by Cora Seton
“I could always skip the dance.”
Mason looked up. “And miss out on that revolver? Absolutely not. You’re here for a crash course on surviving civilian life. All of us men here at Crescent Hall have made the transition and you can too. Participation is the first step.”
“None of you came home injured.” Ben jiggled the baby, who was gnawing on his shoulder.
“Not in our bodies, maybe, but we carried some scars, believe me. And we had to marry before a deadline.”
Aaron waved a hand and smacked Ben in the face. His tiny fingers curled around Ben’s nose. Ben peeled the little hand away and blew a raspberry on Aaron’s round tummy. The baby squealed and laughed.
Mason smiled indulgently. “He likes that.”
Proud to have accomplished such a thing, Ben forgot his troubles for a moment. “I guess I’ll find me that date.” He could stand one evening with a stranger in order to earn that firearm. He might not be able to dance very well—and his partner had better understand that up front—but he could shoot. It was a connection to his military life he didn’t intend to give up.
“You’ve got three days.”
“If there’s one thing I know how to do,” Ben said, “it’s lay a trap. Right Aaron?” He blew another raspberry on the baby’s tummy. Aaron shrieked and laughed in agreement.
Dan walked into the barn, spotted them and made his way over. “Thought I might find you here. Can you help me out later today, Ben?”
“Sure. Don’t know what I can do that you couldn’t do better yourself, though.”
He didn’t like the look the other two men exchanged. He knew without being told his attitude sucked. SEALs didn’t whine and they didn’t put themselves down, either. Still, every time he opened his mouth negativity spilled out.
“No one beats you when it comes to shooting. I want you to help me design a program for the camp. Something that goes beyond target practice to really hone the participants’ skills. Let’s meet up after lunch.” He didn’t wait around for an answer.
Ben watched him stride out the door, envying him that freedom of movement. He wondered if he’d ever get used to his new limitations and for the twentieth time that day promised himself to stop obsessing about his injury.
“Set Aaron down for a second and help me with this, would you?” Mason said. He was elbow deep in the innards of the tractor. Ben shrugged off his light jacket, laid it out on the dirt floor and set Aaron down gently on it.
“Stay right there,” he warned the tiny boy. Aaron cooed at him and grabbed at the coat. Hurrying to Mason, Ben kept an eye on the baby. He’d seen Aaron crawl and knew the tot could move like lightning when he put his mind to it.
“Hold that,” Mason instructed.
Ben did what he was told and together they managed to undo a particularly stubborn bolt. Mason dug deeper into tractor’s movable parts while Ben straightened. He glanced over his shoulder at where he’d left the boy.
“Shit!”
Mason’s ratchet hit the ground with a clang as Ben launched himself to stop Aaron from grabbing hold of a scythe that leaned in one corner of the large, dusty room. He’d known Aaron was fast, but he hadn’t thought he could cross the barn in such a short time. Ben landed hard on his side in reach of the baby and was able to lift Aaron up and away from the blade of the scythe before he could touch the sharp instrument. Mason joined him a second later and scooped his son into his arms. As Ben pushed himself up to a sitting position, Mason hurried to fetch his cane and hand it to him. Ben struggled to stand. In the end he needed Mason’s arm to get upright.
“You got him just in time.”
“Shouldn’t have put him down in the first place,” Ben said.
“That’s my fault, not yours.” Mason jiggled the baby in his arms, inspecting his hands to make sure they hadn’t been cut. “That was close.”
“All’s well that ends well.” Ben dusted off his jeans. Mason was right; he’d prevented Aaron from getting hurt, but only because he’d gotten lucky. If his initial lunge hadn’t carried him far enough, he couldn’t have gotten to his feet again and run for it. He hated to think what the consequences might have been.
“I told you already; I’m not going to that stupid dance.” Caitlyn passed a wedding gown to her aunt.
“It’s not a stupid dance. It’s a Chance Creek tradition.” Ellie took the gown from her hands, fluffed it out and hung it from a metal rack. She used the steamer to rid it of wrinkles while Caitlyn paced up and down the small room.
“Whatever it is, I’m not interested.”
“You’re never interested in social events. I can’t understand it.”
“I had enough of that kind of torture back in high school, thank you very much.” Ellie would understand it if she could have heard Lilian and Brittany earlier. They were years out of school, but sometimes Caitlyn felt as if nothing had changed. Gossip was a currency in this small town and even though Lottie was six months old, her single-mother story was still headline news.
“If you had a boyfriend you’d feel differently.”
Caitlyn stifled the urge to run right out of the bridal store. When Ellie had offered her an assistant manager position in her boutique she’d accepted it gladly as a chance to put her business school education to the test. What other job could she get when everyone in town knew she had an infant at home and no one to help her? At the few interviews she’d managed to score, the issue of Lottie always came up. Did Caitlyn have daycare arranged? What if her provider was sick? What if Caitlyn was sick? Her would-be employers made it clear they assumed she’d miss too many days. By the time Ellie made her offer, Caitlyn had been desperate. She was prepared to help Ellie in all aspects of the job, but so far that work had been limited to steaming garments, ringing up sales and exclaiming over brides-to-be.
“You know why I don’t have a boyfriend.” Wasn’t a baby enough? She didn’t have the time or the inclination to date, no matter what Ellie thought. When she’d found herself pregnant she’d known the road ahead of her wouldn’t be easy, but from the day she’d read the home pregnancy test results she’d wanted nothing more than to have her child.
She and Lottie were a team and she was happy. Mostly.
Actually, she was lonely too. Sometimes when she held Lottie, she wished someone would hold her, too. When Lottie did something amazing, she longed to turn to someone and share the fun. And late at night, as tired as she was after a day of work and a night with her baby, she couldn’t help wishing she had a husband to share her bed. But what man would want to be saddled with a baby that wasn’t his?
“Lots of single mothers date,” Ellie said, as if reading her mind. She hung up the first dress and reached for another. “Hand me that, would you?”
Caitlyn did so. “Maybe. When their children are older.”
“Motherhood is sexy.”
“Ellie!”
“It is. Next time you push Lottie down the street in her stroller, take a look around you. I’ll bet you see someone looking back.”
Sure she would; some nice octogenarian who missed his grandkids, probably.
“I’m not going to the dance. That’s final.”
Ellie sighed again. “Then when will I get to help you pick out your wedding dress?”
At this rate? Never, Caitlyn thought.
Chapter Three
‡
“I’ll pick up the parts I need. You go grab us some burgers at the Shack. I told Dan I’d have you back to the ranch by two.” Mason headed off down the sidewalk leaving Ben to enter the local fast food joint near where they’d parked. Just past noon, the Burger Shack was full and he saw he’d have to wait in line. His foot already ached from standing all morning while Mason struggled to fix the tractor. Then he’d jerked his sore ankle when he’d dived across the barn to save Aaron from the scythe. Now he’d need to stand some more. Once again he pushed down his impatience. He’d been through worse during his time with the SEALs. Besides, waiting in line gave h
im time to scope out the crowd for a potential date. He wanted that revolver and he’d risk rejection for the chance to acquire it.
Chance Creek was growing on him and the Burger Shack illustrated what he liked about it most—the sense of community he saw everywhere. Customers chatted away in line and the counter personnel greeted most of them by name. Laughter erupted from the tables behind him from time to time, and children raced around freely. Ahead of him, a matronly lady with white hair held a baby to her shoulder. The child’s wide eyes gazed at him unblinkingly, reminding him of Aaron back at the ranch, who had now been safely restored to Regan. This baby was decidedly female, however, in her pink outfit. Even her tiny features were feminine.
“What are you looking at, Lottie?” The woman turned around, saw him and smiled. “I knew she had made a friend. Lottie’s the most determined flirt I ever met.”
“She doesn’t eat hamburgers, does she?” Ben asked as the line inched forward.
“Oh, heavens, no.” The woman laughed at him. “Not for another few months, I’d think. I’m Ellie by the way. Ellie Donaldson. I own the bridal store in town.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Ben Warren. I’m afraid I don’t know much about babies’ feeding habits.”
“That’s all right; someday you’ll have your own and then you’ll learn. Won’t he, Lottie?” She gave the little girl a kiss and bounced her gently in her arms.
“First I’ll need a wife. I can’t even manage to get a date for the Harvest Dance.” He figured Ellie knew lots of women in her line of work. Maybe she’d know a potential partner for him.
A gleam kindled in Ellie’s eyes. “If you’re looking for a date, I know the perfect person. Caitlyn, you don’t have a date for the dance, do you?” She nudged the woman ahead of her in line, who so far had shown no inkling that she’d been listening to the conversation. As she turned his way, Ben’s interest grew. She wore a tailored skirt and jacket and classic pumps, a far more formal get up than most people in the restaurant. But it wasn’t her clothes that caught his attention; it was Caitlyn’s delicate beauty. She had wide eyes, a tumble of chestnut hair and fair skin that flushed under his gaze.
“I already told you, Ellie. I’m not going to that dance. I have better things to do. Nothing personal,” she added to Ben.
A minute ago he hadn’t wanted to go, either. Now he’d changed his mind. “What’s so important that you have to do?”
“I don’t know… laundry. Shopping. Washing my car.”
“Caitlyn.” Ellie tsked. “Excuse my niece. She doesn’t get out much these days.”
“I can see why. Her evenings are packed with excitement as it is,” he teased.
Caitlyn looked annoyed. “It’s none of your business how I spend my evenings.” Her flush deepened.
“I just don’t see why you’d turn me down.” He meant it as a joke, but he must have gotten it wrong, because Caitlyn’s temper flared.
“Why? Because you think I’m that desperate?”
His good humor vanished in an instant. She didn’t need to remind him it would take a desperate woman to be attracted to him. “I guess you looked desperate enough I thought I’d try my luck.” He turned on his heel and walked away as quickly as he could.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t very fast.
“Your mama raised you better than to make fun of an injured man,” Ellie said.
Caitlyn watched Ben retreat in horror. She hadn’t realized the handsome stranger was lame until he’d walked away. He must think she’d been taunting him deliberately. With his good looks and confidence she’d assumed he was the one taunting her. What a stupid mistake.
Not that he deserved her sympathy; not after his crack about her being desperate. Just because she was a single mom didn’t mean she was there for just any man’s taking.
“I didn’t mean it like that. You know it.”
“Then go say you’re sorry.”
“It’ll just make it worse.”
Ben passed through the door, which swung shut behind him. Ellie frowned and shifted Lottie to her other hip. “You might be right. Next time think before you speak, though.”
“There won’t be a next time. Besides, he was just as rude.” But regret coursed through her at the thought he’d never want to talk to her again. She didn’t meet men like Ben very often these days. He’d been handsome in a rugged, sexy way that immediately put her on alert. Had he really been interested in her? It seemed unlikely.
“You should have said yes. That young man had the guts to ask you out—”
“No, he didn’t. You did!”
Ellie humphed. “You’ll get what you deserve when you’re home alone on Saturday night.”
Caitlyn watched Ben through the plate glass window. As he made his way along the street outside of the restaurant, she thought her aunt might be right. Ben’s limp gave a slightly dangerous air to his already compelling looks. He was powerfully built and moved like a man who knew his mind. If only he hadn’t insulted her.
If only she hadn’t insulted him back.
Chapter Four
‡
“Where’s lunch?” Mason asked when Ben met up with him empty handed.
“Forget lunch. Let’s go fix that tractor.” He wanted to get out of here before he punched something and broke his fist, too.
“Not on an empty stomach.”
“Then let’s go somewhere else.” Ben kept going toward Mason’s truck.
“What happened in there?”
“Met a woman.”
“Really?” Mason brightened.
“She didn’t like my looks.”
“Oh.” After a moment Mason followed him to the truck. “Well, that’s her loss.”
“No, I think it’s mine actually.” He opened the door and climbed in the passenger side. Mason entered the truck and turned the key in the ignition. “She was beautiful. I probably shouldn’t have snapped at her.”
“Probably not.”
“She snapped first, though.”
“She got a name?”
“Caitlyn. Her aunt’s name is Ellie Donaldson.”
“Got it. I heard Caitlyn was working with her aunt this summer. She has a degree in business. The women were talking about her and how the bridal shop might be a little tame for her abilities.” Mason pulled out onto the main drag and drove a few blocks. “Let’s try DelMonaco’s. It’ll take longer but that’s okay. Did you meet her kid? It must be hard to be so young and on her own with a child.”
“Child?” He closed his eyes. The baby in Ellie’s arms. Of course she must have been Caitlyn’s child. “I guess I did. I just didn’t realized it was hers.” He replayed their conversation in his mind, stalling out on the part where she’d gone from pleasant to angry. Something he’d said must have triggered that. Did she think he’d called her desperate because she was a single mother?
“Would you hold that against her? That she has a kid?”
“No.” He was surprised to find it was true. “I wouldn’t mind that. Although, I think she might hold it against me.”
“Not sure I follow.”
“A mother would think twice about dating me.”
“Man, you’ve got to knock that chip right off your shoulder. You’re healthy, strong, smart. What’s a little limp?”
“You saw what happened this morning.”
“When you saved Aaron? You got there faster than I did.”
“I got lucky.” They arrived at DelMonaco’s in a matter of minutes. Ben sighed when it was time to get out of the truck again. His ankle was beginning to throb, but there was nothing for it but to keep going. He took hold of the door’s handle. “Caitlyn wanted nothing to do with me.” Which was a shame because she pushed all the right buttons for him.
“You sure about that?”
“She came right out and said it. That a woman would have to be desperate to want me.” He pushed open the door and got out.
“Seriously?” Mason got out too.
“Seriously.”
“Then she’s not worth a minute of your time.”
“Oops—your daughter is about to eat that sand!”
Caitlyn looked up from her phone in time to see Lottie lift a fistful of playground sand into her mouth. “Lottie, no!” Caitlyn shoved the phone in her pocket and scooped Lottie up, intercepting her hand before it reached its destination. She felt her cheeks heat as she faced the other mother, a petite brunette with straight dark, waist length hair pulled up into a high ponytail. “Thank you for warning me. I was just checking in about work.”
“No problem. Pamela loves to eat sand, too.” She pointed to a sturdy toddler playing near the slide. “I’m Mia, by the way. Mia Matheson. I think you were a couple of years ahead of me in school. Aren’t you Ellie Donaldson’s niece?”
“I am. I’m working with her at the bridal shop. My name’s Caitlyn.” Mia did look familiar, but they hadn’t run in the same crowd. Back in school Caitlyn had been eager to hang out with the older kids. She hadn’t paid much attention to the younger ones.
“Then we’ll get to be good friends. I run a wedding planning business and Ellie and I work together all the time.”
Caitlyn made the connection. Ellie had mentioned Mia before, but without a face to put to the name it had slipped her mind. “I guess we will. How old is Pamela?”
“Eighteen months. What about your daughter?”
“Lottie is seven months.”
“She’s adorable.” When Pamela began to bang on the slide with her open palm, Mia crossed to her and helped her up to the top. She came around to stand at the bottom as Pamela slid down, and caught her up in her arms. “You’re on your own, right?”
Once again the speed of gossip in this town surprised Caitlyn when it really shouldn’t have. “That’s right.”
“I was too, you know. I picked a real winner when I decided to date Pamela’s father. He was married, for one thing, and not interested in getting divorced. I was so embarrassed when I found out I was pregnant.”
Surprised at this confession, Caitlyn put Lottie down again, but kept a close eye on the little girl to make sure she didn’t try another go at the sand. “But you married one of the Mathesons?”
