Pinky Promise (Riverbend Romance 2) (9 page)

Kelly settled back in her seat, a small smile twitching her lips.
 

Those lips. Ian wrenched his gaze back to the highway and took a long breath. “Can I take you on a real date soon? One without two little chaperones? I can get a sitter for both of them.”

The little smile grew until her dimple deepened.
 

How could he wait until next week to have her to himself, if only for a few hours? If that talk went well, he’d kiss that dimple. Kiss those eyelids. Those lips. He swallowed hard. “How about Friday?” He’d heard the food at the Water Wheel by the park was excellent. That was still eight days away, but Easter weekend would take up the first half of it.

“Friday’s good.”

What was she thinking as she looked at him? Did she find him as attractive as he found her? His gut tightened as her gaze trailed over his face. Maybe she was thinking about kissing, too.
 

Their eyes caught for a few seconds before Ian realized he’d passed a sign to lower the speed. They were entering Castlebrook. He gave her a lopsided grin he hoped was a promise for more to come. “Where in town are we going?”

She blinked and looked around. “Turn right on Forest, but that’s not until the other side of the mall.”

“Mommy? I don’t want to go to Great-grandma’s.”

“I know, baby girl, but we’re doing it anyway.”

Ian glanced over. It wasn’t going to be an easy weekend for either of them.

“I want to go to the zoo with Sophie.”

“Elena. Enough.”

Elena heaved a sigh from the bottom of her lungs.

He bit back a grin. He couldn’t interfere, couldn’t fix everything within a day of finally getting over the hurdle. But what had happened to pedal faster so he wouldn’t fall? Oh, man. He’d fallen, all right, and he liked it that way.

 
Kelly gave directions until they pulled in front of a small bungalow in a residential neighborhood.
 

“I thought she was in a nursing home?” he asked.

“Tomorrow is soon enough,” Kelly replied. “Mom’s been staying with her friend Lorraine. Her car is here.”

Ian shut off the motor. How he wished he could do something. Anything. But he knew he couldn’t. It wasn’t time.

The front door of the house opened, and a middle-aged woman ran out. Eyes rimmed with red and clutching a tissue, she reached for Kelly almost before the Jeep door opened.

“Oh, honey, you missed her. Grandma passed away an hour ago.”

Kelly hugged the woman. “I’m sorry. I came as soon as I could.”

“I know. Where’s my munchkin?”

Kelly turned to open the back door and released Elena.

“Hi, Grandma.” Elena hugged her grandmother.

“Look at you! You’ve grown even in the past few weeks.” Then the woman’s eyes seemed to notice him and Sophie. “I don’t believe we’ve met?”

He wouldn’t meet Kelly’s mom while seated in his vehicle. He’d probably already made a poor first impression by not getting Kelly’s door, but the sight of her sobbing mother had distracted him for those precious seconds.

Ian exited the vehicle and opened Sophie’s door. She could use a stretch before the next, much longer, leg of their journey.

“Mom, this is Ian Tomlinson and his daughter, Sophie. They’re headed to Calgary this weekend. Ian, this is my mom, Roberta.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Ian put on his best smile and reached to shake the woman’s hand.

“The girls are best friends,” Kelly told her mother.

He noticed she said nothing about their own relationship. Time. He needed time.

“We’re twins,” Elena informed her grandmother.

“Oh, are you?” Roberta’s gaze flicked between the girls. “Well, that’s nice.” She turned back to Kelly. “I’m so glad you’re finally here. We have all the funeral arrangements to make, and I need you.”

Wasn’t that going to be a bit tricky across a long weekend? Ian’s heart went out to Kelly as she swallowed hard and glanced at Elena. The little girl stood with head downcast, clutching Sophie’s hand.

Maybe there was a solution. It wasn’t perfect, but it might do. “Can I speak with you a moment, Kelly?”

She looked from him to her mother. “Sure.” She followed him to the back of the Jeep. “What’s up?”

“You’re going to be even busier this weekend than you thought, aren’t you? More stressed?”

Kelly nodded, grimacing. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye, but this is probably for the best.”

He lowered his voice. “May I take Elena with me to Calgary? My parents will be fine with it, and it would be good for the girls to get their friendship back on track.” He searched her unchanging face. “Please? I know I can’t do anything for you here, but this would make it easier for you, wouldn’t it?”

Her gaze met his. “Really? That seems like such a big deal.”

“It’s not. You know how well they play together. It would be an honor to do this for you. For Elena.”

“Are we going too fast?”

Ian twined his fingers with hers. Surely their hands were out of sight of Kelly’s mom and the girls. “It can’t go too quickly for me.”

Chapter 12

Kelly worked beside her mother the next afternoon, packing the personal items from Grandma’s room into cardboard boxes. This wasn’t how she’d envisioned spending Good Friday. A group from a Castlebrook church led an Easter service in the residents’ lounge just down the corridor. Listening to
The Old Rugged Cross
from a distance wasn’t the same as attending River of Life Church, but it would have to do this time around.

Meanwhile, she peeled sticky-tack off the backs of dozens of photos that had been attached to the wall by Grandma’s favorite chair. Photos of Elena and her second cousins.

“Tell me about Ian,” her mother said at last. “You’ve never mentioned his name before, but all of a sudden he’s a good enough friend to take Elena for the weekend? Are you sure he can be trusted?”

“We have a few things in common. He works for the town, for one.” No need to mention that he headed her department. “The girls share a birthday, and that bonded them the first day Sophie came to Riverbend Elementary. Plus, Ian is a Christian.” The other thing they had in common was that they’d pretty much instantly fallen for each other, but Ian’s twinkling eyes and strong hands were not something Kelly was about to mention to her mother.

“Just be careful, honey. Don’t let him take advantage of you.”

Kelly shot a glance at her mom. “He’s not that kind of guy.”

“You can’t know that.”

“Actually, I can.” From the bit of distance the past two weeks had provided their relationship, she was more than certain. “His daughter loves him and respects him, and he is always a gentleman. He’s not a closet serial killer or child molester.”

“That’s not what I meant, honey.”

Kelly grabbed the packing tape dispenser and sealed a box then labeled it with a black felt marker. “Ian treats me like a princess, Mom. He treats Elena the same way. He’s more than safe.” Sure, the powerful instant connection had scared her a little at first. Her heart hadn’t seemed safe, but that had changed. Now Ian seemed the safest cradle.

“It’s unusual to see a man with custody of a child.”

If only Mom could ask about Ian without accusation, this would go a lot better. “His wife died when Sophie was two.” No need to mention they’d been separated at the time. “He’s done a great job raising her.” And would do a better job now that he’d considered the messages he’d sent to Sophie.

“I just don’t want you hurt, Kelly. He’s probably angling for a mother for his child and taking advantage of the fact you’re single, and your daughters are friends.”

Kelly straightened and reached for her mother’s shoulders. “Look at me, Mom.” When her mom obeyed, Kelly went on. “Please stop talking about Ian this way. You don’t even know him, and you’re jumping to all kinds of wrong conclusions. Ian just might be the very best thing that ever happened to me. Could you believe I have better judgment than I did eight years ago, and try to be happy for me?

Mom’s blue eyes, etched with worry lines, searched hers. “Are you sure?”

“Not one hundred percent. And he’s not pushing me. Trust me, Mom. I know I only moved out of your house two years ago. I know you still think of me as... as Elena’s age, but I’m twenty-six. I’m old enough to know my heart and to make decisions about my future. About Elena’s future.” She finally had her mom’s undivided attention. “I’m so grateful for your support and help with Elena. I don’t know what I’d have done without you, but things have changed. Please give Ian and Sophie a chance.”

“Does he love you? I mean, truly love you?”

They hadn’t said the words to each other, but there was no doubt. “Yes, Mom. He loves me, and I believe God brought him into my life.”

“Just take it slow.”

“Mom. Trust me.”

“I’ll try.”

~*~

“So you’re happy with your move to Riverbend, then?”

Ian and his father strolled down the walkway at the Calgary Zoo behind his mom, who had a small girl by each hand. His folks had taken to Elena immediately, and it had been mutual.

“Very much so. There have definitely been some adjustments to small-town life, but it agrees with both of us.”

“Sophie cried for two days before you left,” Dad reminded him.

“She did. But her very first day at school she met Elena, and there’s been barely a whisper about missing Calgary since.”

“I guess sometimes you know when you’ve met someone you click with, right, son?” Dad’s elbow caught Ian’s side.

Ian laughed. “Yeah, sometimes you do.”

“So tell me about Elena’s mother. Kelly, you said?”

Where to start. “She’s beautiful. Amazing. And you can tell what a good mom she is by watching her daughter.”

Dad chuckled. “So it wasn’t my imagination. There’s something going on then? Already?”

And that was the problem. He’d known Kelly not much longer than a month, even though his mind and heart had agreed weeks ago that she was what they’d been waiting for. “You think it’s too soon?”

“I don’t know. Is it?”

He glanced into his dad’s dark eyes. “I’m not sure I trust myself after Maria.”

“Are they anything alike?”

Ian’s head was shaking before his dad’s question was complete. “Not in any way that counts.”

“Son, if you were on the rebound, I’d be concerned. But you’ve made a life for yourself and Sophie. You’ve been content to raise her by yourself, if need be. I know you’ve avoided women who tried to get close to you since Maria’s death, though it didn’t seem there was a shortage of willing candidates.”

Ian winced. There had been plenty of opportunities, including the woman who’d sent him scurrying for Riverbend.

“But no one caught your eye. So, I repeat. What’s different with Kelly?”

“Those two little matchmakers started it.” Ian poked his chin toward Sophie and Elena. “Kelly is pretty self-contained. She was definitely not on a manhunt. Just the opposite.”

Dad chuckled. “So she presented a challenge. I hope there’s more to it than that, for your sake.”

“The biggest challenge is not letting those two push too hard and fast. They decided from the beginning that we were destined to be one big happy family. The girls share a birthday, you know. So they decided they’re twins.”

“Kids are a poor reason to get married. I guess that was sometimes a valid motive in pioneer days, but not now. You’ve done very well with Sophie on your own.”

Kids might be a poor reason
not
to get married, too. “Having your support made a big difference, but you’re right. Kelly had to drop out of college when she got pregnant. I respect her for taking classes online while caring for a baby and working retail, but she wasn’t able to complete her degree. She got a much better job with the town two years ago, but she still needs to live frugally. And she does.”

“Sounds like your mother and I need to meet this paragon of virtue.”

“That would make her laugh. She’s not perfect, Dad.” Though at this instant it was hard to remember in what way she might fail that test. “You guys are coming to Riverbend for Sophie’s birthday, right?”

“Your mother wouldn’t miss it for the world. Especially if it means meeting the woman who stole our son’s heart.”

~*~

“We went to the zoo today and there were lions and giraffes and, Mommy, you should have seen the hippopotamus! His mouth is sooo big!”

Kelly clutched her cell phone Saturday evening. When had Elena stopped saying hippotamus? It had been so cute. Her little girl was growing up and experiencing things without her. Things like the zoo, and lots of time with Ian.

“Did you have fun with Sophie and Mr. Ian?” Kelly’s own Saturday had been far from entertaining. Even though Good Friday was in the rearview mirror, many of the services needed to prepare a funeral would remain closed all weekend in a town this size.

“I did! And Sophie has her very own bunk bed at her grandparents’ house. I slept on the top, and I didn’t even fall out.”

Kelly’s throat closed. “Is Sophie’s grandma nice?” Maybe she was really asking what Ian’s mom thought of him bringing home a stray. What had he told his parents about her and Elena?

“She is a nice grandma. She came to the zoo, and so did her grandpa. Then we went to Pete’s Drive In and had a milkshake. Mr. Ian got me a whole chocolate shake all to myself!”

The zoo and a milkshake sounded better than spending the day with her mom, who alternated between guilting Kelly and crying on the phone with her sister. These few minutes hiding in Lorraine’s basement talking to her daughter were the brightest part of the day.

“Mr. Ian wants to talk to you, Mommy.”

Maybe the day had brightened even more. Kelly heard distant voices then the Calgary phone clattered to the floor. “Sorry,” said Elena.

Ian’s deep, rich voice came on the line. “Kelly?”

She leaned back against her pillows. “Hi.”

“I sure missed you today. It was strange showing Elena all our favorite places when I really wanted to be in Castlebrook with you. To be there
for
you.”

If only he had been. “Elena elsewhere and having a good time makes all the difference.” Maybe not all, but a lot.