Rekindled Romance. Lorraine Beatty
stared at the closed door, struggling to breathe through the thickness in her throat. She’d imagined her reunion with Matt in a thousand different ways, but never like that. She knew she’d hurt him when she’d broken their brief engagement, and she’d expected him to be angry. But the man who had walked out of the house wasn’t the gentle, tender boy she remembered. He was a fierce, protective guardian warning her to keep her distance from his children.
He’d made his opinion of her crystal clear. He had never forgiven her for what she’d done. She couldn’t blame him. She’d turned her back on everything he cared about. Belittled his beliefs and his dreams. She sank into a kitchen chair, fighting tears. “Small-town man with small-town dreams.”
How many times had she longed to take back her angry words? She wanted to explain to him how she’d felt that night fifteen years ago. How scared and confused she’d been. They’d had plans to go to college, to escape the backward life of Dover. But the day after he’d given her the ring, he’d changed. Instead of talking about their dreams for the future, he’d talked about settling down, staying in Dover. She’d felt betrayed. He’d said he wanted the same things she did, but apparently a ring on her finger had erased all that. Her mother’s dire warning was coming true. She’d said that ring only meant one thing, that Matt would expect her to give up her dreams for his. “You’ll be trapped here just like me.” She hadn’t wanted to believe her mother was right, but at that moment, it had seemed all too true.
It had all been so clear to her then. Either marry Matt and spend the rest of her life in a choked-off life in Mississippi or run like crazy toward college and her dreams of working on a magazine. Only one course of action had made sense. Run. It had been a matter of survival. And she’d achieved her dream. She stood at the top of her field. Though for how much longer, she didn’t know.
But at the moment she had a more urgent concern. Gramma was setting the table when she entered the kitchen. “Gramma, I can’t babysit Matt’s kids.”
“You aren’t, sweetie. I am. You’ll be my backup. It’ll be fun. They are darling kids. You’ll love them.”
“I met them this afternoon while you were gone. Their dog came over.”
“Aren’t they precious?” Gramma smiled. “Matt and Katie did a great job.”
Katie. The wife. Her throat tightened. “How did his wife die?”
“Cancer. That’s why he moved back home.”
Back home? “He hasn’t been here the whole time?”
“No. He owned some kind of big computer business in Atlanta. He sold it and moved back here about a year ago to be closer to his family.”
Shelby sorted through this new information. She’d always assumed Matt would never leave Dover. It was the crux of their breakup. It didn’t make sense.
Sinking down into the chair, she rested her elbows on the table and cradled her aching head. Could things get any worse? She’d come here to rest, ease the stress in her life, but how was she supposed to do that with Matt right next door? She’d have been better off if she’d stayed in New York. Matt’s pointed warning echoed in her mind. “He doesn’t want me watching his kids, Gramma.”
Ellen set the plates down on the table, a deep frown creasing her forehead. “Is there something between you two I should know about?”
Shelby inhaled. Great. She couldn’t avoid this any longer. “We dated.” Might as well tell it all. “We were engaged. Briefly. We broke up.” She hoped her grandmother wouldn’t press for more details. She couldn’t deal with that at the moment.
“I see. When was this?”
“The summer before I went to college. I was working at the Durrant’s hardware store. You and Grandpa were in Belize.” She shrugged as if it were insignificant, hoping her grandmother would let the subject drop.
“Oh.” Gramma lowered herself onto a chair. “I had no idea you were serious about anyone. That does make things awkward, but that was a long time ago. Why should it bother you so much now? Unless...” Gramma eyed her closely. “Ah. I see.”
Shelby squirmed. She never could hide her feelings from her grandmother.
“Well, it seems to me you two need to settle this thing between you pretty quick. It’s been going on way too long, don’t you agree?”
Chapter Three
Matt closed the lid on the Insect Man lunch box and set it beside the matching backpack. A quick glance around the kitchen revealed an escaped homework folder peeking out from under the stack of mail and flyers for his mom’s city council campaign. He pulled it out and unzipped Cassidy’s pink plaid backpack, sliding the folder inside as he called her name. “Cassidy. It’s time to go. Hurry it up, please.”
Kenny skidded to a halt beside the kitchen island, holding up his hands and baring his teeth for inspection. Matt turned the little palms over, then tilted his son’s face upward. “Looking good, sport.”
Kenny smiled and reached for his backpack. “Do we still get to go to Miss Ellen’s after school?”
Matt masked his concern with a forced smile. “Yes. And I expect you to behave yourselves.”
“Will Miss Shelby be there?” Cassidy slung her backpack over her shoulder and looked at him with expectant eyes. He stared down at her. Something was different. Her hair was sticking out on one side. He’d learned the hard way not to question his daughter’s fashion sense too vigorously. Maybe she meant it to look like that. “Uh, I suppose. But I’m sure she’ll be busy with her work, so don’t bother her. Miss Ellen is your babysitter.” And if he could make other arrangements he would. He wanted as much separation between Shelby Russell and his kids as possible.
“Okay, everyone to the van. We’re running out of time.”
Kenny’s eyes widened. “You mean we get to ride to school in the Handy Works van?”
“’Fraid so. I left my car at Grandpa’s store yesterday.”
Cassidy’s shoulders sagged, and she exhaled a disgusted whine. “Can’t we go get our car first? The van is ugly.”
“Ugly or not, it’s your only mode of transportation this morning.” Matt touched her shoulder, steering her toward the door.
“At least I’ll get to see Miss Shelby when I get home.”
Matt groaned inwardly. He had no choice about babysitters for the next couple of days, but he fully intended to beat every bush and look behind every tree until he found someone else to watch his kids.
Pulling the door closed behind him, Matt followed his kids to the van. Confident in his plan.
* * *
Shelby stared out the kitchen window at Matt’s house. She’d been forced to alter her assumptions about him. Not only had Matt left Dover, but he’d had a successful business and a wonderful marriage. Losing his wife had wounded him deeply. The grief reflected in his eyes still haunted her. As did his very pointed warning.
Did Matt think she would deliberately hurt his kids? Probably. He was assuming that she would walk out on them the way she had him. He wasn’t going to forgive her, and she had no one to blame but herself. She was finally reaping what she had sown.
So how was she supposed to babysit and still keep her distance? Hopefully, most of the babysitting duties would fall to Gramma and she’d keep a very low profile for the next few weeks.
The mantel clock in the living room struck the half hour, jerking Shelby rudely from her computer screen. Two-thirty. She’d worked through lunch, and now Cassidy and Kenny were due home soon and Gramma wasn’t home yet. A rush of anxiety warmed her blood. Where was she? After dialing Ellen’s cell number, Shelby waited impatiently. No answer. She tried again a few minutes later with the same result. This was