Healing the Boss's Heart (13 page)

So what if he didn’t? she reasoned, angry with herself for hesitating. “If God be with me, who can stand against me?” she paraphrased, hoping scripture would bolster her flagging resolve. It did. Some. So did constant, beseeching prayer. Finally, she came to the conclusion that nothing she might say or do could make things worse between Greg and his father than they already were, so what was she waiting for?

Out of plausible excuses and trembling at the thought of once again facing Dan Garrison, Maya climbed back into her car and headed toward the estate. She didn’t know what she was going to say. She simply knew she must try. Dan was probably about to meet his Maker. Facing that final judgment
with a heart full of unresolved anger and resentment was the worst thing imaginable.

As she drove she tried rehearsing a plausible speech. It was hopeless. No sooner had she had a valid thought than it was replaced by confusion. By the time she once again stopped in the estate drive, she was so befuddled she hardly knew her own name.

“Thank You, Jesus. Greg has left,” she whispered, noting that his SUV was no longer parked next to the house. It looked as if she’d have Dan all to herself, like it or not.

That idea proved wrong when she rang the bell and a nurse in a white uniform opened the door. “Yes?”

“I’m Maya Logan,” she explained. “I was here earlier and I wondered if I might speak with Mr. Garrison again.”

The young woman arched an eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to do that? He’s not in the best mood today.”

“When is he?” Maya asked with a wan smile. “I’ll take my chances. I shouldn’t be long.”

The nurse stepped back. “Okay. It’s your funeral.”

Following the nurse up the spiral staircase to the second floor, Maya managed to swallow past the lump in her throat. “Speaking of funerals, what is his current condition? I wouldn’t want to say anything that might make him worse.”

“Hah! That old stinker will probably outlive us all. He likes to pretend he’s on his last legs but I’ve
worked for him long enough to know he’s not as sick as he wants everyone to believe.”

“He’s faking?” Maya was astounded.

“Oh no, he has a chronic cough and emphysema, all right. But it’s not immediately life-threatening.” She lowered her voice. “If you want to know the truth, I think he convinced everybody he was at death’s door just to get his son to come home to see him.”

Maya sent up another silent prayer, this time in thanks for what she’d just learned.
Okay, Father,
she prayed,
I know I won’t kill him if I confront him. Now all I need is the strength to actually do it.

If her hands hadn’t been perspiring and her knees hadn’t been shaking, she might have felt a lot more confident.

Remember, this is for Greg’s sake,
she told herself, knowing that was the truth. The man she was about to face was his father. That, alone, made him important.

The nurse knocked on a closed door, opened it in response to Dan’s summons, and stepped out of the way.

Chin up, spine straight, shoulders back, Maya gathered her courage and entered the lion’s den.

Greg had driven around the perimeter of the estate to check the fences and was in the barn, talking to the estate caretaker about needed repairs, when he heard a car door slam.

The nurse has probably quit,
he thought, wondering how the poor woman had coped with his father for as long as she had. Most of the staff, or what was left of it, did as they thought best in spite of Dan’s ranting and raving. If they hadn’t, Greg knew the mansion and estate grounds would have fallen into ruin long ago. He wasn’t sure whether the problem was that Dan didn’t really care, or that he was so ill he was unaware of what needed to be done. Either way, it was the seasoned employees who had taken matters into their own hands and had managed to hold the place together.

Circling the house, Greg did not expect to see a car he recognized.
Maya?
What was she doing back here? He broke into a jog. The car was empty but the hood was still warm when he put his hand on it.

His head snapped around. He squinted at the house.
No. She didn’t. She couldn’t have. Dear God, please don’t let her be inside. Not with him.

Greg took the stone steps two at a time and burst in the front door. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light of the foyer. There wasn’t a soul in sight. Not Maya. Not the nurse. And not Dan.

He thought about calling out, then decided against it. If Maya was there and Dan wasn’t aware of it, the best thing to do would be to rescue her and usher her out before the old man had another chance to berate her.

Greg gritted his teeth as he hurried through the empty lower rooms and circled back to where he’d started. He looked at the stairway. His heart was in his throat and his pulse was pounding. If Maya was upstairs there was no telling how bad things would be. Or how long, if ever, it would take him to undo the damage his reprehensible, bitter father might do.

“I have nothing to say to you,” Dan told Maya as he lounged against a stack of pillows at the head of a grand four-poster bed. “Go away.”

She stood firm. “I came here to say my piece and I’m going to say it, whether you like it or not.”

He laid his hand on his chest. “I’m a sick man. I can’t take stress.”

“No, but you sure can hand it out, can’t you?” Sensing that she had surprised him by her candor she edged closer. Apparently, so few people stood up to Mr. Garrison he didn’t know how to react when someone did.

“I spoke the truth about you.”

“With malice,” Maya said, nodding. “But, yes, you were right. I am an unwed mother. I love my little girl and no matter what you or anyone else says, I’m proud of her. Proud to be her mother.”

“Hah!”

“I don’t care if you choose to believe me or not,” she said flatly. “That’s not what’s important. I came here to talk to you about your son.”

“Gregory is no concern of yours.”

“Maybe that’s true. But he is a concern of yours, isn’t he? That’s why you decided to make the most of your condition. You wanted him to come see you.”

“He should be here. I’m dying.”

“We all are, little by little,” Maya said. “If this were your last breath, would you want to go when you haven’t made peace with your only son yet?”

The old man’s jaw dropped. He stared at her.

“Are you afraid to love and lose him the way you lost his mother?” She could see that her assumption was close to the truth. Tears had begun to glisten in Dan’s rheumy eyes.

“That’s none of your business.”

“You’re right, it isn’t. But what if you miss out because you were too stubborn to give a little, to get to know the fine man your son has become?”

The tears that had been pooling in his eyes began to slide down his cheeks. Moved, Maya stepped closer and took one of his hands. “I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I just know that you’ve been pushing Greg away for a long, long time. Don’t you think it’s time you stopped?”

All Dan said was, “Get out of here. Leave me alone.”

Any conviction that Maya had had that she was on a God-given mission to bring reconciliation abruptly left her. It was obviously time to step back. To stop trying to convince him and to leave before
she said too much and ruined all the good she may have done up to that point.

What she wanted to do, in her own strength, was continue to reason with Dan and stay until he finally came to his senses. It didn’t take a genius to realize that that would be the wrong approach. If he was half as stubborn as Greg was, any further discussion would make matters worse, not better.

Disappointed that things had not worked out exactly as she had envisioned, Maya released the old man’s hand and backed toward the door.

She was thankful she’d mustered the courage to visit him and speak her mind. And she was glad she’d been able to find words that had seemed right.

Now, however, all she wanted to do was make a dash for her car and escape from the Garrison estate as fast as possible.

G
reg encountered Maya halfway up the spiral staircase. She wasn’t weeping, as he’d feared, but she didn’t look happy as she tried to sidle past, either.

He reached for her. She shook her head and dodged, then ran the rest of the way down the stairs and burst out the door.

Wondering if he should follow or go find out what his father had said to her this time, Greg decided it would be best if Maya had a little time to cool off before he tried to reason with her. He couldn’t imagine how Dan could have treated her any worse than he already had. Then again, his father had never been known for diplomacy.

When he entered the older man’s suite, however, he was astounded to see that Dan was clearly moved to tears. Surprised, Greg stood there and stared.

“Well, what are you looking at?” his father asked
before blowing his nose. “Haven’t you ever seen an allergy attack before?”

“You didn’t take your medicine this morning?”

“Yeah. That’s it. Forgot the pills.”

“What did you say to Maya Logan?”

“Nothing. I just told her to go away. I hope she had the good sense to do it.”

“She did.” Greg gritted his teeth. “We may as well get this out in the open, Dad. I’m not sure if Maya will have me after all the awful things you’ve said to her, but I love her and I’m planning to ask her to marry me.”

“You’re a fool if you do.”

“Am I? Seems to me I remember a story about Grandfather telling Mom the same kind of thing about you. Was that a mistake?”

To his amazement, the older man’s tears resumed. Worried, Greg approached the bed. “Are you all right?”

“No. Yes.” He cursed under his breath. “I don’t know.”

“Are you having difficulty breathing?”

Dan made a sour face and shook his head slowly. “No, son. My breathing is not a whole lot worse now than it was years ago. I just…” He hesitated, swallowed hard. “I just wanted you to come home.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I’m not getting any younger and, as your girlfriend reminded me, I may be meeting
my Maker before much longer. I—I wanted to see you again. To get to know the man you’d become since your mother died.”

“You sent me away,” Greg said, puzzled.

“Yes. I did. You reminded me too much of her, I guess. She’d always been closer to you than she was to me.”

“Maybe that was because you berated her for every little thing she did wrong. And even for some things that were right.”

“That was just my nature. Your mother knew that when she married me.”

“And she loved you deeply, in spite of everything,” Greg told him.

That statement was enough to bring quiet sobs from Dan. Greg placed a steadying hand on his father’s thin shoulder and waited until he had regained a bit of composure before asking, “Do you want me to go, or stay with you for a little while?”

“I think I’d just like to be alone and think things over,” Dan said haltingly. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“As sure as I ever am,” the older man replied. “When you see that Logan girl, tell…tell her I’m sorry.”

Maya had figured it was best to physically work off some of her excess energy and frustration, so she’d left Layla playing happily in preschool later that afternoon, changed into work clothes and
headed for her home on Logan Street. The city had arranged to have extra refuse picked up at the curb until the tornado damage had all been removed, and it was a real relief to finally be able to start straightening up the place.

She pulled on heavy gloves, then started her own pile of branches and broken boards, taking care to keep from stirring up the bits of fiberglass insulation, although most of it had been blown away during the original storm.

Many of her neighbors had already either received their insurance settlements or had proceeded without them. Her house was one of the last waiting for cleanup and rebuilding. It was also one of the only ones badly damaged in that section of the residential district.

As Maya worked she thought about her meeting with Greg’s father. Dan hadn’t instantly become a loving father, as she’d hoped he might, but that kind of change wasn’t within her control. She had merely presented an idea of how he might find the peace that had eluded him for so long. Now, it was up to him.

She paused in her work and removed her work gloves as Greg’s SUV pulled into her driveway.

When he got out and came toward her he looked so serious she was afraid she might actually have caused his father’s condition to worsen, in spite of the nurse’s assurances that Dan wasn’t that ill.

Her pulse pounded in her temples. “Is your father all right?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Greg answered. “Care to tell me what you said to him?”

“Beats me. I was so nervous I can only remember bits and pieces of it. I’m sure I babbled something awful.”

“Well, whatever you said it touched him.” Greg stepped closer and took her hands. “He told me to tell you he’s sorry.”

The ecstatic grin on Greg’s face warmed her soul. Maya smiled broadly in response. Her eyes grew misty. “What did he say exactly?”

“That he’d exaggerated about being at death’s door to get me to come home. He actually admitted he wanted to get to know me better.”

“That’s wonderful.” She meant that from her deepest heart, yet still yearned to hear that Greg’s father had voiced forgiveness for his remarks about her having had Layla out of wedlock. When that wasn’t forthcoming, she was positive he had not done so.

Hiding her disappointment she eased her hands free from Greg’s grasp, picked up her gloves and slipped them on again. “So, want to help me drag the rest of this stuff to the curb? There’s supposed to be another special trash pickup Monday and I want to take advantage of it.”

“Sure. Stand back. Let me do the heavy work.”

“I’ve managed fine so far,” she countered, more upset with herself for being hurt by the truth than she was at him for being bossy.

Although Greg paused for an instant after she spoke, he didn’t reply directly. Instead, he went to work beside her as if they had always been a capable team.

“I’ll figure out a lumber list and have the materials delivered ASAP,” he said as they labored. “The best place to drop the load will be in the driveway so don’t leave your car parked in the garage or you won’t be able to get it out.”

“Right. I understand.” She was watching him. Waiting until he turned to face her and she could read his expression she asked, “Are you still planning to help me do the work or should I try to hire someone else?”

“Of course I plan to help you. I’ll bring a couple of men with me for the rafter and roofing work so we have enough hands to do the job safely. The rest, I think you and I can handle by ourselves. You do know how to swing a hammer, don’t you?”

“Of course. I used to help Dad at the ranch all the time. I can mend fences and build corrals with the best of them.”

“That’s what I figured. You’ll feel more in charge if you work on your house, too. I’m looking forward to getting out from behind my desk again and using
my muscles. The cleanup work on the Waters cottages was the most fun I’ve had in ages.”

Maya flinched. She’d already had enough chances to look at his muscles, thank you. Even when he was wearing a suit she could tell what great physical shape he was in. That kind of unacceptable admiration had become so second nature she hardly realized she was doing it.

Which was one more good reason to hurry and repair her home, she told herself. The sooner she got away from Greg, the better. The minute the house was finished and she had paid him for the materials, she was going to start looking for another job. Working beside him, seeing him every day and not throwing herself into his arms like a lovesick fool, was the hardest challenge she had ever faced.

She cast a sidelong glance at him and her heart raced. He was so dear, so sweet.
So unsuited for her,
she added ruefully. Dan’s words had been crude but his opinion was valid. She had made a terrible mistake and she was still paying for it. She always would be, in some respects.

Yes, God had forgiven her. That wasn’t the same as being free of the consequences of her sins. Those remained in the form of the dearest little girl Maya had ever known.

If keeping and loving and raising Layla by herself meant she would never be considered good enough for a man like Greg Garrison, then so be it.

Greg had checked often at Lexi’s veterinary hospital and the animal shelter, and had also kept in touch with the older woman who had collected frightened pets immediately after the tornado. Sadly, there had been no sign of Tommy Jacobs’s missing dog, Charlie.

Greg had encountered the boy often and when he spotted him wandering around in the park, he hailed him. “Tommy! Hi. How’s it going?”

The boy didn’t answer. That didn’t deter Greg. He joined him and they sat on the grass near the river in companionable silence for a few minutes before Greg tried again.

“I keep hoping Charlie will show up,” Greg said with a sigh. “Have you heard anything?”

Tommy shook his head and stared at the placidly flowing water. Enough trash had been cleaned up that it had almost been restored to its original beauty and the bridge was once again open, but it was clear that the child wasn’t really observing any of those details.

“I think we should put a lost-and-found ad in some newspapers so we get the word about Charlie to places that are farther away,” Greg said. “What do you think?”

The boy’s head snapped around. His blue eyes were wide. “I don’t know how to do that.”

“I do. And I know what Charlie looked like so I
can describe him. Do you happen to have a picture we could use, too?”

“No.” Tommy’s lower lip began to quiver with emotion. “I can remember how he looked without any dumb old picture. I’ll never forget him.”

“I’m sure you won’t. Say, how about rescuing another pup in the meantime? I know you’ve seen lots of homeless dogs at the animal shelter. Then Charlie would have a buddy to play with when he gets home.”

“I don’t want a different dog. I want Charlie.” Tommy continued to pout. “Besides, Mrs. Otis wouldn’t let me have another one.”

“Why not? Is she still sick?”

“Yeah. I can tell Mr. Otis is real worried.”

This was not the first time the boy had mentioned that things had not returned to normal at the Otis home since the tornado. “What’s the matter with her? Do you know?”

“Nope. They don’t tell me stuff like that. But I listen to them talking when I’m supposed to be asleep. They said…” His voice cracked. “They said I might have to go away to another foster home. Then I’d
never
find Charlie.” With that, he began to sob.

Greg put his arm around the boy’s shoulders. He wanted to do something for him. But what? He wasn’t familiar with the workings of the foster-care system in Kansas so he had no idea what the child might be facing. That was the first order of business,
he decided. He’d look into it and see if there was some way to intercede, to let the child remain in High Plains. Surely someone would take him in. Maybe Nicki Appleton had room for another child.

The idea that the person to volunteer should be
him
hit Greg like a punch in the stomach. No way. He wasn’t father material. He had a business to run and too many other concerns. Besides, didn’t a kid need two parents?

Those mental ramblings carried his mind immediately to Maya, as did most other thoughts of late. What a great family they would make: him, Maya, Layla…and Tommy. The idea made him smile. It was farfetched, of course, yet it refused to go away even when he rejected it outright.

He got to his feet and held out his hand to the boy. “Come on. Let’s go grab an ice cream and then hit the computer at my office to place those ads. You can help me decide what to say. I’ll even let you type some of the words if you want to, just like we practiced in the church basement.”

The small hand that slipped into his and held tight touched his heart. This boy was as like him as any birth son could have been. Greg knew exactly what it felt like to be alone, rejected, in search of a place that felt secure. He and Tommy were kindred souls. He accepted that without question.

The dilemma then became, what was he going to do about it?

Maya was working at Garrison Investments when Greg and Tommy arrived. She greeted them both pleasantly while remaining busy at her own desk.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see what Greg was doing and it touched her deeply. It had been weeks since Charlie had run away in panic. Each day that passed meant a slimmer chance of his ever being recovered. And yet, Greg was keeping his promise to a six-year-old as if it were as important as a corporate merger.

Her fingers stilled over the keyboard. She listened. They were constructing a lost-and-found ad for Charlie, and from the sound of it, it was going to be a doozy, complete with a hefty monetary reward.

“I don’t have any money,” Tommy reminded Greg. “I bought ice cream and stuff with the quarters you gave me for bringing you stuff from the store.”