Love Inspired May 2015 #1 (43 page)

Tired and hungry, he'd stopped and picked up a couple of pizzas. One for himself and one for Lainie and the girls. He wasn't sure if she'd appreciate the gesture, but he felt guilty for leaving them alone all day. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about them. Lainie had flitted through his mind at unexpected moments, tempting him to call and check on her, but he'd held off. He understood her resistance to accepting his help. But his conscience wouldn't let him turn away. Now that he understood how alone she was, he was even more determined to protect her and the kids until the library was done and she had a job And a safe place to live. He owed them that.

Shaw carried the boxes onto the back porch and knocked on Lainie's door. He found himself looking forward to seeing her again, and curious about what she'd done all day. The frown on her face when she opened the door dampened his mood. He forced a smile anyway and held out the pizza box. “I thought you and the kids might like a pizza.”

Lainie blinked. “Oh. Thank you. That was very thoughtful. I was just about to fix supper.” She looked into his eyes and he saw the indecision. She was wondering how to invite him to stay. And not wanting to. The realization stung more than he'd expected. He handed her the top box.

“It's pepperoni. I didn't know if the kids like the other toppings.”

Chrissy charged into the kitchen and stopped in front of him, tilting her head back and smiling. “Hey, Misser Shaw. We played with Beaux today.”

“Is that pizza for us?” Natalie glanced at her mother. “Pepperoni?”

“Yes. Won't you stay and eat with us?”

Her smile had warmed some. “No, but thanks.” He raised the other box. “I got one for myself. And Beaux.” He stepped back, suddenly aware of the sweet scent of her perfume, and his own end-of-the-day dirt and grime. His shirt was covered in drywall dust. “Besides, I need to clean up, and I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks again.”

Shaw crossed the short distance to his own back door and went inside. He set the pizza on the table, his appetite fading. Russ had expressed concern about having Lainie nearby all the time. Shaw had dismissed the idea, but now he was beginning to think his friend was right. Simply knowing she was on the other side of the wall left him distracted and off balance.

He needed to lock thoughts of Lainie in the back of his mind, and tackle his bookkeeping files. Grabbing a slice of pizza, he munched it on his way to the shower. Feeling like a new man, he pulled on khaki shorts and an old T-shirt and returned to the kitchen. He loved his job, and he was proud he'd managed to start his own company. But he wasn't fond of the paperwork involved. He'd rather spend his time working with clients and overseeing the projects. He hoped to hire someone to do the books soon, but not until the library was done. Until then, he was living on a shoestring.

He'd been working about an hour when he sensed he was being watched. He glanced around, realizing his kitchen door was still open and he could see across the hall to the French door sealing off Lainie's side. Since he lived alone, he'd never thought about closing doors, but he might need to start now that he had three ladies next door who could easily peek through the glass door and see him. Movement prompted a closer look, and he saw a little face peering through one of the panes. The younger one. Chrissy. She smiled and waved at him. He waved back, feeling silly. He'd never been around little kids and wasn't sure how to handle them. Beaux rose and trotted into the hall and poked his nose at the glass. Shaw could hear Chrissy's giggles.

The little girl disappeared and Beaux returned to Shaw's side. It was going to be interesting having them in his house. He focused his attention on the computer screen again, but he'd barely started on his task, when he heard a knock on the back door. He was surprised to see Lainie on the other side. “Hey. What's up? You okay?” She wouldn't come to his side without a good reason.

“I hate to bother you when you're working, but the sink is stopped up, and I can't find a plunger. Could you take a look at it?”

“Sure. I'll get my snake and be right there.”

When he entered Lainie's kitchen a few minutes later, she was staring at Natalie with a stern expression and her arms crossed.

“Why would you do that?”

The little girl shrugged. “It was dirty and I wanted to clean it. It fell down the hole. I didn't mean to.”

Shaw looked at Lainie. “What's wrong?”

“My daughter tried to wash her fuzzy bracelet in the sink.”

Shaw frowned. He wasn't sure what a fuzzy bracelet might look like, but if it was stuck in the drain, he could get it out. “No problem. We'll get it out and have your sink working in no time.”

Lainie sent Natalie to her room with instructions to take her sister with her and get ready for bed. “I'm so sorry.”

“This is an old house and something always needs fixed. This sink drain should have a cover. I never noticed that before.” He started feeding the slender wire snake down the drain. “I guess everything went okay today?”

“Yes. I met your neighbor.”

“Gwen and Eric are good people. We attend the same church.”

“You go to church?”

Shaw wasn't sure if he should be hurt or angry at her surprise. He shot a glance at her over his shoulder. “Just a sinner saved by grace.” Her lack of response told him she regretted her comment.

“So, how is the library coming along?”

He knew what Lainie really wanted to know. Had he made significant progress today? She wanted to make sure he was keeping on task. Shaw pulled out the snake. Whatever was clogging the drain was wedged in the trap. He pulled a wrench from his tool box and sat on the floor, opening the cabinet doors to work on the pipes. “We hit another snag. Russ and I will have to do the drywall ourselves. We can't find a crew available to do the job.”

“What does that mean?'

“Several days' delay. Can you get me a bucket?”

“What?”

“I have to take the trap off. I need something to catch the water.”

“Oh. I think I saw one in the laundry room.”

She returned quickly with the bucket. He lay down under the sink, stretching his legs across the floor as he fought the rusty pipe. “Don't worry, Lainie. I'll stay on top of the project. I want it done on time as much as you do.” He put all his strength behind the wrench and pulled. The joint finally broke free. A stream of brown water and a thick glob of slimy junk plopped into the bucket.

“I doubt that.”

Shaw tugged himself from under the sink, staring up at Lainie from the floor. “If I don't complete this job on time, I'll have to pay a fine that will probably bankrupt my company. So yes, I do have as much to lose as you do if I fail.”

He hadn't meant to sound angry. But he was painfully aware of the looming deadline and what he had to lose. The setback with the drywall hadn't helped. Moving back under the sink, he reconnected the trap and stood. It would need to be replaced with plastic pipes soon, but it should hold for a while.

He ran water through the sink to make sure the drain flowed freely. “Good as new.” He stepped back and found Lainie staring at him.

“Is that true?” she asked. “Could you lose your business if the construction isn't done in time?”

“Those are the terms of the contract I signed. I've got four weeks to finish and six weeks of work yet to do.”

“I didn't know.”

“No reason you should.”

“Do you think you can finish in time?”

“It'll mean pulling some all-nighters, but I have no choice. I need to finish. My future depends on it. It's not just the fine. It's my reputation that would be ruined. The people here would never trust me again. I've worked too hard to mess that up.”

Lainie studied him a moment as if she were contemplating what he'd told her. “Thank you for fixing the sink.”

“You're welcome. There'll probably be more repairs to do. Like I said, it's an old house.” He thought he saw a hint of understanding in her eyes. Hope took root. He wanted to see more than understanding. He wanted to see friendship, anything other than condemnation.

“Hey, Misser Shaw.” Chrissy hurried over to him as he dried his hands on a paper towel. “Did you find my sister's fuzzy bracelet?”

“Uh, yes, but I don't think it's any good anymore.” He pointed to the bucket on the floor filled with brown gunk.

“Ew.” Chrissy pinched her nose against the smell.

“Thanks for the pizza, Mister Shaw.” Natalie grinned up at him from her mother's side.

“My pleasure.”

“Girls, it's bedtime. Say good-night and go back upstairs. I'll be up in a minute.”

“Night, Mister Shaw.” Natalie smiled full out, flashing her twin dimples.

Chrissy came to his side and grinned. She placed her hand over her mouth, made a kissing sound, then blew it toward him. “Night. See you in the morning.”

Shaw watched the girls scurry up the stairs, a strange warmth curling inside his chest. He wasn't sure if he liked the sensation or not. Gathering up his tools and the bucket of water, he said good-night and returned to his side of the house.

He liked helping people. He enjoyed working with the teens he taught. He welcomed the chance to aid the members of his church. But helping Lainie tonight had been a different experience. He'd felt like a knight coming to the rescue and receiving a boon in the form of a kiss blown by a tiny girl with glasses.

Shaw rubbed his forehead. He was obviously exhausted and not thinking clearly. He closed his kitchen door, snapped his fingers at Beaux, then headed into the bedroom. He needed sleep. But he had a feeling Lainie and two little charmers with blond hair and blue eyes would be invading his dreams tonight.

Chapter Four

L
ainie pulled the brush through Natalie's curly hair trying to be gentle, but her daughter still winced.

“Ow. Mommy, you pull too hard.”

“Sorry, sweetie, but we're running late for church and I still have to fix your sister's hair. Do you want a bow?” Natalie nodded and darted off to find one.

Lainie called to Chrissy and picked up a small rubber band.

“Mommy, can I have two tails today?”

“Sure.” Her youngest liked her hair out of her eyes. She pulled the silky blond hair into sections, one over each ear, before placing a kiss on the top of the little head. Downstairs, Lainie picked up her makeup-bag purse, her gaze drifting to the sink Shaw had fixed last night.

He'd answered his door, and she'd found herself keenly aware of him—as a man. Obviously fresh from a shower, his hair had been damp and combed back, making his dark blue eyes even more noticeable. He had smelled clean, brisk, like soap. He'd been earthy and masculine, and she'd found herself in an odd tug-of-war—wanting to flee and wanting to linger.

She'd returned to her kitchen, determined to ignore her reactions, only to find new things to disturb her when he'd started work on her sink. He'd been confident and capable as he'd gone about his task. His muscles had bunched and strained as he worked with the wrench, his long legs stretched across her kitchen floor. But the thing that stuck in her mind most now was his admission that he had as much invested in completing the library as she did. She needed the employment. He needed to ensure the future of his business. For some reason, that knowledge gave her a measure of comfort. Not that she was concerned for his company—hardly—but she at least had the comfort of knowing he'd do all he could to make sure the deadline was met.

They arrived at church later than she would have liked, which wasn't unusual for them. Getting the girls ready and out the door was always a challenge. Finding no parking spaces near the church, she drove down the block, angling the car into a slot along the courthouse park.

Gwen was waiting on the front sidewalk of the stately red brick church when they arrived. She waved and smiled. “I'm so glad you came. I've saved you a seat.”

Lainie took the bulletin the greeter handed her and stepped inside the old church. An air of reverence and tranquility wrapped around her the moment she crossed the threshold. Her church attendance had suffered during the past few months. Closing out her old job and getting ready for the move to Dover had consumed all her time and energy. It felt good to be back in a worship environment again.

Gwen stopped midway down the aisle and pointed to a pew on the left. “We saved this section behind us for you. We've got a full house today.”

Lainie guided the girls in first, reminding them to be quiet and sit still. Her gaze traveled around the historic edifice, admiring the richly stained arched buttresses, the massive pipe organ and vivid liturgy cloths placed on the pulpit. Peace Community Church was vastly different from the church they'd attended in Memphis, which had been a more modern style of building.

Closing her eyes, she thanked the Lord for providing such a beautiful sanctuary in which to worship. Her moment was interrupted by a fidgety Natalie. Reaching across Chrissy, Lainie tapped her daughter's knee and whispered, “Please sit still.” Lainie opened the bulletin and read the contents, excited about the various programs and events coming up. As soon as she was working, she'd sign up for some of them.

The prelude had just begun when she became aware of someone nearby.

“May I join you?”

She glanced up to see Shaw standing in the aisle, a small smile softening his angled jawline and warming the dark blue eyes. She slid over to make room, immediately regretting it when the spicy scent of his aftershave penetrated her senses and sparked an awareness of her landlord she didn't welcome. The girls leaned around her and waved frantically at him. He smiled and waved back. She gently pressed their hands down into their laps. She wasn't surprised to see Shaw here. He said he attended, but she hadn't expected him to sit with her. Her awareness of him grew with each passing moment.

He looked different this morning. She was accustomed to seeing the rugged contractor in work boots and jeans. Last night, he'd been the earthy, freshly showered to-the-rescue handyman. Today, he was clean shaven and professional in dark gray trousers and dress shirt, the rolled-up sleeves revealing his tan skin and the shiny watch around his wrist. She glanced at him and found him staring at her with his probing navy eyes. Embarrassed to be caught staring, she looked away, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks.

The organist began to play as the choir filed in, and the congregation stood and sang an old hymn. Thankfully, the words were displayed on a screen behind the pulpit, preventing her from having to share a hymnal with Shaw. But the sound of his rich baritone stilled her voice. He sang with conviction, as if he believed every word of the hymn. She fought the urge to peek at him, not wanting to risk eye contact again. He wasn't the man she'd expected. And she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Oh, he was a handsome, compelling man. No argument there. She could easily understand why he was the target of every single female in the area. Shaw possessed that heart-tugging appeal women were drawn to. But not her.

Lainie focused all her attention on the service, finding her spirit soothed as she released her worries into the Lord's care. The liturgy was more traditional than her old congregation, but she welcomed the connection to others who worshipped in this historic church.

Reverend Jim Barrett proved to be a powerful speaker, and Lainie lost herself in the teaching he presented. When the pastor read a passage from Psalm 139, the words pierced deep into her spirit.

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

The Lord had been nudging her for some time to confront issues from her past, but she'd ignored Him. Plumbing the depths of her emotions was too painful a task. Still, maybe it was time she looked inside herself and took an honest inventory.

Surrounded by the peace of the old sanctuary, Lainie saw how her grief had allowed seeds of bitterness to grow. She'd become isolated and withdrawn. She wanted to be happy again, to enjoy life fully and let go of the past. But if she did, she'd be forgetting her children's father, dismissing their life together, brief as it had been, as if it hadn't mattered. No. She had to hold on. Never let go. It would be a betrayal.

The benediction ended and Shaw stepped into the aisle to let her and the girls exit.

Gwen joined them, patting Shaw on the back and smiling at Lainie. Gwen's husband, Eric, spoke to Shaw as they made their way toward the front of the church, where the pastor and his wife waited to greet everyone. As they approached the last pew, a woman stepped forward and gave Gwen a hug.

“Lainie, I'd like you to meet my mother, Mrs. Adams. Mom, this is Lainie Hollings and her girls. Natalie and Chrissy.”

Instead of the smile Lainie expected, the woman's eyes narrowed into an angry glare.

“I saw your picture in the paper this morning. I know who you are.”

The woman's harsh tone made the hairs on Lainie's arm stand up. “Paper?”

Gwen touched her arm. “The Sunday edition of the
Dover Dispatch
ran a wonderful article about you being our new librarian. It was very flattering. I meant to tell you.”

Shaw stepped closer to her side, squaring his shoulders as if preparing to defend her.

Mrs. Adams raised her chin, the chill in her eyes still shooting icy daggers. “It said this is your first position as a librarian. I'm sure our new facility would benefit from someone with more experience.”

“Mother.” Gwen blushed and attempted to pull her away, but the woman stood still.

Lainie wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew she had to correct the misconception. “That's not true, Mrs. Adams. I've worked at libraries many years before getting my degree.”

“I don't see why the board felt it necessary to hire an outsider when we have a perfectly qualified person here in Dover who has years of experience and the
respect
of every resident in town.”

Lainie's chest tightened. Hot stinging humiliation rose along her neck and into her cheeks. Her stomach twisted into a knot. Shaw placed his hand on her back, muttered something to Gwen and her mother, then firmly guided her and the girls out a side entrance to the parking lot.

“I was afraid this might happen,”

Lainie glanced at him. “What? I don't understand. Why was she so upset? What have I done?”

“Nothing. It's not you exactly.”

“Then what exactly?”

Natalie tugged on her hand. “Mommy, why was that lady mad at you?”

Chrissy joined in. “Yeah, she was mean. I don't like her.”

“Not now, girls. We'll talk about it later.” She sent a confused glance at Shaw. How did she explain something to her children when she didn't understand herself?

“Where are you parked?”

“Along the courthouse park.”

Shaw walked with them across the street into the park, stopping near a small pond. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he pulled out coins and handed them to the girls. “Ladies, this pond has a lot of hungry fish in it, and if you put these coins into the machine beside it, it'll give you fish food.”

Lainie nodded her permission and the girls ran off. Shaw guided her to a bench nestled in the shade of a sprawling old live oak tree.

He watched the children for a moment before he spoke. “Russ called me this morning to tell me about the article in the paper.”

Lainie braced herself. “Was it bad?”

“Not at all. The problem is the town was expecting someone else to be the new librarian.”

“Who?”

Shaw explained about the affection the town held for the former librarian, but it did little to soothe her hurt feelings. “It's not like I campaigned against this woman. The board hired me because of my qualifications. I thought small towns were supposed to be friendly and welcoming.”

“They are. They're also loyal, and they see themselves as being loyal to one of their own.”

“Is that why you've been standing guard like a watchdog this morning?” The grin he gave her caused a skip in her heartbeat.

“Is that what I'm doing?”

“You practically forced yourself to sit with us, then you hovered like a bodyguard as we were leaving the sanctuary.”

Shaw frowned and nodded. “Guess I did. After I heard about the article I thought I'd better try and run interference for you.”

“Why didn't you warn me sooner?”

“You've been through a lot. Your welcome to Dover hasn't been very kind, and I hated to add more to your burden.”

“But you suspected I'd get a cool reception at church?”

“Yes. Though I was praying the members would display a little more Christian charity.”

“Most of them did.”

He leaned closer. “It'll be all right. Give it some time. The announcement caught a lot of folks off guard.”

She nodded. “I suppose. My feelings are hurt, that's all.”

Shaw smiled and lightly touched her arm. “Anyone ever tell you you're a tough lady?”

“I've had to be.” She'd intended the comment to put him in his place and remind him of the past, but her moment of triumph faded quickly at the deep sadness that darkened his eyes.

“Trust me. Once the citizens of Dover get to know you, they'll come around.”

Trust Shaw? Not likely.

He stood. “If everything here is good, I have an appointment I need to get to.”

“Big date?” Why had she asked that question? His personal life was none of her business.

“No. Big job. My other projects are suffering because of the library. I'm trying to get caught up.” He glanced at the girls then nodded at her. “I'll see you at home later.”

Lainie waited until Shaw was driving off in his truck before calling a halt to her daughters' fish feeding. She hoped he was right about the people of Dover eventually accepting her. Perhaps it would help if she made herself more visible and started to meet people. A friendly smile and showing sincere interest in their town could go a long way to breaking the ice and shifting people's negative reaction to her new position.

As she finished fastening Chrissy into her car seat, Lainie spotted a newspaper dispenser a few feet away. Curious to read the article written about her, she inserted the required coins and pulled out the weekend edition of the
Dover Dispatch
.

By the time she'd stopped at the grocery and returned to the house, she was relieved to see Shaw's truck was gone. She changed her clothes, then went downstairs and opened the paper. The article about her was very nice. It mentioned her years of working in libraries, her degree and her children. Other than being a newcomer to Dover, there was nothing in the piece that should have upset anyone. Except for the fact that the residents had expected Millie to get the job. Well, she'd have to prove to them she was the perfect one to run their new library. And she would, as soon as she could start work.

“Mommy, I'm hungry. Can we have hot dogs?”

An idea blossomed in Lainie's mind. Gwen had told her about Friendship Park, where the people liked to gather on weekends. She'd said there were hiking trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and ball fields. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. What better way to meet the locals than at a place called Friendship Park?

“Girls, how would you like to go to the park?”

She would take the initiative and reach out to the locals. If she was friendly and open then maybe they would see that she wasn't a threat, simply a newcomer who wanted to fit in and bring the joy of the new library to Dover.

* * *