Inside and Out Read online

  Across the room, their eyes met. For an instant, neither of them moved, even as Ashton and Aldin tugged at his shirt and the bags for the food.

  It was just the two of them in the room in the spaces between those seconds. All three of her kids were happy. Because of him.

  Cora didn’t want to mistake gratitude for love. After all, she’d fallen in love once and look where that had gotten her. Could she trust her own judgment anymore? What if she allowed their relationship to grow? Could they both handle the responsibilities that came with dating? Could Liam handle her and her three kids and be okay with a ready-made family? What about if he wanted kids?

  The bottom line was, however, that Cora would never know until they tried. Today had been an important day for her emotionally. She’d stood up to Sam and not allowed him to take advantage of her. She’d fought for what she believed in and had ended up the victor. Sam could fight for shared custody or not. Either way was a win-win. If he chose to be in their children’s lives, she wouldn’t dare stop him. She knew what it was like to be abandoned. But she also knew what it was like to be loved.

  Today, she’d learned to love herself.

  Liam placed the Chinese take out on the table and walked over to her. Without a single word, he pulled her into his arms. His strong hold and the closeness gave her the renewal she’d always wanted but never really trusted.

  From day one, Sam had kept her at arms length, always telling her what to do, how to do it, reeling her in just long enough to make her believe he truly loved her, then pushing her away again. It was a vicious cycle.

  It was also a cycle she’d never had with Liam.

  From day one, Liam had made it clear he cherished her, wanted her, needed her in ways that didn’t include the physical. With him, she’d come to discover, what she saw was what she got. And she loved him.

  Cora swallowed, and pulled back, looking into his complex green eyes. She loved him.

  Once again, time stood still as they looked at each other. Jolie’s arm came around them both and she gave them a wide grin. “Mom, you should come see Africa. She’s got a white patch on her butt that’s shaped just like the country!”

  With a nod, Cora agreed and Jolie rushed off again, digging into her sweet and sour chicken with a fork.

  “Thanks for taking her today,” she said, still wrapped in Liam’s arms.

  “We had a good time. Had lots of good discussions. She’s a pretty incredible kid.”

  “She’s my baby girl all grown up.”

  “You did good, Cora.”

  Liam’s gaze dropped to her lips. She was pretty sure he was going to kiss her, but she wanted to speak before she couldn’t think straight.

  “So are you sure you want a ready-made family?” Cora speared her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

  “What?” He pulled back a little, a disbelieving scowl tugging the corner of his lips downward.

  “Can you handle me and my kids? This is your last chance. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with us.”

  His eyes rounded then immediately narrowed. “Are you saying…?”

  “I am. It’s time to let go. You know the challenges I’m facing, but if you still want me, here I am.”

  Liam went still. His breathing stopped. The only muscle that moved was the steady pulse in his jaw.

  “If I still want you?”

  Cora stared at the floor. “I know it’s been a month since we talked, but when Sam came here today and we spoke, I realized I was missing something… someone in my life. You.” She was too shy to look at him, so she studied their feet.

  “If I want you,” he said again, his voice a little louder.

  “If you’ve changed your mind, I completely understand. I mean, it’s a lot to ask of anyone. All you have to do is—“

  Liam’s lips collided with hers and his arms pulled her so close there was no more room for doubts. When all the kids started cheering behind them, Liam dipped her dramatically and then righted her.

  For a moment, Cora looked at her prince. “I love you,” she finally said.

  “I like the way that sounds. I love you, too.”

  “It’s about time!” Jolie called out as she clapped.

  Liam put his forehead against Cora’s and sighed. “Does this mean you’ve given up the nonsense about our age difference?”

  “I don’t know how I can compete with all those younger women, but I’ll try.”

  “It’s not a competition, Cora. I don’t want them. I want you.”

  Cora rubbed her thumb over his jaw. “I’ll never know why, but I also won’t question it. ”

  He tapped his chin as he pretended to think. “There’s a phrase I’ve heard somewhere before. It sums up why pretty great.”

  “What’s that?”

  Liam nuzzled her nose with his then kissed her gently. “You’re beautiful. Inside and out.”

  About the Author

  Stephanie Taylor is a homeschooling mom of three by day and a writer and business owner by night. She has a doctorate in Multitasking and can actually walk a tight rope while preparing dinner with one hand and typing her next novel with the other. You can find her online on Facebook and Twitter or at her publishing company, Clean Reads. www.cleanreads.com.

  Also from Stephanie Taylor

  Chapter One

  Stacey opened the window to her grandfather’s room to let out the stale air. After the years he’d spent smoking, the house still smelled pungent after a rainy day. She rested her head against the screen and inhaled the sweetness of the moist earth after a summer storm. Thunder still rumbled in the distance, giving the illusion of the sun chasing away the storm.

  Stacey smiled and pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Are you okay, Papa?” she asked, straightening his covers and fluffing the sides of his pillow. He grunted and gave her a weak smile.

  “I’m fine. Just tired, pun’kin,” he rasped.

  “Do you need some water? Is your throat dry?” Stacey reached for his cup, but his shaking hand stopped her.

  “I’m fine. Go read or something, I’ll call if I need you.”

  Stacey placed his hands back at his sides, and his eyes drifted close. At only sixty-five, his body was being ravaged by cancer, and the doctors had offered little hope. Combined with the fact he’d refused chemo treatment after learning it would only prolong the inevitable. Stacey had begged, pleaded with him to do something, but as a war veteran and Purple Heart recipient, he’d lived through plenty of pain.

  She didn’t blame him, but her heart hurt when she thought about the man who had raised her not being there anymore. Gazing into his aged face, she gave a wistful smile. His thin lips were pale and drawn. The white hair on his head had never seen a day of gray. The fragile frame of his rib cage rose and fell softly, his breath much more shallow than last week.

  Hospice would be here for their daily visit soon enough. Stacey left him and went into the living room to tidy up.

  A knock at the door startled her, and she looked out the window. With a smile, she opened it and said, “Hi, Joey!” Adjusting her glasses on her nose, she stepped aside. It wasn’t often her neighbor’s son came for a visit, and it made her heart race every time.

  With a nod of his head, his lazy, confident gaze trailed over her as he stepped inside. “How are you, Stace?”

  He wasn’t the first one to shorten her name, but something about his southern drawl and the way his mouth quirked on the end of it caused her bones to feel like mush.

  “I… I’m good, how are you? What brings you by?” She closed the door and turned to watch him cross the small living room.

  “Mom said your granddad was getting sicker. Wanted to check on you and see how you’re doing.” He kept his back to her, and finally stopped at the edge of the couch.

  “Me? Don’t you mean Papa?” Stacey shook off the tenderness tugging at her heart, and her awkward, too-loud laugh filled the room.

  “No,” he said, finally turning to meet
her gaze. “How are you, really?”

  “I already said I’m fine.” She tilted her head to the side, trying to read his strangely blank expression.

  “I don’t believe you.” His cocked eyebrow irked her, and she huffed. He might be one of the most confident men she knew, but he wasn’t fooling her.

  Stacey frowned. “Why not?”

  “You’re only twenty, honey. You’ve got to be exhausted here with no one to help you. You’ve got dark circles under your eyes, and you still haven’t gotten the stem on your glasses fixed. Duct tape won’t hold forever.”

  Stacey felt the heat in her cheeks, and she absently touched her glasses. She wasn’t anything to look at, and it was kind for a handsome man like Joey to even notice she looked worse than usual. “I’ll get them fixed eventually. I’m not worried about myself right now. I just want to keep Papa as comfortable as possible. There’ll be plenty of time for me after…”

  In an instant, Joey was in front of her, taking her shoulders in his strong hands and squeezing. “Stacey, I’m worried about you.”

  “Because I haven’t fixed my glasses?”

  “Because you never smile anymore.”

  “I smile plenty, Joey McCrary.” For her sanity, she moved away from his heat and those intense brown eyes that seemed to care. “Why don’t you go back across the street and be with your parents? Take it from me, you should enjoy what time you have left with them.”

  “I want to help you,” he said softly, as if she’d never spoken.

  Taking a deep breath, she turned and gave him her best smile. “I don’t need your help. Papa only has a little time left, and I won’t let you come in here and take it away from me.” Tears welled in her eyes until Joey was a blurred image. She felt his tender arms come around her, and she accepted his embrace for only a moment. Being so close to him elicited selfish feelings, and she’d just read a passage in her Bible about that earlier today. Papa came first.

  “Stacey? Nature calls,” she heard her frail grandfather call out.

  She pushed away from Joey, and he took a step back, but as she walked away, he grabbed her hand, causing her progress to stop.

  “He needs me,” she protested.

  “Let me. I’m not a stranger to him, Stace. I mowed his yard every summer for six years. Sometimes a man needs another man for support. Having to bare everything to you is probably embarrassing to him.”

  Stacey swallowed thickly. She’d never thought of it in those terms. Leave it to Joey, childhood friend, to give it to her straight.

  Once again, tears welled.

  Tenderly, Joey tucked a strand of her curly hair behind her ear. “I’m not saying it to upset you, Stace. Just sit down and let me handle things, just for a little while.”

  “Why?” The word escaped before she could stop it. She suddenly felt foolish for questioning his good, albeit stubborn, heart.

  His eyes grew soft, and she recognized the look of pity. She hated that look, but she couldn’t stop it. In the small town they lived in, everyone knew practically everyone. Pity was part of it.

  Poor little Stacey Ingram, gave up her education and her Podunk life for her grandfather. Poor Stacey, such a kind soul to help him out. She’d forgotten how to live, poor thing.

  Narrowing her eyes, she lifted her chin a notch, silently daring him to say anything even resembling pity.

  “Why?” she asked again through gritted teeth.

  Joey lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. “Because you’re my friend.”

  ****

  Joseph McCrary wanted a lot more than friendship with Stacey, but now wasn’t the time. Right now, all she needed was his help. And all he needed was to see her smile again. She had such a pretty smile.

  He was home for a while now since he’d graduated from college last week with a bachelor’s in engineering. He’d planned to spend the summer interviewing for jobs and living up the last of his carefree days before becoming an official adult with a nine-to-five job.

  Until his parents had told him about Mr. Ingram and the cancer. His first thought had been to ask about Stacey, but his parents knew him well, and it didn’t even pass his lips before they told him about how she dropped out of high school her senior year two years ago and wouldn’t even entertain the idea of going back.

  Over the years, he’d look to Stacey as a solid rock in his crazy world. He lived fast and free and didn’t think much about the consequences. He enjoyed easy women and no commitment. But Stacy was his constant. His friend.

  They’d grown up across the street from each other, building the cliché mud pies and swimming in the local watering hole. But she’d always been the awkward girl with knobby knees, thick glasses and frizzy blonde hair.

  But something changed around the time he went to college. She’d been sixteen at the time and started filling out those baggy shirts she always wore, and her hair was less frizzy and more… tousled. Sort of like what he envisioned her looking like after a good roll in the hay.

  But Stacey Ingram wasn’t built that way. She was a forever kind of gal, a woman he’d normally steer clear of, but after the conversation with his parents about how out of touch with society she was, Joey had realized the perfect escape for her.

  Him.

  With a hopeful smile tugging at his lips, he entered Mr. Ingram’s room and took a good look at the man who used to be his employer.

  “Hey, Mr. Ingram, how ya feelin’?” He spoke loud enough for the man to hear him and extended his hand.

  Mr. Ingram recognized him immediately. His face lit up with an ashen smile. Joey took his hand and pumped, ignoring the weakness of the other man’s grip.

  “I’m glad you’re here, son, I need to go to the bathroom. Can you help an old man get there?”

  “That’s why I’m here, sir. I wanted to let Stacey get some rest.”

  His words gave Mr. Ingram pause. His eyes glistened suspiciously. “Why, thank you. Everyone seems to fuss over me, but no one thinks about her. I’m just a man who’s at the end of a well-lived life. Hers is just beginning.”

  “I’m home from college now, and I’ll be over here as much as I can to help out,” he assured the man, his heartstrings tugging. Joey pushed the feeling aside to help him out of bed.

  Once he was settled again, Joey strolled back in to the living room and found Stacey sitting on the edge of the couch, tissue in hand, glasses lying duct-tape side up on the coffee table. She didn’t notice his entrance, and he watched for a moment. She wasn’t the kind of girl to show her emotions much, and seeing her so raw like this was like getting a glimpse inside of her soul.

  Her face crumpled, and she buried it in the tissue, quietly sniffing and swiping at her nose and eyes. For a moment, Joey felt the tears welling in his own eyes for her sorrow. She was such a beautiful girl — woman now — and his arms physically ached to hold her. Friends hugged each other, right?

  Silently crossing the room, he sat next to her and gathered her into his arms, loving the feel of her softness against him. Her stiff body was an indicator she didn’t welcome his touch, but he didn’t care. If there was one thing she should know about him by now, it was that he got what he wanted. And he wanted to hug her.

  Turning her face up to meet his, he wiped away her tears with his thumb and kissed her forehead. “Stace,” he whispered, the lump in his throat vicious and choking.

  “Thank you,” she said without a trace of emotion in her voice. She pushed at his chest to move away, but he tightened his hold.

  “When was the last time you let someone hold you when you cried? Or tell you it was going to be okay?”

  She swallowed and averted her eyes. “Before Mama and Daddy died.”

  Joey inhaled a deep breath and let it out slowly. He remembered that night. The police cars, the sirens, and the flashing lights had called attention to the house he now sat in. He’d even heard Stacey’s childhood cries through the closed window. She’d suffered exponentially, and yet she was so much stronger
than anyone he’d ever known before. Maybe because of the things she’d endured over the years or despite them, he wasn’t sure.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, touching her cheek.

  Her eyes were wide and full of something akin to desire. It was a universal look for all women, but on her, it was special, knowing it was directed at him. Probably the only friend she had left. He wasn’t sure if he could ever be the man she needed but he wanted to give her a glimmer of hope and take her mind off her pain. Somehow make her see she still had a life to live.

  “You’re full of crap,” she shot back with a half-smile and again tried to pull away.

  “You think I’m kidding?” he asked, surprised she’d voice her insecurities. He might be a lot of things, but he wasn’t a liar.

  “I know you are. Let go of me, Joey. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but you need to go. I have to fix supper for Papa.”

  “You have to kiss me.”

  Her audible gasp caused him to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Was she horrified at the thought? Or was it the opposite?

  She wrenched away from him, putting the whole expanse of the room between them with only a few awkward steps. She stumbled over the magazine rack at the door. “Joey McCrary, get out of this house or I’ll…”

  He grinned. “Or you’ll what?”

  Stamping her foot like the true southern belle she was, he tried not to laugh out loud.

  “Wipe the smirk off your face,” she ordered.

  “Make me.” It was fun getting her all flustered, seeing the life back in her eyes and color in her cheeks.

  “Get out.”

  He crossed his arms and leaned back on the couch. “Nope.”

  “I’m gonna call your mama.”

  He tossed her a careless shrug. “Go ahead, but I’m bigger and faster than her these days.”

  That got a smile out of her. A real, genuine Stacey Ingram smile that had captivated him when he was younger. He was glad it still charmed him, even if it was disturbing to realize now how he’d always yearned to make her happy.