“Well I’m glad everything at home is going well. It’s good to know they accept Jack.”
“You heard them earlier. They’re his aunties.”
“He has a lot of people who love him.”
“He does.” She smiled thinking of the baby resting sweetly down the hall.
Everything about this just felt right. She’d been nervous about coming over alone to dinner and had put him off, but now that she was here, she wondered why. It was quiet, and that was something she’d been missing ever since she’d arrived in town last year. She enjoyed having others around and loved the women, but peace and quiet were in short supply. Even more so now that Jack had been born. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“I’m glad you were able to make it.”
“It’s nice being here.” She didn’t add it felt more comfortable to her than even Ivan’s house. She didn’t want to give him the wrong impression. He was her friend and had been generous and kind to them. She didn’t want to make him feel awkward.
He leaned back in his chair. “Of course, I love it here, though it’s been too quiet lately. But not so much now that you and Jack are here.”
Giggles erupted from her, and when he gave her a confused look, she raised her hand. “I’m sorry.” Another giggle escaped. “It’s funny. I was just thinking how nice and quiet it is here, and then you said how us being here has made it not so.”
He shared her amused smile. “It’s all relative, isn’t it? It’s a lot quieter when it’s just me. But it’s certainly got to be quieter than your own home.”
“Exactly,” she said, happy he understood.
They ate their meal, talking continually, enjoying the companionship, and finally finishing when they heard the rain start. They stood from the table where they’d lingered for so long, and went to look out the window.
Sadie’s heart sunk. “Oh dear. I wasn’t expecting that.”
He looked out at the pouring buckets of rain and shook his head. “I don’t think anyone was. We’re going to have to wait it out.”
Sadie might have argued if it were just her. She could handle getting a little wet, but since Jack was with her, she didn’t want to take any chances. She’d stay until the rain stopped. “Looks like it.”
He touched her arm, and she looked up at him. “I have to go check on the animals. Will you be all right?”
She could see the worry on his face. He didn’t want to leave her, but he still had responsibilities. She understood completely.
She placed her hand over his and squeezed. “Of course.”
He smiled gratefully, before grabbing a coat and hat and heading out the door.
She blew out a long breath and moved closer to the fire, warming her fingers for a few moments, until she realized Jack’s room might be getting too chilly. She went into the extra bedroom where Jack was sleeping and checked on him, making sure he was warm enough, before heading back into the living room. She moved to the bookcase where Owen kept his new acquisitions. He was a big reader, it was something she’d learned about him when she had stayed there previously. He’d brought her a few different options to choose from when she’d been recuperating, and she’d been so grateful. She’d been tired and weak the first few days, and the books had been a boon.
She glanced past several titles until she found one that seemed interesting. A mystery. She flipped through the first few pages and wondered if Owen had already read it. Hooked by the second page, she moved over to the sofa without looking up from the book. She was twenty pages in when Owen returned but she barely heard him.
“Ah.” He laughed and took off his sopping hat and coat. “I wondered how long it would take you to find that.”
“Can I borrow this too?” she asked, not feeling an ounce of guilt through her enthrallment.
He chuckled. “Of course. But don’t tell me about it, because I haven’t read it yet.”
She snapped it closed. “I can’t read it first!” She laughed. “I’d assumed you’d already read it.”
“Nope.” He shook his head in amusement and moved to sit next to her.
She scooted over to give him more room, but there was just barely enough for the two of them. They were hip to hip, and the feel of him so near made some of her humor fade. She wasn’t afraid, but she hadn’t been alone and so close to another man since her husband had died. But this was Owen, her friend, she reminded herself, and he wouldn’t hurt her.
“May I?” he asked, pointing at the book, and she handed it to him. “Did you see the picture on the inside? It’s what first intrigued me. Then I read the first page and bought it.”
She chuckled. Books were expensive and a luxury, but they also seemed to be Owen’s guilty pleasure. All things considered, it was a good vice to have. She took in the printed landscape and realized she’d skipped past it in her hurry to get to the story. “It’s beautiful.” She reached out and ran a soft finger over it.
“It is. I thought you’d like it.”
She looked up from the book and into his eyes. He was so close, only a breath away. She stared into his blue eyes, watching as the colors seem to change, flickering with the fire. He was so handsome. She’d known it before, yet refused to acknowledge his good looks, but being this close, seeing his eyes, the thick lashes that framed them, his strong nose and chin, and full, perfect lips, she could no longer deny it.
His eyes darkened as she studied him, and she felt a flutter low in her belly. She still wasn’t afraid. He was holding still, not moving closer to her, and she knew he wouldn’t. She wasn’t sure how she knew that, but she did.
He cared for her, and had never pushed her for anything she wasn’t willing to give. Somehow, she knew he’d do the same now. He wouldn’t lean in for a kiss until she asked him to.
The thought jarred her. What am I doing? She cleared her throat and looked away, fixing her gaze back on the book where it was safe.
Owen let out a long breath.
She winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” she told him softly, still unwilling to look at him.
“You didn’t.”
“Well, I was looking at you a long time.”
He placed a finger under her chin and inched her face upward until she met his gaze with her own. “You can look at me as much as you like. I don’t mind.”
She felt her cheeks flush and her eyes darted away again, but he held her face steady, waiting until she looked back at him.
“I’m not embarrassed.”
His breath softly caressed her face as he spoke, and she wondered how such a small thing could send shivers through her body.
His thumb traced the ridge of her cheekbone, and she held perfectly still, not wanting him to stop the delicate touch. He traced her features as if memorizing them with his hands. Nothing had ever felt so intimate, so powerful. No one had ever taken the time to know her like this, to cherish each and every feature. She was an average woman, but right now, she felt like the most desirable woman in the world.
She trembled, and his hands stilled, before falling away. “Forgive me.”
She shook her head, but she couldn’t make her tongue work enough to say anything. She swallowed a lump of emotion and forced a smile in his direction. “No need. It was fair after I spent so much time looking at you. So?” She gestured wildly and knew she looked ridiculous, but she didn’t know how else to handle the connection between them. “What should we do while we wait for the rain to stop?”
He leaned back in his seat, but she could still see the tension in his body and didn’t know how to diffuse it. She opted to pretend nothing had passed between them.
“What would you like to do? We could read, or I have a chess board.”
“You do?” She pursed her lips. “I actually shouldn’t be too surprised by that.”
“Why not?”
She pointed to the bookshelf. “It just seems to fit along with the rest of your interests. Perhaps you were an academic in another li
fe.”
He laughed, a genuine sound which put her at ease. “As much as I love books, I couldn’t go without being outdoors. It’s in my blood. Some days I might wish to stay inside and read all day, but I could only do it for so long without losing my mind.”
She leaned back, settling in her chair, and listened to him talk of the things he liked about working outdoors on the ranch. When she’d come to Promise Creek, she never would have guessed she’d feel this safe around another man, to trust him enough to allow herself and Jack to be alone with him. It amazed her really. She’d come so far.
Later, they played a few rounds of chess, each winning once, before he defeated her in the final match. The rain, unfortunately, was still coming down hard.
Owen rubbed the back of his neck while glancing out the window. “I don’t think it’s going to let up anytime soon. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. This sort of thing happens.” She’d allowed herself not to worry about the storm over the last few hours, but with no signs of it letting up, the possibility of having to stay over was real.
“I think even if it lets up within the hour, it would be best if you stayed here tonight,” he said, almost as if he’d read her thoughts. “The roads will be a mess, and I don’t want to risk having an accident.”
She knew he was right. It was safer to stay after so much rain. The other women would worry, but Sadie knew they’d guess she stayed over. It wasn’t proper at all, but this was an extenuating circumstance. And besides, if all went according to plan, they’d leave first thing in the morning and no one, besides the other women, would know she’d stayed over.
“I promise you’ll be safe. You’ll have your privacy.”
She smiled. “I never would have thought otherwise.”
“Good.” He coughed awkwardly, and she wanted to grin. “I just wanted you to know you can trust me.”
“I know I can, Owen.”
Some emotion she couldn’t read passed over his face, and he looked like he wanted to say more, but ended up just shaking his head. “I’m glad. You’d never stay my friend otherwise.”
“Exactly,” she said a little too cheerfully. It was a good thing they were friends, wasn’t it? She should be thrilled he thought of her that way, as his friend, especially for Jack’s sake. But for some reason, tonight, after he’d touched her on the sofa, it bothered her knowing he only saw her that way.
She shook her head at her foolishness. She must be more tired than she realized. “Where can I find fresh sheets?”
He waved her question away. “It’s already taken care of. The beds are always ready in case someone needs them.”
“Must be nice for when pregnant women show up in labor.”
“Exactly.” He smiled and they walked down the hall, stopping in front of the room where Jack was sleeping. “Is there anything you need before bed?”
“No. I’ll be just fine.”
“Okay then, we’ll leave at dawn, if the rain lets up.”
“I’ll be ready.” She offered him a smile and opened the door to her room. Before he could walk away, she turned back toward him. “Owen?”
“Yeah?”
Sadie didn’t know what she wanted to say, she just knew she wasn’t ready for him to leave. She took in his muscled frame, outlined as light shone from behind him, giving the gold in his hair a halo. It ached to look at him. Before she said anything she’d regret, she smiled one last time. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” he whispered and turned toward his room.
As Sadie walked into her room and closed the door, she hoped she would have a good night, but worried she’d be up all night instead, thinking of Owen. Or more importantly, why she shouldn’t be thinking of Owen.
Dawn couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter 6
Owen awoke to the sound of Jack crying. He wasn’t bellowing, exactly, but he wasn’t being quiet about his displeasure either. Owen quickly got out of bed and threw on pants and a shirt, before stepping out of his room. He was surprised he’d fallen asleep at all. Thinking of how Sadie was just down the hall had kept him awake for hours.
He walked into the living room where he found Sadie pacing the floors, patting Jack’s back. As he stepped into the dim light, she glanced at him and regret pinched her face. “I’m sorry we woke you. He has a stomach ache.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
She shook her head regretfully. “No. The only thing I’ve found that helps is snuggling him against my chest and pacing. It’ll settle eventually, then he’ll be able to sleep.”
He noted the shadows under her eyes and realized she must not have gotten much sleep either. “Let me guess, he’ll be ready to sleep just in time for his next feeding?”
Her sigh told him everything he needed to know. He stepped closer to her and the baby, and held out his arms. “May I have him?”
Her brows notched. “Why?”
“If all he needs is to be held and walked, I can do that. Why don’t you let me take care of him, and you head back to bed?”
She stopped her pacing abruptly and stared at him with a look of astonishment. “Why would you do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he countered with a smile. “This is something I can do to help you. You’ve had to do everything every night since he was born. Why don’t you let me help you out tonight?”
“You really don’t have to.”
He could hear the indecision in her voice. “But I want to. Let me do this for you.” He glanced at Jack’s soft, light brown curls. “For both of you.”
Owen wasn’t sure what he saw in her eyes before she gently pulled Jack away from her chest, but he felt as if it might have been a mixture of trust, relief and affection. The baby cried out in protest to be taken away from his mother’s warmth, but Owen lifted him from Sadie’s arms and immediately cuddled him to his own chest. “There, there. It’ll be okay. Just bear with me a moment while I get you settled, then we’ll clear this whole thing up.”
Sadie’s mouth quirked to the side, but she remained quiet as Owen figured out the best way to hold the baby so they were both comfortable. After a minute of gently swaying and patting his back, Jack finally settled against Owen.
Sadie’s brows rose. “You’re magic.”
“Just lucky, I guess.” He knew his grin looked as if he’d struck gold. “Go on. I’ve got him. You lay down and rest while you can. If you’d like, leave your door open and I’ll settle him in the crib in a bit and close it on my way out.”
She looked longingly toward the dark, quiet room. “If you’re sure?” she asked, though he could tell, in her mind, she was already climbing in bed.
“I am.” Owen chuckled when she nodded once, then practically flew back toward the room.
He looked down at the baby. “Looks like it’s just you and me.”
Jack let out a single cry, and Owen chuckled. “Won’t work on me little guy. Your mother needs her rest if she’s going to get up in a few hours to feed you again.”
He rubbed the baby’s back and talked to him in a quiet voice. As the moments passed, Jack’s squirming and whimpers finally tapered off. Taking a risk, Owen lowered himself into the rocking chair. The change in motion was noted by Jack with another fussy sound, but once Owen began rocking, the baby settled down once more. “Good boy. Just like that. You’re doing great.”
The soft motion lulled the baby, and after a few minutes, Jack settled down into a quiet sleep. His innocent face was slack with relief, but Owen didn’t want to lay him down just yet. He continued to rock Jack and pat his tiny back, wondering how he’d gotten so lucky to have Sadie and Jack in his life at all.
Sadie woke up groggy and disoriented, unsure of where she was. The sun was starting to rise, and memories from the night before filled her mind. It had been raining, and she couldn’t make it home, but—she stilled and strained to hear—from the sound of it, the rain had stopped. They should be able to leave soon.
She smiled
, thinking of how nice it had been for Owen to help her with Jack. The fact her son hadn’t woken up for another feeding meant he’d slept deeply. She was grateful for that. Even though he was usually a good sleeper, he still woke to eat faithfully. Apparently, they were both in need of some uninterrupted sleep for once.
Smiling, she rolled over to look in the crib and froze.
Jack wasn’t there.
Confused and beginning to panic, she sat up and looked over the top of the crib, but he still wasn’t there.
Frowning, she tossed the covers off and straightened her clothes, before heading out the bedroom door. She didn’t hear any sounds inside the house, so she assumed Owen was out doing chores already. So where was Jack?
Her stocking-covered feet were quiet as she made her way down the hall, listening for Owen and Jack. But when she entered the living room, she stopped just inside the doorway.
Owen was fast asleep in the rocking chair, still snuggling Jack as he too slept soundly.
Her heart melted at the picture of such a masculine man cuddling the sleeping infant. It was an image which spoke deeply to her. Here was a man who had held and soothed her child all night. He’d allowed her to sleep and had taken over her responsibilities, even though he hadn’t been required, or even expected to.
She stepped closer, tip-toeing so neither would wake. She stopped and stared, trying to seal this moment in her mind. She never imagined having a memory like this. With Gerald gone, not that she imagined he would ever do what Owen had, she thought there was no hope of ever having a tender male influence in Jack’s life.
Owen had repeatedly shown her not all men were like her late husband.
What would it be like to have Owen in their lives on a constant basis? To allow him into her heart? From everything he’d done since they’d met—ceaselessly helping them, without ever being asked or receiving anything in return—she knew he’d make a wonderful husband and loving father.
Perhaps she’d been too hasty in saying she’d never remarry. With Owen holding her child so tenderly, protecting him even in sleep, Sadie pictured what their lives could be like. He’d be loving and attentive to her and Jack, and any other children they might have. He’d rock their children to sleep in this chair, the same one which had rocked generations of Judd children. Owen would teach them to work the ranch and would one day even pass the ranch on to their children.
A Mail-Order Escape Page 5
