On Sunday, Evan wondered if Kylee and the kids would attend Good Shepherd’s services after their little talk. He got the impression she hadn’t attended in a while and wondered if it was difficult in New York, or if she’d just become too busy. Maybe she was so independent she thought she didn’t need God, but was he any better? When he attended services these days, he sat in the back or sulked. It was difficult to see his friends and neighbors there without Chip and Mia. His mom had started attending an old friend’s congregation near the Alabama line, and that made it even more difficult to show up every Sunday. Now he was truly alone.
He arrived a few minutes early to find that Kylee and the twins were not there. Disappointed, he took a seat beside Tam Rochester while the Lightfoots headed to their preferred pew down front beside Monk Coles—everyone’s favorite retired teacher and willing handyman.
Tam Rochester greeted Evan with a smile. “Did you work last night?”
“No, I’m off on weekends now.” Tam was his longtime friend from the local herb shop. She always brought treats and herbal teas to the station on holidays and was good friends with Shawna. This year, she’d invited anyone who wished to come to her home for Thanksgiving.
“Get any sleep?” she asked in concern.
He lifted a shoulder. “Some.” It’d been hard to sleep even on a shift break because he hadn’t been able to quit thinking about Kylee. He could be honest with himself that he liked her, and he respected her, too. He’d seen the way she acted with the children when she sat between them after dinner on the couch. There was something more relaxed about her; she’d slowed down. And, he admitted, she’d quickly adapted from her role as a career woman to a full-time guardian.
Just as wiry, petite Sister Lovell began to pound on the organ, the pew creaked beneath him. Evan looked over to see the twins wriggling down the bench toward him. Henry grinned and climbed up beside him as Evan’s mood soared. Kylee herded a grumbling Annabelle ahead of her and widened her eyes at Evan in an attempt to show her exasperation. She was only a few minutes late, but the children were dressed, and she looked...amazing.
Evan’s heart flared around the edges like a kite catching the breeze. It was only gratitude that she’d finally brought the children to church, he told himself. Not the subtle makeup that accented her face, not her glossy, walnut-brown hair, or the orange-red sweater that made her skin glow, not to mention how it hugged her waist with a belt around it.
She sat down on the other side of Annabelle, and with the twins between them, Evan felt himself relax, as if he were complete.
A few moments later, the pastor began an interesting sermon on the background of the Savior’s mission and purpose. After a resounding reading of the Beatitudes, Evan put his arm around Henry, who stood up on the pew to sing next to him in between yawns. Evan was impressed the boy knew the chorus, and when he glanced at Kylee to point it out, their eyes met. She smiled, then shifted her gaze around the room.
After the song and the closing prayer, the worshippers quickly broke into friendly conversations. Before Evan could inquire about Kylee’s morning, Tam tapped her shoulder from the other side. “No playgroup this Tuesday,” she reminded her. “It’s turkey week!”
“Yes, I know,” said Kylee.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Evan blurted when she grinned.
Tam chirped, “You should come to my house! We’re eating in the late afternoon so Evan and any of his coworkers can join us.”
He nodded, watching Kylee’s expression for any hint of mulishness. She looked relieved. “I suppose we could. Mom is going out of town.”
“She mentioned that,” said Evan.
“She’s going to my uncle Tim’s house in Dothan. His health is not great, and I don’t want to stress him out with too many visitors.” Kylee’s cheeks flushed, but she nodded at Tam. “I’m sure the twins would appreciate it. What can I bring?”
“Nothing!” answered Tam a little too fast, and Kylee’s gaze darted to Evan.
He held up his hands. “I didn’t say anything.”
“About what?” Tam wondered aloud.
“I don’t cook much,” admitted Kylee, sounding somewhat disgruntled.
Tam laughed. “Oh, that. Mia told me once, but that’s not why I said that.” She elbowed Evan. “Although, he did tell us about the tuna casserole, so I figured it wasn’t your forte.”
Kylee gave Evan a side-eye, then grinned. “It was pretty bad.”
“I hate tuna,” said Annabelle.
“Well, now you do,” Kylee returned.
“We’ll be having turkey and potatoes and stuffing on Thanksgiving. You’ll love it,” Tam promised. “Gretchen will bring her family, and Ali will be there with her husband, son and baby girl.”
Kylee smiled. “Great. I’ll see you all there.”
Tam promised to text her the address, then waved goodbye and exited the row with her daughter, Piper, both of them disappearing into the crowd.
Henry and Annabelle crawled under the pew to escape, but Kylee called, “Don’t go any farther than you can see me, or there will be no playtime today.” She leaned back onto the bench with a sigh.
Evan was suddenly reluctant to leave. “I guess I’ll see you Tuesday then?”
“Yes, thanks. It’s been a crazy weekend sorting out Mia’s room on top of everything else.”
Evan realized there were a few waves in her usually straightened hair. The collar of the shirt she wore beneath her sweater was a little rumpled, much like the twins’ outfits. “Well, at least you made it here.”
“Barely. Annabelle said it was too cold to get out, but we managed to peel her from the car seat.”
“She’ll get the hang of it before you know it.” Evan looked out the window where the foliage had thinned. Any lingering leaves were brown, orange or the occasional burst of red. “After a sermon and then an hour of Sunday School, I think they’ll be ready to settle down for lunch and rest time.”
“I hope so,” she replied. “I have tons of laundry to fold.”
“It’s Sunday.” Evan scooted down beside her. “Work can always wait. Take a breather.”
“I guess I’m not used to doing that. Although that’s something I’ve missed. Sundays. Potlucks...” She waved her arm toward the pulpit, and he knew what she really meant. She missed God.
Annabelle crawled next to his shoes on the floor and looked up at him.
“You’re going to get dirty down there,” he scolded her. “And make more laundry for Aunt Kylee.”
“I like laundry,” Annabelle sang, her disheveled head bobbing up and down. “We put quarters in the machine and got candy.”
Evan wrinkled his brow and shot a curious look at Kylee.
She shrugged. “We had a little trouble with the washing machine yesterday. So we went to the laundromat last night.”
“The laundromat?” repeated Evan in surprise. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Oh, no, you’ve done enough,” she insisted. “Besides, you were off work.”
Evan frowned. He would have gone anyway. “You could have used my machine.”
She waved him off. “It’s fine, Evan. I handled it, without bothering you or my mother.”
“By taking them to a laundromat at night?”
“We were home by nine, and Annabelle fell asleep in a laundry basket anyway.”
Evan tamped down a flicker of irritation. “All you had to do was call for help.”
“I don’t call for help,” Kylee reminded him. “I figure out how to do things myself, remember?”
“Mmm.” She had surprised him, but Evan had to resist mentioning his macaroni and cheese. What had happened to the washing machine? At his knee, Annabelle let out a barking cough. “It sounds like she’s coming down with something.”
Kylee’s soft jawline tightened as if someone had jerked a string. “She’s fine, Evan.”
“I’ll come over and look at the washer today.”
“No need. I have a number to call for service. It’s under control,” Kylee assured him.
“That’s a lot of money to spend if there’s just a toy lodged in it.”
“There’s not a toy,” she insisted. “It just...gave out. It’s not my fault the washing machine can’t handle a big load.”
“There were bubbles everywhere,” supplied Annabelle. She got up to her feet and waved her arms in the air. “It was snowing bubbles!”
Kylee’s cheeks turned red.
“You overstuffed it,” guessed Evan.
“I didn’t know that was possible. It says it’s heavy-duty.”
“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a limit.” Evan squeezed his eyes shut. He could only imagine the condition of the washing machine.
“Time to go,” Kylee said sharply. She rose to her feet, pulling her handbag over her shoulder.
Evan shook his head. All he wanted was to help, and all she needed to do was ask. He stood up as well. “I wish you would have called me,” he told her.
“I will when I need you,” she said without missing a beat.
“I’m hungry,” Annabelle announced.
“Henry!” snapped Kylee. The boy was standing at the window touching a piece of blue stained glass. “See you Tuesday,” she said to Evan.
He didn’t reply. In the firehouse, everyone had an assignment, but they also watched out for each other. Even a fire chief knew when to call in another station if the flames were more than his company could handle alone.
Evan walked out of the church. Someday Kylee was going to need somebody, and he hoped he was there to help when she did.
The phone call to the washing machine repair place did not go as planned on Monday because everyone was on vacation for Thanksgiving, so Kylee made an appointment for the following week. Because the laundry basket was already somehow overflowing, and she was expecting Mom to stop by later that day, Kylee just piled everything into the laundry closet and closed the doors.
It was frustrating that Evan had been upset at her for washing their clothes at the laundromat. Yes, it’d been late for the children and had cost quite a chunk of change, but she’d had no other choice. She hadn’t wanted to bother him while he was off work, and she certainly wouldn’t have bothered Mom in the evening, since she needed her rest. They had both done so much already. She wanted them to see she could carry her load.
Both Annabelle and Henry were crabby today, too, which made it even harder to finish emptying out the last of Mia’s closet. The boxes of shoes and random accessories seemed so final, Kylee worried she might not be able to handle the arrival of the charity truck. Packing up framed pictures was difficult enough, but getting rid of Chip’s and Mia’s clothes felt like she was erasing their very existence.
Annabelle coughed in the next room, and Kylee cringed. The little girl had not taken her jacket to the laundromat, and unless one stood near the commercial dryers, the room had been cold. Perhaps running around and touching every surface had not been the best idea, either.
Just then the doorbell rang, and Kylee bristled. “Do not color on anything but paper,” she warned Annabelle, who was at the kitchen table coloring with her brother.
It wasn’t the charity truck but her mother.
“How are you, dear?” Mom wrapped her in a big hug. “I’m leaving for Dothan this afternoon and wanted to make sure you were all okay.”
“I’m fine,” fibbed Kylee.
Mom saw the neatly taped boxes in the foyer. “I see you finished going through her room.”
“Yes,” admitted Kylee, noting Mom had not been able to voice Mia’s name. “They should be coming to pick them up soon.”
As if reading her mind, Mom said, “I’m sure Evan can take them if they don’t show up.”
“Yes, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” Kylee relented. He was so thoughtful and eager to help, she knew she could ask him.
Stepping into the kitchen, Mom draped her arms around Henry’s shoulders. His head was bent over his coloring book as he scribbled furiously with a bright green crayon. “That’s beautiful, honey,” she whispered. She cocked her head to look at Kylee, who hoped she didn’t notice the sink was stacked with dishes.
“When you see Evan, would you tell him someone from Martin Tanner’s office called me?” Mom requested. “They asked a lot of questions.” She seemed mildly concerned.
“Who’s Martin Tanner?” Kylee wondered aloud.
“A local lawyer,” said Mom. She pulled out a chair between the twins and sat down.
Kylee felt a prickle of concern. “Is everything okay?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes.” Mom picked up a crayon and began to color on a ripped-out coloring page. Annabelle stopped to watch her with interest. “He just wanted to know what I thought of you being here and how things were going.”
Something like alarm crept up Kylee’s spine. “Why would he want to know that?”
“I imagine because Evan considered seeking custody of the twins when he realized how much worse my fibromyalgia had become and that you needed some time before coming home.”
The burning fingers tapping Kylee’s back turned into an icy cold grip. “I didn’t know that.” Evan wasn’t the type to betray another person, was he?
“He wanted to take them immediately, but they’re my grandchildren, and I knew he wasn’t ready to raise two children on his own without time to make arrangements. We worked things out until—”
“I got here,” Kylee finished. She felt ill. Had she misjudged the handsome paramedic?
“Well, yes,” agreed Mom, casting her a confused look. “I think he had some doubts you would accept custody. He wants to continue to be a part of their lives no matter what happens, so maybe that’s why Mr. Martin called.”
It all made sense. The constant checking in. Intervening. Helping out. Evan not only wanted to be the twins’ favorite, but he was also positioning himself to take over as their guardian. He was plotting to take them away, to stop her from taking her own niece and nephew back to New York where they would have a better life.
He wanted her to fail. Did he really care about her at all? She realized with a start, she cared about him.
Pain and betrayal began to fill up her chest. “What’s going to happen is I’m going to take them back to New York for Christmas,” said Kylee a little too loudly. “And they’re going to be happy and just fine.”
“I want to go to New York!” cried Annabelle, always afraid of missing a party.
“You will, sweetheart,” Kylee soothed her. She circled the table and wrapped her arms about the little girl. “And you’re going to love it. They have real snow and giant toy stores and even ice-skating in the middle of the city. There’s even going to be a big gingerbread house contest, too.”
Annabelle’s eyes glazed over. “Ohhh!”
Kylee glanced at Henry. He was wearing the green crayon down to a nub coloring in St. Nick’s toy sack on the page.
Finishing her picture of a reindeer, Mom climbed to her feet. “Well, I wanted to see if you needed any help before I left for Thanksgiving, but it looks like you have everything under control.”
“Oh, I do,” said Kylee, now seething. “Believe me, I do.” She could hardly wait to call her lawyer and inform him of the possible custody battle.
Her mind raced through her to-do list as her mother let herself out. The nanny service in New York had already gotten back to her, and interviews would start after the holidays. She could work from home with the twins in the apartment until after the new year. It’d give them time to acclimate to their new city.
She gave Annabelle another insecure squeeze. “It’s time to play outside,” she announced, glad they’d eaten their lunch. “And you, young lady, are going to wear a coat.”
“No, I’m not,” said Annabelle.
“I will,” Henry assured her.
“I will, too,” Annabelle decided, flipping sides. “And I’ll wear my boots,” she added to outdo her brother.
Kylee returned to the dishes in the sink, giving her niece a fleeting glance. The little girl’s profile jolted Kylee’s heart. Annabelle was nothing like her mother, she realized, because she was so much like her aunt.