Page 66 of Refuge for Cherilyn

Cherilyn decided to try to bridge that gap. “Look, I think part of the problem here is that you’ve been left alone to live an adult life. But honey, no matter how much you want to believe it, you’re not an adult. You’re still a kid. Your judgment and emotions haven’t matured yet. And that makes you make bad choices, because you don’t have the maturity or experience to know what to do. You know what they say. ‘Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.’ And that’s true.”

Head still bowed over her glass, Candace rotated her head until she could look at Cherilyn. “You know, I didn’t know what to think of you when I first saw you, but you’re okay. I mean, you’re not… You know, new clothes and latest styles and makeup and all. But as a person, I mean, you’re really okay.”

“Thank you. Now, your dad is going to be home in a bit, and if you’re not in bed, he’s going to want to know why. And after he’s worked a full shift on a night like this, that might not be pretty.”

“Guess not.” Candace pushed her chair back and stood. “Do you know what he’s doing tonight?”

“He said something about how they had some pot growers to catch and he was probably going to wind up spending the entire evening out in the rain.”

Candace’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh. He won’t be in a good mood then. I’d better get to bed.”

“I think that’s a wise choice,” Cherilyn said in agreement. “See? Your judgment is already improving.”

“From experience,” Candace added.

Cherilyn chuckled. “Yep! I think you’ve seen his bad mood. If I were you, I wouldn’t want any more of that!”

“Nope. Night.” The girl shuffled off to the bedroom, but she turned and smiled at Cherilyn. “I’m sorry for all the things I said about you. I really do like you, and I’m glad you’re here.”

“Apology accepted. I hope someday we can be friends.”

“Me too.” She turned the doorknob and was gone.

Cherilyn sat there for a few minutes, thinking. That child needed a mother, not a friend, and it appeared Shaw’s ex had tried to be her daughter’s buddy. Or maybe she’d handed Candace things to placate her while she and her new husband partied and traveled.

If she stayed with Shaw, she’d be in Candace’s life. There was one thing Cherilyn knew for sure. If you asked her girls, especially Maya, if their mother loved them, they’d quickly answer that she did. It seemed Candace couldn’t do that with her mother.

Cherilyn made up her mind that she was going to talk to Shaw. If he wanted her to stay around, she wanted permission to start something she hoped would help… maybe she’d call it “Operation: Candace’s Mom” or some other silly-sounding thing. It made her giggle. It would be a stealth attack on a fifteen-year-old girl.

That kid didn’t stand a chance!

* * *

It had been a first.Four agencies?KDFWR, Whitley County Sheriff Department, U.S. Park Rangers, and Williamsburg Police Department?took part in the raid that nabbed them five growers and an unusual amount of nitrogen fertilizer. That was disturbing, knowing what could be done with the fertilizer. How it would all sift out, he wasn’t sure. That was up to the Whitley County Sheriff Department. He was just glad to know that a growing project was ruined and he wouldn’t be running into any booby traps or potential assailants as he went about his daily work.

He gave the guy watching the house a wave, and saw the vehicle’s lights click on as the officer pulled away. Shaw was home. There was no need for anyone to watch the house as long as he was there.

It looked like there was a lamp on in the living room, and as he pulled around the back, he could see the light on over the sink. He was soaking wet. His hair was still dripping, and even his socks were soggy. Trying hard to be quiet, he opened the back door as gently as he could and got a big surprise.

Lying on top of the washer was his bath robe and a pair of dry underwear, with a note:Warm towels in dryer.Sure enough, he opened the dryer door and found it filled with bath towels, so he stripped off, dried off with a warm towel, and slipped on his underwear and robe. His wet things could wait until morning.

As soon as he opened the laundry room door to the kitchen, he could smell the coffee, and a beautiful face with gorgeous blue eyes smiled at him. “Hey!”

“Hi.” It took him a split second to cross the room to where she stood, and he took her in his arms. “God, you have no idea how good it feels to be warm and dry and here with you. Thank you, baby.”

“You’re welcome. Got coffee going, and I’ve got some hot vegetable soup in a pot on the stove. Want some?”

“Oh, hell yeah. I probably won’t thaw out until tomorrow morning. Don’t cuddle up against me tonight. You’ll freeze to death.”

She was already pulling a bowl from the cabinet and a spoon from the drawer. “That’s not true. Besides, fifty percent of the job is me keepingyouwarm, not just you keeping me warm.” He watched as she ladled some soup into the bowl and set it in front of him, then shoved a piece of homemade cornbread onto the plate the bowl sat on. “Here ya go. Hope you like it.”

“Baby, if it’s hot, that’s all that matters.” He picked up the spoon, filled its bowl, and slipped it into his mouth. A garden warmed by the summer sun?that was what it tasted like. “Oh, my god, this is good.”

“Good. Eat up. Have a good-enough evening?”

“Got the guys we were after.”

“Yeah?”

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