“That’s amazing,” she said, unable to keep from smiling.
She tried not to think about the cost of that kind of training. She was sure it couldn’t be cheap. Grayson’s phone buzzed on the counter, and he picked it up and glanced at a message.
“Group chat that Sam set up for some of the vets,” he explained. “A couple of the guys from the center are getting together at The Barrel tonight. I was thinking maybe I’d join them so you two can catch up?”
She opened her mouth to say that wasn’t necessary.
“That would be unbelievable,” Rory said.
Grayson smiled and tapped out a quick reply, then turned back to Rory.
“Let’s get you set up in one of the upstairs guest rooms then,” Grayson said.
Grayson and Rory disappeared up the stairs, already thick as thieves, leaving Evangeline alone in the kitchen with baby Leo, who was now fast asleep in her arms.
She held him close as she looked out the big window at the snowy fields, trying not to weep with relief and gratitude as her biggest worry disappeared like magic.
Later that evening,when Leo was fed, bathed, and sleeping peacefully up in his crib, Grayson said good night to Evangeline and Rory then headed out to meet up with his friends.
Evangeline ran after him, catching him in the dark hall just before he reached the front door.
“What is it?” he asked, looking a little worried.
“I… thank you,” she told him, suddenly unable to look him in the eyes.
“You mean the world to me,” he said, his deep voice husky. “Next time you need help, just tell me.”
He was gone before she could fully process what he had said.
She watched out the glass of the front door as the lights of the SUV disappeared up the drive. Then she turned and hurried back to her big brother.
“You weren’t kidding,” Rory said when she came back in. “This place is beautiful. And I love all the Christmas stuff.”
She smiled, thinking of how she and Grayson had chosen it all together and decorated with the radio playing Christmas songs.
“I was kind of intimidated when I first got here,” she heard herself admit.
“Understandable,” Rory said, nodding. “I was too, when he came to the house.”
“He went to the house?”she asked.
“Oh yeah,” Rory told her, taking a seat on the couch. “The night I called you, he showed up. Told me I didn’thave to join a gang to hold onto the house, that he wanted to help.”
“Wow,” Evangeline said.
“I thought you put him up to it,” Rory said. “But you really didn’t know?”
“No,” Evangeline said. “My head is still spinning.”
“Well, mine was too,” Rory said. “I couldn’t say yes, not right away. He told me to give it some thought and that the offer was open anytime.”
“Wow,” Evangeline heard herself say again.
“Wow is right,” Rory said. “Imagine you’ve got all this—a nice house in a nice town and a cute little baby, and you offer to let a guy you never met who owes money to a gang come and live with you.”
She hadn’t really thought of it that way, but he was right. Grayson was taking a real chance on him—on both of them.
“He cares about you,” Rory said softly. “Clearly.”
