Echo Falls, Texas Boxed Set

by Patti Ann Colt

  “Come on in and let’s get them settled. Go on through the laundry room into the kitchen.”

  Robin batted down her envy of his house, striving for a confident, casual walk. She passed the washer and dryer in the small laundry room and stepped into the kitchen. Mid-stride, she stopped. The breath escaped from her lungs. Mouth

  open, Robin turned in a slow circle to eye the oak cupboards, the long span of white counter tops and the forest green quarry floor.

  It looked like a page from a glossy home decorating magazine. Over the end of the counter, she glimpsed a cherry table and chairs in a quaint breakfast nook, the morning paper spread out on its surface. Knives cluttered the counter along with a half-full bread sack and jars of peanut butter and jelly.

  Her girls exchanged a wide-eyed look, near enough to her own awestruck reaction to make her smile, although the object of their attention was far different from hers.

  “Peanut butter and jelly, Boo!”

  “Shh.” Boo poked Lindy into silence.

  Robin resisted the urge to turn pirouettes in the middle of his kitchen floor. She ran her fingertip over the countertops instead. Such a beautiful home, and here she stood—feeling like a Cinderella who’d crawled out of the fireplace ash.

  She looked down at herself, acutely aware of her wind-tangled hair and the T-shirt that had dried into a wrinkled mess. Awareness shivered over her and she turned. Chad watched her from the doorway. She ran a nervous hand through her hair. He coughed and cleared his throat before coming further in the room. The tension between them shattered when Boo spoke.

  “Where does that hall go Mr. Chad?” Boo walked to him and stood with her hands behind her back. Robin saw his eyes soften and then he squatted to bring himself to Boo’s level.

  “That hall goes to my bedroom and the bathroom.” Chad pointed. “That doorway over there goes into the family room where I watch TV. The other hallway over there goes to the front door, the dining room and the back bedrooms.”

  Surveying the room, Boo nodded and took Lindy’s hand.

  Chad rose, flipped on the hallway and family room lights, then turned back to Robin. “I’ll get the munchkins dry shirts to put on and find the sleeping bags.” His gaze dropped to her clinging, filthy T-shirt and he hesitated. “Would you like a

  clean shirt, too?”

  An embarrassed flush swept over her face. She might as well be naked. The dirty shirt had molded itself to the exact curvature and shape of her breasts. Her nipples were clearly visible through the thin material and bra she wore underneath it. Her heated flush swept from her cheeks down to her throat. She crossed her arms to cover herself and nodded.

  In his room, Chad walked to the highboy and pulled two of his college T-shirts from one of the drawers. Opening the closet, he looked over his choices, wanting something for Robin that would make her feel comfortable.

  One of the girls skipped into the room and slid to a stop. “Wow. This is the biggest bed I’ve ever seen!”

  He grinned, pulling a short sleeve, blue- striped shirt off the hanger and closing the closet. “Where’s your mom?”

  “Helping Lindy wash her hands. We got all muddy from helping Bessie.” She showed him her clean hands, then measured her height against the four-poster king pedestal bed. “Is this all yours?” “Yep.” He scooped up dirty clothes off the floor, stuffed them in the hamper and straightened the pile of books littering the floor.

  “I’m Boo. You can tell by the freckles across my nose. Lindy doesn’t have those.”

  “Thank you for telling me.”

  “You probably won’t get it right away. Most people don’t.”

  He laughed. “Probably not.”

  Boo studied the bed, walked from one side to the other and stopped to climb the two-stair stool at the side. “Does it hurt when you fall out?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never fallen out.” Chad laid the shirts on the bed.

  Boo looked suspiciously at the long bed skirt.

  “Do green slimy things live under there?”

  “No. Just a few dust bunnies. They’re like pumpkin magic. They tickle your toes and make you smile.”

  Boo scrunched her nose and studied his face with narrowed eyes, judging his trustworthiness. Lifting the bed skirt, she looked under the bed.

  Chad waited until she looked up again. “Like I said, a few dust bunnies.”

  “Lots of dust bunnies.” She dropped the bed skirt. “Mommy doesn’t let dust bunnies live under our beds.”

  He smiled. “That’s probably a good thing.” “Who sleeps with you?”

  Chad bit his lip to stifle his laughter. “Nobody. I sleep alone.”

  “You sure nobody sleeps in there with you? It’s awfully big.” Boo pounded the mattress.

  “No. Only me.”

  “Could my mom sleep with you?”

  Chad choked, caught by a blast of pure lust that rolled through his body. “I don’t think so, honey.”

  “Why? She’s nice, she’s cooks good and she could clean up your dust bunnies, too, so you wouldn’t have to.”

  Chad lifted Boo off the stair steps to the floor. “I’m sure your mom is nice, but a man and woman don’t share a bed, honey, unless they care for one another. At least I don’t. Your mom and I don’t even know each other. And I can clean my own dust bunnies.”

  “Bonnie Sue, where are you?” Robin walked into the room.

  Boo jerked, panic and guilt streaked across her face.

  “She’s right here.” Chad reached for the striped shirt and threw it in Robin’s direction. “You can change in the bathroom.”

  Robin eyed the door to the room in question, hesitating. She looked at Boo, then at Chad. Chad waited for her to weigh whatever decision she was making.

  “Boo, go sit with your sister. She’s in the kitchen. And don’t touch anything.” Boo nodded, then shot out of the room yelling for Lindy.

  Robin waited until Boo left the room. “Would you wait for me here?”

  Chad’s hackles rose. She obviously didn’t want him alone with her daughters.

  She read his irritation. “I’m from a big city where you don’t leave your kids alone with strangers. I know this is a small town and this is your house and maybe things are different here, but that’s what I would like. Will you wait for me here? Please?”

  “Sure.” Chad let his temper fade. She was right. One hour together over an injured dog didn’t define trust. Robin flipped the light switch in the bathroom and closed the door enough to have privacy.

  Chad leaned back against the bed and waited. Lindy had said they weren’t married. Did that mean there wasn’t a boyfriend either? Where was the girls’ father? Why wasn’t he in the picture? Were they divorced or had he walked away before marrying her? Chad tapped his lip, musing. Questions multiplied, but answers wouldn’t be forthcoming. Not enough trust. Yet.

  The bathroom door opened. Robin emerged, long fingers clawing through her disheveled, brown hair. Her gaze darted to the prints on the walls, the highboy and the four-poster bed. Even the carpet got a good look. She looked at everything but him.

  He swallowed all his questions and tried for casual conversation. “That looks good on you.” The blue of the shirt gave her skin a rosy glow.

  “You didn’t have to give me a new shirt.”

  “Meg gave it to me. I never wear it.”

  “Meg?” Her eyes shot to his ring finger. “Is she your girlfriend?”

  Sparks flashed from the depths of her eyes. If he’d been standing closer to her, he’d have been charred. Fascinating. “No. I don’t have a girlfriend. Meg’s my sister. She gave me the shirt for my birthday. It never fit and I didn’t take the time to take it back. You can have it.”

  Her mouth firmed. “I’ll wash it and give it back to you.”

  “You don’t need to.” Chad gritted his teeth.

  “I will anyway. I don’t accept charity.”

  “Suit yourself. Here’s a couple of my T-shirts for
the girls.” Chad handed her the two shirts for the girls and returned to the closet to search for the sleeping bags, throwing them out to the floor. Robin fascinated him. She was like a cat trapped in a tree— couldn’t get down, but hissing at anyone who offered to help.

  Robin turned off the bathroom light. “Let’s join the girls. I don’t like to leave them alone for long.”

  Before she finished her sentence, a resounding crash and breaking glass made them rush from the room.

  ~~CHAPTER THREE~~

  Robin rushed to the kitchen, Chad at her heels. The girls stood in the dining room gripping hands. A dainty grandmother clock lay in a shattered mess of ivory porcelain on the hardwood floor. Only the timing mechanism remained intact.

  After Robin checked the girls for cuts, they scooted around and cowered behind her legs. Dread settled in her stomach. “I’ll pay for it.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Chad twisted the dimmer switch to increase the lighting. He reached for the wastebasket in the corner and used a folded newspaper to sweep the shards into the trash.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Chad. I just wanted to look at the pretty clock.” Tears tracked down Lindy’s face. Similar tears pooled in Boo’s eyes.

  Chad knelt on one knee at Robin’s feet. He held out a hand to Lindy. Robin stood poised to pull Lindy into her arms, uncertain of what he planned.

  She remembered a broken teapot from her childhood, her mother’s anger, the screaming lecture and spanking.

  Chad’s face was calm and measured, though, with no hint of anger. Lindy reached for his hand and he propped her onto his knee and wiped her tears.

  He didn’t yell or scream at her, but whispered assurances instead. He gave Lindy a sturdy hug and set her back on her feet.

  “Can I make payments on the damages?” Robin’s mouth was so dry a simple swallow gagged her. Lindy slipped a hand into hers. Boo moved to stand in front of Robin and grabbed Lindy’s other hand.

  Chad rose. “No payments. It was an accident.”

  Robin found herself inches from his calm, blue eyes. Temptation sat on her conscience. It would be easy to take advantage of his generosity, but she never ducked responsibility. “I don’t take charity. Lindy broke it. I’ll pay for it.”

  “It isn’t charity, Robin.”

  “I’ll pay for it. I have my purse in the car.” Perhaps his pumpkin magic would stuff hundreds of dollars in her checkbook instead of only two weeks of grocery money. With no paycheck coming on Friday, she’d just have to tap into her allotted savings for next month. Regardless of her need, she always paid for her own mistakes, financial as well as emotional.

  Chad gripped her elbow to stop her move to the door. Robin looked down at the hand clasping her arm, the brush of his callused palm against her skin a reminder of exactly how long it had been since she’d allowed a man to touch her.

  She glared at him and he dropped his hand. “How about a compromise?”

  “What kind of compromise?” Robin studied him. Her experience proved any time a man suggested a compromise, she was in trouble. One part of her heart prayed for a legitimate offer with no strings attached. The other part—the one burned too many times—screamed at her to doubt every word.

  “Keep your money. Instead, I’ll hire you on a salary to itemize the antiques and clean out the house. You can make payments out of your salary.” Chad’s hand swept the room, his even tone reassuring. “This is only the beginning. There are four other bedrooms crammed full. You could work part-time, full-time, or on weekends. However you want to arrange it. The girls can come with you.”

  Robin checked out the room. More concerned about Lindy and Boo, she hadn’t looked when they’d rushed in. The dining room table dominated the room with its eight claw-footed chairs. One wall consisted of built-in bookshelves. The other walls were crowded with a buffet, a china cupboard and several curio cabinets. Porcelain teacups, collectable thimbles, crystal figurines, china and clocks crowded every open surface. When the girls had been little and confined to a stroller, she’d spent enough time browsing through antique shops to know the uniqueness and value of the collection. Several layers of Texas dust coated the table and the shelves. If the other rooms were as full as this one, she would have several weeks of full-time work. Being able to set her own hours would make things ideal.

  Robin narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Are you serious?”

  Chad nodded. “Totally. I’ve been meaning to do something about this, but by the time I come in from the field, I’m too tired to tackle it.”

  “How much is that clock worth?” Robin looked at the pieces in the wastebasket.

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I’d consider us even if my house got squared away.”

  “Why pay me, then? I sort and dispense with the extras around here and you get reimbursed for the clock?”

  Chad’s face hardened. “I pay for a day’s work. Just like you don’t take charity.”

  She mulled his answer over for a minute. Hope escaped its binding and lodged in her throat, making it hard to breath. Her fingers itched to explore all the cupboards and closets and her checkbook was begging for input. This offer would

  give her time to find a decent job without having to worry about running out of money.

  “Some of these are expensive pieces. Why get rid of them?” Robin released Lindy’s hand and wiped her palms on her jeans. She wasn’t sure she was qualified to judge the physical or emotional value of any of the collections. The scope of the task—what to sell, what had merit, what deserved to be left in his home—overpowered her. But hope clung like plastic wrap. “Surely you’ll want to keep some of it.”

  “Like I said, it isn’t mine. It came with the farm.”

  “Why did they leave it all behind?” Robin spied a big piece of the clock they’d missed. Bending down, she picked it up, careful to not cut herself and tossed it in the trash. The movement put her near him. His warmth and spicy scent washed over her.

  “I bought the house from Hap Bradley after his wife died. He had no other family and no heart to sort through the things she’d collected. He sold everything to me—the land, the house, the furnishings and equipment.”

  “Why did you keep it when you moved in? You could have cleaned then.”

  Chad sighed, exasperation in the line of his mouth. “I bought a two-hundred acre pumpkin farm. The land is my primary focus and takes a lot of energy. I haven’t made time to sort through any of it. When I moved in three years ago, I got as far as transferring stuff from the master bedroom, family room and kitchen to make it livable for me. Those are the rooms I use. The rest hasn’t been a priority.”

  Robin stared at him, unsatisfied with the answer. “But this is your home.”

  “Yes, it is. Hence, the reason I want to hire you to finally straighten it out.” Chad walked to the kitchen and came back with a broom and a dustpan. He swept the floor, double checking to be sure he didn’t miss any shards. Boo bent down and

  held the dustpan. Lindy clung to her mother’s leg.

  “Are you interested in the job? You can work it in with your other job, however you want to.”

  Boo rose from the chore and wrapped her arms around Lindy. “We don’t have another job. Mommy lost it. We just moved here.”

  “Downsizing.” Robin struggled to be matter-of- fact. “Seemed like a good time to change. I wanted a smaller town, smaller schools for when the girls start next year.”

  “Then you could work full-time.” Chad took the broom and dustpan back to the closet, cutting off her opportunity to respond.

  Robin reluctantly took the girls’ hands and led them to the kitchen. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Fair enough. Why don’t you take the girls back out to the shed and check on the dog? I’ll get the sleeping bags squared away.”

  Returning to the kitchen, Robin picked up the shirts from where she’d dropped them on the counter and took the girls to the bathroom to change. As she made her w
ay to the barn, she considered Chad’s offer. Simple solutions didn’t ever bounce her way. There was a catch in there somewhere.

  She just wasn’t able to find it in the middle of his plain, logical speaking.

  Robin dreamt. Warm and safe, a gentle hand caressed her face. The sense of being cherished healed something in her care-starved soul. Snuggling closer, she tightened her arms. This time, whoever it was would keep her. He wouldn’t

  disappear like her parents had or dump her like the girls’ daddy before he even met his precious daughters. This time it would be different.

  “Robin.”

  No! I don’t want to wake up. If I do, this beautiful feeling will go away.

  “Wake up. Bessie had her puppies.”

  The deep voice rolled over her, doing funny things to her dream. Safety turned to an inferno. Passion blasted over her skin like sun on black pavement. Who in the heck was Bessie?

  “Come on sweetheart. We have an audience.” Robin sighed. She knew the minute she cracked an eyelid, the fantasy would die. She kept her eyes tightly closed.

  “Robin.” His voice was insistent.

  She pried open one eye and glared at the metal roof over her head. For a long minute, she couldn’t remember where she was. Turning her head, she snuggled closer to the warmth, blinking her eyes.

  “I take it you’re not a morning person.” Chad’s chin came into focus.

  “That would be a safe bet.” Robin closed her eyes to go back to sleep, but reality finally registered.

  Oh, my God!

  She was using Chad Applegate for a mattress.

  She struggled to stand, but the sleeping bag tangled around her feet. Out of balance, she tipped toward the ground. Chad grabbed her arms, rising to his feet with her pulled against his chest to steady her. Panic and agitation sizzled, raw

  memories churning through her.

  “Let go of me.” She slapped his hands away.

  “Relax, will you? You’re tangled up in the sleeping bag and about to fall on that pretty nose.”

  “Exactly how did I get into your sleeping bag?” Robin clamped her mouth shut on further accusation.