Edge of Heaven by Teresa Hill

Author:Teresa Hill [Hill, Teresa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-06-06T00:04:41+00:00

Chapter 15

Rye settled in easier than he would have expected in Baxter, Ohio. It was a nice little town. Quiet. Friendly, even to ex-cons like him. There was more work than he could do. Sam kept throwing jobs his way, which made him uncomfortable at first. He turned down more than he accepted, and then he just gave up and did those jobs, too.

Work helped. It helped him get so tired, he could almost forget everything. His past. What there was to his present and whatever might come to him in the future.

There were women who were happy to go out with him, and he went with one after another, telling himself he did not miss Emma at all.

He didn't let himself ask Sam about her, not wanting to see the look his brother would give him. But Rachel must have known how badly he wanted to hear about her, because she didn't make him ask. She volunteered the information. He'd started going to their house for dinner every now and then just so he could hear about Emma. Her grades were great, as always.

She'd moved into the dorm. Good. She'd probably feel safer with lots of people around her. She liked her roommate, and she might take some extra classes in the summer instead of coming home.

She'd been here for her birthday in February—an event he'd skipped. He didn't think she'd been home since, and this was April. He felt bad about that and needed to tell her it really wasn't necessary for her to remove herself so completely from her family.

Which was why he was so surprised to show up for dinner there a few weeks later and find her there. Grace let him in that night and jumped up into his arms. He lifted her off the floor and spun around with her while she giggled, her hair flying. She was the sweetest child, pure joy to behold. With her, he felt like an uncle, and it was a nice feeling.

"We've got a secret," she said, giving him a big squeeze before he set her down on the floor.

"You and I?"

"No. Me and everybody here." She stuck a pert little nose up in the air and practically dared him to figure it out.

"I could tickle it out of you, you know." He reached for her rib cage.

"No, you can't," she insisted, horrified.

"All right, I won't."

"Grace?" Rachel called from upstairs. "What are you doing?"

"Rye's here. I let him in."

"And didn't brush your teeth, did you?"

She frowned. "I thought about it."'

"But you didn't. Come and do it now."

"Come on in." Grace tugged on his hand.

He followed her to the bottom of the stairs. Rachel stood at the top.

"We'll be right down," she said. "Make yourself at home. Beer's on ice in the cooler by the refrigerator."

"Thanks," Rye said. "Take your time."

He strolled into the kitchen and there was Emma. His first thought was that he'd been set up—given a minute with no prying eyes to prepare himself for her being here.

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