Page 25 of Refuge for Cherilyn

“I’m sorry. I don’t see me as being any of those things. Is that what you want me to be?”

“No, you’re all of those things. And I can tell you this. No matter what happens, I always want you in my life, even if you’re nothing more than a friend. You’re the kind of person who makes a very, very good friend to have. Know why?” She shook her head. “Because I know without a doubt that if I was in a lot of trouble right now, you’d be the first person I’d call, and you’d do whatever you had to do to help me. You’d do that for any friend. I can tell that about you.”

She tried, but she couldn’t quit crying. “You’re right. I would.”

“Then let me help you. Letmebeyourfriend. Someday you’ll return the favor, and I’ll be glad I was here for you when you needed me. Come over here and sit down.” He patted the seat beside him.

Cherilyn didn’t know what to do. Yes, she was attracted to him, but was that enough? Was he expecting something from her? As soon as she sat down, he threw an arm across the back of the glider behind her and looked into her eyes. “How long has it been since somebody other than your girls hugged you? Since you felt like somebody cared about you?”

She tried to laugh and failed. “Long, long time.”

“Then you’re long overdue.”

Cherilyn didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant before he wrapped his arms around her. “Everybody needs somebody to hold them when they cry, and I think you need that right now.” Without warning, a wail broke from her lips, and she sobbed aloud. Shaw stroked her hair and held her, his arms tight around her. “Get it all out. You need to. It’s been all bottled up inside you while you fought to survive. That’s over, so let it out and give yourself a break, Cherilyn. I’ll be here for you if you’ll let me.”

She cried until she was hoarse, until her throat hurt and her eyes felt like they were filled with crushed glass, until her nose ran like a spigot. There didn’t seem to be an end to her tears, their heat burning tracks down her cheeks.

Suddenly, her eyes popped open, and she realized she’d been asleep. “Wha… What happened?”

Shaw gave her a little squeeze. “You fell asleep.”

“We’ve been sitting here the whole time?”

“Yep.”

“Aren’t your arms aching?”

“Not as much as your heart has, and that’s okay. I’m strong enough for the both of us.”

“What time is it?”

“I think it’s a little after two.”

“Two? Oh, god. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not. You needed that. I’m just glad I was here to supply it.”

She pulled away from him a little and sat up. “I should probably go to bed.”

“We both probably should. Grab a bottle of water to put on your nightstand before you crawl under the covers. You’re likely a little dehydrated from crying, and that’ll fix you right up.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Shaw stood and held a hand down to her to help her up. When her palm fell into his, she felt a connection she’d never known with anyone. “Thank you for being here for me, for us. You’ll never know how much I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Go get some sleep. Things will look a lot better in the morning, I promise.”

She gave him a tiny nod. “I hope you’re right.”

On her way through the kitchen, she grabbed that bottle of water and headed to the bedroom. Once it was on her nightstand, she went back to the bathroom, blew her nose, splashed some water on her face, let out what she’d had to drink earlier, and went back to the bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she felt herself relax, and with the soft sheets around her and the blanket pulled over her, she was cozy and warm in just a couple of minutes. In no time at all she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, just the kind of sleep she needed. Tension melted, her shoulders relaxed, and as she drifted away, she thought about what Shaw had said, that everything would look better in the morning.

She sure hoped he was right.

CHAPTER4

There was no moon.It was still as cloudy as it had been earlier in the day, but the weather lady on the radio had said it was supposed to clear off, and he hoped that was right. There’d been enough gloom for a while.

As he sat there and took another sip of his lukewarm beer, he thought about Cherilyn and her girls. They’d most definitely need help, and he wanted to be the one to offer it. He didn’t want to turn over their care and protection to just anybody. There was no way to know what other people’s motivations might be, but his was purely to see them do well.

Or was it? Even though she was tired, rundown, and little more than a wisp of a thing, there was something about Cherilyn that really attracted him, and he knew what it was. No, it wasn’t that she was a damsel in distress and needed him to rescue her. That wasn’t it at all. In fact, quite the opposite.

---