Max and Caleb were an odd pair—the heathen and the man of the Lord, as Max liked to say. Maybe he was more worried about his immortal soul than he’d ever realized. He couldn’t see any other reason for having gravitated to this man whose unwavering faith Max couldn’t share. He’d lost his belief in God when he’d lost his wife, leaving him all alone to raise Amanda. For a man who’d never understood a thing about women, it had been a terrifying burden.
Yet, from the moment he’d gazed down into Amanda’s trusting blue eyes, felt her tiny fist close around his finger, he’d been totally smitten. That girl of his had filled his heart with so much joy, it had dulled the pain of losing his beloved wife.
Severing all ties with Amanda when she’d chosen to defy him and marry that no-account Bobby O’Leary had just about ripped his heart out. He’d taken what he’d considered to be a calculated risk that day and he’d lost. The memory of it haunted him.
Stubborn pride had kept him from reaching out to mend fences. When Bobby had tried, Max had turned him away, embarrassed and shamed to have the boy attempt what he should have been man enough to do himself. When Amanda herself had come to him after Bobby’s death, he’d been too quick to say hurtful, judgmental things guaranteed to turn her away. He’d lost a lot of sleep over the years knowing he was a damn fool and the price he’d paid for it.
“If you’re this curious about Amanda, why don’t you go and see for yourself?” Caleb asked. “Don’t you think this feud has gone on long enough? You love your daughter, Max. You need to get to know your grandchildren. You’ve lost too many years already. Don’t lose any more. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Max snapped. “I’ve had more than one chance and I blew it. The girl hates me, and who can blame her?” He looked away. “Besides, if she ever found out…”
“Found out what?” Caleb prodded.
“Nothing. I don’t want to get into it.”
“Get into what? Don’t you know by now you can tell me anything and I won’t judge you?”
“You’re a real saint, all right,” Max said snidely, hoping to tick him off.
Caleb didn’t react. He just sat there with the patient expression that made Max nuts.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, it was a slip of the tongue, that’s all,” Max grumbled.
“I doubt that,” Caleb said.
“Look, all I’m saying is it’s too late for Amanda and me.”
“It’s not too late until you’re in your grave,” Caleb retorted.
Maybe that was what Max liked about this young man. He didn’t wilt under Max’s scorn, didn’t turn away when pushed to do just that. Caleb was a man with staying power. Max admired that, even if he didn’t know how any man could devote himself to God’s work when there was evidence all around that God wasn’t paying a damn bit of attention to what was happening down here on earth.
“You gonna pray over me when I’m gone?” Max asked, taunting him.
Caleb grinned. “I pray for you every night as it is. If you weren’t so ornery, I think maybe my prayers would have a better outcome.”
Max regarded him with surprise. “I never asked you to pray for me.”
“You didn’t need to. It’s what I do. I see a need and I jump in.”
“Well, you’re wasting your breath,” Max replied irritably.
“It’s mine to waste,” Caleb responded. “Besides, I think one of these days even someone as cantankerous as you will wake up and admit he’s made a dreadful mistake and reach out to the one person on earth he cares about. In fact, you and I know you’ve already done that in a way. The only one who doesn’t know and should is Amanda.”
Max scowled at him. “You tell her I bought that land her new house is sitting on and she’ll move out by morning,” he said with absolute conviction. “That girl got my stubbornness and doubled it.”
“Maybe,” Caleb said. “But maybe she’d see it as a gesture that’s been too long coming.”
“Stay out of it, Caleb. You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” He frowned at the pastor. “And don’t go dropping any hints to her, either. You and I made a deal. She’s never to know about me buying that land. You spill the beans to her and I will see your sorry butt in hell.”
Caleb’s steady gaze never wavered. “You don’t scare me, Max. Don’t you know that by now?”
Max was flustered by the amusement in Caleb’s voice. Most men in Charleston would have been quaking in their boots. Most men understood that he never made idle threats.
“Well, I should terrify you,” he said testily. “Now, are we going to play cards or are we going to sit around here all night gabbing like a couple of old women?”
“Bring it on, old man.” After he’d dealt the cards, Caleb pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and smoothed it out. “Let’s see here. You already owe me $7,403.62.”
Max chuckled at the precise accounting. “Just think what kind of stained-glass window you could have bought for the church by now if we played for more than small change.”
“And isn’t it lucky for you that I don’t approve of gambling except for a worthy cause?” Caleb retorted. “The stained-glass windows can wait. This money will come in handy at the church’s food bank. I think when we get to a nice round ten thousand, I’ll ask you to cut me a check.”
Max looked at the hand he’d been dealt and muttered an oath. “Sure as hell looks like I’m about to make another contribution tonight.”
Caleb laughed. “Who’re you kidding, old man? It looks that way every time we play.”
“True,” Max conceded. It was a small-enough price to pay, though, for some decent company. Add that Caleb kept him abreast of what was going on with Amanda without gloating about it, and Max was perfectly content to lose a few dollars once a week. Hell, he’d give up his entire fortune for the chance to go back in time and do things differently. So many things. Some that only a small handful of people knew anything about.
Since going back wasn’t possible, he’d have to make do with the way things were.
2
Amanda was rushing to get out the door at the boutique where she worked when Maggie Parker halted her exit.
“Hey, where’s the fire?” Maggie asked. “I came to see if you and the kids would like to have dinner with me tonight. Josh had to run over to Atlanta to take a look at that historic renovation project he and Cord are starting next month.”
Amanda regarded Maggie with surprise. Though she’d been a bridesmaid in Maggie’s wedding to Josh, she’d always thought Maggie had made the gesture to appease Josh. While Maggie had never been outright rude to her, the wedding was just about the only occasion she had been openly friendly. Maybe now that she and Josh were married, she was putting aside the irrational jealousy she’d once felt toward Amanda and turning over a new leaf. Still, Amanda couldn’t help being skeptical.
“You want to have dinner with us?” Amanda said. “Me and the kids?”
Maggie shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
“Maybe because a part of you still wonders if there wasn’t something going on between me and Josh,” Amanda said candidly. “I know it bothered you that there was a bond between us when he was in charge of the crew building my house.”
Maggie