Harlequin Heartwarming June 2021 Box Set

by Patricia Johns

  “Tacos, I guess.”

  “Good, because I love tacos.” So did Zack, or at least he used to. Rowan wondered if the taco stand they used to go to that summer was still in the same place. She turned the corner and circled the high school. The stand was gone, but a spacious restaurant now filled the lot, and according to the sign, it was still Arctic Tacos. She hoped they still tasted the same.

  She and Becca ordered and filled their drinks. Rowan set the marker with a number four on a table near the window and they sat.

  Becca stared out the window. After a moment, she asked, without turning her head. “Why is your Mom here? Is she going to take you away?”

  Eerie how perceptive Becca was. “She’s just here for a visit.”

  “What if she wants you to go back to Japan?”

  “I’m still working on the fundraiser for the wildlife center, so I’m not going yet.”

  “I guess she can’t make you go,” Becca mused, “’cause you’re a grown-up. My mom can make me go away, even if I say no.”

  “Did your mother say she’s taking you somewhere?”

  “Not exactly, but she told me I’d like swimming in the ocean where she is.”

  “And you don’t want to go?”

  Becca shook her head vigorously. “I want to stay with Zack. He likes me.”

  The implication being that her mother didn’t. Rowan tried to soothe her fears. “Maybe your mom just meant you might want to swim in the ocean someday.”

  Becca shrugged and sipped her lemonade. The server brought a tray and unloaded their plates onto the table.

  Rowan picked up one of the tacos on her plate and bit into it. “Mmm.” The taste was exactly as she remembered. “Do you know when your brother was sixteen, I once saw him eat ten tacos?”

  “Ten tacos?”

  “We’d gone hiking that morning.”

  “You said he ate a whole plate of cookies, too!”

  “Not on the same day, but I was amazed at how much food he could put away. He was probably going through a growth spurt.”

  “I grew. That’s why I need a new swimsuit. Zack said my old one wouldn’t fit anymore.”

  “Well, with any luck, we’ll find you a good one. There’s a store in Palmer that sells a few girls’ suits. If we don’t find anything you like, Zack says it’s okay to take you to Wasilla to shop.”

  “Can you help me cook dinner?”

  “Sorry. Not today. I promised my mom.”

  “But you’ll come and cook with me another day?”

  “Yes.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  “And you won’t leave Alaska without telling me first?”

  “I promise I won’t leave Alaska without telling you first, and that we will cook together again. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Becca seemed satisfied. She finished the last bite of her first taco. “These are good. Maybe I can find a swimsuit with a taco on it.”

  * * *

  THEY DIDN’T FIND any suits with tacos, nor were there any with moose, but in the third store they came upon a green one with a screen print of an otter. Becca pointed out it was a sea otter, not a river otter like the ones at the wildlife center, but still cute. “And green is my favorite color!” Rowan also helped her choose a yellow suit with polka dots as a spare, and a terry cloth cover-up with a front pocket and a ruffle at the bottom very much like the traditional kuspuks Rowan had seen women wearing in Alaska.

  When she drove up in front of the house, Zack stepped outside. Becca waved her shopping bag. “We found a swimsuit with an otter!”

  “Cool. Did you like the goats?”

  “I love them! There was a baby goat called Gingersnap the same color as Pattycake.” Ripley pushed his way out the screen door onto the porch and wagged his tail. Becca dropped her bag to pet him. “We had tacos for lunch,” she told Zack.

  “At Arctic Taco,” Rowan added.

  “Arctic Taco.” Zack grinned. “I’d forgotten all about that place. I can’t believe it’s still standing.”

  “It’s not. They took down the stand and built a restaurant. But the tacos are still wonderful.”

  Rowan handed the second bag to Zack. “I’d better go. My mother flew in, unexpectedly.”

  “Your mother’s here?”

  “Yep.”

  “Do you think she—”

  “Probably.” After checking that Becca was still occupied with the dog, she made a face at Zack. “Guess I’d better go face the music.”

  “Don’t forget, you promised we could cook together again,” Becca said.

  “I won’t forget.”

  “Don’t you have something to tell Rowan?” Zack prodded.

  “Thank you, Rowan.” Becca ran back to wrap her arms around Rowan’s waist. “I loved going to the farm and shopping with you.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetie. I loved it, too. I’ll see you, soon.”

  Rowan backed out of the driveway. When she looked, Becca was still on the porch, waving goodbye. Zack stood behind her, appropriately. He always had her back.

  * * *

  ROWAN PARKED IN her usual spot behind the farmhouse. Gran must have been watching out the window because she stepped outside before Rowan reached the back door.

  “Renee is cooking supper. It should be ready in fifteen minutes or so.”

  Rowan wrinkled her nose. Her mother’s cooking wasn’t known for its originality. In fact, during much of their childhood, Mom had followed a weekly rotation of the exact same menu, mostly cooked ahead on the weekend before. About the time Patrick left home, Rowan had taken over. After she left for college, Dad had resurrected long-dormant cooking skills, and as far as Rowan knew, Mom hadn’t cooked in years. “Thanks for helping me escape.”

  Gran patted her shoulder. “It will be fine. Just talk to her.”

  “Easy to say—”

  “And not so easy to do. I know.” Gran linked elbows and led her toward the house.

  Together, they made their way into the kitchen, where Mom, with an apron tied over her travel-knit outfit, pushed something around in a skillet. She turned and smiled at Rowan. “I made tacos. I know they’re your favorite.”

  Rowan suppressed a laugh. “Thanks, Mom. I do love tacos. How can I help?”

  Gran set the table while Rowan chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce. Mom transferred the taco meat into a yellow bowl and set it in the oven to keep warm. When Lauren came in from milking, the four O’Shea women sat down for dinner.

  “Patrick sends his love,” Lauren said as Mom passed her the refried beans. “He’s sorry to miss your visit while he’s working on the slope.”

  “I’m sorry to miss him, too, but I felt like I needed to come right away.” Mom chewed her taco and was getting that look in her eyes that signaled she was about to launch into a “serious subject.” Before she could, Rowan told the others, “I got a line on another possible donation for the wildlife center fundraiser. You know that boutique in Wasilla, the one with the starfish painted all over the building?”

  “Star Nowak’s store?” Gran asked. “Starlight?”

  “Yes, that’s the one. She said she’d donate gift certificates, but even better, she volunteered to entertain at the fair, making balloon animals. She made a really cute fish for Becca while we watched.”

  “Star has been doing that for years at picnics and children’s events. She’ll be great.” Gran said.

  “Becca is the little girl you had with you this morning, right?” Mom asked. “Why did you take her to your appointment?”

  Rowan decided to come clean. “Becca was my appointment. She needed a new swimsuit for camp next week and I promised I would take her shopping.”

  “Who is this little girl, and why does she need you to take her shopping?”

 
“Becca is the little sister of a friend of mine from way back. Zack Vogel. He’s Lauren’s veterinarian.”

  “He’s a very good vet,” Lauren contributed.

  “But not particularly good at clothes shopping, apparently, so Becca asked me if I’d take her instead,” Rowan explained.

  “His sister lives with him?”

  “Yes. Their father died a few months ago, and Becca’s mother is...” How should she word it? “...away right now.”

  “This is someone you know from where?”

  “Here. The last summer I spent in Palmer, Zack was part of the crowd I hung out with.”

  “So, he’s your age. And his sister is—”

  “Eight. She’s a half sister.”

  “And I gather he’s not married if he needs you to take his sister shopping.”

  “No, he’s not.”

  “He also runs the wildlife center that Rowan is planning the fundraiser for,” Lauren said.

  Mom gave a sage nod. “I’m beginning to see.”

  Rowan wasn’t sure what it was her mother thought she saw, but a change of topic was in order. “Thanks for making tacos for me, Mom. They’re great.” They were actually rather bland, compared with the ones she’d eaten for lunch, but a dash of salsa and a generous sprinkling of sharp white cheddar boosted the flavor. “What do you think of Lauren’s latest cheese?”

  The rest of the dinner conversation seemed casual, but an invisible band seemed to have formed around Rowan’s chest, tightening as they drew closer to the end of the meal. Once they’d finished, Lauren carried her plate to the sink. “Thank you for cooking, Renee. I’ll clean up.”

  “I’ll help,” Gran said. “Why don’t you and Rowan take a walk? I’m sure you need to stretch your legs after the long flight.”

  “Good idea. I’ll change my shoes and be right back.” Mom set her plate on the counter near the dishwasher.

  “Thanks a lot,” Rowan whispered to Gran as she helped clear the table.

  “You’ll have to face her sometime,” Gran whispered back.

  Mom returned. “Let’s walk toward the far pasture. I’d like to see the guardian dogs Lauren uses to protect the goats.”

  “All right.”

  To Rowan’s surprise, Mom had little to say on the way to the pasture, other than a few comments about how picturesque the farm was looking these days. When they reached the end of the path, they leaned against the gate to take in the view.

  In the distance, Pioneer Peak towered over the valley. When Rowan was a child, Grandy had explained that it was named in honor of the pioneers who had made up a community here during the Great Depression. This farm was one of the original homesteads. Nearby, two enormous white dogs watched as the kids did their baby goat thing, prancing, chasing and trying to push one another off a flat boulder. One of the dogs looked over and wagged a tail, but stayed where he was, protecting the herd. It felt good here, real. Rowan liked cities, too, but she never felt as light and free anywhere as she did here on the farm in Alaska.

  One of the goats spotted them and decided to come say hello. Rowan reached over the gate to scratch the doe’s neck. A kid jumped onto the goat’s back and blinked at them.

  Mom laughed. “They do have a lot of personality, don’t they?”

  “Not to mention they give milk that Lauren makes into wonderful cheeses. She’s incredibly talented.”

  “Also, incredibly sweet. Bonnie inviting her here was the luckiest thing that ever happened to Patrick.”

  “I agree.” Patrick had always seemed content in Alaska, working on the slope, but now that he and Lauren were married and living here on the farm, he was even happier.

  Another goat came over to poke her head through the gate. Mom stroked her face. “Aren’t you wondering why I’m here?” she asked without turning to look at Rowan.

  Rowan studied her mother’s profile. This wasn’t like her. Mom didn’t waste time with guessing games and she always looked at the person she was addressing. “I imagine you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

  Mom drew in a breath. “I came to tell you I’m sorry.”

  “Did you?” Rowan tried to remember if Mom had ever apologized before. “For what, exactly?”

  “For rushing you. I should have realized you weren’t ready yet, but Coralie was afraid if you waited much longer—”

  “Wait a minute. What have you and Coralie got to do with anything?”

  “She and Asao want grandchildren.”

  Rowan knew that, but how did it tie in with Mom’s apology? “I’m not following.”

  “You know Sutton is an only child. That wasn’t by choice. Coralie was thirty-two when she and Asao married. Coralie told me it took them six years and several rounds of in vitro before she got pregnant with Sutton. They tried again afterward, but no success. After their troubles, it’s understandable that Coralie would worry. Fertility does begin to drop off for women at about thirty-two.”

  “Wait. Are you saying that the reason Sutton proposed when he did was that his mother told him to?”

  “No, no. She just pointed out that sooner might be better than later. I should have realized you weren’t ready yet, and told her—”

  “You and Coralie orchestrated this whole relationship, didn’t you? From our meeting, to dating, to the proposal.” Now that she thought about it, Rowan realized that ridiculous public proposal had Coralie’s fingerprints all over it. “Was Sutton in on this from the beginning? Was I the only one being manipulated?”

  “You’re perfect together, you and Sutton,” Mom said, ignoring the question, which meant the answer was yes. “He has big plans, for his company and for a family, but he needs someone like you to support him and hold it all together. You’re so good at that.”

  “How could you—”

  “Rowan, take a breath. Date for a few more months, or even a year. You’ll know when it’s time. You and Sutton—”

  “No.”

  “No, what?”

  “No, I’m not going to marry Sutton. He doesn’t love me, and I don’t love him.”

  “Of course he loves you. When he called me, he was so worried—”

  “If he was worried, it’s because he’s losing a two-year investment.”

  “Rowan, this isn’t Sutton’s fault. He wanted to wait, but Coralie felt—”

  “That I might be getting too old to guarantee those grandbabies she wants. Yes, I heard you. The fact that his mother is weighing in so heavily isn’t helping his case.”

  Mom paused, tilting her head to study Rowan’s face. “The little girl you spent the day with. Are you seeing her brother?”

  “Is that relevant?”

  “Yes, it is, because Sutton is—”

  “Sutton and I are done. I told him so.”

  Mom frowned. “That’s not what he says.”

  “That’s because he wasn’t listening. Nobody—” Rowan stopped before she came off sounding like a spoiled teenager. “Sutton had other things on his mind.”

  “Honey, decisions made under stress invariably lead to heartache. Just take a step back. Get some perspective.”

  “Yes. That’s the main reason I’m here.” To get some distance from you. Rowan didn’t say it aloud, but judging from the sudden hurt in Mom’s eyes, she heard it anyway. Rowan touched her shoulder, “Mom—”

  “How long will they hold your position at work?” Mom interrupted, ignoring her gesture.

  Rowan shrugged. “Through the summer anyway, while things are slow.”

  “You don’t seem worried about the possibility of losing your job.”

  “I’ve been considering making a change, anyway.” Now that she said it aloud, she realized it was true. “Don’t worry. I’ve got savings, and a small income from the dairy. Even if I were to lose my job, I wouldn’t be mooching off you and
Dad.”

  “That wasn’t what I meant. Your father and I are always—”

  “I know, Mom.”

  “But I think—”

  “The point is that I’m the one who needs to think.”

  Mom stared at her. “Rowan, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. You’ve never been the sort to wander off without a plan.”

  She’d never had the opportunity. “It will be fine, Mom. I’m fine. You might not have noticed, but I’m all grown up now. You can go home with an easy mind. I’m sure you have a million irons in the fire.”

  “I do. But—”

  “Really. Everything is okay.”

  “All right. I’ll fly back tomorrow.” That brisk, take-charge voice was back. Mom pulled out her phone. “I’m texting Coralie right now to set up a lunch date the next day. I’ll tell her that she and Sutton need to be patient.”

  “Mom, that’s not—”

  “No use burning bridges.”

  “I’m not going to marry—”

  “We’d better get back to the farmhouse. I’ll need to make airline reservations, and I promised your grandmother a game of gin rummy.”

  “Mom!”

  But it was no use. Renee O’Shea had created a plan of action and nothing Rowan said was going to derail that plan. It didn’t matter, though. Regardless of what her mother said or did, Rowan was not going to marry Sutton. Ever. Eventually, Mom was just going to have to accept that.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “HEY, ZACK, I want you to meet someone.” Christine walked into his office carrying a bundle of fawn-colored fur. “This is Ruby. I’d say she’s about four. What do you think?”

  Zack took the cat and ran a gentle hand the length of her body. Thin but not malnourished. He pulled back the lip to see teeth in good shape with only a little tartar. Bright eyes. “I’d agree. Himalayan?”

  “I think so. A landlord found her abandoned when tenants disappeared.”

  “Well, you won’t have any trouble finding a family for this beautiful girl.”

  “No. I hear your latest volunteer is planning quite the fundraiser for WildER.”

  “You must have been talking to Jessie.” Jessie did the clinic’s accounting and was an active cat foster, so Christine ran into her often.