Kelsey’s still turning the pages of the homemade crossword puzzle book, one after the other. After several moments, her head lifts and her eyes meet mine. The look I’m so used to seeing in her eyes, the one that says she’s lost and can’t find her way back, isn’t so prominent. Her eyes turn glassy and her bottom lip trembles. Terrified that I did something wrong, I’m just about to apologize when she launches herself into my arms. My own encircle her.
I look at Gwen over her shoulder to find her biting her lip and fighting her own tears. Kelsey hugs me for several seconds, then pulls back. Her eyes don’t meet mine as she turns around and rushes away.
I understand her need to be away, to put distance between herself and what could possibly hurt her again. Not that I would ever hurt her intentionally, but the emotional aspect of letting someone in after tragically losing her father is scary as hell.
Gwen turns to Jeremy. “Can you give us a minute?”
“Sure,” he answers and walks away. Gwen watches as he helps the kids into his Blazer, then turns back to me.
“I know I’ve already said it, but I wanted to thank you again for helping us. Not just for coming to our rescue on the side of the road and letting us stay here, but for what you did at the market the other day as well.”
She’s standing so close I can see black specks in her blue eyes and smell her sweet vanilla scent. A slight breeze blows a few strands of her hair across her face, and once again I have to force my hands to stay at my sides and not push away the wayward hair just to give myself the excuse to touch her.
I look to the side where the partially built house is, seeing it but not really looking at it, before bringing my eyes back at her.
“It was nothing, really.”
She squints. “It was a lot to me. To us. There’s no telling what would have happened had you not seen my truck and come to investigate. You didn’t have to bring us back here, but you did. And you didn’t have to be so nice to my kids.”
I don’t know what to say. I don’t do well with gratitude because I’m never around people that need to offer it.
Before I get a chance to come up with a response, Gwen shocks me by stepping closer, grabbing my shoulders, and leaning up to kiss my cheek. I close my eyes when her soft lips meet the gnarled skin of my cheek. Instead of pulling away, she steps even closer.
“You’re a good man, Alexander. Take care of yourself,” she whispers in my ear.
Pulling back, she looks at me a moment longer, gives a small smile, then turns and walks away. I watch her and the farther away she gets from me, the harder my heart pounds.
“Gwendolyn!” I call when she’s almost to the Blazer. That’s the first time I’ve used her full name.
She turns around, and the look on her face almost has me falling to my knees and begging her to stay.
“I programmed my number in your phone last night. If you or the kids ever need anything, call me.”
After a moment, she nods, and walks the rest of the distance to where her kids and Jeremy are waiting. I swear I feel a piercing pain in my heart as I watch them ride away.
I stand there for a good ten minutes after they’ve left, feeling like I’ve just lost something precious and important.
Chapter 9
Gwendolyn
“What day are you getting in?”
I switch the phone from one ear to the other, grab the cleaner from underneath the sink, and spray the table down. I then attack it with my rag. Daniel was helping me make biscuits earlier and started playing with the leftover dough.
“The twenty-third,” Emma answers. “I hate that I can only come for two days, but work’s been hectic lately. I was lucky to get off what I did.”
Emma’s a triage nurse working in the emergency department. A few weeks ago, she complained of several nurses quitting all within a span of a month, leaving the department short-staffed.
I use my nail to scrape away some dough that’s dried on the table. “We’ll have to make the most of it while you’re here. The kids are excited to see you.”
“I’ve missed them. I can’t wait to see them again.” She pauses for a moment, then asks quietly, “How’s Kelsey?”
I drop the rag on the table and plop down in a chair. This is the first time I’ve been able to really talk to Emma since we got back from Alexander’s, and I’ve been dying to. Her work has been keeping her very busy.
“She was actually showing signs of improvement for a few days, but the last week she’s dropped back into her depressive state. I actually saw her smile again, Emma.” I whisper the last part like it’s some big secret, but it’s because I’m worried if I speak louder my voice will crack.
We left Alexander’s place a week ago, and since that day, I haven’t seen any life whatsoever from Kelsey. I know she misses him, and if I’m truthful with myself, I do as well. I miss him so damn much it makes my stomach ache. Daniel’s asked about him several times over the last several days, so I know he misses him too.