by Liz Botts
We'll be okay. Charlotte repeated the words to herself. Maybe we will, she mused.
Chapter Eight
The persistent knocking on the front door set Charlotte's teeth on edge. Hadn't she already called that she was coming more times than she wanted to count? She swiped the chocolate off of Shane's chin, kissed his head, and set him on the floor. Baking cookies had seemed like a fine idea when Charlotte had woken up that morning, but halfway through the endeavor she found herself in over her head. Much like her whole life at the moment, she mused as she made her way to the front door.
She couldn't conceal her surprise when she saw Bill standing on the front stoop. "Will's out on the range, "she said, stuttering over her words.
Bill twisted his battered hat between his hands, and quirked one corner of his mouth into an approximation of a smile. "I was actually looking for you. Well, you and Lexi. Karen thought, well, we both thought that maybe you girls might like to get off the ranch for a bit? I thought I could take you into town, show you around Mountain View. Maybe we could even grab a bite to eat at the café."
Charlotte chewed on the inside of her cheek. His offer did sound nice. She and Lexi hadn't been off the ranch in quite awhile. Although Lexi had been attending school regularly, Charlotte knew that wasn't the same as an outing. However, that didn't stop her from wondering what Bill's motivation was. He rarely spoke to either of them, although he did seem to have a soft spot for his granddaughter. She imagined that he might use the opportunity to reiterate his position on what Charlotte and Will had decided as far as the children were concerned. And quite frankly, she just wasn't in the mood. On the other hand, she told herself, if this trip had been Karen's idea, maybe there wasn't an ulterior motive.
Seeming to sense her hesitation, Bill continued, "Karen said she'd keep the young'uns, and that the three of us should enjoy ourselves."
Hearing this, Charlotte consented. "All right. Let me get the kids cleaned up, and we'll meet you at your house in half an hour."
"Sounds fine," Bill agreed, jamming his hat back down on his head and turning back into the brisk Spring day.
Charlotte watched him go feeling oddly bemused. Bill seemed to be just as complicated as Will. It was no wonder the two men did not get along well. They were two peas in a pod. Shaking her head, she headed back into the house to get the children ready.
Thankfully Lexi made up for Charlotte's lack of enthusiasm over the outing. She danced around on the short walk to the main ranch house. Charlotte toted Shane, keeping her head bent as they strode straight into the wind. Sierra ran ahead, eager to see Bill and Karen's dog, Tess. For a brief moment, Charlotte allowed the family fantasy to settle over her. In the deepest, most secret corner of her mind, she allowed herself to pretend these were her three kids, and she was taking them to see their grandparents.
The fantasy embarrassed her a little, but more than that it gave her a tangible sense of exactly what she wanted in life. The only downside to this game of make believe was that when reality came slamming back down hard against her, she was forced to confront the fact that soon enough all of them would go their separate ways. None of them would ever be a forever family. And that was what she wanted. Each day the five of them spent together, the more certain Charlotte became that she and Will could make it work. They might not love one another, but they liked and respected each other. And who knew? Maybe one day love would bloom.
Charlotte was jarred from her thoughts by the sound of excited barking. Tess and two of the other ranch dogs came barreling off the porch, just as eager to see the children. Wading through the sea of small people and furry bodies, Charlotte set Shane on the bottom step of the porch just as Karen came out to assess the commotion. From the grin on her face, Charlotte wondered if this was something that had been missing in Karen's life too. They all seemed to be fitting together so well for the most part. A bittersweet pang gripped Charlotte as she returned the older woman's smile.
"Now don't you worry about a thing," Karen said as she picked up Shane. "These two will have a great time with me today. And Bill will be on his best behavior. I promise."
Charlotte laughed in spite of her reservations. Karen winked at her and herded Sierra and the dogs into the house.
"Where do you think Grandpa is?" Lexi asked, shoving her hands deeper into the pockets of her navy blue pea coat.
"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Charlotte said. She glanced around the wide expanse of land stretched out in front of her. She thought she could see dust on the narrow strip of road that led to the southern pastures. A moment later, Bill's battered pickup truck swung to a stop in front of them. Lexi threw open the passenger side door and climbed into the back seat, and Charlotte climbed up front.
"Where are we going to eat, Grandpa?" Lexi asked as she clicked her seatbelt into place. "I'm starving."
"You just had four cookies. How on earth can you be hungry?" Charlotte gave Lexi a teasing smile.
Lexi's expression turned silly as she crossed her eyes. "I'm a growing girl. And a growing girl needs food. I repeat, I needs the food."
Lexi dissolved into giggles, and Charlotte laughed along with her. Nothing was nicer than seeing the young girl happy. It made Charlotte's heart sing. When she glanced at Bill, she laughed even harder. He was staring at the two of them as if they had gone and lost their minds.
"Sorry," Charlotte said, still giggling. Lexi had started to hiccup in the back.
Bill shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat. He glanced back at Lexi again. "We're, uh, we're going to eat at the Mountain View Café. They've got good enough food. I, erm, thought I'd give you the tour of town first, if that's all right."
"Sure," Lexi said. The enthusiasm in her voice was hard to miss, and Charlotte hoped that Bill not only heard it, but appreciated it for the sweetness contained therein. Lexi wanted to belong to this family so desperately, and she tried so hard.
They drove the fifteen minutes to town in a heavy silence. Charlotte tried to think of things to say, small talk to make, but nothing came out of her mouth. Finally, Bill turned on a country station that played older music. A classic song came on the radio, and Bill hummed along. Charlotte gazed out at the gently sloped hills covered in pines. Some clumps of snow clung to the branches, but in the ditches water rushed along from most of the melt caused by a warm Chinook wind from the south.
When they arrived on the western edge of Mountain View, Bill cleared his throat and turned off the music. "So, this here's Mountain View, although you already knew that of course," he said. "I'll show you the Presbyterian church first, then St. Margaret's. That's where me and Karen go, of course."
As he eased the truck down a narrow street riddled with pot holes, Charlotte realized that he was nervous. Bill wanted her and Lexi to get to know this small town. This was his way of including them in his small sphere of the world. The realization jolted her as they made their way through a stilted tour of the tiny village.
By the time they arrived at the Mountain View Café, Charlotte had to agree with Lexi's assessment of hunger pangs. Although she wouldn't go quite as far as her very melodramatic preteen, who sat in the back seat moaning.
"You ladies grab a table. I need to go say hello to the guys over there." Bill waved to a table full of older men in the corner.
"Who do you think they are?" Lexi said in a whisper as Charlotte guided her to a table near the expansive front windows. "The Mountain View mafia?"
Charlotte glanced at the men, all of whom sported boots and battered cowboy hats. They were clearly ranchers or farmers. "Yes, I'm sure they are all part of the mob. Don't they look Mafioso?" Charlotte replied drily.
Lexi snuck another glance over at the men, her eyes had widened slightly. "Don't joke. I saw this special on the morning show about how the mob has to go undercover now. You know, like hang out in small towns, blend in with their surroundings. Those guys could totally be playing the part to fool everyone."
"Don't mention that to your grandfather. I don't think
he'd get the joke," Charlotte said, hoping that her tone conveyed that this conversation was over. One thing she was learning about thirteen-year-olds was that despite their inherent need to feel grown up, they often acted like children. And Lexi had a very active imagination.
When Bill joined them, he settled into his chair with a sigh. Charlotte knew that was her cue, but her reservations refused to go away. Still she had to make an effort. She'd seen Bill make one in the truck, no matter how minor it seemed. Swallowing hard against her doubts, Charlotte asked, "Not good news?"
Bill seemed mildly surprised that she had noticed. Charlotte could tell by the slight uplift of his eyebrows. "Zeke was just telling us that his place got foreclosed on last week. He's not sure what he'll do. It seems like everyone in this town is slowly being forced out. The economy here is so depressed, I'm afraid it will be a ghost town before too long."
Charlotte exhaled noisily. This was not the information she had expected from Bill, not that she had known what to expect. He seemed so torn, and looking around the small café for the first time, Charlotte got a sense of what would make him feel this way. Everyone seemed to know each other, and care. The whole scene reminded Charlotte of a modern-day Mayberry, as clichéd as it seemed.
The waitress approached their table before Charlotte could reply. Lexi ordered with such gusto that Charlotte let herself be distracted momentarily, and by the time she had formulated a response to Bill, the moment had passed. Still, she tucked the information away so that she could think about it later.
****
Will shut the door behind him as he entered the dark mudroom. The house seemed oddly quiet for mid-afternoon. The cows he'd been chasing the majority of the day had remained elusive. Walker had insisted in no uncertain terms that they had to separate this set of mothers and calves today. Will had finally begged off promising to rejoin his brothers later in the afternoon. The siren call of home drew him with a magnetic pull. He had never felt that way before. In his prior existence Will had been content to stay long hours at the office, tutoring students who needed extra help or doing research to further the mission of the school. When he had been at home, Will had devoted his time to ranch chores and avoiding his father.
He picked up the note on the dining room table, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Even when the words on the page became legible, he still stared at them with a sense of disbelief. Charlotte and Lexi had gone to spend the afternoon with his father. How could that be possible? With a scowl and a few choice words, Will balled the note in his fist and threw it across the room, missing the garbage can by several feet.
His dad had some nerve to take his daughter out without consulting him. At least Charlotte was along. She'd make sure that his dad didn't say anything too disparaging. Will knew his dad meant well, and his mom continually tried to get the two of them to reconnect. It just wasn't going to happen.
Shaking off his fatigue and general feeling of annoyance, Will turned back toward the door. He should at least relieve his mom of baby sitting duty until Charlotte returned. Besides he was looking forward to seeing the little kids. Sierra was sure to have plenty to tell him, and he wanted to make sure that Shane was all right.
The wind had turned bitter since that morning, and the sun had hidden behind the clouds. Will turned the collar of his corduroy work jacket up to shield himself from the wind. Halfway to the main house, Will saw his dad's truck pull up the driveway. He stopped to wait for them. Irritation burned in his chest. He knew that he was being irrational, but Lexi was his daughter. His father should have asked.
The truck pulled to a stop, and the doors opened. Will opened his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists. The motion helped him focus and not to yell and rant the second his father emerged from the truck. With a deep breath, Will strode forward. As he opened his mouth to begin his tirade, the passenger door opened. Charlotte hopped out, quickly followed by Lexi who squealed with delight when she saw him.
Will halted. Everything stopped at the sight of his daughter. Her pure excitement at seeing him changed his whole perspective. Lexi ran to him and threw her arms around him in a fierce hug. Will squeezed her back, and over her head he met Charlotte's gaze. When Charlotte smiled at him, Will felt his heart speed up. Just from a smile, he mused.
"We had so much fun, Dad. Grandpa took us to the most charming café," Lexi said, grinning up at him.
"Charming, huh?" Will said. He still couldn't get over the way his kid talked. She made him smile no matter what else he was feeling. "I can't imagine the Mountain View Café has changed since the last time I was in there. And charming is not an adjective I would have thought to use for it."
"Oh, it was," Charlotte said with a smile. She had come closer to them, and now lifted Lexi's hair off the girl's shoulder. Lexi turned toward Charlotte and the look that passed between them took Will's breath away.
"We even saw mob members," Lexi said, dropping her voice to an excited whisper.
Will raised his eyebrows at Charlotte, who laughed. "Our Lexi has a very active imagination."
"Indeed." Will held Charlotte's gaze a bit longer, before turning his attention to his father. The older man stood near the truck regarding the interaction between the three of them. Will felt his irritation return. He glanced down at Lexi. "Hey, why don't you run in and see how Grandma and the little kids are doing. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Okay, Dad," Lexi said with reluctance in her voice. She seemed to sense the sudden rise in tension and the change in him.
Charlotte gave Will a look that he could only describe as scolding, but she didn't say anything. For a minute he thought she might follow Lexi into the house but instead she stepped back by the truck, folded her arms across her chest, and gave him a challenging look. This should be fun, Will thought gloomily.
"Dad?" Will began. "I just have to say you have a lot of nerve."
"Excuse me, son? I thought I misheard you. I have a lot of nerve?" Bill took a step closer looking surprised but angry all at the same time.
"Yes, a lot of nerve," Will repeated. "How could you take my daughter out without even consulting me?"
Anger flashed across Bill's face, but instead of yelling he seemed to deflate. "Your mother thought it would be a good idea for me to get to know my granddaughter better."
"I was there," Charlotte said, interrupting the disagreement.
Will and his dad looked at her. "Stay out of this," Will snapped. He immediately regretted his harshness, but this was between him and his father.
"No," Charlotte snapped back. The anger sparking in her eyes made her look so lively and beautiful that Will found himself momentarily distracted. "I was there, and it was fine. Lexi had a wonderful time. You need to back off a little bit here, Will."
Will opened his eyes a bit wider as he met her challenge. "Lexi is my responsibility, and I should have some say in the things that concern her."
"You're overreacting," Charlotte said.
"No, I'm not." Will could feel this reaction spiraling out of control. He knew he was being spiteful, childish even, but he had a point to prove and he was going to prove it.
"And currently she's our responsibility," Charlotte added a bit more softly.
"About that…" Will said, and then trailed off. This whole thing had veered off course. What Will had intended to be a trouncing of his father had turned into an argument with Charlotte. There were things they needed to talk about, like the things his lawyer had told him, but this was not the way he wanted to tell her.
"I'm going to get the kids. We'll meet you at home. Now, you two work out whatever crap you need to," Charlotte said. She turned back to the main house without another word.
Will looked back at his dad. "Just don't do it again."
"Go easy on her, son. She's a good one," Bill said before walking toward the horse barn.
Will stared after his father, annoyed. Of course he knew Charlotte was a good one. She could be the One. Will froze. The bri
sk wind rushed around him. He hadn't really just thought that about Charlotte had he? That seemed too fast, too sudden. The abruptness of it all made his heart race. True, the two of them had developed a rhythm for parenting, and also true that they had an unspoken attraction. But… but… Will faltered. He couldn't finish his thought because there was no thought to complete. He only knew that the feeling that persisted seemed frighteningly real.
With a groan Will kicked his scuffed boot into the gravel of the driveway, sending a spray of rocks around him. Complications abounded in his life already, adding romance with an unavailable woman to the mix was not something he wanted to do. The way his pulse raced, though it made him think that might not be an option.
Chapter Nine
"Would you like to ride out with me?"
Charlotte turned toward Will in surprise. She carefully finished folding Shane's pajamas and set them into his drawer. Will hadn't spent much time with her or the kids since she'd essentially told him to buck up and get over himself in terms of his relationship with his dad. He had been spending a lot of time at the Institute. Whenever she asked him about it, he gave vague answers about extended office hours and prepping for a field experience with one of his classes. Given all of this recent behavior, she just assumed that he was still upset with her.
"My mom said she'd hang out with the kids while we're gone. I need to check on the dig site. You haven't been out there yet." Will shrugged, and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets.
"Okay," Charlotte said, not completely surprised that she was agreeing. "Just let me change into some warmer clothes."
She felt Will's gaze follow her down the hall. The heat from his stare made her shiver. While they had never talked about the thing brewing between them, it seemed clear that they both had acknowledged it to themselves. Even with the weird distance Will had put between them over the past week and a half, Charlotte felt herself unable to find fault. He was working hard—harder than most men ever worked—to support his new family. Charlotte contributed the meager amount that her vacation time afforded, but that would be running out soon. She'd have to get back to work, which would mean leaving the children. Will hadn't mentioned anything else about the lawyer, so she assumed he'd let it drop for the time being. Would he let Lexi move back to Rapid City with her? She knew the answer to that question, but she didn't let her mind dwell there.
