The Dad Next Door

She’d had empathy enough for the trees. Why not for her own daughters?

Frustrated to find himself dwelling on the past again, Gavin rapped on his neighbor’s door a little harder than he’d intended to.

Allison responded at once. She was shaking her hair out of a ponytail and he had an unanticipated visceral reaction as her shiny maple syrup-colored hair fell loose to frame her face.

He resisted the impulse to touch it. Instead, he held out the baking dish. “Thanks very much. The lasagna was great.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you liked it.”

He found it hard dealing with new people—people who didn’t know about the tragedy. His daughter’s death wasn’t the sort of background information you could casually insert into a conversation, like telling someone you were an architect.

“Nice place.” He glanced around, admiring everything he could see from the foyer. Warm colors, interesting artwork, an intriguing French country armoire.

Allison’s house wasn’t showroom perfect, like the rooms the designers at his old firm used to create. This simply felt like a home. He needed to fix up his new place like this. Yet he felt overwhelmed by all the work it would take to pull it off. “Did you use a decorator?”

“Didn’t need to. That’s what I do—I work out of my shop downtown. You may have noticed it. The Perfect Thing?”

He was impressed. “That’s yours? We walked by on Saturday when we were looking for a café. You’ve got lots of beautiful stuff.”

“Thank you. The shop used to be my grand-mother’s. When I was a kid, I would hang out with her on weekends. I thought I was a big help—at least my grandma made me feel as if I was.”

She smiled, obviously thinking of happy memories, and then she stuffed a folder of papers into a leather tote bag. He recognized them as architectural drawings of interiors. Noticing his curiosity, she explained, “These plans are for one of my clients. I forgot them this morning and we’re meeting at the store in fifteen minutes.”

This was a perfect opportunity to ask if she was accepting new clients. Maybe she could make Gavin’s house look as good as hers did.

But was it smart to hire his next-door neighbor? Especially when Gavin had already decided that he wanted to be friendly, but not too friendly?

His watch began to beep. Perfect timing. He pushed the button to silence the alarm. “I have to pick up my daughter from school.”

“And I have to get back to the store.”

He nodded. “Thanks again for the lasagna.”

Closing the door behind himself, he started off in such a hurry that he almost tripped over a loose board. He regained his balance, and then noticed a piece of creamy paper trapped under the board. It was a wedding invitation.

With Allison’s name front and center.

Gavin had a strange reaction to the news that she was getting married in four weeks. It was like…disappointment.

Which wasn’t especially rational, considering his lack of interest in the woman.

TORY SEEMED FINE when Gavin met her at the classroom door, but by the time they got home she was in tears.

“I don’t want to go back there.” She set her mouth in a pout that looked more sad than willful.

Tory wasn’t a child who cried a lot. Even as a baby she’d been content to let her twin sister make all their demands. It was always Samantha’s cry that signaled the need for a feeding, a diaper change or a desire to play or be cuddled.

“Don’t you like your teacher?” Ms. Carter had seemed cheerful and kind to Gavin.

Tory shrugged.

“Weren’t the other kids friendly?”

She shrugged again.

Gavin rubbed the stubble on the side of his face, feeling a little lost. Why was it so hard to communicate with his own child? Maybe if their home was a little more comfortable…

He looked around the maze of boxes for a place to sit. He could barely see the sofa, let alone relax on it. Tomorrow he really needed to make a bigger dent in the unpacking. In the meantime, he and Tory had to get out of here.

“Let’s go for a walk. We’ll head downtown and grab a bite to eat.”

Once they were outside, he tried to raise the subject of school again, but Tory was more interested in collecting rocks than in talking. They stopped at the drugstore to buy school supplies she needed, and then moved on to the Apple Pie Café.

Gavin made a halfhearted effort to let Tory choose from the menu, but when that didn’t work, he ordered burgers and shakes for both of them.

He waited until the server left to broach the topic one more time. “Tory, you want to learn to read and write, don’t you?”

She nodded.

“And you want to make friends, too. Right?”

She looked more uncertain about this.

“You do want to make friends,” he assured her. “That’s what Sam would want you to do.”

Tears filled Tory’s eyes again, and Gavin wondered if mentioning her sister had been the wrong thing to do.

The server returned with their food and Gavin opened Tory’s burger to take out the pickle. If Sam had been here, he’d have given her Tory’s pickle and his, too. But he shouldn’t think about that. Shouldn’t look at Tory and imagine another little girl sitting right beside her…

Double trouble. That’s what his brother Matthew had called them, though always with a smile. He’d been a rock of support to Gavin in those first years after Marianne had left, always finding time to call or visit despite the demands of his job and his own family.

Then, again, after Sam’s death, Matthew had been the one person who had really seemed to understand what he was going through. He’d leaned on Matt a lot. Too much, perhaps. It had never occurred to him that maybe his brother needed a little support, too.

But plowing through each day and helping Tory get through hers had been about all he could manage.

Gavin left the subject alone after that. He was glad to see that despite her unhappiness about school, there was nothing wrong with Tory’s appetite. The first while after Sam’s accident she hadn’t eaten much, and Gavin still felt she had some catching up to do.

After they’d finished their meal and settled the bill, they started for home. Tory paused at one of the store windows along the way.

It was Allison Bennett’s shop, The Perfect Thing.

The sofa in the display window invited customers to come inside and get comfortable. Blankets and pillows had been artfully arranged around a tray holding a pretty teapot and two china mugs.

As she’d done in her own home, in this window Allison had created a heartwarming sense of “home.” The exact kind of home he intended to design himself, now that he was starting his own business.

The exact kind of home he wanted to live in, as well.

“Can we go inside, Daddy?”

He was curious to see more, too.

A bell chimed as he opened the door. A well-dressed woman in her forties stood at a table in the back, flipping through a book of fabric samples. Though he couldn’t see Allison, he could hear her speaking. “I think I’ve got just the thing. Hang on a minute.”

Tory spotted a cabinet filled with miniature figurines of people, animals and birds. She squealed with pleasure. “Can I look, Daddy?”

He went to the cabinet with her, noting the ones she seemed to like the most. Her birthday was in October. The miniatures would make a terrific gift.

“These are more expensive,” Allison said, “but just feel them. Pure raw silk. Scrumptious.” She stepped into his line of vision as she set another heavy book of samples before her customer. “If you want to take these home to see them in your bedroom, you can sign them out.”

She glanced up and the moment she spotted him her spine stiffened and her cheeks turned pink.

He smiled. “My daughter is fascinated by your miniatures.”

“Is Tory here?” She went over to the cabinet. “Hi, Tory. Let me unlock this for you.”

Allison’s customer in the back decided she wanted to borrow both fabric books and so Allison left Tory with the figurines as she made a note of the woman’s name and the books she’d taken. When she came back to Tory, she removed a figurine of a woman in Victorian dress from the cabinet.

“This one’s my favorite. Isn’t she beautiful?”

Gavin left the two of them to talk and wandered farther into the shop, drawn by the unique merchandise and the clever displays. Every time he doubled back, he discovered something new.

Several things here would look great at home, he thought. That mirror. The blue-and-red rug. A leather ottoman. At least he thought they would look great. He didn’t entirely trust his own instincts on this. Though he had a good eye for design, soft furnishings had never held much interest for him.

As he browsed, he could hear the murmur of Allison and Tory’s conversation. He was astonished by how much his daughter had to say. She’d barely looked at Allison when they’d met on moving day, and it usually took her a long time to warm up to strangers.

Finally, he had to interrupt. “We should be getting home, Tory.” Allison looked up at him. She had cat’s eyes, green and curious. “I hope we didn’t take up too much of your time.”

“Absolutely not. It’s been fun.” Allison locked the cabinet with an old-fashioned brass key. He focused on her hands, small and delicate, with long fingers and nicely kept nails. The real kind, not the shiny fake ones with white tips that the women in his office back in Hartford had favored.

Tory said goodbye and thanks, without any prompting from her father. It was only as they were walking along the sidewalk toward home that one little detail struck him.

Allison hadn’t been wearing an engagement ring.

CHAPTER THREE

THE WEEK FELT LONG to Allison. She thought about her new neighbors often, but she hadn’t seen them since their impromptu visit to her shop on Monday. Twice, she had had dinner with her father, and then she spent a couple of evenings sorting out her fall inventory, and finally it was Friday.

She closed her shop at six o’clock sharp. It had been a slow day, and she told herself to be thankful for that. In a couple of weeks, when the leaves started changing, tourists would flock to the area and she’d be busy enough. Just as she was about to head for home, her friend Sandy called.

“So, how are things going?”

Allison knew that Sandy meant well, but the sympathy in her tone was annoying. She purposefully made her voice upbeat and happy. “Fine. Everything’s great.”

“Got plans for tonight?”

Though she’d been looking forward to her evening alone, Allison hated to admit it. “No.”

“I could arrange a last-minute potluck at our place. Daniel has this friend I’ve been wanting to introduce to you.”

“Friend?”

“A guy, actually. Barry. He just split with his wife and…”

“No, thanks.” The matchmaking had begun. Allison had known it would be only a matter of time. “I’m not ready to start meeting new guys.”

“Are you sure?”

There was something in Sandy’s voice that hinted at facts that remained unspoken. “Why?”

“Tyler’s already met someone. They’re going out tonight. Gosh, Allison, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you.”

“It’s okay. Really.” And it was. “I hope he has a good time.”

“You could come for dinner, anyway. I don’t have to invite Barry.”

“Thanks, Sandy, but it’s been a busy week at work.” Sort of. “And I have a lot of catching up to do at home.”

Once Sandy had accepted that she really was okay, that she wouldn’t be going home and crying her eyes out, Allison was able to leave the shop.

She wasn’t sure why she’d declined the invitation, when actually she was ready to start dating. It was just that the guy had to be someone special. He had to be…

“Oh, sorry!” As she rounded the corner to Robin Crescent, she almost tripped over Tory on her tricycle. Her father, hovering a foot or two behind her, apologized on his daughter’s behalf.

“We shouldn’t have been going so fast.”

“You weren’t,” she assured him. “It was the hedge. It blocked my view.”

He’d put a hand on Tory’s handlebars and now he steered her to the far side of the walk. He was a protective dad, Gavin Gray.

Also…kind of sexy.

He was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt that showed off nice broad shoulders and a flat stomach. And why was she noticing?

She transferred her attention to his smiling daughter. Since showing her the miniatures, the little girl had warmed up considerably.

“Hi, Tory. It’s a great night for a bike ride. Having fun?”

“Yes.”

“How was the first week of school?” She knew she’d asked the wrong question when Tory’s smile faded instantly.

“It takes a while to get used to a new place and new people,” Gavin said diplomatically. “But we should let Allison go on her way, Tory. I’m sure she has things she needs to be doing.”

Allison had no things that needed doing, but she didn’t correct him. Every time she met him, Gavin seemed determined to keep their relationship pleasant but distant. She could have accepted that, but there were also times when she thought she read something else in his eyes.

Interest. Attraction.

Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?

She said goodbye and went home to leftovers from her most recent dinner with her father. Less than an hour later, as she was contemplating her television options for the evening, she heard a knock at the door.

She was surprised to find Tory on her porch.

“Hi.” The little girl’s expression was expectant.

“Hi, Tory. Where’s your dad?”

“Talking on the phone.” Tory looked past her. “Do you have any of those toys you had at the store?”

“I do have a cool collection of salt and pepper shakers, but I’d better talk to your father first. Does he know where you are?”

She’d only just asked the question when she heard Gavin’s voice calling from next door. “Tory? Are you out here?”

Allison stepped out to the porch and waved at him. “She’s at my place.”

“Thank God.” He dashed over, shaking his head. “Tory, what are you doing? You’re not supposed to leave the house without telling me.”

“I didn’t cross the street, Daddy.”

He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. A fine sheen of moisture was visible on his forehead. Allison wouldn’t have blamed him for being upset, but he seemed more than that.

He took another breath. “Sorry for the interruption, Allison. Tory, we’d better go home and review a few rules before we watch our movie.”

“But Allison has something to show me.”

“Allison’s busy.”

Seeing the little girl’s face begin to crumple, Allison felt that she had to speak up. “She could stay for a while, if that’s okay with you.”

“But I’m sure you and your fiancé have plans.”

His assumption startled her. “Did someone tell you I was engaged?”

“I saw a wedding invitation on your porch. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read it.”

“No problem. But actually my fiancé and I recently split up. The invitations were delivered because I forgot to cancel with the printer.”

“Oh.” He looked at her speculatively, before assuming a polite, neutral expression again. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Tired of sympathy, she purposefully misunderstood him. “It wasn’t a large order. We had planned on a small wedding.”

“I didn’t mean about the printer.” His eyes sparkled, amused.

“The broken engagement part is okay, too. Better to figure it out now than later.”

“If it didn’t feel right, then, yes.”

She paused, wondering what his story was. She’d assumed he was divorced, but she’d seen no indication that he shared custody with Tory’s mother.

So maybe he was widowed.

“Can I see the toys now?” Tory was tired of a conversation that she couldn’t really follow.

“Tory, we’re interrupting….”

“I was going to show her my collection of salt and pepper shakers. They’re based on characters from nursery rhymes. I thought she’d get a kick out of them.”

“I’m sure she would, but…”

“And then I thought we’d bake cookies,” Allison added on impulse.

Tory’s eyes grew round.

“Maybe another night.” Gavin took his daughter’s hand, but she didn’t move when he tried to lead her away.

“Daddy, please?”

How could he resist that face? Allison certainly couldn’t. “Really, Gavin, I’d love to have her company.”

He must have seen that she was sincere, because a moment later he relented. “Fine.”

Tory produced a brilliant smile.

“See that cupboard?” Allison pointed to the hutch in the dining room. “That’s where I keep the salt and pepper shakers. Try and guess which nursery rhymes they match.”

“Okay!” Tory dashed off and a moment later she called out, “I see Jack and Jill. And Puss in Boots.”

“Good work, Tory. I’ll be there in a minute to get them down for you.” She smiled at Gavin. “Don’t worry. We’re going to have fun.”

She could tell it took some effort for him to leave alone. Recalling his earlier anxiety, Allison wondered if there was a reason he was so protective.

Did it have anything to do with the missing mother?

Allison set aside her curiosity and resolved to have a good time with Tory. She let the child play with the salt and pepper shakers for a while and when she’d tired of that, they went to the kitchen to mix cookie dough.

“What kind should we make?” Allison asked.

Tory shook her head. “You pick.”

“Oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip?”

“I don’t care.”

Assuming she was just being polite, Allison made the most obvious choice. “Well, let’s do chocolate chip, then.”

She was rewarded with another big smile.

THE HOUSE FELT EMPTY without his daughter. Gavin knew he ought to take advantage of the time to do some unpacking. He got as far as setting out the lawn chairs on the deck. The view was so enticing, he settled on one of them.

A couple of ducks were feeding in the grass along the lakeshore. The sinking sun cast long shadows over the water. Gavin stared into the dark patches and thought of the days when sitting and doing nothing would have horrified him. He wondered if he’d ever get his old energy back.

Time passed the way it usually did when he was in one of these moods, with his brain stuck in neutral, just like his body.

Life was less painful this way.

At some point, the phone began to ring. He wanted to ignore it, but knowing it might be Tory, he hurried inside.

The number on display was a familiar legal firm in Hartford. “Matt?”

“Hey, bro. How’s the new place?”

Gavin perched on one of his many moving cartons. “Fine. How are things with you?”

“Don’t ask.”

“It’s kind of late to be at the office, isn’t it?”

His brother sighed. “Like I said, don’t ask.”

“Is it a new case?”

Matthew didn’t reply.

Just screw it for once, Gavin wanted to say. No matter how important work seems to you right now, your family is more important. Go home. Be with them.

“Say hi to Gillian and the kids for me. Tory and I miss you guys.” That was the one bad thing about this move. They were too far away from his brothers and his mom. He and his siblings didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but ever since they’d been kids, Sunday afternoons had been family time. “Have you heard from Nick lately?”

“Not for a while.”

Gavin could guess why. “Must be a new girlfriend in the picture.”

“It’s hard to keep track,” Matthew agreed. “You give Tory a hug from us. Is she really handling the move okay?”

“It’s been an adjustment,” Gavin admitted. “But she’s taken to one of our neighbors. When Tory’s around Allison, she’s almost like herself again.”

“That’s great. Are they in the same grade?”

“Um, no. Allison’s an adult.”

“An adult, huh? Older?”

“A few years younger than me, I’d guess.”

“And pretty? Unattached?”

It was his turn to say, “Don’t ask.”

Matthew laughed. “Okay, I won’t. But I have a feeling I’ll be hearing that name again soon.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Remembering Allison’s warm smile and her curious green eyes, Gavin thought maybe it was advice he should be giving himself.

TORY HAD NEVER MADE COOKIES before, and she was eager to help. As Allison slid the first batch into the oven, the young girl settled on a stool so she could keep an eye on them through the oven door.

“This is fun.”

Allison opened the dishwasher and loaded the dirty dishes. “What’s your favorite part?”

“Adding the chocolate chips.”

“I thought you were going to say licking the beaters.”

“That was good, too.”

She was so easy to please. Allison grinned, thinking she hadn’t enjoyed herself this much on a Friday night in ages. And that included when things had been going well between her and Tyler.

Seven minutes later, the timer rang and Allison pulled out the first tray of cookies. She put two on a plate for Tory and poured her a glass of milk.

“Allison?” Tory’s mouth was smeared with chocolate. “Do you have a sister?”

“No. I’m an only child like you.” Allison could tell right away that she’d said something wrong. “What is it, Tory? Have I made you sad?”

“I had a sister.”

Had. The word hit her like a solid punch. She tried to catch her breath. “Did you?”

“Sam was supposed to hold Daddy’s hand like me, but she ran away. She wanted to pet the dog. But she didn’t see the motorcycle.”

Allison froze. It sounded as if Tory’s sister had been in an accident, and she was terrified of saying the wrong thing. No wonder Gavin had freaked out when Tory disappeared. The poor man.

“I’m so sorry.” She stroked Tory’s shoulder. Her impulse was to change the subject, but Tory must be talking about this because she wanted to. Maybe she even needed to. “How old was your sister?”

“Same as me.”

“You were twins? Oh, honey. You must miss your sister so much.”

“Sam liked cookies. She liked chocolate chips the best.”

Allison drew in a shaky breath. This was okay. Tory wasn’t falling apart. She couldn’t, either. “What do you like the best?”

Before the little girl could answer, the doorbell rang.

“That’s prob’ly my dad.” The smile on Tory’s face said everything about her feelings for her father. She slid off the stool and ran for the front door.

Allison waited in the kitchen. She felt awkward facing Gavin after Tory’s revelations. No wonder he looked so tired and sad all the time. What did you say to someone who had lost a child? What could you possibly say?

CHAPTER FOUR

AS SOON AS HE SAW his daughter, Gavin felt better. Tory’s mouth and hands were smeared with chocolate. She actually looked happy. “We made chocolate chips, Daddy.”

“Is that why it smells so great in here?”

“Sorry I couldn’t get to the door,” Allison called from the back of the house. “Come on through to the kitchen.”

He swung Tory up onto his shoulders, then followed the sound of Allison’s voice. Her house was a lot smaller than his and it only took a few steps to arrive in the kitchen, where Allison was removing a tray from the oven. She slid the hot cookies onto wire racks, then nodded toward a previous batch.

“Help yourself.”

She glanced at him for only an instant, but it was long enough for him to realize that somehow she knew about Samantha. He’d seen that look, a mixture of kindness and sorrow and discomfort, too often not to recognize it. Tory must have said something.

He took her up on the offer of a cookie, but didn’t taste a thing as he bit into it. Hoping to distract himself, he checked out the room.

It was decorated in French country style. The focal point was an amazing copper hood over a stove that looked as if it belonged to another era. The counters were butcher block and a beautiful cream farmhouse sink was inlaid into the surface.