Close To Home (Westen Series) (13 page)

The whirring of the table saw filled the room from outside where Emma busily cut more of the vertical spacers for the wall’s frame. He shook his head. The woman took to a saw like a duck to water.

Taking a break from his framing, he shoved his hands in his jeans’ pockets and watched the other two members of his crew hard at work. Ben had the small hand broom and was sweeping the sawdust near the sawhorse into a dustpan. Clint had discovered the little boy loved to saw things in two, so he’d put him on cleanup as a way to earn his right to
help
him cut the two-by-fours for the framework.

Across the room Brian, who loved to sort through the tools, screws and nails, was busy picking up all the screws, nuts and bolts Clint had
accidentally
spilled.

If his brothers saw him now, making work for the two boys to keep them out of trouble, they’d accuse him of taking lessons from Uncle Ray. That old man always managed to have some project he needed their help with when they came to visit. For some reason, it took the exact length of their vacation to complete. Clint’s smile widened into a grin. Of course, he, Seth and Wade all managed to get into some sort of mischief anyway, despite the organized work schedule.

“Hey, Doc Clint, why you smiling at me?” Brian asked as he looked up from the jars he’d sorted the metal pieces into.

“Just remembering when I used to help Doc Ray build things.”

The younger brother cocked his head sideways to stare at him. “Doc Ray built things? He just fixes people.”

Clint motioned to the bag of penny nails. “Bring me a handful of those nails and I’ll tell you all about the things my brothers and I helped him build.”

“Me, too!” Ben dropped his broom and raced to slide in beside Clint. Harriett’s words rang in Clint’s ears.
What one does, the other does, too.

Both boys sat cross-legged, while Clint knelt down to place another two-by-four into the wall’s frame. “When I was a little older than you guys, Uncle Ray decided it was time for me and my brothers to learn how to handle a hammer and some nails.”

“Why?” Ben asked.

“Well, to be sure we wouldn’t hurt ourselves,” Clint hammered one of the penny nails into the wood. “And he also wanted to teach us that all our time shouldn’t just be in playing.”

“Why not?” Brian asked. “Playing is fun.”

Clint winked at Brian. “Playing is fun, but as we grow up it’s nice to have fun working, too.”

“Like when we work with you and Mommy?” Ben added.

“That’s right.” Clint pounded several more nails into place. “And Uncle Ray said he had to teach us things, since our dad couldn’t.”

“Why couldn’t he?” It was Brian’s turn to ask.

Clint inhaled then forced the air through pursed lips in frustration. Their minds always seemed two questions ahead of his answers. “My dad died in a car accident when I was seven.”

“Did you like having a dad?” Ben asked.

“Yes, I remember laughing and playing with him. I was very sad when he died.”

“Did you want another dad?”

Clint looked at the boys, who were studying him with serious expressions. “I wanted one for a long time. But my mom never found anyone she wanted to marry until I was grown up. Uncle Ray filled in for me when I wanted a man to talk to about things.”

“Did you miss your dad?” Ben asked.

“I missed him a lot when he first died.”

“We miss our grandpa,” Ben announced.

Brian nodded his head. “He died too.”

“What do you miss about your grandpa?”

“He took us fishing.” Brian played with the laces of his tennis shoes.

“And he taught us how to swing baseball bats.” Ben watched him intently. “We was hopin’ Doc Ray’d be our new Grandpa...”

“...but he went ’round the world. So, now we gots ta...”

“...find a dad.”

Whoa. That came out of the blue.
A little understanding registered with Clint. “Sometimes just having a dad isn’t the most important thing in the world. It’s more important that you have a parent who loves you like your mom does. You know, you guys have a pretty terrific mom.”

“Yeah, but she’s...”

“... a girl.” Ben pronounced the word like it was worse than squished bug guts on the side of the road.

Clint laughed. “Yes, she is, and a very nice one. I bet she’d take you fishing if you asked her.”

“Girls aren’t supposed to fish,” Brian said with complete sincerity.

“Or go camping, or play baseball,” Ben added.

Brian nodded his head. “And besides, Mommy’s always busy.”

Clint agreed with them on that. Emma seemed determined to work herself into an early grave. If she wasn’t working at the café or the hospital, she put all her energy into the remodeling. He’d wanted to take some of the burden off her shoulders when he’d volunteered to help with the construction, not increase it.

What was worse, he had a sneaking suspicion he was responsible for her frenzied agitation. By working so hard she wanted to prove to him she was a good provider for her sons, as well as a good mom.

The whirring outside stopped. Emma would be inside in a few minutes. It would hurt her to find out all her hard work was actually making her sons sad.

“Tell you what guys,” he resumed his work on the frame. “How about we plan a surprise for your mom.”

That put smiles back on both boys’ faces.

“What kind of surprise?” Ben asked.

Clint studied them for a moment. “Well, how about a picnic and fishing trip?”

The boys bobbed up and down on their knees beside him, whooping and giggling.

“Shh,” he cautioned them. “If it’s a surprise, we don’t want to tell your mom just yet. Let’s keep it a secret, okay?”

They both nodded their heads, just as the front door opened, and Emma came in carrying a load of the spacer boards. “I guess I’m done for the day.” She laid the boards in the corner, then turned to study the three of them. “What are you guys up to?”

“Oh, nothing, just finishing up our frame,” Clint answered as innocently as he could. It would’ve been more convincing if the boys hadn’t started giggling.

Emma eyed them for a moment. “If you guys are done, then we could eat dinner before I have to go to the hospital. I’m on call for them tonight.”

Her announcement brought groans from both boys.

“You worked last night, Mommy.”

“Stay home with us.”

“Guys, if they need me, I have to work. It’s the only way I can pay all the bills and buy groceries.” Sadness and desperation crossed Emma’s features, and her shoulders slumped.

Suddenly, her exhaustion showed from every fiber of her being. If she wouldn’t accept his help outright, he’d just take the burden off her in more subtle ways.

“I’m heading over to the Peaches ‘N Cream for dinner, why don’t you all join me?” His offer hung in the air as he busied himself gathering up tools.

“We couldn’t do that, Clint,” she started to refuse.

“Sure you could, I hate eating alone there. You’d be doing me a favor.”

“Please, Mommy?” Both boys asked.

Clint turned away, hiding a smile. Three against one, this time she had to give in.

“Please, can we eat with Doc Clint?” Brian asked.

From behind him, Clint heard her exhale heavily.

“Oh, just this once. Since Mama is eating dinner with her quilting circle, I suppose we can afford a dinner out.”

Damn the woman. He planned to pay for dinner. He also knew if he told her, she’d fight him tooth and nail about it. Well, he hadn’t expected the fight to help Emma to be an easy one. He’d just pick and chose his battles one at a time.

He turned and smiled at the threesome. “It’s a date then. Let me run across the street and change. I’ll meet you back in about fifteen minutes?”

“Give me thirty,” she said, scooting both boys out of the room. “I need to shower.”

Clint swallowed hard and nodded. The thought of Emma in a hot, steamy shower rushed his blood straight out of his head. Suddenly, he needed a long cold shower himself.

* * *

While the boys finished off the last of their French fries, Clint sat back and watched their mother. On the walk to the café, she’d been skittish, keeping both boys between them. Only when their food arrived at the table, did she relax.

She glanced at him.

He winked.

She blushed and turned her attention to the boys, who were telling her all about their day at school.

Damn, he liked making her blush. Wondered what she’d look like naked and blushing from head to toe?

Emma glanced at him again and gave him a quizzical look.

Good thing she couldn’t read minds. If she knew what he was thinking her temper would flame as hot as her face. Then he’d never have a chance with her.

Sometimes she was as prickly as a porcupine. Albeit a cute porcupine. Courting Emma was a tricky business.

Was that what he wanted? To court Emma?

She smiled at something Brian said.

That’s what he wanted—to put those smiles on her face. To tease her till she blushed. To convince her to let him really be part of her life.

If that meant he had to face her wrath along the way, so be it. As his Uncle Ray taught him a long time ago, he might as well begin as he meant to go. He’d start with subtle changes in their relationship.

Excusing himself from the table, he headed to the bathroom. On his way he intercepted Rachel with the check for their dinner. He’d invited Emma and the boys to eat with him. He’d be damned if he’d fight with her over the tab. As he returned to the table, he stopped at the register and paid the bill with a sizeable tip for Rachel. He wanted to guarantee the teenager would remember who to hand the check to from now on.

“Ready to head home?” he asked when he got back to their booth.

“I haven’t paid yet,” Emma said, looking around for Rachel, who’d wisely disappeared.

“Already taken care of,” Clint replied, helping Brian out of the booth, and moving so Emma and Ben could climb out their side.

“I can’t let you pay for dinner.”

“Sure you can. I invited you. I pay. When you invite me, I’ll be happy to let you return the favor.” He held open the door and the boys darted outside.

He had her in a precarious position and she knew it. Indecision flickered across her face. She wanted to demand he let her pay part of the bill, but she wouldn’t fight with him in front of the boys or the town gossips.

She lifted her chin and stalked past him.

Yep. Prickly as a porcupine.

On the walk home, she kept the boys between them and they did most of the talking. This time he walked on the curb side, not taking any chances with another drunk from the Wagon Wheel slamming into Emma or the boys.

How long it would be before she blew up at him over paying the bill?

He knew she wanted to stand on her own two feet. She didn’t want to make waves or cause any source of gossip for her neighbors. She’d existed on her pride for a long time.

But he had his pride, too.

When he wanted a woman as much as he wanted Emma, he would find ways to make things easier on her, to treat her with respect, and show her he was proud to be with her. Her current temper indicated they were in for some roller-coaster days, but he was a big man and could take anything she dished out.

At the house he followed them up on the porch. When she invited him in, he was surprised, but wary. She managed to wait until the boys were watching TV before launching her attack.

They stood in the hallway, just inside the front door.

“I do not appreciate what you did tonight. I have money to pay for our food.” Her back was ramrod straight, and the heat in her face wasn’t from embarrassment this time.

“I know you do, Emma,” he said, leaning against the edge of the doorframe.

“Then why did you do that? Pay the bill?” She balled both her hands into fists and pressed them firmly against her hips. “Now half the town will think we’re dating.”

“From one meal?” Good. He hoped so. He’d enlist the whole town if it would get her to understand that’s exactly what he wanted.

“Yes.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “You really don’t get what it’s like living in a small town, do you?”

“No, suppose you explain it to me.”

A soft growl of frustration exploded from her, and he choked down a laugh. The last thing he wanted was to humiliate her, but her annoyance was just a little too irresistible for him.

“In this town people know when your cable is shut off before you do. The affair the Presbyterian minister had with the church secretary was only a secret to their respective mates.” She turned to look out the screen porch, a little of the fight gone out of her. “If people see you paying for dinner for the boys and I, they’ll blow it all out of proportion.”

Her sadness touched him to his core. He grasped her gently by the shoulders and turned her to face him. A current of awareness popped between them. “I can’t help it if people are nosy, Emma. I wanted to treat you and the boys to a dinner out. Something fun.”

“I know, but...” She never finished the thought as the phone in her kitchen rang.

He stepped out onto the porch, rubbing the back of his neck, listening to her quietly talk to whomever was on the other end. Didn’t people in this town understand she deserved some fun, someone to enjoy it with?

A few minutes later, she stepped out on the porch. “I have to go in to the hospital for a while. When Harriett brings Mama home could you ask her to put the boys to bed for me, and stay with them?”

“I could do it.”

“It will be enough if you could stay until Harriett gets here.” She gave him a pointed look that said she wouldn’t give the gossips more fodder tonight. “Harriett’s used to it.”

“Will you be gone all night?”

“I don’t know. The hospital needs me, and I need the money.” She held out her hand to him. “Thank you for dinner.”

He took her hand and held it a moment, although he would have much rather preferred to pull her into his arms. He’d pushed her to the limit tonight. He’d take his victories where he could get them.

* * *

The road swam before Emma’s tired eyes. The black trees along the side of the road stood like silent sentinels watching her pass. She rubbed her left eye, then her right, trying to wake herself for the last two miles home.