A Gift of Family

If that didn’t work, he was out of ideas.

Chapter Two

When Lisa arrived at the diner for her shift the next day, lunch was in full swing. So were Seth’s renovations. Trying to blot out the constant screech of his circular saw overhead, she bopped from table to table refilling drinks and making sure everyone had what they needed. Around noon, she helped Ruthy prepare standing orders for the contractor’s crew that was rehabbing the Harland Courthouse, a quaint old building that had stood in the center of town since before the Civil War.

Then, because their busboy was up to his elbows in dishes, Lisa piled the cartons of food and drinks onto one of Ruthy’s catering carts and rolled the whole shebang down the street. The twenty-dollar tip the guys insisted on giving her more than made up for the extra trouble.

As she strolled back into the diner, she realized the sawing had stopped. In its place she heard the sound of hammering, and she wondered if it was time to buy herself some earplugs.

“That boy just doesn’t stop,” Ruthy muttered, shaking her head. “He’s been at it since eight this morning.”

Having been raised on a farm, Lisa could appreciate anyone who put that much effort into something. Aggravating as her brothers were, she admired their willingness to work at a job until it was done. Whatever flaws he might have, Seth’s devotion to his task earned him a healthy dose of respect from her.

“He should have something to eat.” She ladled up some of Ruthy’s famous Irish stew and dropped in a spoon. Setting the bowl on a small serving tray, she added a thick hunk of soda bread. “Does he like sweet tea?”

Ruthy’s withering look told her that was a stupid question, and Lisa laughed as she poured him a glass of it. “I’ll take it up to him. Be right back.”

To her surprise, Ruthy stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Thank you, honey.”

“It’s just food.”

The older woman looked confused, then gave her a sad smile. “That’s not what I meant. I’m grateful to you for being nice to my boy.”

Intrigued, Lisa asked, “What was he exactly? I mean, we see lots of veterans in here, but none like him. What happened to him?”

Ruthy didn’t respond, and she tried again. “He was a Navy SEAL.” Nothing. “Black ops. No, wait, he was a spy.”

“I really can’t tell you,” her boss confided while she banded a stack of twenties for the deposit. “I don’t know.”

“But he was military. I could tell that as soon as I laid eyes on him.”

Ruthy’s eyes flicked up to her, then back to the money she was counting.

“Has he always been so frustrating?” Lisa asked, feeling a little frustrated herself.

Finally, her boss stopped fanning bills and looked directly at her. “Seth is a wonderful, caring man who’s been through things you and I couldn’t begin to comprehend.”

Of course, Lisa thought with a mental forehead slap. Post-traumatic stress disorder. That explained his odd reactions to everyday occurrences, his hesitation with her when she was just trying to be friendly. He came across as cold and withdrawn because his emotions were literally frozen inside him.

“That’s so sad. I don’t know much about PTSD, but I could do some research online. Maybe if I understood it better, I could—”

“PTSD,” Ruthy scoffed, which was very unlike her. “That’s the least of his problems. Seth has lost his faith.”

“In what?”

“Everything. Anyone he hasn’t known his entire life, and even some people he used to know well.” Her voice had started to tremble, and she firmed her chin in an obvious attempt to keep back tears. “He thinks God deserted him.”

Lisa couldn’t imagine the closed-off handyman confiding that to anyone, not even his adoring aunt. “Seth told you that?”

Eyes glistening with sorrow, she nodded. “We were all together for Thanksgiving at my sister’s house. He was so sulky, barely talking to anyone, looking mad at the world. I couldn’t bear to see him that way, so I kept at him until we got down to the real problem.”

Frowning, Lisa said, “I remember when Matt was like that. It was awful knowing my big brother was so lost.”

“Lost,” Ruthy repeated. “That’s the word for Seth right now, but I’m not leaving it that way. I asked him to come here, hoping a new place would help him work through his troubles and get back to the way he used to be.”

Lisa smiled. “Does Santa know about you?”

“You’re distracting me.” Waving her away, Ruthy turned the stack of money over to begin counting again. But her pleased expression revealed how she felt about the compliment. “And that food is getting cold.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Lisa took the tray and turned toward the steps. “I won’t be long.”

“Stay up there and see if you can get him to take a break. I don’t want him wearing himself out,” she added in a worried tone.

“What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

Ruthy laughed as if she’d just heard the world’s funniest joke. “Oh, honey, there’s not a man alive who wouldn’t drop whatever he’s doing to talk to you.”

“Not Seth,” Lisa grumbled. “He’s immune to my charm.”

As she headed upstairs, behind her she heard Ruthy mutter, “That’s what you think.”

* * *

Hearing light footsteps on the stairs, Seth expected it to be his aunt coming to check on him. When he glanced up from the oak plank he was measuring for a cut, he was shocked to see Lisa instead. Flustered by her unexpected visit, he stood up so fast he knocked his head on the sharp corner of the wall.

“Are you okay?” she asked, hurrying toward him.

“Yeah.” Rubbing his head, he added, “Just a klutz.”

While she looked up at him, he hoped she didn’t think he was a complete moron. To his relief, she smiled. “You’ve been working really hard up here, so I thought you might be hungry. I left the tray on that table in the hall so the food wouldn’t get sawdust in it.”

He’d been so focused on what he was doing, he hadn’t thought about food at all. The mention of it made his stomach rumble. “Actually, I’m starving.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I showed up when I did.”

Was it good? He hadn’t known her long, but he’d really enjoyed the brief time he’d spent with her. Lighthearted and chatty, she made him forget about everything but how much fun he had listening to her talk.

Then again, she probably had that effect on every guy within ten miles. Seth wished he could just relax and let things happen between them naturally, but he was painfully aware he couldn’t let himself get too attached to anyone in particular. He’d come a long way, but he didn’t think he was ready for a sassy handful like Lisa Sawyer. He knew for a fact she wasn’t ready for him.

That left them at friends, he supposed. For someone who felt adrift in his own life, there were much worse places he could find himself.

“It’s pretty dusty in here,” he said. “You don’t have a mask, so you should really stay out in the hallway.”

“Okay.”

After he’d closed the door behind them, she asked, “Should I get out of your hair, or would you like some company while you eat?”

In reply, he pulled up a wooden chair and brushed off the plaster dust that had accumulated while he was putting up Sheetrock in one of the rooms. When he motioned her to it, she smiled and sat down. “That new floor you’re putting down in there looks nice.”

“The old one was pretty beat-up,” he agreed as he pulled up another chair and started in on his stew. Humming appreciation, he said, “Aunt Ruth’s a great cook, but this has always been my favorite. Thanks for bringing it.”

“There’s plenty more if you want it. She always makes way too much.”

“Then she takes the leftovers to that shelter in Kenwood,” Seth added.

“That’s our Ruthy,” Lisa said fondly. “Feeding the world one mouth at a time.”

After swallowing some sweet tea, Seth said, “You really love her, don’t you?”

“Since I was a baby. She’s my godmother, and she insists I picked her the first time she held me.”

“She was a friend of your parents, then.”

Lisa’s nostalgic smile dipped into a frown, and she nodded. Seth felt awful for upsetting her, and he did something he never did. He asked a near-stranger a very personal question.

“Is something wrong?”

“No,” she responded with a sigh. “My parents are both gone is all. Dad died a couple of years ago, and I miss him most at the holidays.”

Seth had pegged Lisa at about his age, and twenty-eight was way too young to have lost both parents. His heart twisted with an emotion he hadn’t felt in a long, long time: sympathy. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.” After a couple of seconds, she appeared to shake off the sadness and asked, “So, do you have any plans after you’re done here?”

“Not really.”

“But you’re not staying in Harland?” When he shook his head, she laughed. “Yeah, me neither. It was great growing up here, but I know every nook and cranny of this place. I want to get out and see some of the world.”

He managed a tight smile that he hoped told her he had no desire to pursue the subject of exploring any part of the world other than where he was currently standing. Thankfully, she switched tracks.

“Your parents must be so proud of you, coming to help out like this,” she said. “Not many people would drop what they were doing to take on this job all by themselves.”

Scooping gravy from the bottom of his bowl, he shrugged. “No big deal.”

“Seth, look at me.”

He dragged his eyes up to meet hers, and she rewarded him with another of her beautiful smiles. So far, he’d noticed six different versions, each one as amazing as the others. Not that he was counting.

“You’re a good guy, and what you’re doing to help Ruthy is really nice. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Her words were like salve to a soul that had taken more than its share of beatings, and he couldn’t help grinning. “Thanks.”

“Anytime. Do you want some more?” she asked, pointing to the bowl he’d scraped clean with the soft bread.

“No, I’m good. Thanks, though.”

Giving him a parting smile, she headed back downstairs. The scent of her perfume lingered where she’d been sitting, and he debated what fragrance it was. He wasn’t much for gardening, so he settled on something flowery. It made him think of summertime when he was younger, when the biggest decision he had to make was where the fish would be biting that day. And which fishing hole attracted the prettiest girls for swimming.

Those were the days, he thought with a sigh, full of simple plans and even simpler pleasures. It was a shame he hadn’t appreciated them more when he had the chance. Pushing the past into the rear of his mind where it belonged, he stood up and got back to work.

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, Seth caught up with Lisa while she was at the lunch counter, filling a long row of sugar shakers. “Are you busy?”

Pausing in midpour, she cocked an eyebrow at him. “Do I look busy?”

“Kinda.”

“Trust me, I’m not. Go ahead.”

“This morning at breakfast, Aunt Ruth told me she wants to change out all the drapes and bedding in the apartments I’m working on. Then she mentioned putting new trim and a feature wall in each one.” He made a sour face. “I know Gus carries all that decorating stuff, but I’m no good at figuring out what goes together. I was hoping you could help me out.”

Glancing up from her task, she smiled. “You don’t trust Gus to be your interior designer?”

“Not a chance. After seeing his store, I’m guessing he’s not any better at it than I am.”

“Well, it’s not like I’m doing anything important here.” Taking off her ruffled apron, she went to the pass-through and yelled into the kitchen. “Taking my break!”

A muffled response came back, and she joined him on the far side of the counter. “I’m all yours.”

Even though he knew the comment didn’t mean anything special, he liked the way that sounded. As they left the diner, Seth noticed how men’s heads turned when Lisa walked by. The attention didn’t seem to faze her, though. She was either oblivious to it or immune. Since her sparkle struck him as being completely natural, his guess was the latter.

“Don’t those garlands look nice?” she asked, pointing to workers suspended in two cherry pickers, stringing long boughs over Main Street. “They’re going to put lanterns in the upswing parts. That’ll be so pretty.”

“Yeah, this place really goes all out for the holidays. You don’t see that much anymore, with money being so tight.”

“People donate the funds to make it happen,” Lisa told him in a proud tone. “It’s important, so we make sure it gets done.”

“Gotta admire that.” As he pulled open the door of Harland Hardware, they were greeted by a unique version of “Carol of the Bells.”

“Are they banging on metal?” Lisa asked Gus, who was filling a rack with work gloves.

“Hammers on anvils,” he replied with a grin. “That’s the name of their band, too.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “Where do you find these albums?”

“Santa brings ’em.” Sliding the last pair of gloves in place, he asked, “What can I do for you two?”

Lisa didn’t answer, and Seth realized she was letting him take the lead. After months of enduring people’s well-intentioned coddling, he liked that she was allowing him to stand on his own. “Aunt Ruth wants some redecorating done in those apartments. Lisa’s here to make sure I don’t pick out anything stupid.”

Laughing, she patted his arm. “Why don’t you hang with Gus while I check out the new stock? When I find some things I think Ruthy will like, I’ll holler.”

“Works for me,” Seth agreed quickly.

After she’d gone, Gus gave Seth a knowing look. “That girl likes taking care of you, doesn’t she?”

Seth’s first impulse was to deny it, but after a second thought he had to admit Gus might be right. Because he didn’t want to consider it any further right now, he opted for an old military tactic. He turned the tables.

“Mind if I ask you something?” he asked as he followed Gus to the main counter.

“Sure. Might not get an answer, but fire away.”

“What’s going on with you and my aunt?”

Looking neither pleased nor angry, the old Marine studied him through narrowed eyes. “What makes you think there’s anything going on?”

Seth knew he’d hit the nail squarely on the head, but he shrugged to keep things casual. “You’re in the diner at least twice a day, and even if she’s up to her ears in orders she always takes your table herself.” Grinning, he added, “There’s a huge mug behind the counter with your name on it.”

“Those fancy teacups of hers are too small for me. I’m just saving her time by getting all my coffee at once.”

“Uh-huh.”

After a few seconds, Gus relented with a hearty laugh. “All right, you got me. I think the world of that woman, and she doesn’t seem to mind me too much, either. Happy now?”

“I would be if you’d do something about it.”

Seth knew he was pushing it, but his aunt had been a widow for more than twenty years. She never complained, but he hated thinking of her rattling around in her big, beautiful Victorian house all alone. He was pretty sure if his uncle Paul had the chance, he’d tell her the same thing.

“And what about you?” Gus challenged with a knowing look. “When are you gonna do something about Lisa Sawyer?”

Feeling as if he’d been ambushed, Seth tried to spit out the answer that should have come easily. He had no intention of doing anything about Lisa, but for some reason he couldn’t form the words. What was wrong with him, anyway?

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Grinning, Gus deftly changed the subject. “So what is it you two are looking for?”

“I’m not sure,” Seth replied with a grimace. “Aunt Ruth wants something called ‘feature walls’ in these rooms, and Lisa thought wallpaper would look nice. I’m no good with that fancy stuff, so she’s helping me out.”

Lisa shouted for Seth, and he grinned. “There’s my cue.”

As he strolled past the counter, Gus called after him, “I’ve got shower curtains and bathroom googaws back there, too. Be sure to check those out.”

In reply, Seth just groaned, and Gus’s laughter followed him back into the decorator section of the store.

* * *

By the time they were finished at the hardware store, the storm that had been predicted all week was picking up steam. Lisa decided it would be smart to collect the bistro chairs and take them inside before they ended up down the street. There were twenty of them clustered around five tables, and she was fighting the wind every step of the way.

Fortunately, Seth pitched in, lifting two of the wrought-iron tables as if they were made of paper. With his help, the job went much quicker. She was holding the door open for him when a gust of wind roared down the sidewalk with the force of a runaway eighteen-wheeler. Behind it came a chilling rain, and Lisa was grateful when Seth lined himself up to shield her from the water coming in sideways under the awnings. Signs creaked overhead, and the trees lining the sidewalk were bent almost double trying to absorb the wind.

“Wow, this is really something!” she yelled over the noise.

“Almost done.”

He sounded so calm, she glanced over at him. Despite the power of that swirling wind, he looked as though he was doing nothing tougher than wading through ankle-deep water at the beach. Light as she was, Lisa knew if he stepped aside, she’d be blown into the brick wall behind her.

Suddenly, there was a harsh crack as a streak of lightning touched down close by. The roar of thunder was immediate, and she found herself flattened against the wall she’d just been thinking about. She could feel Seth’s heart thumping a measured, reassuring beat against her cheek, even though her own was racing along in sheer panic. After a few seconds, he pulled away, and she saw someone she’d never met before.

Alert and rigid, his hands braced on either side of her, he looked ready for a fight. As if that wasn’t unsettling enough, his eyes had gone a breathtaking icy hue. As his expression mellowed, the color came back into them, and he looked her over with genuine concern. “Are you okay?”

“You mean other than the fact that you just scared me half to death?” More than a little rattled, she hoped she’d managed to sound more or less normal.

“Sorry. Reflex.”

Nobody she knew had reflexes like that. Quick and violent, they gave her a terrifying glimpse into his past. It was a view she’d rather not have gotten.

“What did you think was going to happen?” she asked.

Before he could answer, she heard the ominous groan of a tree and looked over to the town square. She watched in horror as an ancient oak the size of a tanker truck crashed through the roof of the oldest church in Harland. Whipping out her cell phone, she dialed 911 with one hand and dragged Seth along with the other.

“Pastor Charles’s car is in the parking lot,” she explained as they ran toward the little white church. “He’s probably in there.”

Before she even finished speaking, Seth broke into a full-on gallop, leaving her far behind. By the time Lisa shouted their location to the county emergency operator and got to the chapel, he was yanking boards away from the ruined doorway.

“He’s in there, all right,” Seth ground out between clenched teeth. “He heard me and called for help. Said the roof caved in on him and he can’t move.”

Sending up an urgent prayer for the pastor’s safety, Lisa helped Seth clear a space just wide enough for them to get through. When they had one, he turned to her and gripped her shoulders in his scratched, bleeding hands.

“Lisa, I want you to wait in the parking lot for the EMTs.”

“But—”

The look he gave her would have cowed the Devil himself, and for once in her life she went the meek route. Above their heads, one of the remaining roof trusses creaked and shifted, sending decades-old dust down on them.

“Be careful!” she cautioned as Seth slipped inside.

She peeked in behind him, watching him wade through pews and hymnals scattered everywhere, then duck under the enormous tree felled by the storm. Tossing aside beams as if they were Lincoln Logs, he made his way to the front of the church.

As the wind’s howling intensified, more debris rained down, and she lost sight of him. The idea of anything happening to this bewildering, courageous man terrified her more than anything had in her entire life.

“Seth?”

“Why are you still here?” he barked as the wail of a siren broke through the screeching wind.

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

He muttered a few things that should never be said inside the walls of a church, then she heard the word “woman” tacked on the end. She gathered he was referring to her, and not in a nice way.

“I’m fine,” he growled. “Go tell the EMTs to come in the back.”

This time, she did as he asked. Lisa scrambled away from the door just before the jamb splintered overhead.

“Please, God,” she murmured as she ran to meet the ambulance. “We could use Your help down here.”

* * *

Choking and squinting against the dust floating in the air, Seth pushed his way through the mess. Near the altar, he found an older man dressed in a gray suit pinned under a fallen rafter. Covered in splinters and dirt, somehow he managed to beam like the cherubs Seth had seen flying around the Sistine Chapel when he’d visited Rome years ago.

“Oh, praise the Lord! I wasn’t sure anyone would hear me over the storm.”

“Lisa Sawyer and I saw the roof go in,” Seth explained.

Despite his own predicament, the trapped man frowned in concern. “She’s not in here, too, is she?”

“No, she’s safe. The ambulance just pulled in, and she’s talking to the EMTs.” Falling back on relentless training that had become instinct, Seth quickly assessed the situation. Hunkering down beside the frightened pastor, he asked, “Can you move at all?”

“A little.”

Ideally, he’d have a couple of guys to help him shore up the pile so it wouldn’t shift uncontrollably and crush either of them. Unfortunately, ideal wasn’t the usual picture for him, so by necessity he’d gotten good at improvising.

Taking the handkerchief from his back pocket, he said, “This could get messy, and I don’t want you breathing in any more of it than you have to.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine. It might take a little doing, but I’m gonna lift this beam up. When you feel things loosen up under there, I want you to slide as far to your right as you can.”

Clearly fighting his fear, the pastor nodded, determination in his dark eyes. Seth tied the handkerchief into place for him and asked, “Are you ready, sir?”

“Ready.”

Seth yoked the beam on his shoulders and braced his legs for a test shove. The pile shifted but nothing big came crashing down, which told him the layers of debris were fairly well-balanced. Applying some more muscle, he managed to lever the beam up enough for the man to slide partway out from underneath.

“That’s good,” Seth told him as he carefully lowered the stack of splintered lumber. “Don’t move anymore till we can get a backboard.”

“I won’t.” He held absolutely still, which was a good sign. He was conscious and listening. Most people in this kind of situation wouldn’t be doing much of anything.

“You’re Ruthy’s nephew Seth, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“She goes on and on about you.” Sighing, he closed his eyes. “I see now she’s been holding out on us.”

What exactly had she told her friends? Seth wondered. Shaking off the uneasy feeling the question caused him, he focused on getting the pastor out of the church before the building caved in on them.

Now that their position was slightly less precarious, Seth decided to make some more space for the EMTs to move around in. Bracing his hands on the beam that held up one side of the pile, he drove in with every bit of his strength and shoved the stack away with a deafening clatter.