Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Marta Perry

  “Let’s put the kitties in a time-out in the sunroom.” Eden reached under the couch and moved her arm until she got a grip on Dandy. Then, holding the kitten, she hustled over to the curtains and plucked Cutie off. After depositing the furballs in the sunroom and shutting the door, she headed back down the hall, where she could hear the girls bickering in the family room.

  “No, I get to tell Mommy about the kitties first.” Ivy jabbed her thumb into her chest.

  “Fine. We never talk to her anyhow.” Harper sounded mad. “Who cares?”

  “Don’t say that about Mommy.” Ivy’s voice went up an octave. “She’s busy. Daddy said so.”

  “Phoebe’s mommy isn’t too busy for her,” Harper said.

  “Maybe Mommy doesn’t know where Wyoming is. I told Daddy she couldn’t find us.”

  “She can use her phone like Daddy does when he gets lost.” Harper’s face fell. “She doesn’t love us.”

  “She loves us.” Ivy didn’t sound so sure.

  Eden’s heart fell to the floor. She’d better go in there before the girls argued themselves into a puddle of hurt they couldn’t get out of.

  “Don’t cry,” Harper said. Eden paused at the end of the hall and watched them. Harper wrapped her arms around Ivy. “You’re right. She loves us. She does.”

  Eden didn’t know what to do. What could she say? She didn’t know how to handle this situation. Retracing her steps to the kitchen, she selected a package of cookies. They probably weren’t the healthy solution, but the girls needed a distraction at the moment.

  “Ready, girls?” She pasted on a bright smile. “We’ll have a snack outside. Grab a blanket.”

  Eden slid open the patio door and followed them to the grass where they spread out the blanket. She knelt on it and took out the cookies. The girls joined her. After a few minutes of munching, they all sprawled out and played several rounds of I spy.

  “I spy with my little eye…” Harper chanted. “Daddy!”

  “Hey there, Harper.” Ryder stopped at the edge of the blanket. “Ivy. Eden.”

  “We didn’t hear you coming.” Her breath caught at how rugged he looked in his T-shirt and jeans. His face had a carefree expression she wasn’t used to seeing.

  “This looks fun. Is there room for me?” He crouched with his elbows on his knees.

  “Yes, Daddy, right here.” Ivy patted the spot between her and Eden. He raised his eyebrows and squeezed into the spot.

  Eden should have moved aside. She still could. But she didn’t want to.

  Ryder was all cowboy. Sitting next to him was sweeter than the chocolate sandwich cookies she’d just devoured.

  “You know what day it is?” he asked the girls.

  “Friday!” They hopped to their feet. “Pizza day!”

  “Yep. Why don’t you go inside and get washed up? I’ll be in there in a minute.”

  “Okay!” They ran inside, leaving Eden all too aware she was alone with their very handsome daddy.

  “Want to join us? Roscoe’s makes a mean meat-lover’s.” His eyes gleamed with appreciation and more.

  Did she want to join them? Of course she did. She loved being with the girls, enjoyed eating supper with the three of them.

  But caution held her back. Maybe it was seeing Misty the other day or the fact she’d spoken with an academic adviser and was 99 percent sure she was enrolling in online classes this fall. Regardless, she needed to face facts.

  She’d been getting too wrapped up in this family.

  “No, I can’t. I have plans.” She did have plans, too. Mason had asked her to babysit Noah tonight.

  “Oh.” His face fell. “Too bad. While I’ve got you here, I figure I’d better mention Lily called earlier. As of right now she plans on flying in next Friday and spending a week with the girls.”

  Eden tried to keep her face from crumbling. Wasn’t this what she wanted? Why did it feel like the beginning of the end? “That’s great. The girls really miss her. It will do them a world of good to see their mom.”

  “Yeah, well…” He shrugged. “She’s not always reliable.”

  “You mentioned that.” Eden treaded carefully. “They were upset earlier. They argued about her. Spending time with their mom will help.”

  “She said she’ll FaceTime them tonight.” He cocked his head as if he didn’t believe it. “She told me the same thing last week, and it never happened.”

  “I’m sure her job has a lot of pressures.” Even so, Eden couldn’t imagine not talking to Harper and Ivy if they were hers.

  “It does.” He turned to stare at her. “I hope she keeps her word. Can you still be available to babysit in case she changes her mind about coming? I’ll pay you no matter what. In fact, I might need you to be on call.”

  “Of course.” She wanted to be there for Ivy and Harper. And Ryder. “It’s not a problem.”

  “Thank you.” Appreciation and more shimmered through his eyes. “About the girls being upset…maybe I should talk to them.”

  “Please don’t. They didn’t know I heard them.”

  “I have a feeling I don’t know half of what they’re going through. I wish…” He shook his head. “Never mind. Some mistakes can’t be undone.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I wish I could have done it all differently. I want better for them. Their mother has incredible gifts. She can be the life of the party, the most understanding friend.”

  Eden’s heart bottomed out with each word.

  “But it’s temporary. It doesn’t last. If she had any idea how much the twins look up to her and want her to be in their lives, she’d…” Once more he shook his head.

  The girls came back out as his ringtone sounded. “Speaking of Lily. I have a FaceTime coming in. Do you mind?” He stared at Eden.

  “Not at all.” She stood. “I’ll show myself out.”

  “Mommy!” Ivy screeched as Ryder answered the call.

  As Eden walked toward the house, she heard Lily’s soothing, upbeat voice and the girls tripping over each other’s words in an effort to speak. She trudged inside, packed her supplies, straightened the art projects and let herself out the front door.

  She was only the babysitter. Ryder had been clear he considered marriage a mistake. And he was right that if Lily had any idea how much the twins looked up to her, she’d make more effort with them.

  Sometimes the hardest things to do were the right ones. If Lily was coming next week, Eden would do her best to show the woman what amazing little girls she had. And in the meantime, she needed to limit her own time with their daddy.

  She was in no shape to fall for Ryder Fanning, and if she didn’t keep reminding herself, she’d tumble over the cliff and never recover.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Surprise!” Eden’s mom and dad stood in the doorway of her apartment the next morning. She’d just showered and brewed a pot of coffee. Her parents hadn’t planned on coming back to town until next month, so this was a happy development. Dad looked like he’d put on ten pounds since leaving the ranch, and Mom was as beautiful as ever with her gray eyes and shoulder-length dark brown hair.

  “When did you get here?” After ushering them inside, Eden hugged them both. “Why didn’t you call?”

  “We wanted to see the look on your face when we arrived.” Her dad winked at her. “How are you doing, kid?”

  “I’m good, Dad.” She pointed them to the living room and detoured into the kitchen. “Coffee’s ready if you want some.”

  “I’ll take a cup,” her mother called. “Cream and sugar, please.”

  “Black for me.” Dad followed her to the kitchen and reached into an upper cabinet for a mug. He selected a big one with a sketch of a bull. “Ah, you still have my favorite.”

  “It reminds me of you.” Eden laughed. Sh
e prepared a mug of coffee for her mom as Dad poured his own. “How was Tennessee?”

  Together, they headed to the living room.

  “The Smoky Mountains were something. But it’s good to be back where you can see miles of land without so much civilization getting in the way.”

  “We’ve met so many people.” Mom accepted the mug from Eden with a smile. Eden sat on one of the chairs adjacent to the couch. “I never imagined how different each state could be.”

  “Different in some ways, but the same in others.” Dad took a seat opposite Eden. “There’s a McDonald’s everywhere you turn. Same stores, same highways. And a lot of traffic.” He pretended to shudder.

  “Sounds like you’re missing Wyoming, Dad.” Eden studied him. Aside from his not-too-serious aversion to civilization, he looked more carefree than he had in years. Retirement seemed to be suiting him.

  “Yeah, I guess I am.” His wistful expression ended with a slight shrug. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m enjoying seeing new places.”

  “I know.” She was glad her parents were doing something that made them happy. Still, it came as no shock to her that her dad might be missing home. “Do you want to stay here while you’re in town? I can get the air mattress out.”

  “Oh, no.” Mom waved her off. “We’re set up at Rendezvous Pines campground. The spacious campsites are a welcome change from some of the tiny lots where we’ve parked.”

  “How’s Ryder doing with the ranch?” Dad’s knee bounced as he watched her.

  “Fine, I guess.”

  “The herd? He’s doing okay with the cattle?”

  “Yep. Same as I told you last week.” She regularly talked to her parents, and her dad always asked about the ranch. “I think they moved cattle this week.”

  “Good. Good.” Dad took a drink of his coffee. “Did he check all the fence? Get the calves branded?”

  “Yes, he did.” Over supper each night, Ryder would tell her the checklist of what he’d accomplished and always end it with a frown that he wished he could have gotten more done. Why was he so hard on himself?

  “And the water?” Dad asked.

  “I’m sure he’s set up the water, too. You do know I don’t ride out there with him, right?” she teased. “I take care of the girls.”

  “Aw, I know.” His cheeks grew pink as he chuckled. “I’ve been thinking about the place a lot lately.”

  “I get it. You miss it.”

  His cell phone rang. “It’s Mason. I’m going to take this. I’ll go outside.” He pointed to the hall and answered the phone. “Howdy…”

  As his voice faded and the click of the door produced silence, Mom turned to her. “So tell me what’s going on with you. Harper and Ivy are so darling, and it sounds like you’ve been seeing a lot of their daddy.”

  Her mom had a sparkle in her eye along with a little too much hope. But it was true. She’d been getting to know Ryder better. After supper while they cleaned up, she’d been telling him about her childhood, stories of her and Mia and their games and fights. How they’d bake Christmas cookies for days on end with their mom. How she’d loved growing up in Rendezvous, where everyone knew everyone else. She’d even told him about a few of the elderly shut-ins from church she visited because they’d been so kind to her when she was a girl.

  He, in turn, had told her about his college days, working in an upscale office and how he loved California weather but couldn’t stand the traffic.

  She could no longer pretend she wasn’t getting close to Ryder.

  “The girls are amazing.” She’d skip her mom’s statement about seeing a lot of their daddy. “You know the brag books I’ve been having them make to give to their mother? They’re almost done. It’s been fun coming up with new projects to put in them. Last week we hiked around the ranch and picked wildflowers. Then we pressed them and glued them to paper. I laminated the papers to add to the books.”

  “You always were creative like that.” Mom held the cup near her lips as happiness lit her eyes.

  “Well, I learned from you.” A burst of nostalgia made her heart tender. She’d been missing her mom and hadn’t realized it. They’d spent so much time together these past years.

  Mom leaned forward. “So…when do you get to meet Lily?”

  “I don’t know. She might be arriving next week. Ryder isn’t sure.”

  “We’ve watched all her shows.”

  “Yeah, but remember, I’m just the babysitter. There might not be any reason for me to be there, so I don’t know that I’d meet her.”

  “Well, maybe Ryder could get an autograph…”

  “No.” Before getting to know him better, Eden would have jumped at the chance of getting Lily Haviland’s autograph. But it no longer held any allure for her. The stars in her eyes when it came to the actress had been erased. “Lily is a sore subject with him.”

  Mom tapped her chin. “Yes, I imagine it would be hard to divorce someone famous.”

  “It’s probably hard to divorce anyone.”

  “True.” She took another sip of her coffee. “But now that I think of it, it has to be difficult when your ex-wife is a beloved actress and on the cover of magazines whenever a new movie comes out.”

  “Being constantly reminded of your ex when getting groceries or flipping through channels can’t be a good feeling.”

  “Do you think it’s one of the reasons he moved to Wyoming?” Mom asked.

  “What do you mean?” She hadn’t thought about it.

  “Well, there are fewer chances of bumping into reminders of Lily out here.”

  This wasn’t helping. She liked to think of Ryder and the girls embarking on a new life here, not escaping from the old one.

  What would happen when the old collided with the new?

  What if Ryder fell for Lily all over again when she was here? And the woman would have to be blind not to see how wonderful the girls were and want to be with them. What if Lily and Ryder got back together?

  Her time with the girls would come to an end.

  A swoosh of sadness hollowed her out. It wasn’t just the thought of missing the girls. She’d miss Ryder, too.

  Stop thinking about him. He’s never been yours.

  “He likes being closer to Mason. Maybe he just needed a change.” Eden was more than ready to move on to a different subject. “And speaking of changes, I’ve officially decided to finish my degree. I’m switching my major to education so I can teach elementary school.”

  “That’s great news.” Mom cheered up. “I’ve been praying for God to lead you on the right path. What made you finally decide?”

  “Everyone’s moving on, and it’s time for me to, as well.”

  “I understand.”

  “No matter what, though, I plan on staying here.” Eden’s mind hadn’t changed on that, at least.

  “Are you sure? Maybe a change of scenery would do you good.”

  “I’m glad you and Dad are traveling and enjoying yourselves, but I can’t imagine leaving my friends, and I’d miss Noah too much.”

  “We miss him, too.” Mom nodded. The sound of the door opening and male voices had them craning their necks to see who’d arrived.

  “Look who I found outside.” Dad appeared in the living room with Ryder next to him.

  She locked gazes with him and a tingling sensation shivered down her spine. He held up a black cardigan. “You forgot your sweater, and since I was stopping at the grocery store, I figured I’d drop it off.”

  “You didn’t have to do that.” Eden was ridiculously pleased he had, though.

  “Hi, Joanna.” Ryder crossed over and bent to give her a hug. “You look great. How’s touring the country been going?”

  “We love it.” She patted the spot next to her on the couch. “Sit down. We need to catch up.”

  “Oh,
no, I can’t. I need to pick up the girls from Mason’s.” He looked like he wanted to, though. “But hey, why don’t you all stop by the ranch later? Mason and Brittany are bringing Noah over. Mason’s been helping me teach the girls how to ride horses. We’re grilling burgers, too. I’d love to have you join us.”

  Eden opened her mouth to decline, but her dad clapped Ryder on the back and said, “Sounds great. What time should we come over?”

  Wait—what was happening? Why were her parents agreeing to hang out at Ryder’s all afternoon?

  “Mason’s coming over at noon.” Ryder’s gaze slid to Eden again, and her cheeks grew warm.

  “We’ll bring a side dish.” Mom got the faraway look in her eye that happened whenever she heard there was a potluck. Eden figured they’d be putting together a dish of potato salad within the hour.

  “You don’t have to bring anything.” Ryder shook his head.

  “We want to.” Mom scoffed as if he’d grown a horn. “It’s so nice of you to invite us.”

  “Well, I’d better get back. See you in a few hours.” Ryder cast one final glance at Eden, and she watched him until he turned to leave. Her dad escorted him down the hall, peppering him with questions about the ranch the entire way.

  “How many potatoes do you have on hand, Eden?”

  She tucked her lips under to keep from laughing. Potato salad. Coming right up.

  * * *

  Thank the good Lord for family. Ryder helped Ivy fasten her safety helmet, while Mason checked Harper’s. It was a few minutes before noon. The horses were saddled and ready for the girls. What a perfect day. Blue skies. Nice breeze. The sun heated his bare arms, and every now and then he’d check over his shoulder to see if Eden and her parents had arrived. He wouldn’t mind picking Bill’s brain about the ranch, and he always felt accepted by Joanna.

  But what if Bill was like Granddad, though? Impossible to please. Would the man think Ryder wasn’t doing a good job?

  “It’s too tight, Daddy.” Ivy looked nervous. “Can I play with Cutie instead?”

  “I thought you liked riding Nugget last week.” He hoisted her into his arms so their faces were level. She curled her body into his chest.