Always with You Read online

  Their eyes locked. Cathy had the distinct impression that time stopped. It was the white knight in the station wagon. The man who’d helped her rescue the dog.

  “It’s you,” she whispered.

  “We meet again,” he finally said. His warm smile revealed the dimple in his chin. He ruffled the little girl’s hair. “I can’t thank you enough for giving my family a place to stay.”

  Cathy reached out to shake his extended hand. “I’m Cathy. Stay as long as you need,” she said, her hand still tingling from his touch.

  Amber, a real cutie with yellow curls tied in pigtails, leaned into her daddy and gave Cathy a tentative smile.

  Cathy bent down on the gravel drive to meet her gaze. “You must be Amber. I hope you’ll enjoy staying in my house for a while.”

  Amber rubbed her eyes.

  “She’s tired,” Pam said, walking down the stairs. “We’ll just go inside and take a little rest.” She took the little girl’s hand and headed back inside.

  Pam was probably exhausted from the trip. But now Jamie was left to unload what looked like a whole household of things by himself. He opened the lift back door and started pulling out small boxes and suitcases.

  “Here, let me help,” Cathy offered. Not that he needed it. Jamie’s brown T-shirt stretched against his lean chest and revealed smooth, muscled arms. She picked up a few bags. “We can put these in your bedroom. Amber has the room next to yours.”

  “Thanks again. I hope we didn’t bring too much stuff.”

  His sea-glass-blue eyes radiated sincerity, but she could see the worry lines etched around them. “No problem, I have storage space in the garage if you need it.”

  Relief crossed his face. “Good thing we didn’t bring the Great Dane.”

  Cathy froze, then burst out laughing.

  Jamie patted her shoulder. “Just kidding, just kidding,” he said. “How is our mutual pal, Charlie, doing?

  Sparks shot down her arm. His musty, familiar smell was comforting. “Paula came by with flowers to thank me last week. Charlie is doing great. Turns out she owns a small vineyard near the river.”

  “Good to hear. Seriously,” he said, stepping back. “If you need space or quiet, just let me know.”

  Unarmed, she stood in place while Jamie hoisted a pack over one shoulder and filled both hands with bags and suitcases. “Lead the way,” he said.

  Readjusting her load, Cathy forged ahead into the house. In the living room, Pam and Amber were curled up on her dark green sectional, resting. For a moment Cathy wondered what it felt like to have a husband who helped with all the work and a cute little girl to cuddle up with. She showed Jamie down the hall to their rooms and placed the suitcases by their brass bed.

  “I hope you’ll be comfortable here,” she said.

  His kind eyes reflected gratitude. Cathy fought the urge to hug him. Who was this man?

  Jamie followed her back into the living room where Pam and Amber were spread across the couch. “Before I show you around the house would everyone like a little snack?” Cathy asked.

  “I would, I would,” Amber said.

  Cathy held out her hand. “Come with me into the kitchen, and if it’s okay with your mom and dad I’ll give you a treat.”

  Amber looked at her curiously, and then at her daddy.

  “I think that’s a great idea,” Jamie said as he hoisted Amber onto his shoulders. “We had a late lunch, so probably won’t want any dinner.”

  Cathy led the way as Jamie galloped behind making horse-like sounds. Pam stood and stretched then followed.

  “You’ve fixed the place up real nice,” Pam said. “I love the oriental rugs.” She pointed to the large picture window in the living room as they passed. “Did you make the stained glass mandala?”

  Cathy shook her head no. “Most of my time is spent working at my business or in the garden. There’s a great pottery shop in town my friend Linda owns. You should check it out.”

  She opened the freezer to pull out some Barbara’s Bakery ice cream bars.

  “One of my favorites,” Jamie said when he saw the box.

  “You have good taste,” Cathy said as she handed one out to everyone.

  Amber, looking pretty happy now, sat on a bar stool licking what was left of her dripping ice cream. The little girl was cute. She looked like her mom. Between licks, Amber eyed the cats, and Cathy told her the rules. “No tail pulling, pet gently, and use a soft voice.”

  “I’ll be gentle,” Amber said.

  “The cats’ names are Libby and Snowy. They’re really loving, but they had a rough start in life. Before you know it, they’ll fall in love with you.”

  Amber giggled.

  Cathy smiled. Maybe this was just what she needed.

  The whole family moved into the living room and plopped down on the couch.

  Cathy snuggled into the rocker and turned on the Tiffany lamp. “I would have put you all up in the guest rooms above my health food shop, but summer is our busiest season.”

  “We love it here,” Pam said, suppressing a yawn. “It’s fun to see you again and have you meet my family.”

  “I hope you don’t mind if I leave you here for a few minutes. I thought I had more time before you arrived to finish a few things up in my garden before dark.”

  “Go ahead,” Pam said. “We’ll just shut our eyes and wait for you to get back.”

  CHAPTER T HREE

  Jamie watched Pam and Amber curl up on the couch. He was too restless from the long drive to join them. Instead, he headed into the kitchen. It was a good-sized space with plenty of room to prepare a meal. A collection of stainless steel pans hung over the stove. A picture window above the sink revealed a vast garden in back of the house. There were raised beds of kale, onions, and just-blooming snap peas. Squash flowers golden with promise stretched across the soil. A gravel pathway wound around a flower garden filled with dahlias, lavender, and black-eyed susans. Hair glistening amber in the afternoon sun, Cathy stood watering the chard stalks that reached toward the sky.

  Jamie watched her lay the hose aside, bend down, and start weeding a small bed of herbs. Perhaps he could help. He walked out the back door and followed the path toward the prolific rose bushes. He couldn’t resist leaning over to catch their fragrance.

  “Stopping to smell the roses?” Cathy said, startling him.

  Her smile was as effortless as the breeze that played lightly in her long hair.

  “They’re amazing,” he said. “This one smells spicy.”

  Cathy held the stem of the two-tone red and yellow rose. “It’s called Double Delight.”

  Jamie smiled. “I can see why. And this one?” he said, pointing to a sweet smelling yellow one.

  “It’s Golden Celebration.”

  She knew her roses.

  “Your whole garden looks like a celebration,” he said.

  Cathy’s laugh rang out like soft bells. “Would you like a tour?”

  Jamie followed her as she pointed out various areas, including her herb garden filled with rosemary, dill, tarragon, and many others. Cathy knelt in the dirt by a bed of leafy greens and looked up at him. Her pale green eyes blended with the greens of the garden. For a moment, the image registered an overpowering feeling of déjà vu.

  “I’ve got some stubborn weeds to deal with before nightfall,” she said. “We depend on this garden for produce for the café.”

  He stooped down beside her. “Need some help?”

  “After that long drive you still feel like weeding?” she asked.

  Jamie ran his fingers through the red soil. It looked rich with nutrients. “Working in the garden relaxes me.”

  Cathy shrugged. “Then dig in.”

  They worked side-by-side clearing weeds and snipping off dead leaves. The sense of familiarity and timelessness struck him again. It felt like he’d worked like this in perfect sync with her many times before. He loved getting his hands dirty.

  Cathy broke off a stem of dill and rubbed it between her tanned fingers before holding it out to Jamie to catch the tangy scent. He inhaled and thought of flaky trout drenched in butter and fresh dill sizzling in a frying pan.

  “The food at your café must be the freshest around with this assortment to choose from. We’ll have to come over for lunch one day,” Jamie said.

  Her smile lit her face. “We try,” she said. “Definitely come by for lunch.”

  Jamie picked up a bucket of weeds and the garden tools and followed Cathy to the shed. As she turned on the light, a rustling noise in the ceiling caught his attention. He looked up to identify its source but could see nothing.

  Cathy’s giggle left him perplexed.

  “It’s my summer tenants cleaning out the nest,” she said.

  Jamie shrugged and strained his neck to get a better view. Peeking out of a well-built nest, cuddled up in a corner beam, a baby bird stared down at him.

  “Hello, little guy,” he said. “Welcome to the world.”

  Cathy inched closer, staring up at the little heads. “These barn swallows had me worried this year,” she said, looking at Jamie with obvious concern. “They were almost two weeks late!”

  “Do they have an arrival date?” he asked.

  “In a way they do,” Cathy said, looking a bit like a proud mom. “They’ve been coming to this same shed in the same corner and adding new bedding for almost ten years. I’ve watched many a generation flap their wings and fly away.”

  Cathy looked wistful at the thought of seeing her little ones leave home.

  “Sleep well, little guys,” she said. She turned off the overhead light and beckoned Jamie outside.

  Grinning, he stepped softly behind her so as not to disturb the babies.

  ****

  Cat
hy walked into the kitchen, washed her hands after gardening, then offered Jamie the sink. Pam wandered over, holding Amber by the hand. “Did you two have fun in the garden? I’m not one for working out in the dirt,” she said, “but as you can see, Jamie likes gardening. He’s real handy too. I’m sure he’ll help you out with some things.”

  “She has an amazing garden,” Jamie said. He leaned down to Amber. “And tomorrow I will show you the baby birds.”

  “I think it’s bedtime for this little girl,” Pam said.

  “But I’m not sleepy,” Amber said, yawning along with her mom.

  Jamie took Amber into his arms. “Come on. I’ll tuck you in and sing you a lullaby.” He kissed her cheek. “Time to say goodnight.”

  Amber rubbed her eyes. “Nighty night,” she said. I want mommy to come too.”

  Cathy led the way to Amber’s room. “Here’s your very own bedroom,” she said with a smile.

  “What a nice room,” Pam said. “And look, Amber, you have a canopy bed, and Daddy and I are right next door.”

  The little girl frowned and started to sniffle. “I want to sleep with you and Daddy.”

  Pam sighed.

  Jamie laid Amber on the bed and sat beside. “I think I might just turn in too. You two girls go on out and catch up a bit.”

  Back in the living room, Pam leaned back into the well-padded couch. “I don’t know what I’d do without Jamie. He’s such a good dad.”

  Cathy gazed toward the bedrooms. “He seems to be.”

  “Yeah,” Pam said. “It’s so different having a real family, a man that sticks around.” Pam put her hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean to imply anything about Todd.”

  “It’s okay,” Cathy said. “We’ve been divorced almost ten years. I’m well over him.”

  “Are you dating anyone?” Pam asked. “If not, we could go out some night like we used to and scout.”

  Cathy was sure Pam couldn’t imagine she could be happy at this age alone and childless. But most days she was relatively content and had no intention of settling with anyone in the near future. In Cathy’s memory, Pam had never been without a man at her side.

  “Yes, but not really dating. His name is David, a local builder,” Cathy said. “It’s just casual.”

  Pam’s face brightened like Cathy had just told her she was getting married.

  She winked. “Is he cute? Why don’t you invite him for dinner? Jamie can cook up one of his specialties. It would be like the old days double dating.”

  “Okay,” Cathy muttered, not convinced anything would ever be like the old days again in regards to men. “I’ll ask David and see what he says.”

  “Caroline’s so happily married and I have Jamie. If you found someone, the old threesome would all be married. That would be totally awesome.”

  Dream on, Cathy thought. For one, she was no longer a part of that teenage threesome, nor did she want to be. She hadn’t seen or hardly heard from Pam in years, and now they were best friends somehow? Pam needed to get real.

  “Finding someone isn’t my top priority right now.”

  Pam raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “For sure.”

  Cathy stretched her arms in the air. “I think I’ll turn in.”

  Pam followed her down the hall and waved goodnight as they went their separate ways.

  Amber was in the oak-paneled bedroom with the frilly bedding. Pam and Jamie were in the adjacent wine-colored bedroom, Cathy’s mother’s idea for a vineyard-style guestroom experience. Cathy lay in bed thinking about the couple under the quilts, kissing goodnight. Jamie’s sandy brown hair falling into his eyes, his soft hands stroking Pam’s body… How in the world was she going to keep her mind off him for these next few days?

  ****

  Jamie lay in bed next to his wife, thinking about their temporary home. It looked right out of movie set, a rambling old farmhouse, white with blue trim. A weathered rocker on the flower-lined porch faced the grassy and wooded front yard. It was peaceful enough and had plenty of room for Amber to play. Cathy’s almost-half-acre organic garden on the property was something out of a dream for him. He couldn’t wait to get his hands in the soil again. Cook with those amazing veggies and herbs.

  Cathy.

  His gut had clenched the moment he’d first seen her standing there on the drive. The sun reflected off Cathy’s auburn hair, creating a halo effect. For a split second, everything else had faded from view and she alone radiated in full color. It was the woman with the dog. She’d visited his dreams and for a moment he’d not been sure he was awake. But she’d reached her hand out to him and spoke.

  “I’m Cathy.”

  “Earth to Jamie,” he told himself.

  Jamie was back to Earth now, listening to the creaking sounds of the old house as it settled into the night. Sleep seemed elusive as his mind raced over the job interviews coming up and the importance of securing his family’s future. Soon. Their stay here was temporary. He would keep his mind on the goal and his feet on the ground.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The aroma coming from her kitchen roused Cathy from sleep. She was used to getting up, grabbing an apple and green tea, and heading to the shop or the garden to pick herbs and vegetables for the café lunch specials. She was not used to the smell of cooking eggs and whole-wheat toast wafting its way into her bedroom. She nudged the cats so she could release the covers, then reached for her robe. It was a bit flimsy, but that had never been an issue before. Could she wear it out there? On second thought, she pulled on her sweats, reluctantly added a bra underneath, and made a dash for the bathroom, hopefully unseen, to brush her hair and teeth.

  She heard Amber’s high voice. “Juice, Daddy. Juice!”

  She’d better go out there and show them where everything was.

  When she entered the kitchen, it was like stepping into a fairytale. On clean white plates were fresh berries, washed and cut, and perfectly poached eggs dusted with dill were accompanied by buttered toast. The Mr. Coffee was brewing away, and everyone was at the table waiting for her.

  “Good morning! We were hoping the smells would draw you from the bed, sleepy head,” Pam said.

  Cathy took a seat. “How could they not?”

  Jamie was on the spot with the coffee pot filling her mug. She could get used to this.

  “I hope everyone slept well,” Cathy said between bites. “Jamie, these eggs are cooked to perfection. Runny center and all.”

  His grin lit up the room.

  Cathy wiped her mouth with a napkin as this warm liquid yolk slid down her chin. “I can never get them like this.”

  “Happy to share my secrets with you,” he said, joining them at the table. “But they cost.”

  Cathy smiled. Whatever the price, she was willing to pay it. She sipped her coffee and contemplated the day ahead. She would go into work and arrange for Brian to come in extra days this week so she could take off and spend time with her company.

  “I love my canopy bed,” Amber said between bites.

  Pam took Jamie’s hand. “We really needed a good night’s sleep. Even with Dakota, our caretaker, helping out some, it’s hard work taking care of my mom. But as soon as Jamie gets a job, Dakota will move in with my mother and work full time.”

  Cathy looked around her table. This nice little family breakfast felt right somehow. Her eyes wandered over to Jamie. He dipped a corner of toast into the gooey egg on his plate and let it soak in before popping it slowly into his mouth. A little cowlick stuck up on his crown. His T-shirt clung to his muscled shoulders. He looked part little boy and part very alluring man. Those pouty lips. She tried not to look and nodded as Pam rambled on about their plans.

  “Jamie has three interviews coming up, one in Sonoma, another in Glen Ellen, and one in Napa. Once they taste his food, they’ll surely hire him,” she said.

  Cathy agreed. By next week, they should be looking for their own place.

  Amber accidently knocked over her juice. Jamie jumped up, grabbed a towel, and wiped it clean. “It’s okay, little one,” he said giving Amber a little kiss on her cheek.

  He turned to Cathy. “So sorry.”

  “No problem.” Cathy waved it away. His kindness took her breath away.

  Cathy started clearing the table. Pam shooed her away. “We’ll take care of it; you just go on with your day like we’re not here.”