Child of Grace Read online

  The change had been startling—and swift.

  Though he’d learned very little about Kelsey since their first encounter, every instinct in Luke’s body told him the changes in her life had been equally startling—and swift.

  But what had prompted them? And was her new life in isolated Pier Cove a permanent change? Or had she sought temporary refuge here to protect herself—and her unborn child?

  Luke lifted his free hand and massaged his neck. The task he’d set himself for this trip was difficult enough. Worrying about his neighbor would only complicate everything. Nor would she welcome his concern if he expressed it.

  Yet he wasn’t wired to walk away from people in need. That was why he’d become a doctor. Why he’d done more than his share of gritty, heartbreaking work near the front lines. Why he’d promised a medic he’d create the young man’s legacy in his stead.

  But it was hard to help people who didn’t want help.

  And maybe he wasn’t supposed to help Kelsey. Maybe he was supposed to let this go.

  Except loneliness and disillusion and anguish could mess with a person’s mind. He’d lived through all of them overseas—and Kelsey was living through them now. Every one of those emotions was reflected in the depths of her troubled eyes.

  He scanned the heavens, where stars were just beginning to peek out. When he’d arrived in Michigan, his mission has seemed clear and straightforward.

  But was it possible God had also led him here to help Kelsey?

  Who knew?

  All he could do was pray for guidance…and the fortitude to deal with whatever challenges the days ahead would throw at him.

  5

  “Ah, Kelsey! What a delightful surprise!”

  At Reverend Howard’s greeting, Kelsey marked her place in her book and watched the middle-aged pastor cross the grass with his typical spry gait. Strange that he was surprised to see her here, since he knew she often walked down to this small park in Douglas at lunchtime.

  Curiosity piqued, she motioned toward the facing seat in the double-sided swing she’d claimed on the edge of Kalamazoo Lake. “It’s nice to see you, Reverend. Won’t you join me?”

  “Thank you. I will.” He settled in across from her. “What are you reading this fine day?”

  She angled the book of baby names toward him.

  He cocked an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ve reached a decision?”

  With a sigh, she rested her hand on her stomach. “No. I’m just trying to be prepared for all contingencies.”

  “God will give you the answer in his time.”

  “The trouble is, I’m running out of time.”

  “You still have two months. And all the arrangements are in place with the agency I contacted on your behalf. Try not to let the pressure get to you.”

  “Easier said than done. The weeks are flying by.” She ran a finger down the spine of the book. “You know, a year ago, if someone had told me that in twelve months I’d be pregnant, living in Gram’s cottage, and making quilts for a living, I’d have thought they were crazy. I was totally committed to my goal of being a vice president by the age of forty.” She lifted one shoulder. “So much for plans.”

  “Is your new life losing its luster?”

  “Not at all. I don’t miss the corporate rat race. I may not make the big bucks anymore, but my life is more in balance and the creative work feeds my soul. I’m just sorry it took such a traumatic wake-up call for me to see the light.” The baby kicked, and she touched her stomach. “I can even have a family if I want one.”

  “Raising a child alone is difficult, Kelsey. Especially under your circumstances.”

  At the minister’s quiet comment, a pang echoed in her heart. They’d had similar discussions over the past few months, though he’d never before been as direct.

  “Don’t you think I’m up to it?”

  “I think you are a strong woman who can achieve whatever you set out to accomplish. Your success in the corporate world proves that. So does your decision to change your life in the face of opposition from family and coworkers. But this decision isn’t just about you. It’s also about what’s best for your child. He or she deserves unconditional love, Kelsey.”

  “You don’t think I can offer that?”

  “Only you can answer that question. No one would blame you if you couldn’t.”

  Kelsey skimmed the sparkling water, blinking to clear her vision. “I didn’t think I could, in the beginning. I wanted nothing to do with this baby. But now…” Her hand moved over her stomach. “I’ve felt him or her kick. I’ve seen the ultrasounds. I’ve heard the heartbeat. This child is part of me, Reverend. How can I give away part of myself?”

  “I know it’s a very difficult decision. One best made after much prayer. But whatever you decide, you’ve already followed the noble course by carrying the child to term. That’s more than most people would expect.”

  Her jaw stiffened in resolve. “There was never a question in my mind about that.”

  “I admire the strength of your convictions. And I’ll keep you in my prayers as you wrestle with your decision.” He leaned over and patted her hand. “Now I’ll continue my constitutional, as my grandfather called it. A walk revitalizes both body and soul, and a stroll through Douglas is always pleasant when business brings me here.”

  “I agree. Walking has become the centerpiece of my exercise program.” Even after the baby was born, it would remain so.

  “A sound choice.” He slid out of the swing, but remained beside it, hands clasped behind him. “By the way, I spoke with Captain Turner this morning. He said you had a productive meeting yesterday. Two meetings, in fact.”

  Kelsey settled back in the swing. Now they were getting to the real motive for his noontime stroll.

  “Yes. He came by the shop. And later I ran into him on the beach near my cottage. Did he tell you we’re neighbors?”

  “He did. What a remarkable coincidence. But not a favorable one for you, he seems to think. I got the feeling he’s concerned that his presence has been disruptive for you.”

  “Unsettling may be a better term. As far back as I can remember, I’ve felt safe in Gram’s cottage and on her beach. Pier Cove always seemed untouched by the world. Now, with a lone male so close by…” She let her voice trail off.

  “Given your recent experience, I can understand how that would make you uneasy. But the captain strikes me as a man of honor and integrity. Someone to be trusted, not feared.”

  “I’m sure he is. Still, his presence…changes the dynamics.”

  “Some changes are positive, as you’ve discovered in the past few months. Perhaps the captain’s presence will be one of them.” The minister leaned over and patted her hand again. “Have patience, my dear. As we’ve often discussed, God works in mysterious ways. And good can come of bad.” With a wave of farewell, he sauntered back toward Center Street.

  Kelsey set the swing moving again as he walked away. It was true that good had come of bad, though she would never have believed that on the cold December night in St. Louis when her life had changed forever. And in light of that, maybe Reverend Howard was right about Captain Turner too.

  Maybe her new neighbor would turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

  * * *

  Stomach growling, Luke slid a bowl of chili from Crane’s Pie Pantry into the microwave and reached for one of the restaurant’s famous cider doughnuts to stave off his hunger until his entree was ready. He should have stopped for lunch today, but after his trip to visit Carlos’s still-fresh grave at Fort Custer National Cemetery, his appetite had vanished.

  Now it was back with a vengeance.

  As he devoured the doughnut, his cell began to vibrate. At the familiar number on the digital display, his mouth bowed as he put the phone to his ear. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Oh, Luke, it’s such a treat to hear your voice!”

  “You’re going to get tired of hearing it once I move back to Atlanta and start moo
ching meals off of you.”

  “Never! I can’t wait to make your favorite dinner the first night you’re home.”

  He could recite that menu by heart: Caesar salad, pork tenderloin, au gratin potatoes, green bean casserole, and his mom’s famous split lemon cake. It was the same welcome menu she’d always prepared when he came home on leave. His salivary glands went into overdrive as he thought about it.

  “I can’t wait. That puts the chili I’m having tonight to shame.”

  “Chili?” Dismay raised the pitch of her voice. “That’s your dinner?”

  “It’s great chili. Or so I’m told. And I’m having homemade wheat bread and cider doughnuts too. The doughnuts I can vouch for. They’re amazing.” He licked a few grains of sugar off his finger.

  “Not the healthiest menu I’ve ever heard—and not enough for a grown man. Now throw in a generous serving of buttered grits…”

  He grinned. Despite his Southern upbringing, he’d never been a fan of grits—as his mother well knew…and never failed to tease him about. “I think I’ll stick with the chili. Are you and Dad ready for your trip?”

  “As a matter of fact, that’s why I called.”

  The sudden hesitancy in her tone put him on alert. “Is everything okay? Dad isn’t sick, is he?” The scare they’d all had three years ago, when his robust father’s chest pains had led to bypass surgery, was etched in his memory. But he hadn’t suffered a heart attack, and he’d been in excellent health since.

  “My, no, he’s fit as a fiddle. Out painting the tool shed in back as we speak. But we do have a small problem. You know how Hannah was supposed to stay with a friend for the three weeks we’re in Europe? Well, that friend was in a car accident yesterday. She broke her leg and needs surgery, so we can’t possibly impose on her family. They have enough on their plate.”

  Uh-oh.

  The bottom dropped out of his stomach.

  “Let me cut to the chase, Luke. I know you have a busy schedule while you’re up there, and I hate to ask this, but is there any possibility you could take Hannah while we’re gone? I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone here by herself—even though she’s made it clear she’s very capable of being on her own.”

  Luke raked his fingers through his hair. How was he supposed to squeeze entertaining a seventeen-year-old into his already packed schedule? Besides, thanks to the age difference between him and his parents’ late-in-life daughter, they were almost strangers.

  But Mom and Dad had been planning this grand tour of Europe for years, putting away a few dollars toward it from each of his father’s modest paychecks. Paychecks that had mostly gone to feed, house, and educate him and his sister. Buy birthday presents. Pay for braces.

  Suck it up, Turner. Your parents deserve a worry-free trip. They made plenty of sacrifices for you through the years.

  “Sure, Mom. No problem. It will give Hannah and me a chance to get reacquainted.”

  “You’re the best, Luke.” A sniffle came over the line. “Course, I already knew that. Now, we’re leaving on Sunday, but I surely would like this to all be settled and know she’s safe and sound before the weekend. Would it be all right if we send her up on Friday?”

  Day after tomorrow.

  His stay in Michigan was getting more complicated by the day.

  “That will work. I’m assuming she’ll fly into Grand Rapids and I can pick her up there.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping. As soon as I have the arrangements in place I’ll call you back.” The microwave pinged, and his mother ended the call with a quick sign-off. “Enjoy your dinner and I’ll talk to you soon.”

  Luke tapped the end button, slid the phone back on his belt, and pulled his chili out of the microwave. But instead of taking it out to the backyard, as planned, he slid it onto the kitchen table, cut a slice of homemade bread, and pulled a tablet and pen out of one of the kitchen drawers. He should make a list of tasks to do before Hannah arrived.

  As he dug into the chili, he wrote a few items down. Prepare one of the spare bedrooms. Make sure there were extra towels in the guest bath. Stock the kitchen with more than cereal and canned soup.

  But what kind of food did teenagers eat, anyway? For that matter, what did they do all day? Should he round up a local calendar of events? Line up a few activities for her? But what kind? What did she enjoy?

  He should have paid more attention to her periodic emails.

  Appetite vanishing, Luke set his spoon down and propped his chin in his palm.

  What in the world was he going to do for three long weeks with a seventeen-year-old sister he hardly knew?

  * * *

  File folder in hand, Kelsey paused at the edge of the small copse of trees that separated her property from her neighbor’s. Though it wasn’t yet dark, a light was on in the kitchen of the Lewis house. Meaning Luke was home. And with the sun already dipping low, it was unlikely he’d go down to the beach tonight to watch the sunset.

  Too bad. If he had, she could have followed him, finished recommendations in hand, and passed them over down there rather than at the house where he lived. Ate. Slept. A beach seemed less personal. More public.

  And far safer.

  Which was silly. A house was no different than a quiet beach or a screened porch or…a secluded jogging path?

  Beads of sweat popped out on her upper lip, and she swiped them away. She had nothing to fear from Luke. Dorothy liked him. Her pastor spoke well of him. A clergy board endorsed him.

  She could do this.

  Squaring her shoulders, she marched over to his house. Stepped up to the deck and crossed to his door. Wiped her right palm on her jeans. Lifted her hand to knock.

  Froze.

  You are so pathetic, Kelsey! Just rap your knuckles on that piece of wood and—

  The door opened abruptly, and she gasped. Stumbled back.

  Luke’s hand shot out and gripped her arm. “Watch the steps behind—”

  At his touch, she jerked free and darted out of his reach, clutching the folder to her chest.

  “Sorry.” He stayed where he was and lifted his hands in surrender. “Just be careful of the steps on the deck behind you.”

  Steps. Deck.

  Right.

  She’d come up a couple of them on her way to the door.

  Angling toward the lake, she made a pretense of inspecting the steps while she tried to quiet the thumping of her heart. “Thanks. I forgot about them. I had this on my mind. My recommendations for your project.” She held up the file.

  Her hands were shaking.

  Heat surged on her cheeks, and she clutched the folder with both hands, once more hugging it to her chest.

  “I was just going to sit in one of the Adirondack chairs on the lawn.” He ignored her display of nerves, his tone casual. Calm. Soothing. Like he was talking to a frightened horse. “Would you like to join me and run over everything?”

  She gave the chairs a dubious inspection. “Those seats weren’t designed for mothers-to-be.”

  “I see your point. Let’s stay here, then.” He motioned toward a patio set on the deck. “Or we can use the kitchen table.”

  “Here is fine.” No way was she entering the man’s house.

  He followed her, pulled out a chair, then took the one beside her as she withdrew a multipage document from the folder and handed it over.

  “You’ve done quite a bit of work since we talked last night.”

  “Not really. I just fleshed out the ideas. Let me walk you through them.”

  For the next fifteen minutes, as she reviewed the document with him, Luke asked appropriate questions and made a few complimentary remarks. But he seemed preoccupied. As if he had other, more pressing, matters on his mind.

  When she finished, Kelsey slipped the recommendations back into the folder and handed it over. “I’m used to dealing with the media and writing press releases, and I’ll be happy to continue helping with those chores.”

  “I appreciate t
hat.” Luke tapped the folder against the top of the table, faint furrows creasing his brow.

  Silence fell between them.

  Kelsey shifted in her seat and scanned the vast expanse of blue water. Dark clouds were moving in and the wind was picking up, disturbing the placid surface. She should leave. A storm was approaching. Besides, the less contact with her disconcerting neighbor the better, right?

  Right.

  Then why was she hesitating?

  One more quick peek at him gave her the answer. He, too, was looking toward the horizon. And his face mirrored the turbulence in the lake.

  She folded her hands on the table. “Is something wrong? You seem a bit…distracted.”

  At her tentative question, he shifted his attention to her. “I am. Nothing’s wrong exactly—but my sister needed a place to stay for three weeks. She’s arriving Friday.”

  “I take it her visit is unexpected?”

  “Very.”

  He offered nothing else…and since she’d rebuffed every attempt he’d made to ferret out personal information, asking more questions would be too pushy.

  Time to go.

  She pushed her chair back. “Well, I won’t take up any more of your evening. I’m sure you have a lot of things to do to get ready for your company.”

  “I’m sure I do too. I just don’t know what they are.”

  Kelsey squinted at him. “What do you mean?”

  He wiped a hand down his face. “Hannah is seventeen. She was in diapers when I left for college, and I haven’t been home much since. We email some, but in my mind, she’s still a freckle-faced kid with braces and pigtails. I have no idea how to entertain her for three weeks.”

  As he proceeded to explain the sequence of events that had led up to his mother’s phone call, Kelsey pulled her chair back to the table and crossed her arms on the glass top.