Just a Kiss (22 page)

T
he community center had come alive with the sounds of boisterous chatter and the slap of the basketball on the court outside the huge garage doors. An old fire station made an excellent hangout for kids. Lucy had done a terrific job making the place feel young and energetic, yet homey.

In the homework area Paige leaned closer to the table where twelve-year-old Brittany Conley sat hunched over her paper, pencil poised.

“Remember what to do next?” Paige asked.

Brittany began solving for the variable.

“Good job. You're really getting the hang of this.”

Brittany never said much. But she was here every day after school. She liked to play basketball when she first arrived, as if decompressing from the school day.

Brittany finished the last problem, then tucked her paper inside her textbook.

“Do you have any more homework?”

“No.” She looked up shyly, her big brown eyes meeting Paige's. “Did you bring Muffet?”

“Not today.”

Brittany had bonded with the mixed breed Paige had brought the last few weeks. One of the kids had started calling him Muffet, and the name had stuck. The dog was becoming the community center mascot.

Paige checked her watch. “We have about fifteen minutes until your mom comes. Do you want to work a puzzle?”

When Brittany shrugged, Paige took that as a yes and grabbed the zoo puzzle from the nearby shelves.

She felt a bond with the girl. Though she'd never talked much with Brittany or her mom, the pair of them had attended Paige's church for years. Her dad had left last year, and Mrs. Conley was working long hours to make ends meet, which left Brittany here at the center until six each night.

They worked the hundred-piece puzzle, mostly in silence. Paige tried several times to start a conversation, but Brittany wasn't very responsive. She'd bring Muffet tomorrow. Maybe she'd even talk to the girl's mom about adopting the dog.

Brittany set a piece down and sat back in her chair. Paige's eyes glanced off her face only to dart right back. Brittany's eyes were filled with tears.

“Honey, what's wrong?”

The girl shook her head, but the tears spilled over and her lip quivered.

Paige dug in her purse for a tissue, then handed it to Brittany. “You can talk to me about anything. Whatever it is, things have a way of getting better with time. Is it anything I can help you with?”

When Brittany only continued crying, Paige went on. “When I was your age I lived with my mom and dad. My mom was never very nice to me, and I tried so hard to make her happy. It was my family, but I didn't feel like I really belonged.”

Brittany sniffed. “Why wasn't she nice to you?”

“Well . . . that's kind of complicated. I found out later she wasn't my biological mom. Do you know what that means?”

“You were adopted?”

“Not exactly.” Paige had gotten in a little deeper than she'd intended. “My dad had me with another woman, and the mom who raised me kind of held that against me.”

“You can't help who your real mom is.”

“I know, right? But that didn't seem to matter.” Paige picked up an edge piece and placed it in the frame. It slid into place with a quiet snap.

“I miss my dad.” The quietly spoken words broke Paige's heart.

Paige put her hand over the girl's. “Oh, honey. I'm sure you must.”

Her lip quivered. “He used to work puzzles with me sometimes.”

“I'm sorry. We can do something else. You want to play Jenga instead?”

“I like puzzles.” She shrugged. “My dad didn't really work them with me anyway. He just sat there and typed on his phone.”

“Oh.”

“He just got married to some lady in Milbridge.”

“Do you get to see him very often?”

She wiped her face with the tissue. “Every other weekend. She has two kids, but they're older than me. They just act like I'm not there, and I don't think my dad's wife likes me much.”

“That's hard. I'm sorry.”

She was definitely talking to Brittany's mom about Muffet. They needed each other. Maybe having a dog wouldn't solve the girl's problems, but having a loving pet would be a great outlet for her.

“I know what you mean about not belonging anywhere,” Brittany said, one last tear slipping down her flushed cheeks. “My mom works all the time, and when she's home she's too tired to do anything with me. And when I'm with my dad . . . nothing's the same anymore.”

Paige's chest squeezed tight. “You've got a mom who loves you very much. You belong with her. And you belong here. And you know what? You belong to God. I remember when you were baptized a few years ago. You gave your heart to Him, and that means you're one of His, and He'll never let you go. He'll never ignore you, He'll never be mean to you, and He'll never leave you.”

It was only as she said the words that the impact of them hit Paige square in the heart. Her breath left on a quick rush as a shiver ran through her.

Maybe Paige's biological father hadn't been the kind of dad she'd needed. Maybe her stepmother had resented her and abandoned her.

But she did belong to a family. The best of families. She had a perfect Father who loved her more than any earthly father ever could. The creator of the universe loved her and wanted a relationship with her. That was enough to overcome all the rest.

She closed her eyes in a long blink as the wave of realization poured over her.

How long had God been waiting for her to remember her heavenly Father? To realize she still belonged to the most important family of all?

Thank You, God. I'm sorry I discounted You. I'm sorry I've been kind of going through the motions lately. Help this little girl to find the truth. Make Yourself real to her in her everyday life.

Paige leaned closer, setting her hand over Brittany's. “You can
talk to God about anything, and He hears you. He loves you, more than you'll ever understand, and He has a plan for you.”

“That's what my grandma says.”

“Well, she's right.”

Brittany's eyes shifted to the entrance and she began gathering her things. “My mom's here.”

Paige stood with her, her eyes darting toward the door where a woman searched the room for her daughter. When her eyes fell on Brittany, her face broke out in a weary smile.

R
iley broke away from Dan and put up a layup. It bounced against the board and dropped through the net with a
swish
.

“Only six more baskets, and we'll finally be tied,” Dan said.

Riley used the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. “I'm only getting warmed up, buddy.”

“That's what you said last week.”

He and Dan had been playing ball at a nearby park every Sunday evening for the past month. The guy's prosthetic didn't slow him down, and he sure didn't believe in taking it easy on a fellow amputee. Riley had yet to win against him.

They usually stopped at the Rusty Nail for a drink after Dan destroyed Riley's ego. He'd gotten to know the guy pretty well. He had an ex-wife who'd left him when he'd sunk into depression after losing his leg, and a seven-year-old daughter he doted on and saw every other weekend. He also had a very attractive girlfriend who was eager to set Riley up with one of her friends. Riley couldn't bring himself to agree.

Dan approached, dribbling. “I have to go home after I beat you.”

“You're not going to beat me.”

“Got to hand it to you, Callahan. You're one heck of an optimist.” He dribbled the ball through his legs.

Show-off.
Riley batted at the ball and missed.

Dan faked to the right, but Riley knew this move. He rebounded quickly and stole the ball, taking it all the way to the basket for another two.

“Worried yet?”

“Not bad, Callahan, not bad.”

They played to twenty-one, Riley bringing the game to a tie before Dan shot the final basket, winning by the closest margin yet.

“Someday I'll turn around and you'll be beating me,” Dan said, then gave him a cocky grin. “But not today.”

Riley thumped him in the back of the head.

They were both out of breath as they walked off the court. They collected their belongings off the park bench, and Bishop came to his feet, tail wagging, eyes bright. He'd perked up a lot in the past couple months.

They started the short walk home, Bishop leading the way. The November sky was blue, the temperature in the midsixties. Riley didn't think he'd ever get used to the unseasonably warm weather. Thanksgiving was less than a week away, and he didn't even need a jacket.

A squirrel darted across the sidewalk and Bishop froze, eyes like lasers, until the critter disappeared up one of the maple trees that lined the street.

The neighborhood was quiet and modest, mostly two-story Cape Cods with small, well-kept lawns. There was a real sense of
community here in Copper Creek. A closeness. Of course Riley knew what that meant. Everybody was up in each other's business.

Riley breathed in a deep breath of the fresh air and blew it out. Bishop wasn't the only one feeling better these days. Riley had started talking to Pastor Jack regularly. The minister had also recommended a psychiatrist who immediately put Riley on something that helped him sleep nightmare-free. That alone had been a lifesaver. He was functioning much better now.

He'd been meeting with Pastor Jack twice a week after work. He couldn't say he enjoyed his appointments. Sometimes they left him pretty raw. Sometimes he went home and went straight to bed, but he awoke refreshed. There was something about getting it all out there, something about hearing that what he was feeling was normal, that went a long way toward releasing the darkness that had built up inside.

When he was at work he could think more clearly. He was more productive and felt more social. When he went to church he actually heard the sermons, could feel the scriptures sinking in and bringing light inside. A heavy load had lifted from his shoulders, leaving him feeling as if he were filled with helium.

He still struggled with stuff. Still dealt with survivor's guilt sometimes and had the occasional flashback. After all he'd been through, he knew he'd never be the same Riley he'd been before—before war. Before the explosion.

But he was starting to like the Riley he was becoming.

Starting to see that a missing limb was really just a missing limb.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he looked at the screen. “It's my aunt.”

“Go ahead,” Dan said.

He tapped the screen, a little worry niggling in the back of his mind. Aunt Trudy wasn't much for the phone. He mostly kept in touch with her through Beau and Zac.

“Hey, Aunt Trudy.” He could hear a football game on the TV in the background. He imagined his family gathered around in the living room and felt a pang of homesickness.

“You sound out of breath,” she said. “Did I make you run for the phone?”

“I was just shooting hoops at the park with a friend. I'm on my way home now.”

“Basketball. You do realize it's thirty-five degrees here in Maine.”

“Well, I can't help it if you're too stubborn to move south.”

Aunt Trudy humphed. “Wouldn't trade Summer Harbor for some landlocked city that doesn't even know what seasons are.”

“Copper Creek has a population of eight thousand, Aunt Trudy. Hardly a thriving metropolis. But I'll admit I'm looking forward to a small taste of winter.”

He was going home for Thanksgiving. It was all he'd thought about the last few weeks. His heart gave a tug at the thought of seeing Paige.

“You're probably due for some good home cooking.”

“Got that right. It's been mostly mac 'n' cheese and frozen pizzas.”

Aunt Trudy tsked, then started a lecture on a healthy, balanced diet, making him remember why he kept in touch with her through his brothers.

His thoughts drifted to home. To the Christmas tree farm. Back to Paige. He wondered if she was there at the farm right now.
Wondered how she was feeling about seeing him again. She must know he was coming home. She always spent Thanksgiving with the Callahans. As much as he wanted to talk to her, he was leaving the ball in her corner. It was only fair after what he'd done. He wondered how she was doing. How the shelter was doing. If she was over him.

Because he wasn't over her. Not even close. Just the thought of her made his heart rate accelerate.

“Are you even listening to me, young man?”

Riley smiled at his aunt's bluster. “Eat a protein-heavy breakfast and make sure I get six servings of fruits and veggies a day. Got it.”

She muttered something about impertinent boys.

He chuckled, suddenly missing his aunt so much his chest tightened. “I'll work on it, Aunt Trudy. Did you call just to lecture me about my dietary needs, or is something else going on?”

“As a matter of fact, there is something else going on. I thought I'd better warn you to bring a suit when you come home next week. There's going to be a wedding.”

His thoughts went straight to Paige, and a fist squeezed his heart. But that was crazy. He shook his head. Beau had told him about Danny Colton.

“Well, it's about time,” he said.

“Is that your way of saying congratulations?”

Riley smiled. “I couldn't be happier for you, Aunt Trudy. The two of you belong together. So you're getting married Thanksgiving weekend?”

“On Saturday night. It's a small affair, just the family. We're going to Vegas the next week, then I'll move into that little ranch he lives in over on Crofton Street.”

“Vegas?” Heaven help the city.

“Danny's always wanted to go. I'll be ready for a little warm weather by then.”

“I'm sure you'll have a great time. How's he doing? Is he healing up from his accident?”

“He's still on crutches, but he's supposed to be walking on his own two feet by our wedding day. He's pretty anxious to lose those crutches, and I know just how he feels.” Aunt Trudy had broken her leg a couple years ago.

“I'm happy for him. Happy for both of you.” Then his curiosity got the best of him. “Can I ask you something, Aunt Trudy?”

“You can ask.”

“When you found out you were pregnant . . . why didn't you just tell him? You were in love with him, right?”

“You always were the snoopy one.”

He smiled at her crusty tone. “Sorry . . . you don't have to answer.”

Her voice softened. “I did love him. But the fool man had just gotten drafted by the Celtics. It was his dream. And I was stuck here taking care of my mama. I couldn't ask him to sacrifice that. I thought I was doing what was best for him.”

The words reverberated inside, sending aftershocks through his system. But before he could examine them, she went on.

“Shows what I knew. We spent a lifetime apart because I made his decision for him. That was wrong of me—I know that now.”

Something squirmed inside his gut. “Thanks for sharing that with me.”

Aunt Trudy cleared her throat. She'd always been uncomfortable with the touchy-feely stuff. “Well, Beau's reaching for the phone, so I'll just talk to you when you get here.”

“All right, Aunt Trudy. See you then.”

She handed off the phone and he talked to Beau awhile, mostly about the game, before he was passed to Zac. Just talking to his family made him miss them even more. He could hear them cheering in the background, and he suddenly wished he were there too.

He listened for Paige's voice, but he never heard her. He wondered if she was staying quiet because he was on the phone. The thought made his stomach twist.

A few minutes later he hung up and pocketed his phone. “Sorry about that,” he said to Dan.

Dan shrugged. “You must miss them. You have two older brothers, right?”

“Yep. Beau and Zac. They're both married now.”

“I just have a sister, but we're pretty close. So you're going home for Thanksgiving—I guess you won't be around for your weekly thrashing next week.” He dribbled the ball between his legs and did a fancy spin move.

“Need I remind you that you only won by one basket today? You know what's next, right?”

“You keep thinking positive, buddy.”

Riley shook his head. He didn't like losing, but the fact of the matter was, Dan had upped Riley's game considerably. He was going to smoke Paige when they played again.

When they played again
.

He'd been thinking in those terms a lot lately. As if their next game was imminent. As if their next conversation was right around the corner. As if she were a regular part of his life.

Because she was. And moving twelve hundred miles away hadn't changed that.

I thought I was doing what was best for him.

Aunt Trudy's words played back in his mind, their familiarity pricking him hard. Wasn't that what he'd done? He'd been so depressed, so messed up in the head.

But he was thinking straighter now. The darkness had lifted enough that he could see more clearly.
I made his decision for him. That was wrong of me.
What right did he have to take Paige's decision into his own hands?

He thought of his trip home, and suddenly something shifted inside him, ever so subtly. His brain was finally catching up to what his heart had been telling him for weeks. What the Spirit had been whispering softly in the quiet of the night.

He wasn't going home for a visit. He was going home to stay. He was going to help his brother with the farm through the Christmas season. And in the spring he was going back to lobstering. If Dan could be a roofer, he could be a lobsterman. What was stopping him?

The thought settled into place as if it were the last piece of a long, complicated puzzle. It felt good. It felt right. It felt inevitable.

He'd needed Copper Creek. He'd needed Noah and Pastor Jack and Dan in this season of his life. He'd come and he'd done some important work that maybe he never could've done in Summer Harbor.

But it was time to go home.

Beside him, Dan gave the ball a couple dribbles, and Riley realized they'd reached the corner where they parted ways.

“Thanks for the game, buddy,” Dan said. “I'll see you in a couple Sundays.”

“Um . . . actually, I'm going home.”

Dan gave him an odd look. “Yeah, I know. You just told me that.”

“No.” He stopped and turned toward Dan. “I mean, I'm going home—to stay.”

Something shifted in Dan's eyes, and his head tipped back thoughtfully. “No kidding.”

Saying it out loud only made it feel more right. Riley nodded slowly. “It's time.”

Dan's mouth tilted in a smile. “Good for you, man. Good for you.” He walked away, dribbling the ball as he went.

Riley stood there for a moment. He was finally ready to take his life back. And he was ready to win back the woman he loved. He'd never been so ready.

Paige had lost track of the game about twenty minutes ago when Miss Trudy called Riley. By the pace and force of Paige's heart, a person would think she was talking to him herself.

She only became more frantic as the phone was passed to Beau. Did Riley know she was here? He must. She spent nearly every fall Sunday afternoon tucked into her favorite corner of the sofa, watching football.