Dad in Training (13 page)

Brent couldn’t believe that he’d kissed her. The desire lashed over him like a giant wave and washed away his good sense, but he couldn’t be sorry. Molly had kissed him back, and the experience rocked him. The day would have been perfect except for his father’s interference. Once again he looked like Daddy’s puppet to the board of directors. He’d begun to believe he’d made headway and had gained their
respect as the new director. Five minutes of his father’s appearance had undone months of work.

Molly’s questioning look made him realize he’d tensed. He managed a smile and turned the topic to the Ferris wheel. “Want to ride?”

She looked up at the towering wheel and curled her nose. “I don’t like to be scared.”

Randy grasped her arm and laughed. “I’ll hang on to you so you don’t fall out.”

She gave him a hug.

Brent noticed Randy’s surprised yet pleased expression. It touched him to see the boy respond to Molly like he did.

“I really don’t think three people will fit in those little benches.”

Knowing she was wrong, Brent slipped his hand in hers. “Let’s find out.” He steered her to the ticket booth, ignoring her protestation.

Randy craned his neck upward as the wheel rose and dropped in its wide circle. “I’ve never been on a Ferris wheel.”

The comment turned Molly’s playful grumbling to silence. When she looked at Brent, she felt weighted with emotion. “Then it’s time you ride on one, Randy. Every kid should ride a Ferris wheel. Next we’ll all go on the carousel.”

“Carousel?” The word shot out of Brent’s mouth. “Me, on a carousel?”

She arched a brow. “And me on a Ferris wheel?”

He slammed his mouth shut. Molly had a way with words.

The line moved forward, and the three of them squeezed into the seat, with Molly in the middle. Brent’s arm pressed against the side of the seat, and he lifted it behind Molly. A young man slammed the safety bar closed, and it jerked upward. Randy let out a belly laugh and leaned over the edge.

Molly clasped his arm. “Careful. We don’t want to lose you.”

He looked down one more time and then grabbed the bar as they edged upward.

Observing the interaction, Brent recalled that Randy’s mother had never paid as much attention to the boy as Molly has been. Self-centered seemed a good description for Joan. He couldn’t deny she changed Randy’s diapers and fed him, but he never recalled a motherly manner that women seemed to have naturally. Randall had been a better father. Brent recalled him sitting on the floor with Randy, putting together puzzles or playing with miniature cars.

The memory rattled him, especially thinking of Randall in a positive light. Brent would rarely admit to his brother doing anything but taunting him and enjoying it. Yet he’d been a good father. How easy it was to condemn someone when the judgment was biased. And Brent knew he had an attitude about his brother.

Molly let out a yell, and Randy’s laughter brought him back from his memories. The wheel had been filled with new passengers, and they’d begun sweeping through the sky, dipping down toward the ground and then circling up again. He slid his arm down around Molly’s shoulders, and she glanced his way, her smile brighter than the colorful carnival lights.

“Are you scared?” Randy called out as the wheel took another dip, his giggles nearly covering his words.

“Never,” Molly said, grinning back at Brent.

When the ride ended, Molly led them to the carousel, and though he felt foolish, Brent climbed aboard and mounted a horse beside her. Randy charged onto a chubby pig, looking over his shoulder at them, his eyes filled with happiness as the carousel’s music tooted and the ride revolved.

Such simple pleasures. Randy’s glee filled Brent’s heart. “He’s having a blast.”

“You’re not.” Her look probed for a response.

He drew back. “Why do you say that?”

“Something’s on your mind. I noticed it earlier.”

Brent wasn’t surprised. The woman was uncanny. She read
his mind. He gave her a quick nod, wishing he could hide his feelings from her yet relieved that she’d brought it out in the open. She’d asked so often for him to tell her what bothered him. She didn’t understand that men didn’t want to talk about feelings. Still today, he wanted to tell her about the setback.

“Later.” He flashed a look at Randy. She nodded as if she understood.

The ride didn’t last as long as his mortification when he climbed off and saw one of his employees. The man gave him a nod, his face emblazoned with a grin, and Brent gave the man a wave and scurried away, feeling like a kid trying to hide a misdeed from his parents.

Molly followed the man with her eyes. “You know him?”

“He works for me.”

Molly let out a soft chuckle. “Now he knows you’re a good sport.”

Randy edged between them. “Where’s the kids’ stuff? You said they had special things for kids to do.”

Molly put her arm around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze. “Let’s find it. Look for an Arrghs and Crafts sign.”

Brent did a double take. “Did I hear you right? Arrghs and crafts?”

“It’s called Pirates Cove. They’ll turn Randy into a swashbuckling pirate.”

Randy’s eyes lit up. “
Pirates of the Caribbean
. I could be Jack Sparrow.”

Molly grinned and manufactured a laughable pirate’s voice. “Then let’s go, matey.”

Brent followed Molly’s direction along the riverwalk to the Rivard Plaza. Brent paid for Randy’s pirate hat and someone gave him an eye patch. They checked out the activities, and while Randy had a pirate tattoo painted on his arm, Brent and Molly stood back and watched.

Music resounded from loudspeakers, and Brent pulled Molly against him, her back leaning on his chest. He rocked
to the rhythm of the music while one emotion crashed against another—emotions so new and wonderful he felt overwhelmed. Though he cautioned himself to be careful, the relationship had picked up momentum like a roller coaster heading downhill. Caught in a whirlwind of feelings, he lost grasp of his center. All he could do was hang on.

The last thing he wanted was to hurt Molly. If he tried to explain his doubts about a relationship, most people would think he was crazy. He’d be sent away in a white coat, his arms tied behind his back. Pleasure rose in his chest as he felt his arms pressed against Molly’s smooth skin. He leaned around to kiss her cheek, amazed at the softness.

Molly glanced over her shoulder with a look that melted his heart. “You’re a good man, Mr. Runyan.”

“You’re amazing, Miss Manning.” He tightened his embrace.

“I’m hungry,” Randy called, bounding toward them, flashing his artificial tattoo.

Hating to let Molly go, Brent yielded to Randy’s hunger, and they headed toward the refreshment area, his own unre-solvable hunger raging in his heart.

T
he fireworks still glowed in Molly’s mind as they headed home. The long afternoon and evening had tired Randy. He’d curled up on the small backseat and had fallen asleep before they wound their way out of the parking structure. His pirate hat had toppled to the floor, and his tattooed arm lay beneath his head for a pillow.

Molly released a long sigh. “This was a great day. Thanks.”

Brent shifted his hand from the steering wheel to hers. “Randy had such a good time. Today I realized how much he’s missed. Not just his parents, but things kids do. He’s been stuck in a world with old people—me included—who forget what it was like to be a child.”

“That’s why there are circuses and amusement parks. So we don’t forget.” She rolled her hand palm up beneath his and wove her fingers through his. “They allow adults to be children again, too, with no guilt.”

Brent remained silent. He lifted his hand and grasped the steering wheel. “No guilt? I wish.”

Holding back the seat belt, Molly shifted onto her hip. “You’re not to blame for Randy’s situation. Things happen. You and your parents did the best you knew how to do.”

“I do feel to blame.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“I know how I feel, Molly. For one thing, I shouldn’t have been so selfish. I let Randy stay with my parents when I should have taken him in.”

“You’re younger, yes, but you have a job. Your mom was home, and they had a housekeeper. Someone was there for Randy all day.”

“My mom had her commitments, too. You can’t leave a housekeeper to raise a child who lost both parents.”

“Where is Randy’s mother?”

Brent shrugged. “We’ve never heard from her. She just walked away. Said she couldn’t be a good mother. Joan had emotional problems from the start, I guess.”

Molly’s heart felt torn from her chest. “It’s awful.” She glanced into the backseat. Randy’s even breathing assured her he was asleep. When she turned back, she rested her hand on Brent’s leg and gave it a pat. Brent’s life had been filled with difficult times despite his family’s wealth. Once again God’s Word proved true. Don’t store up treasures on earth that can rust or be stolen, but lay up treasures in heaven.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Brent had a good heart. He’d just been misguided along the way. Her prayer rose that the Lord open Brent’s eyes to the true treasures in his life.

She squeezed Brent’s leg and withdrew her hand. “What upset you today? You said you’d tell me later.”

Brent’s body sagged with her question. She’d asked at the wrong time. Randy was in the car and he couldn’t focus on driving with all that in his mind.

“I promise to tell you. Just not now.” He became thoughtful for a moment.

Molly glanced over the seat again. “He’s quite a boy. I see changes, and they’re for the good.”

“And I give you the credit.”

“Me?” She shook her head, astounded at his conclusion. “Why?”

“You’ve encouraged me to get the dog, to bring Randy here today, to help him find himself.”

“You helped him find love, Brent. It’s love that’s so important. ‘
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
’”

“1 Corinthians 13:13.”

Her spirit sang. “Yes. You know the verse.”

“I know it.”

She waited.

“But I don’t live it, Molly. That’s the crux of my problem.”

She slipped back against the seat cushion, perplexed. Her mind swung from situation to situation, trying to make sense of his conclusion.

A deep sigh rolled from his chest. “I don’t know how to love.”

The comment knocked the wind from her. She gathered her emotions and constrained them. “Brent, don’t ever say that again. Love is part of our being. It’s from the Lord. You can reject love, but it’s innate. Even the most evil person in the world has love for his mother or child. Maybe his dog. You don’t know what love is. Maybe that’s your problem.”

He glanced her way, then back to the road. “Tell me what love is, Molly.”

“It’s something in your heart, in your being. When you feel sorrow or grief, it’s because you love. When you feel concern or longing, it’s because you love. It’s part of you. Sometimes love is tangled in traps we set for ourselves, and then we can’t show it. We fear being rejected or being laughed at, but the love is still there.”

Brent’s breathing faltered. He drove in silence, his lips pressed together so tightly Molly wondered if he were stopping himself from speaking or controlling his emotions.

“I need to think about it.” His voice came out like a ragged whisper.

Molly folded her hands in her lap. For once she knew
when to remain silent. The lesson had taken so long to learn, but tonight she knew silence was truly golden.

Brent rinsed the dishes and tucked them into the dishwasher as Molly watched him. He’d missed her the past three days, and today her presence pumped his spirit more than one of those energy bars he kept hearing about on TV.

“I could have picked up Randy instead of your father driving here.” Molly leaned against Brent’s kitchen counter, a lopsided grin on her face as she watched his domestic skills, which he knew were lacking.

He wiped his hands on a dish towel. “Dad promised him dinner at a fast-food place tonight. Can you believe?”

“Not really.” Her smile deepened. “Let’s go outside with Rocket. I can show you what I have in mind for Randy today.”

He tossed the dish towel on the rack. “Great. I can show you what I did, too.”

She gave him a questioning look as he motioned her through the door off the breakfast room into the garage. He motioned her through the single door into the backyard. At their sound, Rocket pricked up his ears and bounded toward them, brushing his nose against Molly’s pantleg. She knelt and rubbed the retriever behind the ears. “You’re ready for your lesson, aren’t you?”

While the dog nuzzled against her, Brent dipped inside the garage and brought out part of the surprise behind his back. Before he could show her, Molly had rounded the corner to the driveway and let out a screech. “A basketball hoop.”

He darted past her, bouncing the ball on the concrete. He aimed at the hoop and swished one in. “Ready?”

Her hand flew to her chest. “Me?”

“You and Rocket. I’ll beat you both.”

She laughed, skipping past him to play defense while she tried not to trip over Rocket’s eager maneuvers. Surprising him, Molly bounded behind his back and captured the ball.
She dribbled it as she scooted backward, spun around, aimed, and the ball hit the backboard. Brent captured it in the blink of an eye. She charged forward to recover the ball, so focused she tripped over Rocket. As she barreled forward, Brent dropped the ball and caught her in the midst of her laughter. He wrapped his arms around her, his laugh joining hers while Rocket leaped at their feet, obviously ready to play some more.

When she’d caught her breath, Brent drew her closer. “You’re lucky I was a Boy Scout.”

“You were?”

He loved the look on her face. “No, but I always wanted to be.” That was another want that died a quick death. No time for such foolishness, his father had said.

Molly’s smile faded as she studied his face. “More memories.”

He shrugged. “Silly things come to mind.”

She touched his cheek. “You still haven’t told me what—”

“Uncle Brent!”

Brent’s arms slipped from Molly as guilt encompassed him. He turned toward Randy and winced, seeing his father advancing behind the boy. His appearance at the meeting still didn’t sit well.

“I had chicken nuggets and fries.” Randy dropped his duffle bag on the edge of the driveway. “What were you and Molly doing?”

Brent bounced the ball, evading his father’s curious look. “I was showing Molly your basketball hoop.”

A questioning look settled on Randy’s face as he studied Molly and then looked back at Brent.

Molly glowed from more than the sun. She’d stepped back, her hands in her pockets as if she wished she could hide in them. He couldn’t help but grin, having the same feeling.

Trying to restrain the irritation he felt with his father, Brent managed a pleasant expression. “Thanks, Dad, for taking
Randy out to dinner.” He saw a knowing look in his father’s eyes and glanced away as he wrapped his arm around Randy’s shoulders. “You had fun with your grandpa.”

Randy nodded.

“I heard all about the new hoop and about Molly.”

Brent noticed his father eyeing Molly with a grin growing on his face.

Keeping his gaze on her, his father strode her way. “I’m glad you’re here so I can thank you.”

“Me?” She looked as bewildered as Brent felt. “For what?”

Brent took a step closer, curious what his father had to say.

“Toss it here, Uncle Brent.” Randy stood in front of the hoop, clapping his hands and beckoning for the basketball.

Brent tried to listen while Randy goaded him into a game, but he couldn’t concentrate. Distracted by their conversation and Rocket’s eternal playfulness, Brent fumbled the ball. Randy hooked it and made one of the best shots he’d ever made.

“Good for you,” Brent said, giving him a high five. “That’ll teach me not to pay attention.” When he glanced toward Molly again, his father was shaking her hand.

“Want to give it a try, Dad?” He strode toward them, wishing he could have caught a shred of their conversation.

“You want to watch me keel over and die? I’m not ready for those pearly gates yet.”

Brent noticed Molly’s eyes widen. The expression made him curious.

“I’ll let you get on with the obedience lesson.” His father captured his faint grin by turning away. After two steps, he turned back. “You’re doing a great job with them, Molly.”

Them? A frown jumped to Brent’s face. The lessons were Randy’s.

“He’s a good student, Mr. Runyan.”

Brent shrank beneath his father’s gaze before his dad refocused on Molly. “I’m sure, but I think you’re an excellent
teacher. You’re working wonders.” He strode toward Brent and squeezed his shoulder. “Speaking of wonders, Brent says the renovation is going well.”

“Very well. You’re welcome to stop by and see for yourself.”

To Brent’s surprise, his father gave her a wink. “I might just do that.”

Molly headed their way. “My parents are coming in next week to help paint and get things organized. It’ll look great when we get it done.”

“I’ll make it a point to stop by.” He studied her a moment and then lifted his hand. “I’ll be on my way and let you two get back to…the lessons.”

Brent heard his father chuckle as he walked away, and he wanted to chase after him to deny everything, but his father had seen enough to suspect a romance.

Romance. The word sizzled through Brent. Friendship. He and Molly had a friendship. That’s all he could handle, and it’s all she wanted. She’d told him clearly enough.

When he looked back, Molly stood with her hand on Randy’s shoulder as they talked, and the boy’s face shone like sunshine. He wondered if that’s what his father had seen on his face.

“Do you want this door folding in or out?” The man balanced the door between his hands.

Molly looked at the opening. “In, and I want Dutch doors on the cubicles for the dogs. Did I tell you that?”

“It’s on the blueprints?”

She shrugged. Naturally.

Her mind had taken a holiday, and at times, she wished she could take one, too. Between thoughts of the shelter, Brent, Randy, and now Morris’s cryptic comments, she didn’t know which way to turn. Standing inside her new office area with built-in shelves and storage, she could hardly believe the
shelter would soon be a reality. She only had to stain the shelving, and the room was finished.

She’d been trying to work on a shoestring budget, as her mother called it. Her mom warned her over and over that she’d get what she paid for, but so far, she’d proved her mother wrong. In down times like these, the carpenters were happy to have work.

Next door to the office, they’d built a clinic for the veterinary visits. She’d made a list of necessities for the room and hoped she could purchase used equipment or beg it from one of the vets who’d been so kind. Molly admitted that when it came to her shelter she wouldn’t be too proud to use secondhand furnishings.

Down the hallway, hammers rang out, building the cubicles for the dogs. She’d dreamed of putting them in something other than a cage. They always seemed so heartless, and yet she knew cages were easier to keep clean. She hoped the inspectors would approve her idea.

Flipping open a notepad, Molly jotted down other items she’d remembered. Her shopping list was growing, but she suspected her mother would enjoy helping her with the project when her parents arrived next week. She pulled a pencil from behind her ear, and it flew from her fingers and rolled away. She crouched to retrieve it, holding her aching back.

“There you are.”