by June Faver
“Breck,” she said, “a man named Pell showed up here. He said he wants to buy the airstrip.” She gave a half shrug. “I told him to talk to you. I mean, I’m willing to sell. I have no idea what to do with the property. I’m a mess when it comes to business.” She glanced from one man to the other.
Cade’s back teeth gritted together. How could she be talking about selling off the business her brother had poured his life into?
Breck stroked his chin. “Edgar Pell, huh? Well, that makes two interested parties. If you two decide to sell, it looks like you’re going to have some lively bidding.”
She nudged the plate of cookies across the table. “Help yourselves, gentlemen. There is a pitcher of tea and some beer in the fridge.”
“Delicious cookies, Jenn. You’re doing a good job.” Breck saluted her with the cookie, then went to rummage in the refrigerator.
She seemed pleased. “I’m trying to figure it out.” She wiped Lissy’s chin with a paper napkin. “Is it normal for kids to drool so much?”
“She’s teething,” Cade bit out. He immediately regretted speaking so sharply. Breck turned to frown at him, and Jenn sucked in her lower lip. “Sorry,” he murmured.
Jenn nodded and her cheeks reddened. “I’ll be the first to admit this is all new for me, so anything you can tell me will be appreciated.”
“Unca Cade,” Leo said, his eyes wide. “Where is my mommy an’ daddy?”
Total silence.
Cade groped for words. Something to say…anything that would not cause pain to the ones he loved.
“Um, your mommy and daddy had to leave, but they wanted to make sure you would be taken care of.” Jenn brushed Leo’s hair away from his eyes. “They asked me to come stay with you and love you like they would.”
Leo stared at her but took another bite of cookie.
“Is that okay with you?” She tilted her head to one side as though his response was the most important thing in the world.
He nodded his head. “Yeah, that’s okay.”
Cade heard her heave a sigh.
Jenn patted Leo on the arm. “Great. You’ll have to help me get to know what you like to eat and show me the books you want me to read.”
“Okay,” Leo said.
Breck caught Cade’s eye and gave a self-satisfied smirk. “We need to go. Is there anything you need from either of us, Jenn?”
She did that cute thing again, where she tilted her head to one side and grinned, complete with dimples. “Probably. But I don’t know what it is yet. Just feeling my way here.”
“I understand,” Breck said. “But you’re off to a good start. Just so you know, here’s my cell, and Cami’s too. You can call on either one of us any time of the day or night.” He handed her his card with some handwritten numbers on the back. He looked at Cade pointedly.
“Oh yeah. You can call me anytime too.” He felt around in his pocket for a pen and added his number to the ones on the card. Somehow, touching her hand to retrieve the card felt as though he’d touched a live wire. He swallowed hard. “I’ll be available if you need me.”
“Thanks a lot.” She reached for the card and their fingers touched again.
Her smile caused his insides to do a tumble and roll. “Oh, and I have the children’s car seats in my truck.”
“You better keep them,” she said. “I’m sure you’re going to be a part of their lives. Besides, there are safety seats for both children in the car in the garage.”
He exhaled slowly. Maybe things would work out okay. Maybe he would still have access to Leo and Lissy. “Good to know. How about if I pick you all up for church on Sunday?”
Her smile was like the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. “Why, Cade, that would be lovely.”
* * *
When Breck and Cade had gone, Jenn was alone with the children.
She had changed Lissy’s wet diaper but didn’t get the new one on properly, and the minute Lissy stood up, the diaper fell down around her feet.
Okay, do-over.
She learned that the tape had to be really tight and stretched a bit so the diaper stayed in place.
Mostly, she was in awe of the children: the color of their hair, the texture of their skin, and especially the intense blue of their eyes…like Cade’s…like Sara’s. She swallowed hard, wishing she had her box of pastels and drawing pad.
Ollie showed up in the late afternoon to help with dinner. She brought some things she called “beanie-weenies” and “tater tots.”
Jenn had never encountered either of these delicacies in her past life. She picked up her fork and stabbed one of the delectable, golden brown potato bundles and took a nibble. “Oh, this is heavenly. How come I never knew about this before?” She stuffed the entire tot in her mouth and chewed it blissfully.
Ollie let out a loud guffaw. “From what you’ve been telling me, your former diet consisted of stuff that wouldn’t keep a gnat alive. You’ve been missing out on anything that could remotely be called comfort food.”
Jenn was examining the beanie-weenies now. She noted that Lissy was picking out the individual beans and weenies with her tiny fingers. Of course, she was covered with the tomatoey sauce, but she was eating, and that was all that mattered to Jenn. She tasted it herself and smiled. “Not bad. Probably about a thousand calories and I’m going to blimp out in all directions.”
Ollie hooted with laughter. “You could stand to gain a little. Eat up, girl.”
Jenn enjoyed the taste of this food. Her mouth was rejoicing and she was feeling…satisfied.
“It looks like this meal is a hit,” Ollie commented. “But how about tomorrow?”
“Um, I’m going to make oatmeal for breakfast.” Jenn looked to Ollie for approval. “I have pudding cups.”
Ollie heaved a sigh. “So much work to do,” she said dramatically. “I’ll make a list for you to go to the grocery store.”
“Hey, I learned how to apply a diaper to a squirmy one-year-old today.” She scooped more food into her mouth.
“I better get going,” Ollie said. “Since you moved out, I don’t have any guests and no reservations. Business is slow.”
“Oh no! How are you going to get by?”
Ollie flashed a smile. “I’m okay. I own the inn outright. I have some savings.”
“That’s good. I hope you get a ton of reservations soon.”
“Me too.” She pushed her chair back. “You enjoy all those beanie-weenies.”
Chapter 8
The house was unnaturally quiet.
Cade realized he’d gotten used to the noise of little children’s voices and their footsteps running around on his hardwood floors.
He got a longneck out of the fridge and flipped the cap into the trash can. Heaving out a deep sigh, he lifted the bottle to his lips and let the cold liquid roll down his throat.
Things were going to be different now. He should be feeling relieved that someone else would be caring for the children. He should be eager to get back to his carefree bachelor life. But he wasn’t.
He felt a huge void in his chest, as though his heart had been surgically removed.
At least his fears about Jenn LaChance had been somewhat allayed. She wasn’t the bubble-headed little flake he had first thought.
An unwilling smile tugged at his lips. Dang! She was beautiful…and she seemed to be much more centered than when she’d first arrived in town.
Her infectious grin and flash of dimples always took him by surprise. Maybe because she’d looked so haunted at the funeral and afterward. Apparently, she had come out of her funk. She even looked healthier…better color… Her eyes sparkled with vivacity and had lost that semi-dead look.
After seeing Jenn with the kids, he figured she would do her best to provide for their needs. She was Jason LaChance’s little sister, and Jason
had been a great guy.
Surely she doesn’t eat babies for breakfast.
He finished off the beer and put the bottle in the recycle bin. The day was pretty much used up, but there were hours to go before he could reasonably go to bed.
Tomorrow he should probably go to the airstrip, just to check in and see what was going on.
Cade was relieved that there were buyers lined up to purchase the business. He knew the area needed the airstrip, but since he didn’t fly or own a plane, he didn’t have any expertise to bring to the table. Thankfully, Jenn was apparently not interested in trying to run the business either.
Cade went into his den to watch the news from a television channel out of Amarillo. The world had not ended just because his house was devoid of children. Absently, he flipped channels, but his mind kept returning to the possibility of selling the airstrip.
He knew Edgar Wayne Pell but wasn’t a fan. He had never done business with him but had a vague mistrust. There was talk among some of the ranchers. Something distinctly eerie about the man. A shiver played around his spine.
Cade shrugged off the feeling, hoping whoever the other prospective buyer was, it might be a less reprehensible person.
Perhaps Jenn LaChance might be willing to sell the airstrip and invest the proceeds of the sale in an annuity for the children’s college fund. He was most concerned that the children have a secure future. But apparently, Jenn had no income, so he dismissed the idea of her contributing to an annuity. But he had no problem setting one up with his half of the proceeds.
* * *
Jenn had a hard time getting to sleep.
Surprisingly, Lissy had curled right up in her crib and gone to sleep in just a few minutes. It must have been because it was so familiar.
Jenn had stood beside the crib for a few moments, taking in the beautiful little face. Lissy resembled a Botticelli cherub with her round cheeks and softly curling hair. Jenn thought that she could make a lovely pastel study of the child…if only she had some art supplies with her. She heaved a deep sigh. It would all come together in time. Just give it a little time…
Leo was delighted that Minnie was now a part of the family. He had never had any contact with a dog and couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of her. For her part, Minnie was content to snuggle up beside him and wallow in the affection he was lavishing on her. Jenn couldn’t help but smile when she saw them together. Something about a boy and a dog.
Lissy, on the other hand, seemed to view Minnie as a great place to take a nap. Jenn kept having to rinse a patch of drool off Minnie’s soft fur.
When Leo brought Jenn a picture book and crawled into her lap, Minnie stretched out by her feet. She knew this book routine was something Jason and Sara had done, and now the task had fallen to her. “Is this one of your favorite books, Leo?”
He nodded. “My mommy weads it to me.”
Jenn ruffled his hair. “I’ll try to do a good job of reading it.”
She read the book and another after that, feeling pretty comfortable in her new role. At least, so far. She put Leo to bed in the same room as his sister. His bed was on the other side of the room and was a twin bed that sat pretty low to the floor.
Leo had scrambled between the covers Jenn held open for him. She snuggled the covers under his chin and gave him a kiss on his forehead.
This mothering gig wasn’t so hard after all, and the kids were adorable. If anything, they were even cuter than ever.
Jenn felt a different kind of warmth swirl through her insides when she thought of Cade, the fierce rancher uncle. He had the same intense turquoise-blue eyes as the children. But when he’d first laid eyes on her, those eyes had drilled into her with disapproval…almost contempt.
Well, perhaps she had deserved it. She had not been at her best, but then again, she was bleeding from every pore over the death of her brother…but no one could see her invisible wounds. She’d been a wreck.
Although not much time had passed, she felt much more pulled together. She was no longer floating on a sea of uncertainty.
The thought that kept plaguing her was that this had not been her plan. She had inherited a great house in Dallas, but she needed to have a job to pay for its upkeep and the utilities. She had closed off most of the rooms and sealed the AC/heating vents, but still…most of her worldly possessions were locked up there.
On learning of Jason and Sara’s accident, Jenn’s main concern had been for the children. She had planned on returning to Dallas and raising her niece and nephew in the home where she and Jason had grown up.
But in the blink of an eye, things had changed. She still owned a house and generations of family treasures, but all that seemed less important now.
I have a home here. I have a family. A tight band seemed to be constricting her throat. I have someone to love.
Lissy was adorable. She didn’t talk much, but the big blue eyes said a lot all on their own. When she reached up to Jenn with those chubby little arms, Jenn’s heart just melted.
She had thought love was what she would feel for some future mate, but how would he find her here in the sticks?
But now, Jenn felt a rush of warmth in her chest every time she glanced at either of the children who were now hers. Mine to love.
She lay awake in the guest room, staring at the ceiling with a smile on her face. The door was open, so she could hear the children should they awaken and call out to her.
“Thanks, Jason,” she whispered into the darkness.
* * *
Deputy Derrick Shelton was in a state of shock. He had just begun his shift and was still in the office. He planned to carry out several of his usual tasks, but when his boss, the sheriff, called to say he was about to go into surgery, he had been astonished. “Are you all right, Sheriff?” This struck him as an extremely dumb thing to say to the man who was calling from his hospital room.
“Hell no, boy. That’s what I’m tryin’ to tell yew.” He made an exasperated noise. “I’m gonna be laid up for a while and I want yew ta take mah place.”
“Me, Sheriff?” Derrick sat down on the hard wooden chair behind his desk. He swallowed hard, but it felt like a chunk of concrete in his throat.
“Yes, yew. I’m gonna be outta commission for a while. I already tole tha mayor that yew were mah choice. He’s a-gonna make tha official announcement. Actin’ Sheriff. How does that sound?”
Derrick tried to comprehend what was taking place. “Sounds great, Sheriff, but you’ve got some men who have been with you a lot longer.”
The sheriff made a disparaging sound. “Yer tha one that’s got good sense. I cain’t leave none of them others in charge. I’m countin’ on yew, boy. It’s a done deal.”
“Um…yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”
“These docs are gonna cut me open tomorrow mornin’ so you’re in charge until…until yew see me a-comin’ in tha door.”
“Yes, sir.” Derrick heard the sheriff disconnect but sat gripping the phone, his stomach roiling. He wasn’t sure he was up to the task. He’d lived in Langston his entire life and knew everyone, but still…
Another deputy leaned against the desk. “What’s the matter, Derrick? You look like someone just punched you in the gut.”
Derrick carefully placed the receiver back in its cradle and heaved a sigh. “Pretty much.”
* * *
Jenn managed to get through the next couple of days without screwing anything up.
Ollie dropped by from time to time to help Jenn figure out what to make for meals. They had loaded the children into the car, and Ollie gave her a tour of the local grocery store. She showed her the foods that young children would like to eat and which would be grouped together to provide a balanced diet.
It was a whole new world of eating. Jenn learned about finger foods. Chicken strips quickly became a favorite. She learned
to peel and section an orange like an expert.
Somehow, preparing the simple meals for the children became one of her favorite activities. It pleased her to please them.
Jenn was totally neurotic about letting Leo and Lissy out of her sight. She had heard that young children were apt to get into trouble unless they were properly supervised, so she was especially vigilant.
Ollie just laughed at her.
“Don’t be such a Nervous Nelly. Kids are going to fall. They’re going to get bumps and scrapes.”
“Yeah, I guess…but…”
“Didn’t you ever fall and scrape your knee or get a bump on the head? It’s a rite of passage for children. They have to learn.”
Jenn nodded. “You’re right, but I can’t help being a little nervous. This is all new to me.”
Ollie flapped her hand in dismissal. “You’ll get the hang of it. No new mother ever knows how to do it all. You got dunked right in the middle of everything with no prep time. You’re doing great.”
Jenn heaved a huge sigh, thankful that someone believed in her. Now all she had to do was survive the next few weeks and make sure the children were thriving while she got her mommy on.
* * *
Cade looked at himself in the mirror. Perhaps he had taken a little extra care when he’d shaved that morning, and he was wearing his favorite Western shirt, the one that was almost the color of his eyes. He centered the large metal buckle on his hand-tooled Western belt and smoothed his dark hair back. This was as presentable as he would be able to make himself.
He donned his Stetson and headed out the door. Once in his truck, he drove to the house that his sister had taken such pride in. Pulling into the driveway, he parked and strode up to the front door, trying to squelch his nerves. He didn’t know why Jenn LaChance made him feel antsy.
Cade blew out a deep breath and raised his fist to knock on the door, but it was thrown open before he could connect.
Jenn greeted him with a wide smile and a gushy greeting. “Hi, Cade. I’m so glad you’re here. We’re all ready.” She did a pretty turn and gestured for him to enter.
