Her Fresh Start Family

Bret’s protective instincts kicked in. “Alan, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. It’s her first day, and she seemed really nervous. Give her some time to settle in before you go throwing your charm around.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. But be sure and invite her to the monthly birthday party tomorrow. Then we can all meet her and welcome her into the family.”

“I will, but I don’t think she’s the sociable type. She might not want to be buddies with the other business owners.” The idea saddened him. Kitty had spent much of her free time visiting the other tenants. He had a feeling Nina was more comfortable by herself. Getting her to join the fun would be a tough job. A surge of determination grew in his mind. He wanted her to be part of the group, and he wouldn’t stop until he knew her story and had her firmly integrated into their family. He’d been the outsider once, and the people here had given him back the sense of belonging he’d lost when his wife walked out.

Alan leaned forward with a grin. “So, do I detect some interest on your part? Did the lady capture your attention?”

Bret shook his head and turned his focus to the computer screen. “I have no desire to get involved with anyone.” But he couldn’t deny that something about the new therapist intrigued him. Those big blue eyes in the pretty oval face had lodged in his mind, and the sweet, flowery scent she wore still lingered in his nostrils, though it was at odds with her closed-off attitude.

“I promised Kitty I’d look after her and help her get adjusted. That’s all.” Strictly for the sake of her patients, of course, and Kitty’s reputation. He had a sudden desire to see the lady with her hair down. Literally and figuratively.

“Dude, you need to get your nose out of this job and start noticing women again.”

“You’re the ladies’ man around here. Not me. My two little girls are the only women I need in my life.”

“Bret, old buddy, I’ve known you since we were on the football team in high school, and I know you’re a family man to the core. You don’t do well single. You’re happiest when you’re part of a couple. Married.”

Bret punched the enter key on his laptop with more force than necessary. His friend was right, but he wasn’t going to risk his heart again, or those of his little girls. “I tried that, remember? I failed miserably. Dad and I are doing okay raising the girls.”

Alan exhaled an exasperated breath. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation.

“Don’t you think you deserve another chance? Maybe, with the right woman, things would be different.”

“And maybe they wouldn’t. It wasn’t the woman. It was me.”

“Not true. One of these days, you’re going to have to let go of those black bags of guilt you’re still carrying around over that thing in Afghanistan and your wife and allow yourself to be happy again. Lay it at the cross, man. Lay it at the cross. I gotta go. I got to see a man about a donation.”

Alan’s uninhibited personality was a huge asset to Phase II. He had a way of loosening purse strings and opening wallets and getting donations that kept the business afloat. “Hope it’s a big one.” While they charged for many of their services, the donations allowed them to keep the cost of classes and training manageable for the veterans who were on tight budgets. Their main goal was to acquire a government contract that would cover expenses on a permanent basis. So far, no luck in that department, but he felt sure Alan’s bulldog determination and his attention to detail would get them a contract this time around. “How’s it going on that contract application?”

“Good, but I want to make sure I cross every T and dot every I before I submit it. How about you? How’s the Military Appreciation Day event coming along?”

“I have a chamber-of-commerce meeting tomorrow. I’m not hopeful of them planning anything different this year.”

“You mean, other than throwing up a few tents and handing out flyers? That didn’t generate much interest last year. We need publicity. Radio, TV, word of mouth. And we need to make it a fun family day.”

“I agree. Now we just need to convince the members to let go of some money to make it happen.”

Bret was relieved when Alan left the office. His friend meant well, but he didn’t fully understand the heavy burden he carried deep inside. He’d tried to reconcile his failures in his mission and his marriage, but nothing had eased his guilt in the last three years, and he doubted anything ever would. All he could do was try to make up for it with his company, help as many veterans as possible and take care of his girls.

No time to think of that now. He had a class to prepare for. Six vets had signed up for computer classes this afternoon, and he hadn’t even prepared the classroom.

He stood up and walked through the office, his gaze darting to the front door and the office across the hall. How was Nina getting along? Hopefully her secretary, Dottie, would ease her transition. Something told him that Nina had more than just nerves over a new position to contend with. He had a gut feeling that her issues ran as deep as his.

* * *

Nina leaned back in her chair—Kathryn’s chair—and closed her eyes. Most of her earlier anxiety had faded in the soothing privacy of the office. She discovered a pod coffee maker and made herself a cup. The flavored brew settled her nerves. All she needed now was a cup of confidence to go along with it. Her landlord had more than his share of confidence. Normally, that would be an indication that a person was well-adjusted, but he’d overdone the welcome, as far as she was concerned. It probably had something to do with his good looks. He knew he was handsome and behaved accordingly.

She had to admit he had a nice smile and warm, friendly eyes. His close-cropped dark brown hair was long enough to hint at a tendency to wave and gave him a boyish quality.

What was she doing? She set her cup down and shoved her thoughts of Bret Sinclair aside. She had no time to think about anything but her reason for being here. Her goal was to come to the office, meet with her patients, help them in any way she could and keep them on track until Kathryn and her family returned home. When she wasn’t at the office, she would keep to herself. Alone. Quiet. Avoiding the past.

Carrying her cup out to the reception area, she peeked out into the corridor separating the various offices. Sinclair had said there were seven businesses in the building, and he’d seemed eager to introduce her to the owners. She’d have to make sure she was too busy to get involved.

Movement across the hall caught her attention. The offices of Phase II took up the whole west side of the second level. Wide windows on either side of the main entry afforded a clear view of the reception area. A young woman sat at the desk, while people moved back and forth, some in military uniforms. Would they be coming and going all day? The thought twisted a small spot under her breastbone. She wouldn’t think about that.

Bret suddenly came into sight and spoke with the woman at the desk. Nina froze. Then, as if sensing her staring, he rotated and looked directly at her. He smiled, sending a slow, warm wave of awareness through her body. She told herself it was embarrassment at being caught snooping, but she knew it was more than that. The warmth in his green eyes could be felt through the glass. She gave a slight nod and hurriedly turned away.

She didn’t want to give the man any ideas. As she started back to her desk, she heard the office door swish open. Was he coming to talk to her again? Quickly, she formed a plausible excuse to turn him away, but when she looked over her shoulder, it wasn’t Bret, but a middle-aged woman with a bright smile, perfectly coiffed light brown hair and glasses on a chain hanging around her neck.

“Hello, there. I’m Dottie Patterson. Welcome to Hastings. I’m so excited to have you here. Kitty thinks the world of you.”

The woman’s sincere greeting and easy manner instantly calmed Nina’s nerves. “Glad to meet you, Dottie. Kathryn told me you had the answers for all my questions.”

“Ha. Sounds like her.” Dottie piled her purse and several bags onto the desktop. “No. I only have a few answers, but I do know where all the bodies are buried.” She waved her hand. “Just joking. I will help you with everything I can. I’m familiar with her schedule and most of her patients, though of course, not their issues. But I know enough to detect when they really need to see her, or when they just need a kind word.”

The idea of having a filter between herself and her patients was reassuring. “You must have worked for her a long time?”

“Since her boys were babies. Course, I only work three days a week now. Monday through Wednesdays, till noon. Hubby is retired, and I want to spend as much time together as we can.”

“Kathryn doesn’t have a full load of patients?”

“She used to, but a year ago, she decided she needed to spend more time with her family, so she started pulling back. Now she sees patients early in the week. Thursday is for emergencies or new patients, and Friday, she plays hooky.”

“Sounds like a nice job, but I prefer to be busy. I don’t do well with time on my hands.”

“I hope you don’t go stir crazy here, then. We aren’t very busy. Kitty has transferred her most serious patients to other qualified doctors. You’ll be working mainly with the run-of-the-mill neurosis and phobias.”

“I wasn’t aware there were any of those.”

Dottie chuckled. “Sorry. You know what I mean. At any rate, I’ll help you all I can, and of course, you’re welcome to take on any new patients if you like. In your spare time, you can discover Hastings. It’s a very historic town. We have dozens of antebellum homes, a cemetery dating back to the settling of the area and several notable museums.”

Dottie turned on the computer, and then she planted her hands on her hips. “Did you read the letter Kitty left?”

“Yes. It all seemed pretty simple.”

“Good. The only really important item is the Widow’s Walk Club. That’s every Tuesday night at 6:30.”

Nina’s palms began to sweat at the thought of the one thing she wished she could avoid. “I’m afraid I haven’t had much experience in group therapy. I’m more comfortable with one-on-one sessions.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. These ladies have been in the group for years now. They’ve been through it all together. All you have to do is listen and make sure they’re being honest with themselves.”

“Any chance we could suspend the group until Kathryn returns?”

Dottie raised her head and frowned. “Goodness, no. Those women depend on that weekly meeting. For a couple of them, it’s all that’s keeping them grounded.”

Dottie must have seen her alarm. She came and gave her shoulders a warm squeeze. “Don’t worry. The women are all sweet as pie, and they’ll bring you up to speed. They are looking forward to meeting you. Now, let’s get you settled in.”

The next few hours were spent going over everything with Dottie. They sorted the patient files to coordinate with each appointment so Nina could read them before they met. The only bump in the road was the patient scheduled for this afternoon. Dottie had tried to reschedule but was unable. Nina wasn’t prepared to counsel someone this soon, but she had no choice. She’d come here to shake herself out of her apathetic state, so jumping in with both feet might be a good thing.

Thankfully the patient called and canceled at the last minute. All she wanted to do now was get to her hotel, take a long bath and study the files for tomorrow. She had five appointments during the day, and the Widow’s Walk group in the evening. It was going to be a long day.

After placing a call for a cab, Nina gathered her belongings and headed downstairs. She stepped out the front door of the building and into the heat. It must be eighty-five degrees, much too hot for a wool suit. Maybe she’d shed the jacket tomorrow. Mid-April in Chicago was still cold, damp and sometimes snowy. Here in Southern Mississippi, the sun shone, and the flowers were blooming. It was a nice surprise, but she prayed there wouldn’t be too many more. She liked things predictable, controlled. Her first day had been anything but.

Glancing at her watch, and then up the street, she willed the cab to arrive. She was tired, cranky and hot, and all she wanted to do was get to her hotel room and shut out the world and everyone in it.

Bret Sinclair’s grin flashed through her mind. He was someone she definitely wanted to block out.

The only way she could survive these next few months was to keep to herself. She couldn’t risk getting emotionally involved again, because risking another loss of someone she loved would kill her.

It almost had the first time.

Chapter Two

Bret finished straightening his desk, closed his laptop and prepared to leave for the day. As he pushed his chair under his desk, he glanced out the window and caught sight of someone below standing on the front sidewalk. Nina. He peered closer. She had her hands full of her briefcase and satchel again, and that monster purse she carried. What was she doing standing in the hot sun?

She was still there when he exited the front door. He glanced around but didn’t see a car or taxi anywhere.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

She jerked and emitted a soft gasp. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people.”

“Didn’t mean to. So, how did the first day go?”

“Fine, but I’ve got a lot of homework to do before I see my first patient tomorrow.” Nina checked her watch again.

“I noticed you’d been standing here awhile. I got concerned. What are you doing?”

“Waiting for my cab.”

Bret tugged on his earlobe. “Then you may have a long wait. Taxis here are not very reliable.”

“The dispatcher said the cab would be here in five minutes.”

“And how long ago was that?”

Nina hesitated a moment before responding. “Twenty minutes.”

“No surprise there. You’ll probably have to rent a car if you want to get around.”

“That’s not an option. I don’t drive.”

“At all?” His eyes widened, and a frown creased his forehead.

“No.”

“Well, how did you manage to get around in Chicago?”

“Public transportation, cabs, the EL.” She looked up and down the street. “I assumed I could hire a cab here. I didn’t have any trouble this morning.”

“You were fortunate. Don’t expect that kind of service every time you call them. They’re okay if you don’t have to be someplace on time. There’s only one taxi company in Hastings, and they’re spread pretty thin. They do the best they can.”

She shifted her case from one hand to the other. He could clearly see the fatigue etched in the pinched corners of her mouth and furrowed brow. In the heavy suit and jacket, she had to be melting in the heat.

“You can’t stand out here forever. Why don’t I drop you off. Where are you staying?”

She hesitated, glancing once more at her watch, clearly reluctant to accept his offer. The heat must have forced her to decide. “The Emerald Hotel, downtown Hastings.”

It was the most expensive hotel in the city. Didn’t she realize there were several other more reasonably priced places across town? He reached out and took the briefcase from her hand. “That’s on my way home. My car’s out back.” He gestured toward the walk along the side of the building.

“All right. Thank you.”

He opened the door of his dark SUV and tossed a pink jacket into the back seat so she could sit down in the front. Safely buckled in, he started the engine and upped the fan speed on the AC. He stifled a grin when she sighed and unbuttoned her jacket to allow the cool air to wash over her. Adjusting to the heat in the Deep South took a lot of folks by surprise. He drove in silence along the Campbell highway, getting caught by every traffic light. When he turned off onto Franklin Street, he couldn’t stand the quiet ant longer. “Kitty said you’ll be here for three months, while they’re overseas.”

“Yes.”

“I guess moving to Mississippi from the Windy City is a bit of a culture shock.”

“I have to admit, I wasn’t prepared. Kathryn said this was a thriving city. I’d expected it to be much bigger.”

“It’s actually not that small. We have a university, a new mall, and several national companies have made Hastings their home base. But no, we can’t compete with Chicago in size, but we’re growing.”

“I’m sorry. That sounded rude. I’m just tired.”

“I understand. Mississippi gets a bad rap most of the time. Give us a chance.”

He pulled up at the curb in front of the hotel, and she opened the door the moment he came to a stop. He wasn’t sure whether to be offended or take her at her word that she was tired and eager to relax.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome. What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow morning?”

Her blue eyes widened. “Oh, I couldn’t impose. I’ll call the cab company sooner.”

“You might still be late to work. Easier if I come and get you. What time do you usually start your day?”

“Eight thirty.”

“Perfect. I usually arrive then, too. See you tomorrow. About eight fifteen.”

Bret watched Nina until she disappeared through the elegant front door of the old hotel. She really didn’t like taking help from him, and he couldn’t help but wonder why. Some of her aloof attitude might be explained by being a Yankee. But he had a feeling there was more behind her standoffish personality. Something more serious than a change in regions.

If she allowed him to be her chauffeur, he might be able to figure her out and help her adjust. He also had a feeling she needed a friend.

As he entered his 1940s-Craftsman house, a short while later, he inhaled the aroma of something delicious that made his stomach growl. He found his dad standing at the stove.

His father glanced over his shoulder and scowled.

“You’re late.”

Bret was in no mood to do battle with his dad tonight. “A friend needed a ride home from work. It was on the way, so...”

“Where to? Timbuktu?”

“The Emerald, downtown.”

His dad scowled deeper. “That’s not on your way home.”

“It was today. What’s for supper?”

“Roast beef and noodles, and you almost missed it.”

“Where are my girls?”

“In the playhouse. Call them in. It’s time to eat.”

Bret headed toward the back door. He was thankful every day that his father was helping him raise his little girls, but there were things he and his dad didn’t see eye to eye on. Bret walked to the edge of the deck and stood straight as an arrow. “Hear ye. Hear ye. Are there any princesses on the premises?”

Squeals and giggles greeted him as two little brown-haired girls dashed from the pink-and-white playhouse toward him. At five and eight years old, they were growing up too fast for his liking. He knelt down just in time to grab them both in a big bear hug.

“We’re so glad you’re home.” Olivia smiled and patted his shoulder.

“I love it when you come home, Daddy.” Five-year-old Georgiana buried her head in the crook of his neck.

“I love coming home to my girls. Gramps has supper ready. Go get cleaned up so we can eat. And use soap.”

Bret’s eyes grew moist as he watched his daughters go inside. He loved them more than he could bear, and he wanted so much for both of them. He would do anything for them. But his failure as a husband had caused Sylvia to walk out on the three of them, leaving his children without a mother to love and nurture them as they grew. He’d tried his best to make up for the vacancy in the girls’ lives, but there was only so much a father could do.

He shook off the gloomy thoughts. He’d learned it didn’t do any good and only made him feel worse. Instead, he focused on the girls’ sweet faces and their happy smiles. It always lifted his spirits. After all, Livvy and Georgie were all that mattered to him.

The evening meal passed with the usual chatter from the girls, a spilled glass of milk and a round of the old “she started it, no she did” game.

Bret stacked the dishes beside the sink, as his father scraped them off and loaded them into the dishwasher.

“So, who was this friend you took home?”

“She’s the therapist filling in for Kitty.”

“Single?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, find out. Is she old, young, homely, what?”

Bret fought to curb his irritation. His dad was convinced that, if his son would just try marriage again, it would all work out. He’d never liked Sylvia. Always claimed she wasn’t honest, and wasn’t as committed to the marriage as he was. Bret spent a lot of his marriage overseas, serving in the army, and he always thought his dad was being his usual critical self. When he came home, things seemed fine to him. Until his last tour of duty.

He’d royally screwed up his mission assignment. He’d allowed the soldier he was sworn to protect with his life die. He’d barely had time to adjust to that debacle, when Sylvia had walked out, leaving the girls with his dad.

With his enlistment almost up, he’d taken an early discharge and gone home. But it was too late to save his marriage. He’d sold his house, moved in with his dad and put all his assets into purchasing the building and starting Phase II. He devoted his life now to helping veterans and being the best dad possible for his girls.

“Dad, I’m not looking for any relationship. When would I have the time?” With two massive failures in responsibility, he wasn’t looking for a chance to mess up again.

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“You do enough as it is.”

“I’d do more if it meant you were happy and settled again. With the right woman this time.”

“There’s no way to know if she’s right or not.” He’d loved Sylvia. He’d believed their marriage was good.

“I’ll know. I picked your mother, didn’t I? I’d find a good woman for you, too, if you’d cooperate.”

His dad meant well, but he didn’t understand the thin veneer of emotional scar tissue that could be easily opened, allowing the old pain and guilt to seep through his whole being. “Right now I need to get two little girls to cooperate and get to bed.”

Bedtime was always hectic, but he wouldn’t trade it for peace and quiet. The little smiles, the hugs, the giggles, even the arguments, made him feel alive and filled him with hope. He prayed every day that the Lord would take up any slack left by his ineptitude. He was trusting the Almighty completely.

Bret closed the door to the girls’ room, pausing a moment to snag one last glance at the precious, beautiful treasures. Oh, how he longed to protect them from the bumps and bruises of life. He’d had a similar feeling when he’d first met Nina. He had the overpowering sense that she needed protecting, despite her independent facade.

She was a puzzle, and he wanted to put all her pieces together to find out who she really was. This was the first time in years that he’d been drawn to a woman. Better not let his dad know he was interested. Besides, Bret knew he’d picked poorly the first time, and he’d likely repeat that mistake. In fact, he was. The first woman he’d noticed in years and she wasn’t the warm and motherly type, but cool, distant and aloof. He really knew how to pick them.

No. He’d keep his interest in Nina as simply that. Interest. Thankfully, she was only going to be here a short while, and then she’d return to Yankee Land and all would be well. So why was he looking forward to seeing her again in the morning?

He was an idiot.

* * *

Safe in her hotel room, Nina soaked in a hot tub until the water cooled. Then she slipped into lounge pants and an oversize shirt, before ordering room service. She settled down with the files she’d brought home, but concentrating was difficult. Coming here was the biggest mistake of her life. Today had made that perfectly clear. She didn’t belong here. She’d had visions of slipping quietly into Kathryn’s job, reacquainting herself with counseling private patients and passing the days until her friend returned.