Falling for the Millionaire(10)

"I'll let you lead the way." Hudson motioned for her to go ahead.

She grabbed her jacket and folded it over her arm. "I hope you're ready  for some walking. We're going to cover a lot of territory."

"And at a fast clip."

She turned to him with an annoyed look. "If you want a tour, you must keep up with the tour guide."

"Do I dare call you Ms. Roadrunner?" Hudson chuckled.

"Not if you want a tour." Melody pressed her lips together, but she  couldn't hold back the smile that put a tiny curve on her pretty mouth.

"Okay, I'll behave."

"We'll start with the nursing home down this corridor." Melody forged ahead.

Smiling to himself, Hudson hurried to match her steps. She made quick  work of the nursing home tour as she introduced him to several nurses  and aides and reintroduced him to Brady Hewitt and Kirsten Bailey.

She then raced by the women's shelter until they came to two cul-de-sacs  where a dozen modest houses sat. "These are our children's homes. Each  one has room for six children and their house parents. On the weekends,  it's not unusual to see kids running all over the quad while they play  some kind of ball game. They often visit the residents in our senior  center. The older folks love that, and the kids do, too."

"I'm sure they do. Every kid needs an older person as a friend." Their  talk triggered memories of his maternal grandparents, Memaw and Papaw,  and Sunday afternoons at their house-the fun and love-the big lawn where  they'd played games. He shook the recollections away. He had to  concentrate on one Melody Hammond and what she had to say.

"That's the beauty of this place. The kids have built-in grandparents.  We definitely encourage it." Melody hurried ahead but stopped when she  reached the fountain. "This is one of my favorite spots on campus."

"I can see why. The sound of the water is joyful like the events these  decorations celebrate." Hudson tugged on one of the cords tying a  balloon to the fountain, making it bob up and down.

Melody gave him a curious glance. "That's something I wouldn't expect to hear from you."

Hudson shrugged. "Why? I can be a sentimental guy."

"Somehow that doesn't fit a man who likes to race cars and jump out of  planes." She didn't wait for his response but pointed toward the far end  of the quad. "My other favorite spot is the Chapel Church."

"I can guess which building that is. That's one impressive steeple. Does it have a bell?"

"It does." Melody gave him an impish grin. "If you're really good, I'll  take you up and let you look at it. There's a marvelous view of the  campus from up there."

"What exactly constitutes really good?" Hudson raised his eyebrows.

She crossed her arms and stared at him. "Not asking the tour guide questions she can't answer."

Hudson laughed. "I'll try not to."

"Good. Then, you'll see something lots of folks never see."

"Do I dare ask another question?"

Melody shrugged. "Your choice."

Hudson craned his neck as he looked up to the cross that rose above the  treetops. "You mean to tell me that the woman who likes to play it safe  is willing to climb to the top of that steeple?"

Shaking her head, Melody stepped onto the church portico. "Don't make fun. It's very safe."

Hudson followed. "I couldn't help teasing you a little. Does that take me off the good list?"

"I'll let it go this time, but don't let it happen again." Melody put  her hand on the door handle, trying to hold a serious expression in  place.

"I see that smile trying to escape."

She couldn't suppress the upward curving of her mouth. "Okay, you got me."

"I'm glad to see you smile. I don't want to be in trouble with you."

"And why is that?"

"You don't want to hear the reason."

She nodded. "Okay. We'll leave it at that."

"Good." He reached around and opened the door, their shoulders brushing.

Without a word, she scurried inside. Quiet hovered over the pews as  Hudson followed her down the carpeted aisle. Sunlight illuminated the  stained glass windows. The beauty inspired and lifted his spirit.         

     



 

"I like to come here when the place is empty." She spoke in hushed tones as she stopped halfway to the front.

"I can see why this is one of your favorite places," he replied, his voice equally quiet.

"You should come to church here sometime." As soon as the words were out  of her mouth, her expression told him she wished she could snatch them  back.

Hudson looked at her with a grin. "You can count on it."

She turned away without responding to him and headed for a door on one  side of the platform at the front. "Through this entrance is the  stairway to the bell tower."

"Lead the way." He followed her up the winding staircase until they came to another door.

"The bell's in here." She turned the knob and let the dark wooden door  swing open, revealing a small room with a huge bell in the center.

Hudson stepped into the room and instinctively touched the bell, then turned to Melody. "Does anyone ring it?"

With a sad little smile lingering at the corners of her mouth, Melody  shook her head. "The pull mechanism for ringing the bell broke not long  after the ministry started, and we didn't have the money to fix it. Even  though we have more funds now, we use it for more important things."

"That's too bad." Hudson wondered whether someone on his crew could fix  it free of charge. Would that make Melody smile? He'd like to see that.

Melody rubbed her hand along the curve of the bell. "It has a beautiful  sound. I've been told that when this place was Upton College, they would  ring the bell every hour. And they would ring it twenty-four times to  call the students to chapel."

"I hope I can hear it sometime."

"That would be nice." Melody stepped toward the window on the other side of the room. "Come take a look at the view."

Hudson joined her at the small opening in the wall. From high above the  quad, the walkways spreading out from the fountain looked like the  spokes of a wheel. Even in the middle of winter when the trees had no  leaves and the grass was pale green, the redbrick buildings with the  white columns gave the campus a stately air. "This place must be  beautiful in the spring."

"It is, and it's a wonderful place for a lot of people to get a new  start with their lives and live out their final days. I'm so glad I work  here."

Hudson got the feeling that everyone who worked here loved the place.  They treated each other like family. He wanted to be part of something  like this. Conrick Industries had grown so big that people didn't know  each other anymore. He'd like to make Conrick Construction a  family-oriented place.

"You seem lost in thought."

Nodding, Hudson smiled at Melody. "Just thinking about the work ahead."

"Speaking of work, let's see that entrance."

As they made their way back through the chapel, Hudson stopped for a  moment and looked at the stained-glass windows. "These are real works of  art."

"They are a treasure we need to preserve."

Hudson's eye caught the inscription on the gold plate below one of the  windows. "Wait." He walked closer and pointed to the plate. "See this?"

Melody came nearer. "A relative of yours?"

"In memory of Maisy Conrick. I believe she's some relation, but I'm not  sure." Hudson rubbed a hand across his chin. "I'll ask my dad."

"One of your ancestors may have contributed money to the college at one time."

Hudson nodded. "They may have. That gives me a real connection here."

Melody looked up at him with a surprised expression. "I'm beginning to believe you are sentimental."

"I told you I am. Does that give me brownie points in your book?"

Melody gave him an annoyed glance. "I don't keep track of such things."

"Good to know." Even though she tried to put on an irritated act, Hudson wasn't buying it. Even today he was making inroads.

Melody hurried outside and around the side of the building. "That  entrance is this way. It's seldom used, so I'm afraid there may be some  undergrowth we'll need to remove."

"For sure. You've got a jungle back here with all this kudzu." Hudson  pushed away the tangle of vines hanging from the trees along the rutted  road. "And this road isn't in very good shape."

"The last time we used it was last October when we had a fire in one of  the children's homes. I don't remember the last time before that."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"No, it was a lightning strike that caught the roof on fire, so everyone got out."

"Was there much damage?"

"Yeah, the roof collapsed."

"Wow! That must've been scary."

Melody released a harsh breath. "It was, but everyone came together, and it all worked out."

"Funny how that happens."

Melody stopped and stared at him. "No, not funny. God says all things  work for good for those who love Him and are called according to His  purpose."