A Family, At Last

by Susan Crosby

  And he was sure that a personal shopper to Hollywood stars couldn’t fill that role.

  Chapter Five

  “How do you walk in those shoes?” Cassidy asked Karyn the next morning as they were getting ready to go to the homestead for Christmas Day.

  “Like this,” Karyn said, walking across the living room and back.

  Cass giggled. Karyn laughed too. She felt a thousand percent better this morning. She’d slept until ten, took a long shower, spent time on her hair and makeup, then dressed in blue jeans, a white sweater and high-heeled boots. Silent silver bells hung from her ears.

  “Do you have lots of shoes?”

  “I don’t know for sure how many, but lots, yes,” Karyn said. She knew it was more than a hundred. “I don’t buy them all. People give me shoes frequently.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they’re movie stars and they can’t wear them too many times in public.”

  “Why?”

  “That’s the way it is in Hollywood. Most of my clothes are hand-me-downs, too.”

  “Whose sweater was that?” Vaughn asked, coming into the room. He’d already emptied the tree of presents and loaded them in his truck to take with them.

  “Gloriana Macbeth’s.”

  His brows went up.

  Karyn just smiled. Maybe she didn’t fill out the sweater in quite the same way, but it fit well enough she thought as she checked him out, too. He looked like a rancher this morning in his Wranglers, western shirt, boots and hat, as if he would hop on a horse and go chase cattle or whatever it was they did. He also wore a suede jacket with a sheepskin lining, adding to the look in a casually fashionable way.

  “Your hair is curly like mine,” Cassidy said, cocking her head.

  Karyn’s heart skipped a beat. “It sure is.”

  “I hate my hair. It’s too hard to put in a ponytail, and if I cut it short, I look like my friend Julie’s poodle.”

  “Believe me, I know how you feel. I can show you a few tricks to make it easier if you want, although your dad may have to help you until you get good at fixing it yourself.” Karyn looked at Vaughn, asking silent permission. He folded his arms and stared back.

  “Yeah! Okay, Daddy?”

  “Maybe. You know I have trouble with doing your hair.”

  “Pleeease?”

  “We’ll talk about it later. Are you ready to go to Grammie and Granddad’s?” he asked.

  “Ready!” She jumped up and ran to the door.

  “Is everything okay this morning?” Vaughn asked as he and Karyn strolled behind the little girl.

  “Yes, thank you.” She’d decided not to be embarrassed about it.

  “Is that a sketch pad?” he asked, gesturing toward her hand.

  “I thought I’d capture some images today. Get some practice. That’s okay, isn’t it?”

  “From what you told me, it’s a very good idea.”

  She smiled. “This is a brand-new pad. Starting fresh. I really hadn’t expected to end up at your house until the test results were in. I figured I’d drive around and find things to draw and then paint later, something I haven’t done for a while.”

  “Did you factor in the temperature?”

  “It never occurred to me, but I can sit in my car and work.”

  They climbed into the truck and buckled up.

  “It’s Christmas, Daddy!” Cassidy said from the backseat. “And I’ve been nice.”

  “You have, indeed.”

  She looked out the window for a few seconds. “Do you think Santa will ever start bringing my presents to our house instead of Grammie and Granddad’s? Could we put an arrow on our roof to point the way? He must be confused by all the buildings and gives up.”

  “That’s a good idea, Cass. Maybe we can try that next year.”

  Karyn turned to look at her. She had the sweetest face, with bright, intelligent green eyes and a curious expressiveness. She was incredibly articulate for a six-year-old, but then she’d apparently spent most of her life around adults.

  Only a few vehicles were parked near the house and just twelve people expected, family plus Karyn. She was looking forward to getting to know the Ryders individually.

  She ran through their names in her head—Jim and Dori were the parents. Vaughn was the oldest, then Mitch, who’d recently married Annie. She had a ten-year-old son, Austin. After Mitch came Haley, Adam and Brody, all single. Then finally Jenny, a senior about to start her last semester in college.

  Karyn stepped into the house and stopped. The enormous Christmas tree was encircled by brightly wrapped packages, many added since last night. Did everyone buy for everyone? she wondered.

  “Merry Christmas, sweet girl,” Dori said, opening her arms as Cassidy ran to her.

  They spoke for a few seconds, then Cass raced off to greet everyone else. Vaughn kissed his mother’s cheek, said something in her ear that made her smile, then followed Cass into the group standing by the big fireplace being tended by Brody.

  “Welcome,” Dori said to Karyn, giving her a hug. “Merry Christmas.”

  “Thank you. The same to you. And, yes, I feel better today,” Karyn said before she was asked. “Much better. Vaughn was very helpful.”

  “That’s our Vaughn. Helpful to the max.”

  The door opened behind her, and Mitch, Annie and Austin came in, the last to arrive. Annie carried a casserole covered with foil. “Tortilla breakfast casserole,” she said. “If there’s room, I’ll put it in the oven to stay warm.”

  “Plenty,” Dori said.

  “May I help?” Karyn asked.

  “You can open the oven door,” Annie answered with a grin.

  Haley and Jenny were putting the final touches on a fruit tray, Jim and Adam came through the back door carrying a platter of bacon and sausages they’d grilled outdoors and Vaughn and Mitch came looking for coffee. The kitchen felt like a swarm in a hive, with people weaving in and out and the chatter of conversation creating a buzz. It was a home, cozy and welcoming.

  She wondered if they ever argued.

  Of course they did, she thought, answering her own question. But they wouldn’t hold onto their anger for long or carry a grudge.

  Her parents had never argued, at least not in front of her and Kyle. Everything had been civil, always. But neither had their home been a joyous kind of place like this one. She was trying not to compare the two families, but it was hard not to.

  However, she only knew the tip of the Ryder iceberg. On the surface they seemed perfect.

  With Christmas music playing in the background, they gathered around the table for brunch. The two kids could hardly sit still. Most of the men had already put in a few hours on the ranch, working up an appetite. Karyn wouldn’t have believed twelve people could consume so much food at one sitting, but there were few leftovers.

  This time she was seated next to Vaughn, and although they weren’t crowded at the huge table, she could almost feel his arm touch hers now and then. Which it didn’t. Ever. But heat rose from him that she could feel, which both comforted and tingled. She enjoyed watching them all interact, but especially Vaughn, whose voice was calm and steady and whose words were often wryly funny.

  He would be good in a courtroom, she decided. Good in a crisis.

  The table was cleared but the dishes were left on the counter so that presents could be opened. Karyn curled in a big leather chair with her sketch pad. She wondered whether the “big” gifts would be given out first or last.

  Most of the presents were practical—clothing or horse gear. There were gift certificates to nearby restaurants or for downloading books and music on electronic players. As the packages dwindled to almost none, Jim stood, getting everyone’s attention, and asked Dori to join him. Her cheeks
turned pink at all the attention. Her sons teased her. Her husband took her hand and drew her close then passed her an envelope. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

  She lifted the edge and slipped out the contents. “What? What’s this? Hawaii? Are we going to Hawaii?”

  “Yep.” He beamed, proud of his surprise. “We leave New Year’s Day.”

  “We haven’t been on a vacation longer than a weekend in...twenty years.”

  “Then it’s about time, don’t you think? The boys’ll manage everything okay for a week.”

  “Oh, honey! Leave it to you to plan a trip to Hawaii in a week, no less, and expect me to buy a tropical wardrobe.” She laughed and hugged him.

  Twenty years? Karyn thought as she sketched quickly, trying to capture the joyful look on Dori’s face and the pleased-as-punch one on Jim’s. Was it usual for all of them not to take vacations? Because of time? Money? Both? Karyn tried not to show her surprise. Everyone needed a vacation from their daily lives.

  Except you’ve done the same thing...

  The family hadn’t settled down yet when Mitch passed his parents a small, wrapped box. Inside was a tiny white onesie with the words I love my Grammie and Granddad printed on it. Dori leaped up to hug Mitch and Annie and then Austin.

  “When?”

  “Early August.”

  Brody counted on his fingers. “Oh, man. That must’ve been some wedding night.”

  Mitch kissed his wife’s temple. “It was.”

  Austin joined them, pulling off his plaid shirt to reveal his own T-shirt underneath: Big Brother.

  Karyn wished she could capture the essence of the moment, the emotions, and fill in the rest later, but she couldn’t sketch as fast as it all occurred. Her hand cramped, but she kept going, even after seeing how raw the images were. She was so unpracticed and amateurish. Maybe she would end up tossing everything.

  “Okay, one more gift outside. Come on, Austin,” Mitch said.

  Everyone went out the front door, where two horses stood patiently. Austin took the steps slowly, a huge grin on his face. He looked at Mitch. “Mine?”

  “All yours.”

  Karyn felt her own mouth stretch into a smile. She had no idea what breed the horse was, but it was a beautiful color, deep chestnut, with a white blaze down its face. Face? Was that right? And a black mane and tail.

  The horses were already saddled. Mitch and Austin climbed aboard, waved and were off.

  “Is this his first time?” Karyn asked Annie, who beamed.

  “No. He’s been riding for a few months now. He loves it. I, on the other hand, have a love/hate relationship with horses.” She rested a hand on her still-flat abdomen. “And now I have an excuse not to ride. Nice bonus.”

  “You live on a ranch, but you don’t want to ride? Can you get away with that?”

  “I’ve got my farm, so I’m plenty busy. It’s about twenty miles from here. We moved into Mitch’s house on the ranch when we got married, but I work out there almost every day.”

  “I’d love to see your farm,” Karyn said as everyone moved back into the house.

  “You’re welcome any time.” She called over to her sister-in-law. “Jenny, since you’re coming to the farm tomorrow, why don’t you pick up Karyn and bring her along? Cass, too. Now that it’s Christmas break, she and Austin—”

  Cassidy let out a shriek as she spotted Vaughn carrying a brown, tan and white puppy with light blue eyes. Vaughn dropped to his knees in front of his daughter.

  “Oh, thank you, Daddy! Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She giggled as the puppy licked her face. “He looks just like Bo.”

  “Except this one’s a girl,” Vaughn said, placing the wiggly dog in her lap.

  Again, Karyn wished she could sketch fast enough to capture the delight on her face, but she couldn’t, so she just held her sketch pad to her chest and enjoyed watching.

  “Who’s Bo?” Karyn asked Annie.

  “My son’s Australian shepherd.”

  “Do I get to name her?” Cassidy asked her father.

  “You do.”

  She held the puppy up, touching noses with the squirming bundle. “Belle. I’ll call you Belle.”

  From his back pocket, Vaughn pulled out a leash, which he hooked onto the harness the puppy already wore. Too young for a collar yet, Karyn guessed. “Let’s take her for a walk.”

  The men all went outdoors with them while the women headed to the kitchen to clean up, Dori storing the few leftovers, her two daughters loading the dishwasher and Annie and Karyn washing pots and pans. Christmas music still played. They talked about the baby to come, Hawaii and how Austin seemed destined to become a cattleman. He’d taken to ranching as if born to it, which pleased his stepfather, Mitch, to no end, even though Annie would love for him to take over the farm someday.

  “People have to choose their own paths,” Dori said. “Hard as it may be for a parent to accept that. Look at Vaughn.”

  All the women nodded. Karyn frowned when she realized they weren’t going to add to it. “What about Vaughn?”

  “Oh.” Dori looked around, then smiled. “I forgot you didn’t know about him. It feels like we’ve known you forever.”

  Karyn was touched by her words.

  “We knew Vaughn was different early on,” Dori said. “Not that he didn’t take to the land, but he was just so...studious. Always had his head in a book. And words? He loved words. He studied the dictionary, wanted to know the roots of words and their meanings, whether the origins were Latin or Greek. Then he’d teach us about what he learned while we ate.”

  “Lecturing, you mean. Bor-ing,” Haley said like a teenager, then grinned. The pretty physical therapist was thirty-two and hadn’t lived at home since college, Karyn had learned. She had her own small house in town, near the rehab hospital.

  “Oh, don’t be such a sister,” Jenny said, bumping hips with Haley. “Vaughn never ducked out of work or responsibility. It’s just that his dreams went beyond the ranch.”

  “He wanted the bright lights and big city,” Dori said. “After law school he ended up in San Francisco and was there until three years ago. Made quite a name for himself as a litigator. Even as a boy he could talk anyone into anything, couldn’t he, girls?”

  “Why is he living here now?” Karyn asked while also mulling over the fact Vaughn could talk anyone into anything. She would have to be strong and not let him convince her of something she wouldn’t be happy with.

  “After Cassidy was born, he realized he wanted her to be brought up away from the city.”

  The Ryder women all looked at each other as if deciding how much to say.

  “Anyway, that’s one example of people choosing their own path,” Dori said. “It’s what Haley’s done and what Jenny will do when she’s done with college.”

  “Five more months. Yippee!”

  So. They protected their own, Karyn thought. They didn’t give her details of Vaughn’s life with Ginger. She respected them for that.

  “Well, girls, shall we start fixing dinner?” Dori asked, drawing laughs from everyone. “You think I’m kidding?”

  They made lasagna and salad, putting both in the refrigerator for later, finishing just as all the men and Cassidy returned, the sleeping puppy cradled in Vaughn’s arms.

  Karyn was struck by the image, almost like a father holding a baby. It suited him. He had a paternal ease about him. He and Cassidy were a team, but he was always the parent. Karyn had many times seen single parents let their children rule the roost. Not Vaughn.

  Because of that, Karyn knew he would want what was best for Cassidy—and surely that was to spend time with her aunt. Lots of time.

  Stop counting on the fact Cass is Kyle’s, Karyn told herself as forcefully as possible.

  Hours la
ter, well fed and talked out, everyone got ready to leave. Karyn passed out her sketches as her gift for including her in their family day. She laughed at her own attempts, calling them a little better than stick figures, but everyone seemed thrilled. She’d captured Jim stretched out on the floor helping Austin put together a remote-control helicopter and Dori trying to dance the hula, her face lit up. Karyn had caught each person in a special moment, including one with Mitch resting his hand on Annie’s belly, their love palpable. She recreated Austin on his horse, Cassidy with her puppy asleep in her lap and a thoughtful Jenny and contented Haley as they curled up on a sofa talking leisurely.

  Karyn caught Adam and Brody in rare moments, not teasing a sibling but sitting still and listening, eyes smiling.

  And then there was Vaughn. He interested Karyn the most—or second most—so she started and eliminated several different sketches, trying to capture him dancing with Cassidy as a carol played in the background. He’d spun her in circles again and again, her face a sunbeam of delight, and at the end she curtsied and he bowed. Obviously they’d done this before. The bow and curtsy was what she’d sketched.

  “How long will you stay?” Dori asked Karyn, walking to the truck with them.

  “I’m not sure. It’ll take as long as it takes,” she said, smiling. “I suppose I’ll be gone by the time you get back from Hawaii, if not before you leave.” She studied Dori’s face. “What you said about not having a vacation more than a weekend long...”

  “Being a rancher is hard work. Daily work.”

  “Did you know that when you married him?”

  “No, although he tried to tell me. I was a town girl, but I loved that man enough to take a rocket to the moon with him if he’d asked. I’m excited about the trip, but I love my life here. It doesn’t matter where I spend my time as long as he’s with me.”

  “You’re quite an example.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “Really? All of your children seem content. Mitch, especially, is happy. Annie’s there for the count,” Karyn said.