“How did your first day go?”
“Great. I think. I fell in love with each and every child.”
“That’s the risk of this job. They all need more love than we can give them. Some of them don’t get much of it at home.”
“What’s Marissa’s story?”
“I saw that she’d latched on to you. It’s very sad. Dad’s been in prison for years. I’m not sure she even remembers him, which in her case could be a blessing. I hear he wasn’t a nice guy. Mom’s into drugs way more than she’s into raising a child. From what I understand, she’s been on and off the wagon more times than we could count. Thankfully, Grandma was there to step in and take care of Marissa when her daughter was too high or drunk. Mom finally disappeared a couple of years ago, and Marissa lived fulltime with Grandma. Grandma didn’t have much money or education, but she did manage to keep a roof over the child’s head and get her to school. That is, until a couple of months ago when Grandma became ill. Social workers were called by the her teacher because Marissa reported she only ate at school. Grandma is now in a nursing home, and Marissa was placed in a foster home a couple of weeks ago. I don’t think she’s had time to adjust yet. Fortunately we were able to get funding to bring her here for a couple weeks of fun. There hasn’t been much of that in her life recently—maybe ever.”
“That explains a lot.” Penny felt tears forming in her eyes for her sweet, little friend. Having grown up an only child with two amazing parents, it was hard to fathom what this child had been through. She prayed that in some small way she’d be able to help her during these next couple of weeks.
“We do what we can for them and try not to let it overwhelm us.” Willow rubbed her pregnant belly. “You can be done for the day, now that the rides are finished. Thank you so much. Can we count on you coming back tomorrow?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. See you bright and early.”
As she turned Ginger toward home, her heart broke for all the neglected or mistreated children. She was reaffirmed in the knowledge that her life’s work needed to be about making the world a better place—one child at a time.
***
After letting Ginger out in the pasture for the night, instead of being tired from all of the activity at camp, Penny felt energized. She glanced at her watch and since it was only 3:30, she decided to drive into Peakview. Several of the children had asked her about the different flowers and rocks along their ride. She had to admit that although she was familiar with some of Colorado’s wildflowers, such as the bright, red Indian Paint Brush and the white and purple Columbines, there were still many she didn’t know by name. She’d noticed the new bookstore in town. It was about time she stopped by and looked around. Maybe she could find some books to help identify the beauty of nature for the children.
Her Camaro rounded the curve into town, and there it was—Luke’s unmistakable red pickup parked in front of the hardware store. Her heart clenched. Would she ever be able to see him and not have a reaction? She pushed the gas harder and sped the remaining few hundred feet to the bookstore. She wasn’t going to let him spoil her good mood today. She quickly parked and entered the store before there could be a chance encounter.
“Welcome to Sophie’s.” A petite blond who looked not much older than herself smiled. “I’m Melanie.”
“Penny Anderson,” she replied extending her hand.
“Oh, you must be Ann and Gary’s daughter.”
“Yep, that’s me.”
“It’s so nice to meet you. I just love your parents. You live in Chicago, right? Home for a visit?”
“Just for a few weeks, before I start my new job.”
“What can I do for you today? Do you need a good romance to read while you’re relaxing? I have some great ones with ranches and Colorado cowboys as heroes.”
Penny smiled. She liked Melanie already. “As great as that sounds, what I’m looking for right now is a couple of books with pictures of native Colorado wildflowers and rocks. I’m volunteering over at Peak Adventure Camp, and as much as I hate to admit it since I was born and raised here, I still don’t know all the names. The kids have been asking.”
“You’re in luck. I cater to summer tourists so I have a whole section of Colorado information books—flowers, birds, wildlife, rocks—you name it.” She led Penny over to a book shelf jammed full of books. “Help yourself. Would you like a glass of iced tea?”
“That would be great, if it’s not any trouble.”
By the time Penny picked out a couple of suitable books with bright colored pictures, Melanie returned from the kitchen and placed two glasses of tea on one of the small round reading tables. “Have a seat, if you’re not in a rush.”
Penny pulled out a chair and sat down. “You’re Howard’s daughter, I hear.”
“Yep, it’s a long story. My whole life, I thought my dad deserted me—didn’t want me. That’s what my mom led me to believe. After she died, I became consumed by wanting to find him. My search eventually led me here. Turns out, Howard hadn’t even known that Mom was pregnant when he left. He’s a wonderful man. I couldn’t ask for a better father. He almost single-handedly remodeled this old place. And Sophie, my daughter, adores him.”
“Your daughter?”
“The love of my life. She’s thirteen going on twenty-one. She loves it here in Peakview.”
“Peakview is lucky to have you. You turned an eyesore into a beautiful addition to the town. Your store is wonderful.”
“Thanks. Business has been going pretty well this summer. We’ll see what happens in the fall when tourist season ends. Enough about me. Are you enjoying your summer at home? Did I hear that you and Luke Walker are an item? He sure is a nice guy—handsome too.”
Penny felt her cheeks warm. “Not any more. We dated in high school, before I left for Chicago. That was a long time ago.”
“Too bad. I’ve seen that cabin he’s building. It looks made for a family.”
Penny didn’t know why, but she had a feeling that Melanie was someone she could confide it. And she needed that. She’d experienced so many mixed emotions regarding Luke since she came home. She really needed to process them. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know how I feel about him. I’ve tried to forget him, really I have. It’s just that no one else makes me feel the way he does. We shared a moment when I first got back a few weeks ago. I thought there might still be a chance for us.”
“What happened?” Melanie handed her a box of tissues.
“I don’t know. I wanted to talk things out with him and then Darrell, my friend from Chicago, showed up unexpectedly, and Luke got the wrong idea and now I’ve seen him several times with another girl. I don’t know who she is but I guess he’s moved on. Doesn’t really matter anyway, I’m headed back to Chicago soon. Luke would never leave the Walker Ranch. So that’s that.”
“My advice—if it’s meant to be, there’s always a way to work things out. If he’s your soulmate, don’t give up. I didn’t give up on my dad, and I’m happier than I even thought possible. Miracles do happen. And take it from someone who grew up in big cities, there’s no better place to live than little old Peakview.”
Penny smiled and dried her eyes, feeling much better. “How about you? Any cowboys in your life?”
Melanie smiled shyly. “Not really, but can you keep a secret?”
“I just bared my soul to you, so we’re good.”
“There’s a wrangler up at Peaktop Ranch, Hank. He seems really nice, although I don’t know much about him.”
“Oh, I like Hank. He’s been there awhile. I believe since I was in junior high. I don’t know anything about his personal life. I could ask around and see what I can find out for you.”
Melanie’s face lit up. “You know, I bet I could find out who Luke has been hanging out with without raising suspicion. Nothing that happens in this county gets by my new step-mom.
They both laughed. Violet did keep tabs on he
r community.
Penny got up to leave. “This has been fun. We should do it again soon. What do I owe you for the books and the ice tea?”
“The books are marked on the back. The tea is just between friends. I’d never want to compete with the café by selling beverages. Not when Violet’s been so wonderful to me.”
Penny drove out of town with a smile on her face. Luke’s truck was gone—confrontation averted for now. And she’d made a new friend. She’s see what she could find out about Hank. After all, concentrating someone else’s love life would be so much easier than worrying about her own.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Luke spotted the Camaro parked down the street as he loaded the supplies in the back of his pickup. Dang that Penny. Why couldn’t he get her out of his head? He threw in the bag of puppy chow and the new, shiny dog bowls. He was headed out to John’s right now to look at the litter of German Shepherd puppies. If all went well, he’d have a new best friend by nightfall.
He headed north out of town toward Apple Creek, willing himself not to look over at the little red Camaro as he passed. He hadn’t talked to her since the night of her parent’s barbeque. Apparently she had nothing to say to him, he’d been around if she wanted to find him. The past—that’s all she was.
He turned into the lane across the road from the creek and memories flooded his brain. John had lived on the small farm since they played football in high school. A couple of years ago, John’s mom developed some health problems, and his parents moved down to Fort Collins to be closer to her doctors and medical facilities. Now John lived here with his lovely wife Trish and their little girl Emma. Luke sometimes envied his friend’s family life.
He stopped his truck, as Trish walked out of the house with Emma in tow.
“Luke.” The little girl squealed with delight launching herself into his outstretched arms. He swung her around in a full circle.
Putting her back on the ground, he placed his hand on the top of her blonde curls. “You’ve grown since the last time I saw you.”
Emma grinned showing off her new teeth. “I’m two now. That’s big.”
“It sure is. Do you want to show me your puppies?”
“Yup,” she said jumping up and down with delight.
“They’re in the horse barn,” Trish added. “John’s down there somewhere, too.”
They walked toward the weatherworn barn with Emma holding his hand and pulling with all of her two-year-old muscle. “Come on…”
Luke grabbed the edge of the old faded red door and pushed it to the side allowing a wave of cool air to escape from the dim interior. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw John in the far stall brushing one of the horses.
“Luke. What brings you out here?” John set aside the curry comb and walked out to greet him.
“Daddy, he wants to see the puppies. I do, too.”
John laughed. His daughter would spend all day and all night in the stall with the puppies if they let her. He led the way to a stall filled with fragrant hay and opened the gate. Gypsy, the mother Shepherd, looked up protectively as four balls of brown and black fur came bounding over to greet them.
Emma giggled and plopped down in the hay, as the furry balls surrounded her and covered her face in wet kisses.
Luke squatted beside the child and held out his hand. The biggest of the bunch left his siblings to climb up on his knee and look him squarely in the eyes, his whole body wagging in delight. That was it. Just like that, Luke lost his heart for the first time since that long ago day in the barn with Penny.
“That’s Brutus. He was the first born.”
Luke scooped the squirming mass into his arms and let him lick his face. “Hey Brutus.” The name seemed to fit him. He set Brutus back down so the pup could join in the wrestling match that had erupted between the other three puppies. But instead of joining his litter mates, Brutus followed Luke over to where he rejoined John at the edge of the stall and began chewing on the toe of his cowboy boot. Luke moved his leg around slowly and Brutus barked and tried to maintain his hold on his new found toy.
“Brutus likes you,” Emma said.
“Are they all still available?” Luke asked. Not that he cared about the other three, his mind was made up the moment he saw Brutus. He looked down at the puppy by his feet.
“All except for the smallest female over there. They turned eight weeks yesterday, so they’re ready to go to their new homes.”
“In that case, I’d better take Brutus, since he appears to be permanently attached to my boot.”
Emma looked up, tears starting to well up in her eyes. “What? You’re taking Brutus away?”
John leaned down and gently put his arm on his daughter’s shoulder. “Honey, you remember we talked about this. The puppies are going to go to their new families so they can be their dogs just like Gypsy is our dog. Luke will be Brutus’ new family.”
“I know.” She frowned as she settled in her dad’s lap. “But I’ll miss them.”
Luke looked over at the child. He knew how hard it was to lose someone you loved. “You can come and visit him anytime you want.”
After talking price with John, Luke handed Brutus to Emma as he walked out to his truck to get his checkbook. “Here, you say goodbye to him while I pay your dad.”
The child reluctantly followed them into the yard, holding tight to her squirming bundle.
Luke had put a cardboard box with a towel in the bottom in the passenger seat of his truck—just in case. After one last tearful hug from the child, he picked up his new roommate and set him in the box.
“Thanks, John. I’ll talk to you soon. Emma, you come visit any time.”
Luke climbed in the driver’s side and looked over at the pup who was already chewing on the edge of the box. “I’m going to have to invest in some chew toys, before you eat everything I own.” He rubbed his friend’s head. He put the truck in gear, but only got about ten feet down the road, when the box tipped on its side and Brutus quickly wiggled onto his lap, his head looking out at the road through the steering wheel. Luke’s heart warmed even more. “Okay, little buddy, you can sit here for today, but we both know that you’re going to get too big to do this before long.”
As he drove back through Peakview, he noticed that the Camaro was no longer there. Penny would love this little bundle he held in his arms. They used to talk about having pets—lots of pets. He looked down. Brutus had laid his head on Luke’s lap, no doubt worn out from his adventure. It was nice to feel love again, even if it was from a dog.
***
Penny loved her first two weeks of working at Peak Adventure. She felt alive again—she was making a difference. All of the campers had stolen her heart, especially little Marissa. Gradually, she watched the child open up more and more, like a small flower just beginning to bloom. The books she purchased from Melanie were a hit. Each day the campers found more flowers to identify. It became a game with the group of younger girls, who named their group, the Columbines, after their favorite, the state flower of Colorado. Penny awarded a small prize each time one of the campers discovered a new flower.
Working with kids was as tiring as it was rewarding. She didn’t know how Ryan and Willow did it, being there twenty-four hours a day. At least she got to go home and relax each evening. Teaching would be like this in the fall, and she had to admit she was looking forward it—getting to spend an entire year with her students. This camp session was already almost over, and she dreaded saying goodbye to these youngsters.
As she was saying goodnight to her campers for the night amid many tiny hugs and promises that she’d be back in the morning, Ryan walked up and put his hand around her shoulder. “Can you stop up at the office for a minute before you head out?”
“Sure thing, boss.” Penny watched apprehensively as he walked away. What was that about? She thought she had been doing a good job this week. She hoped everything was okay.
She broke away from her small herd of admirers and
headed to the office. “Hey, Willow. What’s up? Ryan wanted to talk to me?”
Ryan walked out the back room, fresh mug of coffee in his hand. “So Penny, do you have plans on Saturday? I know it’s the 4th of July, and we totally understand if you want to be with your family.”
“No, I don’t think we have much going on. Of course, I was planning on heading into town at dusk for the fireworks. My parents will probably be by the lake at the Peakview picnic most of the day. What’s happening here at the camp?”
“We’re thinking about doing a special rodeo. Let the kids deck themselves and the horses out in red, white, and blue and do a big parade into the arena. Thought I’d do some calf roping, and you could show off your barrel racing skills.”
Penny laughed. “I’d be happy to, but I’m afraid I’m a bit rusty. I haven’t competed for over four years, not since high school.”
“Relax, you don’t have to be a pro here. None of these kids have ever seen a rodeo before. I have one more favor to ask.”
“Anything you need.”
“The kids would really enjoy seeing some of Luke’s rope tricks. Could you stop by the Walker Ranch and ask him to help us out?”
One hundred and one excuses ran through her brain. She had no idea what kind of terms she and Luke were on these days. But this was for the kids, and from what she remembered, Luke’s tricks were amazing. The kids would love it. She sighed. “No problem. I’ll stop over tonight, and see if I can find him.”
Colorado Cabin in the Pines (Peakview series Book 3) Page 6
