Kitabı oku: «Hometown Hero's Redemption»

Chapter One

Ice cream fixed a lot of problems, but it wasn’t going to fix this.

Drew Gannon passed a chocolate-brownie sundae to Wyatt. The tiny ice-cream shop had two tables inside and a patio full of picnic tables out front. Not much had changed in the fourteen years he’d been gone. If his best friend, Chase McGill, hadn’t insisted, Drew never would have moved back to Lake Endwell, Michigan. But Wyatt, Chase’s ten-year-old son, deserved a stable life away from the public eye. Drew had promised Chase he’d give Wyatt that life. He just needed to convince Lauren Pierce to help him.

Drew handed a twenty to the teen behind the counter, turned to Wyatt and pointed to the glass door leading to the patio. “Why don’t you head outside and save us a picnic table—the one with the striped umbrella.”

Wyatt nodded. He was far too grim for a little boy. Poor kid. The past nine months had traumatized him, and Drew was doing the best he could to make his life normal again. Well, as normal as it could be given the circumstances. A murdered mom. His dad in jail for trying to avenge her death. What a horrible situation.

Drew tried to spot Lauren. Would he recognize her after all these years? The only women he could see were either too old or not old enough. What if she’d changed her mind about meeting him? He wouldn’t blame her. If their situations were reversed, he’d probably never want to speak to her again.

“Here you go.” The girl shoved the change in his hand. “Napkins are over there.”

He thanked her, inserted a straw into his orange slushie and strolled to the door, pushing it open with his shoulder. An early-May breeze guaranteed sweatshirt weather. The sunshine highlighted Wyatt’s scrawny, slumped shoulders. His gaze seemed glued to the wooden table. Drew doubted he’d touched the ice cream.

Maybe he should call Lauren. Grovel if necessary.

“What’s wrong with your sundae?” He playfully punched Wyatt’s arm. “Don’t tell me you suddenly hate chocolate.”

His hazel eyes opened wide, as if he’d been lost in his own little world, which, Drew guessed, was exactly where he’d been for the past several months.

“I’m not hungry.” Wyatt slowly swirled the spoon in the gooey mixture, but he didn’t eat any of it.

Drew took a drink of slushie to ease the helplessness lining his throat. Would the kid ever enjoy simple pleasures again?

He checked his phone to see if Lauren had texted or left a message. Nothing. He needed someone to stay with Wyatt when he worked overnight at the fire station, and not just anyone would do. According to Drew’s mom, Lauren had the credentials—years of working with neglected children and a degree as a social worker—as well as the time. Apparently, she’d quit her job in Chicago and moved back to Lake Endwell a few months ago.

When he’d called Lauren last week, her clipped words had made it as clear as a freshly cleaned window she wanted nothing to do with him. She hadn’t relented after he’d tried to explain Wyatt’s situation, either. He’d finally resorted to pleading with her to just meet him in person before saying no. His words could never convince her the way one look at Wyatt could.

Except he hadn’t mentioned Wyatt joining them.

Manipulative? Yes.

Necessary? Absolutely.

The thud of a car door jolted him from his thoughts. He glanced ahead and his mouth dropped open.

Lauren Pierce.

Still had that long, wavy blond hair. She didn’t head to the door of the ice-cream shop—no, she strode directly to the patio. A baby blue hoodie was zipped halfway up over her white tank top. Her enormous light gray eyes captured him. A film reel of memories flashed through his mind so quickly he couldn’t keep up.

Breathtaking. A woman who stopped men in their tracks.

Why had he been such an idiot back then?

Something had changed, though. Her nothing-gets-me-down smile had been replaced with something else. Something familiar.

Drew darted a glance at Wyatt.

If he hadn’t lived with Wyatt’s diminished personality for months, he might not have recognized it. Lauren had been traumatized, too. And he wanted to know why. The captain of the cheerleading squad had had everything going for her. She’d never let anything shake her optimistic spirit.

“Glad to see you again. You’re looking good.” He rose and held his hand out. She ignored it, arching her eyebrows instead. Why had he said that? It was something the old him would have rolled out. Heat climbed up his neck. The last impression he wanted to give her was that he was the same old Drew.

“So when did you get back?” Lauren asked as she sat opposite them.

“Yesterday. Wyatt and I are renting a cabin on the lake. Used to be Claire Sheffield’s—well, Claire Hamilton now. Remember her? Her brother, Sam, was living next door, but Claire said Sam, his wife and their little boy moved to a house just outside town, leaving both cottages empty. Anyway, we’ve made a dent in the unpacking.” Drew’s knee bounced rapidly. He was babbling, and Lauren gave no indication she was up for small talk. He’d better get right to it. “This is Wyatt. Chase’s son.”

A flicker of kindness lightened her eyes. “Nice to meet you.”

Drew elbowed Wyatt, who belatedly said, “Hi,” and dropped his attention back to the table. This was going great.

“Thanks for coming.” He didn’t blame her if she left, but to his surprise, she stayed. She looked weary—but stunning all the same. “Mom told me you moved back in January. You’re a social worker?”

“I did move back, but no.” She shook her head, her demeanor icy. “I used to be a social worker. I don’t do that anymore.”

Hmm... He hadn’t considered she no longer wanted to work in her field. “Mom said you had a temp job.”

“I do. It’s great.” She nodded, and her smile appeared forced. She addressed Wyatt. “What do you think of Lake Endwell so far?”

One shoulder lifted in a shrug.

Drew’s knee bounced double time. “We’ll have to rent a boat or borrow a canoe or something soon. Wyatt here—”

“I don’t want to canoe,” Wyatt said.

He put his arm around Wyatt. “You’ll change your mind. Summer is the best season to enjoy the lake.”

“I know a little bit about your situation, Wyatt.” Her voice was low, soothing. Wyatt’s gaze locked with hers. “It’s okay.”

“Everyone knows.” Wyatt hung his head. “I guess you saw the pictures. Those guys were always sneaking around with their cameras. The whole world knows.”

“After a while, no one will care.” Compassion glowed from her eyes.

Drew squeezed Wyatt’s arm. “No reporters will take your picture here. That’s why we moved. We’re going to have a nice, quiet, normal life until...you move back in with your dad.”

Wyatt didn’t say anything, but he studied Lauren, which Drew took as a good sign. In high school, she had always seemed to be an open book. Straight-A student, prom queen, crusader against teen drinking and, of course, the captain of the cheerleading squad. And since he’d been the star quarterback, everyone had assumed they would make the perfect couple.

Not even close. They’d never dated. Not once.

Drew cleared his throat and leaned in. “So why did you move back?”

“I didn’t want to move, but I needed a change. And my family is here.”

“I didn’t want to move here, either. I want to go home,” Wyatt said. “Can’t we go back to Detroit?”

That made three of them not wanting to move back to Lake Endwell. Drew would have cracked a joke if the atmosphere wasn’t so tense.

“What’s in Detroit?” A trio of emotions sped across Lauren’s face—sympathy, sadness and wariness.

Wyatt hauled in a breath, his face full of animation for the first time in forever; then the joy slid away and he sighed, defeated. “Nothing, I guess.”

“There must be something.” Her voice lilted, coaxing Wyatt to talk, but silence won. “Never mind. You don’t have to answer. We all have things we’d prefer no one knew about.”

“My dad,” Wyatt whispered. “But he’s in jail.”

“My dad was in jail most of my life,” Lauren said. “He died a few years ago.”

Drew straightened. Why was she lying? Her dad had never been in jail. Bill Pierce was one of the most upstanding men the community had ever seen, and he was definitely still alive.

“Really?” Wyatt sounded skeptical and hopeful at the same time. “What did he do?”

“He murdered two men.” She rubbed her arm, not looking him in the eye.

“Oh.” He dropped his attention to the uneaten sundae melting into a puddle of brown and white. “But you’re so pretty.”

She laughed. “Thank you. I’m not sure that what I look like has anything to do with it, though.”

“Sorry.” Wyatt blushed. “I just meant... I guess I don’t know what I meant.”

“I think I do.” She scrunched her nose. “People who look like they have it all together have problems, too. Big problems. Like yours.”

He seemed to chew on the thought. Drew dug his nails into his jeans. Maybe he’d been all wrong about Lauren. Was she fabricating a sob story to make Wyatt trust her?

“Would you do me a favor, Wyatt?” Lauren asked. “Go inside and buy me a chocolate ice cream. In a cup, please.” She handed him a five-dollar bill. “If you don’t mind?”

He took the money. “You want sprinkles?”

“No, thanks.”

Drew waited until Wyatt was safely indoors before he turned back to Lauren. “Why did you lie to him?”

“I didn’t.” Those clear gray eyes held nothing but truth.

“But Bill—”

“Bill isn’t my real dad. I was adopted.”

“What do you mean, you were adopted?”

She shrugged. “Adopted. As in my parents adopted me.”

Of course she hadn’t lied. Relief spread through his chest, releasing the tension building inside. “Look, I need a babysitter. An adult to stay with him when I’m working at the fire station. Mom moved to Arizona last year or I’d ask her. I’ll be on twenty-four hours and off forty-eight, so it’s not every day. And I think we both know that not anyone will do in this situation.”

She was already shaking her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not the right person.” She pushed her hands against the table as if preparing to leave.

“You’re exactly the right person.” Her brittle expression reminded him to be gentle. “Look, I’m sorry. I don’t blame you if you hold a grudge, but I’m not the same guy I was. I’ve changed. And you don’t owe me anything except maybe a slap in the head or a kick in the rear, but I’m not asking this for me.”

He let her see the sincerity in his eyes. Didn’t move. And he prayed. Lord, please don’t hold my foolishness and arrogance against me. Wyatt needs her. I feel it deep down in my gut.

She shook her head, and he clenched his jaw, trying to come up with something that would convince her. She’d been the most honest, upright person he’d ever met. Someone who would be a good influence on Wyatt.

He didn’t deserve someone like that. But Wyatt did.

“I can’t be there for him every hour,” Drew said. “I need to rely on someone I can trust. Someone with experience dealing with the kind of trauma he’s lived through. I wish my mom could help out, but she’s on the other side of the country. She told me you’re the one for Wyatt, and, frankly, Mom’s always right.”

“I’ll give you the number of a nice college student I know. He’d probably stay with Wyatt.”

“Or you could keep the guy’s number and make this easy on everyone.”

She tilted her chin up. “I don’t think you understand. My life is on hold.”

“What?” He tried to figure out what she was talking about but came up blank.

“I’m not the person for the job.”

* * *

Lauren watched as Drew processed her words. He was even better-looking now than he’d been in high school, if such a thing was possible. And a firefighter? Forget putting out the fires. More like igniting them. He could be the cover model for any fireman calendar.

Stupid hormones. Must be playing tricks on her. She’d never been attracted to him before. Not much, anyway.

Maybe a tad.

A person’s soul should match their appearance, and he didn’t have the integrity to round out the package.

She probably wasn’t being fair. The man in front of her seemed the polar opposite of the boy she’d gone to high school with. Back then he’d been a cocky jerk. It hadn’t been enough he’d been the most popular guy at Lake Endwell High—oh, no—he’d been the most popular guy in the whole town. Everyone had loved him. As the big-time quarterback, he’d taken the football team to two state championships. College coaches had scouted him for months. Parents had adored him. The town had revered him.

And she’d loathed him.

He and his friends had made it their mission to mock her. She had never been Lauren Pierce to them. She was “the prude,” “Miss Perfect,” “do-gooder” and, her personal favorite, “Prim Pierce.” They’d invited her to parties where there was beer, knowing full well she didn’t drink. Their girlfriends—always the most inappropriately dressed girls in school—looked down on her. The guys teased her for her modest clothes and made lewd comments about her bare legs when she wore her cheerleading uniform.

They’d made her feel like a leper the first two years of high school. By the time junior year had rolled around, her confidence had kicked in. She’d prayed for them, and their taunts might as well have bounced off a shield, because they’d no longer bothered her. In fact, she’d felt sorry for Drew and his crew.

“Are you getting married or something?”

She barked out a laugh. “No, nothing like that.”

“Then I think you are the person.” He tapped the table twice with his knuckles.

“You don’t know anything about me.” Oops. She’d let bitterness creep into her tone. Oh, well. Bitterness had crept into every cell of her body since last December. She’d failed Treyvon and Jay. Would she ever fall asleep at night without seeing their trusting faces?

“You’re right.” He ran his hand through his short, almost black hair. “But I know you have integrity and devoted your life to helping others. Back in school, I had an ego as long as the Mississippi and as deep as the Grand Canyon. I never thought about anyone but myself. I apologize for that. And I apologize for—”

“Look, we don’t have time for unnecessary apologies. Wyatt will be back soon. I want to help you out, but I can’t. I was a social worker, but I don’t work with troubled kids anymore.”

“What will it take for you to say yes?”

“Nothing.” She lifted her hands, palms up. “I give you credit for using your best weapon—Wyatt—to try to seal the deal, but no.”

His nostrils flared. “Do you have another job?”

“Yes.”

“Permanent?”

Ugh. He knew. Always knew people’s weak spots.

“I’m filling in at LE Fitness for Laney Mills. Maternity leave. She’ll be back next week.”

“There you go. The timing’s perfect. You need a job. I need help. I’ll pay you whatever you’re making there, plus ten percent.”

She fought irritation. This relentlessness was part of Drew’s personality, part of what had made him a winning football player. But, for real, the man needed to accept the word no. She didn’t owe him anything. “You can find someone else.”

“He needs you.”

That threw her off. Drew didn’t know her, not really. “How can you say that with a straight face?”

“Look, he’s been through a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and he’s hurting. Withdrawn. I’m worried he’ll never be the same fun kid I’ve spent so much time with over the past ten years. I’m all he has.”

A nightmare... For eight years she’d worked with kids embroiled in nightmares. Chicago’s inner city had supplied a lifetime of them. She’d thought she could help. She’d been wrong. But Wyatt’s face when he’d admitted there was nothing for him in Detroit scratched at her heart. She knew exactly how he felt.

There’d been nothing for her anywhere the first seven years of her life.

Drew squared his shoulders. “I could find a babysitter or someone else with children where he can stay on my overnights, but he’s been through too much. You know how to handle kids like him. Know what he needs. I want someone who will come to our house. I want him to sleep in the same bed every night. Feel safe. Grow up as normal as possible.”

Kind of like the normal life her adoptive parents gave her. Uh-oh. He’d twisted the screw into her vulnerable spot.

“Even you have to admit he needs special care right now. He lost his mom. His dad’s in jail. He’s scared of photographers jumping out of the bushes. Please, Lauren.”

Yes was on the tip of her tongue, but the memory of last December’s phone call haunted her. “I can’t help. When I say I can’t, I mean I really can’t. Even if I agreed, I’d only be giving you false hope he’ll be okay. He’s not an easy fix, Drew.”

He opened his mouth to counter, but Wyatt came back, setting the ice cream and the change in front of Lauren.

“Thank you, Wyatt.” She smiled at him. Skinny with light brown hair and one of those cute faces destined to grow up handsome. She couldn’t halt the longing in her heart to help him. To take him under her wing and just let him be a kid. Help him adjust to life without his parents.

She’d had the same longing every day since she was sixteen years old. She’d thought she was meant to help kids like Wyatt—kids like her—ones with broken wings and matching spirits. But her efforts were for nothing. Worse than nothing. She’d given those two boys hope, and look where they’d ended up.

How had she been so wrong about her life? Her calling?

Her neck felt as though a noose was tightening around it. “Well, I’d better get going.”

“But you didn’t eat your ice cream,” Wyatt said.

She tried to smile, but his hazel eyes held a glimmer she recognized. It was a sliver of need, asking her if he was worth anything. Yes, Wyatt. You’re worth everything, but I’m not the one who can help you.

“I guess we’re even, then.” She pointed to his bowl. He blinked, and the glimmer vanished. Guilt compressed her chest until she could barely breathe. She darted a glance at Drew and wished she hadn’t. He looked unhappy.

Without a word, Wyatt pivoted and jogged away. Drew followed him.

The guilt squeezing her chest so tightly exploded. She’d made the sweet kid feel unwanted, and she did want to help him. Wanted to get to know him, to hear all about his little-boy day. She wanted him to know his parents had made bad choices, and none of it was his fault. She wanted to be part of his recovery.

But she wasn’t recovered herself.

One broken soul couldn’t fix another.

Lauren watched Drew draw near the boy. He crouched to his level and put his hand on his shoulder. The picture they presented radiated love. It didn’t take a degree in psychology to see Drew would do whatever was necessary to keep the boy safe and make him happy.

For the briefest moment, she wanted the same. For Drew to chase her and do whatever it took to keep her safe and make her happy.

Which proved how messed up she was.

She’d had her life planned out since she was sixteen. Devote her life to neglected kids, eventually get married, have a family of her own. That was the funny thing about life. Plans changed. Not always for the better.

Now what? She had no plan. Temporary jobs didn’t fulfill her. She wanted a new life purpose. Something to dig into. Something to make her feel alive again.

In the distance Drew rose and kept his arm around Wyatt. He pointed to a black truck. While Wyatt trudged to the passenger door, Drew marched back to her.

“That was my fault,” he said, head high. “I took a chance bringing you two together, and it blew up in my face. I’m sorry. But I’m still asking you to consider it. Don’t decide now. Give it a few days. I’ll call you.”

Please don’t.

He strode, tall and confident, back to the truck.

She grabbed the ice-cream containers and threw them in the trash. Drew didn’t need her. He thought he did, but Wyatt would be better off with someone else.

Anyone else.

For months she’d avoided thinking about her next move, but this meeting drove home the fact that she needed a long-term plan. A new career. A way to get out of this nothingness she’d been in. But what?

Drew Gannon was dangerous. He tempted her with the one forbidden fruit she’d promised herself she’d never take a bite out of again. Her purpose no longer included helping kids with hard lives. Not even ones who wiggled into her heart and made her want to feel again. Not even Wyatt.

* * *

“See how I’m holding the rod? You want to bring it back like this, then flick it forward while you hold the reel’s button.” At the end of the dock in front of their cabin, Drew demonstrated a perfect cast.

After leaving JJ’s Ice Cream, he’d driven to the elementary school to sign papers for Wyatt’s enrollment. The kid hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten home an hour ago. Wyatt held a fishing rod in his hand, but he’d yet to attempt to cast a line. “Try it.”

With a loud sigh, Wyatt laid the pole on the dock and slouched in one of the camping chairs Drew had brought down. He stuffed his hands into his sweatshirt pockets and stared out at the sparkling blue water.

Drew was ready to pull his hair out. Today had been bad. Really bad. What had made him think springing Wyatt on Lauren would help his cause with her? He shouldn’t have badgered her. Shouldn’t have expected her to help him out, not after the way he’d treated her years ago. Not only had it backfired big-time, but he was no closer to finding a babysitter than before. Unless the college kid she mentioned... No. He didn’t want anyone but her.

Did Lauren still have the same impression of him from way back when?

What did it matter?

If he could just figure out how to get through to Wyatt. He’d always been a big part of the kid’s life. Chase’s career as a wide receiver kept him training and traveling nine months of the year, so Drew had helped take care of Wyatt off and on during football season. Wyatt’s drug-addicted mom had never been around. Even if she had been, she certainly couldn’t have taken care of him.

“Don’t you want to show off your fishing skills when your dad gets out?” Drew kept his tone light. Chase made mistakes—big mistakes—but Drew believed in him and hoped Wyatt would, too.

“Six years from now.” Wyatt kicked at the dock with his sneaker.

“His lawyer said he’ll get out in three if he models good behavior.”

Wyatt looked up at Drew. “Do you think he’ll do it? Get out early?”

Drew lowered himself into the chair next to him, ruffling Wyatt’s hair with his free hand. “Yeah, I do. He’ll do anything to be back with you. He loves you.”

Wyatt’s face fell again.

“What did you think of Lauren?” Drew asked.

He shrugged.

“We went to high school together. I wasn’t very nice to her.”

“Is that why she left without eating her ice cream?”

“Maybe she wasn’t hungry.” Drew cranked his line in a little ways. “I don’t think she left because she held a grudge. Like I said, I was mean to her in high school, but she was probably the nicest person I knew. Very genuine.”

“Why were you mean?”

Drew kept one eye on the bobber out in the lake. “I was stupid. When I was fourteen, I had a crush on her. One of my friends told me she’d never go out with me. He said she was too perfect. I asked one of the other cheerleaders if she thought I had a chance with Lauren, and she laughed. She told me Lauren would never date me, that she thought she was better than everyone. I took their word for it. And my pride made me say things and treat Lauren in ways I regret.”

“She deserved it if she thought she was better than you.”

“No, she didn’t. No one does.” Drew shook his head. “I trusted people who didn’t have my best interest at heart. I should have asked Lauren myself, instead of listening to my so-called friends.”

“What do you mean?” Wyatt’s face twisted in confusion.

“Looking back, I think every guy in my class had a crush on Lauren.”

“She’s pretty.”

“Yeah, and some of the cheerleaders were jealous of her.”

“Oh.”

“They had their own reasons for not wanting me to ask her out. Lauren kept to herself, but it didn’t mean she was stuck-up. I hope you think about that as you get older. Don’t believe everything you hear.”

“Like about my mom.” Wyatt got a lost look on his face again.

Whenever Drew tried to talk to him about his mother, Wyatt’s mouth shut tighter than a vacuum-packed seal. Maybe this was the opening he needed. “What about your mom?”

“Forget it.”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“People said things.”

“People say a lot of things.”

Wyatt’s sad eyes met his. “They said she was on drugs and owed that Len guy money, and that’s why he killed her.”

Drew reeled in the rest of his line as he tried to figure out the best way to respond. Missy and Chase had never married. They were together for only a few years before Missy left and got mixed up with drugs. “You and I both know she went to rehab last year and was trying hard to live a healthy lifestyle.”

“Yeah. I was glad when she moved by us. We’d play games with Dad and go to movies.”

“Your dad cared about her. They were even talking about getting back together.”

Wyatt nodded, the corners of his mouth drooping. “Do you think she was in a lot of pain before she died?”

While he was glad Wyatt was finally talking, it hurt to think he had to have his conversation. No kid should have to deal with this. A murdered mom? A dad in jail? Wyatt deserved an intact family—didn’t every kid?