by Sharan Daire
Heaven.
At three, I went downstairs to change and put on a little makeup. I fought the urge to sleek my hair back in a tidy ponytail. The leave-in conditioner I’d found had done wonders to tame some of the poof, though I still wasn’t used to having my hair loose around my shoulders. Long, loose hair was a no-no in the diner, so this was a luxury too.
You’re going to be spoiled, I said to myself in the mirror. My eyes sparkled back at me, daring me to add just a touch more eyeshadow. A little lip gloss. My, how daring.
Allie wanted piggy tails, so that took a bit for me to fix for her, but she looked absolutely adorable in her favorite princess dress over fuzzy striped leggings. The faded pink dress was a thrift store find that was a little worse for wear with a chocolate milk stain that hadn’t come completely out last time, but she didn’t care. Hopefully no one would notice.
Bubby’s jeans were too short, but he looked so handsome and grown up with his football jersey. One of the last presents his father had given him, though it was still too big for him.
A knock at the door made my heart leap into my throat. Bubby raced to open the door, though Allie was right behind him. Derek smiled and talked to them both, though I didn’t really catch what he said. I was too dazed.
Every time I saw him, he was more attractive, which surely was impossible. He wasn’t any more dressed up than us, wearing faded jeans and a simple buffalo-check black and red flannel shirt beneath a black coat. But I couldn’t help but notice the way the jeans hugged his thighs. A simple flannel shirt shouldn’t be so sexy, but he’d left the collar unbuttoned enough to tease me with a glimpse of chest hair. Not a lot—but enough that I wanted to press my nose against his chest and breathe in his scent.
Giving myself a shake, I grabbed my purse and phone. I headed to the door, but he blocked the doorway rather than moving aside as I neared.
“You’re forgetting something, Shelby.”
I looked up at him, confused even as I did a mental check. Two kids. Phone. Purse. Wallet. Though I didn’t have any money. Kaleb had my keys…
He reached around me, wrapping me up in the same leather coat he’d let me borrow the first night. “It’s cold out today.”
Shame flooded me, stealing my breath a moment. It was frigid, especially after living in Texas. None of us had winter coats, gloves, boots… A wave of failure and embarrassment swamped all the good feelings I’d had today. What kind of mother was I? Sending my babies out into the freezing winter snow without even a pair of gloves?
“Hey,” he whispered, brushing his knuckles along my jawline. “Don’t worry about it, alright? Angela had a smaller coat that fits Allie just fine. See?”
He leaned to the side, letting me see my kids chasing each other and throwing snowballs. The borrowed coat was a bit big for her and wasn’t zipped, but she was laughing and screeching with pure joy as she and Wally romped.
“They’ve never seen snow,” I said numbly, trying not to cry.
“So you had no need for winter gear.” He slid his palm up beneath the borrowed coat, his fingers splayed on my lower back. “I was more worried about you. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I took a shaky breath, my vision wobbly from the tears pooled in my eyes. “I should have thought about the weather when we left Dallas, though how I could have afforded new coats right now…”
“Don’t you worry about a thing, Shelby. We’ll get anything you and the kids need.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, holding back a sob that only partially squeaked out my throat. He drew me nearer, engulfing me with his heat and strength. For just a moment… I lay my head on his chest. I soaked him in. I let his chest hairs prickle my nose while I breathed deeply, drinking in the musky scent of his cologne.
Every bone in my body insisted he was safe. That this was good. Right.
Though my mind rebelled. Common sense insisted it was stupid to blindly trust someone I’d just met.
“Let’s go shopping tomorrow after Chris is done with you.”
I lifted my head, tipping my face back so I could see his eyes. He was serious, not mocking me. “I appreciate all the help you’ve given us so far, but I can’t allow you—“
“I’ll make sure Chris pays you for the work you’ve done so far, alright? Then you can get whatever you need.”
I let out a long breath and nodded. “If it’s something I earned, fine. The kids could use some new clothes.”
A snowball exploded against his side, splattering me with icy crystals. For a moment, I thought he’d be furious. I braced for the instantaneous blast of rage that Rob would have released if one of the kids had made a mess. If Liam had thrown a snowball at him…
“Now you’ve gone and done it, boy.” Though Derek’s tone rumbled with laughter, not rage. He scooped up snow in his giant palm and slung a loose snowball at Liam. Allie darted in and threw some snow right in his face while he was bent over.
He fell down in the snow as if she’d clocked him with a two-by-four and rolled around bellowing and laughing as Wally took the opportunity to jump on his chest and lick his face. With a shriek, Allie launched herself at him too, making me gasp a little. She was so little compared to him, and if he hurt her…
But I shouldn’t have worried. He snagged her effortlessly before she could hit the ground too hard and gave her a playful toss in the air.
“Okay, you munchkins. Are you ready to go play with Taylen?”
“Who’s that?” Bubby asked.
Brushing snow from his jeans, Derek climbed to his feet. “Only the coolest kid in town. Though I might be a little biased. They’re a couple of years older than you, but I think you’ll still have a great time. Taylen loves animals, so you’ll be able to see goats, chickens, cows, pigs…”
Allie tugged on his sleeve until he looked down at her. Then she leaped up against him so he picked her up. “Baby goats?”
His jaw tightened, and his voice roughened slightly as he settled her in his arms. “Knowing Taylen, I bet so. Or at least little goats.”
“Mommy, can we have a baby goat someday?”
“Sure, baby,” I replied, not really thinking. My voice sounded funny too. Tears burned in my eyes again, but not because I was embarrassed.
Seeing the big, beefy sheriff play with my kids and then carry my baby girl did terrible, ridiculous things to my ovaries. He’d swore I would beg him to take me to bed.
I was starting to think maybe he was right.
DEREK
I’d never been too interested in kids. That was Kaleb’s territory. He’d doted on Taylen from day one and loved being the favorite uncle. I loved Taylen, but I’d never really pictured myself as a father. Holding a kid. Wiping away tears because of a skinned knee or going to ball games or fishing. Yet in a few short days, I’d been able to interact with these two kids, and I was done.
As completely smitten with them as I was their lovely mother.
I was fiercely glad, now, that I’d agreed to let Kaleb drive us the short distance to our sister’s house, so I could sit in the back of the Yukon with the kids. Even though that gave him the chance to sit in the front with Shelby.
“Everett and Chris don’t go to these dinners?” She asked as Kaleb turned out of the lodge’s parking lot.
“Hardly.” Kaleb shook his head. “When the Andersons get together, we’re a noisy bunch. Plus when we were all in school, Angela had a crush on Chris. I think all the girls did. Anyway, she’s happily married now. Marlo’s been a rock for all of us the past year after we lost Pop. He used to joke that he couldn’t wait to get back to Colorado, but now that they’ve taken over the old homestead, I think he’s more than happy to settle here.”
“Doesn’t he still have a brother out in Boulder?” I asked.
“Denver,” Kaleb replied. “They may go back to visit after the twins are born.”
“Oh wow,” Shelby said. “I guess twins run in your family.”
“Not really. D and I were the first twins
in generations, and we aren’t identical.”
“Thank god,” I muttered, playing along with the old joke we’d harassed each other with our entire lives.
“Though we do look an awful lot alike. It’ll be cool to see if Ange’s twins are identical or not. She’s waited a long time to have kids again.”
“Mommy, can I have a twin?” Allie asked.
“It’s a little late for that, baby.” Shelby’s cheeks were a delicious soft pink. “Maybe when you grow up, you can have twin babies of your own.”
Maybe she was thinking about babies and twins. Whether twin fathers would throw another set of twins.
God I hoped so. A visceral image blasted through me so hard it took my breath away. Shelby, holding two little bundles in her arms, smiling up at us. It didn’t even matter which of us might be the father. In this family, we’d all be the dads.
I’d never wanted anything more in my life. Especially when Allie handed me a tattered book that looked like it had been read a million times and asked me to read to her on the short drive.
“This is the Anderson farm,” Kaleb said as he pulled off the blacktop and rattled across the cattle guard. “Grandma and Grandpa Anderson started a dairy farm when they first got married, and Pop took over when he married Mom. It’s been in our family for over a hundred years now.”
“Wow.” Liam’s nose pressed against the glass, fogging up the window. “That barn is huge!”
The giant red barn had been a permanent fixture in our lives. As a teenager, I’d hated it. Up before dawn to help with the cows before school. Rush home from school for more chores. The work never seemed to end. But I’d been so damned happy to come back home to farm chores after my Army days.
When Pop’s health started to decline, he’d decided to sell off all the cows so he could enjoy his retirement years. Neither Kaleb or I had much desire to continue the farming life, and Mom certainly had put many long years in at the farmstead. We’d all been trying to decide what to do about keeping the old place up, when the bearded, tattooed city boy my sister had married shocked us all and said he’d be interested in staying on, as long as Angela didn’t mind giving up their life in Colorado.
She’d burst into tears and hugged him so hard he’d grunted. That was when I realized most men had no fucking clue what women wanted, even when they loved them to death. The even more sobering realization was that my sister hadn’t felt like she could ask him to stay, even though she obviously wanted to start a new life on the family farm.
Add in our unusual relationship with Chris and Everett, and I’d decided long ago that love was too fucking hard. I didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of finding someone who’d put up with my bullshit and love my brother and friends as much as I did.
A sudden wash of terror twisted my stomach into knots. I fought the urge to drag both kids tight against me and demand Shelby marry one of us immediately. Stupid. She didn’t know us well enough yet. I had no idea if she could deal with Chris and Everett too, let alone both me and Kaleb. But the urge to hold on to her and demand she stay welled up inside me.
I hated feeling this way. Helpless. So damned vulnerable and raw. Fragile hope and burning lust would leave me devastated if she didn’t feel the same way.
If she left…
If she didn’t want this life with me…
I didn’t know how I could go on.
Kaleb parked in front of the two-story farmhouse that was still heavily decorated for Christmas despite the distance from the road and few visitors this far out from Branson. Angela loved the holidays and always went all out, demanding that the lights stay up until Valentine’s Day.
Kaleb got out and went around the vehicle to help Shelby down, while I helped the kids.
“Uncles!” Taylen called from the porch. “You’re early for once. I guess you really wanted to help me with the chores.”
“You know Uncle Derek is always ready to milk some cows,” Kaleb quipped.
“I’ll help,” Liam said, followed quickly by Allie’s, “Me too!”
Shelby caught my gaze, her brow furrowed with concern. “Is it safe for them around livestock? We might be from Texas, but we grew up in Dallas.”
I squatted down so my head was more on the kids’ level. “This is real important. Taylen needs help in the barn, but you have to follow their directions. Stay out of the pens unless they say it’s safe. Promise?”
“Yes, sir,” Liam replied solemnly. “And I’ll watch for Allie.”
“I’ll be good. I won’t pet anything I’m not supposed to.”
“Tay, does that sound alright with you?”
“Oh yeah, it shouldn’t be a problem. We’ve only got the goats up in the barn right now, and one cow that hasn’t had her calf yet. The rest of the beef cows are out in the pasture.”
Allie’s eyes shone like jewels. “A baby calf?”
Taylen hopped down off the porch and took her hand. “Let’s go see if she had that calf or not.”
“Come on in!” Angela called from inside the slightly open door.
Taking Shelby’s hand, Kaleb helped her up the porch steps and pushed open the door. I tried to put on the calm and collected cop face, but Angela took one look and saw right through me. Through both of us, because Kaleb was just as obviously smitten.
She looked back at me, a smug little smile curving her lips, and the tips of my ears burned with embarrassment. I’d brought home plenty of girls in my day. So had Kaleb. But we’d never brought the same girl home. “Forgive me for not getting up off the couch. My feet are swollen today, and the doctor said I need to take it easy or I’ll end up on bed rest before the twins are born.”
“Shelby, this is our sister, Angela Daniels,” Kaleb said. “The ugly brute in the kitchen is her husband, Marlo.”
“Welcome, Shelby!” Marlo called from the stove, his back to us. “I hope you’re not expecting Sally’s level of cooking.”
“Ange, meet Shelby Kent from Dallas. Tay took her kids to the barn to show off the goats.”
Shelby stepped closer to the couch and took Angela’s offered hand. “I’m so sorry for intruding on you while you’re resting. I didn’t know you were pregnant, or I never would have imposed on you.”
“Nonsense,” Angela replied tartly. “We love having company and these two knuckleheads were coming over anyway. Tay loves kids. How old are yours?”
“Allie’s four and Liam’ll be nine next month.”
“Take a seat, Shelby, and tell me about yourself.” Angela inclined her head at the nearest chair. “What brings you to our neck of the woods?”
Which left me and Kaleb to sit on the other end of the sectional, as far away from Shelby as possible. I suppressed a glare at Angela, knowing she’d probably orchestrated everything, including the seating, to get our guest close. It wouldn’t surprise me if she sent us to help Marlo, though we were both worthless in the kitchen.
“We’re just passing through on our way to Liberty. I didn’t intend to stop here, but my car had other ideas.”
“And my brothers just happened to show up. They have excellent timing in that regard.”
“She and the kids would have frozen in the car if I hadn’t come along.” Evidently my tone was harsher than I intended, because Angela arched an eyebrow at me. She might be the youngest Anderson sibling, and currently unable to chase us much given her pregnancy, but she wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a wooden spoon and pop us on the head with it.
I didn’t even know why I was so defensive and on edge. We’d never brought the same girl home before, but I didn’t care if she knew we were both interested in Shelby. I wanted her to know, or I wouldn’t even be here.
I wanted her to accept Shelby into our family without hesitation. I wanted her to be included in all the Anderson family traditions. Pictures before the tree. Christmas Eve dinner. An epic Easter Egg hunt in the yard. Bonfires and hayrides in the fall.
Everything.
Watching the women chat, it
finally dawned on me. My sister was the key to integrating Shelby into the family dynamic. If Angela disapproved of our choice… none of those hopeful, joyous memories would be possible.
14
Shelby
The first time I met Kaleb, I was confused by the way Derek had behaved. In fact, I’d thought he was angry at his brother for some reason. Now that I knew them both better, I understood that they’d been horsing around. Derek liked to play the bad cop, but I was seeing through his disguise. Or so I thought.
Glancing over at the glowering man, I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d done wrong. Or maybe he didn’t want me here. But then why invite me? It didn’t make any sense.
Kaleb just looked miserable, which also didn’t bode well given his mischievous nature. Maybe they hated Angela or her husband, though I certainly hadn’t gotten that impression in the car. I’d expected this to be a light-hearted fun time, but the longer I sat here, the heavier the air felt. Tension hung thick in the air, making me even more nervous.
“Honey, why don’t you put my brothers to work.”
At her announcement, Derek’s face went downright grim, and even Kaleb shot a glare at his sister.
“Sure thing,” Marlo replied from the kitchen. “Come on, guys. I was just about to check the smoker anyway. We can get some fresh air.”
Both men stood without another word, though Kaleb hesitated and shot another glare at his sister over his shoulder.
Like what the hell? I clutched my hands together in my lap, trying not to look nervous. Did they expect some kind of inquisition to happen while they were gone? I had only just met the woman, but she seemed nice enough. Maybe that was the trap. I hadn’t met anyone yet who’d been mean to me or my kids.
I’d never seen so many nice people. It kind of made me want to run for the car and get out of town before the monsters broke free.
“Okay, first question.” Angela smiled, but I was still wary. “Are you okay? Seriously?”
