Harlequin Heartwarming March 21 Box Set

by Claire McEwen

  Seth wasn’t aware he’d covered Quinn’s hand on his arm with his, but he didn’t pull back. He didn’t want to break the connection too quickly. He hadn’t felt so secure and grounded in a long time. But he wouldn’t try to figure that out now.

  “Is anyone up for dessert?” Quinn asked. “There’s chocolate or vanilla ice cream.”

  Jake stood and reached for his wife as she got up. “Thanks, but I don’t think so.” With his arm around Libby, he spoke to Sarge. “Do you mind if Liberty and I head up to the cabin, sir? We’re jet-lagged and need to get some rest.”

  “You two go ahead,” Sarge said, smiling up at them. “I’ll take care of your share of the ice cream.”

  They laughed with him, then each hugged him before they said their good-nights and headed out.

  As Quinn eased her hand away from Seth and stood, Sarge smiled at her. “Holding hands?”

  Quinn went red, then said, “Just…um…”

  Julia stepped in. “None of your business, Sarge,” she said with a smile. “How about you and I go in and read a bit. I need to know if the posse goes out or not.”

  Just like that Sarge let it go. He turned to Seth by him and smiled. “You know, son, that shirt’s pretty sharp on you.”

  Seth felt himself settle as he hugged the man. “You go with Julia, and I’ll be right in.”

  “Don’t forget the ice cream,” Sarge said, then headed off.

  Seth turned to see Quinn crossing to the kitchen. He caught up with her by the sinks in the island. “Thanks for what you did for Sarge.” He had to swallow before he could say, “He really does need to be able to talk about Maggie, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes, he does. People naturally try to avoid talking about the one that’s gone. They’re afraid of… I don’t know,” she said on an unsteady shrug. “Maybe they worry it’s going to upset the other person, and they aren’t sure they can handle that person being upset.”

  He tucked the tips of his fingers into his jeans pockets and rocked slightly forward onto the balls of his feet. “I thought if I spoke about Maggie, it would make him pull away, you know, going back instead of being here. With us.”

  “He probably will sometimes, but sometimes he’ll smile.”

  He couldn’t move or think of what to say. He felt overwhelmed with relief that Quinn was there, that she had a special touch with Sarge, maybe a common bond that let them understand each other. “Tonight, he smiled.”

  “Yes, and he seemed so happy to have Jake and Libby here, too.”

  Seth leaned back against the counter and watched Quinn as she started to finish up clearing the dishes. “He doesn’t complain, but I know he misses them when they have to leave for Jake’s job. He misses Ben, too.”

  She started the dishwasher, then finally turned to him. “He still has you,” she said softly. “I can tell that means a lot to him.”

  “It’s means a lot to me to have him,” he said.

  She studied him for a moment. “What was he like when he was younger, when Maggie was with him and you came here?”

  “Back then he was this ex-marine who was so strong, but unexpectedly kind and caring and genuine.” Seth held to those memories tightly. “He and Maggie made a great team. They backed each other up, and they dealt with things I wish they hadn’t had to, with all of us. But they did and changed more lives than I know about.”

  “I can imagine they did,” she said with a soft smile.

  “So, how are you feeling?”

  She moved around him to go back to the table where she started to push the chairs back in place. “Okay. I’m getting used to the nights around here and the higher altitude.”

  He went to her and pushed the last chair back in place. Quinn was right beside him now. In her bare feet, if she hadn’t been tilting her head back to look up at him, she would have been staring at his chin. She didn’t mention her touching him, or Sarge’s teasing, so he let it go. “I think I broke a promise to you.”

  “Excuse me?” she asked.

  “I said I’d show you around the ranch.”

  She shook her head. “No, that was an offer.”

  He nodded. “Okay, but you said you ride. So what would you think of taking a ride in the morning to see the real ranch?”

  “I’d love to.”

  He wanted to go on a ride with Quinn, out in the open, now that the air had been cleared between them. It wasn’t as if he automatically trusted her, but he was closer to trusting her than he’d been over the past few days. He saw nothing but kindness in her, and if she needed a job, she had one. But he’d still take it a day at a time.

  “How about first thing in the morning we take a quick run in to the clinic to see if you can have your stitches removed? When we’re done, we’ll come back and go riding. How does that work for you?”

  “I’ll be there,” she said.

  * * *

  QUINN WAS WAITING for him in the entry at seven o’clock the next morning, and by nine o’clock they were walking out of the clinic in town side by side. Boone had been out on a call again, so he hadn’t had a second chance to offer to be Quinn’s tour guide. Quinn was perfectly okay with Brenner removing the stitches, and the scar ended up being a thin pink line with tiny spots on either side where the stitches had been.

  Julia had lent her a warm pink jacket and riding boots that fit just right. Seth opened her door as quickly as he could to get her inside. He went around to slip in behind the wheel, then started the truck and flipped on the heater.

  Seth pulled out onto the street and headed south, then parked in front of the Addison Law Office. “I shouldn’t be long,” he said to Quinn. “Do you want to come in?”

  “No, you go on in. I think I’d like to walk down Clayton Drive to see the town close-up.”

  “Great. If I can’t see you when I get out, I’ll call you on the phone.” He took his cell out and handed it to her. “Put in your number.”

  She did, called herself and when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, she hung up and handed Seth’s back to him. “We’re all set,” she said.

  Quinn headed down the street, while Seth went in to meet with the attorney about the blind curve. When he left twenty minutes later, he stepped outside and Quinn was nowhere in sight. He called her and she answered right away. “Hi.”

  “I’m done. Where are you?”

  “I’m sitting on the top step of the walkway out in front of the diner.”

  “Okay, I’ll be right there.”

  He’d barely hung up when his phone rang again, but it wasn’t Quinn. It was Jake. He had an unexpected problem with his Houston contract and had to get back there as soon as possible or lose it. He and Libby had to get to the airport within two hours. Sarge was doing okay, sleeping, and Julia had said that Cal—Sarge’s physical therapist—was coming out for a session, so that was covered.

  He wished Jake and Libby were staying longer. He’d really like to talk some things over with Jake, but he knew how hard it had been for him to get work since he’d had to walk away from being a test pilot. He wished Jake luck and said they’d have a long talk when they got back.

  * * *

  QUINN LOOKED UP as Seth pulled in. She smiled from where she was sitting, then stood. She picked up a pink box beside her and a small cup holder that held two paper coffee cups. She got into the truck and put the box and cups down on the seat between them, then closed the door and did up her seat belt.

  “Help yourself,” she told Seth. “There’s some freshly baked muffins and coffee for you.” She reached for the coffee cup and handed it to him, then picked up her cup of chamomile tea.

  “Thank you.” He took a sip and put the cup back in the holder.

  “You’re welcome,” she said as he backed out of the parking slot.

  “Stop!” She rolled down her window. “Elaine,” she called
to the owner who’d just stepped out onto the walkway. “Thanks again for the tea!”

  Elaine smiled, waved and called back, “Enjoy!”

  Then they were on the main street and Quinn rolled the window up.

  “I didn’t see that coming,” Seth said with a chuckle.

  “I just appreciate the tea. All the people here seem so kind, I really mean it. These people who had no idea who I was stopped and spoke to me. Most just said hi, as if they were used to seeing me around town. A genuinely sweet lady told me she was certain you hadn’t meant any harm with the accident.

  “A teenager stopped to tell me that he was working with Henry on my VW and was impressed by the engine. I don’t have a clue how he knew who I was.” She laughed at that. “I feel as if I’ve landed in a version of Mayberry, where everybody knows my name.” She shook her head. “I think I’m mixing up my old TV shows.”

  “I get the idea,” he said, his eyes on the road ahead.

  As Quinn sipped more tea, Seth told her about Jake and Libby having to leave early. “Sarge is good, and his physical therapist, Cal, is on his way, so they took off for the airport. “I just hope Sarge understands that they’ll be back in less than a week.”

  “Just remind him every so often that they’re coming back soon. Julia said he asks about you every morning when you aren’t there, and about Jake and Ben. He only wants to keep tabs on his family.”

  They drove up onto the highway and headed north. While Seth drove, Quinn sat quietly in the passenger seat, finally saying something when they turned off onto the county road. “Did the attorney think they could fix the road?”

  “Burr says there’s a pretty good chance the county will let me pay for the repairs as long as it’s done by an approved contractor. I told him to make it happen.”

  They got to the curve and this time Seth felt Quinn staring at him until they were on the straight road. “I hope he can.”

  “He’s been around here long enough to have friends in high places. If anyone can, Burr Addison can.”

  When Seth neared the ranch entrance, he pulled between the boulders and put in the code to open the gates. When the way was clear, they headed up the drive. “Do you need to get changed before riding?”

  “I need to layer a shirt, I think, but I can be ready in five minutes.”

  “Okay,” he said as he pulled to a stop in front of the house. “Five minutes.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  SETH COULD TELL Quinn was excited about the ride, and as soon as he made sure Sarge and Julia were fine, they headed down to the stables. Julia’s riding boots and jacket with its fur-trimmed hood looked great on Quinn.

  “What’s your timetable for the camp to open up?” Quinn asked as they passed the hay barn and a flatbed truck approached with a delivery.

  Seth pointed to the front doors as the driver stepped out. “In there. They can tell you where to put it.”

  The man nodded, then strode toward the center doors while Seth and Quinn kept walking.

  “We’re aiming for the week after the Fourth of July this summer. But there’s so much to get done. If they can get the roofs on the extensions and the hay storage areas finished, then the inside work can be done during the winter. The same for the original mess hall and bunkhouse, to get them redone and expanded by spring. After we do one season, we’re going to reassess what we can do to handle more boys, what expansions we should consider and possibly how to work a girls’ camp into the summer schedule.”

  Quinn paused just before getting to the open stable doors that faced the large riding ring. As Seth stopped with her, he didn’t miss what he thought looked like a dismissive expression as she pushed her hands deep into her pockets. “It’s going to be so huge,” she said.

  He had a feeling she wasn’t impressed by that. “You don’t like those plans?”

  A touch of color brushed her cheeks. “I didn’t say that.”

  “No, but you want to. You just don’t want to offend me by telling me that. I promise I don’t offend easily. I mean, it’s just an opinion.”

  She turned to face him as she exhaled deeply and it misted up between them. “Okay. I assumed it would be simple camping, teaching each boy how to fish and make a campfire and going on hikes and rides and living in tents. The groups of campers would be small, with a low child-to-adult ratio, maybe one to four, as close to a one-on-one experience as possible for the them.”

  They’d planned on groups of fifteen at each campsite, with two counselors. But as she said it, he realized she’d nailed what had been bothering him subtly all along. The healing he’d found at the ranch had been because of the one-on-ones with Maggie and Sarge, something they worked to make happen for each boy. “In a perfect world, that would be ideal,” he said,

  She shrugged. “All I know is kids really crave attention. If they’re part of a larger group, they’ll feel more like a number. I’ve seen that in my third-grade classes, and boys coming here really need attention. They crave it, and they’re in the system. Small groups, I think, could be more healing for them, if that’s part of why you’re doing this. Trying to make repairs if possible, even for a short time.”

  All along, he’d been thinking more was better. More kids and more features, almost to the point of craziness. He’d thought the more kids they could take in, the more impactful the camp would be. He’d been wrong. Seth knew Quinn had exposed what should be the heart of the camp experience on the ranch, and he’d almost missed it completely. He’d lived through the good and the bad. He should’ve recognized what the good had been and tried to give that to the campers.

  When he took too long to respond, Quinn said quickly, “I know it would cost more per child to have a lower ratio of boys per counselor. But I imagine the camp experience will be the highlight of the kids’ summer, maybe their whole year.”

  Seth was amazed at the passion in her blue eyes when she spoke about the boys. “Why on earth are you working here as a housekeeper and not teaching somewhere?”

  She shrugged again. “Because I’m not certified to teach here, and you gave me a job as housekeeper. But I love kids. I always have.”

  The direction for the camp changed in that single moment. He’d cut down the numbers, restructure smaller camping groups and spread the sites out so the focus could be on interacting with each boy. What was best for the kids was best for them all. “I hope you get back to teaching soon,” he said and really meant it.

  “Later, I will, but for now I have things I need to sort out in my life before I go back to teaching again.”

  “I hope things work out for you.” She deserved to do what she loved, and he was quite certain from the little she’d told him about her teaching that it was her passion. He moved to go past her and through the wide double doors of the stables. “Come on,” he said.

  The smell of animals and hay hung in the air, and there were soft snorts and whinnies from deeper in the space. When Dwight came out of a stall halfway down the aisle, he spotted them right away and headed toward them.

  “Good morning,” he said with a nod. He was wearing knee-high rubber boots along with jeans and a heavy jacket. “I’m Dwight,” he said to Quinn. “Are you two here to ride?”

  “Yes, we are,” Seth said. “Can you get Miner ready for me and find an easy ride for the lady?”

  Quinn spoke up quickly. “I can handle a horse.” Both men looked at her. “I really can.”

  Dwight tipped his head toward her. “Ma’am, don’t worry. I’ll get you an interesting mount.” Dwight started off farther down the aisle. “Jerry Moore sent over another horse. She’s not touchy, and the best thing is, she likes being ridden. She’s about eight, medium size and a good gait. Her name’s Angel.” A chestnut with a white muzzle stuck her head out over the half door they were approaching.

  Seth glanced at Quinn. “What do you think?”

 
Stepping closer, she reached out to stroke the animal’s muzzle. “I think she’s perfect.”

  “We’ll take her,” Seth said to Dwight.

  Ten minutes later, he and Quinn were walking their saddled horses out of the stable. Seth led the way to the open gate of the riding ring. “Let’s take a few turns so you can get a feel for your mount.”

  Set could tell Quinn didn’t want to trot in circles to warm up. “I promise you, I can ride.”

  “I’m sure you can,” Seth said in a tone that probably sounded a little patronizing. He wanted to make sure it was safe to go up into the higher land. He took the reins for her horse from her. “Get on up,” he said as he steadied the mare.

  Quinn hesitated, then seemed to think better of arguing. In very short order, she managed to get in the saddle safely. “Ready,” she said.

  Seth led both horses into the ring, then handed Angel’s reins back to Quinn. After he mounted Miner, a strong-looking buckskin, they rode slowly around the large enclosure until they passed the open gates to start on a second circuit. “I really can ride,” Quinn said impatiently.

  “I believe you, but you said it’s been a while.”

  “Yes, but riding a horse is like riding a bike. Once you do it, you don’t forget how.” They were approaching the open gates again. “I was seven when I first rode a horse, and that horse wasn’t afraid of snakes.”

  Seth laughed, remembering what he’d told her about his own first ride, and Quinn gave him a mischievous look. The next instant, she nudged Angel and took off through the open gate. They passed the holding stalls on the southern side of the ring heading west.

  “Hey, there!” Seth called after her. “Wait for me.” She kept going but seemed to slow as he came up from behind, but she didn’t stop. “Okay, okay, you win,” he said as he drew alongside her. “You definitely can ride.”

  Quinn brought Angel to a full stop as they approached the pastures and a hay lean-to that had just been built. The land was fenced and cross-fenced, spreading out in front of them. Beyond, to the west, the ranch flowed into open grazing areas that climbed up into the foothills off in the distance. The beauty of the land was staggering.