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I lifted my head slowly and wiped away a tear with my shoulder. A small smile tipped my lips as I stared out the open garage door.
She was right. I had support waiting for me any direction I looked. Ivy, Mason, Isaac, and Brittany picked up my slack without a second thought. I had to remember they did that because they wanted to, not because they had to. It was when I looked at Indigo that I found the most unexpected support. Even when she didn’t understand the changes in her own life, she was here to help me through the ones in mine.
You could have a life together, Lance.
The laughter that escaped my lips filled the garage with the sound of sadness. There was no way Indigo Dickson wanted a life with me. She might think about it, but when she learns the full extent of who Lance Garland is and what he never will be, she won’t hang around. I wouldn’t blame her for that either. I might want her, but I wasn’t selfish enough to ask her to stay if she wanted to go.
My gaze drifted back to Mary and I checked the paint, the first coat already dry, so I sprayed on the second coat and then stood and brushed off my jeans. After it dried, I’d finish painting the skin tones. That would give it plenty of time to set before we put the display together. Since my mom’s directions weren’t as detailed as they usually were, I would have to take some creative liberties this year.
I walked to the back corner of the garage where I had built a simple creche from an old pallet and some two by fours. I had a vision that was coming together nicely. I just hoped Indie liked my idea too.
“Why do you care, man?” I asked, throwing my arms in the air. “You don’t need her approval.”
“Whose approval?” her sweet voice asked, and I spun on my heel to face her.
“Hi, Indie. You’re home,” I said rather than answer her question.
“And I’m late. It’s already almost four. I was working with the kids on the new gumdrop cake.”
I let an easy smile fill my face while I rubbed my hands together. “I hope you brought some home with you.”
“I might have,” she said coyly. “Along with a few other things. I was going to make dinner tonight. I don’t have to work tomorrow so it will help keep me awake.”
“I thought you worked in the morning,” I said, approaching the front of the garage where she stood.
“I switched my schedule, so I’d be here when you got done with work. I know you want to get the display up, and since this is the last weekend before Thanksgiving, I wanted to be sure we had enough time.”
I took another step forward. “Really? You did that for me?”
“I promised I was going to be here for you, Lance. I meant it.”
I stepped all the way up to her and took her bag off her shoulder, lowering it to the ground next to her. “I was just sitting here thinking that when Mom died, I lost my biggest support system. A voice in my head told me that wasn’t true. Then you walked in.”
She tapped my chest once while giving me a stern look. “It’s not true. You have a new support system. Well, not new, we’ve always been part of your support system, but you know what I mean.”
I nodded, but my gaze was fixed on hers as the sun set around us. “Mom might be gone, but I’m not alone.”
“Never alone,” she promised, the words a whisper on her lips.
“I’m glad you’re here, Indigo Dickson.”
“Me too,” she whispered, her gaze lifting to mine in the dimming light. “I’ve never looked forward to coming home before, but I do now. I look forward to coming home to a place where I’m accepted without having to be someone I’m not.”
I took her hand in mine and brought her knuckles to my lips for a kiss. “You never have to question that in my home, Gumdrop. In my house, you get to be yourself without judgment.”
“Myself thinks it needs a hug,” she whispered.
I dropped her hand and slid my arms around her tiny shoulders, holding her to me in a sweet embrace.
“Thank you,” I sighed, kissing the top of her head.
“For what?” she asked, glancing up at me.
“For knowing I needed a hug and not making me feel awkward about asking for one.”
She tightened her arms around me and nestled her head into my chest. “You never have to feel awkward about anything around me, Lance. I know you do a lot of the time, and I haven’t figured out why, but once I do, that will be the end of it. You hear?”
I rested my cheek back on the top of her head and sighed as an answer. There was no way she would find out why I felt awkward around her if I had anything to say about it. There was no way a woman like Indie was going to hang out with someone like me if she knew the truth. It was only a few minutes ago that I had myself convinced I would never ask her to stay, but with her arms wrapped around me and her tiny, warm head on my chest, that conviction was waning.
