by Jill Kemerer
But they were probably already talking about him, so what did it matter?
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Preparing to rise, he put his hands on the arms of the chair.
“I see Ada’s granddaughter’s back in town.” She tilted her head. “I remember how you two were inseparable. I haven’t seen—what’s her name, Brittany?—in a long time. She’s prettier than ever. All that sunshine must do her good.”
He wasn’t touching this conversation. He stood and nodded to her. “Yeah, well, I appreciate you looking into my father’s friends.”
“I heard she was dating Ryder, and that’s how you found out about him.”
“You heard wrong.” He headed to the door.
“But they drove into town together.” She followed him.
“They’re not a couple.”
“Not anymore? Maybe she’s got her sights on you again.”
Why did his pulse just take off at a gallop? Ridiculous. He’d been over her for years and nothing was going to change it.
“Call me if you learn anything. And thanks again, Babs.” He took long strides down the hall with Babs yammering behind him the entire way.
“Leave it to me, sugar. I’ll get back to you lickety-split. Erma Jean’s son would have been graduating around the same time, and...”
He rounded the corner and halted. Brittany leaned over the counter to say something and Gabby tossed her head back to laugh.
Why was Brittany here?
Why was she talking to Gabby? He didn’t think they knew each other. Were they discussing him? And what was so funny, anyhow?
He marched over to them.
“Hey, Mason.” Brittany continued to smile.
“What are you doing here?” He couldn’t keep the edge out of his tone.
“Gabby is generously sharing her advice with me.”
“Advice? For what?”
“I’m considering hiring a home health aide to come in and help Nan a few times a week. Gabby knows the best people for the job.” She turned to Gabby. “Thanks again for your help. I feel so much better knowing there are several good options. Oh, and thanks for the information about the assisted-living facility.”
“I’m happy to help. Call me anytime if you have questions or want to talk. I’ve been down that road with my own grandma and it wasn’t easy. Vera Wick is a gem—if you’re serious about hiring someone, call her first.”
“Well, I’d better get back.” Brittany waved.
“I’ll walk you out.” Mason said goodbye to Gabby and ushered Brittany to the door. Out on the sidewalk, snow swirled. It looked like they’d be getting several inches before morning. He waited until they’d gotten several feet away before turning to her.
“What’s this about assisted living?”
Her smile faded. “For future reference. I went with Nan to her doctor’s appointment this morning.”
“And the doc thinks she needs to be put away?”
“Put away?” She scoffed. “No, he actually thinks she’s doing well. She has some short-term memory issues, but he doesn’t think it’s a problem. If she had dementia, it would be the earliest stage.”
“Then why are you worried?”
“I’m trying to plan. That’s all.”
“I thought we were planning together.” He didn’t like that she was doing everything on her own—behind his back.
“We are, but I didn’t think you’d want me calling you over a few simple details.”
He clenched his jaw. She had him there. Stretching his neck from side to side, he tried to calm himself enough to have a rational conversation. “Moving Nan into an old folks’ home isn’t a simple detail.”
“Old folks’ home? Being dramatic, aren’t you? Don’t worry about assisted living.” She looked off to the side. “I don’t have the authority to make that decision for her.”
“What do you mean?”
She made her way to the row of vehicles. “I couldn’t put her in an assisted-living facility unless she wanted to go. I can hire home health aides, but if she doesn’t want them around, no one can force her to keep them. I don’t have power of attorney, and I doubt she’d be willing to go to a lawyer to take care of it, anyhow.” She stopped again and faced him. “If she gets worse... I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“You don’t need to do anything.” Feeling calmer, he raised his palm. He was only inches from her, and although the temperature was cold, heat spread through his body. “You said yourself she’s just got a little memory loss.”
“How long will it last, though?” She raised herself onto her tippy-toes and slowly lowered down. “I can’t be blindsided—I won’t be. When I’m back in California, I’ll need all the information Gabby just gave me. Because at some point I’m going to get a phone call saying Nan’s not eating or she fell or she forgot to turn off the stove.” Her shoulders slumped. “I hate feeling so helpless.”
Put like that...
He was a mean old snake. Why had he jumped down her throat? She was worried about Nan, trying to relieve her anxieties the only way she knew how, and he was making her feel worse.
Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms. She instantly wrapped hers around his waist and tucked her head under his chin. Exactly the way she used to. Back when she was his.
He couldn’t breathe, but he couldn’t let go, either. They fit as naturally as they always had. And Babs was right. He and Brittany had been inseparable.
A strong wind blew Brittany’s hair up against his face. Her shampoo smelled like coconut. Made him think of the beach and her dancing in the sand, laughing, with her hair streaming behind her and her face tanned by the sun.
All he wanted to do was kiss her. Keep holding her.
It had been three long years since a woman had been in his arms.
Mia’s memory cut like ice through him, made him step back quickly. Too quickly.
“We’ll figure things out with Nan, don’t worry.” His voice sounded raspy. He couldn’t help it. All he could hear was the pounding of his heart.
“Mason?”
“What?”
“I needed that hug.” Her eyes looked suspiciously moist. “Enjoy your time with Ryder tomorrow.”
He nodded. Didn’t trust himself to speak.
Because he hated to admit it, but he’d needed the hug, too.
He balled his hands into fists as she got into Nan’s truck.
His loneliness was betraying him. Betraying Mia.
And it terrified him.
Chapter Eight
The next afternoon Brittany’s cell phone rang as she pulled out a tray of sugar cookies from Nan’s oven. What if it was the bank? Adrenaline spiked through her body. After plunking the cookie sheet on top of the stove, Brittany lunged for her phone sitting on the counter.
“Hello?” She craned her neck to check on Nan—nodding off in the recliner, as she usually did about this time.
“Brittany?”
“Oh, hi, Mason.” The adrenaline surged even harder. Wonderful. Her body not only overreacted at the thought of getting her line of credit approved, but at hearing Mason’s voice, as well. Having his arms wrapped around her yesterday had really messed with her head.
“I have a favor to ask,” he said.
“What’s up?” She hadn’t heard those words from him in a decade.
“I asked Babs to track down my father’s high school friends, and she called earlier with a lead, but the man lives thirty miles away and is leaving tonight to visit his kids for Christmas. And Ryder arrived this morning with his twin girls.”
“Okay...” She tried to add up what Mason wanted but drew a blank.
“He says he has something to give us, something that belonged to our dad. We’d like to drive out to see this guy today, but we don’t think taking three toddlers
is the best move. Eden has an appointment, or she’d watch them. And Gabby thinks Phoebe is getting sick, so she’s out, too.”
“Do you need me to babysit?”
“Could you?”
“Of course. I love kids.” Either he was truly desperate or he was warming up to her. Maybe a little bit of both. Either way, she’d help him out. “Can you bring them over here or should I go out to your ranch?”
“We’ll bring them over there.” A pause ensued. “They have a lot of energy.”
“I’ve taught countless three-year-olds over the years. I can handle it. In fact, I just baked cookies. They can help me decorate them. And bring outdoor clothes for them—we’ll go out to the barn to swing.”
“Thanks, I owe you one.”
“No, I owe you for all you’ve done.” She did, too. She’d had no idea how much Nan depended on him until she’d spent the week here.
“We’ll be over in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll be waiting.” She hung up and stretched from side to side. Three kids? They’d wear her out for sure, but she wouldn’t mind one bit. After days of not working, she relished the thought.
She went through each room, trying to think of things that might keep the kids busy. After sliding another batch of cookies into the oven, she taped her secret weapon under the table and prepped a few other items guaranteed to distract toddlers. Then she sat and stared out the front window. The mountains still took her breath away.
But the view couldn’t take her mind off Mason’s embrace yesterday. After sinking into his arms and enjoying the hug way more than she should have, she’d needed to think. So she’d driven around Rendezvous to get her head straight. But instead of calming her, the anxiety had mounted until she’d finally just parked on a side street in front of an old building. It was an unimaginative rectangular structure with large windows lining the front. A for-sale-by-owner sign hung on the door, and the windows were decaled with High Tech Computer Repairs—Come In For a Quote! From the looks of it, the store had been closed for some time.
Why she’d jotted down the number on the sign, she couldn’t say. Maybe to compare costs. It would be interesting to know the price of a building here as opposed to the one she was trying to lease in California.
A building here in Rendezvous? Why was she even thinking about it?
Blame it on Mason’s strong arms. They’d distracted her, making the California studio a distant thought instead of an urgent need. And the worst part about it was if he would have lowered his head and kissed her...well, she just might have canceled every one of her plans to stay in those arms for good.
She dropped her forehead to her hands. Wanted to bang it once or twice against the window.
A relationship with him was out of the question. All these years later, and it still wouldn’t work. Because she was this close to the studio, to the dance team, to success.
He didn’t want her, anyhow. He needed someone like Mia, someone who would be a partner on the ranch. Actually, he didn’t seem to want anyone, which was fine by her.
God, don’t let me lose sight of what’s important. This—Rendezvous—isn’t my life. It’s a Christmas vacation. Nothing more.
The slamming of truck doors reached her ears, and a funny zip went down her spine at what she’d gotten herself into.
Energetic preschoolers.
Three of them.
She opened the front door as Noah bounded up the steps in his snow pants and boots. Two girls in matching pink snowsuits chattered behind him. Bringing up the rear were Mason and Ryder. Unlike the girls, they were not wearing identical outfits, but they were stunningly similar nonetheless. One gorgeous Fanning was almost too much to take. But two?
“Miss Bwittany, I got cousins!” Noah kicked off his boots the second he entered the foyer. “That’s Harper, and that’s Ivy.”
The girls stood next to each other on the rug and stared up at her through two pairs of deep blue eyes. Under their purple stocking caps, dark brown hair hung down their backs. They each had a button nose and long eyelashes. They were destined to be beauties.
“Hi, Harper and Ivy!” She plastered on her brightest smile.
“Hey, Brittany.” Ryder gave her a brotherly hug. “How’s your visit been so far?”
“Really good.” She waited for Mason to shut the door. “I can’t believe how fast it’s going, though. Christmas is, what, five days away?”
Nan came over, beaming. But her expression faltered as she studied Ryder. “Mason?”
“Over here, Nan.” Mason stepped forward. “This is the brother I told you about, Ryder.”
“There are two of you.”
“Yep, we’re twins.”
“Remember we told you a few days ago?” Brittany helped the girls remove their snow gear. Now that the doctor had told her Nan experienced some short-term memory loss, the forgetful moments didn’t seem as sinister as they had when she’d first arrived.
“Oh...” She frowned. “Yes.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Ryder shook her hand. “These are my girls, Ivy and Harper.”
“Sweet children.” Nan smiled as she studied the girls. “Hello, dears.”
“I’m here, too, Nan.” Noah strutted to Nan and gave her a hug.
She bent and kissed the top of his head. “Of course you are, Noah.”
Ryder’s twins continued to stare at Brittany.
“We’re going to have fun today,” she said to them.
“This is Harper.” Ryder put his hands on the shoulders of the girl in the red shirt. “And this is Ivy.” He gestured to the girl in green. Then he crouched in front of them. “Remember what we talked about? I’ll be back in a couple of hours with Uncle Mason. In the meantime, you mind Miss Brittany, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy!” They both threw their arms around him.
“You have my cell number if you need anything.” Mason met her eyes. His gaze was brooding, intense. “And you can always call Bill and Joanna if you have any trouble.”
“We’ll be fine.” She shooed him and Ryder out the door. “Go. Get some answers.”
Out on the porch, Mason turned back. The glint in his eyes sent a shiver over her skin. She waited for him to say something, but he must have thought better of it and continued down the steps.
Strange. She closed the door and faced the kids. They stared at her with wide-eyed expectation.
“Let’s play a game to get to know each other better.” She bounced over to the kitchen table.
“I like games.” Noah climbed onto a chair. Harper and Ivy reached for the same chair and started arguing over it. It was a good thing Brittany had dealt with young children extensively over the years. Their attention spans were notoriously short. She always had a bag of tricks up her sleeve.
“This is your special chair, Ivy.” Brittany pulled out the one on the end. Ivy gave her sister a triumphant smile as she climbed up.
“And Harper, this is your special chair.” She pulled out the one on the other end. Harper stuck her tongue out at Ivy. Then Brittany sat across from Noah. “There. Now everyone is exactly where they’re supposed to be.”
“What about Nan?” Noah asked.
“Do you want to join us, Nan?” Brittany called.
“Maybe a little later, honey.”
“What’s the game?” Noah asked. “Do we use a spinner?”
“No spinner. We use a special wand.”
“Where’s the special wand?” Harper, sitting on her knees on the chair, bounced with enthusiasm.
“It’s right here.” Brittany pulled the wand out from where she’d taped it under the table earlier. It was a pink pen with a huge—and very soft—faux fur pom-pom on the end. She leaned in with a secretive air. “Do you want to know the rules?”
Ivy blinked through big eyes and nodded.
>
“Whoever has the wand gets to answer a question. We take turns. And we listen until it’s our turn to speak. How does that sound?”
“Me first!” Noah reached for the wand. But Brittany held it back.
“We’re going in order. We’ll start with Harper. What is your favorite color?” She handed it to the right, and Harper clutched it with both hands.
“Pink!” Her little cheeks were rosy.
“I love pink, too.” Brittany nodded in encouragement. “Go ahead and pass it to Noah. Noah, what’s your favorite color?”
“Blue. Like the sky.”
“Ooh, nice. The sky is very blue here in the summer, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, and I like riding under it on a horse with my daddy. We go all over—up the hills and down to the creek. The sky’s real blue.”
“I want to ride a horse.” Harper’s eyes practically glowed.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Brittany said. “Okay, Ivy’s turn.”
Noah handed the wand to her. She instantly rubbed it against her chin, closing her eyes. “It’s soft, like a bunny.”
Brittany’s heart flip-flopped at the girl’s simple joy. “What’s your favorite color, Ivy?”
“Don’t you say pink.” Harper jutted her lower lip out. “No copying.”
“I wasn’t going to say pink, Harper.” Her little nose tilted up. “I like green.”
“Green is very pretty.” Brittany gestured for her to hand over the wand. She held it with both hands and looked one by one at the children. “And I like the color aqua.”
“Aqua?” Noah’s forehead creased. “What’s that?”
“It’s a very light bluish green. Like the ocean.”
“I like aqua, too.” Ivy batted her lashes.
“Me, too.” Harper bounced on the chair.
“If it’s got blue, I like it,” Noah conceded.
They continued passing the wand around and answering questions until Brittany sensed they were getting bored. She set the wand on the counter. “Should we go out to the barn and swing for a while?”
“Swing!” Noah yelled.
She ruffled his hair. “What do you say, girls? Want to check out the barn?”
