Welcome back friends. I know things on this blog have been slow but hopefully I'll get back up and running soon. For now, I'm happy to share that the latest book in the Home to Dover series will be showing up in stores.
Bachelor to the Rescue was so much fun to write. There were times I wasn't sure I could get them together.
Enjoy this first chapter from the book. I think you'll love this couple and maybe even love Dover more.
Chapter One
“Mommy, can we go home now? I’m tired
of coloring.”
Lainie Hollings fought back the nausea churning in
her stomach and gently stroked her youngest daughter’s hair. “Not yet, Chrissy.
Why don’t you use the green crayon for a while?”
A weary sigh accompanied the nodding of the little
head. Lainie watched her girls, six-year-old Natalie and four-year-old
Christiana, as they scribbled on the pages the officer at the Dover Mississippi
Police Station had given them to keep them entertained. They couldn’t go home
because they had no home to go to. Her job as assistant to Mrs. Forsythe, a
wealthy businesswoman in Memphis, Tennessee, had ended when her employer had
moved away for health reasons. Thankfully, Lainie had quickly landed the position
as head librarian for the Dover Public Library.
Today was
their moving day. This morning, she had been filled with excitement and
bursting with hope. This move marked the culmination of a dream she and her
husband had once shared. They’d planned to leave Baton Rouge and its big city
life behind and move to a small town where they could grow their family in a
friendly, nurturing environment. They’d been saving for a house, but she had been
forced to use the money for Craig’s funeral instead. Alone and pregnant with
their second child, she’d moved to Jackson, Tennessee to live with her mother
and gone back to school at night to get her degree.
The past five years had been difficult, moving
from place to place, job to job. The librarian position was her chance to find
a permanent home.
So, they’d come to Dover a few days early to find a place
to live and check into child care. It was supposed to be a fun trip discovering
their new home. Instead, they were sitting in a police station, the victims of
a crime. As they had been leaving a local restaurant, a man had shoved Lainie
against her car, waved a gun in her face, then yanked her purse from her arm
and fled. Thankfully, she’d already put the girls in the car. But all she had
left were the car keys she held in her hand, and eight dollars and thirty-four
cents—change from lunch, which she’d shoved into the pocket of her cotton
slacks.
The moment replayed in her mind like a scene from
a horror film, tightening the vise of fear around her chest. She lowered her
head into her hands, fighting to keep the rising panic at bay. How was she
going to take care of her girls? Where would they stay? She’d set aside money
for a motel, but now, without a credit card or cash, that was impossible. Tears
welled in her eyes and she brushed them away quickly, not wanting the children
to see her upset. But she was barely holding it together.
“Look, Mommy, I colored it purple.” Chrissy’s blue
eyes sparkled from behind her glasses.
“Good job, sweetie.”
Looking at her precious girls, her throat
constricted again. What if the thief had taken the car with the girls inside?
What if he’d killed her? Lainie forced the terrifying thoughts aside. She
couldn’t give in to the fear. They were all fine, but destitute. She had no
phone, no ID and no money. The only person she knew in town, Mr. Bill Ogden, mayor
and president of the library board who’d hired her, was out of town for the
weekend. They were on their own.
Unless Shaw McKinney showed up.
The knot in her chest grew. She clasped her hands
together, squeezing tightly. While paying her bill at the restaurant, she’d
noticed several business cards on display. One had a familiar name printed on
it. Goudchaux McKinney Construction.
Shaw McKinney, contractor. She’d picked up the card, the name unearthing anger
and resentment she’d thought long buried. If it weren’t for him, Craig would
still be alive and her daughters would have a father. She’d shoved the card
into her pocket along with the change. Shaw was the last person on earth she
wanted to ask for help, but he was her only option. She’d given the card to the
officer and asked him to call.
“Mommy, I have to go.” Natalie wiggled in her
chair.
Chrissy looked up, pushing her tiny glasses up on
her little nose. “Me, too.”
Lainie stood and looked around for her purse,
wincing when she remembered it was gone. “Come on, girls.” Lainie took their
hands and walked down the hall to the restrooms. She tried to quell the
nervousness swirling in her stomach as she helped Chrissy wash her hands. Maybe
when she returned to the lobby, Shaw would be here. She didn’t want to think
about what they would do if he didn’t come. Worse yet, what if he did? Turning
for help to the man responsible for her husband’s death was repugnant.
Settling into the molded plastic chair again, she
glanced toward the lobby entrance as yet another stranger walked in. She’d
repeated this motion so often she now recognized the distinct squeak and swoosh
of the door when it opened and closed. This time, it ushered in a gray-haired
man carrying a large envelope.
“Mommy, can you draw me a rainbow?”
Lainie took one of the crayons and drew arched
lines across the paper. “What’s Shaw doing here in Dover, Mississippi, anyway?”
“What, Mommy?”
“Nothing, sweetie. I’m just talking to myself.”
The last time she’d seen Shaw was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Craig had hired on
with Beaumont Construction, determined to learn carpentry so he could
eventually start his own contracting firm. Shaw had been his instructor, the
one assigned to show him the ropes and keep him safe as he navigated the
dangers of the job. But he hadn’t, and Craig had died.
Lainie pressed her lips together. They’d been sitting
in the police station for two hours
filling out forms, answering questions. She had to face the possibility that Shaw might not come.
He probably didn’t remember her. She’d have to find another way to survive
until she started her job next week. Maybe there was a homeless shelter in
town. The idea made her sick. She’d worked hard the past five years to take
care of her girls, and she’d done a decent job so far. But this wasn’t the time
to let pride stand in her way. Perhaps there was a church in town that could
help. Their last resort would be to spend a few nights in the car until the
mayor returned. Hopefully, he’d let her start work early or give her an advance
to tide her over.
Closing her eyes, she clasped her hands in front of
her mouth. Lord, help me. I have no one. Nowhere
to turn, but You. You’ve seen me
through these past five years. Please don’t abandon me now.
Shaw McKinney ended the call and jammed his cell
phone into his back pocket, grinding his teeth in exasperation. The drywall
crew that was supposed to start today wasn’t coming. Any more setbacks and this
project might never be completed. He was already three weeks behind due to a
series of unexpected delays. Thankfully, he’d obtained an extension, but the
next deadline was set in concrete. Slowly, he walked through the old mansion. The
1885 house was one of the oldest in Dover and had been empty for the past dozen
years. Thanks to an anonymous benefactor, the building, along with money for
restoration, books and staff, had been donated to the town to replace the
library, which had burned down five years ago.
Shaw had won the contract. It had meant not only a
financial boon to his new construction business, but a huge boost to his
reputation. After leaving LC Construction a year ago and starting his own
company, McKinney Construction, he’d made the classic newbie mistake of
overscheduling his projects. With the library job behind, he’d had to pull back
on his other jobs because if this one wasn’t done on time, he’d have to pay a
hefty fine to the benefactor's foundation, one that could mean the end of his
fledgling business. Shaw had factored in time for unexpected problems, but the
old house had coughed up more than he’d bargained for.
“So, are they coming or not?”
“Not.” Shaw faced his foreman and longtime mentor,
Russ Franklin. The older man was the biggest asset to Shaw’s start-up
construction company. Skilled, experienced and dedicated, Russ had owned his
own company in Alabama for years. When he had sold it, Shaw had convinced him
to move to Dover to work with him. “Our drywall crew took another job. They
couldn’t wait on us any longer.”
“That’s going to put us further behind.”
“How long would it take for you and me to do the
work?” It was his last resort.
Russ frowned. “Too long. We’re way too close to
the deadline as it is. You want me to find us another crew?”
The knot in Shaw’s chest, which had formed over
the past few weeks, tightened. “Yeah. Call Laura Holbrook and see if she has a
few guys we could use. Or maybe she knows of another contractor we can call. I’ve
used up all my contacts.”
Russ moved off to make the calls, and Shaw planted
his hands on his tool belt and scanned the large room that would be the fiction
section of the new Dover Library. It would take several days to put up drywall,
then tape, float and sand before they could paint. Days lost when other crews
couldn’t work.
When Russ returned, his expression was grim. “Laura
doesn’t have anyone to spare at the moment, and she doesn’t know any other
crews that are available.”
Shaw rubbed his jaw. He couldn’t handle another
delay. Dover had been without a library for a long time, unable to afford a new
one. The donation had been a blessing to the small town and generated huge
excitement from the residents. The people here had given him a home and a fresh
start. He wasn’t about to let them down. Even if he had to work around the
clock to get the job done.
His cell rang and he yanked it out of his pocket,
frowning when he saw the name on the screen. Dover police. “Hello.” He listened
as the officer explained the situation. Shaw rubbed his forehead and nodded. “Yeah.
I know her. I’ll be right there.” He hung up, his chest constricted so tightly
he had trouble breathing. The last thing he needed was another complication in
his life. And Lainie Hollings was a giant one.
Hearing her name had unleashed a landslide of painful
memories and a heavy dose of guilt. He’d started to deny knowing her. It would
do neither one of them any good to meet again. But when the officer had told
him she’d been robbed, Shaw couldn’t ignore her plight. Lainie was a widow
because of his carelessness.
A death he could have prevented. He’d double- and
triple-checked her husband’s safety harness on the roof that day, only to find
he'd loosened the straps again.
Irritated with Hollings’s cavalier attitude, Shaw had failed to check again,
and Hollings had fallen from the roof.. Lainie
blamed him for her husband’s death. Shaw accepted his part in the
accident. He should have checked again. A dozen times if necessary. But he hadn’t.
“Everything okay, boss?”
Shaw looked at his foreman. Right now, nothing was
okay. “I’ve got to leave. I might not be back today. Keep looking for a crew
and check on the remodel on Corey Road. If we can get that job done, we can
list it.”
Russ nodded. “And what about the Hanson remodel?”
Another problem to add to the pile. “I’ll have to
push them back again.” Russ frowned and Shaw held up a hand to halt the comment
he knew was coming. The Hansons were beyond irritated. If he didn’t find a way
to soothe their ruffled feathers, it could get ugly. But that was the least of
his worries now.
Shaw climbed into his truck and cranked the
engine, trying to figure out how he’d face Lainie Hollings. What did you say to
the wife of the man you killed?
The moment he stepped inside the police station,
his attention was drawn to the dark-haired woman seated in the waiting area.
His stopped in his tracks, his heart racing, the blood roaring through his
ears. She was even lovelier than she’d been when he’d first seen her. That
moment was indelibly etched in his mind. She’d come to the job site to bring
her husband his lunch. They’d laughed and talked and shared little touches, and
Shaw’s heart had grown envious.
Lainie had caught him watching her, and he’d felt
a jolt like an electrical charge through his system. She was the prettiest
woman he’d ever seen. She’d looked away and that’s when the shame had tightened
his throat. What was wrong with him? Admiring the wife of the man he was
training was detestable. Shaw had gone back to work and vowed to keep his attraction
in check.
Realizing he was still standing in the doorway, Shaw
squared his shoulders and stepped forward. Lainie was hunched in her seat
watching two little girls as they scribbled on paper. Her dark brown hair was
shorter now, falling in a sleek line to her shoulders. She glanced at him. In
that moment, he noticed the sparkle was missing from her big brown eyes.
Instead, he saw fear and anxiety. She looked fragile and alone. He was hit with
a strong desire to pull her close and comfort her, but he didn’t have the
right. All he could do was offer his help. His attraction had no place in this
situation.
The door to the police station swooshed open again,
but Lainie didn’t bother to look.
Shaw wasn’t coming. She’d have to find help
someplace else. Heavy footsteps on the floor drew her attention, and she looked
up to see a tall, dark-haired man. He was dressed in faded jeans and a dark T-shirt
with a company logo that hugged his torso in an interesting way. His sturdy,
tan work boots thumped the floor as he strode toward them with a confident
swagger. She started to look away only to realize who the man was. Shaw
McKinney.
She didn’t remember him looking like this. He was
taller, more imposing than she remembered. His shoulders were wide enough to
carry the world. Her inspection moved to his ruggedly handsome face. Navy blue eyes. Deep lines in his cheeks. His
sharply angled jaw was softened by firm lips and a dimple in the center of his
chin. A flicker of appreciation darted along her nerves, squelched instantly
with humiliation. How Shaw McKinney looked had nothing to do with the kind of
man he was. His actions had cost her everything.
His eyes bored into her as he came closer, and
there was a grim set to his jaw. Her hopes faded. He wasn’t any happier to see
her than she was to see him. She shouldn’t have called him. Asking for his help
was a betrayal of her husband’s memory. Natalie looked up at her with a sweet
little smile, reminding her that she had to think of the girls first. She
forced the nausea aside and raised her chin, clasping her trembling hands in
her lap.
“Lainie, are you all right?” He glanced at her
then down at the girls, his forehead creasing in a deep frown.
Stupid question. No, she wasn’t all right. She
stood. “I’m fine. Thank you for coming. I’m sorry to bother you, but there was
no one else to call.”
“You did the right thing.” He motioned her to be
seated.
Shaw stared at the girls, a shadow seeming to pass
behind his eyes. Was he feeling guilty? Good.
Her conscience pricked, but she ignored it,
sinking into the chair as her knees began to fail.
Natalie had been two years old when Craig died.
Chrissy not yet born. “Shaw, this is Natalie and Chrissy. Girls, this is Mr.
McKinney. He—” What did she say? He’s the reason you don’t have a daddy? “Is
someone we knew a long time ago.”
Shaw sat, leaving an empty chair between them. “Tell
me what happened. The officer who called said you’d been robbed.”
She nodded. “We were leaving the restaurant and as
I was getting into the car a man waved a gun at me, grabbed my purse and ran
off. It all happened so fast I couldn’t even react.”
His gaze landed briefly on both the girls and he
set his jaw. “How did you know I was here?”
Lainie set Chrissy on her lap, taking strength
from the little body. “I saw your business card at the diner. It had your
partner’s name on it so I wasn’t certain it was you.”
“Partner?”
“Yes. Someone named Gawdchalks?”
Shaw shook his head. “Goudchaux is my first name.
It’s pronounced God-shaw. My mother was Cajun French. When I started my
business, I thought it sounded more professional, but all it did was confuse
people so I went back to Shaw.” He met her eyes. “I’m sorry this had to happen
to you.”
She ran her hand along Chrissy’s ponytail. Tears
welled behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall in front of this man. “He
took everything. My phone, my credit cards. Everything important was in my purse.”
She gulped in a breath of air. The thought of replacing all her information was
overwhelming. “I have to close my accounts, contact my bank, but I don’t have a
phone, I don’t know the numbers.”
A warm hand rested upon hers, helping her focus
and draining away the panic that was building in her chest. She took a deep
breath, then remembered whose hand was touching her. She pulled away.
“It’s okay. We’ll get it all taken care of.” Shaw
rested his arms on his thighs. “What are you doing here in Dover?”
Lainie glanced away. It felt wrong confiding in
him, telling him about her life. “I’m the new librarian. I’m supposed to start
work this Thursday. We came to look for a place to live.”
Shaw’s eyes narrowed and a deep crease folded his
forehead. He glanced around the room as a group of police officers strode
through talking loudly. “Do you have a place to stay?”
“No. I was going to find a hotel after lunch.”
Shaw touched his jaw. “The hotel has been closed
for years. There are only two places here in Dover. The Dixiana Motor Lodge is
nice, but they have very small rooms. I doubt the three of you would be
comfortable. The Lady Banks Inn is a bed-and-breakfast, but it’s pricey and
filled with antiques.”
Lainie sighed. Visions of trying to keep two
energetic little girls from breaking a house full of priceless furniture and
knickknacks made her head ache.
“Come on.” Shaw stood. “You can stay at my place
until you get things sorted out.”
“Your place?” The thought sent a jolt of anxiety
along her nerves. She was not going anywhere with this man. “Absolutely not.”
Shaw’s eyes darkened. “Then tell me what you want
me to do. If it’s money you need, tell me how much.”
Embarrassment heated her cheeks. “No. That’s not
why I called you.” Taking money from this man was out of the question. Not to
mention demeaning. Clearly, she hadn’t thought things through. How had this
happened? Now she was committed to taking help from Shaw. She searched
frantically for an alternative only to come to the realization there was no
other choice. She and the girls would stay with him. She nodded, unable to find
her voice.
“My truck is right outside.”
She stood. “I’d better take my car. It’ll be
easier than trying to move the car seats. I can drive. The police gave me a
temporary driver’s license.” She looked around on the nearby seats for her
purse. Her heart sank. No purse. No things. The shoulder on which she always
draped her bulky purse felt empty. Shoving the coloring pages into her pocket, she took the
girls’ hands and started walking, acutely aware of Shaw right behind her.
The early June sun had sent the temperature into
the midnineties, creating waves of heat that rose from the pavement in the
parking lot. Lainie swallowed and wiped her brow. Shaw stood nearby as she
helped the girls into the car and buckled them in. She stepped to the driver’s
door and reached for the handle. A wave of asphalt-heated air rose up and
engulfed her, weakening her knees causing her to sag against the side of the
car.
Strong arms slipped around her waist, holding her
upright. They turned her around and into a wall of warm strength and safety. No
longer able to contain her emotions, she gave in to tears, sobbing against Shaw’s
chest. She wanted to stay here forever. It felt good to have someone to lean
on. The weight of single parenthood grew heavy at times. But then, like a cold
wave on the shore, reality crashed over her. She pushed back, horrified to see
she’d clutched his shirt in her fist. She avoided his eyes. “Sorry.” She
reached for the car door, but Shaw stopped her before she could open it.
“You’re in no condition to drive.”
“I’m fine. I can take care of myself.” She shot
him a withering glance. “I’ve been doing it for a long time now.” She sensed
Shaw recoil.
“I’m well aware of that. But right now I’m taking
care of things.” He walked her around to the other side of the car and eased
her inside. “Give me your keys.”
“What about your truck?”
“I’ll get it later.”
Lainie leaned back in the passenger seat, too
tired and weak to resist. She hated feeling helpless, but there was nothing she
could do for the time being. Turning her head away from Shaw, she tried to
ignore him. It wasn’t easy. He took up a lot of space in her small car. She
stole a quick glance as he adjusted the seat farther back to accommodate his
long legs. He looked uncomfortable in her compact car, but she could easily see
him in the cab of a sturdy pickup.
“Are we going home, Mommy?”
“No, Natalie. We're going to Mr. Shaw's house. It
won’t take long to get there.”
Turning her attention to the window again, she
allowed the sights outside to temporarily distract her. Dover was a charming
town. With its Courthouse Park and streets lined with picturesque buildings, it
was the kind of place she’d dreamed of raising her children. A community of
love and support with friendly neighbors, and people who took care of one
another. She was going to like it here once she got past the unpleasant
welcome.
A few blocks beyond the square, Shaw turned onto a
street in an older neighborhood. Large Victorian homes with manicured lawns and
full grown trees brought a small smile to Lainie’s lips. She’d always had a
fondness for gingerbread houses. To her, they represented home, family,
permanence—all the things she wanted for her girls and never had herself.
Shaw slowed the car and pulled into a driveway.
Lainie scanned the facade, disappointed at what she saw. Unlike the other
lovely homes on the street, this house was in need of love and attention. The
paint on the Queen Anne Victorian was faded. The turret rising up on the left
side of the house was elegant, but the finial at the top was bent in half. The
roof was missing several tiles. Many of the spindles on the front porch railing
were gone.
Shaw shut off the engine and handed her back her
keys. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”
Home? The word sent a cold splash of
reality over her nerves. She could not under any circumstances stay in
this man’s house. What had she been thinking? “Maybe you’d better take us back to
town. Is there a homeless shelter here?”
Shaw shifted in his seat to look at her. “Do you
really want to do that? This house is a duplex, Lainie. The former owner had
divided it up years ago. You’ll have your own space. The yard is fenced so it’s
safe for your kids. It’s temporary. Until you can get your documents replaced.
Please. I can’t let you go to a shelter.”
He was right. She was here for only a short while.
Until she could replace her stolen bank cards. Then she could find a place to
live. Faraway from Shaw and the past. In a way, this was all his fault. He owed
her that much. And she was far too tired and upset to fight another battle
right now.
Lainie reached for her purse. How many times would
she do that before she remembered she didn’t have it any longer? She climbed
from the car, then opened the back door to help the girls. Natalie jumped out
and stared at the house. Chrissy unfastened the buckles over her chest and
joined her sister.
“Mommy, is this a castle?”
“No, just an old house.” Aesthetically, the home
was lovely. A stately two story, with wraparound porch and dripping with
gingerbread. With some work, it could be the most beautiful home on the street.
She steered the girls to the front steps, noting
the spacious porch was perfect for wicker furniture. Large ferns stood in
corners. A weather-beaten swing hung at the far end, beckoning her to sit and
relax.
Lainie followed Shaw into the spacious main hall,
her gaze taking in the high ceilings and the stately staircase rising to the
second floor. The inlaid wood floors were dark from years of neglect, making it
hard to discern the pattern. The wide center hall stretched to the rear of the
home. To the right were two large pocket doors partially open to reveal an
empty room, probably the original parlor. On the other side of the entrance,
was a thick, unattractive door with a sturdy lock.
“I’ll be right back.” Shaw disappeared behind the
staircase.
“I want to climb the stairs.” Natalie pointed to
the elegant stairway with stately newel post and carved spindles below a wide
smooth banister.
“Not right now, sweetie.”
Lainie’s gaze drifted from the exquisitely carved
stairs on one side of the hall to the wall on the other. Two crudely
constructed sections stood out like an ugly patch on a pretty face. She guessed
the additions had something to do with covering up old doors and sealing off
that side of the home. The house had an odd, schizophrenic feel to it. One side
grand and stately, the other run-down and hopeless.
“Mommy are we going to live in this castle?”
“For a little bit. Mr. Shaw is going to help us
until-”
How did she explain to young children the predicament she was in without
alarming them? And how did she keep her own fears under control? “Until I can
get a new purse.”
A loud bark shattered the silence. A black-and-white
blur darted from behind the stairs and charged at them. Natalie screamed.
Chrissy stood still, clenching her little hands into fists at her side. Lainie’s
heart pounded violently as a large dog barreled down on the children. She
pulled her girls close shielding them with her arms.
“Beaux. Heel.” Instantly, the Dalmatian slid to a
halt, then trotted to Shaw’s side.
Lainie glared at the man as he approached. Natalie
pulled out of her arms. Lainie grabbed the back of her shirt to hold her back.
“I want to pet the doggie.”
“Absolutely not.”
“It’s all right.” Shaw commanded the dog to sit
then stooped and gestured to the girls. “Want to meet my dog?” They nodded and took
small steps forward. Shaw extended his palm. “Hold your hand like this and let
him sniff you.”
With the animal under control, Lainie relaxed her
hold on her children. Both girls followed Shaw’s instruction, giggling with
delight when Beaux sniffed their fingers.
“Now pet his head and he’ll be your friend
forever.”
Natalie scratched the dog’s head and ears
vigorously, while Chrissy moved to the dog’s side and stroked his black-and-white
fur. She smiled at her mother. “He has polka spots.”
Lainie’s heart still pounded, but at a more normal
rate now that it looked as if the animal wasn’t going to eat her children.
Shaw rose and joined her. “He’s a very gentle
animal, but rambunctious.”
“You should have told me you had a dog.”
“Would it have made a difference?”
“Yes.” She crossed her arms and glared at him.
Shaw raised an eyebrow, challenging her statement.
Lainie turned away. She wasn’t in a position to
turn down his help. Dog. Horse. Dragon. It wouldn’t have made a difference
because she had nowhere else to go.
For the time being, she and her daughters were at
the mercy of Shaw McKinney. It was Friday afternoon. It would be Monday before
she could sort out her financial situation and meet with the mayor. Time in
which she’d have to rely on Shaw. Not a comforting thought.
The first born daughter, Bethany is cut from a different
cloth than her brothers. Quiet and shy she finds her true self in dancing,
becoming a principal ballerina with a world renown company. But an injury ends
her career and she comes home to try and put her life back together. She has to
face the loss of her biggest fan, her father, and the resentment of her closest
friend. He’s convinced she’ll cut and run like she did before. It’ll take
working together on the Christmas Dreams show, the heart of his little girl and
a few hard lessons about the difference between dedication and obsession to
bring them all together.
