by Marin Thomas
“We’re not mutts,” Mig said.
“That’s up for debate. Pull the plug and don’t move.” He opened the door and stuck his head into the hall. “Beth?”
The boards on the stairs popped and creaked, then a moment later she appeared on the landing. “Will you fetch a pitcher or a bowl I can use to rinse the boys off with?”
“Sure.” Beth rummaged through the kitchen cupboards until she found a plastic juice pitcher. When she delivered the container to Mack, she gaped at the scene in the bathroom.
“Look, Uncle Mack.” Javi pointed to the doorway. “Aunt Beth’s catching flies.”
“That’s what Uncle Porter says to Javi ’cause he never shuts his mouth,” Mig said.
“He says that to you, too.” Javi pushed his brother.
“No shoving in the tub.” Mack took the pitcher. “Thanks.”
While the boys argued, the words Aunt Beth wrapped her in a warm hug and a yearning sensation grabbed hold of her heart, squeezing until her chest ached.
This was what it would be like to have children—the amusement, the messes and the love. It was missing out on the love that bothered her most about never having a child of her own.
“Shoot,” Mack said. “I forgot to call Dave and tell him we wouldn’t be back tonight.”
“I spoke to him,” Beth said. “He wants you to let him know in the morning if you need to stay here and help with the boys.”
“Aunt Beth.” Miguel shivered in his towel.
“Yes, Mig?”
“Can we camp outside in a tent?”
“Wait a minute, guys—”
“Sure. As long as you go to sleep when Uncle Mack says. You can’t miss the school bus in the morning.” Beth smiled at Mack’s incredulous stare. “I’d better check on Nate.” The toddler had been sleeping for the past hour in the family room.
“Uncle Mack.” Mig’s voice floated into the hallway and she paused on the landing. “I like Aunt Beth. She’s cool.”
“Yeah, she’s way cool,” Javi said.
“I agree.” Mack’s deeper voice sent shivers down her spine. “Aunt Beth is way cool.”
Back in the family room Beth read a magazine article on homemade remedies for laundry stains. Fifteen minutes later the boys and Mack came downstairs, grabbed a snack then went outside to pitch a tent in the yard. Nate made soft snoring sounds from his bed on the couch and soon Beth drifted off to sleep with him.
“Shh...”
The whispered hush woke Beth and she sat up quickly, the magazine in her lap falling to the floor.
“I’m sorry.” Dixie offered a smile as she approached the couch and peered at her son. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Nate fell asleep after supper,” Beth said. “He didn’t eat much, but he did drink a glass of milk.”
“That’s fine.” Dixie felt his head. “He’s warm again.”
“Is that bad?”
“He’s been running a low-grade fever for the past two days. I think we’re going to take the doctor’s advice and have tubes put in his ears.”
“I’ve heard of children having trouble with ear infections,” Beth said.
Dixie lifted her sleeping son into her arms and snuggled him close. “This little cowboy has given me fits since day one. Colicky and never-ending ear infections, but if he grows up to be just like his daddy, then I’m not complaining.” Dixie’s love for her husband echoed strongly in her voice.
“Did Mack tell you about the girls?” Dixie asked.
“No.”
“They each weighed a little over five pounds. They’re tiny like their mother and they both have her dark hair.”
“Have they decided on names?”
“Emma and Molly.”
“Pretty names,” Beth said.
She picked up the magazine and set it on the coffee table. “I should see if Mack needs help with the boys.”
Dixie trailed Beth through the house. “Conway said to tell you and Mack that he’d make it back to the farm tomorrow before the bus brought the boys home from school.”
“I made the twins lunches, and I checked their backpacks for any notes from their teachers.” Beth walked onto the back porch.
“Mack would never have thought to look in their backpacks. Sounds like you have everything under control.” Dixie descended the steps.
“Wait. You forgot the diaper bag.” Beth fetched the tote from the kitchen and handed it to Dixie. Then she got her first good look at the tent. The shelter listed slightly to the right, one side of the canvas sagging. Flashlights inside the tent illuminated the boys’ shadows as they moved about.
Mack and his brother-in-law stood next to the pickups looking at pictures on their phones.
“Beth, did you see the girls?” Mack asked when she and Dixie joined them. He ran his finger across the bottom of the phone, revealing several photos of the happy couple and the newborns.
“They’re sweethearts,” Beth said.
“Check out the photo I sent Conway.” Mack showed his phone to his sister.
“Mack!” Dixie snorted. “Thank God Beth was here to help with Nate. No way am I ever leaving you alone with my son.”
“Hey, I’m a great babysitter.” Mack glanced at Beth for confirmation. “Right?”
“I don’t know about great,” she said. “But the boys love you.”
Gavin took Nate from Dixie and put him in his child seat, then the couple got into their truck and drove off.
“Beth.”
“What?”
Mack clasped her face between his hands, his breath puffing against her lips. “Thank you for helping me with the boys. I couldn’t have asked for a better sidekick than you.” He kissed her—not the slow, gentle caress she’d been dreaming about for hours but a hot, deep, lusty, I-want-you kiss.
There was no mistaking the hardening bulge nudging her stomach, and she wished they could send the twins inside to their beds and commandeer the tent for themselves. When they came up for air, he said, “The more I kiss you, the more I want to.”
Beth felt the same.
“Come join us in the tent. There’s plenty of room.”
“One of us needs a decent night’s sleep in order to get the twins ready for school in the morning.”
“Are you always this sensible?”
“Of course.” She nodded. “I’ll say good-night to the boys.” She walked away from Mack—while she still could—and rapped her knuckles on the canvas. “Knock, knock.”
The zipper lowered and two heads poked out.
“I wanted to say good-night.”
“You’re not gonna sleep with us?” Javi asked.
“I’m afraid not.” She bent over and whispered, “But you two are going to have to take care of your uncle because he’s afraid of the dark.”
Miguel’s gaze shifted to Mack, who was texting on his phone. “He is?”
“Yep. But don’t tell him I told you.” She kept a straight face at their befuddled expressions. “As long as you sleep real close to him and hold his hand he’ll be fine.”
“Okay,” Javi said. “We won’t let him be afraid.” The boys retreated inside the tent then Beth spoke to Mack. “Where should I sleep tonight?”
He shoved the phone into his pocket. “You can take one of the boys’ beds. Isi keeps clean sheets in the linen closet at the end of the hallway.”
“I hate to mess up their bed for one night. The couch is fine.”
“Isi wouldn’t want you to sleep on the couch after helping me take care of her sons.”
“Fine. I’ll pick a bed.”
He leaned in and kissed her. “Dream about me.”
After that kiss she didn’t have any choice.
*
* *
“HOW’D I GET tricked into helping you again?” Porter maneuvered the wire stretcher into place and pulled the barbed wire taut, then Mack stapled it to the post.
“You don’t have a job. That’s why you’re here.” Mack whipped off his hat and rubbed his shirtsleeve across his brow. The fifty head of cattle from the Still Water Ranch were scheduled to arrive in a couple of days and he and Porter were installing the final leg of fencing to prevent the herd from wandering off to Mexico when Mack’s back was turned.
“I interviewed for a job last week,” Porter said.
“Oh, yeah?” Mack admired their handiwork, his eyes searching for a weak spot in the twelve-foot span. “Where?”
“Del Mar Rodeo Productions.”
“What would you do for them?”
“Haul bulls to rodeos.”
“Seriously? You’re going to give up rodeo to drive a cattle rig?” Porter was a decent rodeo cowboy. If he put his mind to it, he’d make good money on the circuit, but he got sidetracked by all the pretty women and couldn’t concentrate worth a damn.
“Hey, you guys are always telling me I need to think about the future and find steady employment.”
“Yeah, but a job delivering bulls?”
“The owner says I can compete in the rodeos I deliver the bulls to as long as I don’t deviate from the schedule.”
“When do you start?” Mack asked.
“I haven’t gotten the job yet.” Porter grinned. “If they hire me as a driver it’ll be a temporary position.”
Mack busted up laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“How temporary?” One week was Porter’s usual M.O.
“A few months. I’ll show you that I can stick to a job.”
Mack read the seriousness in his brother’s eyes. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why this job? Why now?”
Porter shuffled his feet. “Maybe because my siblings are all tying the knot and settling down.”
“I’m still single.”
“Not for long.” Porter handed the wire stretcher to Mack. “Hoss said you and Beth stayed overnight in Prescott. Are things becoming serious between you two?”
“Maybe.” It sure felt like it on his part, but Mack wasn’t as certain Beth’s feelings for him were traveling down the same road.
“What’s her story? Hoss said you two had met before she showed up at the ranch.” Porter snapped his fingers and his eyes widened. “No way. She’s the Just Beth you talked about that afternoon in the bunkhouse.”
Mack wouldn’t mind sharing with Porter, but Beth was a private person, and she wouldn’t want his brother knowing the details of their one-night stand.
“Beth used to be married to the sportscaster for Channel 3.”
“Brad Stevens?”
“That’s the—” jerk “—guy.”
“Why’d they divorce?”
“Same reasons most people get divorced.”
“Which one cheated?” Porter asked.
“Stevens cheated with Beth’s boss.”
“Ouch.” Porter frowned. “That means you’re her rebound guy.”
Acid churned in Mack’s stomach. As much as he wanted to believe he wasn’t Beth’s boy toy, she’d given him no reason to suggest otherwise. As a matter of fact she’d tried to tell him that he wasn’t her forever guy the morning after in Prescott.
“Did I hit a nerve?” Porter asked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t—”
Mack walked to the pickup and hopped in, then drove it to where they’d set the last fence post. He hauled another post from the truck bed and dropped it on the ground. When Porter caught up, he said, “I’m thinking we should reinforce this section.”
The fence didn’t require an additional post but the frustration that had been building inside Mack needed an outlet. He and Beth hadn’t had any privacy since they’d returned from Prescott. First they had to take care of the twins, and then the next group of guests arrived at the dude ranch, and he had to entertain three families while Beth remained hidden away in her cabin. And as soon as the guests departed this morning, he and Porter had gone out to finish the fence.
Mack was suffering from severe Beth withdrawal.
His brother’s phone went off but Mack barely heard the conversation. After Porter hung up, he said, “That was Conway. He wants to know when we’re coming to see the girls.”
Tonight would be the only time Mack could squeeze in a visit to the farm. “I’ll head out there later.” He’d ask Beth to go with him.
“We’ve got company.” Porter pointed into the distance.
As Hoss’s truck drew closer, Mack spotted Beth behind the wheel. His heart stumbled, then regained its balance and beat hard inside his chest. “Take a hike, Porter.”
“We’re in the middle of the desert.”
Mack grinned. “Go look for water.”
Porter picked up the post digger and went off to dig.
When Beth stopped the truck, Mack approached the driver’s-side window. “Mornin’.” She looked so damned good—probably because he hadn’t been this close to her in days.
“What’s Porter doing?” she asked.
“Staying out of earshot.”
“Why?”
“So I can do this.” Mack stuck his head through the window and planted an intimate kiss on her lips.
When he pulled away, she fumbled with the picnic basket on the seat next to her. “I brought lunch.”
“Thanks.” He loved that his kisses made her blush. “How would you like to go with me tonight to see Conway and Isi’s girls?”
“I’m afraid I’m busy.”
There had been no hesitation in her answer and Mack was surprised she didn’t want to see the newborns. “What are you doing?”
“Filling out a job application,” she said.
“Where?”
“In my cabin.”
“No, where’s the job located?” he asked.
“San José.”
“California?”
“Yes, California. I have to find a job. I can’t live at the dude ranch forever.”
February first was two days away—the month had flown by. “You can spare a few hours to visit a pair of cute babies, can’t you?”
“I’m sorry, but I—”
“Mig and Javi miss you.” He knew Beth had a soft spot for the boys, especially Javi, who had latched on to her when they’d spent the night at the farm with them. “Don’t you want to hear what they think of their new sisters?”
She cracked a smile, then it quickly faded. “I’m sure the boys love the babies.”
“Come with me.”
“I can’t.”
Can’t? “Sure you can.” He motioned to the fence. “As soon as Porter and I string the rest of the wire, we’ll leave.”
“I really don’t think—”
Mack leaned inside the window for a second kiss, but Beth stiffened. “What’s wrong?”
She wouldn’t make eye contact with him and he got a sick feeling in his gut—she was pulling away.
He tugged off his leather gloves, then grasped her chin and turned her head toward him, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Isi wants to thank you for helping me with the boys. Please come with me.”
His stomach twisted tighter as he watched the struggle in her eyes. She really didn’t want to go with him. He tried to back off, but fear that he was losing her wouldn’t let him. “I’ll knock on your cabin door when I’m ready.” He didn’t want to give her a chance to say no again, so he grabbed the picnic basket and said, “Thanks for bringing us lunch.” When he moved away from the truck, she took off like a bat out of hell. Mack walked over to Porter. “Beth brought us lunch.”
“Yeah, it looked
like she wanted to give you more than food.”
“Jealous?” Mack grinned even though deep down he suspected Beth was serious about putting distance between them.
Porter opened his mouth but nothing came out. Then he scowled and muttered, “Shut up.” He fished a sandwich from the basket and took a huge bite.
“We’re finishing this fence pronto,” Mack said.
“Eager to see the babies?” Porter asked.
“Sure.” That was partly the truth. But Mack also felt a desperate need to keep Beth within arm’s reach. Yes, she’d been honest with him from the get-go, claiming that she’d consider all her options when she searched for a new job. But it hurt that after the time they’d spent together she still wasn’t ruling out moving away from Yuma. And him.
Chapter Eleven
“They’re beautiful girls, Isi.” The infants slept side by side in one of the cribs. The nursery walls had been painted pink and sported a paper border of dancing ballerinas. A pink rug covered the wood floor, and both cribs, a rocking chair, dresser and changing table had been painted a glossy white. The room shone with love.
“They’re precious,” Isi said, “but I know from experience that they’re a lot of work the first few years.” She motioned for Beth to follow her, and the women returned to the kitchen, where Isi made tea. “I can’t believe I’m done having children and you haven’t even begun.”
The innocent comment sliced through Beth, and she dropped her gaze to the dark liquid in her mug.
“I guess that’s what happens when you have two babies at once,” Isi said.
“It’s nice that Miguel and Javier will help look after the girls as they grow up.”
Isi set a plate of cookies on the table. “Help yourself. I have four canisters of homemade treats in the freezer.” She raised her hands in surrender. “Why is it that everyone brings you sweets when you have kids, and that’s the last thing the boys should be eating so much of?”
Beth’s face heated and Isi laughed. “Your box of candy doesn’t count. That’s for me. I don’t share chocolate.”
Beth had wanted to bring Isi a welcome-home-from-the-hospital gift but the only place to buy anything on the way to the farm had been the gas station convenience store in Stagecoach where she’d purchased the box of Valentine’s Day candy.
