chapter five
The subdued tone tore at Robyn's heart, but it was the sadness in those eyes that was her undoing. Stooping down to Beth's level, she rubbed a comforting hand along her arm. "Oh, honey," she whispered. "I'm so sorry about what happened today. But I only just found out about it when the school called your dad."
"I hope he wasn't very upset. He worries a lot."
Robyn offered a small smile. "Daddies can't help but worry about their little girls, because they love them so much."
Beth returned the smile a little. Then continued, "He says I don't have to be afraid anymore. But I still am a little bit. Is it okay to be afraid just a little? I don't want him to think I don't believe him."
"He won't think that you don't believe him. If you ask him, I'm sure he'll tell you that he's a little bit afraid, too."
That seemed to put the child's mind at ease. But even after such a short acquaintance, Robyn could tell that she was formulating another round of questions. She didn't have long to wait.
"My mom didn't say no to drugs. She liked them a lot, more than me and my dad. That's why she had to go away. But now she's not gone anymore. Daddy says that doesn't mean that she's going to live with us again." Beth sighed and looked off in the distance. "I just want a mommy like Jessica has. She clips her bangs and helps her with her clothes and loves her more than anything in the whole wide world."
Robyn had no idea how to respond to that. She didn't know how to make the hurt in a little girl's heart go away, so she drew on her own experiences. "You know, when I was a little girl, about your age, it was just me and my dad. See, my mom died when I was very little and I couldn't even remember her -- not really. All I had were a lot of pictures. Even though I knew that she couldn't come back and be with me, I wanted her to anyway. More than anything."
"What did you do?" Beth wanted to know.
"I had substitute mommies. Mrs. Roperts, who was our housekeeper, taught me how to cook. And I had an aunt who helped me with my clothes and clipped my bangs. My father just couldn't get them straight." Robyn tweaked Beth's bangs as she spoke and received a giggle in response. "Then there was my grandmother, who did lots of stuff. So really, I was very lucky because I had lots of substitute mommies."
Unexpectedly, Beth wrapped her arms about Robyn's neck and gave her a quick hug. "What was that for?" Robyn asked, deeply touched.
"For helping me not to be scared or sad anymore."
"It was my pleasure." Robyn moved to her feet. "And thank you for letting me help."
"A word, Ms. Sommers?" A soft voice behind her spoke, causing her to start. She turned slowly, feeling as if she'd been caught red-handed. And truly she had. There was no way she could have misunderstood the man's "keep away" look upon her arrival. And now, here she was actually embracing his daughter. But how was she supposed to have ignored the child's cry for help?
"Yes, Mr. Wright." She spoke formally, never flinching from his gaze. She might be in the wrong -- technically, but she didn't regret it and she wouldn't apologize for it.
"Come on, Beth. Why don't we go inside and find something to munch on?" Mark, who had stood behind and to the left of Sam, quickly moved toward Beth. When he passed Robyn he threw her a reassuring wink. Given a choice, she would have preferred to make her get-a-way with the two who were leaving the scene.
A small sweet voice filtered into the tension. "Are you going to have snack with us? We have peanut butter cookies."
Robyn's eyes widened in surprise at the invitation. She'd turned to make an excuse, when Sam broke in with a reply.
"Ms. Sommers has to be going now, honey. Why don't you and Uncle Mark enjoy your snack while I take her back to her car?"
"Okay. See ya later." Beth smiled sweetly and waved.
"Bye, honey. It was very nice to meet you, and I hope you enjoy your cookies."
"Thank you." With a final smile, she placed her hand in Mark's and headed into the house.
Robyn watched her go with something akin to sadness in her heart. There was something very endearing about the child, despite the difficulties she'd had in her young life. Sam had done a very good job of raising her so far. It disturbed her to think of the potential trouble that lay ahead. She just wanted to take her into her arms and protect her from all of the bad things that the world had to offer. When she thought about the child's father, she was surprised to find that she wanted to do the same thing for him, too. Despite his anger and moodiness, there was a vulnerability about him that spoke of a wound that had yet to heal, a certain air of unfinished business that would not allow him to move on.
"If you'll come this way." The object of her thoughts spoke as he moved toward the Explorer. After grabbing her purse from Mark's car, she followed.
All was quiet in the vehicle as Sam carefully maneuvered it around Mark's car so that he could back out of the driveway. He wasn't sure where to start with this woman who'd shown compassion to his daughter. How could he fault her for doing what he would hope that someone would do for Beth should she ever be in need?
He'd felt something when he'd first looked up and seen her in the warehouse. But it was easily pushed aside, disregarded as a simple observation of mutual attraction. He'd felt attraction before. He was human, after all. But he also had the ability to reason, and he'd long ago reasoned that there were more important things in life, especially when he had Beth's well-being to think about.
Robyn Sommers was interfering with that reason. Why did she have to look as if she wanted to run to his aid when he'd received the telephone call from the school? He didn't need her help, he was doing fine on his own. Why did she have to understand that he didn't want her at his home? That had taken most of the wind out of what he felt was righteous anger. How could he hold on to that emotion when Mark freely admitted that he'd dragged her along? And why did she then have to turn around and give of herself in order to reassure his daughter? That Beth had latched onto her so quickly worried him, that she'd reciprocated so freely went straight to his heart. That she looked so natural and sincere while doing it frustrated him beyond reason.
He consoled himself imagining that she had children of her own, perhaps a nice little family at home waiting for her. His gaze shifted downward toward her left hand, settled on her lap. There was no ring and no ring line. The fact that he'd checked irritated him nearly as much as his relief unsettled him.
"Beth's a lovely child." Her voice broke into his turmoil.
"Yes." He replied, attempting to refocus his thoughts. "I didn't realize that the two of you had so much in common." The words came out more harsher than he'd intended.
Robyn turned and looked at him sharply. Her eyes studied him for several moments before she responded. "Understandable, considering we've only known one another for 2 hours."
"We don't know one another," Sam corrected. If he just put her back in the safe category as a stranger, he would be able to keep things in perspective. Distance was the key. Beth needed his undivided attention. Nothing else mattered. Especially not this woman with caring caramel eyes and a soft heart.
"No, not very well," she allowed. "It was a figure of speech."
"Not at all," Sam insisted. "We don't know one another at all."
"Oh, I disagree." He must have gotten her hackles up because there was an edge of challenge in her voice. Oddly, he felt a little thrill in anticipation of what she might say. He glanced in her direction and saw a hint of fire in her eyes, the same fire that he'd seen at the warehouse when he'd told her that he didn't require her services.
"Please continue," he said, when she didn't add to her statement.
"What do I know about you? Well, I know that you have a daughter who loves you very much, and who you also love."
"That's surface," Sam replied. "That doesn't tell you anything about me as a person."
"I wasn’t finished," she shot back. "But if you want me to get to the meat, I can." Her eyes remained on him as she spoke. He could feel it almost like a physical touch, but refused to look away from the road. I also know that you've been hurt. Pretty badly, from the looks of things. And you're not quick to trust, especially my gender."
Sam knew he tensed, but didn't respond. While he pretended to be concentrating completely on his driving, she continued to watch him. He knew there was more coming, he just wasn't sure how to stop it. Cutting her off would prove she had gotten to him. Besides, he knew Mark. He'd probably told her all about his experiences with Sandra.
"But I think there's more to it than that," she continued, finally. She picked her words hesitantly as if she were working it out as she went along. "You've a gentle heart, and you put up these walls to protect it. But when you give of yourself, you give completely, everything you've got. You want love, your heart cries out for it, but you're terrified at the same time. I think you hide behind work and responsibility to keep people at bay, to prevent them from getting too close to you."
Sam drew the Explorer to a rocking halt in the parking lot of RR Inc. "While this has been a very enlightening conversation, I'm afraid I need to take care of a few things. I appreciate your coming by today and for the things you said to my daughter. Good bye, Ms. Sommers."
Robyn took her time, holding his gaze for long moments. He knew his lips were clamped tightly shut and he was probably a little flushed from clamping down on the emotions that were running through him. But he had to say the same for her. There was a little extra pink in her cheeks and there was an emotion in her eyes that looked suspiciously close to longing. Then she blinked, wordlessly turned away and climbed down out of the vehicle.
The ringing of his cellular phone drew his attention away from her retreating figure.