As an architect, Aidan was in the office more than Daniel. If Chloe was home from school sick or on vacation, Aidan could work from home. The majority of Daniel’s working hours were spent on jobsites. Jobsites were no place for a child.
Aidan was a good dad and made balancing work and fatherhood look effortless. Somehow, Daniel would make it work.
Chloe’s mother had been out of the picture for years and Daniel didn’t know where to begin looking to locate her or if it was what Aidan would want. It dawned on him that he wouldn’t want to enlist the help of a woman who had walked away from her own child. She had left Aidan shortly after giving birth, leaving him with a newborn. She’d wanted no part of motherhood or marriage. Over the past five years, Aidan had perfected the art of being both mother and father to his daughter, putting her first and doing everything possible to give her a happy childhood.
Except for that damned motorcycle...
Daniel shook away the thought. The doctors said that his brother was young and healthy and they were hopeful that Aidan would recover...in time. But he wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Now that Daniel was away from the hospital and could breathe in something other than that grim antiseptic smell, he could finally let down his wall and admit how damn scared he was at the thought of losing his brother.
Aidan wasn’t out of the woods yet...
After the Uber driver dropped him off and he let himself into his truck, he took out some of his pent-up emotion on the steering wheel, hitting it with the side of his fist.
“Damn you, Aidan. How could you be so stupid? You had no business on a bike like that. Being a reckless idiot is my territory. Not yours, dumb-ass.”
He punched at the steering wheel again, and for about the hundredth time, he wondered why it had to be Aidan lying in that bed and not him. Because he would gladly change places with him. Chloe needed her father. She depended on him.
Why did the drunk driver have to travel through that intersection at the same time that Aidan had made the turn?
Would it have made a difference if he’d talked to his brother in the office a little bit longer? Kept him there...listened to what he was trying to tell him—something about Chloe and school and making cupcakes for her holiday party. Daniel had mocked him and called him Betty Crocker and then he’d cut him off and said he had to run. What if he’d tried to engage his brother in conversation for once instead of always having something more important to do? Would it have made any difference? Would he not be up there in the hospital in a medically induced coma fighting for his life?
When the moisture stung Daniel’s eyes, he uttered a string of expletives and lowered his head onto the steering wheel, willing the weakness to pass. Before it did, his phone buzzed the arrival of a text and sent his heart into near cardiac arrest until he realized a split second later that if it was the hospital trying to get him, they would call, not text.
He turned over the screen and saw Elle’s name.
Checking in to see if there was any news. We’re fine here. So, no worries. Gigi and Chloe have become fast friends and are having a fun playdate.
Seeing her name was like a balm to Daniel’s open wound. The thought of Chloe wrapped in the warm layers of Elle’s family helped him regain his equilibrium. Family... He’d never dwelled on it, but now that one of his two living family members was in the hospital fighting for his life, that intangible seemed like the most rare and valuable thing in the world. Daniel had never been a praying man, but he closed his eyes and said a prayer for his brother to survive and recover and a prayer of thanks for the Boudreau-Clark family and their generous spirits. For the second time, they were there for him, extending selfless help.
Even though offering his remodeling skills at cost seemed inadequate, he would somehow find an adequate way to repay their kindness.
He picked up his phone and started typing.
Thanks for the update. I’m on my way to pick up Chloe. Tell Gigi I owe her. I owe you, too, Elle. Big time.
She texted right back. No one is keeping score.
He was tempted to text back and ask if that meant she’d stopped holding the Roger/wedding debacle against him. But that would be a cheap shot. She believed it was his fault that Roger had left her at the altar. All these years, he’d let her believe that. He wondered what would’ve happened if he hadn’t gotten the call about Aidan. Would they have talked about what had happened before the wedding that made Daniel talk Roger into walking away? Would she have heard him out? Of course, learning the truth wouldn’t have been any easier to swallow. Maybe it was just as well that she blamed him. If she could forgive him, maybe she didn’t need to know the truth.
It was too bad that it took a tragedy to open lines of communication, but if any good came from Aidan’s wreck, maybe this would be the catalyst that would help Elle and him put the past behind them once and for all.
Chapter Six
Daniel looked exhausted, Elle thought when she saw him standing in the lobby.
His handsome face looked drawn and pale, in sharp contrast with his dark hair and eyes. There were fine lines around his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before. Of course, he’d faced the worst kind of stress today. If one of her sisters was in the intensive care unit, she probably wouldn’t be able to function. Never mind how she would look. She’d be a mess. You wouldn’t be able to pry her away from the hospital bedside, either. That wasn’t a judgment. She knew the only reason Daniel was here right now was because of Chloe.
“Hi,” she said. “How are you doing?”
He blinked. Obviously, he wasn’t all there.
“Hey, umm, yeah...” He shrugged and shoved his hands in his back pockets. “As good as can be expected? Where is Chloe?”
“She’s out on the patio playing My Little Pony with Gigi.”
The corners of his lips tugged upward.
“I’m impressed. Is Gigi sharing her own personal game?”
Elle laughed. At least he still had a sense of humor. Funny how people used to call him glib, when really humor was a life skill that carried people through hard times like he was facing now.
“You might say that. When Gigi learned it was Chloe’s favorite game, they went to Target and bought it. They’ve been playing it all afternoon—dozens of times. I think it might be Gigi’s new favorite hobby.”
She motioned for him to follow her to one of the large picture windows where they had a good view of the game in progress on the back terrace.
“See what I mean? They’re new BFFs.”
Elle and Daniel stood next to each other, the quiet enveloping them. The only sound was the gentle ticktock of the grandfather clock that was standing soldier straight on the adjacent wall. Elle stole a glance at him. The look in his eyes was heartbreaking. It took every ounce of restraint not to reach out and hug him. Because this big guy who was usually so cocky and sure of himself looked broken.
She crossed her arms to keep herself from doing something stupid, like invading his personal space. Something that could be misconstrued for something other than how she meant it.
“Chloe can stay here tonight if it would help you,” she offered. “That way you can go back to the hospital tonight.”
He did a double take. Squinted at her as if processing the offer and still coming up empty-handed on what to say.
“That’s such a nice offer. Thank you. But I’ve already imposed on you enough. I’ll take her home with me. First, we need to go by Aidan’s house so I can pick up some things for her.” He shrugged. “Maybe we’ll stay there so she can go to sleep in her own bed. Do you think that would be better for her?”
“Maybe it would,” Elle said. “Less change that way.”
“I don’t know what to tell her about her dad,” he confessed. “What do I say? I mean, you’re a teacher. I thought you might have some suggestions on what to say.”
She nodded. “I do. But first, I need to let you know we already talked about it a little bit. I’m a stranger and when I showed up to pick her up rather than her dad, she wanted to know why. I told her that her father had to see the doctor. I didn’t elaborate, but I answered her questions. She was mainly concerned about whether her dad would have to get a shot.”
“Yeah?”
“That’s a big deal to a five-year-old.”
He nodded. “She’s going to have more questions when Aidan doesn’t come home tonight.”
“She probably will,” Elle said. “Answer her honestly and matter-of-factly, but don’t get into complicated details.”
When he didn’t answer, she continued, “The most important thing is that she feels loved and safe. She needs to know that she will be taken care of while her father is away.”
He nodded and raked a hand through his hair. “When I tell her about Aidan tonight, I’ll make sure I lead with that. I want her to know everything will be okay.
“Aidan was planning on taking some time off while she was out of school on holiday break. I guess I will now. It will mean pushing out the inn’s completion date. I hope your mom and Wiladean realize I have to do what’s best for Chloe right now.”
Daniel ran a hand over his eyes and back through his hair. It was clear that he was trying to figure it out as he went along. She could feel the angst rolling off him in palpable waves.
“Let me watch her, Daniel.”
“Elle—”
“I know you need to take care of things tonight in your own way, but know that the offer stands. I teach kids not too much older than Chloe. If I look after her, it would free you up to go to the hospital. If you feel like working, you could bring her with you to the inn and work on the remodel. But only if you feel like it.” Maybe she was imagining it, but it seemed like his mood shifted. He looked almost relieved.
“It’s good of you to offer,” he said. “But I can’t work until I know that Aidan is out of danger.”
Elle nodded. “The offer still stands for me to look after Chloe. Do you want me to come with you tonight to help you get Chloe settled? That way if she asks a question and you get stuck, you’ll have me for moral support.”
It was the least she could do. He was clearly suffering and doing the best that he could.
“You really are wonderful,” he said.
He pulled her into a hug that felt familiar and somehow...right.
* * *
Maybe it was sheer exhaustion or maybe it was Elle’s soothing presence, but Chloe was sound asleep within five minutes of them tucking her into bed. They’d ordered in a couple of pizzas for dinner—cheese for Chloe and pepperoni and mushroom for Elle and him. After dinner, Elle had helped Chloe with her bath and had gotten her ready for bed.
Just as Daniel had anticipated, at bedtime Chloe had asked about her dad and cried after they’d told her that he was hurt and had to sleep in the hospital until the doctor told him he could go home. She had asked if she could go see him and Daniel had told her he would ask the doctor. They would go as soon as the doctor said it was possible. He assured her that in the meantime, he was there to take care of her. They didn’t let her cry herself to sleep alone. They both stayed in her bedroom with her, rubbing her back and answering all her questions and assuring her that they would be here for her.
It was a little awkward when she’d asked if Elle would be there in the morning when she woke up. Daniel had been grateful when Elle jumped in and took the lead. “No, sweetie, I have to go home tonight.”
“Is that why you drove your own car?”
“It is. That way I can go home and your uncle Daniel can stay right here with you. He is going to bring you over to my house tomorrow morning. You and Gigi and I can play all day long. You can teach me how to play My Little Pony. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
She’d nodded, momentarily placated. “Can I see my daddy tomorrow?”
Elle and Daniel locked gazes. “I’ll ask the doctor tomorrow when I see him,” he’d said, keeping his voice light and upbeat. It seemed to work because, with Princess Sweetie Pie tucked under her arm, Chloe’s eyes had grown heavy, and she’d drifted off to sleep.
Silently, they left her bedroom. He didn’t want Elle to leave, but he knew that if he didn’t think fast, she would. She was already edging toward the door.
“It was a great idea to ask Chloe about her Christmas plans,” he said, referring to their conversation during dinner. “Sometimes the obvious is right in front of you and you can’t even see it. I’d totally forgotten that Aidan had signed her up for the holiday camp at the school the week before Christmas. I’ll have to figure out the details. Like when it starts and the hours.”
He liked this common ground they’d found tucking Chloe into bed together and making sure she felt safe and secure. Given everything, it was remarkable that Elle could put her animosity for him aside to help him help his niece. She was pretty remarkable. He’d always known it, but this was proof.
When there was so much on the line right now—Aidan’s survival and prognosis, Chloe’s comfort and well-being—it felt a little selfish to want to keep her here with him. But her calming presence was keeping him sane, too.
“You’re really good with her, Daniel.”
“I love her. I mean, she and Aidan are all I have.”
“I’m so sorry this happened,” she said.
He didn’t know what to say and even if he did he doubted that he could push the words around the lump in his throat. She must’ve sensed his angst or maybe it was written all over his face, because she came to his rescue by offering her sweet smile.
“You’ve changed, haven’t you?” she said.
His heart twisted in a way that had him inwardly vowing to prove her right. “I have changed,” he said matter-of-factly. He didn’t want to give her any reason to believe he was kidding. “The years have shown me what’s important. That life is fragile. You don’t always get a second chance.”
“You have a point.” She leaned her hip against the arm of the couch, settling into a half-standing, half-sitting position. She’d changed clothes since lunch. Now she was wearing jeans and a blue blouse that looked great with her eyes and worshipped her curves. He fisted his hands in his lap. She was so close the need to touch her was almost overwhelming. But he wouldn’t give in to his primal urges. Not with Chloe in the next room.
Touching her because he could was something he would have done in his past life. That was when he was angry and resentful over losing his parents and having to move to Savannah, and he had taken out his anger by taking whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it, without considering the consequences.
He stuffed his hands into his back pockets.
“What was the turning point for you?” she asked.
He shrugged.
“When did you decide that being the rebel wasn’t the way to go?”
He studied her face for a moment, drinking in the contours and planes.
“There comes a time when you either choose to grow up or continue down that senseless, self-destructive path to nowhere. It also comes from finding something you’re good at. Something you’re passionate about.”
As he stared at the Christmas tree in the corner of his brother’s house, he thought about his late wife, Lana. She’d been good for him. In many ways she’d saved him. Most of all made him realize that the best way he could honor her after the aneurysm was to carry on with purpose, to not let his grief and anger make him self-destruct. That was part of the reason he’d come back to Savannah. To settle old scores, not through rage or even passive aggression, but through redemption. He learned fast that the best path to redemption was through self-worth.
“For me it was renovating old houses. I liked the irony of it. I used to break things, but now I fix them.”
A l
ook of dawning washed over her pretty face and he wanted to kiss her. The same way he had all those years ago.
“I never thought of it that way, but you’re right.”
She held his gaze and drew her bottom lip between her front teeth. He wondered if she was remembering that kiss and wanting to revisit it, as much as he did.
“Why did you feel the need to break up my wedding, Daniel?”
Well, there it was. The million-dollar question that he had both dreaded and wanted to plow into headfirst to clear the air. Because until they had talked about it and it was out of the way, there would be no moving forward in the direction he was certain they were destined to go.
* * *
“Are you sure you want to get into that now?” he asked.
Elle didn’t want him to know she was ambivalent about knowing the truth. It had taken so long to get over the hurt and humiliation, bringing it up was like opening the wound all over again. But if she was truthful with herself, she knew the only way for the wound to truly heal was to bring everything out into the open.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Now probably isn’t the time to talk about it,” she said, suddenly second-guessing herself.
Why did she do that? She hated that about herself.
Make a decision and stick to it. Stop running away.
Daniel shrugged. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. As far as I’m concerned, it’s as good a time as any to talk about it. I’d really like to clear the air.”
“It was insensitive of me to ask tonight, Daniel. You have more important things to worry about than dredging up the past. Especially when you need to find out about Chloe’s Christmas camp.”
He shook his head. “I’ll find out if Chloe’s friends are going to it and get in touch with their parents.”
A Down-Home Savannah Christmas Page 9