by Sharan Daire
“Um, yeah?”
“I just want to be sure they’re not pressuring you in any way. I love my brothers, but they can be pretty bossy, especially Derek. He likes to put his bad cop face on and be all gruff and silent. You might not know that it’s all for show. If you don’t want to be here, I’ll get Marlo to take you into Branson and put you on a plane or rent you a car so you can get home without my brothers’ meddling.”
I relaxed my shoulders and the knots in my stomach eased. If I hadn’t already been half-way besotted with the Anderson family, her concern for my welfare would have sealed the deal. “The mean sheriff sat in the back seat and read a silly book to my daughter on the ride over here.”
Angela laughed softly. “Excellent, though I’m surprised it wasn’t Kaleb in the back seat. He loves kids, and he’s been the best uncle in the world. Tay adores him.”
“They’ve all been pretty great with kids. It surprised me, honestly. Their own father didn’t have an ounce of compassion for us.”
“So you’ve met Everett and Chris?”
I detected a bit of carefulness in her tone. Curiosity—but also a sense of restraint. Did she know about their unusual relationship? “Yeah. There was a mix-up at first, and Chris thought I was a model.” I laughed awkwardly, my cheeks heating. “Me, right? But he’s evidently reworking some dresses for me to try tomorrow.”
Angela sat up as quickly as her pregnant belly would let her. “Really? Oh, wow, that’s fantastic! They’ve looked and looked for someone Chris could work with. Well. That seals it.”
Surprised, I didn’t pull away when she grabbed my hands. “What?”
She leaned forward, lowering her voice in case any of the men were trying to eavesdrop. “It’s meant to be. You’re the miracle I’ve been hoping would show up.”
Tears burned my eyes but I tried to laugh it off. “No miracle. Just a broke down car and my broke down life.”
She gave my hands a squeeze and then slowly climbed to her feet, hand in the small of her back to ease the strain. “I used to have a giant crush on Chris when we were kids. Did they tell you that? No, of course not. Idiots. Let me tell you something, Shelby. I wasn’t right for him even before his life fell apart. He needs his friends, my brothers, and they need him. Not all family is related by blood. Welcome to our messy, complicated family. Sorry, babies are sitting on my bladder. Marlo!”
Her husband popped his head in through the sliding door. The bearded, tough-looking guy’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Can they come inside yet? I had to break Kaleb’s arm and sit on Derek’s back to keep them out.”
She laughed as she headed down the hallway. “No, make them wait outside a bit longer. It’ll do them good.”
“You got it, babe.” He gave me a wink and raised his voice. “Sorry, Shelby. I’ll drive you back to the lodge in just a second.” Scuffles and curses echoed in through the door, but he couldn’t be budged. “Grab yourself a glass of wine while you wait. Tissues are on the counter.”
Derek roared. “She made her cry?”
Marlo disappeared and Derek filled the doorway, a fierce glower on his face. Shoulders wide, face grim, hands fisted, he was ready to go to war. Even against his sister.
For me.
Watching the way his face transformed from the protective warrior to the softer man I’d gotten to know when he saw that I was fine and not upset melted my heart all over again. Kaleb ducked under his arm and darted into the kitchen to pour me that glass of wine. Marlo carried in a giant pan of smoked chickens that smelled divine, just as the kids came racing in the front door babbling about the goats and the chickens and the big cow that still didn’t have her baby.
It was a perfect moment. Too perfect to believe. All these people who were kind and compassionate and loving. Who’d welcomed us into their homes and now their family. Who didn’t look down on me for my past mistakes. Who even thought I could be a model for their rich friend’s new clothing line.
Sitting at their table with all their laughter and chatting, I absently rubbed my knuckles against my chest. My heart ached. Not a bad pain, but it was definitely an uncomfortable feeling. It was like my broken, battered, shriveled up heart had started to fill up again. Swelling in my chest, causing me to feel sensations that I hadn’t thought I would ever feel again.
Mending. Healing. Daring to hope that maybe… just maybe…
I could be a part of this picture. This family. Forever.
“Mom, could Allie and Liam spend the night Wednesday?” Taylen asked. “We don’t have anything that night, and I’d watch them. You wouldn’t have to do anything. Dad could order pizza, and we could watch movies.”
Allie made a soft little gasp but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Her pleading, hopeful eyes locked on to me. She’d never had a real playdate before, other than staying with a neighbor while I worked. But adding two kids to the mix, when Angela was so heavily pregnant…
“Sure,” Angela replied without even a moment’s hesitation. “If it’s alright with Shelby, of course.”
“Please, Mommy? I want to see the baby calf and TayTay said the cow would have her baby any day now.”
“You’ve never spent the night before,” I reminded her. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“Bubby will be here, and I’ll be good. I promise. I love the animals.” She turned to Kaleb and tugged on his arm. “Could Wally come too?”
“Of course, Alliebear. Wally loves the farm. In fact, he’s probably mad that I didn’t bring him to dinner.”
“Pleeeeeeease, Mommy?”
I met Kaleb’s gaze. “Surely Bessie will be fixed up by then. We don’t want to overstay our welcome.”
He rolled his eyes. “That would be impossible. Besides, I’m still trying to hunt down some parts, remember? I’ll start ordering stuff tomorrow, but I doubt she’ll be back together so quickly, even if the mail isn’t held up and all the parts are available in Branson.”
“And I doubt Chris will be done with the photoshoot so quickly either,” Derek added.
Angela snickered. “The twins will be born soon too. You won’t want to miss that.”
“Right,” Derek and Kaleb said in unison.
“Okay,” I grumbled. “Wednesday night. No promises after that.”
Allie squealed and leaped up to run laps around the table before settling on Taylen’s lap. Liam and Derek started a tall tale about the fish they’d caught yesterday. Kaleb was describing some of the dresses Chris had designed in which I allegedly looked fabulous.
So much joy and love at this table. With these people.
To be honest, I didn’t know if I’d be able to leave without breaking down in tears.
15
Shelby
I sat at the bar in the tiny cabin’s kitchen, sipping coffee and wishing I wasn’t such a nervous wreck. It was pitch dark outside but I’d already been up an hour. Nervous energy pulsed inside me, making me tap my foot impatiently.
My instincts insisted that I needed to spend hours on my hair and makeup, so I’d look as good as possible for this photo shoot. But there’d been a note on the cabin door last night when we got back from the Andersons’.
Hair and makeup people will be ready for you at 7 AM sharp at the lodge, so don’t bother getting ready. –C
Short and to the point.
Did he seriously think I could avoid primping, when my entire future was on the line here? How could I not worry about my crazy hair and the pimple on my chin? The bags under my eyes because I couldn’t sleep?
I’d never done anything like this. Mom was the pretty one who’d loved being the center of attention. I was too busy taking care of my kids all alone on waitress tips to even think about learning all the latest beauty trends. I’d never had a facial or manicure. My hobbit feet were horrendous after hours and hours of rushing food to grumpy customers for a quarter tip.
Oh god. I couldn’t do this. I was disgusting and gauche with stretch marks and nasty nails and
stupid hair…
A rap on the door made me jump. The kids came racing down the stairs from the loft, eager to see what horrible torture waited for me up at the lodge. Liam opened the door and Derek gave him a giant smile. “You’re bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning.”
“My hair is definitely bushy,” I muttered, automatically reaching up to smooth it down. I didn’t think he heard me over the kids’ clamor as they grabbed their borrowed coats and the old backpack of activities that I hoped would keep them occupied for the day. He looked darned good, though intimidating in his full sheriff regalia. If he’d shown up at my car door like that, I might have expired on the spot.
The kids ran outside, screaming and laughing at Wally. I shrugged into his leather coat that I’d evidently stolen.
“Your hair is fine.”
My cheeks heated and I avoided his gaze. “I’m so nervous that I’m about to puke.”
A blast of icy wind made me hunch my shoulders, though the snow sure was pretty, catching the faint light of dawn. Frost and ice glimmered on the trees, spinning rainbows of soft jeweled light. The porch steps were slippery with packed snow, so it felt completely right to take his arm and lean against him.
“That’s not good. Why are you so nervous? This is supposed to be a good thing, both for you and for Chris’ new line.”
I swallowed hard, trying to decide how much to say. I’d gotten to know him pretty well despite the short time I’d been here. Or at least it felt that way. But the truth was that he really knew very little about me. Shame squeezed my throat and my stomach churned.
Homeless. Jobless. Single mother. Uneducated. Untrained. Completely and utterly broke with only a twenty-dollar bill to my name.
This immense opportunity could change my life and give me a future for my kids that I’d never even dreamed of. But that meant crushing pressure and anxiety on my shoulders. I couldn’t screw this up. Our lives depended on it.
“I’ve never done anything like this,” I finally whispered. “I’m scared I’ll be a complete idiot and ruin my chance.”
“Chris has been looking for someone for months, and he’s run off every other candidate after a single session. He’s asking you to come back for this entire week.”
I hesitated, trying to decide if I’d offend him with my words or not. “Only as a favor for you and Kaleb…?”
He stopped, turning toward me. His hand slid up to my elbow, gently drawing me closer. “Chris is my best friend, but he’d never gamble a business opportunity on a whim just because I fell head over heels for a beautiful woman.”
I stared up at him, my mouth sagging open with shock. He… What? I was even more surprised when he started walking again, drawing me along despite my stumbling feet not wanting to work. Surely I’d misheard him. He couldn’t. He hardly knew me. It was impossible. Ridiculous. Men like him didn’t start declaring undying love for a woman he’d just met.
“I’m sorry I can’t be there this morning,” Derek continued. “Especially given how nervous you are. But I’ve got to make an appearance at the courthouse this morning. Everett will be with you, and Kaleb is just a text away. He’ll be working on Bessie this morning, but he’ll drop everything and head your way if you need anything, alright? Chris can be short, impatient, and blunt as hell, but he’s not cruel. If you have any problems…”
“I’m not worried about Chris. I’m just worried about being a… a…” I couldn’t even say it. It just seemed so ridiculous.
He stopped just outside the lodge door and gave me a narrowed cop look. “Repeat after me. I am beautiful. I am strong. I am courageous. I am going to kick ass and take names. I am the best model ever. Say it!”
Rolling my eyes, I repeated the words, though with much less conviction.
“Go, Mommy!” Allie screeched, chasing after Wally. “You’re the best model ever!”
“See?” Derek smiled and leaned down to whisper, “Do you think they’ll mind if I steal a kiss?”
I raised up on my tippy toes and gave him a soft, lingering kiss that warmed my face despite the chilly air.
“Oooooh,” the kids giggled as I pulled away.
“I’ll be here this afternoon,” he repeated, brushing his knuckles down my cheek. “Kids, be good for Mom, okay? She’s got lots of work to do this morning.”
“We will,” Liam replied. I knew that solemn tone. He was concerned and worried, carrying way too many responsibilities for a kid his age. “Let’s go, Allie. I’ll read you a book.”
“Bye, Sheriff!” Allie called, waving madly at his back as he headed to his squad car.
“Derek,” he yelled back at her. “Or D. No sheriff nonsense from you, young lady, or I’ll send Wally to lick you all over your face.”
She giggled and took my hand. “He already does.”
Everett opened the door, waving us into the lodge, though he gave a stern look at Wally to remind the dog not to make a mess, when certainly rambunctious kids were way more likely to destroy the place. “Good morning! Who’s hungry?”
“We ate before coming up,” I told him. Well, the kids had eaten cereal. I couldn’t even get coffee down this morning. That was how extreme my anxiety was about this whole photo shoot. “Do you have a quiet place for them to hang out away from the guests? We had a good, long talk about what was acceptable to do in the main building.”
“Not to worry,” Everett replied, leading us over to the large fireplace where a young woman waited. “Kids, this is Maggie. Maggie, this is Allie, and this young man is Liam.”
Shorter than me with rounded curves and sweet face, she stood and shook hands with each kid. “I’m so happy that I get to hang out with you today! I’ve brought all kinds of games and fun stuff for us to do, and Mr. Everett said we could use the fire pit to make s’mores after lunch. Does that sound good?”
“What are s’mores?” Liam asked.
“We toast marshmallows over the fire and then spread them on pieces of chocolate to get them all melty in a graham cracker sandwich.”
“Chocolate is my favorite!” Allie was immediately won over. Liam still looked a bit skeptical, but he was slower to warm up to strangers.
“Come on, I’ll show you what I brought. We’re set up in the game room.”
“Be good,” I reminded them as she led them down the hallway. “Thanks for getting someone to play with them while we’re doing this.”
“Of course, my pleasure. Maggie will come every day and hang out with the kids as long as we need her. She just completed her teaching degree, but probably won’t start looking for a permanent position until next fall. She was eager to get some additional hands-on experience.”
I thought he’d take me to the private entrance, but instead, we followed the kids down the hall part way and then turned off into a room I’d never seen before. Bright lights surrounded a chair and mirror station with tons of makeup. Another station was set up on the opposite side of the room to look like a mini hair salon complete with a washing station and what might be a pedicure basin, but I wasn’t sure.
“Shelby, let me introduce you to the hair and make-up team,” Everett said. “This is Carsen, Isa, and Sagarika. Their number-one goal is to pamper you silly today.”
“Come, sit,” one of the women said, gesturing to the wash station. “We’ll start with a deep conditioning.”
That didn’t sound too extreme. In fact, it felt pretty nice as she massaged my scalp.
“Can I remove your shoes and socks for a foot soak?” The young man asked.
Inwardly, I cringed, my toes curling up inside my sneakers. But I nodded, holding my breath. I worked long hours on my feet and never did so much as polish a toenail, let alone anything else. So he was in for a nasty surprise.
The water felt nice, though. Hot without being too much, and the swirling pulse of water made it feel like a hot tub. They didn’t rush. They weren’t pushy or too chatty, quietly talking among themselves and asking if I was comfortable, but nothing else.
Even if I bombed the photoshoot, I’d look back on this spa treatment and smile.
CHRIS
“Is she ready yet?” I heard my sharp tone and tried to soften my edges a little. It wasn’t Everett’s fault that I was dying to see her again. “It’s been two hours.”
Calm, cool, and collected as always, he arched a brow at me. “You were very specific with your instructions. The whole works from head to toe. They haven’t even gotten to the makeup chair yet. Now, if you could focus on my projections…”
Grinding my teeth together with frustration, I made myself look at his spreadsheet and graphs. He was right. As always. A permanent spa in the lodge would double our investment in a year, especially if we could add massage therapists as well.
Most people thought I was the brains behind our operation, especially Little Cypress Lodge, but Everett had the head for numbers. I usually came to him with a harebrained idea that I’d scribbled on a dirty napkin, and he started doing the research and projections. Granted, I usually provided the capital, at least in the beginning, but all of my friends earned a portion of the lodge’s revenue. How they chose to invest their money was up to them.
Everett had been after me for months to let him add a luxury spa to the unused conference space we’d set aside in the initial plans. There were other places to stay in Branson for business conferences. We’d evolved to something else entirely here. A full-service spa would be a unique draw to our peaceful and scenic location.
“Looks good,” I said, pushing up from the chair to pace back and forth. “Go with it.”
He laughed softly as he gathered up his graphs and papers. “That was an easy sale. Are you sure you don’t want to think about it more?”
