Cattail Ridge, page 12
part #4 of Firefly Hollow Series
“She’s tired. She didn’t sleep well last night, and not seeing you much lately has her a little out of sorts.” When he shot her a dismayed glance, she waved a hand. “It isn’t your fault. You’ve been working a ton of hours and so have I. But she doesn’t understand that. I should have tried harder to get the two of you together.”
“No, I should have. I just didn’t… I didn’t think.”
They reached the barn just in time to see Sydney starting up the ladder to the hayloft. Emma’s heart almost stopped. “Sydney Marie Campbell, don’t you dare climb that ladder!”
Sydney paused, clearly torn between obeying and continuing on up. Before she could decide which way to go Emma reached her and put her arms around her.
“Let go. I have you.”
“No.”
Closing her eyes, Emma prayed for patience. “Sydney, let go of the ladder.” After a few more tense seconds she did, with a frustrated kick for emphasis. When she released her grip all her resistance melted, and her tears started in earnest. Emma turned her around and held her close while she cried as though her heart was breaking.
Archer was standing beside her, looking stunned and stricken. He’d seen Sydney cry before, but Emma realized this was the first time he’d caused her tears. There was a fair amount of guilt in his expression and she knew he blamed himself.
“She’s just tired. This is a normal meltdown,” she told him in a low voice as Sydney hiccupped. She kissed Sydney’s temple and rubbed her back, and the tears started to slow. “Shh, sweetie. It’s okay.”
“What can I do?” Archer asked.
The poor man looked like he was being tortured, Emma thought. “Do you mind getting a washcloth from the bathroom and dampening it?” She carried Sydney to the stall Owen had set up for all the shifters to use to change in, and sat down on the cot he kept there. There was a rudimentary bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower stall set up next door.
“Your dad was smart to build this out here.” Archer sat beside her and held the washcloth out.
“Just hang on to it for a minute, please. And yes. The barn was fine when it was just him, but with the girls needing a few more amenities, it made sense. Sydney, sit up and let me wipe your face.”
With a loud sniffle, the little girl sat back. She kept her head downcast, her gaze on Emma’s chest.
“Let’s get these glasses off.” Emma handed the tiny, wire-framed lenses to Archer, exchanging them for the cloth. As soon as Sydney was cleaned up, she buried her face in Emma’s neck on the other side. Emma settled back against the wall and tried to get comfortable. “We’re going to be here for a little bit if you want to go back in and finish eating,” she told him.
Archer paused in the act of gently cleaning Sydney’s glasses. “I’m fine.”
Sydney’s breath was still a little hiccuppy, and Emma rubbed her chin on her daughter’s forehead. She tucked her into her chest a little more, then reached over and laid her hand on Archer’s back for a second before bringing it back to Sydney.
“I think this young lady is going to take a nap, then when she gets up she’ll feel much better.”
Archer let out a shuddering sigh and nodded. After a minute he asked, “How do you do this on your own?”
Emma half smiled. “I’m not on my own. And I had Nonny around for the first few years, right there with me. She made sure I was okay before she left.”
“You know that isn’t what I meant. Raising a child on your own is a big load for one person to carry.”
She couldn’t get a read on his mood exactly but something was weighing heavy on his mind. “How do you mean?”
He rested his arms on his knees and threaded his fingers together. Looking down at his palms he shrugged. “I’ve always had some measure of resentment toward my dad. I know he was a good man, I’ve always known that. But some of the choices he made weren’t great choices for Logan and me. There was a lot of pain in that household growing up, and I’ve always felt that he could have prevented some of it. A lot of it. But now? Just having Sydney for one day, I was worn out. And I’m not trying to say she’s a lot of trouble because she isn’t. She’s a wonderful little girl. But I don’t see how you do it.”
Emma checked to make sure Sydney was asleep. Certain she was out, she moved her hand to Archer’s back again and started rubbing. He leaned into her touch.
“And it disturbs you, this epiphany?”
He gave a soft laugh. “It does. It makes me think about the old man and what it must have been like for him, finding himself alone with the two of us to raise. Mom… when she had her accident, it just sucker-punched him. It sucker-punched all of us. He never really managed to catch himself after that. I always blamed him for letting her go on that trip, for not keeping her safe. For not being able to see that I was falling behind in school.”
“I think that means you were a normal kid. I hate to tell you that, what with you carrying all this guilt around,” she chided softly, “but to go through what you did? How could you be expected to understand what was going on? How old were you when she passed?”
She knew that Archer’s mother had died in a freak accident while away with her friends on a church retreat. Amelia had discussed a few of the details with her, but this was the first time Archer had ever mentioned that aspect of his past to her directly.
“Six. Logan was eight.”
“Six. So just a year older than this little one. If Sydney were in the same situation, how well do you think she’d understand it? She’s having a hard enough time with the concept of you going away again for work. If you couple that sort of thing with the tragedy of what happened to your mom, and the fact that you were probably surrounded by adults who had no idea how to handle the fallout themselves? Don’t beat yourself up too much.”
He sighed. “You would have to bring the voice of reason into this, wouldn’t you?” He settled back against the wall with her, and there was a soft warmth in his eyes that reached a place deep inside her. “Think she’ll forgive me?”
Emma nodded. “She loves you. And it isn’t like you’re moving. Now I expect the next few weeks to be interesting, I won’t lie about that. She’s going to miss you. But I don’t think you having to go away to work for three weeks is going to leave lasting scars.”
“What about you? Will you miss me?”
There was that confounded blushing again. Emma ducked her head. “I don’t think I’ll be sorry to see you come back.”
He shook his head and laughed quietly. “Here we are, practically dating, and you won’t even tell me you’ll miss me? I have to share a hotel room with Jack, you know. For three weeks.”
Hearing him put their relationship in those terms, her heart skipped a beat. “You have not asked me out yet, thank you very much. So we are not dating. But I will miss you. Satisfied?” She glanced up at him and the way he was looking at her made the blush intensify.
“Can I call you? Or have you call me?” He lifted his hand to brush the back against her cheek, and Emma closed her eyes at the poignancy of the move. “I don’t know how much of a conversation we can have what with your uncle in the room, but I’d like to at least hear your voice every now and then. Yours and Sydney’s.”
“We can call.”
For a little while longer they stayed in the barn. They weren’t having a date at an expensive restaurant or an evening at the concert of a band they both enjoyed, but something about spending quiet time with Archer was more satisfying to her than either of those things. If she had any sense she’d be scared spitless by that realization. Since she wasn’t running away in terror, she wasn’t sure what that meant as far as her sense of self-preservation went, but she wasn’t too worried at the moment.
Chapter Sixteen
Archer was feeling decidedly caged in by the time the first week on the road drew to a close. As much as he liked and admired Jack, sharing a room with him was perhaps a little too much companionship. Being away from home for so long was starting to wear on both the men. When they checked into their hotel in California, Jack dropped his bags off and decided to head out for a walk.
“Want to come with?”
Archer dithered for a minute. “No. I think I’m going to call Emma.” It was seven o’clock local time and though it would be late in Kentucky, he thought she would probably still be up.
Jack grinned at him. “I figured you might. Tell her hi for me. I’ll be back in a little bit and then maybe we can grab a bite to eat.”
“It’s a plan.”
Once Jack had gone, Archer grabbed the phone and stretched out on the bed. A queen, the bed was barely big enough for his tall frame. “I miss my mattress,” he told the empty room as he waited for Emma to pick up on the other end. He was racking up quite a long-distance bill over the length of this trip but he didn’t care. He missed home.
“Hello?”
Her soft voice went straight to his gut. “Hey,” he managed. “Did I wake you?”
She laughed. “No. I’m sitting here doing some paperwork. How was the flight?”
“Boring. Like most of this trip has been. They promised us this leg would be more interesting but I’ll believe it when I see it. I guess Sydney is in bed?”
“She is. Sound asleep.”
He rubbed his chest, the ache from missing them was so strong. “How’s her cold?”
“Better. I swear I think it’s allergies. She’s just not had them this bad before.”
A comfortable silence stretched between them for a moment, and then he heard her groan.
“I’m getting old, Archer. I moved wrong today and from the way my hip sounded when it popped, you’d think it came out of the socket. I keep forgetting about it when I’m sitting and then when I move, ouch.”
“If I were there I’d rub it for you,” he told her softly. “I’m sorry.”
She sighed. “Don’t say that. You just tempt me.”
Archer grinned, pleased to hear that. “I live to tempt you, don’t you know that?”
This time, she laughed. “I think I believe it. So, changing the subject here before we venture into dangerous territory, how’s Jack?”
“Out for a walk. He’s having more fun than I am, that’s for sure. He misses home too, though.”
“I imagine so. He and Gilly have been married what, thirty-four years? Something like that. They’ve only ever spent a handful of nights apart.”
Archer nodded. “The first few nights? He tossed and turned like a fish out of water. I guess when you get used to having that other person beside you, when they aren’t there anymore, you feel like a part of you is missing.”
“Mmm, I guess so. It sounds nice,” she admitted softly. “Having that kind of companionship.”
When a knock sounded on the door, Archer cursed. “Someone’s knocking. I’m sorry. Can you hang on a minute? And just when things were starting to get interesting, damn it.”
Emma laughed. “Go answer the door.”
He laid the phone down and did just that. The visitor turned out to be one of the mechanics who was going through the training program with them, and he was there to invite Archer and Jack to dinner.
“I’m on a call right now, and Jack went for a walk. Where are you going to be?”
“Just across the road at the bar. A bunch of us are going. Come on over when you get off your call. I’ll keep an eye out for Jack.”
“Okay.”
He sighed when he picked the receiver back up. “I guess I’d better go.”
“I figured as much. We’ll talk in a couple of days. Archer? I’m glad you arrived safely.”
“Thanks. Give my girl a big hug and tell her I love her.”
“Always. Take care.”
He hung the receiver back in its cradle gently, wishing he could get right back on the plane and fly home. “Just a few more days. You can make it.”
He wasn’t sure he could, though. He didn’t want to. Always before, the idea of a relationship with Emma had been so nebulous, something to save away for “someday.” But now she was within his reach and it wasn’t the emotional or mental space that separated them but instead the breadth of the country. He fell back onto the bed with a frustrated growl and scrubbed at his face. “I wonder if we’ll ever get it right.”
While he was still gathering his emotions, Jack came in. His smile was sympathetic when he saw Archer’s frustration.
“Let’s go get some food. Get your mind off things.”
Archer was more than happy to do that. Right now staying alone with his thoughts was the last thing he wanted to do.
When Gilly came in the shop Friday morning, Emma was surprised. Her aunt owned a pharmacy in town and it was rare to see her outside the place through the week.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as they hugged.
“I’ve come to offer to kidnap you.”
“Well, that’s mysterious. Want some coffee?”
“Sure. Is Zanny off today?”
Emma nodded. “She had a doctor’s appointment and we don’t have any clients scheduled for today, so she went ahead and took off. Here in a couple of weeks, she’ll be on maternity leave.”
Gilly smiled. “She’s so excited. They’ve waited a long time for this little girl.”
“She and John both are excited. I’m so glad they worked things out.” The same year Emma had come home from Georgia pregnant with Sydney, John and Zanny had separated. Zanny had miscarried that summer, and they’d decided to wait a couple of years before trying again. When they were ready to try she’d had a hard time getting pregnant. They’d decided to leave it up to God, but Emma knew both Zanny and John had desperately wanted one more child. When she’d discovered she was pregnant earlier this year, Emma wasn’t sure who had cried harder, John or Zanny.
“So what’s this kidnapping offer? Aren’t you supposed to surprise someone with that kind of thing?” Emma asked as they settled down on the comfortable couch in the reception area.
Gilly’s laugh was full of mischief. “Yes, but I figure you will be surprised when you hear my terms. Jack called. They’re going straight to Tennessee. The training got moved up. So they’re not going to be able to fly home this weekend. By the time they got home they’d have to turn around and head back out. It’s only four hours, so I’m driving down to spend the weekend with him. You should come with me.”
Emma’s heart rate sped up at the thought. “And what? Spend the weekend with you and Jack? Um, somehow I think I’d be a third wheel,” she teased. The thought of going to Archer and spending the weekend with him… fear and excitement warred inside her.
“Silly girl. You know exactly what I mean. And it is not that you should spend time with us. No offense, but I’ve not seen my husband in two weeks. I need some alone time with him.”
“Gilly! Arghh! That’s like knowing Mom and Dad do it. Stop!” They both laughed. “Seriously, I don’t know if our relationship is ready for something like that, for me to show up at his hotel. I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
“I know. That’s why you should bring along your little chaperone. You and Archer can’t get up to any hanky-panky with her along.”
Emma bit her lip. “You really think he’d be happy to see me?”
Gilly just looked at her over the rim of her coffee mug.
“What time are you going to leave?”
“In a couple of hours. Their plane lands at five, and it will probably take them an hour or so to get to the hotel. We could be there waiting for them, spend the whole weekend together. And then we can drive home Monday.”
Emma got up and went to Zanny’s desk to check the schedule. There wasn’t anything on it Zanny and Emma’s assistant, Sam, couldn’t handle. “I have one appointment Monday morning that I can probably move to later that day or Sam can take, and one appointment that afternoon.” She looked back over at Gilly, mind racing. “Sydney would be so excited.”
“She would be.”
“She gets off the bus at eleven thirty. That would give me an hour, hour and a half to close up shop and pack our stuff.”
“Plenty of time.”
Emma closed her eyes. “Damn it.”
When she looked back at Gilly, her aunt was grinning. “I’ll pick you up at your house around eleven forty-five. We can take my van. It’s a little more comfortable for road trips I think, and it’s practically new.”
“Okay.”
Saying a prayer that she was doing the right thing, Emma saw Gilly out and turned the sign on the door around to “Closed.” She called and left a message on Zanny’s machine, telling her the plan, then wrapped things up. This was most definitely the boldest move she’d made in years, she thought as she drove home.
She was nervous, yes, but at the same time it felt liberating to do something the old Emma would have approved of.
By the time they got off the shuttle from the airport to the hotel Friday evening, Archer was so tired, so road weary, he just wanted someone to put him out of his misery. As functional and sparse as Amelia liked to tease him his apartment was, he missed it with a depth that surprised him. That they weren’t able to go home and see the family when that was what had been carrying them through the week just made Archer more miserable. He knew he was starting to get grumpy and snappish, but so was Jack.
“No offense, but if they have an empty room I might get it tonight,” he told Jack as they stood in line to check in.
“None taken. I was getting ready to say the same thing.”
