Hiding in Park City by RaeAnne Thayne (13)

CHAPTER 13

“What do you mean, you’re quitting? You can’t quit!”

Allie faced an irate and baffled Gage, trying not to flinch beneath the weight of his shocked anger.

“Sure I can.” Her calm tone belied both the pounding of her heart and the sleepless night she’d spent, agonizing about what to do. “I believe I just did.”

“Why? Just tell me that.”

She didn’t know how to answer him since none of her reasons for quitting were things she could share with him.

Because I’m in love with you and will already walk away with my heart bruised and bleeding.

That might be the biggest contributing factor to her decision to quit, but of course she couldn’t tell him that. Nor could she tell him she had decided it would be less painful when she left town in a few weeks—after her car repair bill to Ruth’s son was paid—if she did all she could to put as much distance as possible between them now.

He also probably wouldn’t appreciate knowing she was willing to sacrifice her last few weeks with him in the hopes that he could reestablish a relationship with his mother.

She couldn’t give him any of those reasons, so she settled on the one palatable excuse she had come up with during her sleepless night. It was true, though not anywhere close to the whole truth.

“I told you. I think we’d both be more comfortable with me working somewhere else, in light of the…tension…between us.”

“What tension?”

Despite her off-the-charts stress level, she couldn’t help the disbelieving laugh that gurgled out. Could he really be that oblivious?

What tension? Right.

Only the constant simmering strain of trying to pretend they didn’t notice the attraction sparking and humming between them like a glowing-red live wire downed in a storm. Or maybe she was the only one with that problem, the one who couldn’t seem to be in the same room without going weak in the knees.

No. He felt it, too. She remembered the heat of his kiss and the words he had whispered against her mouth, words she hadn’t been able to forget, no matter how hard she tried.

All day long, all I can think about is kissing you again. Touching you.

He was every bit as attracted to her. He was probably just better at controlling it.

“I think I would be more comfortable working somewhere else,” she repeated.

“So just like that, you’re going to walk out?”

“It’s not as if I’m completely abandoning you to fend for yourself. Your mother will be around.”

His gray eyes narrowed and he frowned. “That’s what this is about, isn’t it? You think if you quit, I’ll have no choice but to spend more time with my mother.”

“Do you really think I would be that devious?” she asked, trying desperately to sound innocent. “Besides, you were right about what you said yesterday. Your relationship with your family—or any lack thereof—is certainly not my concern. If you don’t want your mother to help, talk to Ruth about hiring someone else. Like you said, it’s not any of my business what you do.”

“I was a jerk yesterday. I’m sorry. Okay? Is that any reason to quit a situation that has worked out pretty well for everybody?”

“I’m not quitting because of anything you said yesterday, Gage. I’ve thought long and hard about this and I think it’s the best thing for me to do right now.”

In truth, his vehement opposition to her resignation surprised her a little. She hadn’t expected him to object to her quitting so strenuously, not after he hadn’t exactly acted thrilled about the whole setup from the beginning.

If anything, she would have thought he would be relieved to be rid of her, with her nosiness and interfering ways and her two rambunctious young daughters always underfoot, her girls who were so very adept at destroying his peace.

But he was acting as if her announcement was a personal betrayal. “I don’t think it’s the right thing at all,” he snapped.

It would be so tempting to weaken, to tell him she had changed her mind and would continue working for him—to the devil with all the rationalizations she had come up with during her sleepless night. That would be utter disaster, though, she reminded herself sternly. She had to be tough, resolute.

She straightened her spine. “I’m sorry. I’ve already taken my old job back with Ruth and arranged for Jessica Farmer to help me with the girls. She’s the girl who has been taking them in the afternoons and they adore her. I start cleaning houses again tomorrow.”

“You would rather scrub toilets and make beds than work here?”

“Gage, face it. You really don’t need as much help as you did a few weeks ago, after you first came home from the hospital. You’re getting around much better now, and in a few weeks you can start putting your weight on at least your right leg and getting around on crutches. Really, I’m more in the way these days than anything else. I feel like I spend half the day hovering around looking for something to do.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is. Anyway, your mother will be here this afternoon and she’s ready to take over.”

Suspicion flitted across his features. “You’ve talked to my mother already? Before talking to me?”

She hadn’t exactly meant to let that slip. She flushed. “Yes. I got her number from information and called this morning. I wanted to make sure of her plans before I talked to Ruth about resuming my old job.”

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

Except how she would survive not being with him every day. She hadn’t figured that one out yet. Or how she would go on without seeing his gentleness with the girls or his strong determination to overcome his injuries or even their battles of will.

“Yes,” she lied. “I think so.”

He should be relieved, Gage told himself. No more chirpy little girls sticking do-dads in his hair, no more listening to Lisa nag about his medication, no more physical therapy sessions that left him hard and hungry to kiss that lush mouth of hers.

Yeah, his life would be much simpler without Lisa Connors and her daughters around. But the thought of her leaving left him dispirited. Bereft, even.

It shouldn’t bother him. The logical side of his brain knew that. But somehow in the past few weeks Lisa and her girls had slipped beneath his skin. He liked being with her. Simple as that. She was sunshine on a summer afternoon and just-picked raspberries melting on his tongue and brownies, warm from the oven.

He frowned, suddenly depressed at the idea of returning to the life of solitude he had cultivated so carefully as an adult.

He never thought he would admit it but he was tired of being the lone wolf. A part of him had relished being part of a family, a pack, during these few weeks, even a makeshift one like Lisa Connors and her two cute, giggly little girls.

With her gentle hands and her nurturing spirit, Lisa had made the ordeal of his recovery far more bearable than he might have expected.

He thought about the tension she was talking about between them, the attraction that prowled between them like a living creature. Yeah, it made things uncomfortable. But it also lent an edge of anticipation, excitement, to days that could have quickly become dreary and mundane.

The idea of never kissing her, never again tasting the sweetness of her mouth or feeling her body soften against his was just too terrible to even contemplate.

“I’m sorry, Gage,” she said quietly. “Whether you believe it or not, I have enjoyed these weeks working here. Please believe me when I say that I truly wish you all the best with your recovery.”

She turned away and walked out of his bedroom door, leaving him gazing after her, feeling more alone than he ever had in his life.

* * *

The late-afternoon sun sent stretchy shadows over everything as Allie pulled her Honda into the driveway of her house ten days later.

Oh, she was tired. Though she was as eager as always to see Gaby and Anna at the end of the day, she just wanted to stay here in the cool air-conditioned solitude of her car for now, lean her head against the steering wheel and just sleep for a while.

Cleaning a half-dozen vacation units a day was hard labor, physically taxing even if it wasn’t any particular mental challenge. She wanted to think she could have handled the work without complaint if she wasn’t subsisting on a few hours of sleep a night—and if she could keep her blood glucose levels from going haywire.

Though she was diligent about checking her levels throughout the day and adjusting her pump accordingly, she was having a tough time gaining control.

Just stress, she assured herself. That and fatigue. It was all interrelated. She wasn’t sleeping or eating well, which made her more tired during the day, which taxed her body unnecessarily.

Whatever the reason, she would have to snap out of it in order to take the girls later. She’d promised them a special outing and it was important that she stick to her word.

Over breakfast while they had been debating ideas, Allie had given them the choice of taking a walk down Park City’s steep historic Main Street then stopping to enjoy an ice cream or popping some popcorn and taking a blanket to the city park for the free open-air bluegrass concert.

She had a feeling that as much as she would prefer the concert option, the girls would go for the ice cream.

She supposed she couldn’t complain since either option seemed like a pleasant way to spend a warm Sunday evening, especially if she was spending that evening with her daughters.

Though she wasn’t exactly refreshed by her brief respite, Allie decided she couldn’t linger out here in the car any longer, not when she was eager to see her daughters.

She picked up her purse and the nice, crisp envelope with her two-weeks’ pay and slid out of the car. As of this payday, her debt to Ruth Jensen’s son for the extensive repairs he did to the Honda was paid. What a huge relief. It felt wonderful to be out of debt.

Maybe it was time she started thinking about pulling up stakes, now that she had nothing really keeping her in Park City—nothing but a deep, profound yearning to stay.

Next door she could see Gage’s Jeep Cherokee and his mother’s sporty little Toyota SUV still parked behind it in the driveway.

In the ten days since she quit working for him, she had only seen him twice. Once when she’d been heading for work, he and Lynn had been leaving for physical therapy and the three of them had spoken briefly.

The second time had been the night before. After the girls had drifted off to sleep, she had been sitting on the steps of her front porch in the cool, sweet evening air, arms wrapped around her knees as she gazed up at the dark silhouette of the mountains in the moonlight.

She’d been out only a few moments when she heard the squeak of a door opening next door, and a few moments later Gage had wheeled himself out onto his twin of a porch.

By the suddenly tight expression on his face, she could tell the instant he noticed her. For a moment she thought he would thrust open the door again and wheel back inside. Before he could, she jumped up on impulse and crossed the strip of grass to him.

She closed her eyes now, remembering their brief, stilted conversation. They had only spoken for a moment. She had asked about his injuries and he told her they were healing well. He had asked about work and about the girls and she had told him both were fine.

The whole time they had talked, she had been painfully aware of him—the strong line of his jaw moving when he spoke, his broad shoulders filling the chair, the silver-gray of his eyes flashing in the moonlight.

Finally, after ten minutes of enduring their agonizingly polite conversation, she had made some excuse about going back inside to check on Gaby and Anna and left him sitting on his porch.

There was no one there now. The porch was empty, the curtains drawn. Just as well. She was simply too tired to face him again so soon.

Luck conspired against her, though. When she opened the door to her house, she realized it was as empty as Gage’s porch. In the kitchen, she found a note from Jessica on the table. She read it quickly then groaned.

So much for being too tired to face him. Apparently, she wasn’t going to have a choice in the matter. But maybe he would be working in his room and she wouldn’t even have to see him. A girl could only hope.

With a deep breath for fortitude, she marched next door and rang the bell, praying Lynn or one of the girls would respond. But just like so many of her other prayers, this one was doomed to go unanswered. After a few moments, Gage himself swung open the door. He looked gorgeous and strong, and for one crazy moment she wanted to sink onto his lap and just sleep there with his arms around her.

He gazed at her expectantly and she suddenly remembered her purpose. “The sitter left me a note that Gaby and Anna are over here,” she said.

“In the backyard. They’re, uh, having a tea party with my mother.”

“I should have thought to look there before I bothered you. Sorry. I’ll just grab them and get out of your way.”

Even as she said the words, she couldn’t manage to make her feet cooperate. She stood there on the porch, savoring the warmth of being near him. This might be the last time. With painful surety, she suddenly knew she couldn’t keep avoiding the inevitable, that she was going to have to leave soon. It would already be so hard, but the longer she stayed, the more difficult leaving would finally be.

Wouldn’t it be heavenly to forget all of that and just lean against him for a while? Let his hard strength absorb all her worries?

“You look tired,” he observed quietly.

She blinked back to the hard, cold reality of her life. “It’s been a long day. I…haven’t been sleeping well.”

“You look like you’re going to fall over. How’s your blood sugar?”

The concern in his voice and in his eyes touched a cold, lonely place inside her, made her realize how long it had been since anyone had worried about her. “It’s been a little crazy,” she admitted. “But I’m working on it.”

“Why don’t you sit down and I’ll wheel out and get Gaby and Anna for you?”

“You can’t maneuver that thing through the laundry room to the backyard. I’m fine, anyway. I just need to put my feet up for a while, which I’ll do as soon as I get the girls.”

He opened his mouth to argue but she held up a hand. “I’m fine, Gage. Honestly.”

“Maybe you need to adjust your medication. Have you seen a doctor lately?”

Her painfully tight budget didn’t allow the luxury of doctor visits just now. “I’m fine,” she repeated. “Don’t worry about me, Gage.”

“Not so easy when you’re the one being fussed over, is it?”

A small laugh escaped her. “Revenge is sweet, isn’t it? Okay, you’ve made your point. Really, I appreciate your concern but all I need is to rest for a while, which I’ll do as soon as I get the girls and head home. Thanks for lending your mom to Gabriella and Anna for a while.”

“I think she was thrilled for the chance to spend some time with them. Mom loves kids. That’s why she’s an elementary school principal.”

Before she could answer, Allie heard the back door open. A few seconds later the girls rushed through the house and into the front room, followed closely by Lynn, who looked trim and fit and together in a coral cotton shirt and denim jumper.

Gaby and Anna caught sight of her and immediately rushed over.

“Mommy! You’re home!” Gaby exclaimed, flinging her arms around Allie’s legs just as Anna jumped into her arms. She buried her face in Anna’s hair that smelled of sand and sunshine and baby shampoo and hugged Gaby close with her other arm.

Like magic, her fatigue slipped away, along with the blues that had dogged her since the night before. Oh, how she loved her daughters. As long as she had these two precious girls with her, she could handle anything—a broken heart, life as a fugitive, menial jobs that sapped her brain and taxed her body.

For them she would face the worst life could throw at her.

She lifted her face and found Gage and his mother both watching her. Gage had a strange, intense expression on his face that left her insides trembling. He looked…hungry. It was the only word that came to her.

For a moment she was hypnotized by his expression, spellbound. An answering ache spread through her like the pitcher of orange juice Gaby had spilled on the kitchen floor that morning. Shaken by the depth of her yearning and praying she wasn’t as transparent as she felt, she forced herself to turn away from him and face Lynn.

“Thank you for watching them. I’m sorry if it was an imposition.”

“No imposition whatsoever. They’re a joy.”

The other woman smiled and Allie couldn’t help returning it. “I think so, too,” she murmured, hugging both girls tighter to her.

Lynn tilted her head, her eyes thoughtful as her gaze shifted between Allie and Gage. “Actually,” she said after a moment, “how would you feel if I borrowed them tonight?”

“Borrowed them?”

“Only for a few hours. There’s a new Disney animated movie premiering tonight and I would love to take the girls to it.”

The invitation took her by surprise. “I don’t know….”

“You would be doing me a favor.” Lynn smiled, but Allie sensed determination behind it. “I’ve been wanting to see this movie since I first saw the trailer for it, but I’ve never been comfortable sitting in a movie theater alone. Since neither of my sons has seen fit to give me any grandchildren of my own, I would dearly love a chance to spoil your daughters for a while. Believe me, I would enjoy the movie so much more if Gaby and Anna came with me.”

Gaby squeezed her legs so tightly Allie feared she would lose her balance. “Please, Mommy? Oh, please, oh, please?”

She didn’t know how to respond. The girls had chattered on and on about seeing the movie, too, and she had thought about taking them to the cheap matinee on her next day off. But if they were going to be leaving and trying to settle in a new town somewhere, she wasn’t sure when she would get the chance.

Even Anna decided to get in on the action. She turned her huge dark eyes to her mother and Allie couldn’t miss the plea in them. “I want to see the movie,” she whispered.

How could she say no to that? An evening of solitude stretched out ahead of her, long and depressing. Maybe she could use the time to start packing their belongings, tying up loose ends before they all ran away again.

“Of course,” she murmured. “It’s very sweet of you to invite them. Let me just run them home to get cleaned up and round up some dinner.”

“Oh, no,” Lynn said quickly. “I’m also in the mood for some McDonald’s fries. How about we make that our first stop?”

“Yeah!” Gaby let go of Allie’s legs and rushed over to give a startled Lynn a hug. “Mr. Gage,” she confided. “I like your mommy.”

Gage gave a startled laugh, though he looked a little uncomfortable. “I, uh, like her, too.”

“Oh, no,” Lynn said suddenly. “I forgot about your dinner, Gage. I’ve got some chicken breasts marinating in lemon-herb sauce, and I planned to grill them out back tonight, but now I’m afraid I won’t have time.”

He shrugged. “I’ll figure something out. I can always order a pizza.”

“No, no. I should have thought of this.”

She looked so distressed that Allie instinctively stepped forward. “I can fix his dinner, Mrs. McKinnon. It’s the least I can do.”

“I’m not helpless,” Gage muttered.

His mother ignored him. “Can you, dear?” she said with a satisfied smile. “That would be wonderful. Everything is all ready except the chicken and that shouldn’t take you long. And there’s plenty for two so make sure you stay and eat with him.”

Now why did she have the funny feeling that she had just been conned? Allie wondered. Surely a woman as gracious and thoughtful as Lynn wouldn’t be up to anything devious.

Still, she suddenly suspected that Gage’s mother had some kind of hidden agenda with all this maneuvering.

Don’t be ridiculous, she chided herself. What possible ulterior motive could the woman have? Lynn had just offered to take her daughters out on the town for the evening, and it would be ungrateful and suspicious to question her motivation.

She should just take the invitation at face value and be happy someone enjoyed spending time with her girls as much as she did.

“I’ll just run them home to get washed up and changed into clean clothes.”

“Will a half hour give you enough time?”

“I think so.”

“Wonderful,” Lynn exclaimed. “Oh, this will be such fun.”

As Allie herded her excited daughters out the door, she still couldn’t shake the niggling sensation that she’d just been duped.