Ready-Made Family (18 page)

“But Miss Evie, what if I’m not qualified?”

“How will we know unless you try? You could set up a caricature station in the kitchen if you like. Tourists would love them. That’d be extra money. Many of these duties you could delegate out to employees. Also, the budget there is off. The salary is about twelve thousand more a year.”

“Twelve thou—” Amelia coughed, emotion having closed her throat. With Refuge’s cost of living, she could nearly exist
on that alone. Could this moment be possible? Tears sprang to her eyes. Was she dreaming?

Miss Evie lifted her brows. “Well? What do you think?”

Amelia surged to her feet. “I think you’re plumb crazy—and wonderful for giving me this chance.” Amelia couldn’t hold back the tears and she lunged around the desk and hugged Miss Evie’s neck. She squeezed and squeezed and just couldn’t let the woman go. “And I think I’ll love working for you, and with Hutton. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

Laughing, Miss Evie dabbed Amelia’s tears. “Well, this is a first. I’ve never had an interviewee get me in a headlock. It’s quite nice. I think we’ll work well together.”

“What do I need to do? How should I dress? When can I start?”

Miss Evie held up a graceful hand. “Hold on to your horses. Here’s my suggestion. You’ll need to register Reece for school. Why don’t you spend the day doing that? I can give you a stipend to live on until your probation period is up in thirty days.”

Amelia smiled. “What is it with this town and their overwhelming generosity?”

“Refuge is like that. Most of it, anyway. We have a few trouble spots, but all in all, we’re praying for it to be just what the name says.”

Praying.

No wonder.

Maybe the woman’s faith was why she was doing all this. That would be the only reason Amelia could think of that a person would give without expecting anything in return. Though she held her own faith struggles, she wanted to raise Reece in church.

“Where you go to church, is it Christian?”

“Yes. Refuge Community Church. Would you like to visit?”

“If I could sit by you. I’m nervous to walk in by myself.”

“We’ll ride and sit together. Pick you up at nine. They
have a wonderful kids’ program. Reece will love it. I have a feeling you will, too. You’ll recognize some faces there.”

Amelia wondered who. She also wondered why she didn’t have reservations about going to this church. She knew why. Leaned forward, she hugged Miss Evie again. “Thank you. Before meeting true Christians like you and Ben, Manny, Celia, Amber and Joel—”

“And Gus.” She patted her hair.

Amelia grinned. “And Gus, I never believed people extended goodness without agenda.” She eyed the wall clock. “Time for Glorietta to return with Reece. I’d better scoot.”

Miss Evie smiled and opened the door. “Sounds good. Hutton’s interview is in ten minutes. That’ll give me time to grab some coffee.”

Amelia rounded the corner of the B and B and was run over by a haze of fur. “Ooomph!” She sat up and blocked her face from wet slurps. “Hey!” She peeked. Then stood. “Shasta?” The dog barked and spun in circles, wagging its entire behind. “Shasta?”

“Hello, Amelia.”

Tears sprang to her eyes and she whirled around. “Mom?”

A wary-eyed woman approached cautiously. “H-hi.”

“Mom?”

Seeing tears streaking down her mother’s face, Amelia dashed off the wraparound porch and wrapped arms around her.

After several moments of sniffling and murmuring and holding tight, both women pulled back.

“What are you doing here?” Amelia whispered.

Her mom tugged more tissues loose and handed half to Amelia. She then looped her arm through Amelia’s. “Let’s go for a walk. And I’ll tell ya.”

After leaving Glorietta a note explaining where she was, Amelia led her mom down one of the trails behind the B and B. “You don’t know how bad I missed our walks.”

“Not half as bad as I’ve missed you and Reece.” She drew a breath. “Which is why I’m here.”

“I noticed you brought suitcases. Lots of suitcases.”

“You left without some of your things. And one of the suitcases is mine.” She met Amelia’s gaze. “I left your father.”

Amelia gasped. “Mom! Why?”

She reached down and scooped up a pinecone, then met Amelia’s gaze again. “Because I can’t live without having a relationship with you and my grandbaby. Not even for your father.” She tossed the cone at a tree. Hard. “Your very stubborn father.”

Amelia laughed. “I heard you said I’m courageous. Is that true?”

Her mom nodded. “Very. You have more courage than I do. I should have stood up to him years ago.” Tears flooded her eyes again. “I’m sorry, Amelia. I’ve so much to be sorry for.”

Amelia put an arm around her waist. “Let’s not be sorry. Let’s just start over.”

“Gramma!” Reece squealed on the way back when they came into view.

Glorietta stood, grinning. “You made it, I see.”

Amelia’s mom nodded.

“You knew she was coming?” Amelia said to Glorietta.

“I knew she’d called asking to find you. So did Miss Evie.”

“How long had you been planning this, Mom?”

“Since the day I figured out your dad wasn’t going to humble himself and call you. But he’s been moping around the house like Shasta in a thunderstorm.”

“Maybe you leaving will help him try.”

“Doesn’t matter. No matter what he decides, I want a chance to be the mom you’ve deserved all your life and never got. And, I know you’ll need someone to watch Reece. I’m glad to help. Miss Evie offered me a place to stay. But I was hoping I could stay with you and Reece. At least for a few
weeks. I missed you dreadfully and worried about you something awful.”

“Hi Meal-ya! I got a job!” Hutton ran toward her.

“You did? Hutton, that’s great!” Amelia hedged.

Ben eyed her.

Amelia put her arm around her mom. “Ben, this is my mother.”

He nodded, leaned forward and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.” He smiled in his kind-mannered way. “What brings you to these parts?”

“My baby and grandbaby. I decided I can’t live without them.”

Ben smiled. “I know just what you mean.”

Amelia’s mom’s eyebrows rose and a knowing gleam entered her eyes. “Is that so?”

Ben nodded and lingered a thankful gaze over Reece and Amelia and the half miracle happening here now. “Absolutely.” He took Amelia’s hand and met Amelia’s mom’s gaze. “So, I hope you’re okay with that because it would mean a lot to Amelia to have your blessing for our relationship.”

“If you’re half the man that Glorietta claims you are, I’m more than okay with it.” She picked up Reece and eyed Hutton. “I heard you like
Charlotte’s Web
as much as Reece does. I happen to have the DVD in my suitcase. Shall we watch it so your mom and Ben can sneak off on a romantic date?”

Glorietta and Evie grinned. Amelia blushed. Hutton and Reece giggled.

Ben, grinning the most, moved like a rocket from a launch-pad. “I’ll show you how to work the DVD player.”

“I can’t believe we’re taking a stuffed bear on a date.” Ben eyed the stuffed toy that Glorietta had insisted could chaperone them.

Amelia laughed. “I can.”

“Not much of a date, playing chess at the B and B, is it?”

“I like it here. Besides, I know you don’t want to stray too far away from Hutton in case he gets nervous without you.”

“You picked up on that, huh?”

She nodded. “I also picked up on how much he looks up to you, Ben.” Her voice betrayed her by going whispery and breathless. “He admires you, as does anyone who’s ever met you.”

He set his guitar aside and pulled her into his arms. The way he gazed deep at her made her feel like the most beautiful woman on earth.

He smiled. “You’re nervous. Aren’t you?”

“A-a little. Not that I don’t trust you. I’m just unsure in this kind of situation.”

“I hope you’re not unsure about how I feel about you.”

He set Bearby on the rail they leaned against.

She started to dip her head but his finger on her chin prevented it.

“You know how I’m always telling you to trust and believe, even when there’s no proof?”

She nodded, drifting into him as he pulled her closer.

“Well, this time, I’m going to prove it to you instead.”

Ben lifted her chin higher, and placed a tender, chaste kiss on her mouth. Tentatively, he brushed his lips against hers. She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t respond, either. “Is this okay, Amelia?”

She nodded and swallowed. “Except, absurd as it sounds, that stupid bear is watching.”

Ben laughed, reached over and tipped Bearby forward so his nose and eyes rested on the banister rail instead of facing them. Amelia’s laugh caused one of his.

“That’s much better,” she said.

“So is this.” He lifted her chin once more and kissed her, this time like he meant it. Trying to infuse her with confidence and knowing that she was attractive and the kind of girl any guy would be proud to have.

“I wanna know which one of you is giving the other guitar lessons, and which one’s giving the kissing lessons.” Amelia’s mom smiled over the paper a month later as Amelia joined her for late-night tea after returning from Ben’s balcony.

Amelia laughed. And stalled answering the question by going in to check on Reece. She was in bed, sound asleep, armed with Bearby. Hutton, adjusting well to living with Ben over the last few weeks since his parents had left to travel, had spent the evenings here playing games, watching videos and talking about his dishwashing job with vigor.

Sitting across from her mom, Amelia tucked her feet beneath her. “You know?”

Smile intact, Amelia’s mom sipped her tea. “Of course. Where do you think you and Reece inherited your sleuthing and insatiable curiosity? Do you care about him?”

“More than that. I think I love him.”

Her mom smiled. “He seems very honorable.”

“Does it bother you that he’s part Asian?”

“Of course not.”

“It’s going to bother Dad.”

“Everything bothers your dad. He’s a grumpy old curmudgeon.” She eyed her phone. “Who won’t stop calling me. But until he calls you and issues a sincere apology, I’m ignoring him. And yes, he has the number. He’s probably living off cold corn from cans. Stubborn man.”

“But you love him.”

“Sometimes I wonder why, but yes. I do.”

A pounding on the door brought both of them to their feet.

Before Amelia could fully open the door, Ben rushed in. “Pack a bag. Both of you. Glorietta’s keeping Reece and Shasta. She’s on her way.”

“Ben, what’s wrong?” Amelia’s heart pounded at the serious look on his face as he sat her mom down.

“The hurricane shifted. It grazed your hometown pretty good. Petrowski arranged for a military craft to take us. We need to leave immediately.”

Amelia’s mom covered her forehead with her trembling hand. “Our home. Your dad—” Tears choked off her words. Amelia pulled her close. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through it. I’ll grab our stuff.”

She nodded then faced Ben.

“Your dad’s neighborhood wasn’t hardest hit. But it was hit. There are no domestic flights into the area, but we have our own ride if you think you can handle riding in a military chopper.”

She nodded. “What about Hutton?”

“He’ll have to come with me. I can’t risk leaving him.”

Soon they piled into Manny’s truck. A dozen men dressed in military garb and parachute harnesses occupied the truck bed.

“Who are they?” Amelia’s mom asked.

“Petrowski tasked a few of our recruits and part of my team to help rescue anyone stranded from floods.”

Manny drove with Hutton beside him. Ben rode shotgun and Amelia and her mother were in the backseat of Manny’s extended cab.

Amelia recognized Manny’s son, Javier, and his friend Enrique in the crowd. She also recognized Vince Reardon and Nolan Briggs, from Ben’s PJ team. She didn’t recognize the others.

Amelia’s mom held her cell phone to her ear minutes later. “I can’t reach your father.”

“With a disaster of this magnitude all the phone lines and cell signals will be jammed. Just because you can’t reach him doesn’t mean he’s not okay.”

“But it doesn’t mean he is, either.” Amelia chewed her lip.

Amelia suddenly worried if her father were really okay, he probably wouldn’t be the moment he saw her together with Ben. How would she handle that?

“You’re pretty good with a hammer. Why don’t you build yourself some sense and get your sorry boots off my roof.” Amelia’s father glowered as he towered over Ben.

Ben slapped another shingle down on the fresh plywood. “Your wife’s home and all its contents will be ruined. Quit being so stubborn and accept the help, for her sake at least.”