Second Chances (11 page)

Pausing outside the door, Hannah watched as Gavin rubbed at his temples.  She bit her lip.  What was troubling him so?  Was she really having that adverse an effect on him?  Walking in slowly, she stopped when she reached his desk.  His eyes were still closed, so she murmured his name ever so quietly, “Gavin?”

Instantly his eyes shot open and the sour look she was quickly becoming accustomed to darkened his face.  Now she only had to decipher the reason for it as she had last time. 

“So, you seem to have some explaining to do.  First you disappear, then when you finally return you bring a strange man into my home and lead him up the stairs to your bedroom.”  He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at her severely.

Quite unaccustomed to being chastised, Hannah had no idea how to respond.  Brett had never cared enough to comment on anything she did, not that she ever did anything to cause him worry.  “Now you know full well that he is here to give me an estimate for work on the house.”  She matched him frown for frown.  He was clearly startled.  “And further more…
”  His eyebrows arched in surprise as she spoke those words.  “…you told me that I would have to have the room repaired, correct?”

He knew he was forced to agree and it was like swallowing a bitter pill.  “Yes,” he conceded.

“I am doing my best to accomplish as much as possible in a short period of time.”  She sighed, feeling the need to explain.  She glanced around and moved to sink into the nearby leather chair.

Gavin sat up straighter when she sat.  He knew that was a sign she was going to reveal some secret about herself, and he didn’t want to miss a word.  He leaned over the desk and stared at her greedily.

Hannah wasn’t meeting his eyes.  “I don’t know how to explain this to you other than to just come right out and say it.”  She pursed her lips and frowned, mulling for a moment how to share her feelings.  “We’ve gone through a lot of upheaval in our lives lately.  It wasn’t so long ago that I had nothing, literally.  Brett took it all, tangible and intangible.  There was no furniture, food, money, dignity, or confidence.”  Her eyes welled up at the memories. 

“I can’t survive without order.  You must have sensed that on some level?”  She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to acknowledge the truth of that statement.

Thinking on how determined she was to move all her worldly possessions in and set everything up or die trying the day before, he nodded slowly.  “I have noticed that about you.”  He didn’t want to say more because he sensed she wasn’t finished.

Sighing, she continued.  “That room has to be repaired.  It has to be painted.  The curtains and flooring have to be installed before I will feel an ounce of security, before I will feel comfortable,” she swallowed, “before I can rest.”  She offered him one final plea.  “I don’t require luxurious or pricey, but I would very much like some peace of mind.”

Studying her, Gavin saw that she was shaking slightly.  Did she know?  And did she have any idea what havoc her emotions were wreaking on his?  He squeezed his eyes tight.  He was going to regret this.  He knew he was.  He opened his eyes.  “Then what are you waiting for?”  He stood, walked around the desk and stopped directly in front of her.  Slowly, he offered her his hand, as though he feared rejection.

She looked at it a moment before grasping it tightly in hers.  The touch spread warmth throughout her being and she stifled a blissful sigh.  Without another word, he helped her from the chair and dragged her up the stairs to get to work.  It was just as well that he couldn’t see her, since Hannah was biting back tears of joy.

The afternoon had passed in a blur to her.  As Hannah occupied herself with sanding, Gavin pulled Joe aside.  He had stood frozen outside the bedroom door, watching them work until he gained Joe’s attention.  Immediately he gestured for the handy man to meet him in the hall.

“What’s it going to take to get some carpet installed while she’s at work tomorrow?”  He asked conspiratorially.

Joe scratched at the stubble on his chin.  “What kind you have in mind?”

Gavin studied Hannah.  She needed a room built for comfort, but she deserved to be pampered as well.  “Some kind of neutral new shag I think.  Something she can sink her cute little toes into at the end of the day.”  He realized that he seemed all too familiar with his employee and grew serious.  “So, is it possible?”

Joe valiantly fought a grin and nodded.  “I know just the thing.  I’ll have it done by lunch.”

“Really?”  That made the wheels begin to spin in his mind as he imagined what else might be accomplished.  “So, what are the chances that it could be painted for her as well?”

Joe shook his head and beamed.  “Well, I don’t want you to think I’m trying to jack up the price, but I’ll need help and it’ll cost you.”  Gavin nodded in understanding.  “So, is she worth it?”  Joe asked, already sensing the answer.

Hannah had worked her way around the room by this time and was working on the wall closest to the doorway.  Given that they had completed the secretive portion of the discussion, Gavin didn’t mind having her close in on them.  And he was relatively certain that she hadn’t heard what Joe had just said.

Still he colored slightly at the tips of his ears before answering.  Gavin said with a smile, “I’ll have Madge write you a check.”

“Madge?”  Joe and Hannah asked in unison.

Gavin stiffened.  Maybe she had been paying more attention than he imagined.  Glancing at Hannah, he responded.  “Madge is the housekeeper.  Generally, she only works during the week, but she was here for a few hours yesterday morning so that she could get a few things in order,” he commented vaguely.  And feeling that he had answered quite enough questions for one day, not to mention suffering from his proximity to his former bedroom, he turned abruptly and stalked away.

Dinner was a quiet strained affair that occurred around six o’clock that evening.  Hannah had cooked a meal of marinated grilled chicken breasts, baked potatoes, and sautéed green beans.  Gavin was seated opposite her at the dining room table, leaving her so unhinged that she was barely able to do more than push her food around the plate.  Much of the meal was spent coaching the girls on their table manners, not because they were behaving so atrociously, but because she knew that Gavin was certainly not used to sharing a meal with children to begin with and that any infraction would be a terrible affront. 

At last, the girls were excused to change for their baths, which their mother would be giving them once she loaded the dishwasher.  Silently, she cleared their plates, rinsed and loaded the dishes, wiped the counters and table, then made her way to the stairs.  The entire time she puttered around, Gavin had watched her, noting how every once in a while, a section of hair would fall forward, threatening to cover her expressive eyes.  Inwardly, he would fight the urge to reach out and push it back.  He was desperate to see how she was feeling, know what she was thinking, and since she wasn’t revealing anything in her speech, he was reliant upon what he considered to be one of her best features.

The longer he studied her, the more he wondered why she was so uncomfortable.  She had seemed fine all afternoon, working until just before she began the meal prep.  She had been very friendly and more than a little tired when she found him playing at work in the study to share her day’s accomplishments.  And then, he had peeked in on her as she prepared the meal.  She was singing and dancing to the radio as she worked, looking entirely too fetching and adorable.  He couldn’t take his eyes off her; she was so vibrant, positively radiant in her
spackle spattered jeans and ripped t-shirt. 

Finally, he had broken away when she turned quickly his direction.  He had whipped around the corner, flattened himself against the wall, and chided himself for behaving like some lovesick schoolboy.  He was a grown man.  He had goals.  And she was one of them.  If she kept treating him as she had at dinner, his plan wouldn’t be so difficult to enact after all.  Yet instead of being thrilled at how she had withdrawn, Gavin found himself more than a little curious.

Slowly he mounted the stairs and headed down the hall.  He knew that it was time to tuck in the kids.  He knew precisely where to find her.  As he neared the room, he could hear her reading to the girls.  The pilot had just met the little prince and was being ordered to draw a sheep.  Unable to remove himself from the doorway, he leaned against the frame, listening to the story and drawing parallels to his own life.

Hannah was rather regal and imperious.  She shared what she wanted, often answering questions with questions.  There was no doubt as to whom she so closely resembled.  And what about him?  He felt like the pilot, lost in unfamiliar territory.  Sure, he had been there before, but it still seemed strange.  And like the pilot, he had given up his dream.  He didn’t want to take over the family business, it was expected.  He had other bigger dreams, dreams that he only wished he had the courage to achieve.  He sighed.  She was done reading for tonight.  She looked so peaceful as she drew each girl close for a tender hug and kiss.  He couldn’t confront her now.  Later he would demand to know how he had earned her dismissive attitude.  Cautiously, so as not to disturb them, he returned to his study, his sanctuary.

Everywhere she turned, he was there.  Once again, Gavin had listened to her read to the girls, she was certain. He didn’t linger to chat, reinforcing her belief that he didn’t want to be seen, so she had ignored him.  It was easy enough to do, despite his imposing exterior.  He seemed to take up the whole of a normal doorway; thankfully her bedroom doors were double.  Once the girls were settled and she was reasonably confident they would drift off easily to sleep, she grabbed the cordless phone from the kitchen and wandered out to the patio.

Just before the second ring, Amy picked up.  “Amy Pendergast here,” she said seriously.

“My, how professional,” Hannah teased.

“Oh, it’s you!”  Her friend exclaimed happily.  “It came up as a private number, so I wasn’t sure who to expect.”

“And I’m the last person you would think to call during the week now, right?”  Hannah asked with a sigh.  It had been such a long weekend.  And in her life, she always considered Sunday evening a school night.

“Well, yes, actually,” Amy admitted.  “So, how are things?” 

Hannah could tell that she was waiting as patiently as she could manage for some good dirt.  Amy was still concerned over her mystery man.  “Well, he’s here,” she began quietly.

“Of course he’s there, he lives there!”  Amy gave an exasperated sigh.  “Why does this surprise you?”