The Nature of Love (Love in the Spotlight #3)

Chapter 12

Twelve

They said new mercies came in the morning. Today, they came in the form of Tuck and Piper, who arrived on the doorstep with a donut box and Charlie. When Chris and Erykah had landed yesterday, Tuck agreed to watch the pup until they got the girls and were settled.

“Thanks for watching him.” Chris clapped Tuck on the back.

“It was fun.”

“Good to see you, Piper.” He gave her a side hug.

Her arm squeezed his neck. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t believe it when Tuck told me.” She pulled back and studied him. “Are you resting? It’s hard to be the pillar someone else leans on.”

Why did that statement choke him up? He nodded, waiting for the opportune time to clear his throat and effectively rid himself of emotions that he needed to keep locked inside.

“Come on in. The girls are sleeping. Erykah’s been awake for a while.” Chris grimaced.

She’d woken at five in the morning, which was even earlier for them considering their bodies were running on moun tain ti me and not eastern. Despite that, Chris had heard her movements and gotten up to be with her. All she’d done was sit in the living room, clutching a photo of her and Ellynn.

He set the kennel down. “I’ll be back, boy.” He stood and gestured for his friends to follow him into the kitchen.

“What’s the plan?” Tuck asked as he set the donut box on the island.

Chris ran a hand across his beard. “We need to get a funeral planned, then head back to Colorado. We’re actually thinking of a road trip back home versus flying with a bunch of stuff we’d most likely have to ship. We could make the trip in two days, but it’s probably best for the girls and the puppy if we do the drive in three.”

“So what’s that going to entail?” Piper asked. “Will you have to rent a moving truck or something?”

Chris nodded. “That’s on today’s to-do list. We’ll pick it up tomorrow so we can start loading and packing.” He sighed. “It’s a lot. I found a list on the internet to guide us because Erykah is...” A zombie? That sounded so callous, but she definitely wasn’t herself.

Not being present was to be suspected, or maybe it was more of a brain fog. Regardless, Chris wanted to ease her burden, hence the internet checklist.

“We want to help,” Piper said. “Tuck and I will pack or do whatever y’all need.”

“Thanks, guys.” Once again, Chris thanked the Lord for their friendship.

Footsteps sounded, and Chris turned, already anticipating Erykah’s arrival. What did it say that he knew the sound of her footfalls? Or that his senses were already anticipating that soothing scent she wore? The smell reminded him of vanilla and honey. Whatever the fragrance was, it made him want to nuzzle his nose right into the curve of her neck.

G et it together. She needs a friend, not someone cataloging how she smells, Gamble.

He blew out a breath just as she walked into the kitchen.

Erykah blinked, noticing Tuck and Piper, then her face softened. “Hi.” Her gaze cleared as if seeing Tuck for the first time, despite meeting him yesterday. “Mr. Hale, how’s the shoulder?”

“It’s all right. Some top-notch surgeon performed the surgery, so rehab could’ve been worse.” Tuck smirked.

Erykah laughed. Laughed.

Chris hated that slight fissure of jealousy that shot through him.

“I was so shocked when Tuck said you were the Erykah Chris has been talking about.” Piper walked up to her. “Can I give you a hug?”

“Please,” Erykah rasped. The two women embraced, and after a long moment, broke apart. “I was surprised as well when Chris first mentioned you two, but then thought how small the world really is.”

“So wait,” Chris interrupted. “You guys all know each other?”

Tuck nodded. “She’s the doctor I told you about at the gala in May. Remember?” Tuck arched a brow.

Why did Chris’s neck have to heat at the memory of the conversation? His friends had wanted to set him up with the surgeon who had operated on Tuck’s broken shoulder. But they’d remembered she’d only been in town for vacation, and they didn’t know where she lived. Chris had thought he’d dodged a messy setup and had been relieved. Now, well, he didn’t know how to feel.

How was Tuck’s doctor the person Chris now called friend?

“Small world, right?” Erykah smiled at him.

“Very. But that’s a good thing.”

S he bit her lip. “Um, the girls are awake. Cheyenne is getting dressed on her own because she didn’t want my help.” Her shoulders sagged. “I came in here to find some milk for the baby.”

Uh- oh.

“Was Ellynn breastfeeding?” Piper asked.

“She was, but I’m worried about what happens when we run out.” Erykah turned an uncertain gaze his way.

“We’ll find the right formula. Promise.” Chris didn’t know how they’d do it. He’d never taken care of a kid before, but he wouldn’t leave Erykah alone to flounder.

“Erykah,” Piper said gently. “Do you have any boxes for packing? How can we help?”

Chris watched Erykah, waiting for any telltale sign of tears or anything else that meant he needed to step in and help her.

“Um, we do need something to pack their stuff in.” She tugged at a twist of hair as if thinking. “I’m bringing all of their bedding and clothes. Plus anything else they want and is reasonable to fit into the moving truck.”

“Remember,” Chris said, “we can come back for other stuff. We don’t have to bring everything now, and we can certainly buy anything else we need.”

She nodded. “Right. I’ll definitely have to come back to go through the rest of the stuff. I took two weeks of leave, but any more than that and my schedule of surgeries becomes more difficult to rearrange.”

Wow. She’d have to go back to work in two weeks? That seemed cruel. But time waited for no one and no thing—including grief.

“I’m so sorry, Erykah,” Piper said. There was a brief silence, then she motioned to the food boxes. “We brought breakfast, so fuel up. Tuck and I will go get supplies to pack everything.”

“ I appreciate that.”

“Of course.” Piper hugged Erykah again. Then she and Tuck left the house.

“Your friends are really great.”

Chris nodded. “I was thinking that earlier.” He turned to the cabinet and removed two plates. “What kind of donuts do you like?”

Her nose wrinkled. “I don’t eat a lot of food like this normally.”

“I don’t think calories count right now.” His gaze skimmed her body. “And you definitely don’t have to worry about a thing.”

She looked downward. Chris wanted to give himself a kick in the pants. She was grieving. This wasn’t the time for flirting—even unintentional flirting.

“I’ll have one.” She added a glazed donut to her plate.

Chris added another one. “Or two.”

Erykah threw him a look.

“If you warm it up, you’ll see two is the correct choice.”

“Warm what up?” Cheyenne walked into the kitchen looking very... Disgruntled? Annoyed?

Her hair, no longer in braids, fanned out like a lion’s mane. She wore a pink polka dot shirt with purple-and-yellow-striped pants. Obviously the girl loved patterns and didn’t care about matching.

“My friends bought us donuts.”

Her eyes widened. “Are there any with sprinkles?” she whispered.

“Pink ones,” Chris said just as quietly.

“And you warm donuts up?” The skeptical look she threw Chris’s way resembled a royal looking down her nose at a peasant.

“I promise it’s delicious.”

“ Okay. Warm one up.” She held up her pointer. “If it tastes okay, I’ll eat the rest warm too.”

“The rest?”

“Cheyenne, you can have two donuts, and that’s it,” Erykah interjected.

“But why?” she whined. “How many have you had?”

“Two.” Erykah pointed to her plate. “That’s all we need.”

Cheyenne swung her head in Chris’s direction. “How many are you having?”

He pointed at the two donuts on his plate. They were jelly filled, and he couldn’t wait to eat them.

“Fine.” She crossed her arms.

She was going to keep Erykah on her toes for sure.

Chris heated up her donut and watched expectantly. “Well?”

“You’re right. It’s the best. Please heat up another one.” She waved a hand.

It was all he could do not to laugh, but he did as directed.

Cheyenne looked up at her aunt, then glanced at Chris before speaking. “What are we doing today?”

“We’re going to pack some.” Erykah kept her gaze on her plate.

“And then?”

“We’ll take each moment one at a time,” Chris answered. Probably wasn’t his place to speak, but they both looked like they needed saving.

“Are you sure you can’t fix them?” Cheyenne’s voice quivered.

“I would if I could. You know I would,” Erykah said.

Cheyenne bobbed her head, then stuffed the rest of the donut in her mouth. Was it bad if comfort eating started at five?

A cry filled the house.

“Oh no.” Erykah slapped her forehead. “Bottle.”

S he went to the fridge, grabbed a bottle, then left the room. Chris watched Cheyenne as she polished off the second donut.

“Hey, Cheyenne, do you want to meet my friend?” Charlie was probably itching to get out of the kennel.

“I already know her. She’s my aunt.”

“No, I have another friend.” He grinned. “Come on.”

She hopped off the bar stool and followed him. “Who’s that?” she gasped.

“This is Charlie.” He unlocked the kennel. “I believe you named him.”

“The puppy? Auntie Erykah brought him?”

He nodded and held on to the pup as his tail wagged enthusiastically.

“Aww.” Cheyenne petted him and grinned. “Can I hold him?”

“Just be gentle.” That’s what he always told kids her age. They had a tendency not to realize how strong they were.

Speaking of, he needed to call Cameron and let her know what was going on. Probably needed to speak to someone at PathLight as well. They needed to know he wouldn’t be back until next week. Could he take two weeks off too?

Cheyenne sat on the floor, then Chris placed Charlie into her lap. She giggled as the puppy licked her chin. As he watched them, Chris couldn’t help but think of God’s provision. The Lord knew what Erykah would be facing and had sent Charlie to her just in time to help comfort her and her niece.

God was good even when living in the world felt very bad.