s pickup, she couldn’t help noticing that Wes looked nervous, too. Something she found rather sweet, not to mention comforting. Though they’d talked during most of their journey, there were times when she’d catch him with his elbow perched on the door and chewing on his thumb.

  At the strip center where the restaurant was located, Wes parked his truck, then came around to her side and offered his hand to help her out.

  “Thank you.” Considering she was wearing a dress, albeit a casual one, she appreciated the gesture. However, the moment her hand touched his, a sharp jolt of awareness shot through her.

  “Have I told you how nice you look tonight?” He closed the door behind her without ever releasing her hand.

  “Twice.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, trying to rein in her suddenly out-of-control emotions.

  “That’s all?” Continuing toward the restaurant, he added, “I need to step up my game.”

  “For what it’s worth, you look very nice, too.” She swept an appreciative gaze over him as he opened the door to the restaurant. He wore a light blue button-down, open at the top, under a navy blazer with dark-wash jeans. The combination of blues made his eyes even more gorgeous than usual.

  “Sushi bar or booth?” Behind a narrow podium, the hostess smiled as they entered.

  “Booth?” Eyebrows raised, Wes deferred to Laurel.

  “Fine by me.”

  As they followed the twentysomething young lady across the stained-concrete floor, Wes placed a hand against the small of Laurel’s back, a simple act that made her feel protected—cherished, even. Something she’d experienced only once before, and it had been Wes who’d made her feel that way then, too.

  After waters were delivered and they’d ordered a California roll and some salmon sashimi, Wes rested his forearms on the wooden tabletop. “Okay, I may have told you all of this before, but I just want to make sure I don’t forget.”

  Strange, he didn’t usually talk so fast.

  “I’ve set up a payment to your checking account each month for Sarah-Jane, and I’ve named you as my beneficiary both with Servant’s Heart and my life insurance, should something happen.”

  Nothing like throwing a wet blanket on things. “Wes, I thought this was supposed to be a celebration.”

  “It is.”

  She rested her crossed arms on her side of the table and leaned closer. “Things like ‘beneficiary’ and ‘should something happen’ are not conducive to a party atmosphere.”

  “Yeah.” Lowering his head, he let out a sigh. “I guess not.”

  Tilting her head, she eyed him suspiciously. “Is something bothering you?” Perhaps his impending departure was starting to get to him. She certainly didn’t want to think about it.

  “I’m sorry, Laurel. It has nothing to do with you, though.”

  With her elbow still on the table, she cradled her neck in her hand. “Okay, so what’s wrong?” Wes had helped her talk through her feelings about her father. He’d held her when she cried. She welcomed the chance to support him in return.

  He took a sip of his water. A delay tactic if she’d ever seen one. Something was definitely up.

  “That phone call I received while we were at Irma’s this morning. It was from Servant’s Heart. Seems someone messed up. I’m supposed to start my training Monday, not Wednesday, as stated on my paperwork.”

  Her insides tightened. “But you’re not leaving until Monday.”

  “They’ve asked me to try to make it to North Carolina by Monday.”

  Indignation sparked inside her. “How can they do that, though? The mistake was theirs, not yours.”

  “I know. But that doesn’t mean they can’t ask.”

  Laurel watched the man across from her. Wes was a man of his word, committed to whatever he did. “And you feel as though you should try to accommodate them.”

  He dragged a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to go any earlier than I’d originally planned. The thought of leaving you and Sarah-Jane is already eating me alive.”

  In which case, she was probably only adding to his misery. “Are you leaving tomorrow, then?”

  “No. I want more time with Sarah-Jane.” Reaching across the table, he grabbed Laurel’s hand. “And you.” His determined gaze bore into hers, making a lump the size of Texas lodge in her throat.

  “California roll.” The waiter set the first plate on the table as Wes let go of Laurel’s hand. “And salmon sashimi.” After depositing the plate, he looked from Laurel to Wes. “Anything else?”

  Wes forced a smile. “Not right now, thank you.”

  Watching Wes, Laurel removed her chopsticks from their paper sleeve, her appetite waning. “What are your plans, then?”

  He moved his napkin to his lap. “To spend tomorrow with you and Sarah-Jane, then head out first thing Sunday morning.”

  Pinching a slice of the California roll between her chopsticks, she looked at him. “How long of a drive is it?”

  “Eighteen hours. Give or take.”

  She dropped the roll and the sticks on her plate. “Wes, you can’t drive that straight through. That’s insane.”

  “I’ll take breaks.”

  “That doesn’t take the place of sleep.”

  “Laurel, I was in the military, remember? There were times I was up forty-eight hours straight.”

  “Yes. But you were probably in a war zone, surrounded by the enemy or something.”

  He laughed.

  “What?”

  “You have an active imagination.”

  “Only because I care about you.”

  “That’s good to know. Because I care about you, too. So why don’t we change the subject and try to enjoy ourselves. Like you said, this is supposed to be a celebration, after all. And I can’t think of anything better to celebrate than being with you.”

  Laurel wasn’t sure she knew what a swoon was or if one could do it sitting down, but looking into Wes’s amazing blue eyes right now, she was pretty sure she was swooning.

  They changed the topic and spent the rest of their meal discussing Sarah-Jane and how well things had come together at Irma’s. Not to mention that crazy dinner they’d shared with Joyce and Irma. By the time they left the restaurant, they were laughing and holding hands once again.

  “Look.” Wes pointed toward the west
ern horizon as they reached his truck.

  Shades of pink and orange colored the sky. “What a beautiful sunset.”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  When she looked at Wes, he was staring at her.

  “But it pales in comparison to you.”

  Her heart beat a staccato in her chest as his hand cupped her cheek. She swallowed hard as his eyes searched hers. Was he going to—?

  Before she could finish her thought—wish, perhaps—his lips touched hers. Tenderly, yet thoroughly, he kissed her. Right there in the parking lot for all the world to see. And all she could think about was how she was falling for this man. How he made her want things she never dared to dream of before. How—Her phone rang.

  Reluctantly tearing herself away from Wes, she located the phone in her purse and pulled it out to look at the screen. “It’s my father.” She swiped the screen. “Hello.”

  “Laurel, honey.” A ragged breath came through the line. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’m not going to make it out there tonight like I was hoping.”

  “Oh.” Disappointment pricked at her. “Do you know when you might make it back?”

  “No, I don’t. Things have gotten a little crazy here, and I just...” His voice trailed off. “I’ll keep you posted, though.”

  The same heart that had been soaring moments ago went into a tailspin. The man could make all the promises he wanted, but Laurel knew the truth. Her father wasn’t coming back. Not today, not ever.

  She eyed the man beside her. Wes was leaving, too. What if he decided not to come back? Even if he did, would it be for Sarah-Jane or would he want Laurel, too?

  Blowing out a breath, she tucked her phone back in her purse, wondering if that was a risk she was willing to take.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Wes had had such high hopes for this evening. And everything had been going so well until Laurel got that call from Jimmy. Naturally, she tried to act as if his delayed return didn’t bother her, but Wes knew better. Their chatter wasn’t near as lively as it had been on the way to the restaurant. He did his best to keep it going as they made the drive home, but then Laurel would grow quiet and simply stare out her window.