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Amos stood there kicking himself for getting carried away. Grace, he had guessed by now, needed slow and gentle handling. Instead, he’d given her a very clear indication of his single-minded desire for her.
“Way to go, Yankee.” With a few more choice words for himself, Amos went to pull some spices from his cabinet. He would need just the right blend to disguise the gamey taste of venison. By the time he did his magic in the kitchen, no one would ever guess the burgers weren’t made of beef.
* * *
At 9:30 that night, Grace lay across the couch inCamelot’s living area, draping a blanket around herself. An empty bunk was still available in the belly of the boat, but she felt a bit like an outsider trying to fit into someone else’s family. Colton had wanted to sleep close to Simon, so Grace gave him her bunk and carried her pillow and blanket upstairs, keeping her footsteps quiet so as not to disturb Amos, who’d retired to the captains’ quarters an hour earlier, given his 4 A.M. wake-up.
Once settled on the sofa, Grace let her gaze drift about the dark, cozy living space. It pained her to think, if Amos never forgave her for returning to Venezuela, she might never again see the interior of his houseboat. But at least the worry that had driven her to pray the prior night was taken care of. Thanks to Emma’s timely arrival, Simon wouldn’t be abandoned when Grace vanished on Thursday. Had her prayer been answered?
Why would God answer that prayer while turning a deaf ear to her pleas to save her baby and her marriage? What kind of heartless God would do that?
A quiet voice in her head supplied an answer: Perhaps God knew she’d never be happy with a husband whose eye wandered, who thought only of himself. Amos wasn’t like that. In fact, Amos was superior to Doug in so many ways—not the least of which was that his kiss had transported her in a way Doug’s kiss never had.
Beyond that, he had banished the soldier from her house and from her dreams. He’d taught her to think through her fear, and most importantly, he’d welcomed the extra children and mouths to feed like he enjoyed the madness. His acceptance of the disruption had made her see him in a whole new light.
What a generous, intelligent, and capable man he was! Sure, he might still be an overbearing jackass at times, but his values were solid. He would never cheat on her as Doug had. Honestly, between Amos and her, she was the one who could not be trusted.
Not only had she failed to give him details of her return to Venezuela, but she was about to vanish on him with only the barest advanced warning, spoken some time ago with no details. She had brushed aside his promise to collect Mateo for her, thereby depriving him of an opportunity to make amends for separating them in the first place.
With a whimper of remorse, Grace willed herself to sleep. In just over twenty-four hours, she would be back in Venezuela. Her soul quailed at the dangers lying in her path. She sought to reassure herself. Perhaps it would prove a simple thing to collect Mateo and fly with him to Bogotá, then straight home. She might even be back by the time Amos returned home from his op. But whether he forgave her for the fright she was about to give him remained a great unknown.
At least, she would have Mateo in her life. He used to be all that she ever wanted. Now she wasn’t so sure.
* * *
By noon the next day, Grace realized Emma would have to be told of her plans. Reluctance caused her to procrastinate. On their way back from dropping Emma’s Impala off at a garage recommended by Amos, and with Baby Carter now installed in Grace’s back seat, Grace glanced over at her passenger. “I have to tell you something Amos doesn’t know yet.”
Her confession earned her a wary look. Grace sped them back toward Amos’s neighborhood, breaking the speed limit since, in her mind, Christopher wasn’t old enough to keep Colton and Simon out of trouble. Drawing a deep breath, she plunged in. “I’m leaving the country this afternoon.” She checked her watch. “In two hours, I’m heading for the airport to fly to Venezuela, where my adopted son is waiting for me.”
Emma’s dark-blue eyes rounded with alarm. “Why haven’t you told Amos?”
Grace gripped the steering wheel harder. “That’s a valid question.” She considered her reasons for a moment. “I told him a while back, but nothing recently because I knew he would try to stop me. There’s a civil war happening in Venezuela, which makes it dangerous to go there. Amos offered to fetch Mateo for me, but I’d already bought a ticket and it’s nonrefundable, and there’s no telling how long it would take Amos to make good on his promise. Mateo needs me now. He’s already suffered more in four years than most people do in a lifetime. Bottom line is, I can’t afford to wait and hope the situation gets any better.”
Emma firmed her lips and faced forward. Finally, she said what Grace was hoping to hear. “I’ll watch Simon for you. That’s what you want, right?”
“Yes.” Grace shot her a grateful smile. The younger woman had a pragmatism about her that roused her respect. “I’m going to owe you, big time.”
“When are you coming back?”
“In just a few days. Amos and I will both be gone as he’s supposed to train the Colombian Special Forces this weekend. I know it’s asking a lot of you. But I promise Iwillmake it up to you.”
“What am I supposed to say to Amos?”
Grace bit her lower lip as she considered the question. “When he comes home from work tonight, you can tell him what I’m telling you now.” By then, she would be flying over the Gulf, too far away to be stopped.
Emma lapsed into silence, causing Grace to fret that she’d asked too much of the young mother. “What are you thinking?” She eased into the right lane, preparing to turn into Amos’s neighborhood.
“How Carl used to drink when he was mad.”
Pity vied with guilt as Grace guided the car along the tree-shaded road. “Amos is going to be mad, but he doesn’t drink. Trust me, his bark is worse than his bite.”
The comment earned her another nod and more silence. Thinking of Emma’s ex, Grace had to ask, “Does your Carl know where you are right now?”
“No.” Emma averted her eyes, ogling the big homes they were passing.
“Do you think he’ll take umbrage with you leaving the state with his kids?” At least, Grace assumed all three of her boys had the same father.
Emma looked back at her. “What’s umbrage?”
