Authors: Francis Ray
“That’s a pretty dress.”
“I thought so.” Sierra smiled and pulled out the full hem of the white sundress with pink piping. “The saleslady must have thought I was crazy to buy the same dress in three sizes, but it was too cute to pass up. A new outfit can make the day brighter.”
Naomi wasn’t surprised Sierra understood. She might be wealthy but, like her family and in-laws, she wasn’t stuck up or pretentious. She understood that hard times could make people feel worthless and make them give up hope. Naomi was proud that she was able to give back just a little of what had been given to her.
Perhaps she could do even more. Her hand closed tightly around the bottle of shampoo. “If—if you need help with the fund-raising for Mrs. Grayson’s music department, I’d like to help.”
Amazed delight swept across Sierra’s beautiful heart-shaped face. “Thank you, Naomi. Blade’s event director is flying down next week for a fact-finding and planning meeting. I’ll let you know.”
Nodding, the tension easing out of her, Naomi went back to emptying the bags. She hadn’t been rejected or made to feel as if she were worthless. She hadn’t let fear rule her. She just had to keep reminding herself that she had something to offer. She almost smiled. She couldn’t wait to tell Richard.
Finished, they folded the empty paper shopping bags and put them in the stack. They saved the bags for women to carry away their items.
“Thanks again for the donations,” Naomi said.
“I had fun,” Sierra said. “I have to admit, there’s also a couple of outfits in the car for me. Besides Blade, clothes and food are my two weaknesses.”
Once it might have been hard for Naomi to imagine a woman smiling about a man being her weakness, but she’d been around the Graysons and their spouses long enough to realize that loving the right man was a good thing. The trouble was finding him.
Watching the younger woman, who had such a zest for life and was in such a good mood, Naomi thought it was the perfect time to bring up her request. “Sierra, if you don’t mind, could you please recommend a Realtor?”
One perfectly arched brow lifted regally. Sierra folded her arms and simply stared at Naomi. Her easygoing demeanor and smile were gone.
Naomi swallowed and rushed to explain. “Richard said to ask you, but I can’t afford the homes you list. I didn’t know when you helped me find an apartment that you handled only upscale properties, and now you’re married to a billionaire.”
“And you think that changed me?”
“No.” Naomi quickly shook her head. She always messed things up, just like her ex said she did. “You’re always nice to me and Kayla.”
Sierra’s arms unfolded, her face softening. Reaching out, she gently touched Naomi’s arm in comfort. “Then you don’t want to hurt my feelings, do you?”
“No. You’ve been wonderful to me. Your whole family has.” Half the things in her kitchen and home were housewarming gifts from Richard and the Graysons. It wasn’t just the gifts that they gave her, it was their friendship and acceptance that counted for so much more.
“Good, then I’m your Realtor. I need to go to the car, but I’ll be back.” Sierra headed for the front of the building.
Naomi followed Sierra out to the reception area. She saw Aaron open the door just before Sierra rushed through. A man emerged from the driver’s side of the black Lincoln parked at the curb and opened the back door. Bending to reach inside, she emerged with something in her hand and hurried back. Aaron opened the door again and followed her inside. Naomi saw that Sierra had an iPad, her slim manicured fingers moving quickly over the screen.
“Why don’t we step into one of the counseling offices? Aaron can watch the front, if that’s all right with you.” Sierra lifted her head and waited for an answer.
She was giving Naomi a choice and privacy. She understood Naomi’s need to have both. Richard had been right about choosing Sierra. “All right.”
This time it was Naomi who followed Sierra into one of the offices, but neither sat in one of the comfortable chairs. “What kind of house are you looking for? What neighborhood?”
“Something I can afford, with a yard for Kayla to have a swing, maybe a puppy later on.”
Sierra’s fingers paused over the keyboard. She looked up. “What about what
you
want?”
“To be safe,” Naomi answered before she thought and wanted to tuck her head in shame, but Sierra’s gaze was already on the screen as she resumed typing.
“Then we’ll look in those neighborhoods where you will be. To ensure your safety even more once you have your house, I’ll ask Rio to put in a security system.”
As much as she liked the idea, she knew she couldn’t afford the type of system Rio would probably install. “That will cost a lot of money. Maybe I can get something cheaper.” At Sierra’s raised brow, Naomi quickly amended her words. “Less expensive.”
“Amounts to the same thing.” Sierra continued talking when Naomi opened her mouth. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Rio already has the equipment. You’ll just need an alarm company to monitor it.”
“Won’t they want to install their own equipment?” Naomi asked.
Sierra flashed a quick grin. “You’d be surprised by the things people do when Rio asks them.”
Naomi didn’t doubt her for a second. Rio was a formidable man. Then there was Sierra’s husband, and her older brother Luke. She certainly wouldn’t like saying no to any of them.
“Now, back to basics,” Sierra said. “What price range? How much can you afford to put down?”
Naomi swallowed, barely kept from fidgeting. “Six thousand down. I’m not sure what price range. It can be small. We just need two bedrooms.”
Sierra nodded and entered more data into the iPad. “You’ll want the payments in line with your apartment rent. You haven’t paid utility bills so you’ll have to factor that into monthly expenses. Yard upkeep. Incidentals.”
Cold fear knotted Naomi’s stomach. “Maybe I should stay in the apartment.”
Sierra’s head came up, her gaze curious instead of accusatory. “Did you have a house before?”
Before.
Naomi barely kept from looking away in embarrassment and shame. Before meant before she came to Santa Fe after running from her ex-husband with little more than the clothes on her and Kayla’s backs. “No.”
“First-time homeownership is always daunting, but you have to be sure it’s what you want. You won’t be able to call the apartment manager if the plumbing backs up or the central air goes out,” Sierra told her.
With each statement, Naomi’s eyes widened. She hadn’t thought of all those possibilities.
“Luckily for us, I know honest repairmen. But more important, before you sign any contract, the house will be thoroughly inspected. I also know a home warranty company that won’t rip you off. And I imagine Richard will want to take a look before you purchase.”
Naomi felt her face flush, but she also felt relief that she had Richard. “He said he wanted to help.”
“Thought so.” Sierra closed the leather case over the top of the iPad. “I’ll start working on it tomorrow. I have your phone number. I’ll be in touch.” She started from the room.
“Sierra?”
“Yes?” She glanced back over her shoulder, her long black hair swinging down her slim back.
“Thank you.”
“Thank
you
. I love finding just the right house for a client. Since you’re a friend, it will be that much more enjoyable.” Sierra started for the front again. “I better go before we have company. If it wouldn’t upset Blade, I’d ditch them.”
“You can’t do that. Some men don’t respect women.”
Sierra stopped and placed her hand on Naomi’s trembling arm. “I won’t.”
In trying to help protect Sierra, Naomi had revealed too much, but she didn’t feel the humiliation she once might have. Sierra didn’t think less of her, and she was tired of thinking less of herself. “I won’t keep you.”
“We’ll talk later this week.” Sierra stepped into the reception area. “Aaron, please call Paul from the back and let’s go.”
“Already done when I heard your heels.”
Sierra lifted a perfectly ached brow. “Why didn’t you call him the first time?”
“You wore the same excited expression on your face when you were searching for clothes,” he said easily. “You were on a mission. You weren’t leaving.”
“I’ll have to remember that.”
“Thought you would. I’ll wait outside.”
“They seem very efficient,” Naomi murmured.
“They have to be to get Blade and Rio’s okay,” Sierra confided. “Good-bye, Naomi.”
“Good-bye.” Naomi followed Sierra to the door. Aaron opened the back door to the shiny Lincoln. The windows were tinted so she couldn’t see inside. On the front passenger side stood Paul. Closing Sierra’s door, Aaron went around to the other side. Both men got inside at the same time. The car pulled smoothly away from the curb.
Naomi stared after the car. Sierra had found a man who valued her and wanted her safe. She was a lucky woman. For a second Naomi thought of Richard, then pushed him from her mind. He was just a friend and that was the way it was going to remain. The last thing she needed or wanted was a man ordering her around and messing up her and Kayla’s lives again.
Once was more than enough.
* * *
As the day lengthened, Naomi expected a call from Mrs. Grayson or Richard to check on her. Until today she’d always had the early-afternoon shift. That way Ruth or Catherine could keep Kayla for a couple of hours. She’d never closed the building by herself. As the clock moved closer to six, she finally accepted that they weren’t going to call. Initially she wasn’t sure how she felt about that, then she decided it showed they had confidence in her to handle whatever came up.
And she had. There had been calls seeking information about the league as well as call-backs, as she’d thought.
Although the calls had brought back painful memories of her abusive marriage, they also gave her a greater insight into what the caller was going through or how to be of assistance to a relative who wanted to help a family member in an abusive relationship who wasn’t ready to leave her abuser. For her there had been no relative, no one she could turn to … until she came to Santa Fe.
When the antique clock on the wall read five fifty-eight, Naomi pulled her purse from the cabinet and powered down the computer. Exactly at 6:00
PM
, she set the alarm, left on the lamp on the front desk to signify that help was always available, and walked out the door.
The air was crisp and clean. As the evening lengthened, the temperature would drop, but by then Naomi would be home, getting her and Kayla ready for school and work tomorrow. Walking to her car, she looked around as the defense course had taught her, checked the backseat, and unlocked the door. As Luke had said during the course he’d taught the workers and clients of the league, it was better to be careful than a victim.
She got into the Highlander, and the motor started instantly. Backing out of the parking lot, she realized—not for the first time—she had so much to be thankful for. Her life could have taken a much different direction. But she and Kayla were safe, and if all went as planned, they would be homeowners soon. She realized something else—if she kept looking over her shoulder waiting for her ex-husband to show back up, she’d never have the kind of happy life she wanted for them.
Stopping at the entrance of the parking lot, she put the car in park, picked up her cell phone, and called Fallon. It was past time to take another step.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Fallon. How is Kayla?”
“Wonderful as usual,” Fallon reported. “We’re eating pizza and watching the Discovery Channel.”
“Do you mind keeping her for a bit longer? I want to drop by a friend’s house.”
“Is it too much to hope that the friend is Mr. Yummy?”
Naomi didn’t know why she felt like tucking her head. “It’s Catherine.”
Fallon’s sigh came through loud and clear. “One day you’re going to give me the right answer. In any case, take your time. We saved some pizza for you.”
“Thanks. I appre—”
“Stop there or I might think twice about coming over in the morning for coffee and cereal. I’m out of milk and too lazy to get dressed and go to the store and buy any.”
Naomi often wondered if Fallon, who was as intelligent as they came, really forgot on purpose so she could come over. Naomi knew what it was like to be isolated and lonely. Fallon had family, but they were in another state. Naomi didn’t mind. She liked the company and was grateful Kayla had a wonderful sitter. “I shouldn’t be long. Give Kayla a hug for me. Bye.”
“You got it. Bye.”
Hanging up, Naomi punched in Catherine’s number. She refused to live in fear.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Catherine. It’s Naomi,” she said, unsure of how to proceed. She always expected Catherine to have all the answers. How could she this time when Naomi wasn’t sure of the questions?
“Hello, Naomi. How did it go today?” Catherine asked.
“Fine. I—” Her hand clenched on the cell phone.
“Naomi, are you all right?” Catherine asked, her voice concerned.
“Yes. No.” Naomi blew out a frustrated breath. “I just need to talk to you.”
“Are you at home? I can come right over.”
No question, just an offer to help. Catherine had been that way since they met when Naomi fainted from hunger and exhaustion in front of her. “I’m just leaving the Women’s League office. Fallon is keeping Kayla. If it’s all right, I’d like to come by there … if you’re in the city.” Luke had a mountain cabin they often stayed in, and when they did, they liked being left alone.
“We’re in the city. See you soon.”
“Bye.” Naomi hung up the phone and pulled into traffic.
Chapter 6
Less than ten minutes later Naomi pulled up in front of a beautiful ranch-style home in a gated development. Roses and a profusion of flowers snaked around the house. Two elms stood sentinel on either side of the large yard. A block away to the left lived Ruth Grayson. To the right was Morgan and his wife, Phoenix. Naomi didn’t think it was by accident that the two oldest sons lived near their mother.
Getting out of the car, Naomi went up the curved walkway bordered by liriope and daisies. On the wide porch was a wheelbarrow with dark purple petunias trailing over the side. She rang the doorbell.