A Treasure Worth Keeping (6 page)

Sam had had no idea Faith had written to her father or called the rehab center. Guilt washed over him. He’d failed his brother and now he was failing his niece. He struggled to find his voice. “Evie’s right. I think he’d like that.”

“Does that mean we can study
Canis familiaris
again tomorrow?” Faith’s tentative smile was like seeing a beam of sunlight peek through the clouds.

“You’ll have to discuss that with your teacher.”

Faith sprinted ahead of them and Sam held his breath, expecting Evie to hit him with a hundred questions now. And she’d be within her rights. He should have been honest with her the night he’d asked her to be Faith’s tutor. He’d convinced himself Evie didn’t need to know their family business but the truth was, he’d always kept a tight rein on his emotions and Dan’s accident had stirred them up. Brought them to the surface. Even saying his brother’s name had the potential to let those feelings loose, and he couldn’t risk breaking down in front of a complete stranger.

Evie didn’t say a word but one look at the set of her shoulders told him everything. He should have told her there was more to Faith’s discontent than homework.

“Dan was…is…a police officer, and he was injured in an…accident.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but Sam didn’t know how else to describe what had happened. His jaw tightened.
Someone deliberately tried to kill my brother?
Too harsh. And it would only raise more questions.

“I’m sorry.”

The simple words threw him off balance. He’d expected questions. Maybe even accusations. What he wasn’t prepared for was the compassion he heard in Evie’s voice. And it nearly undid him.

Sam retreated behind the walls he’d put up to stave off the pain of the past few months. He felt a rush of relief when the cabin came into view.

When Evie reached her car, she opened the passenger-side door and hoisted her gigantic bag inside. He caught a glimpse of a package of gum and a box of bandages.

Bitterness welled up, catching him by surprise.

So Evie McBride thought the contents of her duffel-size purse meant she was prepared for anything. It was too bad there wasn’t something in it that could fix messed-up lives.

I
’ve been praying for Sam. And Faith.

The words scrolled through Evie’s mind every time she woke up during the night.

In March, her father had asked her to pray for a friend and his family. He’d only shared a few details. The friend’s son was a Chicago police officer who’d been shot while responding to a call. After surgery to remove a bullet near his spine, the doctors were still uncertain whether he’d ever walk again. He had a wife and twelve-year-old daughter. And a devastated twin brother.

“No one in the family is a believer, Evie,” Patrick had told her. “They don’t know how to comfort each other or how to
be
comforted. Instead of coming together, the family is splintering apart.”

Evie had added them to her prayers even though she’d struggled with the circumstances. Another parent had chosen a dangerous profession and now a family had to suffer the consequences of that decision.

She’d had no idea the man she’d been lifting up in prayer for the past three months had been Jacob Cutter. And the child she’d asked God to comfort wasn’t a nameless, faceless little girl. It was Faith. And the twin brother, Sam.

As daylight filtered through the sheer curtains, Evie gave up on sleep. She sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her knees.

Lord, now I know why you brought me here. And why Sam asked me to tutor Faith. Give me wisdom to know how to encourage her. I wasn’t much older than Faith when Mom died. I know what it’s like to have your whole world turned upside down and not understand why.

Reveal yourself to them. Show them that even though the situation might seem hopeless, they can find hope in you.

Patrick had told her that none of the Cutter family were believers, but Evie had confidence God was at work. His timing was always perfect and there had to be a reason why Patrick’s fishing trip and her arrival in Cooper’s Landing had corresponded with Faith and Sam’s trip.

Evie remembered Sam’s expression when Faith had mentioned her dad. For a split second, the bleakness in Sam’s eyes had reflected all the pain and anger and helplessness he felt.

Strengthen Sam, too, Lord.

Evie was closing up the shop for the day when a van pulled in and a stocky young man jumped out of the driver’s seat, intercepting her on her way to the cottage.

Evie hadn’t had many customers over the course of the day. If only his timing would have been better! When Patrick called, she wanted to be able to tell him she was single-handedly reducing the store’s inventory. “I’m sorry. We’re closed.”

“Are you Evie McBride? Patrick’s daughter?”

Evie paused. “Yes.”

“I’m Seth. Seth Lansky? The computer tech? Mr. McBride hired me to install a new software program.”

Computer tech? Evie’s gaze traveled over the man’s husky frame. In a flannel-lined plaid shirt and heavy boots, he looked more like pictures she’d seen of the legendary Paul Bunyan than someone who spent his days at a keyboard.

“Dad didn’t mention you were coming over.” Not that it was unusual for her dad to forget something. The day before he’d left, she’d caught him wandering around the house looking for his glasses. They’d been tucked in the front pocket of his shirt the whole time.

“I couldn’t tell him the exact day I’d be stopping by,” Seth explained. “Emergency calls get priority.”

That sounded legitimate. Evie glanced over his shoulder at the vehicle parked in the driveway. It didn’t have a logo painted on it but that didn’t mean anything. Sleepy little Cooper’s Landing wasn’t exactly on the cutting edge when it came to business practices. The local post office and Ruby’s Beauty Salon operated out of the same building.

“I was just about to leave for a few hours.”

Seth scratched a ragged thumbnail against the stubble on his chin. “If I don’t take a look at it now, I’m not sure when I can come back around. Mr. McBride seemed pretty anxious to get it taken care of. Shouldn’t take very long.”

Evie glanced at her watch. Four-fifteen. She was already late for her meeting with Faith.

“I suppose it’s all right.”

“Great.” Seth flashed an engaging smile and followed her inside. Evie led the way past the kitchen to the room her dad had converted into an office when he’d moved in.

“Here you—” Evie turned the doorknob and frowned. It was locked. “That’s strange. Dad never locks anything.”

“There must be a key around somewhere.”

“I’ll look in the kitchen.”

When Evie returned a few minutes later with the ring of keys she’d found hanging on a hook by sink, Seth had his back to her, talking on a cell phone.

“I’m surprised you get reception. Half the time, mine won’t work.”

Seth gave a visible start and snapped the phone shut. “This one didn’t, either.”

Evie sifted through the keys, looking for one that might fit. “You’ll have your work cut out for you. Dad hates computers. The PC my sisters and I bought him a few years ago when he opened the shop is already outdated. I tried to teach him how to use it but I’m pretty sure he kept his old typewriter as a backup. Here. I think this is the right one….” Evie choked as the door to Patrick’s office drifted open.

“Looks like your dad got the hang of it,” Seth drawled.

“I can’t believe this,” Evie murmured, studying the expensive flat-screen monitor she
knew
hadn’t been part of the package they’d bought for Patrick. There was also a combination printer and—Evie blinked—
fax machine?

Seth didn’t answer as he sat down at the desk and pressed the power button.

Evie lingered, still uncertain whether she should leave him alone in the house. But Faith needed her. “I’ll be back in a little while.”

Seth chuckled. “Don’t worry about me. Like I said, this shouldn’t take long.”

Evie slung her bag over her shoulder and made a quick detour to the garage before leaving for her afternoon tutoring session.

When she pulled into the Cutters’ driveway, she was encouraged to see Faith sitting on the step, waiting for her to arrive. And relieved they’d made it safely back to shore.

Thank you, Lord.

Instead of saying hello, Faith greeted her with a gloomy announcement. “Sam says I have to work on my math assignments first.”

“Really?” Evie opened the trunk of the car. “I hate to veto your uncle, but the teacher sets the schedule. We’re having gym class first.”

Faith peeked into the trunk and her eyes lit up when she saw the basketball hoop. “Is that for me?”

“It’s for us. I warned you I was a science geek, right? You’ll have to take it easy on me until I learn the rules.”

“We can mount it above the garage door. I’ll get Sam.” Faith bounded away before Evie could stop her.

Evie’s heart gave a strange little flutter when Sam emerged from the cabin. They must have recently come off the lake because his hair curled damply at the base of his neck. His casual clothing should have looked scruffy, but Sam wore the threadbare chambray shirt and faded jeans with casual ease. He could have graced the cover of any popular boating magazine.

Once again, Evie wondered what he did for a living. He’d walked across the roof with catlike grace the day before, but his skin didn’t have the weathered look of someone who worked outside all day. Although his biceps could have been honed by construction work…

“Heads up, Evie!” Faith’s cheerful warning rang across the yard.

The basketball sailed toward her, and Evie instinctively lifted her hands. And missed. The force of the ball against her abdomen winded her.

“Wow.” She gasped the word. “There’s a lot of power in that pass.”

Faith grinned. “I’ll get the ladder.”

Sam stared after his niece in disbelief. “Who is she and what did she do with my niece? That is
not
the girl who was on the boat with me. The girl with me today refused to talk and deliberately left out the jelly on my peanut-butter and
jelly
sandwich.”

Evie’s soft laugh rippled through him. “You don’t know how many times I’ve heard variations of that question at parent-teacher conferences.”

The sound of her laughter never failed to surprise Sam. It was…young. Jacob had mentioned Patrick’s youngest daughter was only twenty-six, but the serious blue eyes and conservative clothing made her seem older. Most women wore hats as a fashion statement, but Sam had a hunch that Evie had chosen the wide-brimmed straw hat to protect her from the sun. Probably because she’d given
him
her sunblock. Today she’d kept the cardigan but traded in her skirt for a pair of pleated khakis. And the flat-soled leather shoes on her feet weren’t exactly the kind of footwear endorsed by the NBA.

Sam nudged Evie aside as she reached into the trunk of the car and wrestled with a rusty basketball hoop. “Gym class. You do have some interesting teaching methods, Miss McBride.”

“Thank you.”

Sam wasn’t sure it was a compliment. They had two weeks to bring Faith’s grades back up. So far the only books he’d seen were the ones he’d fished out of Faith’s laundry basket that morning.

“I can play basketball with her anytime—”

Evie tossed the ball to him. “Great. Let’s get this net up.”

Not exactly what he’d meant. “Ah, maybe I didn’t mention how much homework Faith has. She took it pretty hard when her dad got hurt. She stopped caring. About school. About…everything. You’ve got your work cut out for you over the next two weeks. To be quite honest, I don’t know if there’s time for puppies and basketball.”

“Those are the things Faith cares about. We’re going to
make
time for them. Everything else will fall into place. You’ll see.”

“You’re the teacher.”

Evie’s chin lifted. “I’m glad we got that settled.”

Sam expected Evie to sit on the sidelines. Maybe look over Faith’s assignments while she had the opportunity. But no. She’d joined in the game with an enthusiasm that amazed him. The woman had two left hands and feet, but what she lacked in athletic ability she made up for in effort.

“You’re going to have blisters on your blisters,” Sam murmured as they crouched face-to-face in the center of the driveway in a battle for control of the ball.

Evie blew a wisp of hair out of her eyes. “Between the shin splints and the torn ligaments I won’t even notice them.”

Sam couldn’t prevent the rusty bark of laughter that rolled out. And it surprised him. Maybe Faith wasn’t the only one who had forgotten how to laugh over the past few months.

He had to admit Evie was a genius when it came to kids. Somehow she’d known exactly what his niece needed. Faith lived and breathed sports, but she’d quit the track team after Dan was injured. Not only had she walked away from something she loved, but she’d lost the physical outlet to deal with the additional stress on their family.

And he’d been totally oblivious to all that. Until now. For Faith’s sake, he decided to trust Evie’s unorthodox teaching methods.

“Ready, Evie?” Faith’s eyes gleamed with the light of competition as she gave the basketball an impressive spin on the tip of her index finger.

“Ready,
Evie?
” Sam repeated in disbelief. “Haven’t you ever heard the saying blood is thicker than water?”

“It depends on who’s grading your papers,” Evie retorted.

Feeling more lighthearted than he had in weeks, Sam knocked the ball out of Faith’s hand and went in for a layup. Evie came out of nowhere and stole the ball, lobbing it toward the net. It hit the backboard and swished through the hoop.

Faith whooped in delight at the stunned look on Evie’s face.

“Beginner’s luck,” Sam muttered as he jumped up and caught the rebound.

Family loyalty aside, Faith gave Evie encouragement and advice as they played. Somehow Evie had reversed their roles. She looked to Faith to teach her the rules of the game. Trusted her commands. Accepted correction.

Her strategy, Sam acknowledged, was brilliant. Evie didn’t expect to win Faith’s trust and respect, she wanted to earn it.

Faith would have played until dark if Sam hadn’t noticed Evie’s slight limp and called the game. And he didn’t miss the grateful look Evie shot in his direction.

“Sam, I’m going to shower and work on my math for a while, okay?” Faith took one more shot from the makeshift free-throw line and did a little victory dance when it swept through the net. “You played a great game, Evie. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re just a science geek.” She gave her a cheeky smile and dashed into the house.

“Did my niece just say she was going to work on her math? Without empty threats or shameless bribes?”

“She did.” Evie took a folded tissue out of the pocket of her khakis and blotted her forehead. “She’s a great kid, Sam. You’ll get through this.”

Sam had a feeling she wasn’t referring only to adolescence and her next words confirmed it.

“I know about your brother. Dad asked me to pray for your family when it happened, but I didn’t realize it was
you.
Not until yesterday.”

“You’ve been
praying
for us?”

“Since March,” Evie confirmed.

Three months ago, and Dan was still on a downward spiral. His lips twisted. “I wish I could tell you it’s helped. Dan isn’t walking yet.”

“God is more interested in healing hearts than bodies,” Evie said.

The simple words blindsided him.

“I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.” Evie walked toward the car but Sam beat her to it and opened the driver’s-side door.

“I’m going to toss some steaks on the grill. Why don’t you stay for supper?” Sam had no idea which wire in his brain had short-circuited and disengaged his mouth from his brain.

Evie shook her head. “I can’t.”

No apologies. No excuses. Maybe he’d been impulsive to ask her to stay, but Sam still felt a stab of disappointment at her blunt refusal. He told himself it wasn’t unusual to want to know a little more about the woman he’d hired to be Faith’s tutor—but part of him chided himself for not being completely honest.