A Texas Bond

by Shannon Taylor Vannatter

  “But we thought maybe we were wrong.” Lexie shrugged. “You’ve always talked about getting married and having kids. Even since you’ve had the twins, you’ve mentioned having cousin siblings for them.”

  “Wishful thinking.” Stacia pulled away from Stella and mopped her face with the tissue. “Doctors caught the defect when my mom died, and found mine and Calli’s. But Daddy didn’t tell us until we were a little older. I didn’t want y’all to feel sorry for me. Or weird around me if one of you ever had a baby. Like you do now.”

  “We don’t feel weird.” Lexie perched on the loveseat arm next to her. “We love you.”

  “I’m really happy for you, Larae. I am.”

  “I know.”

  “Besides, I’ve got the twins. And if you two keep having babies, I’ll have them to love and help mother the way Stella has mothered all of us.”

  “Whoa, I’m not even married yet.” Lexie settled Rand into her shoulder.

  “Can I hold him again?”

  “Sure.” Lexie handed him over. “And you can still get married someday, maybe adopt.”

  “In the meantime, whenever you need some sweet baby love, you know where to come.” Larae shot her a wink. “But this was a lot easier when I was eighteen. So don’t expect me to be a baby factory.”

  Stacia chuckled and kissed little Rand on the forehead, seeing him as the blessing he was.

  * * *

  The sound of Stacia’s sander reached Ross before he ever stepped through the open back door of the workshop the next morning.

  “The pregnant jersey didn’t come to feed this morning, so I’m off to go hunt her up,” he hollered.

  “I hope she’s okay.” Stacia didn’t turn off her tool or look up from her claw-foot tub project.

  “Is this her first calf?”

  “Yes. She might be protective. Take some range cubes to distract her with and call if you need help.”

  “I’ve got this. But thanks.” No way would he let her think he couldn’t handle a cow. Not with her just beginning to count on him. He hurried toward the barn.

  He grabbed a blanket and tack from a stall, and tucked two handfuls of cubes in his pocket.

  With a rope on his arm and the saddle against his hip, he opened the gate and clicked his tongue as he approached the buckskin filly assigned to him. She followed him out of the barnyard and stood still, flicking her black tail, as he fastened the gate, then approached her.

  “Hey girl.” He ran his hand down her golden face. “You’re ready for another ride, aren’t you?” He set the blanket and saddle on her back, tightened it in place and slipped the bridle over her head. The horse had trusted him like this the very first time he’d ridden her.

  Unlike Stacia. But over the last several days, they’d jumped a few hurdles.

  He slid his foot into the stirrup and the horse stood stock still as he mounted.

  “Yah.” He urged her into a canter, searching the edge of the woods as he rode. The jersey cow would blend in with the yellowed grass. Hard to find. He hoped if she’d had the calf or was in the process, coyotes hadn’t found her.

  Nothing. He followed the trail into the woods, crossed the river at a shallow point and searched the next field. Over by a cluster of large, round hay bales, he saw something move. Small. Either the calf or a coyote. He squeezed his heels into the buckskin’s sides urging her into a full gallop.

  As he neared, he was able to make out the calf with its mother close by, totally blending in with the bales. Still. Wary. He might have to call Maverick to distract her, so he could get to the calf. But no way would he call Stacia. He couldn’t take the chance of shaking her burgeoning faith in him.

  He led the horse to the farthest hay bale, dismounted and made his way around the maze of bales to the cow’s other side, then gingerly headed in her direction.

  She made a gruff, growling sound—universally known to ranchers as mad mama moo. Oh boy. “Come on, little mama. I’m just trying to help. If y’all stay out here tonight, the coyotes will come and neither of us want that.”

  She took a few trotting steps toward him and he ducked behind a bale. The calf was no help; it stayed right under her.

  “Just let me take your little darling back to the barn, so you’ll both be safe. You can come too.” He threw a cube toward her and she stooped to eat it. Then threw another, a little farther away. But the cow didn’t fall for it. She did her mad mama moo again.

  “Need some help?” Stacia called.

  He looked up to see her astride her bay, one hand blocking the sun from her eyes.

  “I’ve got this.”

  “I can tell, with you cowering behind a hay bale and all.” Her mouth twitched.

  She better not laugh. He might just have to—kiss her. Now, where did that come from? “I don’t see you dismounting.”

  “I can’t rope her if I dismount, now can I?”

  “You can rope?”

  “I suggest you get back on your horse and watch.” She took her rope off her saddle horn.

  “You’re on.” He rounded the bales and mounted the buckskin, then steered her to head off the cow.

  Stacia rode her horse in closer until the cow trotted away, then swung the lasso in a circle above her head and released, capturing the cow’s back hoof. She struggled, did her mad mama moo and the calf stayed under her as Stacia took up the slack in the rope.

  With the cow distracted by tugging at the lasso, Ross dismounted, managed to fish the calf out from its mother’s shelter, pick him up and haul him up onto the horse. As he settled in the saddle, thankfully, the calf didn’t fight him.

  The calf bawled and the mama did too as Stacia jumped down from her horse and ran to loosen the loop on the cow’s heel.

  “Careful there.”

  “She’s not mad at me. You’re the one who took her calf.” She slapped the mad mama on the rump and the cow bolted away from her. Once she was back on her horse, he rode over beside her.

  “Where’d you learn to do that?”

  “I’ve helped Daddy with the ranch since I can remember. Calli never wanted anything to do with the cattle, but I tried to be Daddy’s boy since he didn’t have one.”

  “I’m impressed.” But there was nothing boyish about her.

  “I’m impressed you got the calf, with my help.” She didn’t quite manage to suppress a grin.

  “I had it handled.”

  “Uh-huh, half a day later, maybe.”

  The cow’s mournful bawl pierced the air.

  “I know. But we’re trying to help you,” Stacia soothed.

  They fell into a trot side by side back toward the barn with the cow following close behind. This was the most relaxed, easiest to be with Stacia he’d encountered since knowing her.

  “I appreciate you getting the calf.” Her gaze never strayed from the path ahead, though her horse knew the way. “I couldn’t have done it on my own and I don’t think Daddy, with his bad knee, could have lifted him onto his horse.”

  “Not a problem.” He hadn’t let her down after all. “Let’s settle the calf and get back to work then.”

  Just because she halfway trusted him with the twins and a newborn calf, didn’t mean she was ready to hand over her heart. He needed to treat her like the twins’ aunt and nothing more. Or he could end up in a heap of hurt.

  * * *

  Another Saturday, with the kids out of school for the weekend, but she was stuck working. With Ross.

  The door from the workshop opened and Daddy stepped through. “Good news. My salvage guys got a bid for tearing down two old hotels in Austin.” He showed her a picture on his tablet with corbels galore all along the porch. “There are more than enough claw-foot tubs and old doors to complete the B and B order, so you and Ross won’t have to make another scavenging run.”

  “T
hat’s wonderful. But kind of sad about the hotel.” Such architectural detail deserved to be preserved.

  “I agree. But we’re making sure some of the pieces live on at least. Ms. Heathcott will love the history.”

  “When will they be here?”

  “They’re starting the job Monday. Should be done by Wednesday or Thursday.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Carry on.” Daddy went back into the store.

  “That’s a really nice piece.” Ross eyed the coffee bar she’d just painted, with Queen Anne legs and detail. “It might be my favorite. Except for the girly colors.”

  “It might be mine too. My mom loved Queen Anne and lavender. She’d love this.”

  “You haven’t talked about her much.”

  “She was a great mom. I miss her.” She pulled her goggles up on top of her head, tried to keep the quiver out of her voice. “The teen years are hard enough without losing your mom. Larae’s mom died a little before mine did, so Stella became like a mother to the three of us. She tried with Calli, but she was just so angry after mom’s death.”

  “And then you lost her in your twenties. You’ve had your share of grief. But instead of crumbling, I think it made you stronger.”

  “I had to be strong. For Mason and Madison.” She caught his gaze, held it, then eyed the claw-foot tub she should be sanding instead of chitchatting with him. But this was more than idle prattle. Maybe if she gave him insight into her world, he’d see how important the twins were to her. “They’ve become my world. Especially since I can’t have kids.”

  “I can see that.”

  “I do have some respect for your brother’s generosity.” She never asked for a dime, but the checks just started coming. “Even though his financial responsibility ended when he signed custody over to Calli.” She glanced his way for half a second. “The checks still come and I can assure you that every penny is spent on Mason and Madison or deposited into their trust fund accounts I set up. I can show you the bank statements.”

  “No need. I can tell you’re not living the lavish lifestyle. And I trust you.”

  He trusted her? The feeling definitely wasn’t mutual. Not completely anyway.

  “I’d say it’s hush money, except that scandal feeds Ron’s career. So maybe for once in his life, he’s taken responsibility.” Sadness coated Ross’s tone.

  It was obvious that his brother’s actions had hurt him too. “I’ve always been terrified he’d change his mind someday and come to claim them.”

  “That’s one worry you can put to rest.”

  “I always wondered if he was telling the truth about not having any family. I mean, everybody has parents. I thought a lot about them over the years—if they knew about the twins, if they cared.”

  “I can see how imagining Ronny Outrageous with stable, Christian parents is difficult.” He paused in his work, dropped his gaze to the dusty concrete floor. “But I can assure you if they’d known, they’d have been a part of Mason’s and Madison’s lives from the beginning.”

  He didn’t even try to stand up for his brother, plead his case. But Ron was Ron. And apparently Ross had come to terms with it.

  “I thought about trying to find out, but I was terrified of losing the twins.”

  “You’re doing a great job with them. My parents will want to be grandparents. But I’m pretty sure that’s all. Callista left them with you.”

  Raised in church, with both parents. The way Ron had turned out didn’t make any sense. Yes, Calli had gone through a wild stage, but she was reeling from their mom dying. Maybe someday, Ron would return to his raising, the way Calli had in her last few years. But if Ron accepted Jesus, would he want the twins?

  “I’ll do anything to keep Mason and Madison.” Her voice cracked. “Your parents can visit as often as they want.”

  “It’ll all work out. As long as we’re all willing to compromise.”

  “When do you plan to tell them?”

  “I figure it needs to be done in person. But I feel obligated to stay here until the B and B order is complete. After that, I’ll go home and break the news.”

  “I need some air.” She jerked the goggles over the back of her head, but the strap snarled in her hair at the base of her neck. “Ouch.”

  “Here, let me.” His hand grazed hers as he gently took the goggles from her, easing the weight on her hair. His knuckle skimmed her shoulder.

  Too close. “Just cut it.”

  “I’ve almost got it. Just be still.” His breath fanned her neck as his fingers brushed against sensitive skin.

  She gasped as his proximity sent a shudder through her. No. No. No. Yes, he was ridiculously handsome. No, she couldn’t trust him. Even though she was starting to want to. But she could not be attracted to him.

  “There. Got it.” He pulled the goggles away, let her hair fall.

  “Thanks.” She turned just enough to take the safety glasses from him. Too far.

  His green gaze locked on hers, then dropped to her lips.

  She bolted, slammed the door behind her, dragging in big gulps of air. No. No. No. She could not fall for Ross Lyles.

  What if he was pulling an Aunt Eleanor on her? Resorting to romance to finagle the twins away from her? She couldn’t fall for his ploy.

  Chapter Eight

  Sunday never lasted long enough. And Monday always followed. If only Daddy could paint, Stacia could be in the park with the twins instead of stuck in the workshop with Ross. But Daddy had never learned how to operate the sprayer without causing drips on whatever he painted.

  Tension dripped between them after yesterday’s too-close encounter. How could one day in the workshop feel like an entire week? An entire week of silence. She couldn’t take it any longer.

  Her phone rang, rescuing her from the deafening hush. Daddy.

  “Hello?”

  “Now don’t freak out.”

  Her heart went into orbit. “I already am when you start a phone call like that.”

  “The kids are fine. But I tried to push them on the merry-go-round and I’ve twisted my knee. I’m not sure I can drive home.”

  “I’m on my way.” She ended the call and slid her phone back in her pocket.

  “What’s wrong?”

  The first conversation Ross had instigated all day. She filled him in.

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “There’s no need.” She didn’t want to be stuck in her SUV with him.

  “Somebody needs to drive Maverick’s truck home.”

  Made sense. She held in a sigh, grabbed her purse. “Okay.”

  Ross matched her stride as she hurried to her vehicle. She started the engine as he crawled in the passenger side. His cologne filled her space. Spicy and manly.

  “I have to admit, my hat’s off to you and Maverick.” Ross fastened his seatbelt as she pulled out of the drive.

  “For?”

  “For handling the twins, just the two of you up until now.”

  “There’s only two of them and there’s two of us.” What was he getting at? That they needed him and his family to help? “We manage fine.”

  “I know. I see that. But before I came, what would you have done today?”

  “I’d either have taken one of our employees, or locked Daddy’s truck up and left it until Larae or somebody could go with me to get it.” Lexie, Clint, Rance. Anybody other than Ross. Why hadn’t she insisted on him staying at the workshop?

  “I hope you’ll come to realize that my folks can be a help to you, just like I can. What if you and Maverick got sick at the same time?”

  “We hardly ever get sick. And Larae and Lexie have been able to help since they moved back to Medina.”

  “And before then?”

  “We managed.” We don’t need any help.

  “
You don’t always have to do everything on your own, Stacia. Especially not with me here. And even more so, once my folks know about the twins.”

  Maybe she liked doing things on her own. Not depending on anyone else. That way, she didn’t get disappointed. Or hurt.

  Conversation died and uncomfortable silence took over for the rest of the fifteen-minute drive.

  When she turned into the park, she saw Daddy sitting on a bench with the kids playing nearby. Daddy was only sixty. But years of hauling furniture and salvaging buildings had taken a toll on him. He was slowing down. Eventually, he’d need knee replacement surgery.

  She parked, got out of the car and ran over to Daddy. “Can you walk?”

  “With some help. I’m glad you brought Ross. I’ll need both of you to keep the weight off my knee.”

  “Here, let me help you up.” Ross sat down by Daddy on his right, his bad knee side. “Let’s take it slow, lean on me.”

  Daddy put his arm around Ross’s shoulder and stood with a slight moan. With his weight supported mostly by Ross, Stacia took his good knee side. With his other arm around her shoulder, they hobbled toward the SUV.

  Okay, so it would be easier with Ross to get Daddy home. And it was hard taking care of the twins. Even with both of them healthy. But they’d managed. She didn’t need someone else swooping in and trying to take over. Or even worse, taking them away.

  And now that there was a timeline on when his parents would learn the truth, her fears multiplied.

  * * *

  Giggling caught Ross’s attention and he looked up from the coffee bar. Madison zipped past the open workshop doors with Mason close behind.

  “Is this what they did over the summer?” He’d much rather be playing with the twins than working with the aunt he couldn’t let himself fall for.

  “Occasionally. But most days, if we were fully staffed, Daddy and I took turns corralling them.”

  At least they were easily entertained and there hadn’t been much arguing.

  With Maverick laid up from his knee injury yesterday, the kids had to stick around the workshop after school. With the double doors on the back of the shop open, the twins could scurry about just outside and avoid the paint fumes. While Ross assembled coffee bars and sanded claw-foot tubs, Stacia was on paint duty for both.