A Daughter's Redemption. Georgiana Daniels

gaze peeled back Caleb’s layers, softening his heart toward the grieving woman. “I need a few minutes to take it all in, if that even makes sense.”

      “Of course. I should’ve thought of that.” He backed away from the door, allowing the key to dangle in the lock. “I won’t need those while you’re here.”

      Robyn’s eyes moistened. “I appreciate your understanding.”

      He nodded and started toward the front of the house.

      “Wait,” Robyn called. “How well did you know him?”

      The question sent a nervous tingle down his back. He refused to turn around. “Not very well.”

      “It’s just that I’d like to talk to someone.” Robyn paused as though silently asking him to face her. “It helps, you know?”

      The woman obviously had no clue who she was speaking to or she’d kick him off the grounds. Ignoring her was going to be a problem. How could he? She was Dan’s daughter. “I’m sorry about your dad.”

      “I didn’t realize how much I’d miss him.”

      Slowly, Caleb turned. “It hurts to lose someone you love.” He, more than anyone, knew how hard the unexpected loss of a parent was. And some days were decidedly harder than others.

      “Most people don’t think I did.”

      “Did what?”

      “Love him.” She cast her gaze to the rocky ground. “It doesn’t matter now.”

      “I’m sure it’ll take a while to adjust.” He closed the gap between them, rifling through his thoughts for something appropriate to say. “In the meantime, you’ll be hanging out here. It’s the perfect place to get away.”

      “That, it is.” Robyn’s eyes locked onto him, as though seeing through the mask he’d donned every day since the accident. “What about you? Do you sometimes need to get away from it all?”

      “I can’t,” he blurted before he could censor himself.

      “Why not?”

      Caleb shook his head and walked away. Answering the question was impossible. There was no way to explain to Robyn Warner that the one thing he wanted to get away from was the one thing he never could.

      Himself.

      Chapter Two

      It wasn’t the memories inside the house that assaulted Robyn; it was the lack of them.

      The night closed in, trapping her inside her father’s home. She moved from what had once been the check-in desk to the kitchen, from the living area to the bedroom, searching for evidence, no matter how minute, that her dad had loved her. She would have happily settled for a picture of them together, the clay handprint she’d made when she was nine or even the stash of clothes she’d left behind. But by the time she dropped to the couch to sleep, she’d come up with nothing.

      It didn’t help that Brad and Abby had already stripped the home of all the valuables, including everything electronic or sentimental. Even the edibles were gone, except for an old can of coffee. It left Robyn with entirely too much time to think.

      When the sun cracked the horizon, she was itching to head to town, but she knew it’d be a while before Pine Hollow woke up. Instead, she took time to pray and devour the half-eaten candy bar she’d found at the bottom of her purse. After that, she dressed and ran a brush through her hair.

      Her outlook for the day buoyed, and she shuffled into her sandals and meandered down the winding path that cut through the forest toward the lake. The water had always been her favorite place to clear her head when she was a kid, feeling left out after her father married and had two more children—a family that lived with him, when she only had a few weeks during the summer.

      Caleb sat at the water’s edge on a boulder, chucking pebbles. He didn’t turn, but from the hunch of his shoulders as she approached, he knew she was there.

      “You’re here early.” Robyn rubbed her arms, wishing she had a better line. If she wasn’t so starved for conversation, she would’ve hightailed it back to the house. She wasn’t used to spending time alone, nor was she used to having to prod someone to talk. If Caleb didn’t open up, working together would be unbearable.

      “It’s a good place to think and pray.” Caleb focused on the sparkling water, never sparing her a glance.

      She smiled at the thought of Caleb being a praying man. It was a refreshing difference from the guys Robyn worked with at the beach. She hooked her thumbs through her belt loops, refusing to take the hint and leave. It was her property, after all. “You don’t talk much, do you?”

      “Only when I need to.”

      “All the time or just for me?” She lightened her tone and willed him to let his guard down.

      “Everyone, lately.” Finally, he glanced up at her. He appeared gentle, despite his square-cut jaw and military-precise haircut. “Did you need something?”

      A friend—not that she’d ever admit it out loud to someone she’d just met. Her throat constricted as she shook her head.

      Caleb tossed the rest of the pebbles to the ground and stood. Slowly, he advanced. “If you need something, you can ask.” Behind his shades, it was hard to tell what he was thinking. He stood close—too close—and the smell of his crisp aftershave made her lose track of her thoughts.

      She risked a smile. “I’m just trying to figure out where to start. It’s hard to come back after all these years and sort through—” she motioned toward the cabins, unsure exactly what she was sorting through besides her tangled emotions “—things.”

      “Doesn’t sound like anything I can help with, so while you sort through ‘things,’ I need to head back to town.” Caleb started up the path. “I’ll be back later.”

      “Didn’t you just come from town?”

      “The hardware store called. My lumber order is in, plus I need more paint.”

      She hurried up the path after him. “Shouldn’t painting be last on the list? Let’s walk the property and decide what else needs to be done.”

      “Make your list, and I’ll look it over.” His stride widened.

      “I don’t know how you’re getting paid, but I’m sure it’s safe to assume you won’t be working indefinitely so we might as well focus on the big stuff, like the floorboards on the porch and replacing the window on cabin one.”

      Caleb halted. He opened his mouth but seemed to think better of saying what was on his mind. “The lumber I ordered is for the porch. We can talk about what you’d like done when I get back.”

      “I want to come with you.” Robyn lifted her chin.

      “Like you said, there’s a lot to do. Maybe you should concentrate on making a list for me.” A line formed between his eyebrows, as though he was trying to read her.

      “As long as you’re going to town, I’m coming, too. I have a vested interest in picking out colors and whatnot. Besides, I have my own list to deal with.”

      Caleb’s morning whiskers rasped like sandpaper when he rubbed them. “All you have to do is tell me what you want and I’ll pick it up while I’m there.”

      “Can you pick up a Realtor?” She challenged him with a raised eyebrow.

      His mouth tightened. “Fine, you can come. But I doubt anyone is open.”

      “They will be soon enough.” She walked quickly and prayed for him to soften. “When we get back, we can do a walk-through. There’s a leak under the kitchen sink, and the porcelain in the tub is cracked. I think we can get most of the repairs knocked out in a few weeks.”

      “We?”