Missy Tippens - His Forever Love

“I can’t today.” She looked at Bill. “I usually cook for my dad and brother’s family.”

“Gregory?”

“Yes. He and his two children live across the street from Dad.”

“What about Richard?” Bill suspected Lindsay’s other brother no longer lived in Magnolia.

“He manages a hotel in Atlanta.”

“I’m sorry to hear about Gregory’s divorce.”

She snapped a dish towel and folded it somewhat violently. “It was a bad scene. She deserted them all. For a rich lawyer in Atlanta.”

“That girl was trouble from the start,” Granny said.

“What she did to those babies is criminal,” Lindsay said, her face red in anger. “I’ll go put the bread in the oven.” She left the room quickly.

Granny sighed. “Lindsay suffered terrible migraines through the whole ordeal. But Hunter and Chase have suffered the most. Not to mention poor Gregory.”

“Maybe he’ll find the right woman next time.” But how could he be sure? How could anyone be sure? “Shall we go eat?” he asked Granny, holding out his arm for her.

“I’d love to, kind sir.” She winked at him, and his heart swelled. It would be so nice to have her live with him. He’d missed her.

As Granny Bea and Bill walked into the kitchen, Lindsay flinched, thinking he would hit his head on the door frame. Luckily, the older house had taller ceilings. And it seemed he ducked out of habit even if he didn’t need to.

“How tall are you now, anyway?” she asked before she thought about it.

“Six-foot-six-and-a-half.”

“You weren’t that tall in high school.”

“No. I grew a few inches in college, and put on about fifty pounds over the years.”

She didn’t doubt it. He had been way too skinny in high school. And now he was…well…just right.

Refusing to think about how handsome he was, she set about putting the food on the table. “Y’all have a seat.”

“May I help?” he offered.

“No, it’s all ready.” In her experience, anytime a man tried to help in the kitchen, it ended in disaster.

Once she had everything on the table, Granny Bea reached for her hand. “Stay for a few minutes, dear. Sit and talk with us.”

She never could turn Granny Bea down. “Okay. For a minute.” Before she could sit in the chair next to Granny Bea, Bill jumped up and pulled it out for her.

She hesitated, then laughed. “Sorry. Growing up with two brothers makes me a little nervous when my chair is pulled out for me.”

He nodded. “Ah, the old yank-the-chair-out-from-under-you trick. I had that happen to me in school many times.”

She was sorry she had brought it up when she noticed the haunted look on his face. Kids in Magnolia had been awful to him.

He nicely pushed her chair in for her. “Thank you.” A small, gentlemanly gesture, but very nice for a woman who never had time for dating anymore.

“Can you ladies help me make a list of the repairs that need to be made around here? When I came in, I noticed the roof is in bad shape.”

Lindsay knew his interest wasn’t because he cared about the condition of the house. He was already moving on with his plan to sell it. “Nothing’s urgent. Maybe you can get the roof done on this visit and save the rest for another time.”

“The carpet in the bedrooms is shot,” Granny Bea said. “I’ve even had Lindsay take me to look at some samples, but couldn’t decide what to do.”

Granny Bea didn’t get it. She thought he was interested in helping her. Helping move her out the door was more like it.

Bill looked from one of them to the other. “We’ll have to get right on it. I’ll make some calls tomorrow.”

“He’s going to be here a few days, Lindsay,” Granny Bea said, then patted his hand. “You did say you can stay a few days, Bill?”

“Yes. But I need to check in with my office first.”

So they had a few days to change his mind. Once he saw Granny get back to normal, he would have to back down.

Lindsay ran her fingernail in a groove scratched into the table’s finish. “So, Dr. Wellington. I hear you’re teaching physics at the university. Very impressive.”

He waved off the compliment as if embarrassed. “Not nearly as glamorous as it sounds.”

“And doing research, too?”

“Yes, particle physics. We’ve been doing neutrino oscillation studies, and we’ve also begun work trying to come up with ways to detect dark matter. In fact, I’ve applied for a grant. I hope to hear something soon.”

“Good luck on the grant. Sounds interesting.”

“Yes, it’s—” His golden-brown eyes sparkled. “Never mind. I would tell you more, but you would probably want to go jump off a bridge. I have that effect on people.”

She smiled at his self-deprecating humor. The guy was truly sweet. She’d managed to forget that fact over the years. Her stomach fluttered, and she couldn’t pull her gaze away from his. She wanted to ask him what physical principle made him so hypnotic.

She jumped up from the table. “I would love to hear more later. But it’s time to pick up the boys.” She turned to Granny Bea. “I’ll stop by to see how you’re feeling in the morning.” She waved as she hurried out.

She and Granny needed a plan. And they needed it fast. Tomorrow morning, they could put their heads together and strategize. With the two of them together, Bill wouldn’t stand a chance.

The next morning, Lindsay rushed to move herself and her nephews out the door of Gregory’s house so she could stop at Granny Bea’s on the way to the center. Normally unflappable Lindsay was totally flapped. The boys always did that to her. At least until she got to the breaking point. Then the boys seemed to sense they were on her very last nerve and would back down.

She was within an inch of that point.

She jammed her hands on her hips. “If you don’t behave, I won’t take you to the movie this weekend.”

They continued to chase each other around the coffee table, but glanced her way as if testing the waters. They were nervous.

“One. Two…”

They darted to opposite ends of the couch to find their shoes.

“Two and a half…”

“I’m weady!” Chase jumped up with his shoes on the wrong feet. “I beat Hunter. I win!”

“No you didn’t. You got ’em backwards.” Hunter smirked at his little brother. “So I win.”

“…Three. Grab your book bags and head out the door right now.” Lindsay pointed.

They weren’t bad boys. They just needed a little firmness for a change. Her poor brother still couldn’t get a handle on that fact. He was trying to make up for their mother deserting them. At four and five years old, all they knew was that they wanted someone to love them. Gregory loved them like crazy, but sometimes didn’t know how to show it. He owned his own business and worked all the time to provide for his family.

She grabbed her purse and locked the door behind them. “Okay. March. To the car. I’ll drop you at day care and your daddy will pick you up.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ll barely make it to Granny Bea’s on time.”

“I hate day care. Ith for babies,” Chase said with his chubby four-year-old cheeks causing a slight lisp.

“You are a baby. So shut up,” his brother said.

As Lindsay buckled them into their booster seats, she pointed at Hunter. “We don’t say ‘shut up’ in this family. And if you aren’t nice to each other—”

“You won’t take us to the movie,” Hunter finished for her. “We know.”

The little sweethearts folded their hands in their laps and settled.

When they arrived at the Jolly-time Day Care Center, she hurried them inside and gave them a quick kiss.

Chase grabbed tightly around her neck and wouldn’t let go. “I wuv you, Aunt Windsay.”