Unexpected Ride (26 page)
Authors: Rebecca Avery
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Literature & Fiction
“Is that so?” Meredith asked from the doorway as Melody tried to dive out of Carla’s arms in an attempt to get to Chuck. Gretchen gave Chuck a knowing look as though she had tried to warn him.
Sitting up, Chuck took the baby from Carla’s arms and Melody squealed in glee at him and clapped her little hands together.
“Well since we’re going to have more guests I guess I should let Bobby and Tommy know to set up at least one or two more tables… for all the kids… alright,
boss?
” Meredith asked, giving Chuck a teasing smile before continuing. “Careful or I’ll sit
you
at that table too!”
“Well in that case, since I
am
the boss of my house, I am wearing jeans… not clothes better suited for a preacher,” Chuck replied with a self-satisfied smile.
On the way back to the house, Carla called Greg and asked him not to take the boys to her father’s house after all but to have them wash their hands and faces instead and put on church clothes. Then she called her father and asked him to put on a suit as well and meet them at the dinner.
Chuck had said in New York that this auction would be done his way and somewhere in all the planning they had all lost sight of what Chuck’s way meant… even her.
Casual, loud and lots of fun… that was Chuck.
When she made it to the house and was presented with rumpled looking little boys, who looked more like they did
after
the Sunday service rather than before, accompanied by the single most handsome husband on the planet, she could only smile. Soon enough they were on their way to the auction and a feeling of peace filled her. Things were working out for her little family just the way they were supposed to.
The crowd that had gathered in front of the banquet facility were dressed much like those people in New York. Chuck on the other hand was dressed in jeans and t-shirt and, unlike in New York where he had been out of his environment, here he was in his element. A wide smile displayed on his face as he greeted people and shook their hands. She watched as the large group of people collectively relaxed… just like she had once she got to know him.
“He’ll be just fine,” Greg said.
“I know… I find it just as hard to cut the apron strings with him as I do with Meredith,” she said.
“I got something you can use those apron strings for…” Greg replied with a flirty grin as he opened the car door.
Dinner went off without a hitch and the guests took to Chuck like a moth to a flame. A local radio and television station had shown up and Matt stood off to the side with them watching and mimicking what they did with his little camera. By the time it was time to unveil the painting Chuck had calmed down considerably. The entire place had somehow turned into one big party and the lines of elegantly dressed guests blurred with those who’d come in jeans.
Standing, Chuck walked up front and said, “Many of you received a letter about tonight’s event that talked about the man who sold tickets to you for this dinner. This whole thing started as a scam… but for me it has turned out to be something pretty cool. My wife, Meredith, hooked me up with this speech but now that I’ve met you all I don’t think I need it. What that letter didn’t tell you was that most of the money has since been found.”
Carla felt Greg’s hand on her back as she tried to send Chuck good vibes of encouragement.
“I’d like you to know that you are welcome to a full refund of the money you paid for those tickets and consider tonight’s dinner on me… or rather my family. If you are willing to though, I’d like you to instead be a part of this charity thing that I’ve been thinking about starting,” Chuck continued. “I was a foster kid just like that tiny little baby in the back. When your little and cute like her… foster families or adoptive parents aren’t as hard to get. You get to be a teenager though and it’s slim pickings. Then one day you’re essentially tossed out into the wild with little to no survival skills. I’d like to change that for as many kids as I can. Give them a place to go when they get out of the system, train them for a job and for life… just like one crazy biker and one righteous old lady did for me. Dickie Long and Edna Jackson helped me change my life. Say ‘Hi’ guys.”
Dickie waved his hand in the air for a brief moment and Edna Jackson smiled and waved at Chuck and several people laughed at the old woman’s playfulness with the young and extremely talented artist.
“This is something I really want to do. I’m hoping you’ll let me keep the money you spent on those tickets to help another foster kid, like I used to be, see the sunshine through the rain,” Chuck said, pulling the piece of linen cloth of the painting he’d done.
A gasp went through the crowd. What the room full of people were looking at would go down in history for sure. Of that Carla had no doubt. The painting showed a ray of sunshine breaking through a black cloud that was dumping rain down on a collection of flowers sticking out of a small flowerbed. The flowers were of various colors, shapes and heights… and each one was shying away from the rain and leaning into the sun. Chuck’s heartfelt admission had just significantly increased the value of the painting and perhaps every other one he ever did from this point forward. Philanthropy always added value both for the giver and the recipient.
“If you want a refund, please see Lilly Jackson at the table over there. If you’d like to purchase another ticket for the auction, you can see my wife, Meredith, at that table. The first love of my life and owner of my heart… Gretchen McMurray… will draw the winning ticket in about a half an hour so enjoy the food and drinks,” Chuck finished.
Gretchen was hoisted into the air by Tommy and she waved at the crowd and smiled a dimpled grin full of sugar and spice. Just as Carla’s father stood from where he’d been sitting next to Edna Jackson and headed over to see Meredith with his check book in hand, Carla noticed Edna looking really pale. It was time to talk to the older woman about a nagging suspicion Carla had entertained since Thanksgiving dinner.
“I should go see about Edna,” she said to Greg.
“Do what you have to beautiful… in the words of Chuck… I got your back!” Greg said with a smile and a cute nod of his head. Leaning down she stole a quick kiss from him before heading over to Edna.
Sitting down in the seat her father had vacated, Carla said, “You doing okay there, Ms. Edna?”
“Oh… just old,” Edna replied. “Been having some problems today.”
“Anything I can do for you,” she asked.
“Maybe catch me a ride home with your father. He usually leaves these things pretty early too,” Edna said.
“Sure… I’ll take care of that. I don’t know if Lilly mentioned it to you but I’m in school… for nursing… so if I can help… just ask. For all that you do for others… I really wouldn’t mind at all,” she offered.
Edna smiled at her with tears of gratitude shining in her eyes and said, “I suppose you’ve been around long enough to spot when a person’s time is getting shorter, huh?”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Carla simply nodded her head. Her suspicions had been right. Edna Jackson wouldn’t be around forever and she had just confirmed it.
“Don’t mention it to any of them… My life is a good one and I don’t want that to change any sooner than it has too. If you can help with that… it’s all I would need,” Edna explained.
“It will stay between us. I’ll stop by in the middle of the week and see how you are and we’ll figure out a care plan for you and I’ll see it done, when the time comes,” she said.
Edna patted her hand before Carla stood to go and find her father to see about getting Edna home. Once her father and Edna left she settled back down in her seat next to Greg who smiled his sexy smile at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Do you have any idea how turned on I am right now?” he asked.
“From what?” she asked again.
“Watching you be all sweet and helpful to anyone and everyone all day today… knowing that when I get you alone tonight you’ll turn into this tiger with an appetite that’s…
amazing
. I never expected that from you and it’s just one more thing I absolutely adore about you,” he whispered with that mouth just a breath away from hers.
“Falling in love with you was totally unexpected for me too… so I guess that makes us even…
Detective
,” she whispered back before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him.
Table of Contents
Other Books in this SeriesRough RideSlow Ride Wild RideLong Ride
This is an original publication of Rebecca M. Avery