Angel Smits - Seeking Shelter

“Thanks. I’m Jace.”

His hands were full, but she thought he’d have offered his hand to her if they hadn’t been. He waited expectantly, apparently for her to offer her own name. She swallowed hard. “I’m...Amy.”

“Amy?”

He said her name softly, and despite the heat, she shivered. His eyes moved, as if his gaze were drinking in every detail of her face.

“Amy,” he repeated. “Uh, nice to meet you.” He took a deep breath, and it seemed as if he shook his head slightly. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear something had just startled him.

“Mama!” A high-pitched voice cut through the thick air between them, and Amy backed a step away. Then two.

Katie came barreling down the sidewalk toward them and Jace turned to look at her.

There are few things that set a mother off more than a threat to her child. Though the man now standing on the sidewalk was smiling down at Katie, Amy couldn’t let go of the fear that rippled through her. She was the one person Katie always turned to, the one who was there whenever she needed something. The one whose job it was to protect her.

Right now, that little girl was looking up at a tall stranger with great interest. Amy barely held herself back.

“Hi.” Katie walked right up to Jace, craning her neck to look at him.

“Well, hello,” he said, hunching down next to her.

“I’m Katie. I’m six.”

Amy barely resisted the urge to warn her daughter about sharing personal information. She needed to ingrain that into her before she got old enough for Facebook and Twitter, or whatever would follow.

“I’m Jace. I’m older than six.”

Katie grinned widely and Amy nearly leaped toward her daughter. But not to protect her this time. She knew that look and what was coming next.

She wasn’t quick enough.

“Do you have a wife?”

Amy wanted to sink into the sidewalk. When Jace turned to her, her heart dropped to her knees as he glanced from mother to daughter and back again.

“No, I’m not married. Why do you want to know? Are you proposing?”

“Katie,” Amy warned, knowing there was no chance her daughter was going to heed her. She stepped forward, placing her hands protectively on Katie’s shoulders, since, tempting as it was, putting her hand over her daughter’s mouth would probably be frowned upon.

Katie giggled. “No, silly. I’m too little. But Mama can. She’s not married, either.”

CHAPTER THREE

THE MAN LOOKED AS IF HE’D seen a ghost. He’d paled under his tan and his eyes widened as he looked at the two of them.

Amy swallowed hard. She was used to judgmental stares, but there was no way she would let anyone judge Katie. Being a single mother wasn’t that unusual these days. Besides, Katie had already told him Amy wasn’t married. It couldn’t be that big of a shock. “Why don’t you go put your things away, sweetie. Butcher’s waiting for you. I’ll be in shortly.” She nudged Katie toward the doorway.

“’Kay. Bye, Mr. Jace.” Katie quickly disappeared inside with a final smile and wave from the doorway. The sound of Butcher’s nails was loud and frenzied against the wooden floor. Katie’s sweet giggle followed close behind.

“Hank should be able to put you up for the night,” Amy said again, hoping Jace would move on.

She didn’t wait for him to answer. Instead, she walked to the screen door.

“Amy?”

She didn’t want to turn around, really she didn’t. Good manners and curiosity made her look over her shoulder. “Yes?”

“Thanks.” His gaze met hers and she saw something lurking in those blue eyes, something she couldn’t read. She didn’t even try, but went inside.

“Oh, my.” A soft feminine voice came in the door right behind her. Amy shook her head. She didn’t have to look to know who was speaking. Caryn Davis had been her best friend since second grade, but right now Amy wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone.

Obviously, Caryn had arrived to reopen the diner next door, just in time to see Jace leaving. Amy agreed—he was definitely worth an “oh, my” or two, but she wasn’t sharing that with anyone. Especially not Caryn.

“Climb on up.” Amy helped Katie onto the stool and focused on getting her usual afternoon snack ready.

Caryn was bound to say something. Amy prepared herself, and her friend didn’t disappoint. She sat down beside Katie. “Hey, pumpkin.” She gave the little girl a brief hug, then turned her gaze on Amy. “Please, please tell me you saw him. Really saw him.”

Amy almost laughed. “Saw what?” She knew exactly what—or rather who—Caryn was talking about. There wasn’t a man in a fifty-mile radius who hadn’t caught Caryn’s eye at some time or other.

“Amy!”

This time she did laugh. “He’s just passing through.” Amy put a small plate of apple slices in front of Katie and handed her a fruit juice. “So don’t go getting any ideas.” She didn’t want to elaborate in front of her daughter. Besides, she and Caryn had already rehashed all this...multiple times over the years.

“Maybe Mr. Jace could be my new daddy,” Katie blurted out around a bite of her snack.

Caryn burst into laughter that filled the entire store. Amy couldn’t resist joining in, even though she knew it was a bad idea to encourage Katie’s hopes.

“Oh, are we back to that again?” Caryn finally asked.

“Yes.” Amy sighed. “Lynne and Beau are a great couple, but I sometimes wish they’d never gotten married,” she grumbled.

Oblivious to her mother’s reaction, and confident that everything was solved, Katie gulped down her juice, then jumped down from the chair. “Can I go over to Lisa’s to play?”

“May I,” Amy automatically corrected. “Put your things away in your room and then, yes, you may go. Be back by when I close at six.”

Lisa was well on her way to becoming the Caryn of Katie’s life. The two girls were inseparable, and with Lisa living just across the back street, it made life easier for both Amy and Lisa’s mom, Lynne.

Caryn barely waited for Katie to leave before she pounced. The pretty brunette leaned over the counter, forcing Amy to look at her. “I’m serious, Amy. Think about it. Maybe the best way to get your feet wet again, so to speak, is to hook up with someone just passing through.”

“I’m not interested in ‘hooking up’ with anyone.” Amy tried to scoot away, but Caryn knew her too well.

“You drive me crazy.” She gently grabbed Amy’s shoulders and forced her to look at her. “Ever since we were kids, you’ve dreamed about getting out of this town, going out in the world and living. Your first opportunity in ages comes along and you completely dismiss him.”

“A man isn’t the only way to get out, you know. Besides, I had my chance, remember? That year at Arizona State went so well.” Amy’s sarcasm masked the pain. She’d met Matt that year. “And you’re assuming this guy would be interested.” She pulled away from Caryn and gathered up the dishes left on a table. “I have responsibilities.”

“Oh, that’s great. Hide behind your daughter.”

Amy stopped moving, then slowly pivoted to stare disbelievingly at the woman she’d called her friend for nearly twenty years. “That’s low, even for you.”

“It’s the truth, and you know it.”

It wasn’t that simple, but she knew Caryn didn’t understand. Yeah, Amy remembered being that girl, dreaming of running off to Hollywood to become an actress, or New York to be a model. She’d dreamed, and she and Caryn had spent hours during sleepovers planning that future. Caryn had been the one who’d wanted to stay here, settle down and have the happy family.

All of Amy’s dreams had ended seven years ago.