by Mia Ross
The former owner had given him his first job hauling feed when Ty was fourteen, he recalled fondly. Not so fondly, it was also where he’d run across Morgan when he first got back to town a few weeks ago, and she threw his heartfelt apology back in his face. A lot had happened since then, but she still hadn’t forgiven him.
Now that he’d finally come clean about the reason for him breaking things off with her, he wasn’t sure where he stood with her. Come to think of it, that was how he’d always felt around the mystifying woman who’d stolen his heart so long ago. If only he could come up with a way to get that part of him back, he might finally be able to get on with his life.
“So,” he began, shifting in his seat to face his passenger squarely, “why are you glad to hear I’ve got nothing to do?”
“I’m swamped at the store, and two of my summer employees just bolted for the new amusement park they built about ten miles from here. I could really use a reliable counter person who’s good with customers and won’t flake out on me in the middle of my busiest season.”
That sounded like something he could manage. While he’d prefer to work outside, Ty understood that he had to be practical about the physical limitations he now had. His afternoon running fence with the Whittakers had made it painfully clear that his days of hands-on ranching were behind him.
“I appreciate you thinking of me,” he said with a grin. “What kind of business is it?”
Perry chuckled at that. “Sorry, I forgot you’ve been gone so long. I own the feed store now, bought it off Mr. Peters before he and his wife retired and moved to Phoenix. Remember how we used to run forklift races after he left for the day?”
“Yeah, I do,” Ty commented, grinning at the memory. “As a matter of fact, I think I’m still up by one.”
“Not a chance. I was the fourteen-and-under modified racing champ, remember?”
“That was cars,” Ty reminded him good-naturedly, tapping his chest proudly. “I was the best forklift driver in Mustang Ridge.”
“Come to work for me, and we’ll settle for once and all who’s better.”
“You’re gonna pay me even if I beat you, right?”
“That depends. When can you start?”
Ty didn’t even hesitate. “How ’bout now?”
Perry held out his hand, and they shook to seal their deal. And, just like that, Ty had the job he’d been so worried about finding.
It didn’t take him long to reorient himself in his old workplace. Perry had kept things pretty much the way they’d been for the past forty years, which Ty thought was wise. The residents of this stubbornly small town were pretty set in their ways, and they hated change of any kind. He had added in a long counter with stools near the register, outfitted with a series of bins labeled with stickers imprinted with Ohana Bakery’s ocean-view logo. They held fresh treats from his wife’s bakery and at the end was a coffee bar that would make any big-city boutique proud.
“This is cool,” Ty approved, scanning the setup to make sure he’d be able to operate it if needed.
“Kailani’s idea,” Perry admitted sheepishly. “I didn’t want all this, but she convinced me to try it for a month. Customers liked it so much, they went down the street to compliment her on the idea. I ate crow for a week.”
Ty had never enjoyed the taste of crow himself, and he sympathized with his buddy’s plight. A few minutes later, his employee reorientation was interrupted by the sound of jangling bells over the entry door. Glancing over to see who’d come in, he was surprised to see Morgan step inside, scowling while she listened to something on her phone. He couldn’t imagine who could be causing that look, but Ty was grateful that at least this time it wasn’t him.
“You’ve got the hang of it now,” Perry announced, clearly sensing that it was time to make himself scarce. “I’ll be on the loading dock if you need me.”
Ty’s new boss gave him a quick wink on his way out, which didn’t make any sense. Curious as he was, Ty had a feeling he’d rather not know the reason for it. It was bound to be personal, or embarrassing, or both. While he was wondering about Perry’s odd behavior, Morgan’s expression went from furious to resigned, and she slid her phone into a back pocket of her jeans with a quiet sigh.
“Somethin’ wrong?” he asked, meeting her gaze across the counter.
“Things don’t always go your way, y’know?” Her eyes snagged on the hand-lettered name tag Perry had whipped up for him, and she tilted her head in confusion. “When did you start working here?”
Ty angled his wrist to check a nonexistent watch. “About half an hour ago. I’m new, so go easy on me.”
“Okay,” she agreed, her grim look giving way to a cute smile that reminded him of Hannah. Settling onto a stool, she took a chocolate-filled croissant from the bin, holding it up so he could see it. “This and a large coffee loaded with cream and sugar, please.”
Some things never changed, he mused while he got her order ready. Morgan had always loved the kick of coffee, but not the taste. For someone whose life had been turned upside down over the past year, Ty found it soothing to know that some of the things he remembered were still the same.
Setting the cup in front of her, he decided to take a run at finding out what was upsetting the normally self-confident barrel racer. Grabbing a damp towel, he made a show of wiping down the counter. “Little early for that much chocolate, isn’t it?”
“Not today.” Blowing on her coffee, she took a sip before downing half of the croissant in a single bite. Closing her eyes, she sighed in approval. “I don’t know how she does it, but I’m convinced that if Kailani put her mind to it, she could solve most of our problems in that kitchen of hers.”
Ty knew a dodge when he heard one, and he decided to play along. “There used to be a pizza place in there, and before that it was a bookstore. When did she take over the property?”
“About six months ago. She loves to cook, and being the boss means she can bring the baby to work with her. Lea’s just about the cutest little bundle of smiles and laughter you ever saw.”
“Yeah, I saw a picture of the two of ’em. Looks to me like Perry struck gold in Hawaii.”
Morgan nodded her agreement and helped herself to another pastry. When she took money out to pay for it, he waved her off. “I got this one.”
“Meaning you feel sorry for me.”
The dejected tone in her voice made him want to step in and fix whatever had gone wrong for her. But he knew perfectly well that she wouldn’t accept his help, so he grinned and shook his head. “Meaning it’s slow this morning, and I like having company at the counter instead of standing around looking for stuff to do.”
“Even if it’s me.”
Especially if it’s you, he nearly blurted out before his brain kicked in and stopped him. “Aw, you’re not so bad. Everyone has an off day once in a while.”
“Thanks. Believe it or not, that’s one of the nicest things I’ve heard all week.”
It wasn’t like her to be so open about her feelings—good or bad—and her demeanor was really starting to worry him. Settling on a stool, he leaned forward on his elbows so they could talk more quietly. “Morgan, I know I’m probably not your first choice for confiding in, but if you wanna talk about whatever’s going on, I’m happy to listen.”
She eyed him for several long, uncomfortable moments, then swallowed some more coffee as if seeking time to make her choice. Patience wasn’t his strong point, and all the boot-dragging made him want to hurry her along. But he recognized that pressuring her wouldn’t get him anywhere, and would only cause her to pull even further away from him. She might have stopped freezing him out, but that was only the first step of many.
Rebuilding her trust in him was going to take careful, consistent effort on his part. It wouldn’t be easy, but the image of the two of them raising their daughters as co-parents floate
d into his mind, encouraging him to remain quiet.
“Dad and I ran the numbers on our trip to Washington,” she began hesitantly, her grimace making it clear they weren’t good. “Two flights, two hotel rooms for at least two nights. It’s gonna be way more than the conservancy can afford right now. We need to hire a lawyer, maybe even two, to push through the temporary injunction against Cartwright Energy. When we first started, folks volunteered their time to get the word out and circulate petitions around the area. Now it’s getting expensive, and we have to spend our money where it will do the most good.”
Her comment about local residents donating their time got his wheels spinning, and he hunted around under the counter for something that might help. When he found a large empty glass jar, he set it on the counter in front of her.
“What’s that for?” she asked, clearly lost.
“Donations.” Grabbing a roll of wide masking tape, he stretched a length of it out on the glass countertop and handed her a permanent marker. “You’ve got better handwriting than me. You label it. I’ll make sure customers see it. I don’t doubt that Kailani would do the same, and so would any of the business owners in town who want to protect our wide-open spaces. A little here, a little there, who knows? We just might get enough so we can stay in a hotel instead of camping out in a park near the White House.”
She laughed at the ridiculous suggestion. “It’s the nation’s capital, Ty. With security the way it is now, we couldn’t really do that.”
Her laughter inspired him, and he grinned. “If we rounded up some people and had a good, old-fashioned barbecue and sing-along, just think how much publicity we’d get.”
“Sure, right before they hauled us off to jail.”
It wouldn’t be his first trip there, but he decided to keep that less-than-stellar detail about his past to himself. Instead, he chuckled. “Last I knew, this was America, and I can camp anywhere I want.”
Shaking her head, the smile she gave him was more approving than not. “You’re really getting into this rebel with a cause thing, aren’t you?”
“Now, that’s downright insulting,” he retorted, adopting a miffed attitude to keep their lighthearted discussion going. “The sticker in the window of my truck says I’m an official member of the Mustang Ridge Conservancy. That and the paperwork I’m doing with JD makes me a devoted environmentalist.”
“You’re a devoted something, anyway,” she scoffed, finishing her coffee before tossing the cup into the bin beside the register. “Fun as this has been, I really do need a few things before I head back to the ranch.”
As she slid from her stool and walked into the stacks, his impulse was to follow after her. But it occurred to him that if he did that, she’d feel crowded, so he forced himself to stay where he was. “Let me know if you need a hand with anything.”
Turning back, she rewarded him with an appreciative smile. “Thanks, I will.”
That view of her was the one he wanted so desperately, Ty realized. Since their soul-bearing conversation, he’d run all kinds of scenarios for them through his head. Most of them were bad, and he’d finally given up trying to work things out mentally. Fearing that he’d lost any ground he’d made up, he’d dreaded seeing her again and finding out that she’d decided to punt him back to where he started.
Then, to his surprise, he heard her calling his name. When he went over to see what she wanted, she met him with a look that was equal parts uncertain and determined. It was as if she was about to do something she wasn’t thrilled about but knew it had to be done anyway.
Glancing around, she stepped closer and spoke quietly. “I saw how you looked when we were talking about Perry’s little girl.”
Ty wasn’t sure where this was headed, but he saw no sense in denying it. “Families—good ones—always get to me, I guess. Mine wasn’t the best, and I’ve always wanted a chance at being part of something better.”
“I know.” Pausing, she took in a hesitant breath before continuing. “You’re really great with Allie and Hannah, and you’ve made it plain that you want to be part of their lives. I’d be okay with that on one condition.”
Ty’s heart launched itself into his throat. This was the very thing he’d been praying for, although he was still awkward at it since he wasn’t a pro at talking to the Almighty just yet. “Name it.”
“You’re not allowed to tell them that you’re their father.”
“They have to find out sometime.”
“I know that,” she allowed grimly, as if it was the last thing on earth she wanted to consider. “But now isn’t the time. I’ll decide when it’s right, not you.”
He wasn’t crazy about deceiving his daughters, but yesterday he couldn’t have imagined getting even this much of a concession from Morgan. If this was what she was willing to give him, he saw no option other than to go along. “Then I accept your condition. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She turned partially before looking back to nail him with a warning glare. “Don’t make me regret it.”
You didn’t have to be a genius to understand that she was referring to the last time he’d let her down. Although the reminder stung, he couldn’t blame her for it. “I won’t.”
His simple response seemed to satisfy her, and she left him behind while she made her way toward the back of the store.
Now that he had Morgan’s official go-ahead to spend time with his girls, Ty felt some of the worry that had been weighing him down leave his shoulders. Standing tall was a lot easier when you weren’t hauling all your past mistakes around with you.
* * *
“Mommy?”
Tying a bright blue ribbon to the end of Allie’s single French braid, Morgan replied, “Yes, sweetie?”
“Can we bring Ty to church?”
Whoa, was Morgan’s first thought. Close behind it was the knowledge that Allie didn’t often come up with ideas like this one, and her heart brightened at the thought that her reserved girl was beginning to gain some social confidence. That her proposal involved Ty Wilkins didn’t thrill her, but she’d take it. Allie seldom asked for anything, and when she did, Morgan did everything in her power to grant her wish. “I’m not sure he’s up yet, but we can stop by on our way and ask him.”
“He’s really nice,” Hannah chimed in while she tied her good shoes. “He remembers the names of all my dolls, and I only had to tell him once. Grandpa calls them all doll face.”
Morgan laughed at her father’s clever solution for keeping his granddaughter happy without having to memorize nearly thirty names. And even though she knew Ty’s attentiveness had an ulterior motive behind it, she had to admire his willingness to put in that kind of effort to make a six-year-old doll mama happy.
She finished her hair duty with the double ponytails Hannah had requested, then stood and brushed her hands off. They both looked perfect to her, Allie in pale blue chambray and Hannah in blue calico that gave her the appearance of being some long-ago prairie girl. “All done. Why don’t you two go have breakfast with Grandpa while I get ready?”
“Mommy?”
Hunkering down, she got on the same level as her sweet, shy girl. “Yes, Allie?”
“Why do you always go last?”
At first, she didn’t understand the question. Then it dawned on her that it was true. Her girls came first, then her family, then the ranch. And now, the conservancy. During her increasingly rare spare time, she’d tack up Sadie and go for a run, always ending up at the mustangs’ valley. She’d start out admiring them, but always ended up counting them, assessing their condition and whether the public land they occupied provided enough space for their growing numbers.
Someday, she hoped they’d be able to truly run free again, safely roaming wherever they wanted the way God had always intended. But for now...
When Morgan registered that her daughters were staring at
her, she realized that—once again—her mind had escaped her control and wandered off on its own. Too bad there wasn’t a way for her to fence that in, too, she thought wryly.
“Sorry, girls, I got distracted. Mommies have a lot of stuff to think about.”
“You need a vacation,” Hannah suggested helpfully, sounding like an adorable commercial for getting away. “Miss Grainger is going to the Grand Canyon with her dog, and they’re going to hike to the bottom to see what’s there. You should take Skye somewhere fun.”
Morgan didn’t have the time or money for adventures, but she appreciated the thought. “I’ll think about it,” she promised, giving them each a quick hug. “For now, though, I’ll go get myself ready for church.”
“And then we’ll get Ty,” Allie reminded her earnestly.
“We’ll give it a shot, anyway,” Morgan agreed as she stood up. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
After hurrying through her bare-bones morning routine, Morgan chose the blue option of the two dresses she owned and dug through her collection of boots for a pair of shoes to wear. Again, she only had two, different versions of the same style she’d found in a bargain bin a few years ago. Like the dresses, she seldom wore them, and they ended up jumbled into the pile she tossed into her closet when she didn’t have an opportunity to put things away. Which was most days.
Finally, she found two flats and gladly stepped into them before hurrying downstairs. Dad and the girls were already standing by the front door, so she grabbed a muffin from the platter on the table and followed them outside.
After making sure the girls were buckled into the backseat of her father’s trusty old SUV, Morgan got in beside him and did the same. While she was setting her purse on the floor near her feet, she was horrified by what she saw.
