Healing Hearts (14 page)

Grabbing the box from her, he knelt down and let the resident cats sniff at the little fluff of orange. Sarah laughed again as the big black and white one lifted his head and padded away. The calico one seemed to be the only one to like the kitten and began licking it.

“I think that one likes her.”

“Florry likes everything. She’s even been known to try and nurse the things Boots and Jasper catch in the yard, don’t you girl?” He scratched the cat under the chin before rising and setting the box on the kitchen table to his right, and then leaned over and picked up the black cat with white paws. “Your turn next. Boots likes the girls. Here, hold him.” Grant plopped Boots into her arms.

Sarah almost dropped him. The cat was far heavier than he looked. Readjusting his position, she carried him as she followed Grant outside. The cat purred his agreement and tried to knead her shoulder with his paws. “Ouch. I’m not a pin cushion,” Sarah chastised him gently. The indignant look on his face made her squeeze him. She hoped the cat she rescued that morning grew up to be just as big and as self-indulgent as Boots.

A cool gust of wind blew wisps of hair across her face. She shivered; glad Grant was going to let her borrow a jacket. The temperature had dropped since the sun set.

“Come here Max and Matilda,” Grant urged, clapping his hands. In the light from the porch, Sarah could see his dogs chasing each other around.

Sarah giggled. “I’m glad to see your dogs listen about as well as Rocky.”

“I don’t always listen to myself either.” Grant gave her a look that curled her toes. Sarah’s mouth went dry at the promise of things to come. She clutched the cat so tightly Boots struggled and launched himself from her arms and dropped with a thud to the wood floor. With a displeased swish of his tail, he marched into the house.

“I thought we had to go to the game.”

“We do.” Chagrin crossed his features. “Come on. Over here we have Floppy and Peter.” He walked to a cage off to the side on the back porch where two white rabbits with red eyes stared back at her.

“Peter Rabbit. How cute.”

“My second cousin, Emily, picked it out that name. You met her at the barbeque.” He whistled to the dogs, who, tired of playing, ran past him and in through the back door. “After you.” He followed her inside. “And over there is Jane Austin.”

“What is it?” Sarah eyed the silver-and-black animal with the long nose and beady eyes curled up on the couch, not quite sure she liked the look of it.

“A ferret. A very pregnant one, too. That’s why she looks odd this evening.” Grant walked over to the couch and patted the animal’s head. “Are you ready to deliver Jane? Please wait until tomorrow, okay?”

With a precision that comes from practice, he placed fresh food and water out for his brood, and then checked on the kitten. “I fed her in the van at your place so she’ll be okay until we get back, but I’d better put her in the bathroom until proper introductions can be made to the rest of the gang. I think our friend here has had enough trauma today.

“They won’t hurt her, will they?”

As Grant picked up the box, Sarah watched him scratch the kitten’s head. A satisfied meow answered him back. Warmth curled through her again. Her boss genuinely cared about those around him, both human and animal. Her love for him deepened.

“Not as long as they’re introduced correctly, but we don’t have the time right now. I’ll be right back.”

After Grant disappeared up the flight of stairs that Sarah presumed led to the bedrooms, she checked out her surroundings and liked what she saw. The front hallway they’d come through earlier led to a spacious living area off to the right, and a warm, open kitchen and dining area to her left.

Off-white walls met polished wood floors covered with colorful throw rugs that gave out a very homey feeling, as did the trees stationed by the windows and the plants that lined a shelf above the large-screen television. Sarah felt right at home.

The comfortable-looking practical furniture, covered with equally practical dark blue fabric invited her to sit down and wait. Lacy white curtains and numerous pictures and odds and ends softened the masculine feeling in his house. Courtesy of the women in Grant’s life no doubt. A fierce longing to become one of those women refused to leave, even after Grant returned.

“Ready?” He gave her a smile that intensified her desire for him.

“Yes.”

He escorted her to the front hall closet, where he pulled out a purple-and-gold letter jacket and placed it around her shoulders. “Here, this should keep you warm and in the right spirit tonight.”

She snuggled into it, inhaling Grant’s scent and feeling his touch as if it were his arms, not the jacket wrapped around her. She couldn’t wait until later. “But what about you? What will you wear?”

“Don’t worry.” He reached in and pulled out an almost identical jacket. “I have two. Both my parents and grandparents bought me one when I lettered in basketball in high school.” He shrugged it over his broad shoulders and leaned down to kiss her lips. “Let’s go or we’ll miss more than the kickoff.”

Dinner comprised of another pizza from Tony’s. And like everyone else dressed in some sort of purple and gold, they hurried through their meal. The place emptied out as the start of the game approached and Grant and Sarah left with the tide.

Anticipation crackled in the air when Grant maneuvered his van into one of the last open spots in the parking lot and walked around to help her out. Sarah had never been to a football game but she knew what she was about to experience had little to do with what would happen on the field. It would be her experience in the stands as part of Grant’s family, and part of the community of Greer who had welcomed her without a question.

“Come on, we’ll miss the national anthem.” Grant grabbed her hand. At the front gate, he released his grip only long enough to buy her a program and a pair of purple-and-gold pompoms sold by the Booster Club before they entered the stadium packed full of fans wearing the home team colors. Sarah was glad Grant had loaned her his jacket since it did appear that red was the opposing team’s color.

The entire Morrison clan sat in their own cheering section, led by Aunt Mildred dressed completely in purple. “Glad to see you again, child. Grant needs to bring you around more often.” She poked him with her cane. “Now come and give your old auntie a kiss.”

Sarah said her hellos to all the various members of the family as they wove their way through feet, purses, and thermos bottles to the middle of the family section.

“Look, there she is.” Sarah waved to Lindsay, who stood in the middle of seven other girls dressed in a purple-and-gold pleated skirt and purple sweater with a gold letter G on the front. Lindsay shook a pompom back at her before turning her attention to the field.

The game was confusing to Sarah, even with Grant patiently explaining the rules, but it didn’t take long for her to figure out every time a player in the team colors advanced the ball that she should cheer just as loud and crazily as the rest of them.

Among the chattering crowd, the grunts and groans from the field, the constant cheering from the cheerleaders and the band, Sarah had never felt so happy. She was completely surrounded by Grant and his warm and loving family. She squeezed his hand, which had never left hers since they sat down.

As Jeremy and the marching band took the field at halftime, Grant offered Sarah a mug of hot chocolate from one of the thermoses. She accepted graciously, taking a cautious gulp, not sure how hot the liquid would be. A light flavor of peppermint surprised her.

“Peppermint? I like it.”

“Oh, no.” He reached for her mug. “That’s from Aunt Mildred’s batch. I’m sorry. It’s got schnapps in it.”

“Schnapps?”

“Peppermint flavored liquor.”

Sarah refused to release the mug, determined to let go of her past. “That’s okay, Grant, I’ll survive. It’s actually kind of good. I’m sure a small amount of alcohol is not going to make me an alcoholic like my mother. Isn’t that kind of illegal at a game like this though?”

“Don’t tell Aunt Mildred.”

They shared a smile as the second half started, and continued to enjoy their secret as the game came to an end. Greer scored the needed field goal in the last few seconds to put its team two points ahead. A cheer went up through the crowd.

“We won.” Caught up in the fever, Sarah waved her pompoms furiously as the Greer High team exited the filed. Grant hugged her around the middle, picked her up off her feet and twirled her around.

“You know what this means, don’t you?

Sarah shook her head, laughing. “I have no clue. All I do know is I’m getting dizzier by the second.”

When Grant set her on her feet, her laughter died in her throat. She swallowed at Grant’s searching look.

“It’s a tradition at Greer High to kiss the one you’re with when the home team wins the Homecoming game.” Tenderly, Grant cradled her face between his gloved hands and leaned down. His mouth barely grazed the corners of her mouth. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“And upset tradition?” She melted into him, a tiny sigh escaping before he captured her lips.

The noise, the crowds, the world ceased to exist.

She felt complete, as if her life had meaning. The last of any doubts and insecurities fled, chased away by the man who had taken time to understand her, appreciate her. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck and pulled him closer.

Sarah had been waiting for this moment, ever since she’d met him that first day. She just hadn’t known it. Those other kisses were simply a prelude, a warm up to the desire welling inside her. Even the kiss in the park this afternoon waned in comparison.

She pulled off Grant’s hat to feel the rich texture of his curly hair beneath her fingers. What started out as an innocent kiss, deepened into something exhilarating, even magical as she opened her mouth to let Grant explore its depths. Tongues mated in a ritual dance where only the two of them heard the music, while their bodies intertwined to the beating of each other’s hearts. Later couldn’t come soon enough.

“Hey, you two, come up for air.” An amused voice she didn’t recognize filtered through her conscious. “I’m not sure we want to start a new tradition here.”

They broke apart immediately.

Sarah inhaled sharply and stiffened when she saw the speaker’s identity—a uniformed sheriff’s deputy. That meant trouble. Never in all her experience with cops had they ever stopped by to have an innocent conversation. Her stomach lurched as the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“What have I done now?”

Chapter Eleven

Grant knew instantly that something was wrong. It had nothing to do with the kiss, and everything to do with the man standing next to them.

He sensed Sarah’s mounting tension the longer the silence stretched. He’d suspected she’d had a few run-ins with the law, but her statement and reaction confirmed it. From the way the color fled her already pale skin, he knew it probably wasn’t anything pretty either. A rock formed in the pit of his gut, but he put his arm around her shoulders and cradled her close. “Hi, Joe. How are you?”

“Fine. You?”

“Likewise.” At Joe’s questioning look, Grant knew introductions were in order. “Have you met Sarah yet?”

He shook his head. “No, I haven’t, but your sister mentioned her. Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Joe. Gillian’s boyfriend.” Joe extended his hand toward her.

With a hesitant smile, she shook it. “I’m Sarah. Sarah Churchill.” Sarah’s stance became more rigid, and Grant could see her fighting for control. She lost the battle. Suddenly, she swayed, her voice wavering as she turned her head to look at him. “Grant, I’m tired. Could you please take me home?”

A look passed between Grant and Joe. A knowing look. Aunt Mary’s request probably hadn’t been off-base from the looks of things. He should have looked into her past himself like he’d intended, but he’d been in denial. Grant had no doubt he’d find some sort of rap sheet waiting on his desk first thing in the morning.

“Hey, Joe, just getting off work? We’re having a gathering at our place,” Richard announced, oblivious to the tension around him. “Why don’t you stop by for a while?”

Grant looked at Sarah. She avoided his gaze, but he noticed some of the color had returned to her cheeks. He guessed it was more from the crisp air than anything else. “We’ll pass, if that’s okay. Sarah’s got to work tomorrow.”

Still on her guard, Sarah hardly spoke a word as he said their goodbyes to the remaining family and friends. The night that had held so much promise was ruined. He knew it, and he knew Sarah knew it.

The drive home was a long, silent one.

At her apartment, the quick kiss he’d planned deepened into another soul-searching, earth-shattering response. It left him breathless and his hands itching to explore Sarah’s body, her background be damned. But he couldn’t—at least not tonight.

“Goodnight, Sarah. I’ll see you later.”

Sarah slipped into the diner through the back door Saturday morning, hoping no one would notice her tardiness. She’d overslept, having spent most of the night tossing,finally falling into a restless sleep around four.

Like a continuous tape, yesterday’s events looped around in her head; the park, the game, and everything in between. Her heart ached for Grant, and she longed to feel his arms around her, filling her with warmth and driving away her loneliness, unhappiness, and fears.

For a moment, her dreams had come true. She’d belonged somewhere, to someone. She’d been loved, until she’d blown it when she saw the sheriff’s deputy. The sight of him set her on edge. Her years on the streets taught her to be wary of people in uniform. Any runaway or homeless person could tell a story about trouble with the law. Sarah included.

She’d hoped those days were behind her. Obviously, they weren’t. Both Grant and Joe picked up on her reaction; she’d seen the look pass between them. Now it would only be a matter of time before it all came crashing down.

Sarah cursed herself for her foolishness. She couldn’t escape her past no matter how hard she tried. It would always be there in black and white, on the police report.