Lindsey’s lower lip quivered. Gabe knew his daughter well enough that if she were tired or hungry, she got her feelings hurt more easily. He started to reach out to her, but pulled his hand back to his side when Piper slipped an arm around his daughter’s shoulders.
“It’s okay.” Piper hugged Lindsey, and Gabe noticed how similar his daughter’s hair color was to Lindsey’s. “Pretty soon they’ll be big enough you can hold them. Then when they’re about twelve weeks old, they’ll be big enough to be adopted.”
“Adopted?” Lindsey gasped. “But you can’t take Anastasia’s babies from her. My mommy took our baby brother away, and it made us all so sad.”
Gabe stiffened, feeling like someone had punched him in the gut. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a conversation about his ex-wife. He almost felt like he should just tell his story to each new person he encountered. That way when one of his kids mentioned their family’s dysfunctional dynamics, it wouldn’t take them by surprise. He chanced a glance at Piper and read the question in her eyes. Questions he didn’t want to answer.
It was time to go home.
Chapter 3
Compassion filled Piper’s heart at the stricken look on Gabe’s face. It appeared that she wasn’t the only one in life to have been hurt by someone you loved.
“Okay, kids,” he said, glancing away from her. “We’ve taken up enough time of Miss Piper’s. Please get your coats.”
“But, Daddy—”
Gabe cut off his daughter’s cry of protest. “Please don’t argue, Lindsey, or you won’t get any screen time this evening.”
Piper was impressed with Gabe’s form of discipline. While his tone was strict, he wasn’t cruel. It was further evidence that his behavior last night probably was out of the ordinary.
“Okay.” The little girl stood up and looked at Piper. “Can I come over tomorrow to see the puppies?”
Piper swallowed. While it had been nice to have visitors for a change, she wasn’t sure she wanted to encourage a relationship with her neighbors. Her stay in Snow Valley was temporary. Plus, she liked her anonymity. No one here looked at her as a home-wrecking-husband-stealer.
“I don’t know if tomorrow is a good day, sweetie.” Her eyes flitted over to Gabe’s, but he kept his gaze averted. “Maybe another time.”
The muscle in his jaw tightened. “Tell Miss Piper thank you, kids.”
“Thank you,” Shane said solemnly as he stood up. He watched his father, clearly aware of the tension in the room.
“Would you like to take some cookies home?” she asked the little boy in an attempt to make him feel better.
“That’s not necessary,” Gabe answered, finally meeting her gaze.
About to come to the boy’s defense, Piper saw the pain and anger reflected in Gabe’s blue eyes and softened her retort. “I would appreciate it if you would take them off my hands. I can’t possibly eat them all by myself.”
“Sure, okay,” he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his wool coat. “Thank you.”
Piper had to resist the urge to comfort this man and quickly walked into the kitchen before she did something impulsive like hug him.
“Can we please come back to see the puppies again, Daddy?” she heard Lindsey ask.
As Piper arranged all but two of the dozen chocolate chip cookies she’d baked onto a plate, she strained to hear Gabe’s soft answer. Part of her wanted him to say yes.
“We’ll see, pumpkin, but we have a busy week.”
Tearing off a piece of tinfoil, she wrapped it around the plate of cookies. Shane and Lindsey both had their coats on and stood next to their father who was waiting by the door.
“Thank you for coming by to visit,” she said to the children. Then she handed the cookies to their handsome father. “And thank you for taking the cookies.”
He frowned as he accepted the plate. “Ms. Jensen, I’ll be in touch with you about making restitution.”
“I told you that’s not necessary,” she said, noting he’d stopped calling her by her first name. “Since I haven’t received any of the down payments from the other breeder I was working with, my responsibility will most likely just be paying the vet’s bill.”
His frown deepened, carving grooves into his forehead. “I’ll take care of any costs you’ve incurred, including the down payment.”
It was clear the man wasn’t going to back down. “Thank you, Mr. Wesson. I’ll let you know once I have a total.” She wouldn’t ask him for the money, even if Emma did penalize her.
“Please do.” He studied her for a few moments longer and then turned and opened the door, ushering his children outside.
“Can we go to Big C’s?” she heard Shane ask his father.
“I suppose,” she heard Gabe answer just before she closed the door.
She frowned, thinking children needed more nourishing food than a fast-food diner that offered greasy food and ice cream. The chicken chili she planned to make for dinner was filled with all kinds of good veggies and there were always plenty of leftovers.
For a few seconds, she considered opening the door to catch Gabe before he left to tell him she would bring them dinner, but then she heard the rumble of his truck and dismissed the idea.
Making her way into the kitchen, she began dicing the celery and green peppers for the chili. Her heart skipped a few beats when she heard the doorbell ring. Were Gabe and his children back already? As she crossed the room to answer the door, a silly thought entered her mind. What if they were here to invite her to join them for dinner?
Her heart fluttered in her chest as she opened the door. Disappointment slowed her pulse rate when she saw it was Anastasia’s veterinarian, Ian Davies.
“Hey, Piper.” He flashed his white teeth, the tanned skin around his silvery blue eyes crinkling. “I was in the area and thought I’d stop by to see how Anastasia is doing.”
As always, Piper was taken aback by Ian’s striking appearance. He was ruggedly handsome with dark, wavy hair and a perpetual five o’clock shadow covering his jaw. While he was an attractive guy, Piper was grateful she wasn’t attracted to him. It made turning him down for a date a lot easier. He’d asked several times until Piper told him that she wasn’t looking to date right now. She blamed it on a bad breakup, which was true.
“Anastasia delivered the puppies last night,” she said, motioning for him to come inside.
“I’m guessing everything went okay?” he asked, standing close enough for her to get a whiff of his cologne. The man always smelled so good, unlike some of the vets she’d known over the years.
“Yes, for the most part.”
His brow furrowed. “Complications?”
“You could say that.”
They both turned and walked toward Anastasia’s nesting box. Ian got down on his haunches and gave a soft whistle. “Cute puppies. Wrong coloring and breed.” He angled his head and looked up at her. “Any idea who the rascal was?”
Despite the situation, Piper couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. “The rascal was Rascal. At Ian’s look of confusion, she added, “Gabe Wesson’s dog.”
Rising to his feet, Ian ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Piper.”
“Thank you, but you don’t need to apologize.”
“I kind of do.” He blew out a big breath. “I’m the one who encouraged Gabe to adopt the dog. His son was having a hard time with his mother’s abandonment, and Gabe was told a dog would help. Rascal’s owners moved out of the country and just left the dog to fend for himself. He was a little malnourished when Gabe took him home so we postponed neutering him until he regained some of his strength.”
“It’s just as much my fault. I know better than to let Anastasia out at that time without me keeping a strict eye on her.”
“I’ll waive all my vet fees and help cover the other costs.”
Piper appreciated his offer, but thanks to her and her late-night visit to her neighbor, she already had the costs covered. “T
hank you, but Mr. Wesson has already offered restitution.”
One of Ian’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s great, but how did he find out so quickly?”
Warmth flooded Piper’s face. “I kind of confronted him last night after the puppies were born.”
“Oh really?” The skin around Ian’s eyes crinkled again. “Define confront.”
Piper was grateful Gabe’s daughter had answered the door last night. It had cooled her temper enough that she didn’t make a fool of herself. “I guess it wasn’t so much of a confrontation. It was more like informing him his dog was the father.”
Ian grinned. “Well, I’m glad you two finally met.” He shrugged casually, but the mischievous glint in his eyes put her on alert. “Gabe’s a good guy and needs to get back in the game again.”
Piper resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Apparently if the vet couldn’t get a date with her, he was hoping her neighbor would. “He can get back into the game, but just so we’re clear, I’m not interested in playing. I’ve been permanently benched.”
Laughing, Ian got down to examine Anastasia and her little brood of five. A few minutes later he declared they all seemed to be perfectly healthy. They talked about Anastasia’s diet, and he promised to drop off some samples of a new brand of food meant for nursing mothers. “I’ll do what I can to help you find homes for them.” He slipped on his coat. “Call me if you have any concerns.”
“Thank you for stopping by.” She walked him to the door. “Have a good night.”
Once Ian was gone, Piper made her way back into the kitchen. She should’ve invited Ian to stay for dinner. She’d already made it clear she wasn’t looking for a relationship, so what could it hurt to actually make a few friends?
Truthfully, she hadn’t realized how solitary and lonely her life was until the Wesson children had popped in for a surprise visit. They were sweet kids, and now that she knew some of their backstory, she wanted to reach out to them. Not everyone who lost a mother— whether by death or otherwise— was lucky enough to have a loving stepmother like Piper’s.
Tomi was right. It was time for Piper to stop alienating herself from the residents of Snow Valley. She was only here for a short time, so what could it hurt? She would start with her neighbors.
Feeling a little better, she added the chopped veggies to the pot and covered it with a lid to let it simmer. Maybe one night she would make the Wesson’s dinner. So it didn’t seem like she was trying to be anything more than a good neighbor, she would ask Gabe about the other homes and then offer them the same hospitality.
While the chili cooked, she found her laptop and opened her email. Emma was at a dog show in London and wouldn’t be back for two weeks. She really should notify her of the mishap. She started the email, but decided to hold off sending it until Emma returned home. Saving it to her drafts, she opened a new window and searched for any openings for a music director. A few openings were listed in Colorado, Idaho and Oregon for charter schools, but nothing in California.
Discouraged, Piper got up and went into the kitchen to stir the chili. It was a very real possibility she might have to take a job in another state. Grabbing a bowl, she dished up a generous amount of chili.
After settling onto the small dinette table, she opened her laptop and logged onto Netflix. She tried to lose herself in one of her favorite series, but frequently found her mind thinking about the Wesson family and what had happened to make their mother leave and take the baby with them. She wondered why Gabe hadn’t fought for custody of the baby too, especially since he was an attorney and already had custody of the other children.
Later that night, she bundled up and took Anastasia outside for a potty break. While she waited for her dog to finish her business, she noticed the blinds at the Wesson house were cracked open enough to see inside. Gabe sat in an overstuffed chair, holding his daughter close while reading a book to her. She could see Shane sitting on the floor next to the piano, playing with his Legos.
Longing to be part of the scene before her pierced Piper like the icy January air as a vision of her sitting at the piano materialized in her mind. Gabe happened to glance up just then and stared at her. Whether or not he could see her, she was embarrassed to be caught watching him like some stalker. She quickly ducked her head and called for Anastasia to come back.
For the rest of the night Piper tried to vanquish the cozy scene that included her sitting at the piano, but it was etched permanently in her mind.
Chapter 4
Lindsey bounced up and down with excitement when the doorbell sounded. “I hope my new boots fit me this time,” she squealed as she followed Gabe to open the door.
“Me too, princess.” The cowgirl boots he’d ordered his daughter for Christmas from the Rodeo Drive Boutique had been too small. Caytie McAllister, the owner of the store, had offered to have a new pair made, even though it wasn’t her fault Lindsey’s feet had grown a half inch. He’d wanted to pay for both pairs of boots, but Caytie refused, saying she donated unwanted boots and clothing to a few charities, so it wasn’t a loss. She’d called Gabe at work to have him pick up the boots at her store, but he’d been away from the office and said he’d pick them up the next day. Caytie had texted him ten minutes ago to say Kellen and Ivy Thomas were on their way over to deliver the boots.
“Settle down, Rascal,” Gabe said, holding the barking dog back from the door. He knew from experience the rambunctious canine would jump up on their guests if he didn’t restrain him.
“Surprise!” Ivy Thomas said when he opened the door. She held up a pink box with the Rodeo Drive Boutique’s logo on it. “I have one pair of absolutely adorable boots for a little girl named Lindsey.”
“That’s me! That’s me!” Lindsey said, waving her arms above her head while simultaneously jumping up and down.
Gabe invited Ivy in and held open the door a little longer as her husband, Kellen, followed her inside with a dress bag.
“Man, it’s so cold out there,” Kellen said as he handed over the dress bag to Gabe.
“What’s this?” Gabe had to let go of the dog in order to keep Rascal from attacking the bag. He attacked Kellen instead.
“Caytie sent it over,” Kellen said, scratching Rascal behind his ears. “She said it should fit Lindsey perfectly.”
“But I didn’t order anything else.”
Kellen laughed. “You should know by now that doesn’t stop Caytie.”
“They fit, Daddy!” Lindsey said, dancing around in front of him. “They’re just as pretty as Mommy’s boots.”
The mention of MaryEllen turned Gabe’s stomach. He’d surprised his wife with a new pair of boots made by Tate Johnson as an early birthday present the year before to help ease the rift between them. They had been very expensive and MaryEllen had loved them. They were among the things she took with her when she moved out a month later.
“They’re beautiful, honey.”
“Is that for me too?” Lindsey asked, pointing to the dress bag.
“It is.” Gabe unzipped the bag to reveal an off-white dress Lindsey had begged him for the last time they were in the shop. While money wasn’t too much of an issue, he hadn’t been willing to spend a hundred dollars on a dress his daughter would wear to church a handful of times. He couldn’t accept the gift and would have to pay Caytie tomorrow.
“Can I try it on?” Lindsey pleaded with him.
“I see that look in your eyes,” Ivy said, taking the dress out of his hands, “and it won’t do any good to try and pay for it.”
“She can’t just keep giving everything away,” Gabe grumbled.
“Try telling her that,” Ivy said with a laugh. Rascal jumped up and Ivy lifted the dress bag out of the way just in time. “Down, Rascal.” She glanced over at Gabe. “We’re trying on the dress, so maybe you could take your sweet dog outside for a few minutes?”
“He’s not that sweet,” Gabe said under his breath as he grasped the dog’s collar and led him toward the kitchen.
“Oh, he’s great for the kids.” Gabe opened the door, and Rascal raced for the biggest snowdrift, rolling around on his back. That dog had more energy than both of Gabe’s kids had after eating most of the candy in their stockings Christmas morning.
Pulling the door shut, he glanced at Shane sitting at the family computer, making sure he still had his headphones on. Then he met Kellen’s gaze. “Rascal got my neighbor’s purebred dog pregnant, and she was not happy.”
“The dog or the owner?” Kellen asked wryly.
“The dog seemed perfectly happy with her golden puppies. Ms. Jensen… not so much.”
“When did this all go down?”
“I found out a couple of days ago.” Gabe rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I looked up the cost of puppies for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and can understand why she was so upset with me. They go anywhere from twelve hundred to two thousand per dog, depending on the pedigree.”
Kellen whistled. “How many puppies are we talking about?”
“Five.” Gabe glanced across the fence toward Piper’s house, wondering how much this whole fiasco was going to cost him. “My kids want one, but I’m not giving in no matter how much they beg.”
Kellen looked in the same direction. “Ivy really wants a dog. Maybe we’ll go check them out before we leave.”
“Do me a favor and don’t say anything around my kids.”
Just then, Lindsey raced toward Gabe, wearing the fluffy dress. “Daddy! Ivy wants to see the puppies. Can I please go with her?” She clasped her hands in front of her, looking up at him through her dark lashes. “Pretty please?”
“Sorry, man,” Kellen mused. “That ship has sailed.”
Since he’d been promising his daughter she could see the puppies again, there was no point in arguing. “All right, but take off the dress first.”
“But I want Miss Piper to see it.”
Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance Page 3
