Stephanie put her hands on her hips and stared at the group of people clustered in Derek’s backyard. “When you invited me for a cookout, I didn’t realize we’d be entertaining the whole town.”
Derek flipped another burger, then called out over his shoulder to Stephanie, “Oh, did you want to be alone with me? ’Cause that can be arranged, if you insist.”
Stephanie grinned as she glanced around. The eclectic group included the ever-present Marco and Nathan, who were in charge of the volleyball game, Lazarus, who was in charge of Marco and Nathan—the dog was secretly having a blast just playing with the two—Louise Thomas and Kendra, Reverend Byrd and his wife and five children, and much to everyone’s surprise, a special guest of honor, Miss Nadine Hamilton, of the Atlanta Hamiltons.
Tugging at the Atlanta Braves baseball cap Derek wore, Stephanie laughed. “Sure, I suppose you can make all of these relaxed, laid-back people scatter just by telling them that you’d like to kiss me in private?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, winking over at her. “And please don’t tempt me like that.”
“Let’s keep our guests happy and let them stay,” she said, munching on a pickle slice. “Besides, I’m starving. I can’t wait to try one of your famous burgers, since you’ve bragged about them all afternoon.”
He grinned again. “It ain’t bragging if it’s true.”
“Now who’s doing the tempting?” she teased back.
He checked the long row of sizzling meat, then let out an elaborate sigh. “Let’s see, you prefer burgers and a crowd over being alone with me. I just can’t seem to take this relationship any further.”
“Do you want to take things further?” she asked, her tone turning serious, her words for his ears only.
“You should know the answer to that,” he responded, his gaze on her instead of his precious burgers.
“No, I don’t know,” she had to admit. “We’ve been together almost every weekend and several week nights after work for the last couple of weeks, Derek, but—”
“But you still want some answers?” He looked up at her, his gray eyes filling with those storm clouds she was beginning to recognize and understand.
“Yes,” she said finally, “but not for the reasons you think. I want to know you, Derek, to understand you, to see a picture of you from beginning to end. I want to meet your big family and hear stories about you in grammar school, and I want to take all that information and process it, so I can have a complete picture of the man I’m—”
He dropped the spatula then, turning to touch a hand to each of her bare arms. “Falling for?” he finished, hope as bright in his eyes as the sun reflecting off the water.
“Yes,” she said, glad to get that little tidbit out of the way. “Derek, we need to talk, really talk. I want to help you—”
Just then, Marco called for Derek. “Hey, man, we need you on our team. Miss Nadine’s pretty good with that serve.”
Derek had to laugh then, as both he and Stephanie turned to watch spry Miss Nadine take a dainty fist to the big ball and lob it right over the net, then step back with a prim smile to straighten her navy cotton flared skirt. Two of the Byrd children, who happened to be Miss Nadine’s teammates, cheered loudly as another point was scored.
“Who knew?” Derek said, taking Stephanie by the hand. “Guess we’d better go even out the game.”
“Derek?” Stephanie held back.
He stopped, took another deep breath.
During that brief second or two, she could see the struggle there on his tanned face and in his stormy eyes.
“Derek, I have to know, for me. Only for me.”
And to protect you, she wanted to say. Glover had been snooping all week, asking questions, prying way beyond measure. Stephanie’s gut instinct told her the other reporter wouldn’t give up. And the more James Glover pushed, the more determined Stephanie was to protect Derek, and let him tell her his story. She badly wanted to earn his trust, so she wouldn’t have to stoop to investigating him on her own.
“We will talk,” he said finally. “Today, after everyone goes home. I’ll tell you everything, Stephanie. And then we’ll see if you still think you might be falling for me.”
A few minutes later she fell straight into his arms in a heated volleyball game where Miss Nadine stood and served, then stepped back and watched as the “take no prisoners” competitors went after the ball.
When both Derek and Stephanie rushed to return the serve, they got the ball over the net, then crashed into each other. Derek fell first, then cushioned Stephanie’s fall. In a tangle of legs and arms, they lay laughing and panting for breath while everyone around them clapped.
“Nice save,” she said as she gazed down at him. It took all of her willpower not to reach out and touch his scarred, intriguing face. Especially when she knew these scars ran much deeper than he ever wanted to admit.
Derek stared up at her, a look of tenderness in his dark eyes. And a lot of unspoken promises. “We’d better get up, or people will talk.”
With that, he lifted her up with a strong hand, then bowed as Nathan and Marco high-fived each other. While the boys protested, Derek gestured toward the grill. “Duty calls, fellows.”
When they got out of earshot of the others, Stephanie leaned close. “Derek, it’s amazing what you’ve done with those two in just a couple of weeks,” she said, proud in spite of her earlier reservations about Derek taking on the two boys.
He shrugged. “They mainly needed some guidance. Marco is the oldest of eight children. They live in a house no bigger than my storage shed. His mom tries to work to support them, but with all those kids and no father figure, it’s tough. Marco met up with Nathan, and was headed toward a career selling drugs for the gang leaders. He’d already had a few run-ins with the police, but this last bit scared his mother. She was very grateful to the judge for allowing him into this intervention program.”
He glanced over at the boys, who were now resting and talking with Reverend Byrd. “And Nathan—his mother left long ago and his father was killed in a brawl. He lives with his uncle, and from what I’ve seen that man is not much of a role model. Nathan’s way of solving problems is to fight first and ask questions later.”
Amazed that Derek, a single man who could be off sailing on the lake right now, had taken the time to help these troubled boys, Stephanie asked, “Have you done this before?”
He shrugged again, his attention on taking up the food. “It’s a program that was started at an inner-city church in downtown Atlanta. When I moved to Flowery Branch and met Reverend Byrd, he told me about it. I guess he thought it might help me—getting involved with other people.” He stopped, his gaze rising out over the lake. “Anyway, it’s called Justice Through Faith. Basically, the local churches work with the police and the juvenile justice system to try and intervene and help reform troubled kids.”
“I’d sure love to do a story on this,” Stephanie said, then seeing the wary look in his eyes, hastily added, “Someday, whenever you’re ready. Or with Reverend Byrd at the center. People need to know more about this.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
She smiled as she helped him finish getting the food ready, while Miss Nadine went from volleyball captain to social director, issuing orders on proper picnic etiquette.
“Justice Through Faith,” Stephanie said, yet again amazed, and once more feeling that tug of familiarity. “I have a framed Bible quote on my desk that my mother gave to me after my father’s death. ‘The just shall live by faith.’ I guess I never thought we can save people from a life of crime by concentrating first on their faith. But my father knew that. And so do you, it seems.” And maybe that was the only reason his actions seemed so familiar.
Derek finished his work, then turned to her. “Stephanie, you’re a Christian. You know the power of Jesus Christ, right?”
“I do,” she said. Then she lowered her head. “But I haven’t always used that power. I’m too stubborn, too independent. It’s hard to rely on something you can’t see or explain away in a carefully researched story.”
Derek took her hands in his, his whole expression tender, his eyes centered only on her. “I couldn’t have survived…without God and Jesus in my life. And I know that if I fight hard for these boys, with the Lord on my side I can make a difference. Instead of carting them off to a place where they slip into a further abyss, I can give them hope and a new life, just like the Lord gave us.”
Tears pricked Stephanie’s eyes. “God did send you to me that night, Derek. And whether you want to admit it or not, you are a good and decent man. I’m not so sure I deserve you, though.”
“Don’t say that,” he told her, reaching up to wipe away a tear. “I’m the one who doesn’t deserve any of this, but for some reason, the good Lord has given me a second chance. I’m hoping that chance includes you, Stephanie.”
Smiling up at him then, in spite of the threatening tears, she said in a droll voice, “Well, maybe He put us together because we can’t seem to feel worthy apart—maybe He has a sense of humor, putting two such unworthy souls with each other.”
“But together, who knows? We might find redemption after all.”
Derek hugged her close, and Stephanie felt the urgency of that hug. She was winning his trust; she could feel it, see it in the way he had grown more intimate with her. And later, maybe he would at last tell her everything she longed to hear.
“Excuse me,” Miss Nadine said from behind them. “If you two don’t mind, we have guests to feed.”
In spite of her stern tone, Stephanie saw the delighted twinkle in the older woman’s eyes.
Louise pushed Kendra’s wheelchair close. Miss Nadine bent down to talk to the child. “I’m so glad I finally got to meet you, Kendra. Your grandmother and Mr. Kane are both very proud of you.”
“Thank you,” Kendra said, beaming. “Mr. Derek takes good care of us.”
Stephanie didn’t miss the wealth of information in that innocent statement, or the way, upon hearing the girl’s words, Derek’s eyes clouded over with doubt and that old haunted look she’d seen when they first met. Why did Derek feel obligated to watch over Kendra and her grandmother? Was it duty and affection, or something more?
Hoping she’d find out the answers to that particular puzzle later, she decided to concentrate on being with Derek and his many friends right now.
Breaking away from Derek, she called out. “Okay, who wants a famous Derek Kane hamburger?”
Nathan and Marco were first in line, but Reverend Byrd halted them. “Shall we say grace?”
Everyone bowed their heads while the reverend blessed the food and thanked Derek for inviting all of them. “May God’s grace continue to shine on this group, and may His love carry all of us through the uncertain waters of life.”
“Amen,” came the chorus before everyone scrambled for the serving table.
“You know, man, you’re all right,” Marco said to Derek, his expression just this side of cool. Then he looked out over the sparkling water. “I kinda wish I could stay here forever, Mr. Derek.”
Derek lifted his chin a notch. “Me, too, buddy.”
“Do you feel safe here?” Stephanie asked as she got in line behind the tall youth.
Marco eyed her suspiciously, then shrugged. “I like it here. It’s peaceful and there’s lots to do. But I miss my brothers and sisters. And I’m worried—I don’t want ’em to get hurt.”
“Do you think someone might retaliate, try to get even with you through them?” Stephanie asked.
Marco rolled his eyes, then took on the tough-guy stance she’d seen the night of the mugging. “Lady, don’t you understand? Getting even is the name of the game where I come from.”
Stephanie could hear the bitterness in his words, but before she could respond, he continued. “Miss Maguire—” Derek had told them to address her as such, and so far they had respected that firm request “—you could help out, you know. You could do a story on our neighborhood. It’s bad there, real bad, and me and Nathan were right in the thick of it.”
“Do you want to go back?” Stephanie asked.
Nathan stepped forward then, balancing a plate loaded with food. “Not really, but hey, we can’t all have a place on a lake, can we?” He gave Derek a sarcastic look.
“Son, do you know how hard Mr. Kane worked for this spot on the lake?” Miss Nadine asked, her fingers apparently itching to take Nathan by the ear and shake him.
Nathan shrugged. “All I know is, he makes us work day and night, and I’m getting mighty tired of it. We don’t get to watch television or listen to music. He won’t even let us play a video game.”
“Would you rather be in juvenile jail?” Miss Nadine asked in a sweet tone, as if she were asking the kid if he’d like more sugar with his tea.
Nathan scowled, shrugged again, then moved off to eat his food, Marco trailing along behind him.
“We’re still working on that one,” Derek told Stephanie. “He’s a real challenge. Tough as nails and determined to hold out to the bitter end.”
“Marco seems to be coming around,” Stephanie said. “He’s really got a sweet streak, and he seems genuinely worried about his family. He’s so different from the person I saw beating up Mr. Griffin that night.”
“Yes, if we can just nurture his good side and win him over, he might be redeemable. But Nathan—I’m worried about him. I have to watch him day and night. He likes to snoop and plunder, probably because he’s been trained to steal. He doesn’t have the same respect for other people’s property as Marco.”
Stephanie watched as the two boys ate their meal. Maybe Marco was right. Maybe she should stop worrying about investigating Derek and concentrate on getting to the bottom of the situation that had forced these two to come close to a life of crime.
Sighing, she realized she’d been neglecting her work a lot lately. Before she’d met Derek, her work was all she had. So she’d poured her heart into it. It was rewarding, but now she could see that there was so much more to life. And because of him, she’d been taking more time to relax, all because she hoped to get to know him better. But she still had obligations, as Claire reminded her every day. Even her producer, who usually was her biggest ally, had complained that Stephanie hadn’t brought in any hard-hitting news in the past couple of weeks.
After tonight, she told herself as she nibbled on her food. Once Derek and I sit down and talk, and he tells me everything, then I can get back to concentrating on my job.
And maybe then she could waylay James Glover and tell him he really didn’t need to continue pestering her about Derek. Maybe Derek’s past wasn’t newsworthy, but Stephanie needed to know about it. And James needed to back off.
He’d probably laugh when she told him that Derek had led a normal life, growing up in the country. No story. No need to keep digging.
She glanced over at Derek, saw the worry on his face and wondered all over again if she’d be able to deal with what he had to tell her.
Derek finished putting trash into the huge can located near the table. Everyone had gone home except Stephanie. She insisted on helping to clean up.
“I had fun today,” she told him now as she dropped some paper cups into the open container. “Miss Nadine had a good time, too, I think.”
“I can’t believe she actually came,” Derek replied, enjoying the way the late-afternoon sun played across Stephanie’s dark hair. “She’s taken a keen interest in my two roommates, though. Says she’s out to save their wretched souls.”
“Then she sits them down to tell them about the salvation of the Lord,” Stephanie finished. “And with a smile on her face.”
Derek laughed. “I think I saw them reading the Bible together earlier.”
Stephanie nodded. “And I think those two have found a friend in Miss Nadine Hamilton. Her faith is so strong, how can Marco and Nathan not be moved?”
“I’m worried about Nathan. He seems determined to just get through this so he can get back to doing exactly what he was doing before,” Derek said, checking to make sure the two were in his sight.
Stephanie glanced over at the boys. Derek had them sweeping up trash and putting away lawn chairs. Nathan had a perpetual scowl centered on his tanned face, while Marco seemed uncertain what to do next. “It’s going to be a long summer,” she said to Derek.
Derek watched her, still amazed that she’d told him she might be falling for him. Ever since he’d found out that her father had been a lawman, Derek had worried about his own growing feelings for Stephanie. How would she react to the news that he was an ex-cop? He’d wanted to tell her, had tried to bring himself to let her know. But then he’d have to explain everything, and he just wasn’t ready for that.
At least she didn’t have to worry about his current occupation. It was as tame as any job could be.
Better than him being a cop, he guessed. He hoped. But being an ex-cop was one thing. Being an ex-cop with an ugly past was another. He’d decided to level with her, because he cared about her. Now he was afraid telling her the truth would scare her away.
Funny, he’d wanted to scare her off in the beginning. Now he only wanted to hold her near and protect her, shield her from the harsh reality of his past. And he appreciated the way she’d backed down. He believed her when she said she wasn’t investigating him anymore, except for personal reasons. Maybe it was time to be honest with Stephanie.
No sense in putting it off. He’d leave the matter in God’s hands and hope that Stephanie would understand.
If not, well…he’d been alone before.
Turning to Marco and Nathan, Derek called out. “Hey, you two, go in the garage and get a couple more trash bags. We might as well finish up and take this trash out to the road.”
Marco nodded, then headed for the big garage that was off to the side of the main house. Nathan followed close on his heels. With a silent command, Derek instructed Lazarus to stay close to the boys.
“You want to trust them, don’t you?” Stephanie asked now, her gaze falling across Derek like a warm wind.
“I have to trust them, in order to win their trust,” he explained. “And I hope I can do the same thing with you.”
“I trust you,” she said, the honesty of the statement taking his breath away. “I always have.”
“But I haven’t always felt the same,” he admitted, taking her by the hand. “Stephanie, I’ve got so much to say, and I don’t know how to begin.”
“How about at the beginning,” she said. “Derek, I could have found out everything I wanted to know and then some about you, weeks ago. You realize that, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I know. And I’ve wondered just how much you have found out on your own.”
“I stopped trying,” she said, the sincerity on her face making him believe her. “But I haven’t stopped wondering.”
She reached up to touch a tiny scar on his left cheek. “I wonder about your wounds, Derek. Not just the surface wounds, but the wounds deep inside you. Here.” She touched her hand to his heart. “I want to help you to heal.”
Derek wrapped his hand over hers, then brought it to his lips for a brief kiss. Closing his eyes, he moved her hand to his cheek, to the scar she’d touched earlier. “I don’t know if you can help me.”
He stood there, silent, holding her to him. And he prayed for strength, for peace, for forgiveness. He didn’t want to lose this woman.
“Derek?”
He opened his eyes to find her watching him, a look of tenderness centered in her big eyes.
“Trust me,” she said, her finger tracing a soft, warm pattern over the scar. “Please?”
He nodded, lifted his head toward hers.
And then Nathan burst out of the garage, a look of complete rage causing his face to redden as he went for Derek. “You tricked us, man. You brought us here, making us think you really cared. But you didn’t bother telling us that you’re a cop!”