A Treasure Worth Keeping (11 page)

“A
man was looking for us,” Faith announced from the backseat of the car.

Sam’s foot pumped the accelerator, spewing gravel off the back tires. Neither Evie nor Faith had said much on the trek back to the parking lot, and he’d assumed they’d taken refuge in the little cabin to wait out the storm. Until now. “What man?”

“A man in a white van. But Evie made a—”

“Distraction,”
Evie interrupted, shifting on the seat beside him.

“Uh-huh. A distraction.” Faith nodded vigorously in agreement.

A white van. Seth Lansky again. Which could only mean one thing. He must have decided that since he couldn’t get into Patrick’s computer, he’d set his sights on the next logical source of information. Evie.

Sam had given in to her stubborn insistence to stay in Cooper’s Landing once, but he wouldn’t do it again. Not when Patrick had asked him to watch out for her. Evie had eluded Seth this time, but there was no guarantee she could do so again. Lansky might not be a physical threat, but Sam wasn’t willing to take a chance.

“I’ll drop Faith off to change clothes first and then I’ll take you home.” To make sure you pack your bags.

Evie didn’t argue. Sam slanted a look at her, feeling an unfamiliar tug of
something
when he noticed the weary slump of her shoulders and the damp copper hair plastered against the nape of her neck. Hair he’d untangled with his fingers.

Sam’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. He had no excuse for that. Maybe it was somehow connected to the relief that had slammed into his gut when he’d seen Evie scurry behind a tree near one of the Forest Service cabins. She’d looked as stunned by his unexpected embrace as he was. Immediately, he’d put some distance between them but that hadn’t doused the confusing mix of emotions Evie always seemed to dredge up in him. And life was confusing enough at the moment, thanks, so now he planned to brush up on his grammar skills, take over as Faith’s tutor and send Evie packing. For her own good. And maybe, Sam admitted, for
his.

By the time they pulled up to the cabin, the sun was shining bravely again, gifting them with a spectacular double rainbow.

Faith propped her arms on the back of Evie’s seat and gave them an engaging grin. “A rainbow is formed by the refraction and reflection of the sun’s rays in the raindrops, right?”

Evie smiled. “That’s true, but the Bible says it’s also God’s promise never to destroy the world with water again.”

“Really?” Faith blinked. “That’s in the Bible? Like the story of the loaves and fishes?”

Sam felt Evie’s questioning glance and hot color crept into his face. The Cutters tended to live by the old Pull Yourselves Up By The Bootstraps motto. All his life, Jacob had impressed upon his sons that they had everything in them necessary for life. Courage. Strength. Discipline. All they had to do was mine it out and use it. If they didn’t, they had no one to blame but themselves. Asking for help from an unseen God was never offered as an option. The closest Sam got to Him was at Thanksgiving, when they bowed their heads and offered a weak prayer of thanks under Grandma Cutter’s watchful eye.

When Sam had walked in on Evie and Sophie praying the night before, he’d felt something stir the emptiness inside and wondered if it was too late to approach God. And if it was a sign of weakness.

Jacob would think so. When a friend of Rachel’s had asked the pastor of her church to visit Dan, Jacob had intercepted the man and politely told him to tend to his own “flock” and he would see to his.

The image of Dan, confined to a hospital bed, sawed through Sam again like the serrated edge of a knife. His brother’s career and favorite hobbies required the use of his legs. He could still see the hopeless look in Dan’s eyes. Even his wife and daughter failed to move him toward recovery. And instead of being encouraging, Jacob’s admonitions to Dan—that if he set his mind on recovery, he’d be walking in no time—had only made Dan pull further into himself.

“Do you have a Bible, Sam?” Faith asked.

“No.” The word came out more harshly than he intended.

“I’m sure Dad has an extra one. I’d be happy to let you borrow it, Faith,” Evie said carefully.

Faith looked at him expectantly, and Sam decided that even though it might not help, it probably couldn’t hurt, either. “I’m okay with it.” He hoped the rest of his family would be, too.

“As long as you don’t test me on it.” Faith giggled.

“I make no promises.” Evie turned back to Sam. “I’ll wait here in the car while you get Faith settled.”

“We’ve got towels inside. You should at least come in and dry your hair.” Sam saw the blush that rose in Evie’s cheeks as she glanced away. Strange. Evie wasn’t exactly shy. The night he’d urged her to pretend they’d been on a romantic stroll, her fluttering lashes and adoring look had convinced Seth they were a couple. Just when his cynical self decided he was seeing an unexpected side of Evie McBride, she’d struggled to come up with an appropriate endearment.
Dear.
His lips twisted at the memory. Straight from a rerun of
Happy Days.

As Sam followed Evie up the path to the cabin, he found himself wondering if there was someone special in her life. Jacob had mentioned all of Patrick’s daughters were single, but that didn’t mean Evie didn’t have a significant other. Someone who could overlook her exasperating tendency to preplan every step and carry a bag guaranteed to make a tinker jealous…and who would appreciate the sapphire-blue eyes that could take a man down like one of the hapless ships at the bottom of the lake.

Where had that come from?

Sam’s heart locked up. No, thanks. Been there, done that, had the scars to prove it.

He’d been engaged at the ripe old age of twenty-five to a woman who’d confronted him a week before the wedding, asking him to choose between her and his career. He must have hesitated a fraction of a second too long because Kelly had walked out the door, taking the choice away from him.

Some deep soul-searching and a game of one-on-one with Dan at midnight had left him with a broken finger, a bloody nose and the conclusion he wasn’t the marrying kind. Lucky for him that Dan was. Sam could focus on his career with the added bonus of hanging out with his brother’s family unit several times a month, enjoying home-cooked meals from Rachel’s kitchen and the chance to be Faith’s doting uncle without having to change diapers or do that burping thing.

After a week in Faith’s company, he’d begun to think diapers and walking around with a towel tossed over his shoulder to catch whatever didn’t stay down had been easier than the stage she was in now. Earlier in the day he’d caught her on the phone, trying to sweet-talk the receptionist into letting her talk to Dan. The woman had refused to put the call through, but for some reason Faith had blamed
him.
And then she’d taken off. He’d been about to go to Sophie’s when Evie had called him to let him know Faith was with her.

Sam felt a pang of regret. Faith wasn’t going to be happy when she found out Evie was leaving. Hopefully, he could make her understand.

Right. Like she understood when you took her away from her dad and brought her here.

Sam pushed the thought aside, more comfortable with action than feelings. “Faith, get some dry towels for Evie, too, okay?”

“Okay.” Faith disappeared up the stairs to the loft, leaving them alone.

“I’ll stay here. I don’t want to drip on the hardwood f-floors.”

The faint chatter of Evie’s teeth reminded Sam that she’d been soaked to the skin for several hours. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into the bedroom and came back with a pair of clean sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt. “Here. The bathroom is down the hall on the left.”

Evie balked. “You’re t-taking me home, right? I’ll be fine for a few more minutes.”

“Just wear them and put me out of your misery,” Sam told her curtly.

A smile danced in Evie’s eyes. “Now I
know
I look as horrible as I feel.”

Horrible?
Not the word Sam would have chosen. With her wide blue eyes and tousled hair, she reminded him of a stray kitten who’d been left out in the rain. “At least you don’t look like a raccoon.”

“Th-thanks.”

She looked confused, so Sam figured he should clarify. “You don’t have those dark runny circles under your eyes.”

Her laughter reminded him of the wind chimes on the deck. “Those are from mascara. And I gave up on makeup when I realized
nothing
hides f-freckles.”

Sam frowned as another shiver rippled through her. “I’ll change while you put these on, and then I’ll give you a ride home.”

“He’s bossy, isn’t he, Evie?” Faith called from the loft as she leaned over the railing and dropped two colorful beach towels.

“You’re insulting me?” Sam couldn’t believe it. “The guy who rescued you this afternoon?”

Faith gave him an impish grin. “I think Evie’s
bomb
rescued us.”

“Bomb?” Sam narrowed his gaze on Evie, who shrugged.

“Actually…it was a
distraction.
” Plucking the clothes out of Sam’s hands, Evie scooted down the hall to the bathroom. She knew what was coming next. He was going to try to talk her into leaving. Again.

She turned the lock and sagged against the door, unsure whether her bones were rattling because the storm had turned her into a walking sponge or in a delayed reaction to their close call with Seth.

Hands shaking, she managed to strip off her wet clothes. As she tugged the well-laundered T-shirt over her head, the familiar blend of soap, fresh air and forest teased her nose. She buried her face in the crook of her elbow and inhaled, comforted by the scent. Sam’s scent. It was strange how they barely knew each other, yet she recognized it so quickly.

The black sweatpants puddled around her feet, but at least they were dry. Evie rolled up the bottoms three times and decided it was the best she could do. But when she saw her reflection in the mirror, she stifled a groan. Maybe she didn’t look like a raccoon, but Sam had neglected to mention she looked like a drowned rat! Her hair sprang every which way and there were faint scratches on her forehead from being attacked by a low-hanging branch.

When she emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, she found a drowsy Faith curled up on the couch, headphones in place and a cup of hot chocolate cradled in her palms. She yawned and pointed to the kitchen.

Sam stood at the breakfast counter, slathering peanut butter on a piece of bread. “Coffee or hot chocolate? No tea in this house. Dad doesn’t think it’s manly.”

Evie hooked her thumbs in the waistband of the sweatpants and hiked them up as she sidled into the kitchen. “Coffee. Please.”

Sam turned and his gaze swept over her. A smile twisted his lips. “I should have given you something of Faith’s to wear.”

“This is fine. Thank you.” Evie pushed the words out, self-conscious under the weight of his quiet appraisal.

“Foil and drain cleaner,” Sam murmured, padding over to her and handing her the peanut butter sandwich she’d assumed was for Faith.

Faith had taken advantage of her absence and spilled the beans. “Seth was about to search the restrooms and Faith was trapped inside. I had to do something to distract him so she could get away.”

“Very ingenious.” Sam’s eyes warmed to liquid silver. “The woman has brains…and beauty.”

Beauty? Evie instantly rejected the notion. Caitlin and Meghan reigned as the unchallenged beauties of the McBride family. Caitlin’s classic features, sable dark hair and pale blue eyes may have contrasted with Meghan’s exotic green eyes and untamed strawberry-blond curls, but both women drew their share of appreciative glances.

Her sisters, only two years apart in age, had been the darlings of Abraham Lincoln High School. The phone had rung off the hook on the weekends. Boys called to take her sisters to a movie or out for a burger. They called Evie when they needed a lab partner.

Sam was probably used to dropping compliments. The night they’d fooled Seth into believing they were a couple, he’d turned on the charm without missing a beat. And his rakish good looks and easy confidence guaranteed a watercooler fan club out there somewhere. He was a man comfortable in his own skin, something Evie had never quite mastered. Old insecurities seemed to hang on like a piece of tape stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

It was a depressing thought.

“I want to go home.” Evie closed her eyes as a wave of fatigue swamped her. She didn’t deserve any praise. Not when all she’d done was help Faith escape from the dangerous situation she’d put her into to begin with.

“Sit down and eat the sandwich.” Sam didn’t wait for her to comply, just took her by the elbows and steered her toward the kitchen table. “You look like you’re ready to fall over.”

Evie decided she was too tired to argue and nibbled at the corner of the bread as he stalked away. He came back with two cups of coffee and straddled the chair opposite hers. “So you’re going home. I think you’re making the right decision—”

A chunk of crust took an unexpected detour down the wrong pipe. “Not my home,” she managed to choke. “Dad’s
home.
”

Sam stared at her. “You’re still planning to stay after what happened today? Knowing Seth is still interested in whatever he thinks you have? Knowing you might be in trouble?”

When he put it that way…

“Yes.” She cloaked the word in bravery, leaning on the passage of scripture she’d tucked in her heart.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you….

Sam’s chair scraped against the floor as he pushed it away and rose to his feet. “Brainy, beautiful…and bullheaded.”