A New Hope (Thunder Point #8)(58)

“He has the run of the town. If he makes the slightest effort, he could actually meet people.”

“Oh, Lin Su, you shouldn’t let a child that young loose all day without your supervision.”

“He’s not as young as he looks,” she said. “He’s fourteen, just kind of small for his age. And when he was little he had health problems—I suppose he’s still catching up. He won’t be any trouble for you, I promise. He has money for lunch. And sunscreen and stuff in the car, like his laptop, which he can only use for an hour or two. And we have our cell phones for texting so we can keep tabs on each other.”

Winnie turned and looked up at Lin Su. “I want you to go down there and tell him he’s welcome here anytime as long as he’s not too wild or loud because sometimes I have to rest or I’m useless. Tell him you’ll make him lunch here—there’s an abundance of food, and Troy keeps buying more. He can even watch TV, just not all day—he needs air and sunshine.”

“That’s very sweet, Winnie, but—”

“I’m done talking about it. Be a good little nurse and go talk to your son.”

Lin Su turned desperate eyes to Grace. “We don’t want to be any trouble... This is my job. I’ll leave him home if—”

“You don’t have to leave him home if he’s no trouble,” Winnie said. “I didn’t know you had a son. You never mentioned it.”

“Lin Su, you must have been pretty young. You don’t look much over thirty yourself,” Grace said. “Oh, I’m sorry—that was rude. I didn’t mean to pry!”

“Maybe I’m catching up, too,” she said. “I’m not married. We make a pretty good team, me and Charlie. And now that he doesn’t need babysitting or after-school programs, we do very well. But Charlie is kind of shy...”

“My specialty,” Troy said, jumping up from his spot on the deck. “I’ll go invite him up.”

“Oh, Troy,” Lin Su said, embarrassed.

“Let him,” Grace said. “Troy needs a playmate.”

“As do I,” Mikhail said, rising a bit more slowly to follow.

Grace looked at Lin Su’s almost pleading expression and laughed. “Try not to worry, Lin Su. We’re not exactly a traditional family. Charlie might fit right in. After all, you have.”

* * *

Matt’s world had changed because of Ginger. He was experiencing life in a whole new way, in a way he hadn’t even been smart enough to long for, to hope for. Because the farm was stable, no drought, no damaging storms, no infestations or illnesses, he was sneaking away for at least three nights every week. He drove to Thunder Point on Thursday afternoon and home either Sunday night or Monday morning. Because his eyes were bright and his smile quick, Paco kept telling him to take time while he could.

“Come August, things will be crazy again,” he warned Ginger. “First the grapes—Uncle Sal’s grapes. I could probably get out of it, but I shouldn’t. Those early grapes have to be brought in and we depend on his people when the pears are ready. It’s steady for a couple of months. It’s hard work.”

“I could come to you,” Ginger said. “I could help a little. If you showed me what to do.”

“Peyton will spend a couple of weekends at the farm, she hardly ever misses it. But Grace needs you,” he said.

“Grace and I can job share a little bit. I’m good at running the front of the store and I’m getting better at creating the arrangements. I’ve had days on my own with only delivery help from Justin. I can give her a couple of days off every week if she can give me a couple of days. You don’t care when I come, do you?”

“I just can’t think about not having you next to me for more than a week,” he said. “It’s torture.”

“You might be getting a little spoiled,” she said.

“And you’re not?” he asked, an evil little gleam in his eye.

Matt couldn’t remember ever feeling this way. He was a little embarrassed by that, though he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to know the difference between a good thing and the real thing. There was no question that when he was deciding to marry Natalie his life had seemed good. If she wasn’t having some wedding meltdown or issue with having Sunday dinner with his family, he was feeling pretty damn satisfied.

But Ginger took that to a whole new level. Just being herself, she made him feel like the richest man on earth. He had never before felt this secure with a woman; he never felt even a second of doubt. He’d heard those ridiculous love songs about being willing to die for someone and he always found himself thinking, I’d be willing to give up a few things—bowling, shaving, driving a truck, cutting my hair. But die for someone? A little extreme...

But here in his arms was a woman he would do anything for. Would he leave the farm for Ginger? He just might, except she wouldn’t ask him to. If he was wrong about her he was going to retire to a mountaintop and live a completely celibate life, but if there was one thing that seemed real it was what Ginger said to him. She liked his farm. She loved him. And when someone loves you, they let you know your happiness is paramount to them. He’d never had that before.

They had a few blissful weeks together that brought them to July; long phone conversations at night, long weekends filled with plenty of time in each other’s arms and also enjoyable time with Thunder Point friends. And with his sister.