The Nanny's New Family (Caring Canines) (12 page)

“I’m going to the lake to check on Jeremy. Maybe do some fishing.”

“I see Melissa supervising. I’m going to talk to her and then find my twin.”

As Ian made his way toward the water, he felt a lightness in his steps. A couple of months ago he’d been dreading the summer months because his children were so unsettled, but now he wasn’t. He owed Tom Hansen a gift for telling him about Annie.

The sunlight felt good when he stopped where Jeremy and Nathan were with Ben, who was putting bait on their fishing poles. A big smile on his son’s face warmed him more than the sun.

“You must be Ben. I’m Ian. Annie’s told me about you and your service dog.” Ian shook the man’s hand.

“As she has told me about Rex and what great things he’s doing for Jeremy. My sister is excited that Rex is working out for you.”

“He’s the best dog.” Jeremy moved toward a flat rock to fish next to Nathan.

“I came to see if you had an extra pole. I haven’t gone fishing in years, but I understand the fish we catch will be tonight’s meal.”

Ben chuckled. “No pressure, huh?”

“You’re kidding, aren’t you? I’m sure there’s a backup plan for dinner if we don’t catch enough fish.”

“Nope. We’ll only have coleslaw and beans if we don’t get some. But others will be joining us here and down the shoreline.”

“How come?”

“An incentive, so we will have enough fish to eat.”

“Okay. Let me see if I remember what I know from being a child.”

“The good thing is this lake is teeming with fish.”

For two hours, Ian sat patiently on the bank, keeping his line in the water while everyone around him, even his son, caught fish after fish. Then when he was about to give up, he felt a tug on his line. Ian stood up, jerking the pole and hoping to set the hook in whatever he caught.

Jeremy pulled in his line. “I’ll get the net. You can do this, Dad.”

After the long wait Ian hoped for a big one, but instead he hauled in a white crappie that, according to Ben, weighed barely a pound. He’d envisioned a monster-size fish to make up for all the ones he didn’t bring in. Good thing they weren’t depending on him for supper.

Amanda came up behind him, whistling at the fish he passed to Ben. “I love crappie.” She looked at the others that had been caught. “We’re going to eat well tonight. Ian, I think they can do without you for a while. Can’t you, Ben?”

“Sure. I’ll keep an eye on Jeremy. He and Nathan are having fun.”

“What’s up?” Ian asked Amanda while glancing at his son, laughing with his new friend. The sound filled him with hope.

“Annie has a surprise for you. I’ll show you. It’s at the end of the Boomer Trail. Joshua has taken a shining to Melissa and is following her around with her little brother. Brent is six. We have a child or two around the ages of all of your children.”

Ian strolled beside Amanda across the area where the Knight family tents were pitched and into the woods on a trail under a green canopy of trees, a light breeze ruffling their leaves.

“I need to get back,” Amanda said. “I’m on the cooking detail tonight. I’m leaving you here. Keep on the trail.” She pointed where to go. “It ends near a lake overlook. You’ll see.”

When Ian came to the end and the trail opened up onto a bluff that had a great view of the lake, he stopped and stared at the blanket spread over the ground with a picnic basket in one corner. He walked to the wicker container and lifted the top. Inside was a bottle of sparkling grape juice and two glasses set between bowls of large strawberries and melted chocolate.

He heard a branch snap and looked up. Annie rounded the last bend in the trail. When she saw him, she looked puzzled. She gazed at the basket and blanket, and her expression went blank.

“What’s this?” She paused on the opposite side of the coverlet.

“You tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“Your sister said that you wanted to see me.”

Annie’s eyes brightened with understanding quickly followed by irritation. “Jasmine told me that you wanted to see
me
. I thought this was a strange place to meet.”

“Why?”

“Because the locals call this bluff Lover’s Leap.” Annie averted her eyes to the lake stretching out below. “You know what’s going on here?”

Jasmine? Ah, now he did. “How did my daughter rope your sister into participating in this little...” He waved his arm, at a loss for words.

“Rendezvous.” Annie’s cheeks flamed.

“Yes.”

“Amanda is a romantic. It wouldn’t have taken much. Now I know for sure who was leaving those little gifts for me. I suspected one of them, but I think it was both!”

“True—if one does something like this, then the other is involved, too.” Ian removed the sparkling grape juice from the basket, then the strawberries and chocolate. He chuckled. “They’ve been watching too much TV.”

“No, my sister is a huge romance reader. This is all her. The girls probably came up with the idea of doing something, and Amanda went to town with it.”

Ian sat on the blanket. “We might as well enjoy it. I love strawberries and chocolate, not that I’ve ever had them together.”

“I do, too, which Amanda would know.”

“But sparkling grape juice?”

“We have this every year on New Year’s Eve. We like the bubbles.” Annie sat down on the other side of the blanket.

“With your large family, you must have a lot of traditions, especially during a holiday like this one.” Ian opened the bottle and poured the grape juice into two glasses, then passed one to Annie. He’d have to thank Amanda and Jasmine. This was a good idea.

“Just wait until the Fourth. My brothers revert back to childhood with their fireworks display.”

Ian raised his drink. “To the next holiday.”

“Father’s Day. Just a few weeks away. So what do you do to celebrate?”

“Usually we go to the Oklahoma City Zoo for the day. If it’s raining, we spend the day inside at the Omniplex next to the zoo.”

“No golfing or sleeping in a hammock?” Annie dipped the first strawberry into the chocolate and took a bite.

“I’ve never played golf and don’t own a hammock, although it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get one.”

Annie fixed another strawberry and held it out for Ian. “So what are we going to do about my sister and your daughters?”

Ian leaned toward her hand and sank his teeth into the juicy fruit. “How about nothing? I’m enjoying this quiet alone time with good food and drink.” He scanned the woods surrounding the bluff and whispered, “I wouldn’t be surprised if one or all are watching right now. Want to find out?”

“How?”

“I can’t imagine my daughters remaining quiet if I kiss you.”

Annie’s eyes grew round. “You’re probably right.”

“Feed me another strawberry, and then I’ll thank you with a kiss.”

“Do you think we should encourage them by doing that?”

“True. No telling what they would plan.” But the idea of kissing Annie again wouldn’t leave Ian’s mind. In fact, he’d often recalled that kiss on his patio. “But it might be fun finding out what they would do.”

Annie laughed and picked up a strawberry, dipped it in some chocolate then presented it to Ian. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you wanted to kiss me anyway.”

Ian ignored the offered fruit and bent closer to her. “Actually, I do.”

A small gasp escaped her beautiful lips, but she didn’t pull back. Instead, she leaned toward him.

Suddenly Jade entered the clearing, shouting, “Dad, come quick!”

Chapter Twelve

“W
hat’s going on?” Ian shot to his feet.

“Is Jeremy having a seizure?” Annie jumped up.

Jade shook her head. “Joshua’s missing.”

The three started hurrying down the trail back to the campground. “How?” Annie asked. “Melissa is always so conscientious.”

“We were playing hide-and-seek, and we can’t find him.”

“Where?” Ian asked.

“Around the playground.” Jade looked panicked.

Annie increased her pace to keep up with Ian. “We’ll find him. There are a lot of us.” But she kept thinking of Joshua’s adventurous behavior. He’d try anything he thought would be fun. There were some caves not too far from where they were camping. What if he got lost in one or encountered a bear? Her own fear skyrocketed as risky scenarios ran through her mind.

Slightly behind Annie on her right, Jade said, “Melissa didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t blame her.”

Annie slowed and glanced back at Jade. “I’m not putting blame on anyone. I just want to find Joshua.” As her heartbeat raced she accelerated, nearly catching up with Ian. In the distance she heard Joshua’s name being called, which confirmed he was still missing.

A few minutes later, Ian burst out of the woods first and headed straight for a group of adults, including Melissa and Annie’s father, gathered near the playground. “Where have you looked?” Ian scanned their faces, his shoulders slumping.

Annie touched his arm as she parked herself next to him. “Dad?”

“Ken and Charlie are checking the caves. Ben and some of the older kids are walking along the shoreline.”

“I’ve looked in all the hiding places the children were using,” Melissa said, her face pale and her hands shaking.

Annie crossed to her niece and clasped her hands. “This isn’t your fault. Things happen that we would never anticipate. And to Joshua especially. How long has he been missing?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

Annie’s eldest sister, Rachel, pointed to the left. “We’ve tried all the tents and cars. That leaves the woods. We need to look there, too.”

Annie’s dad started organizing the family. “Let’s form a line with four or five feet between each of us and comb them.”

Ian approached Melissa. “Joshua has gotten away from me before. He usually follows directions, but something might get into his head and he forgets what he should do. Don’t feel responsible for this.”

Tears welled in the teenager’s eyes. “He’d been doing everything I said.”

Rachel, Melissa’s mother, joined them and hugged her daughter. “The best thing to do is help find him, so come on.”

While Amanda stayed back at camp in case Joshua returned on his own, Annie said to Ian, “Let’s go toward the trail. Maybe he saw us and decided to follow.”

“But we were just there.”

“He might have cut through the woods at an angle. Joshua looks at everything as an escapade.”

“That’s something he would do,” Ian agreed. He pushed his way through some thick underbrush at the edge of the forest, shouting his son’s name.

Annie did likewise about five feet from Ian. As they neared the bluff, Annie thought she heard a voice say, “I’m here!” Halting, she waved to Ian and put her forefinger to her mouth. He stopped yelling Joshua’s name.

“Help. I’m stuck!”

The sound came from the area in front of Annie. She hastened forward with Ian running toward her. “Joshua, where are you?”

“Here. In the log.”

Up ahead Annie spied a large log, and it appeared one end was hollow. An animal like a fox could fit in it, but a child?

“We’re coming, Joshua,” Ian shouted.

“I’m here.” When Annie reached the log a few seconds before Ian, she knelt at one end of the downed tree trunk and peeked inside.

“I can’t move.” Annie saw Joshua’s legs wiggle as though trying to back out of the log.

Ian went to the other end and peered in. He grinned. “You’ve got yourself in a pickle, son.”

“A pickle? I wish I had one to eat. I’m hungry.”

“It means you’re in a tight spot.”

“Yeah, Dad. That’s what I said.”

Annie squatted next to Ian, the sight of Joshua’s dirty face wonderful. “We could try to pull him out.”

“Where are your arms?”

“At my sides.”

Ian stood and walked around the six-foot log, knocking against the wood, checking for soft spots. The raps echoed through the woods.

“It’s narrower at the end where his head and torso are. We should try pulling him out by the legs.” He returned to the other end of the log. “I’ll tug on your legs, but you’ll have to let us know if you’re caught on anything. Annie will stay here and talk to you.” He stooped and whispered in her ear, “The wood is rough so it’ll probably scrape his arms. Reassure him while I try to dislodge him.”

Annie lay on the ground facing Joshua and reached in to touch his head. “I’m staying here while your dad gets you out. What made you hide in here?”

“Cuz I was being found. I wanna fool everyone.”

“It fooled them so well they thought you were lost.”

“I’m not lost. I know where I am.” He giggled. “That means I won.”

Ian pulled on Joshua’s legs. The boy moved slightly, wincing.

“Does it hurt?”

He wiggled and managed to bring one arm out from under his body. “I’m tough.”

“I know you’re tough, buddy.” Annie peered over the log at Ian.

He continued to pull. When Joshua suddenly popped loose, Ian’s furrowed forehead and set jaw quickly relaxed.

Annie hurried to Ian as Joshua slid out. She wanted to scoop the child into her arms, but Ian did first.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again, Joshua. I had visions of having to saw you out of the log.” Ian held the boy away from him and checked his arms and body for any wounds. “When we get back to camp, I need to clean these scrapes on your arms, but other than those you seem fine.”

Joshua threw his arms around Ian’s neck. “Thanks, Dad. You saved me.”

Ian grinned from ear to ear as he rose with his son in his arms.

Annie patted Joshua’s back. “No more hide-and-seek. In fact, I’m not sure you’ll leave my side the rest of the weekend.”

“Aw. I was supposed to hide. It was a cool place. I didn’t know I’d get stuck.”

Ian set Joshua on the ground and tousled his hair. “Annie is right. You have to be within view of one of us the rest of the weekend. Trouble seems to find you.”

Joshua lifted his shoulders. “I don’t look for trouble. Promise.”

“C’mon. We need to get back and let my family know you’ve been located.” Annie started toward camp with the five-year-old between her and Ian.

* * *

“Now that the kids have gone to sleep, do you want to share the strawberries and chocolate? The grape juice is flat but that’s okay.” Ian was carrying the picnic basket and sat in the folding chair next to Annie on one side of the fire circle while her sister and Ben sat across from them.

Annie’s first impulse was to say no because of how close she and Ian had come to kissing again. But she’d enjoyed the snacks and with her sister and brother-in-law nearby, there wouldn’t be a repeat of what Ian had suggested at the bluff. Annie always thought of herself as being strong willed, but Ian was testing that assumption.

“Sure. I hate my sister having gone to all this trouble to set this up and not at least have the treats.” She’d raised her voice so Amanda would hear her reply.

Annie slanted a glance toward Amanda and Ben exchanging whispers. Probably plotting something for her and Ian tomorrow. With all that had happened concerning Joshua and then dinner and cleanup, Annie hadn’t had the time to tell her sister to stop interfering. Amanda had tried it once before, and Annie had thought she’d made her wishes very clear: no trying to fix her up.

“I think my sister was behind it all and somehow solicited your daughters to help,” Annie whispered to Ian.

“Did you say anything to the girls when you said good-night?” Ian dipped a strawberry into the chocolate and passed it to Annie, their fingers touching.

Annie tried to concentrate, but all she could think about was their almost kiss on the bluff. She had to admit it: she’d wanted Ian to kiss her.

“Annie?”

She blinked and peered at him. “Yes. Jasmine and Jade looked at each other, struggling to keep straight faces, and said that my sister asked them to help her set it up today, then they burst out giggling.”

Annie popped the piece of fruit into her mouth then licked the chocolate off her fingertips, trying not to think of when she’d fed the strawberry to Ian.

“Which means they are guilty.”

“I’m not really mad at them, but at my sister, who is encouraging them. She knows better.”

“She wants to see you with someone.”

Annie huffed and glared at Amanda. “Being with someone isn’t in my plan.” But even as she said it, it didn’t feel right. That bothered her even more. Once it had been her dream to have a husband and children.

“What plan?”

“Working with children who need me is my plan. I’m not looking for anything else.” If she said it enough, maybe she would believe it.

“How about a man who needs you?”

Ian’s question hung in the air. Annie averted her gaze and watched Amanda and Ben get up and walk toward their tent, Ben’s arm resting on her sister’s shoulder. A pang zipped through Annie at the sight. She’d wanted that at one time.

She didn’t know how to answer Ian. He wasn’t aware of her part in the fire. If he knew the truth, would he still want her? “What man?” she finally asked.

“Me. Do you not see how important you are to me and my family? You have given me hope for the future. Hope that my children will be all right. That I’ll be okay.”

“I understand. You’re grateful for what I’m doing.” Annie stood. “I appreciate that. I like being needed.” Because it eased the pain of her guilt for a short time. “I’m going to turn in now.”

Ian caught her hand. “Annie, don’t go yet. Please stay.”

Annie studied his face, highlighted by the dying fire. He was such a good man. She cared for him more than she should. But—

“Please, Annie. Our one time of quiet was interrupted today.”

She sat again, although now she realized how close they were. Only inches separated them.

“Do you realize how extraordinary you are?”

“What am I supposed to say to that? Yes, I am? No, I’m not?”

“I should have said instead that you’re a special person, period. No question about it. I think you sell yourself short.”

Annie turned her folding chair so she could face him and put some space between them. “I know I can help children. I’m not afraid of difficult cases.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. When you first came to us, you kept your scars a secret, hiding them. I’m not sure you would have shared them with us if it hadn’t been for Jeremy. I’m glad you did, but it doesn’t change how I look at you or how I feel about you.”

“They’re a reminder of what I did.” Annie dropped her gaze to her lap. She was going to tell him. Outside her family and a few firefighters, no one knew. And she didn’t talk about it, even with Amanda, the person closest to her. But Ian deserved to know, and if it made a difference, so be it.

“A reminder of what? The fire? Why would you want to do that? That’s the past. What’s done is done.”

Annie took a deep breath and held it for a long moment before slowly exhaling. The knots of tension in her stomach remained. “Ian, I’m responsible for the fire. I didn’t...” She couldn’t say it.

He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his thighs. “What happened?”

Annie swallowed several times, but she felt as if a fist was jammed in her throat. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she looked toward her tent. She wanted to escape. She shouldn’t have stayed. She shouldn’t have started this conversation.

Ian reached out and took her hand. “Please tell me, Annie.”

She tugged her hand free. “I lit a candle on the table by the open window in my bedroom at the cabin. I was there with part of my family. Usually Amanda and I share a bedroom, but she didn’t come that weekend. I thank God for that at least. I fell asleep on my bed and didn’t blow out the candle. The curtains...” A vision of the flames licking up the walls when she woke up coughing still haunted her. “They caught fire, and the dry timber of the walls quickly went up in the blaze. My father rescued me but couldn’t get back in to help my mom. She became trapped like I did. She died because of me.” Annie rushed the last sentence.

Ian moved from his chair and knelt in front of her. “Annie, it was an accident.” He clasped her arms and waited until she looked at him.

Through tears she saw his dear face so full of concern and compassion. “An accident I caused. If only I hadn’t...” She couldn’t say what she had agonized over for fourteen years.

“Hadn’t lit the candle? I’ve dealt with many patients who have done things they regretted, things that led to bad consequences. Some did them on purpose and others accidentally. The latter are the people who have the most problems dealing with their guilt.”

“Of course I feel guilt. My mother died because of me. How do you get over that?”

“By turning to the Lord. I know He’s forgiven you. Now you need to do the same thing for yourself. Let the past go.”

Annie shot to her feet, tipping over the folding chair, and yanked away from Ian. “It’s not that easy.”

He rose. “I didn’t say it was. Does your family blame you?”

She shook her head.

“So the only one who does is you?”

“Because
I did it
.” The words tore from deep inside her.

“You saw with Jeremy what happens when you keep feelings locked away. They eat at you, grow bigger in your mind. God doesn’t want that for you.”

Annie stepped back, nearly tripping over the downed chair. “You don’t know what God wants for me.”

“Do you? Are you doing His will or yours?”

“You don’t understand. My scars are my...” Annie couldn’t get a decent breath. Her throat burned. Her chest tightened.

Ian closed the space between them. “Punishment? I don’t see that being the Lord’s plan for you. He gave you a beautiful gift for working with children. You didn’t cause that fire with malicious intent. When are you going to feel you’ve paid enough?”