“I’m surprised you remembered my name,” Olivia teased Reese.

“Of course I remember your name.”

“You didn’t earlier.”

“Well, I was focused on two small troublemakers. So my brain was occupied elsewhere. If you had kids you’d understand how easy it is to get side-tracked.”

If she had kids—

I was a wife and mother once, her heart cried out. Until my family was stolen from me.

What would it be like to be part of a family again, to work with kids again, to find the connection that would make her part of something? Olivia longed to find out—but still feared some newspaper reporter would figure out who she’d been and run another story about her pitiful past.

Reese’s sister Sara had been the first person Olivia had trusted in a very long time. And even Sara didn’t know the whole truth.

The jury was still out on trusting Reese.

MILLS & BOON

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

LOIS RICHER

likes variety. From her time in human resources management to entrepreneurship, life has held plenty of surprises. She says, “Having given up on fairy tales, I was happily involved in building a restaurant when a handsome prince walked into my life and upset all my career plans with a wedding ring. Motherhood quickly followed. I guess the seeds of my storytelling took root because of two small boys who kept demanding, ‘Then what, Mom?’” The miracle of God’s love for His children, the blessing of true love, the joy of sharing Him with others—that is a story that can be told a thousand ways and yet still be brand-new. Lois Richer intends to go right on telling it.

Twice Upon a Time
Lois Richer

For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, doesn’t want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.

—II Timothy 1:7

This book is dedicated to dads who love when it

isn’t easy, try when they have no strength left and

come running when you most need them.

Yours is a rich legacy.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Question for Discussion

Chapter One

Iwas that happy once.

Olivia Hastings slipped away from the crowd at the hilltop wedding reception to regain her peace of mind. She set her bridesmaid bouquet on a rock before wandering farther downhill and away from the laughing guests.

A few moments of solitude were all Olivia needed.

“We’re not s’posed to come here.”

That childish warning, barely audible, floated toward her on the soft summer wind, rousing her curiosity. The Woodward twins?

Olivia kept walking, stepping carefully around thistles as she followed the voices. The twins, Brett and Brady Woodward, were the bride’s nephews. They’d taken part in a fundraiser Olivia had directed last month. The twins had stolen the show, though their father hadn’t bothered to see it.

Reese Woodward was busy, his sister Sara claimed. Olivia thought he was too busy.

“Uncle Cade said he caught fish in here when he was a little boy.”

The stream! Olivia picked up her pace downhill, over hillocks topped with cropped grass, not caring that her silk dress would probably be ruined.

Two four-year-old boys near water spelled disaster.

“I want to catch a fish.”

“No, Brett. Uncle Cade said…”

His voice dissipated. Olivia strained, but couldn’t see the boys. She glanced around to call for help and realized no one would hear above the wedding reception music. Anyway, the wind would carry her voice away. She’d have to manage on her own. Olivia felt certain that, given the love she’d witnessed the Woodward family lavish on the twins, one or another of Denver’s famous wedding-planning family would soon come looking.

“Brett, you can’t go in. Daddy said—”

“You boys get away from that water,” Olivia yelled in her sternest tone, praying she wouldn’t be too late. She stubbed her toe on a rock and bit down to smother her cry as she climbed over it, using both hands to speed her descent.

There. She could see them. Brady hovered at the edge of the water, obviously uncertain about his next move. But Brett already had one shoe off.

“Hey!” Olivia shouted, waving her hands. Brady saw her, smiled and waved back. Brett was wading in. “No!”

But in the next moment Brett tumbled face-first into the swiftly moving water. When it looked like Brady would go in after him, Olivia threw caution aside and raced downhill, ignoring the stabs and jabs of anything that tried to impede her progress.

Brady teetered on one leg, about to lose his balance. Olivia plucked him up and sat him on a big rock several feet from the water’s edge.

“Don’t you dare move,” she ordered. “I can’t see Brett.”

Big, fat tears tumbled down chubby cheeks. Brady pointed.

“There.” He sniffed. “He’s not swimming.”

Brett lay facedown in the water, floating farther away.

“I’ll get him, Brady, but don’t you move. Promise me.”

“’Kay.”

“Good boy.” Olivia stepped into the stream. Moving as swiftly as possible, she kept going, though the water was icy cold against her warm skin. In seconds her thin dress was soaked and she was chilled.

Olivia ignored it as she’d learned to ignore the pain of loss that so often gripped her heart. When she was deep enough, she began swimming. It seemed to take forever, but finally she was able to grab a corner of Brett’s white tuxedo and tug him into her arms.

Moving as fast as she dared over the sharp yet slippery rocks, Olivia carried the still body to shore. She laid Brett flat and began lifesaving maneuvers she’d learned years ago in a Red Cross class. While she worked, she prayed, vaguely aware that Brady was bawling at the top of his lungs. At least he hadn’t moved.

Neither had Brett.

Olivia kept working. Finally the boy responded, spewing a mouthful of water all over her before he gasped for oxygen.

“Thank you, Father,” she whispered, holding him as the last of the water gurgled out and his breathing grew more normal.

“No, thank you.” Reese grabbed his son’s shoulders and helped him sit up. When Brett tried to stand, Reese wrapped him in his arms and held on, eyes squeezed shut. His chest heaved with the exertion of running downhill. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead. His gray-white face looked like an ice sculpture as he hugged the shivering little body against him.

Olivia stayed silent for a few minutes, but finally she touched the shoulder of the man who’d played best man to her bridesmaid in his sister’s wedding. His eyes flew open and he stared at her as if awakening from a nightmare.

“Come on, we need to get away from here.”

“Yeah. I know.” His voice grated, frosted with fear.

Olivia understood that horrible choking awareness that a child you’d protected and adored since birth, a child you would sacrifice your very life for, had almost been snatched away.

Only in her case, there was no almost.

“I’m cold, Daddy,” Brett stuttered, his teeth chattering.

“The water comes from snow on the mountains.” The leashed tension in Reese’s voice chastened the young miscreant into silence as he carried the boy to safety.

Olivia followed them, picking her way back along the water’s edge. Her feet screamed a protest, but she ignored it, smiling when Brady blubbered with joy at the sight of his bedraggled twin.

“He’s fine, Brady.” She led them to a massive boulder that felt deliciously warm to the touch. “Reese?”

“Yeah?” He looked at her, his blue eyes dark as storm clouds.

“He can sit down here.” She touched the rock, but Reese didn’t move. His arms remained locked around his child. “Brett’s cold, Reese. We have to warm him up.”

The frantic father studied her for a moment before he looked down at the boy he held. He seemed unable to let go.

“Brett is all right, Reese. But he’s cold and wet and we need to fix that.” She didn’t want to frighten Brett, but his shivering bothered her. She stood on tiptoe and whispered in Reese’s ear. “You’re scaring him. Put him down, okay?”

He looked at her as if she’d asked him to move mountains.

“Put him down, Reese. I only want to help.”

He finally nodded, loosening his grip by degrees until at last Brett had been lowered to the big rock she’d indicated. But Reese remained close by, obviously not quite trusting her with his precious child.

Olivia’s heart ached to comfort him some other way, but she was only his wedding partner. So she smiled, then began removing Brett’s shirt and pants.

“Come on, sweetheart. Slip out of these wet things. We’ll let that big old sun warm you up.” When she fumbled, Reese helped, but his stiff, jerky actions gave away his distress.

After a moment, Reese moved toward Brady. His hand shook as he reached for the boy’s fingers and a strangled breath squeezed out from his throat at the contact.

“Brady’s fine, Reese. Everything is all right now,” Olivia soothed softly, hoping to reassure all of them. As she brushed damp brown curls off Brett’s forehead, she couldn’t resist pressing a kiss against his sweet cheek. “Feeling better, sweetheart?”

“K-kind of.” He stared up at her, his spiky lashes stuck together. “Are you going to take off your dress? It’s wet, t-too?”

“I’m fine.” She suppressed a shiver. “Brady, slip off your jacket, will you? Brett needs it to warm up.”

Once Olivia had Brett buttoned inside the white jacket, she gave way to her own weakness and sank down beside him, smothering a groan at the sweet heat of the stone against her skin. Still Reese hovered, silent and grim, holding Brady close.

“It’s okay,” she repeated softly. “It’s okay.”

Several minutes passed before Reese nodded. He drew an audible breath, then sat Brady next to Brett. He cupped his palm around each miniature chin, forcing his sons to look at him.

“What were you doing, Brett? Uncle Cade told you not to come down here.”

“Y-yes. But I wanted to catch a fish. I almost d-did, too,” he chattered, his chin thrusting out with pride.

Olivia’s heart lurched at the thought of what might have been. Anika had been four when—

“Uncle Cade said we shouldn’t go past those blue flowers.” Brady pointed uphill to blooms that were at least three hundred feet above them. “You said that was the rule, didn’t you, Daddy?”

Olivia struggled to control her shivering. If only she had enough strength to drag herself back up the hill. But the truth was, she felt drained. Death had come too close.

But it had not taken another child…this time.

“Why did you disobey me and your uncle?” Reese demanded in a rasping voice.

“I don’t like rules,” Brett said as if that explained everything.

“Too bad. Everybody has to follow rules, Brett.” There was no give in Reese’s tone. “That’s the way life is. Rules help protect us from bad things.”

“They didn’t pro-teck my mom.” Brady mourned. “I heard Great Granny say my mom followed the rules when she stopped at the sign. But my mom got dead.” His bottom lip trembled as he glared at his father. “Dead means she’s gone, and she isn’t coming back ever again.”

Reese’s mouth worked, but he said nothing. So Olivia took over.

“Do you remember your mother, Brady?”

From her many conversations with Sara, Olivia knew Reese’s wife had died several years earlier. The twins would probably not remember her, but Olivia knew it would be helpful to encourage them to talk about her anyway. Maybe something today had triggered a sense of loss.

“Brady doesn’t remember nothing.”

“Do so. She had brown hair.” Brady glared at his brother. “Like choc-lat.”

“You saw that in a picture. You don’t remember it.” Brett’s voice wobbled. “I think I do sometimes, but—” He shrugged, his little face confused.

Olivia glanced at Reese, expecting him to soothe them. But he was still dealing with his own shock. His stare remained frozen on the children.

“Sweetheart, your mom is tucked inside here.” Olivia tapped Brett’s little chest. “She wouldn’t care if you remembered what she looked like. All she’d care about is that you remember that she loved you very much.”

Brett studied her for a few minutes.

“There’s only Daddy and us in our house. It’s not like the kids at day care. Most of them have daddies and mommies. I wish I had a mommy.”

“Why do you wish that, Brett?” Years of training and thousands of phone calls to a kids’ radio show Olivia had taken from a small New York station to national syndication had taught her that talking was often the best therapy.

“The other kids’ mommies send cookies on special days and push them on the swings and help say prayers at night.” Brady, not Brett, volunteered the information.

“But your dad does things with you, too, doesn’t he?”

Please don’t let me be wrong.

“Not cookies,” Brady corrected. “He does other things.”

“The minister at church said God made families with moms and dads.” Brett blinked at her through the hank of dark brown hair that flopped over one eye. “We don’t gots a mom.”

Implying God didn’t make his family?

Realizing Reese wasn’t capable of responding at that moment, Olivia hurried to reassure.

“God loves all kinds of families, Brett. He loves families with lots of kids and families with only one little boy or girl. He loves families with only a daddy or only a mommy, too. That part doesn’t matter to God. What matters is that families love each other. I know you love your daddy.”

“Yep,” Brett squealed, jumped up. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you, too.” Reese’s voice emerged hoarse, choked as he swung his son into his arms and hugged him close. He smiled at Olivia, but it was a distracted courtesy. His attention returned to Brett.

“Why did you come here?” The question held a warning.

Brett’s bottom lip jutted out. “To fish.”

“What did Cade say?” Reese squatted with Brady resting on his knee. “What did I say, Brett?” His voice was stern, his gaze intense, but his hand, as he lifted it to drag through his hair, trembled. When the boy didn’t speak, Reese repeated, “What did I say?”

“Not to.”

“What did you promise? Both of you?”

“Not to come.” Brady looked at his brother. “I told him not to.”

“But you came along with him. After you’d both promised me.”

Olivia admired the way Reese forced them to admit their wrongdoing without raising his voice. Though his olive-tanned skin had sallowed and his rich blue eyes still looked haunted by the near disaster, he was trying to teach them.

“I make rules to protect you guys, so you won’t get hurt. I do that because I love you and because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” Reese inhaled to steady his voice. “Brett could have drowned. This water is dangerous. It’s not a place for kids to come by themselves. Cade told you and I told you, but you disobeyed anyway.”

“If I had swimming lessons I could—”

“Brett!”

The little boy gulped, raised his head and looked at his dad, shame washing over his face.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“Me, too,” Brady chirped right before he wrapped his chubby arms around Reese’s neck and squeezed.

Olivia’s heart tightened. If only she could feel Anika’s beloved arms once more. If only Trevor…Her heart wept as she sent a prayer for peace heavenward.

“I’m sorry, too.” Reese sat the boys back down, his tone firmer now. “But being sorry isn’t always enough. It wouldn’t do any good to be sorry if Brady didn’t have a brother anymore, would it, Brett?”

The twins stared at each other as if they’d never imagined such a thing.

“Obedience is important. The only way I can do my daddy job properly is to keep you two safe. That’s why you have to obey me.”

Fatherhood equaled safety? Olivia frowned.

Reese looked in control, but she saw signs that his emotions were still riding high. And little wonder.

“Do you understand?”

Two brown heads slowly nodded.

“Are we getting punished?”

“Yes, Brett, you are. After Auntie Sara’s party, when we’re at home. Right now I want you to put on your shoes, take your brother’s hand and get back up the hill. Your backpacks are in the house. You can change clothes. Emily will help you.” He pointed to the teenage girl who stood at the crest of the hill, watching. “Understand?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

They began gathering their belongings.

“Boys?”

They turned, studied Reese with question marks in their eyes.

“Do you have something to say to Olivia?”

“Thank you for helping my brother,” Brady said. He gave her a shy hug.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Brett offered his hand. Once she’d shaken it, he backed away. “I’m sorry you got wet and your dress got wrecked.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, Brett.”

“No more disobeying,” Reese ordered. “You either behave yourselves or we’ll go home right now.”

“And miss seeing the horsies?” Brady’s eyes swelled.

“And miss seeing them,” Reese confirmed.

“Come on, Brett.” Brady shoved his brother’s shoes at him, then nudged him upward. “We gotta be good.”

Olivia smiled as she watched the adorable pair scurry uphill. Then her attention returned to Reese.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever be all right again,” he muttered half under his breath. Then he shook his head at her, smiled. “I’m fine. I lost about five years when I saw you dragging him out. He could have drowned.”

“But he didn’t. They’re all right, thank the Lord.”

“The Lord. Yeah.” Reese didn’t sound as if he was giving God any of the credit for the twins’ safety as he tracked their progress uphill.

“They really are all right,” Olivia whispered.

“Yeah. I know.” But he didn’t look away until the young girl, Emily, had them by the hand.

Olivia tried to hide the shiver that rippled over her, but Reese’s moody gaze had registered her discomfort.

“I’m sorry. I should have done this earlier.” He slid out of his tuxedo jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “Better?”

“Thanks.” She sighed as his warmth caressed her goose-pimpled skin.

“It’s I who should thank you. When I saw Brett floating on that water, I thought my heart would stop. I couldn’t have wished for a better rescuer.” His hands fisted at his sides, but when Reese noticed her glance he shoved them in his pockets. “You know your first aid.”

“I took a course—the basics, nothing extra. It came in handy.”

“Yeah.” A half smile lifted his lips. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She strove for levity to break the tension. “You didn’t step on my bouquet on your way down, did you?”

“Ha! Very funny.” His broad white-covered shoulders lifted with his sigh. “What a day.”

“A wedding here, a swim there.” Olivia shrugged. “Pretty ordinary.”

“I’d like to know what kind of life you lead.”

“A boring one,” she said quickly before he could ask more.

“You have a great rapport with my sons. Of course, Sara told me that when the boys were in that theater project of yours. I must have blocked it.”

“Ah.” Blocked it or didn’t notice?

“Life with those two—” he raked a hand through his hair before jerking a thumb over one shoulder “—doesn’t allow a lot of time for thinking. I’m always in protect or prevent mode. They’re so little and I couldn’t bear it if—”

“I understand.” Too well. Losing a child was the nightmare every parent feared most, the thing she’d never thought she’d live through.

Olivia’s admiration for Reese grew. Sara’s comments about her overprotective brother had painted a very different picture of the man who now looked shaken and disturbed by the incident that had just occurred.

Reese Woodward was actually quite charming.

“We should go.” He glanced at her feet. “Your feet must feel horrible. And you seem to have lost your shoes.”

“No. I kicked them off before I went in the water. There.” She pointed to the edge where her dyed satin slippers looked a lot worse for their trek downhill.

Reese walked over, picked them up and let them dangle from his fingers, chagrin tipping down his wide, generous mouth as he studied her.

“My kids are murder on your wardrobe.”

“Yes, but on the bright side,” she said after a glance at her bedraggled dress, “at least the wedding pictures have been taken. And it’s not like I’m going to wear these clothes again. They have served their purpose. We got Sara and Cade married.”

“Yes, we did.” He laughed. The sound of relief echoed down the riverbed, a deep-throated burst of pure relief. “Tough lady. I like that. Let’s go see if my sister has something you can wear.” He bent down, slid the slippers on her feet, then rose and held out a hand.

Olivia took it, allowing him to pull her upright. She held on, borrowing his strength as he helped her climb past the rougher spots, enjoying the sensation of being supported. It had been so long since she’d felt protected, cared for.

“We probably should have gotten to know each other better earlier, but I was trying to make sure a certain pair of ring bearers didn’t mess up the whole wedding.” He grimaced. “This is really bad timing, but I have been meaning to talk to you about something for the past week and never had the chance.”

“Oh?” A tiny coil of fear wound tight inside.

The past was always there, waiting to snag her back into that misery.

“You’re a child psychologist.”

“Yes, I am.” Relief washed through her at the simplicity of that. “But please don’t ask me to explain why they decided to go fishing today.” She hoped humor would ease his tension while redirecting his questions. “I don’t understand the lure of fishing at the best of times.”

“Believe me, I intend to find that out firsthand.” His lips pinched tightly.

His parenting style wasn’t her business, and she was probably overstepping the boundary of a bridesmaid to a best man, but—“Reese?”

“Yeah?” He stared at her, brows lowered. They’d gained the top of the rise and his attention honed in on the twins up ahead, laughing and playing as carefree as if nothing untoward had happened.

“I know they scared the daylights out of you this afternoon, but could you try not to let them see that?”

“Why not?” Reese demanded, his prominent cheekbones jutting sharply in the sunlight. “The twins should know their actions affect others.”

“You must teach them that, of course. But maybe not today.”

“Because?”

“Because they don’t realize how worried you were.” She saw his brow furrow and rushed to explain. “That’s a good thing, Reese. You don’t want to make them afraid of life. You don’t want them fussing about all the things that could have happened.”

“Brett already has nightmares,” he admitted, watching them. “And that talk about their mother—I never even imagined they’d been thinking about her.”

“Kids are funny that way. Sometimes they take forever to blurt out what’s on their minds,” Olivia said. “I’m not trying to tell you how to parent your sons, believe me. I’m just suggesting you might want to focus on the disobedience part of the experience.”

Reese studied her for a long time before he exhaled his pent-up breath. He bent his head to one side, then the other as if releasing his tension. Then he nodded.

“Thank you. Again. I needed that reminder.”

“You’re a good parent. The twins love you and you love them. That’s what matters.” She changed the subject. “Sara said you work at Weddings by Woodwards—legal counsel?”

“That’s better than the other names she used to call me.” He smiled good-naturedly. “I do work as legal counsel for the business, but I also serve on the board at the Byways Youth Center.”

“I’ve heard about it from Sara and some friends. Sounds like it has great potential.”

“If we could find a new director.” Reese grimaced. “We’ve been running shorthanded for a while.”

“I see.”

“Maybe it’s something you’d be interested in.”

Olivia changed the subject.

“The bridal couple is leaving. I don’t want to call Sara back and ruin everything. Maybe I should go home.”

“No.” Reese frowned as he pulled open the door. “Cade’s sister, Karen, will help us. You wait inside. I’ll go find her.”

He was as good as his word, returning a few minutes later with Karen, who didn’t ask any questions, but quickly provided a pale blue sundress and sandals, all the perfect size. Olivia showered, tied her hair back and dressed, feeling almost warm again as she stepped outside.

Reese leaned against the doorpost, watching the twins pet a pony. Brett now wore shorts and a T-shirt. The teenage girl stood beside Reese, talking to him.

“Thanks for lending me this. It’s still a bit damp.” Olivia handed him his jacket.

“We’ll let it hang here to dry,” he said, carelessly dropping the expensive jacket over the banister. “Olivia, this is Emily Kirsch. She babysits the twins for me sometimes. Emily, this is Olivia Hastings.”

“Nice to meet you. Thank you so much for getting Brett out of the water.” Emily clung to her hand, shaking it over and over. “I should have been watching more closely. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there.” The girl risked a sideways glance at Reese. “It’s all my fault.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s harder to care for the twins here than at home. I know that. I also know you’ll watch them more carefully next time. You did fine, Em.” Reese patted her shoulder, smiled. “You’re the best babysitter they ever had. They love having you care for them.”

“I love them, too. Uh-oh.” Emily clapped a hand over her mouth as Brett tried to get the pony to eat the ball he was offering. “I better get them busy on a game. Nice to meet you, Miss Hastings.”

Miss. It still sounded strange to hear that.

“You, too,” Olivia said, but Emily had already left. “I’m surprised you remembered my name,” she teased Reese, remembering how he’d stumbled during an introduction earlier in the day.

He was good-looking in a dangerously rumpled kind of way. His profile reminded her of Prince William. One of the twins had left a grubby print on his shirtfront. The dab of red on his collar matched the red stain on Brady’s white pants. Reese’s sandy-brown hair was just an inch too long to be neat.

“Of course I remember your name.” He blinked innocently.

“You didn’t earlier.”

“Well, we’ve already established I was focused on two small troublemakers. So my brain was occupied elsewhere.” He made a face when Brett began climbing up a tree and moved forward as if to stop him. He relaxed when Emily intervened. “If you had kids, you’d understand how easy it is to get sidetracked.”

If she had kids—

I was a wife and a mother once, her heart cried out. Until my family was stolen from me.

“What would you say to a hot cup of coffee and some wedding cake? Emily seems to think those two need their bellies filled. Again.”

“Someone actually cut that gorgeous cake?” Olivia walked beside him with the twins following.

His family greeted him with good-natured jeers and teasing. Reese responded in kind, though his attention never left the twins for more than a few minutes.

What would it be like to be part of a family again, to work with kids again, to find the connection that would make her part of something? Olivia longed to join humanity and replace the ever-present worry that held her back, prevented her from getting too close—lest some newspaper reporter figure out whom she’d been and run another story about her pitiful past.

Sara Woodward had been the first person Olivia had trusted in a very long time. And even Sara didn’t know the whole truth.

The jury was still out on trusting Reese.

Chapter Two

Two weeks later, Reese could only hope Olivia’s interest in touring Byways was genuine enough that she’d cut him some slack for being late for this meeting.

He’d done everything he could to interest her in the director’s position, from forwarding reams of accolades for past successes to ideas and possibilities that had been tossed around for the future. As chairman of the board of Byways, he wanted the place to live up to its potential of a refuge where kids could learn new things, find someone to talk to and have a safe place to hang out. Byways needed a director who could oversee everything and deal with questions the kids inevitably needed answers to.

Olivia had remained steadfastly noncommittal—until today when she’d finally agreed to tour the facility with him. Reese sincerely hoped she’d be impressed enough to agree to take the job as director, and soon. Lately he spent almost as much time here as at work, and the twins were not happy about his frequent absences.

Only Nelson’s car sat on the lot.

Olivia had given up and gone home and Reese didn’t blame her. He was half an hour late. This would have to be the day the twins’ nanny quit. He’d been stuck interviewing new candidates all afternoon. The last applicant had scared even him.

Good thing Granny Winnie wasn’t above a spot of babysitting when the need arose. If only the twins didn’t—

“You think I should work here, but you’re afraid to get out of your own car? Is that your excuse for being late?”

Reese snapped out of his reverie to see Olivia laughing down at him. She looked different today. Not because she was less elegant in her navy slacks and sleeveless white shirt with a navy jacket slung over one arm. It was her hair that caught his attention. Again.

It was as lovely as he remembered. Loose, flowing to her shoulders in a swath of blended honey and amber, it glistened with a hint of orange—no, cinnamon—enhancing the flawless perfection of her face.

“I like your hair,” he blurted out.

“Oh. Well. Thank you.” Olivia’s smile faltered as she lifted a hand to brush the long spiky bangs off her forehead.

Idiot!

Reese chided himself for embarrassing her as he climbed out of his car. Too bad he hadn’t concentrated on what he intended to say instead of her hair.

“So. Should we risk it and go inside?”

Her lighthearted comment killed his tension.

“Yes.” Reese locked his car then began telling the history of Byways. “An elderly man used to live here, a grouch who put up a big fence around the place to keep the neighborhood kids out. But his yard was the perfect place to play catch and the kids always found a way in. He began sitting at the window, watching them play. The laughter and voices cheered him up and he soon looked forward to their coming.”

“Charming, but is it true?”

“Oh, yes. So Mr. Mung changed from the old grouch he’d been. But suddenly the kids stopped coming. He couldn’t figure out why, but he knew he wanted them to come back. He missed the way they made him feel younger.”

“Why did they stop?” She matched her step to his.

“Some do-gooder built them a softball field.” Reese chuckled at her droll look. “Mung figured that if he took his broken fence down, the kids might come back. He was trying to remove it when one of the kids passed, a punk who had been troubling the neighborhood for years. They argued. Short version is Mung had a heart attack, the kid got him to hospital and while Mung was away, the kid and his punk friends took down the wrecked fence, mowed the yard and started meeting on the front lawn.”

“Nice.”

“They say guilt is a great motivator. Anyway, when he came home, Mung couldn’t keep up the yard without help. The kid noticed, got his friends to pitch in and pretty soon Mung’s place became their drop-in center. The kids began to tell him their stories and Mung showed them a new perspective. When he couldn’t help, he conned his neighbor, a counselor, into stopping by. The word spread.”

Reese paused to catch his breath, but Olivia was way ahead of him.

“So Mung left the kid the house, the kid called it Byways and found funding to keep it running as a youth center.” Olivia slid her fingers over the worn sign that sat at the bottom of the stairs. “That kid was you. I do love a happy ending.”

Reese studied her more intensely.

“You’ve been doing your homework, Miss Hastings.”

“I like to know what I’m getting into, Mr. Woodward.” She tossed him a cheeky grin then skipped up the stairs.

“And?” Reese followed, wondering where this was leading.

“I’ve done some checking. Byways has a great reputation as a safe place where kids can come to have fun, share and, with a little help, figure themselves out. So far I’m quite intrigued by this place.”

“Intrigued is good.” Reese followed her inside, trying to quell his fervent hope that she’d agree to take on the directorship and give him, its chairman, a breather.

A tall, lean man met them in the foyer.

“Olivia Hastings, this is Nelson Kirsch, Emily’s brother. Nelson is our activities director. Nelson, Miss Hastings is considering joining Byways.”

“Joining as what?” Nelson lifted one eyebrow in his inimitably imperious way.

Irritation pricked Reese at Nelson’s snarky tone, though he knew the reason for it. Nelson wanted to be offered the job as director, though he didn’t have the necessary credentials. But before Reese could say anything, Olivia thrust out her hand.

“As whatever I can be to help, Mr. Kirsch.” She waited for him shake. “I hope that won’t be a problem.”

“That remains to be seen, Miss Hastings.” Nelson shook her hand once, then quickly dropped it. “Excuse me. I’m putting the last few details in place for a day trip.”

“Certainly.” Olivia stepped back to allow him to pass. When he’d disappeared, she glanced at Reese. “The temperature seems to have dropped.”

“That’s just Nelson.”

“You mean he thaws out?”

“Truthfully? Not really. Ah, here’s Emily. Hi, Em.” Reese hugged her thin shoulders and frowned when she immediately tensed, then slipped away. “You okay?”

“Sure. How are the twins? Did Brett get sick from that dunking?”

“His sickness came on after he found out their punishment was to peel potatoes for a week.” Reese winked at Olivia. “Brett isn’t fond of the job and he gets testy when Brady outdoes him with the plastic peelers I bought. Peeling potatoes keeps them busy and gives both of them time to think about the error of their ways.”

“Potatoes.” Olivia chuckled. “That’s creative.”

“Mr. Woodward has lots of ideas.” Emily threw him a cheeky grin. “We mess up his house real bad sometimes when I look after the kids. He usually tricks me into helping clean up. But he never gets mad at me.”

“Do other people get mad at you, Emily?” Olivia asked softly. Something wasn’t quite right with Emily. She could sense it.

“Sometimes.” Emily cast a worried look over one shoulder. “I gotta go. We’re going fishing.”

“Don’t eat the worms if you don’t catch anything.”

“Yuck. That’d be a Brady thing.” She slipped out from under Reese’s hand as he tried to ruffle her hair and raced away, giggling.

“She’s the nicest kid and she’s great with the twins.”

“I can hear a ‘but’ in there.”

“I don’t know how to say it. Lately I sense she’s afraid of me. Maybe it’s because I’m so much bigger than her.” He caught Olivia staring at him. “You’re the child psychologist. What do you think?”

“Maybe you’re right.” Olivia’s noncommittal answer left a lot to be desired. She glanced around. “How often do they go on field trips?”

“Almost every day in the summer. Nelson has a schedule of things for them to do. I’m not sure why they need to go out all the time, but Nelson seems to feel it’s best and the kids do gain exposure to a lot of activities that they’d miss if they stayed here.”

“I hear another ‘but.’”

“It’s a nightmare getting all the permission slips accounted for. But I won’t risk a lawsuit.”

“Very wise. They guarantee no parent can claim ignorance.”

“That’s the plan.” Reese led her through the building.

“Not much actually happens here in the center now, though, does it?” Olivia studied the gym area that had become more of a storage room. “That’s too bad. It looks like your funding is pretty solid. I’ve seen colleges with less equipment than this place.”

“We have corporate support and a couple of bequests we can tap into for repair or to replace, if necessary. Nelson has about six staff.” He looked around, shrugged. “We have at least two on the premises at all times when we’re open.”

“Smart. But what does the staff do? If there are no events held here, I mean.”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted, “but Nelson keeps them busy. We used to have lots of things happening at Byways, but not recently. That’s something I hope a new director might change.”

“Because?”

“As a board, we feel Byways should be the center of activity and not simply a place to catch a bus. Activities are nice, but run properly we could offer more. I feel our staff is under-utilized in the current situation. We have good people who just need some direction and fresh vision.” Reese told himself it was okay to feel a little proud of what he’d helped accomplish. “I think our salaries are pretty competitive, too.”

He explained the range for the managing director’s position.

“Very reasonable, although, for me, the job isn’t about the money.” Olivia inspected the director’s office after he’d unlocked it, glanced at the operating budget. “For me, it’s more about the kids and the things Byways offers to help them.”

“We are happy to hear any and all suggestions.”

The tour over, Reese led her to the kitchen area now used for staff breaks, hoping that light in her eyes had intensified because she was interested.

“Let’s take a break. Coffee?” He poured two cups, held one up.

“Black, please.”

He indicated she should sit in one of the easy chairs before he handed the cup to her.

“Thanks.” Olivia sipped her coffee. Silence stretched between them before she spoke again. “If my opinion counts, I’d say Byways has a very effective board. Everything looks well maintained. I don’t understand why this job is still open.”

“Frankly, neither do we.” Reese hated this part, but he had to be honest. “We’ve had several applicants accept our offer in the past two years. They each came in, worked for six to nine months and then gave their notice.”

“Because?”

He flopped down in the chair across from her, rolled his head from side to side to ease the tension in his neck. “The work isn’t what they expected. The job isn’t what they want. Like that.”

“How many candidates have come and gone?”

“Three, so far.”

“None of them stayed even a year?” Olivia blinked, hazel eyes darkening as the gold flecks melted. When he shook his head, her irises dimmed to the shade of forest shadows in the mountains outside Denver. She sipped her coffee, but kept her gaze on him. “Oh.”

“Exactly.” Reese nodded.

“What happened to your last director?”

“He quit six months ago. Said he wanted a different line of work. There was some, uh, tension in the office. We’ve had a complete turnover of other staff since then. Except for Nelson, of course. He’s been here forever.”

“And he applied for the director’s job.” Olivia rubbed the bridge of her nose with one knuckle.

“You knew?”

“The attitude gives it away.”

“I suppose.” Why did he always feel he had to apologize for Nelson? “After the last one quit I think Nelson was so sick of the constant changeovers he decided he could do the job himself. But he can’t.” Reese wanted to make it clear Nelson was not her competition.

“Because?”

“We have to comply with state and city regulations by having a qualified counselor who approves our programs—and Nelson isn’t, he simply doesn’t have the training to talk someone down, counsel them about the future or offer advice for problems. He’s not interested in going back to school, either. So the day trips continue.”

Reese thought he could watch her hair forever. The unusual shades seemed to change every time Olivia moved her head. She wasn’t the least bit plain or retiring, but she had a way of seeming to melt into the background that encouraged him to lose whatever reticence he might have. Reese wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

“What do you do now?”

“A local psychologist comes in two days a week. She’s made it clear it’s only temporary and that she’d like to go back to her private practice—yesterday. Kids are not her forte so perhaps it’s as well she isn’t staying.”

Olivia didn’t ask any more. She finished her coffee, rose and walked over to read the notices on the bulletin board. She flipped through the canvases Byways’s art students had created last winter and checked out the marionettes swaying from the ceiling.

Reese held his tongue, willing to give her all the time she needed to decide. He hoped she’d agree to take the job quickly because he needed to get on the phone and find a new nanny fast.

After many moments had passed, Olivia turned to face him.

“I am a board-certified child psychologist, licensed to practice in Colorado.” Olivia listed her degrees and the colleges where she’d attained them, her voice neither boastful nor deferring. She was simply stating her qualifications. “I have not been employed for several years, however, so I don’t have any current references.”

“Were you ill?” Reese didn’t think she looked unhealthy.

“No. Family problems. I am single, I have no dependents. I, er, moved from the East to start again.” And she didn’t want to talk about it. That much was crystal clear from the solid jut of her chin as she stared at him.

Reese didn’t hold it against her. He didn’t like to talk about his past, either.

“But you do have experience? References from your past employment?”

“I had my own practice, which is now defunct, but yes, there are people who will vouch for me. Professional and otherwise.”

He studied her, confused by the eagerness he’d glimpsed in her eyes and the stiff, unyielding way she held herself, as if she wasn’t quite ready to commit.

“Are you applying for the job, Olivia?” he asked quietly when time had elapsed and she hadn’t spoken or looked at him again.

She lifted her head, met his stare.

“I’m definitely interested.” Her back straightened. “But I do need to pray about it and learn God’s will on the matter before I make a final decision.”

“Okay.” Reese rose, gathered their cups and placed them in the sink.

“But.”

“But?” He whirled around unable to keep hope from sneaking into his voice. “What does ‘but’ mean?”

“I would like to learn more about Byways, about what’s worked in the past and what has failed. I want to get the feel of the operation and hear a little more about the board’s expectations.” Her voice dropped, but her hazel eyes did not avoid his scrutiny. “Mostly I want time to pray about it, make sure Byways is where God wants me to be.”

“And then?” he prodded.

“As soon as I’m certain, I’ll give you my decision.” Her shoulders lifted, her spine straightened. “I don’t know why your other applicants quit, Reese, but if I don’t take this job, my reason will be because I do not feel this is where God wants me.”

“You’re a person of strong faith, aren’t you?” He didn’t need to ask, but Reese did anyway because he wanted Olivia Hastings to talk and he wanted to listen to the smooth soft lilt of her voice. He wanted to see her eyes flash from green to gold again, as they did every time she spoke of God.

Most of all, he wanted to know what situation had brought her to Denver and how God had helped her. Maybe then he’d understand why God never seemed to be there for him or his boys, though the family would be shocked to hear him say that.

“Strong faith?” Olivia raised her eyebrows as she considered the term, then nodded. “Yes, I guess you could say that. I believe in God. I believe I am His child and that He will show me the way I should go, if I pay attention and wait for His leading.”

“And do you always do that—wait?”

“Always,” she said with a smile. “I’ve learned it works better that way.”

Was that his problem? Reese wondered. Did he not wait long enough for God to show him which way to go? But it had been almost three years since Taylor had been hit by a drunk driver on her way home with a quart of milk.

Couldn’t God have gotten in touch once in three years?

Anger bubbled to the surface, but Reese was sick of being angry. It never did any good. He pushed it away, wishing he had the same solid confidence in God as Olivia.

“How long do you need?”

“I’m sorry, but you see that’s where the waiting part comes in. I don’t know how long it will take.” She smiled. “If someone else comes along in the meantime, I’ll gladly step out of the way. But I have to be sure.”

“You do realize we’ll need to do a background check in either case? It’s policy,” he added when she seemed to freeze for a second.

“Yes, of course. The safety of the children is always paramount.” Olivia recovered quickly and led the way out of the room. She walked beside him out of the building. “I’m sure you have things to do. I’ll fax you my information if you’ll give me your number.”

Reese pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to her.

“That’s my e-mail address and fax at Weddings by Woodwards,” he explained. “I’m not usually at Byways every day.”

“I’ll send you my information soon. I’m sure you’re anxious to get home to the twins.” She tucked the card into her pocket and asked, “How are they?”

“Busy.” Reese sighed. “Their nanny quit today. Brett ‘colored’ her sandals.”

Olivia held her hands up as if to hold him back. “I’m not even going to ask.”

“Thank you for that.” He unlocked his car. “You’re parked nearby?”

“My car recently retired. I’m looking into a new one. I took a cab here.”

“You need a ride then.” He moved to open the passenger door, but she stopped him.

“No. I told the driver to come back in—here he is,” she said as a taxi rolled up beside them. “Thanks for meeting me, Reese. I’m glad I came.”

“Great. Thanks a lot, Olivia.”

“Thank you. This might be just what I need.” With a funny little smile that roused his curiosity, Olivia waggled her fingers then left.

Reese drove toward Weddings by Woodwards and the briefcase of work that needed to be finished before his meeting tomorrow morning. He had yet to hire a nanny. Day care and preschool couldn’t begin to cover the hours he worked or the emergencies that sometimes came up.

The parking lot at Weddings by Woodwards lay empty when he pulled into his spot. He’d barely opened the back door when someone called his name. His guard went up automatically. The parking lot was out of the way. No clients came back here.

Frowning, he waited as a young woman he didn’t recognize walked toward him.

“Were you calling me?”

“Reese Woodward?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

She drew an envelope out of her jacket and held it out.

“I was asked to see that you got this personally, ASAP.”

He glanced from the paper to her disappearing figure, surprised.

Using his finger, he slit open the letter and drew out the papers inside. He caught his breath.

Weddings by Woodwards had plans to open a new store in Chicago. Reese had scouted the location, chosen the perfect site on Chicago’s famous Magnificent Mile. He’d lobbied the owners for a long-term lease and revised his terms several times. In fact, just yesterday he’d requested more changes to ensure his grandmother’s requests for the new store were met on every level.

Apparently he’d hesitated too long.

Dear Mr. Woodward:

I apologize for taking this extreme measure to contact you, but I felt you should know immediately of Mr. Garver’s untimely passing this morning. You will understand that the family is extremely emotional at this time, but Mrs. Garver is most insistent that I notify you at the earliest possible date of her intentions. Those intentions include liquidating all her real estate assets, meaning she will put the Chicago property up for sale. Because of the amount of time you and her husband spent discussing a possible lease, and because Mr. Garver thought very highly of you, Mrs. Garver is granting you first offer of sale. I have enclosed the amount and terms she’s requesting. You should know that she intends to move to be nearer her daughter in France as soon as can be arranged, and thus wishes to close the sale on the property this month. I would be most appreciative if you could let me know your decision as soon as possible…

Reese’s breath whooshed out of him as if someone had plunged a fist into his solar plexus.

His family was counting on a smooth transition. He’d reassured his grandmother only this morning that he would get everything she’d requested, that there would be no problems with this property, that he’d chosen the best possible building. Because of him, they hadn’t even looked at other possibilities, content to let him nitpick over every detail because they trusted him.

If only he’d stopped haggling and agreed to sign the lease sooner!

There was no way they could buy the property. Renovations on the Denver store had exceeded their budget. A tripling in costs of organza and silk had affected Winifred’s latest collection and their bottom line because the pricing had been preset for the catalogues. If that weren’t enough, a fire in the sewing factory two months ago had taken its toll on Weddings by Woodwards’ bank account.

Yet time after time Reese had reassured each family member that he had everything in Chicago well in hand. How stupid they’d been to trust him.

His grandmother’s favorite phrase echoed in his head.

God’s in His Heaven, all’s right with the world.

Well, where was God now?

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.