A Home for Her Daughter

by Jill Weatherholt

  * * *

  As Drew guided his oversize truck up Nick’s driveway all Janie could think about was whether or not the kitchen sink was full of last night’s dinner dishes. Her ex-husband had always been meticulous about cleaning, almost to the point of obsessive. Janie found pleasure in running the house the way she wanted. She had to admit, leaving an occasional bowl or plate in the sink gave her a twinge of satisfaction.

  “Well, if you’re going to house-sit in the Valley, this is the place to do it,” Drew stated as he put the vehicle into Park and unfastened his seat belt. “The view here is incredible.”

  “There’s butterflies everywhere, too!” Riley added from the backseat as she unhooked her belt.

  Janie glanced out the window at the one-story ranch. She had to agree with Drew. From the moment they’d arrived in the quaint neighborhood, she’d realized it would make a comfortable, yet temporary home for her and Riley. It was a perfect refuge from her violent past. The mountain laurel was in full bloom and the sweet aroma of honeysuckle gave her a peaceful feeling. It was a far cry from their home in Maryland.

  “I agree. Even though we’re house-sitting for Nick, it feels like home.”

  “If you’d like, once you get the keys to Mrs. Applegate’s—I mean, your new house, I can go over there with you to see what kind of repairs it might need.”

  Janie’s heart warmed. “That’s really a generous offer, Drew.” She was anxious to start making a permanent home for her and Riley. She still hadn’t gotten over the shock that she was actually going to be a homeowner. When Janie woke up the morning after meeting with the attorney, she’d been afraid it had all been a dream. “I’m excited to see the place.”

  Drew stepped down from the vehicle. “Mary always kept an immaculate home, so I don’t expect too much in the way of repairs. Of course, you might want to do some upgrades. I’m pretty good when it comes to updating kitchens, bathrooms—most every room in the house.”

  “See, Mommy,” Riley called out as she jumped from the truck. “I told you Mr. Drew can do anything.” Her daughter grinned. “It’s going to be so much fun. Since I don’t start school until the end of August, I can help, too.” She stopped quickly and turned to Drew. “I’m really happy that lady said you have to help us, Mr. Drew.” She motioned for him to bend over and when he complied, she whispered in his ear.

  “Hey—no secrets, you two.” Janie waved a finger in the air. “What were you telling him, Riley?”

  The little girl giggled. She briefly placed her hand over her mouth then jerked it away. “I told him that I don’t think you know anything about starting a camp, but he probably does since he’s out in the woods a lot.”

  “Funny girl.” Janie grabbed the bag of food resting on the backseat. “I hope everyone is hungry. We’ve got enough food here to feed the entire town.”

  “Let’s hurry up and go inside,” Riley called out as she reached for Drew’s hand. “I can’t wait for you to meet Frankie.”

  Janie observed the two with reservations. The last thing she wanted was for her daughter to get attached to Drew. But what about her? Growing up, they’d been the best of friends, but she’d had a secret crush on him. She needed to keep her feelings in check. Drew was simply honoring Mrs. Applegate’s wishes to help with the camp, so he could take control of his portion of the land. Nothing more. But the will didn’t state he had to help get her and Riley settled into their new home or fix her car. Sliding the key into the lock, she pushed the front door open. When it came to Drew Brenner, she’d need to keep her guard up. After years in an abusive marriage, how could she trust any man again?

  As soon as the door opened, the rambunctious jet-black puppy scurried toward them, his toenails skidding across the hardwood floor. “Hey, Frankie.” Drew kneeled and rubbed the dog’s head. “A lab. They’re the best.”

  Frankie licked Drew’s hand. It was obvious they’d formed an immediate bond. What was it about a man and a dog?

  “He likes you, Mr. Drew. He’s small now, but he’ll get really big. Right, Mommy?”

  Janie rolled her eyes at Drew. “Yes...unfortunately. It’s a good thing we’ll be living on the farm. He’ll have plenty of room to get outside.” She could only imagine how much it would cost to feed Frankie. He was already eating like a horse. “Thankfully, Pebbles is staying with some of Nick and Joy’s friends. I don’t think I could handle two dogs.”

  Janie headed toward the kitchen while Drew and her daughter shadowed behind. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the sink clear of dinner dishes. “I’ll get the food ready for us.” She placed the bag containing their breakfast on the countertop before turning to her daughter. “Why don’t you take Frankie outside to burn off a little energy?”

  “Okay. You come too, Mr. Drew. I’ll show you the tree house. Uncle Nick built it for my cousins. It’s so cool!”

  Seeing her daughter so happy warmed Janie’s heart. Only a week ago, Riley had cried half the drive from Maryland to Whispering Slopes. She’d been angry at her mother for taking her away from her friends and her father. Janie didn’t have the heart to tell her that her father had no desire to seek any visitation rights. His loss. She couldn’t help but wonder whether she would have put up a fight if he had tried to exercise his legal right. She’d never seen him so much as raise his voice to his daughter. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t seek visitation. Maybe he didn’t trust himself. Whatever his reasons had been, she was grateful not to have contact with him, but she couldn’t help but wonder about the long-term effects on her daughter. Would she grow up feeling abandoned? She forced the thoughts from her mind, refusing to allow them to cloud the present.

  Janie busied herself making a fresh pot of coffee and warming up the food they’d brought from the café. She found comfort being in the kitchen, even if it wasn’t her own. Within minutes the room smelled of crispy bacon and garlic home-fried potatoes. She carefully placed the breakfast on the table and headed toward the back door to call Drew and Riley inside for the meal. She hesitated for a moment as she peered out the window, taking notice of the sadness in Drew’s eyes. He watched Riley turning somersaults in the green fescue as she laughed with each turn of her small body. When he wiped his left eye with the back of his hand, Janie loosened her fingers from the doorknob. Why was he having this reaction to her daughter? His dejected posture was troublesome.

  Forty minutes later, with everyone’s plate practically licked clean, Drew stood and reached for Janie’s breakfast dish. “Let me get these.”

  She rested her hand on his as she pushed her chair away from the table. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll take care of it.” Stuffed to the gills after the enormous Western omelet and hash browns, she needed to move.

  Drew ignored her words and carried the dishes to the sink.

  “Mommy, can I go next door to see if Leslie can play?” Riley asked, sitting on the floor with her face nuzzled into the top of Frankie’s head.

  Janie lifted her daughter’s plate from the table and crossed to the sink where Drew was busy loading the dishwasher. “Let me text Leslie’s mother and see if she wants to come over. You two can play in the tree house.”

  Since the move, Janie’s protective instincts had gone into overdrive. She struggled with letting her daughter out of arm’s reach. She liked the family next door. When they’d moved into the house, Janie had been thrilled to learn there was a little girl living next door who was the same age as Riley. They seemed like good people, but she just felt more at ease with Riley playing where she could keep a close eye on her.

  “Okay. Thanks, Mommy. I’ll be out back with Frankie.” Riley skipped outside with her puppy on her heels. The screen door closed with a bang.

  “I need to do something with that door. She goes in and out all day. The constant slamming is driving me bananas.” Janie grabbed her phone off the granite countertop and shot a quick text to Leslie�
��s mother.

  “I can fix the door for you—if you’d like.”

  A smile tugged on Janie’s lips. “You like to repair things, don’t you?”

  Their eyes spent a second too long fixated on each other. Drew’s cheeks flushed.

  Janie’s phone beeped an immediate reply to her text confirming the playdate. She placed the device on the counter and stepped to the sink. “If you keep this up, I think I’ll need to invite you over more often.” Every breakfast dish had been cleaned and Drew was busy wiping down the counters, not leaving a single crumb behind. And now he was offering his services for home repairs. A feeling of comfort crept in, but she shook it off. When it came to men, her sense of judgment couldn’t be trusted, even if it was her old friend Drew.

  “I guess we can work at the table, if that’s okay with you.”

  “That sounds good.” Drew dried his hands then carefully folded the dish towel before heading toward his backpack he’d stowed in the corner earlier.

  They settled into their chairs and Janie watched as Drew removed some files from the canvas bag. “I did some research on business plans geared toward camps.” He opened a folder and removed the large binder clip. Janie watched his strong hand as he flipped through some pages—a lot of pages.

  “Wow, you’re not kidding. I think you’ve gone above and beyond.” A twinge of guilt settled when she noticed his perfectly handwritten notes along with articles he’d printed from the internet.

  “Maybe Mrs. Applegate should have left the property to you.” Her shoulders slumped. Was she getting in over her head?

  “Nonsense. She left it in capable hands. Besides, I’m just a natural researcher. Give me a topic and I’ll learn everything about it in a twenty-four-hour period.”

  Janie’s brow arched in response. “I don’t remember you being that way in school.” She playfully nudged him with her elbow and winked. “In fact, I seem to recall a big history assignment where we were paired together during our freshman year. You stood me up in the library each time we were scheduled to meet.”

  Drew turned with an arched brow. “Who? Me?”

  “Yes—you! I ended up doing the entire paper by myself even though both of our names were on it.” In those days she’d had such a crush on him, so she’d let it slide.

  “Yeah, that wasn’t too cool, was it? I’m sorry. I was so absorbed with football.” He rested his hands on the pile of paperwork. “I should have focused more on school, but when I made varsity my first year in high school, I actually thought I had a chance to play for the pros after graduation.”

  “Why didn’t you?” Janie always believed he was good enough. She remembered some big-name colleges were interested in him.

  Drew shook his head. “After my dad passed away during our senior year, I couldn’t imagine leaving my mom and going away to school. Losing him was really tough on her. I completed basic EMT training and became certified.”

  “You’re a paramedic, too?”

  His voice dropped. “Not anymore.”

  Losing his father had to have been difficult on him. Janie remembered how they used to spend hours in the yard tossing the football. “I was so sorry to hear about your father, Drew. I wish I’d been here.” She was familiar with the pain of losing a parent. Despite rounds of rehab, her mother had OD’d during Janie’s senior year of high school, two years after they’d left Whispering Slopes. Sadly, her father had since passed on, too. “How is your mother now?” Janie had always loved Drew’s mother. Like Mrs. Applegate, she’d stepped up to the plate when her own mother had slipped further into her addiction.

  “She’s good. A few years ago, she decided to move to Florida to live with her older sister. My aunt’s health wasn’t good, so it made sense. It gave my mother a fresh start.”

  “Do you regret not going away to college?” As soon as the question escaped her lips, she wanted to take it back. This wasn’t any of her business.

  Drew turned his attention back to the files in front of him. “I’d rather not talk about the past. We have a lot of work to do to get your camp up and running. But first, let me go take a look at your car.”

  Janie watched as Drew neatly arranged the research into a perfect pile before walking out to the garage. How different would her life be if her family hadn’t moved away? But she couldn’t continue to dwell on her past and all of the mistakes she had made. She needed to let go and move on. Looking down at her covered arms, she tugged on the long sleeves knowing that was easier said than done.

  Chapter Three

  Drew’s body jerked and his eyes shot wide-open. A cold sweat plastered his hair to the cotton sheet. His right hand trembled while he reached for the bottle of water on the oak nightstand. The nightmare that had him wide-awake at three-thirty Sunday morning was hazy. The accident was clear, but the events that followed were jumbled and blurred. His wife, Lori, had walked away unscathed. Only it wasn’t Lori in the dream...it was Janie. She’d stood silent on the edge of the road watching the car burn, while Drew struggled to open the back door of the vehicle—only to reveal a tree house in the backseat instead of his daughter.

  He drained the bottle and swung his legs over the side of his mattress, the hardwood floor cool to his feet. He knew the drill. Sleep wouldn’t come again anytime soon. As he padded down the hall of his secluded cabin, the light from the full moon put a spotlight on the last photograph taken with his family. He approached the sofa table and picked up the frame. His legs no longer able to hold him upright, he collapsed on the couch. Tears dotted his eyelashes as he studied the smiles. Heidi’s first ballet recital. Drew wiped his eyes. She’d been so happy when he’d presented her with her first bouquet of roses. Why, God? Why didn’t you take me instead of my family? It should have been me. I don’t know how to live without them.

  A half an hour later, Drew peeled his body off the sofa and carefully returned the picture to its proper place. Time spent with Janie and her daughter had no doubt triggered the nightmare. It had been over a year since he’d last dreamed about his family, but that had been a happy one. It was a picturesque day and he’d taken his family on a picnic. They’d run through the open meadow and picked wildflowers. A perfect afternoon, even if it was only a dream.

  Drew headed to the spare bedroom. When he’d moved in two years ago, he’d placed the small pine desk by the window so he could enjoy the scenic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He fired up his laptop. The sooner he could get Janie’s camp up and running the better. They’d gotten a lot accomplished yesterday. With Janie’s help, Drew had written up a business plan and had made a list of all the licensing she’d need to operate the camp legally. He’d made a promise he’d be available if she had any questions or problems.

  Today he planned to hit the early church service, work his half-day shift and then head over to the Applegate property to check out the existing structures. The camp had been in operation up until Mrs. Applegate started to have some health problems, so he didn’t anticipate too much work would need to be done to get it ready to open—at least he hoped not.

  * * *

  That afternoon as Drew traveled down the gravel road on the Applegate property, he admired the rolling farmland. Growing up, he’d spent so much time here. His heart warmed at the thought of owning a piece of the land where so many wonderful childhood memories had been created. He paused at the realization that most of those great times had included Janie.

  A trail of dust chased the back end of the truck. The gravel crunched under the weight of the tires. As he approached the old barn where most of the farm equipment used to be stored, Drew thought it might be nice to get a couple of goats and some other animals so the children could learn how to care for them, but really that would be up to Janie. Even a pig or two would be nice for Riley. He pulled his truck alongside the structure and was surprised to see Janie’s car parked around back. The vehicle was up and running once a
gain. Mission accomplished. He hopped out of his truck and took in a lungful of fresh mountain air, wishing he could bottle it.

  “Mr. Drew!”

  He jumped at the sound of the high-pitched voice coming from inside of the barn.

  “What are you doing here?” Riley darted toward him at top speed.

  “I thought I’d check things out a bit.” The door to the barn creaked and Janie appeared. Drew sucked down a breath in an attempt to slow his heartbeat. It didn’t work. Dressed in white shorts with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she reminded him of that young girl he’d had a secret crush on at camp. His eyes traveled to her arms that were once again covered with a long-sleeved sweatshirt. The air was still with a touch of humidity and the midday sun was warm. With temperatures approaching the middle eighties, why a sweatshirt?

  “I guess we both had the same idea. By the way, thanks again for fixing my car. She’s running great.” Janie pointed toward the vehicle.

  Drew nodded as she moved toward him carrying a spiral notebook and a fluorescent green pen. “I was up most of the night worrying about what would need to be repaired before we could open.” She slipped the end of the pen between her pink lips as she looked back at the barn.

  Drew took notice of the word we. Had Janie misunderstood the terms laid out in the will and thought they’d be running the camp together? That could never happen. “So did you see anything that needs work?”

  Her smile slipped from her lips. “Unfortunately, it looks like some mice have taken up residency in a couple of the cabins.” Her face scrunched up.

  “Well, that should be an easy fix. Once I get rid of those critters, I’ll use some sealing foam. Hopefully, that will keep them out.” He could handle a few mice...better than snakes.

  She pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt down over her hands. “That might be simple, but I don’t think fixing the hole in the roof will be that easy, though.”