Homeward Bound (21 page)

"My ride didn't show. I guess you're stuck with me for company tonight." Trevor's snicker mocked him. "We can talk."

"You're stuck with your own company. I'm going out."

Trevor's laughter came to a stunned halt. "You're going' to church? You?"

Jake could hardly believe it himself. "Yeah. Why not?"

"You better be careful, Jake, or the people around here might actually start to think you're normal. Next thing you know, you'll be going' to the Saturday night socials and Sunday barbecues."

Jake found himself smiling at Trevor's taunts. Once, that was exactly what he wanted out of life. He still did, after all. "So what? If my daughter can do it, so can I."

"It's about time you figured that out. Or maybe you had a little help?"

Jake shrugged. "Maybe."

"Try not to blow it. You'll never find another woman who loves you and Chloe as much as Kate does."

Trevor made things sound so simple, but he didn't anticipate the obstacles that Jake did. "We come from two different worlds. Do you realize how little I know about her work? I couldn't have a conversation with her about it. I wouldn't know Bach from the Beatles."

"If Kate can learn how to milk a cow, you can learn about music. Or are you admitting that a woman is smarter than you?"

His brother knew just how to goad Jake into action. "Those are fighting' words."

"Then take it outside," Kate ordered from the bedroom door. "There are ladies present."

Jake felt the blood rush to his face, and quickly lowered his head. How much of the conversation had she heard?

"My Lord," Trevor exclaimed. "Who is that stunning creature next to you, Kate?"

Chloe put her hands on her hips and hissed, "I am not a creature, Uncle Trevor. I'm a woman. No wonder you can't keep a girlfriend."

Chloe's offended outburst took the center of attention off of Jake. He turned to view the sight of a daughter he barely recognized. Her long blond hair, which she usually braided, fell in soft curls around her pretty face. The flush of pride on her cheeks could almost pass for the makeup he forbade her to wear.

"Did you just age five years or did I?"

Kate smiled at his shocked face. "Both, I'd say. Chloe looks her age, and you're feeling yours."

"Ouch," Jake drawled. He stood up and went to take a closer look. "I'm gonna have to take the shotgun tonight to keep all the boys away."

"If it wouldn't spoil the Norman Rockwell portrait the three of you make, I would come myself just to help," Trevor added.

Kate sent him a sly wink. "Oh, come anyway. Let's give this town something to talk about over Easter dinner tomorrow."

"I don't think they're ready for that. But you can give me a lift into town," Trevor said, and left to get changed.

Chloe smoothed the front of her pastel pink dress and smiled. "I have to check my hair again."

"It looks -" Jake began, and then decided to let her go. He slipped his arm around Kate's shoulder and pulled her against his chest. "I haven't seen her that excited in years."

Kate traced her finger along the line of his frown. "I wish I could say the same about you. Do I make you so miserable?"

"Nervous," he corrected. "I don't see what the attraction is for you."

"It has nothing to do with whether or not you can tell the difference between Bach and the Beatles."

He moaned. "You heard?"

"Only that." She ran her fingers into his silky hair and pushed back the errant locks that fell on his forehead. "And quite frankly, I don't particularly care for Bach or the Beatles. I do, however, care an awful lot for a stubborn cowboy who is driving me crazy with his inability to see what is right in front of his face."

"Are you talking' about me?" Jake asked innocently. He cupped his hands around her face and looked into her eyes. "I see what's in front of my face, Kate. Would you like me to tell you what I want to do with you now?"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want you to tell me. Just do it."

"A girl after my own heart," he said longingly.

"That's exactly what I'm after, Jake." Her full mouth curved in. a mischievous smile. "And it doesn't hurt that this body comes along with the deal."

He thought the same thing himself. With all Kate had going for her, he couldn't imagine why she wanted him, but apparently she did. She squirmed impatiently in his arms, waiting for him to stop analyzing that which defied explanation.

"Damn it, Jake, would you kiss her so we can get moving'?"

Jake groaned at Trevor's untimely return. The chaste kiss he placed on Kate's cheek was miles away from what he had in mind. Only a quick reminder that Trevor would be gone in two months, and Kate would remain a year, kept him from losing his temper or his mind.

Chapter Thirteen

After dropping Trevor off at the local bar, Jake deliberately took the back roads to buy time. He hadn't set foot in the local church since his divorce nearly nine years earlier. Both Chloe and Kate seemed oblivious to the churning in the pit of his stomach. If he wanted to insinuate himself back into society, where better to start than the one place that almost the entire town could be found that night?

Get a grip, Callahan, he mocked himself. If his fifteen-year-old daughter could find the courage to hold her head up and look those people in the eye, then he could certainly do it, too. After all, he had nothing to be ashamed of. His business had done better than most in recent years. He had raised his daughter to be a polite and loving young lady. He even had the most beautiful woman in town at his side. He couldn't ask for more than that out of life.

They arrived ten minutes before the start of mass, but cars and trucks jammed all the available parking spaces. Jake circled the lot twice before parking on a side street a couple of blocks away.

He joined Chloe and Kate on the sidewalk and gave them a big grin. "Did I mention how lovely you two look this evening?"

"No. As a matter of fact, you didn't," Kate said.

"You look too good to share with the rest of the town. Let's go home."

"Oh, Daddy." Chloe patted his back. "Just smile like you don't care, and pretty soon, no one else will. You'll see."

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Kate biting her bottom lip. "Let's go before I change my mind."

Kate took hold of his hand. He laced his fingers through hers, finding strength in her tender touch. They walked together in a comfortable silence towards the lights of the old stone church. To Jake's surprise, with the exception of a few wide-eyed stares, most people greeted him like an old friend they'd known for years.

A couple of classmates approached Chloe, inviting her to join them. She hesitated slightly before Jake waved her off to revel in her newfound image and popularity.

The one hostile glare he did receive came from Ruth Sweeney, but before she could make her way over to start something, Father Peter came forward from the crowd to speak with them.

"Jake Callahan. It's been a long time." The white-robed priest offered his hand.

Jake smiled and shook his hand. "Too long."

"It's never too long for the Lord. When I saw Chloe last week I said a prayer that you would soon follow. And Kate. Doc Williams says you've been ill. I trust you're feeling better."

Kate smiled. "Yes. The doctor worked a miracle."

Father Peter returned her smile. "Oh, I don't know about that. But we did have a miracle of sorts this week. Remember how you asked me how many children belong to the parish?" Kate nodded for him to continue. "Well, the darnedest thing happened. On Friday seventy-five Easter baskets filled to the brim with candy were delivered to the church rectory, but no one seems to know who sent them."

She batted her eyes innocently. "If the Lord can get Jake Callahan back in church, He can certainly find a few chocolate rabbits for the children."

"Perhaps you're right, Kate. Well, I hope I'll be seeing you both again." With a slight nod of the head, he disappeared into the crowd.

"Seventy-five Easter baskets, Kate?" Jake said. "I know you did it, but how? You weren't off the farm all week."

Kate tried to change the subject. "We should find a seat."

He increased the pressure on her arm to get her attention. "You did something nice. Why deny it?"

She glanced around to make sure no one overheard. "You still look for ulterior motives in me. I don't want the credit. I did it for the children. Their parents don't need to know that I paid for something that half of them couldn't afford. Let them think it came from their church donations. You aren't the only one with pride in this town, Jake."

Jake bowed his head. Kate didn't flash her wealth under everybody's noses. He made an issue of it, not her. He understood now that she traded in her luxury car, not because she was bored with it, but because it might offend people who could barely make ends meet. "You're right. But I have to know how you did it."

"It's a miracle what you can do with the telephone and a credit card." She tilted her head slightly in the direction of the crowd and added, "Shall we mingle?"

He crinkled his nose in distaste. "I suppose in the spirit of the holiday I must share you with others. Let's just hope we can avoid a confrontation with Chloe's grandparents."

"If you avoid them, it looks like you have something to hide. If you face them, then the entire town knows the truth."

He looped his arm through hers and they walked towards the church. "How did you get so smart, Kate?"

"We all have perfect vision with hindsight."

Jake picked up immediately on the sorrow in her voice. "Are you all right?"

"I will be. I want to light a candle for Kelly and say good-bye."

Maybe now she could come to terms with the past that haunted her.
 
She could even let go of the anger she felt towards her mother. Rosie lived the rest of her life without seeing her only child. For a parent, there could be no greater punishment.

* * *

The hour-long candlelight service began at the last stroke of midnight.
  
As the mass progressed, Jake relaxed and basked in the sense of peace missing for so much of his adult life. As he had grown up, so had the rest of the town.
 
Everyone had gone through their own share of family heartache, and it left them less likely to pass judgment. In the small farming community, he had more in common with his neighbors than he had differences.

After mass ended, Jake spoke with some of the other farmers about the spring planting that traditionally began the week after Easter when the children were home from school to help. He got so caught up in the conversations that he failed to notice until it was too late that Ruth had cornered Chloe.

"Excuse me," Jake said, and turned from the group.

Kate followed him. About twenty feet away, she grabbed hold of his arm to stop him. "Don't, Jake. Let her try to handle this herself. She's earned the right."

"I don't want her hurt."

"Listen first. If you think she can't do it, then interfere."

Jake stayed in the shadows with Kate at his side and waited.

Chloe held her head high. She had a grace and determination that reminded him of Kate. "She left her family and she's not coming back, Nana."

Ruth waved a finger in front of Chloe's face. "That's your father talking, Chloe Callahan. He's turned you against your mother."

"He never said a bad word about her, even after she left us. Those are my feelings. She gave birth to me, but she's not my mother."

"And I suppose his new girlfriend is?" Ruth snapped out.

Jake tensed, and Kate squeezed his hand.

Chloe still had control of the situation. "Kate is my friend. A mother is the person who takes care of you when you're sick. The one who holds you when you're afraid. The one who follows the bus to school on the first day to make sure you made it okay. I have only one mother, Nana; he just happens to be my father, too."

Ruth's shoulders sagged. She leaned against her husband for support. "He took you away from us."