Although, honestly, the physical temptation was there, too. Thinking about how Flint Rawlings had looked, standing up to Fletcher in the meeting, she felt her heart beat a little faster. There was no question that he was an attractive man. Not just in how he looked, but in his sense of authority. He knew what was right, and he didn’t mind standing up to anyone who threatened those he cared about.
They reached the gates and put down their supplies. Cowboy bounded over, greeted Logan with a few well-placed licks, and then leaned against Lana’s side. She reached down to pet the dog as they discussed the exact, perfect location for the wreaths.
Even though she was freezing, Lana let the boys take their time. Most of the boys on the ranch hadn’t had the opportunity for shared family traditions, so Bea encouraged all the staff and volunteers to fill in those gaps whenever they could. She was sure that was why Marnie Binder had insisted on preparing a thermos of hot chocolate for their little decorating excursion. She was making it into an event, making a memory. While the boys argued, Lana busied herself with pouring small cups for each of them.
“Got enough for one more?”
The deep voice behind her made Lana slosh a little hot chocolate onto the ground. Flint. She hadn’t seen him since the meeting last night, and that was on purpose. She’d left the church quickly and avoided him today.
She had to discipline herself. She’d gotten too attached, and she had to start keeping things more businesslike between them. Soon enough, Christmas would be over, and Flint would find another nanny, and she’d move back to her apartment in town.
The thought filled her with gloom.
“Hey, if there’s not enough, I understand.”
“There’s plenty,” she said woodenly, offering him a cup. The boys took their cups, too, tasting the hot beverage and experimenting with blowing out clouds of fog.
“Hey, I wanted to make a suggestion,” Flint said. He took a sip of his hot chocolate and then turned toward Lana. “I wanted to offer you a break from being Logan’s nanny.”
Pain took Lana’s breath away, rendering her unable to speak.
Logan didn’t have any such problem. “No way!” he shouted. “I want Miss Alvarez to stay!”
“Well, but, buddy, she’s overworking herself—”
“I’m not having Mrs. Toler again!” Logan yelled, hurling his hot chocolate against the white ranch fence and then throwing himself down on the ground, crying loudly.
Whoa. Lana blew out a breath, pushed aside her own upset feelings and knelt beside the boy. “Take some breaths, Logan,” she said, putting a soothing hand on his arm. “Remember, we use our words.”
“Hey.” Flint knelt on Logan’s other side. “Hey. Shape up.”
Lana frowned at Flint. He didn’t need to be stern when his son was that upset. But, surprisingly, it worked. A little. Logan’s yelling quieted to softer fussing and gasping.
Cowboy pushed his way past Lana and nuzzled Logan’s wet face. The boy’s arm came out to wrap around the dog’s furry body.
“Can you tell us what made you so upset?” Lana asked.
“I don’t want you to go,” he got out between sobs.
She patted his shoulder. “I feel the same way, buddy.”
“Yo, Logan.” Robby was holding the hammer and a wreath. “You want to try pounding the nail? Come on, I’ll help you.”
Logan sat up and looked over Robby’s way.
“Go on, son,” Flint said. “Miss Alvarez and I need to talk a minute.”
Lana smiled thanks at Robby, as did Flint.
Flint, who wanted her to leave.
The moment Logan was focused on helping Robby, Lana turned back to Flint. “Not such a good idea to spring that on me and Logan at once.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it would upset him.”
She just raised an eyebrow at him. Really?
“That was my mistake, and I apologize.”
What could you say when a man offered an immediate apology? “Okay. But why do you want me to leave? Do you think I’m not doing a good enough job?”
“No, it’s not that, not at all. I just...well, I saw how tired you looked last night, and I realized we were overworking you.”
Lana felt her face get hot. So he’d noticed she wasn’t herself. And was he really wanting to help her, or was that a convenient excuse to get rid of her? Her throat tightened, and she couldn’t say a word, even though Flint was looking at her expectantly.
When she didn’t speak, understanding dawned across his face. “Hey, I hurt your feelings. That was the last thing I meant to do.”
Logan came back over and grabbed Lana around the legs. “Don’t go, Miss Alvarez, please?”
Lana looked down at the little boy who was becoming dearer and dearer to her, and her throat constricted tighter. Tears burned at her eyes.
“Robby.” Flint beckoned the other boy over. “Can you and Logan take this thermos back to the kitchen? I think Mrs. Binder just made some sugar cookies, and if you’ll do this favor I’m guessing she’ll give you some.”
“Sure, no problem.” Robby reached down for Logan’s hand. “Come on, buddy.”
“I want to stay and make sure—”
“We’ll just go for a little while. I’ll race you.”
Logan looked tempted. Then he glared at his father. “If you make her go away, I’m not gonna like it.”
“Logan. Adults make the decisions.”
“But they listen to everyone before they decide,” Lana interjected. She squatted down and put her hands on Logan’s shoulder. “I promise I won’t go anywhere without talking to you about it first, okay? And your dad will listen to your side of things, too. Right?” She looked up at Flint, her eyes narrowing, daring him to correct her.
His jaw squared like he didn’t like her interference, but she just kept glaring at him. She might be bad at relationships, not a real candidate for a long-term one, but she definitely knew kids. And Logan had issues with women leaving him.
Finally, Flint nodded and squatted in front of Logan, too. “That’s right, buddy. I’ll hear your side before I decide.”
“Come on, I’m gonna beat you!” Robby took off at a slow pace, carrying the thermos.
“No, you won’t!” And Logan ran after the older boy.
Now alone, Flint and Lana watched them go. “Robby’s a great kid,” Flint said.
“And so is Logan. He needs to know he won’t be suddenly abandoned.”
Flint stared at her. “You think it’s about his mother?”
“He’s at an age where he’s starting to understand he was left behind. Even though he didn’t know her, he knows what a mother is, and it’s got to hurt that his own mom left him.”
Flint shook his head, leaning against the fence. “Wow. I never would have thought of that, but it makes sense.”
“I know.” But Lana wasn’t going to get sidetracked. Now that she’d stuffed down her hurt, she was hopping mad. “Flint, what’s wrong with how I’m taking care of Logan? Don’t I even get a warning before you fire me?”
“I’m not firing you! Where did you get that idea?”
“When you tell someone you won’t be needing their services anymore—even though the job hasn’t gone away—that’s what most of the world calls firing.”
“You’re totally misinterpreting what I said. I told you, you looked tired and overworked.”
“So I have a few circles under my eyes the week before Christmas break. Try finding a teacher who doesn’t.” Even as she fumed at him, Lana knew she was being a little bit unreasonable. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself.
Flint raised his hands to shoulder level, palms toward her. “Hey, okay. I’d rather have you continue. I’m just trying to do the right thing.”
&
nbsp; “You...what?”
“Actually, I don’t know what we’d do without you.” Flint picked up the wreath that hadn’t been put up yet and pulled a nail from the little bag she’d brought.
“Really?” Relief washed over her at the thought that she didn’t have to leave.
“Yeah, really.” He put his supplies into one large hand and briefly cupped her cheek with the other, looking into her eyes for the fleetest moment.
He turned away so fast that she wondered if she’d dreamed his touch. “I mean,” he said, “look what you just did. You had insight into why Logan had a tantrum. I would’ve just yelled at him. Probably put him on the therapist’s couch in later years, not that it’s the first time.” Flint held the wreath up to the gate post and studied it. “You’re really good for him.”
Seeing that he meant it, hearing the approval in his tone, made Lana feel warm, despite the winter chill. She felt the strongest urge to curl up in his arms.
“Does this look even?” he asked gruffly.
She stepped back and studied it. “Up about an inch.”
He moved the wreath. “Now?”
“Perfect.”
He pounded the nail, hung the wreath on it, and stepped back to study the entryway. “Looks good. Thanks for letting Logan decorate. He hasn’t had much chance to get involved with Christmas traditions. I’m always so busy.”
She nodded. “It’s all good. I miss having family to do stuff like this with.” As soon as the words were out, she could have bitten her tongue. Logan wasn’t her family, and neither was Robby Gonzalez.
Let alone Flint, who was looking at her with compassion in his eyes.
She must not let that happen, she reminded herself. She must not get closer to this family. She had to remember that she was the temporary nanny.
Her strong emotions at the thought of leaving were God’s way of warning her.
“Lana, I—”
She held up a hand to prevent Flint’s saying more. She’d keep things businesslike, and that would be best. “We’d better head back to the house,” she said. “But as long as we have a minute, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
* * *
Flint fell into step beside Lana, glad she wasn’t mad at him anymore.
He wasn’t even dreading whatever she wanted to discuss, as he’d used to when his wife had done the “we need to talk” thing.
Maybe that was because Lana was so much better at expressing her feelings, clearing the air, and then letting it go. Or maybe a little bit of God’s grace was seeping back in.
Whatever the reason, Flint wanted to stay close, work out any conflict, heal it.
Not that there was any comparison with a marital relationship here. He’d meant what he’d said to Heath in the feed store the other night. He didn’t want to put Logan’s heart at risk by starting something up with a woman. Women left.
And just because the pretty woman beside him was testing that resolve, that didn’t mean he’d give in. Tests happened all the time, and the measure of a man was whether he could stand strong.
“So, about Avery.”
“What?” Flint blinked.
“Avery Culpepper. I’ve been doing a little digging, and...” She trailed off, drawing in a breath.
“Why were you digging? What about?”
“It’s her coloring. She doesn’t match the rest of the Culpeppers, from what I remember and from the pictures I’ve seen.”
Flint cocked his head to one side, considering. “I knew Cyrus a little, but he was your typical old rancher. Skin like leather, white hair. You couldn’t really guess his original coloring.”
“But there’s a picture in the school library. It’s him and his family in younger days, and they’re all brunettes. Kind of olive complexions. Anyway, I talked to a teacher I know in Dallas, and she made a couple of calls and dug up someone who thinks she had Avery in elementary school. If it’s the same person, she had both her parents. But wasn’t our Avery supposed to be an orphan?”
Flint’s eyebrows rose as the implications of Lana’s words sank in. “You think she’s an impostor?”
“I hate to think anyone would do something so awful. She’s probably legit. Except...she’s not very interested in following Cyrus’s wishes. She could have read the obituary and researched the Culpepper family after Macy left the message, and decided to impersonate Avery to get the inheritance.”
Flint whistled as the concept took hold of him. “Only now she’s mad because the inheritance turned out to be an old run-down cabin. So she’s upping her game.”
Lana put a hand on his arm and then just as quickly pulled it away. “It’s possible, but, Flint, we can’t make any accusations until we find out more. If Avery is who she says she is, imagine how horrible it would be to find out people thought you were a fraud.”
“You’re being too nice.” Flint’s mind was racing. If Avery wasn’t Cyrus’s daughter, then one of the threats against the boys ranch would be removed.
“No, I’m being a good researcher. Don’t go telling people about this yet, not until I have time to do some more digging.”
Despite feeling like he should take over, being a member of the League and a guy, Flint had to acknowledge that Lana probably would be better at finding out more. “Okay, but we were just talking about how busy you are. Is this something you can take on?”
“Nothing’s going to happen with the will over the holidays, is it? And really, once school’s out and the pageant is over, I’ll have more time.”
That brought to mind the fact that Lana wouldn’t be his employee forever, that she’d move back to her apartment in town at some point. That she’d eventually leave.
They were approaching the main ranch house now, and Logan exploded out the door and ran headlong to them, stopping himself by grabbing Flint’s legs. “Can she stay, Dad?”
He looked down at Logan. “Yes, she’s staying on as your nanny, though remember, it’s only temporary.” The warning was probably as much for himself as for Logan.
“Yes!” Logan pumped his fist in the air. “And can she stay and decorate the cabin tonight?”
Flint turned to face Lana. “Any idea what he’s talking about?”
“Oh, we’d talked about putting up a few decorations. On the porch, and in the house.”
Flint hadn’t ever done much decorating for Christmas, relying on his connection to the ranch to give Logan a taste of the Christmas pretties. But he supposed Logan was getting old enough to want his own house decorated.
“Please? She said she would. And I looked at the clock, and it’s not time for her to go home yet.” He frowned. “The little hand wasn’t on the five yet. It was in between the four and the five.”
“You’re right!” Lana squatted down and hugged Logan. “You’re a very smart young man.”
Flint was still trying to process the thought of decorating his home with Lana Alvarez, and apparently, he’d missed something significant. “What did he just do?”
“He’s way ahead of the curve on learning to tell time.” Lana stood, her cheeks flushed and her eyes warm, and for a minute, Flint couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Yes, she was pretty. Beautiful, even. But even more than her appearance, Flint admired her heart. Who got that excited over a learning milestone of a kid who wasn’t even her own?
He tried to refocus on the question at hand. Out of habit, when making a decision, he looked around to assess the weather. Low, heavy clouds in a darkening sky, but it wasn’t like Lana had to drive anywhere. None of them did.
“Can she stay, Dad, please?”
They were next to the ranch house now, but Flint kept looking upward. Is it wrong, God, to have her stay when both of us Rawlingses want her to?
He didn’t get
an answer, exactly, but he felt peace. “Would you stay?”
She bit her lip, thought for a minute, and then flashed a smile at him. “All right. Just let’s grab Logan’s and my stuff from the house.”
So he and Logan followed her inside. When she handed Logan his backpack and got her purse out of the cupboard, an envelope fluttered to the floor.
Flint picked it up and handed it to her. Not before seeing what was written on the outside: To Miss Alvarez from Mr. Denton.
She studied it for a couple of seconds, her face blank. Then it cleared. “Mr. Denton. The mechanic who worked on my car.” She ripped it open and scanned it, and then laughed outright. She handed the typewritten letter to Flint. “This is the first marriage proposal I’ve ever received by letter!”
Flint read it aloud: “‘Please do me the grate honor of marrying me. I will never leave Haven. My shop is called Denton and sons. We coud have some sons.’”
“It’s pretty direct,” Lana said, still laughing. “I wonder who wrote it?”
“Mr. Denton did,” Logan said, looking confused. “Right?”
Lana put a hand on his head. “Mr. Denton didn’t write this, honey. That’s not how grown-ups do things. Besides, I hardly know him, and he doesn’t really know me, either.”
Logan nodded, looking thoughtful.
Flint handed the note back to Lana. “We might want to give these to Bea. I’ve heard a few similar stories.”
“She’s probably in her office.”
But when they showed the note to Bea, she frowned as she studied it. “The style of writing isn’t the same as the other notes I’ve seen. Much younger. I wonder if we have some copycat matchmakers on our hands?”
“No harm done.” Flint and Lana said the same words at the same time, then looked at each other.
Lana laughed.
Flint smiled.
Yes, they were on the same page again.
They chatted with Bea for a few more minutes and then headed out. Flint held the door for Logan and Lana to exit the ranch house ahead of him.
They both squealed at the same time.
“You okay?” Flint pulled the door closed and walked down the steps of the main house.
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