by Judy Duarte
“Cute,” Angie said. “Very cute.”
He tossed her the dish towel closest to him. She caught it, then walked to the sink, dampened it and wiped off her face.
“Is dinner ready yet?” Kylie asked.
“Almost, honey.” Angie grabbed a slice of Kylie’s favorite American cheese. “Snack on this and I’ll call you guys in just a couple of minutes.”
“Okay.” Kylie took the cheese, then dashed out of the kitchen and back to the family room.
Deciding to get their earlier conversation back on track, Toby said, “Actually, just to set the record straight, the Horseback Hollow Fortunes aren’t rich like our cousins from Red Rock, Atlanta or the U.K. So taking on the kids did put me in a financial bind at first, but not for long. Someone apparently wanted to help out and donated money to cover those expenses and then some.”
“That’s amazing. What a generous gift.”
“It certainly was. I wish I could thank them, but it was an anonymous donor.”
“Could it have been their father or maybe one of their long-lost relatives?” she asked.
Toby snorted. “I doubt that. I’m more inclined to think that it was one of my long-lost family members.”
“Who? Or would you rather not share that with me?”
“My best guess and number one suspect is James Marshall Fortune, Sawyer’s father and my mother’s brother. I think it was his way of indirectly giving my mom some of those shares of stock she returned to him last year. But I’m not going to push too hard to find out. If the donor wants to remain anonymous, then I’ll respect that.”
“Nevertheless, I still think it’s wonderful that someone wanted to help the kids.”
“That’s how I see it, too. The money was actually given to me through an attorney in Lubbock, along with a note saying that it was to offset the costs I incurred by taking in the kids. But that I should spend it as I saw fit. That’s what made me think the donor had to be my uncle.” Toby raked his hand through his hair. “I wrestled with my pride for a while and was tempted to refuse it. But then I realized the kids really deserved it. And it would provide a better life for them. So I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“I assume it was a substantial amount.”
“Enough to see them each through high school and to pay for their college. So I put the money into a trust fund for them. It’s invested and provides a monthly income that helps cover their expenses and pays for extra things like swim lessons and dance classes. Summer camp, too. Stuff like that.”
“Wow. That’s awesome.” She tossed him a dazzling smile, then added, “You’re awesome, Toby.”
Angie gazed at him as if he’d just been awarded the Medal of Honor. And while he found her admiration touching, it also felt undeserved. So he lobbed a playful smile at her in return. “Yep. A horrible bargain shopper, but an awesome man.”
Toby leaned toward the bag of cheap flour again and Angie threw up her arms in protection. “No, no, I give up. You are not only a good man, but a fine steward of your money. You make excellent shopping decisions. You should be on that coupon show on TV.”
“Now I know you’re full of it,” Toby said, laughing along with her.
Teasing had been a way of life in the Fortune Jones household, and he liked that Angie was the kind of woman who found it so easy to banter.
“Okay,” she said. “The ingredients are all set.”
“Do you want me to call in the kids?”
“Go right ahead. I’ll turn on the oven and get the drinks.” Angie went to the refrigerator door, paused and stared at the most recent flyer. “Speaking of saving money, it looks like they’re offering two free weeks of classes at the Y this month. Maybe I should check into that. I’ve always wanted to see what yoga is all about.”
Toby didn’t know if she was talking to him or to herself, but apparently there was yet another interest she wanted to add to what had to be a lengthy list.
She tossed him a pretty smile. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll become a yoga instructor someday.”
“Speaking of people who run around too much,” he said, returning her smile with a teasing grin, “what about you?”
“Me?” Angie tilted her head slightly and furrowed her brow. “What about me?”
“You seem to change jobs a lot. Why not find a good, full-time position and stick with it?”
“I will someday. But I want something that I can feel passionate about. Maybe, if I keep trying different things, I’ll eventually find the career I’m best suited for.”
He hoped she came across it soon—for her sake.
And maybe for his. She really was easy to talk to, and the kids adored her. If she were more settled, he’d like to see where this relationship—if he could even call it that—would go.
But he couldn’t risk allowing himself or the kids to get too close to someone who could be gone working on an oil rig or joining the military or going to cosmetology school or wherever the wind took her next month.
Unless, of course, Angie had already worked on an oil rig and had crossed that off her to-do list.
If he didn’t have the kids and didn’t need her help, he’d...
He’d what? Cut her loose?
That might be the wisest thing to do.
So why did he feel like reeling her in?
Because she was beautiful. And fun to be around. In fact, if he didn’t have the kids to think about, good ole dependable Toby might even consider doing something wild and crazy—like having a one-night stand or a weekend fling with her.
Talk about something totally out of character for a guy like him.
But yeah, if he were footloose and fancy-free, that was exactly what he’d do.
As he took another glance at Angie, saw the glimmer in her eyes, caught a whiff of her citrusy scent...
Well, heck. If he had a babysitter willing to spend the weekend at the ranch with the kids, he just might consider taking Angie for a night or two on the town in Lubbock anyway.
* * *
The pizza-making station had been a smashing success. Altogether, they’d created three medium lopsided pizzas, one supersized with only meat, and one that was perfectly formed with every single topping.
Once the homemade creations came out of the oven, the kids could hardly wait for them to cool before they scarfed them down.
“Thanks for dinner,” Toby said. “It was awesome.”
“It sure was,” Justin said. “I never made pizza before. It was fun.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” Angie turned to the boys. “Hey, guys. I don’t suppose I could get you to do me a favor. After we get the kitchen cleaned up, I was hoping you’d teach me a few tricks on your PlayStation. I need a crash course.”
“Sure!” Justin turned to his older brother, and the boys pumped their fists in the air.
“Seriously? You want a lesson from the kids?” Toby asked. “And why the big rush?”
“Mr. Murdock won his grandson’s PlayStation from him in a poker game.”
Toby lifted his eyebrow. “He gambled with a kid?”
“Long story. Anyway, he’s been beating me left and right on Madden.”
“Oh, great,” Toby said, a spark of humor in his tone. “I thought I’d brought in adult reinforcement, but I’ve ended up with a fourth kid.”
“Come on,” Justin said. “Let’s go, Angie.”
“We have dishes to do first,” she reminded him.
“No, you go ahead,” Toby said. “I’ll take care of the cleanup.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“After you pulled off such a successful dinner? Heck no. Besides, I’d hate to see Mr. Murdock get the best of you again.”
She laughed, then took off with the boys.
Twenty minutes later, Toby reminded them that it was a school night.
“Aw, man,” Justin said.
Angie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze. “You heard what Toby said. Maybe I’ll come back another night, and we’ll play again.”
Toby let the kids stay up long enough to eat a bowl of ice cream topped with fresh strawberries for dessert. Then it was time for them to go to bed.
Overall, it was one of the best evenings Angie had ever had. At least since... Well, since she’d had dinner with Toby and the kids a couple of nights ago at The Grill.
Kylie approached the chair where Angie was sitting and placed a hand on her knee. “Will you read my Disney princess book to me before I go to bed?”
“I don’t mind.” Angie looked at Toby for the ultimate okay.
“It’s all right with me. Each night at bedtime, I read a story to her. After that, I read a chapter out of Treasure Island with the boys. We’re at a pretty exciting part, so it’ll be nice to get back to where we left off.”
What a nice family ritual. Angie was glad she’d been given a chance to take part in it.
By the time she’d read the princess story twice, gotten Kylie two glasses of water to drink and checked in the closet and under the bed for dragons three times, Kylie finally drifted off to sleep.
As Angie quietly sneaked out of the little girl’s room, she wondered if she should wait for Toby, or just let herself out. Fortunately, she didn’t have to make a decision.
Having finished his bedtime duties, Toby was already back in the living room, picking up ice-cream dishes and putting the sofa cushions and throw pillows back in place.
“Listen,” he said, “I can’t thank you enough for your help with the kids. When I do handle bedtime by myself, it takes another hour.”
“The kids really are amazing.” And Angie meant that from the bottom of her heart. She couldn’t believe her mom had referred to those sweet, adorable children as “rug rats.”
“Look at you,” Toby said. “You’re the one who’s amazing. I can’t believe how quickly the kids have taken to you. Brian even talked to you about the girls in his class, and Justin didn’t try to sneak off to the barn once while you were here. And Kylie... Well, I can’t even tell you how great it’s been for her to be around a woman. My mom and my sisters help out whenever they can, but they’ve got such full schedules and lives.”
Did he think Angie didn’t have much of a life? Or was she reading too much into what he was saying?
“Anyway,” he said, “you’re great with kids. Are you planning to have some of your own someday?”
“I haven’t really given it much thought.” She’d never been around children all that much. And her mom hadn’t made any big deal about motherhood—or parenthood, for that matter. So she’d never really considered it one way or the other.
She did have to admit, though, that being around Toby’s kids had made her see motherhood in a brand-new light.
“I suppose I’d have to think about getting married first,” she said. “And that’s never been a priority.”
Toby seemed to straighten at that. “You mean to tell me that you’re twenty-four, incredibly beautiful, fun and smarter than an internet search engine, and there hasn’t been a single guy who’s come along and made you think about bridal showers and wedding cakes and the whole nine yards?”
Toby thought she was beautiful? And fun? And smart?
“I...uh...thought about it once, but it didn’t work out.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask for details. She hated talking about it. And there’d been so many witnesses that inevitably the subject always seemed to crop up when she least wanted it to.
“What happened?” he asked.
So much for hoping.
“I dated this guy once. David. He wasn’t especially handsome, but he was bright and had a great personality. I really liked him, so we dated a couple of months—which was longer than most of my relationships last. But one night, he ruined everything.”
“What did he do?”
“He insisted upon taking me to the Two Moon Saloon, and when we arrived, a lot of my friends were there. Even my mom showed up, which should have been a major clue that something was off-kilter. But apparently, come to find out, my mother had been coaching him.”
“Your mom coached him? What happened?”
“Apparently, with her help and encouragement, David planned this elaborate and romantic proposal in front of an audience. Everyone was expecting me to say yes. So I did. And then two days later, I gave him the ring back.”
“Why didn’t you want to marry him?”
“Everyone asked me that same question. The truth is, I didn’t know. And I still don’t. Heck, I can’t even commit to a brand of shampoo long enough to take advantage of a two-for-one sale. How could I have made a lifelong commitment like that without feeling something?”
“You didn’t feel anything for him? I thought you said he was a great guy.”
“Yes, but I never had the zing. You know what I mean?”
“I’m not sure that I do.”
“It’s that heart-spinning, soul-stirring rush that you get when you know the other person is ‘the one.’”
“I can’t say that I’ve ever felt that way,” he said.
“Yeah, well, I’ve never felt it, either. But I’ve read about it. And if I ever make that kind of forever-commitment to someone, I want to feel it. And I didn’t have it with David.”
“So you broke up with him.”
“Um. Yeah. But I should have ended things way before I did.” She blew out a sigh.
Toby didn’t say anything. He just stared at her. But she knew what he must be thinking. It was the same thing everyone else always thought about her—that she was unreliable and scattered and wouldn’t know a good decision if it fell from the top shelf of a Superette display case and landed straight on her head.
Suddenly embarrassed that she’d revealed so much, she realized she’d better regroup, which was her standard operating procedure when things got sticky or icky or whatever.
So she grabbed her purse and decided to bolt before she could change her mind, climb into Toby’s lap and tell him that she was already feeling more for him than she’d ever felt for David.
And before he could respond by reiterating that he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend or a potential mom for his foster kids.
“Anyway,” she said, “I have to get home before it gets too late or I’ll have Mr. Murdock out looking for me.”
“Thanks again for dinner.”
“You’re more than welcome. I’ll see you around town sometime.”
She was just about to make her escape when he tossed her a smile that sent her heart spinning and set off a little...?
Oh, no. It couldn’t be.
Surely, it wasn’t.
But it certainly felt like a zing.
Chapter Five
Angie had been kicking herself the past two days for bolting from Toby’s house the other night. He’d never even commented on her story about David, yet assuming he’d think the worst of her, she’d left before he could say anything.
Wasn’t that typical? When the going got tough, Angie skedaddled.
But why had she been in such a hurry to escape? If he hadn’t considered her to be flighty before, he probably did now.
She just hoped she hadn’t ruined their friendship, because she really enjoyed her time spent with him and the kids. She was just about to close down the register and clock out when the subject of her thoughts for the past forty-eight hours approached with the kids in tow.
“We’re getting ice cream,” Kylie announced, as she placed a frozen chocolate bar on the conveyor belt.
“I thought an after-scho
ol treat was in order,” Toby said.
If he’d wanted to avoid her, he could have stopped by The Grill for that ice cream. So obviously he hadn’t thought that badly about her.
“What’re you guys up to today?” she asked, as she rang up his purchase.
“I need to take Justin to the YMCA for his swim lesson,” Toby said. “But Kylie’s dance practice was moved up earlier in the day, which is a problem since I can’t be in two places at once. And so, I wondered if there was any chance you’d be getting off soon.”
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
“I don’t suppose you could do me a huge favor.”
When he gazed at her with those big baby blues, she said, “Sure.”
Anything, she thought.
“Can you either take Kylie to dance or Justin to the Y?” he asked.
“Actually, I’d planned to stop by the Y and check out that yoga class today. So I can take Justin with me, then bring him to the ranch when we’re done.”
“Great. That would sure help me out. And this time, I’ll have dinner ready for you.”
“Meals at the ranch could become habit-forming,” she said.
“Maybe, but everything seems to go better when you’re around.” He flashed her a smile, and there it went.
An almost definite zing.
Twenty minutes later, Angie dropped Justin off with his swim instructor, a lanky teen who barely looked old enough to drive. She wondered if he was qualified to be giving lessons and certified in CPR, but she decided he must be or the Y wouldn’t have hired him.
“I’m going to take my class now,” she told Justin. “You’ll probably get finished a few minutes before me, so change into your dry clothes, then meet me by the vending machines. I’ll buy you a candy bar as soon as I get there.”
“Cool.”
She remembered Toby telling her that the eight-year-old wasn’t a very strong swimmer, so she wanted to make sure that he didn’t hang around the pool without supervision. He also had a habit of wandering, so she figured a bribe to stay at a designated location was a good idea.
