by Deb Kastner
While RaeLynn did think this was a bad way to run a business, there was something about the distress on Janie’s face that made her sympathetic. Janie was trying to do the best she could, hoping to impress a reporter, and she thought she’d blown it.
“It’s fine,” RaeLynn said. “I understand. Sometimes things happen. I recognize you from the background research I did. You run the local community resource center. It sounds like you’re doing great things with it.”
Hopefully, this would ease Janie’s mind. Some people got so nervous around RaeLynn when she was working on a story. It was always best to put them at ease.
Janie grinned widely. “Yes. So many projects. In fact, that’s kind of why I’m trying to cover for the gal who usually works the front desk. She’s had so many bad things happen, and this job is supposed to be a fresh start for her.”
“It sounds like you really care,” RaeLynn said. She understood the helplessness in Janie’s voice. After all, that’s how she’d felt dealing with some of her family members. Janie was choosing to help people. RaeLynn respected that. After all, she was trying to help people, too. Just in a different way.
“Anyway,” Janie said, “she’s a good kid. Well, I guess she’s not really a kid anymore, but she’s had a hard time of it, and I’m just trying to look out for her.”
RaeLynn smiled. “Your secret is safe with me. I can understand the situation. I’d love to come down to the community center to see the work you’re doing. I want as big a picture of the community as I can get for the article. I understand the Double R does a lot for the community center.”
Janie smiled. “I appreciate that. My husband has been great with getting grants and things, but I think it would be really good for our donors to see someone taking note of the work we do and getting some positive press.”
“Are you getting negative press?” RaeLynn had done her research in advance and hadn’t seen any.
Janie laughed. “On the contrary. We’re not getting any, other than a few stories when we initially opened. It’s hard for small towns to get much notice in the media. We try, don’t get me wrong. But it seems like the rest of the world doesn’t care about what happens in a small town or about the kind of work we do here.”
That was exactly why RaeLynn had to do this. Why, despite all of her misgivings and vows to stay away, she absolutely had to do her story on the Double R and its impact on Columbine Springs.
A man stomped in the front door. “Janie, have you seen my daughter?” He stopped when he noticed RaeLynn. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we had guests. No one is due until next week, other than that reporter who’s coming tonight.”
Janie laughed. “Meet the reporter.”
The man took his hat off his head and swiped a hand through his hair. For a cowboy, he wasn’t bad looking. In fact, if he hadn’t mentioned that D word, she might have been tempted to flirt with him. But having a child put a man firmly on her Absolutely Not list.
He set his hat firmly back on his head and strode toward them. “Ma’am, I am so sorry. We’ve had a busy few days here at the ranch. Please forgive me. Ricky would tan my hide if he knew I wasn’t here to personally greet you. I’m Hunter Hawkins, the ranch foreman.”
Hunter’s grip was warm and firm when he shook her hand. She’d always liked a man with a good handshake.
“RaeLynn McCoy, the reporter.” She gave him a smile to hide the flip-flop in her stomach at the mention of Ricky.
Her mother had told her to be wary of Ricky. Apparently, Ricky had treated RaeLynn’s father, Cinco, badly and had not been very nice to her mother. It was probably a good thing RaeLynn had never known her father, considering her mother always said he was nothing but a drunk cowboy. RaeLynn’s stepfathers had also all been drunk cowboys, with varying levels of abusiveness.
If her mom said to be wary of Ricky, RaeLynn wanted nothing to do with him on a personal level. Hunter’s statement about Ricky tanning his hide only made her more determined not to let them know who she was. Clearly, Ricky’s bad temper hadn’t changed over the years.
RaeLynn gave Hunter another smile. “Don’t worry about not having everything perfect for my arrival. I like that. Anyone can put on a good show. I want the chance to see who everyone is. I want to see your hearts.”
The man looked slightly relieved. Then he noticed the little girl sleeping on the couch. “What’s Lynzee doing here?”
Janie sighed. “It’s a long story. Let’s just say that she and Sam were fighting again, so she hid in the closet and fell asleep.”
He sighed as well. “Maybe it’s too much to ask to have Grace watching her. She’s got her baby and your son, and I know Lynzee can be a handful. I keep hoping the day-care center will open back up, but it sounds like Jesse isn’t rebuilding after the fire.”
Janie smiled at him. “Now, stop that talk. If Grace minded, she would have said so. Things are just extra busy today, and I have a disobedient son who will be dealt with accordingly.”
Nodding slowly, Hunter said, “I just don’t want to be taking advantage of other people’s good hearts. Lynzee is my responsibility, and I don’t want anyone feeling like I’m foisting her on them.”
It was refreshing to hear someone insisting on taking responsibility for their child, especially a man. None of RaeLynn’s many stepfathers had ever stuck around for very long when they realized what being a father actually looked like. And her sisters certainly hadn’t made the best decisions when it came to men, either.
“What about her mom?” RaeLynn asked.
“She died,” Hunter said. “I don’t have any family to speak of, and her family has enough problems of their own.” He looked around the room. “Where is Sadie?”
Janie gave him a placating smile. “She wasn’t feeling well, so I gave her the day off.”
“She’s pregnant again, isn’t she?”
His face darkened, and he looked like he had other choice words to say but kept them inside.
“If she is, she hasn’t told me.” Janie sighed again. “But I have my suspicions. And it would do you well to get used to the idea so that when she does tell you, you can at least act happy.”
“She’s already got three kids she can’t take care of. You know I think babies are the greatest blessing from God, but she needs to stop having them and do something good with her life. I thought you were helping her get a grant to go to college or trade school.”
“I was,” Janie said. “And I still am. Even if she is pregnant again, there’s no reason she can’t start going to school.”
He nodded slowly. “And I suppose you’re going to ask me to help her out again.”
“Don’t think I don’t know who leaves those envelopes of cash under their mat.”
He gave a small shrug. “Even though my wife died, her sister and her kids are still family. If I don’t take care of them, who will?”
The resignation in his voice brought sympathy to RaeLynn’s heart. She knew exactly how he felt. Technically, many of her siblings weren’t really her siblings, just an assortment of stepkids her mom picked up along the way and a few half siblings. But in their family, they’d never differentiated between half or step. They were just family. And RaeLynn had also found herself sending checks, leaving cash and doing whatever else she could to make sure they were all okay.
But the family drama gave her one more reason she shouldn’t get involved with these people. Why she was never going to tell them who she was. Yes, she knew Janie was married to her half brother. And part of her was curious to know what he was like. She’d get to know him for the article, but she wasn’t going to let him know who she was. She wasn’t going to let her other brother and sister here on the ranch know, either.
The only trouble was the illusion of a happy family didn’t last in RaeLynn’s knowledge or experience, and she was already too overwhelmed with the family she
had to let in any more.
All RaeLynn wanted was to get what she needed to write her story so she could save the magazine. That was her priority. Not getting mixed up with these people.
* * *
Hunter took a few deep breaths to collect his thoughts. This was more stress he didn’t need. He didn’t like the fact that he had to keep leaving Lynzee with Grace. He hated feeling like he was a burden on everyone here at the Double R. Grace had a new baby and should be focused on that, not on keeping his daughter out of trouble. But as he picked up the sleeping little girl from the couch, he didn’t know what other options he had.
Then there was the problem of Sadie skipping out on work. He’d promised to help his late wife’s sister, but she didn’t seem to want to be helped. Sadie already had child services breathing down her neck. If she were pregnant again, how was she going to handle being a mother to yet another child?
Hunter already had more than enough to deal with in his life. Janie seemed sympathetic to Sadie’s problems, but she didn’t understand that he was always the one to fix them.
He looked over at Janie. “I know Ricky asked me to do it, but would you mind getting RaeLynn settled in? I need to get Lynzee back to Grace.”
Janie held her arms out for Lynzee. “I’m headed back there anyway. You take care of our guest.”
Lynzee started slightly as he transferred her into Janie’s arms. But then she sighed contentedly.
That was the one thing Hunter knew he was doing right. His little girl never wanted for love. When his dad had died, Hunter’s mom had moved to the warmer climates of Arizona, promptly remarrying, and starting a new life there. The folks at the Double R were the closest to a family Hunter had. And lately, he felt like he’d been letting them down.
Ricky had given him one job. Told him his top priority was to make RaeLynn McCoy, this reporter, feel welcome and have the full Double R experience so she would write a good article about the ranch and the surrounding community.
Though people understood the Double R had to cancel reservations after the fire to help the community, now that the community was in the process of rebuilding, the guests hadn’t come back. They’d found other ranches to visit, other places that hadn’t let them down.
Ricky always said that a man’s word was his bond, and he felt like their reputation had been tarnished as a result of the cancellations. In Hunter’s mind, it was admirable that Ricky had put taking care of his community ahead of profits. Hunter hoped having this reporter out here would show not just how good the Double R was but also show the true spirit of Columbine Springs.
He looked over at RaeLynn. “Let me show you around the place. I apologize for not being here to greet you. We should have been more prepared. But it’s fine that you’re here now.”
To his relief, RaeLynn smiled. “I’ll admit, I was a little eager to get here. Please don’t worry about any of this. I think it’s refreshing that small businesses care about their people and are like a family.”
He probably cared a little too much. Everyone knew his threats to fire Sadie weren’t serious. “She’s my late wife’s sister. Felicia might be gone, but the family needs a lot of help. I still feel an obligation to help them.”
RaeLynn gave him a sympathetic look. “I understand better than you think,” she said. “My family is a little chaotic as well. I do my best to take care of them, but I’ve also learned that I need to live my own life. It sounds like you need to find a balance.”
Hunter laughed. “A balance? That’s a good one. I don’t know how you do that with kids.”
When RaeLynn laughed in response, the comforting sound brought a warmth to his heart he hadn’t known he’d been missing. She had a nice smile, a compassionate expression, and although he’d not known her very long, he could tell they were going to be friends.
“That’s why I am never having kids,” she said.
He stared at her for a minute. “Never? That seems a little harsh.”
RaeLynn shrugged. “I spent most of my childhood helping raise my siblings, as well as their children later. I know some people have that maternal longing, but I think I got my fill.”
He nodded. “I can understand that. Maybe that’s why I always thought I’d have about a dozen of them. I was an only child, and I always hated that it was just me.”
Even though he saw where she was coming from, to some extent, Hunter felt a little sorry for RaeLynn. Sure, his wife’s family got on his nerves from time to time, but it felt good being part of something bigger than himself. And it felt good knowing Lynzee would grow up surrounded by friends and loved ones who cared about her.
As they started out the door, his phone rang. Usually, he’d ignore an unknown caller when he was with a guest, but with Sadie gone and not answering the ranch phone, it could be something important.
He looked over at RaeLynn. “I’m sorry, give me one second.”
Turning, he answered the phone. “Hello?”
“It’s Sadie. I’m in jail.”
Not what he’d been expecting. As she started to explain, he felt sick. Another drunk-driving arrest. Before she could go into her usual excuses, he cut her off.
“I’m sorry, not bailing you out again this time. I did that the last time, and you promised to get help and quit drinking. Your sister died drinking and driving, and I would think that you of all people could understand that.”
He was about to say goodbye when she said, “Wait, please.”
“I can’t bail you out,” he said. “Even if I wanted to, I don’t have the money.”
“My kids are home with Jennifer. Can you get them?”
Jennifer. The thirteen-year-old neighbor kid who babysat for her when she went out. Meaning all those kids had been left alone all night with Jennifer. Hopefully, Jennifer’s parents had probably come by and helped, but he couldn’t be sure. Worse, though, was the fact that if social services found out, it could jeopardize Sadie’s chances of keeping her kids.
While Hunter firmly believed that Sadie should suffer the consequences of her actions, he also didn’t want the kids to suffer. There weren’t a lot of foster-care options in their small town, which meant the kids might be sent to parts unknown and potentially separated. These were Lynzee’s cousins. Their family. Hunter had to keep them together.
“Did you call Jennifer’s mom and dad?”
“I only get one phone call. I called you.”
Which meant, once again, it was up to Hunter to fix things. “All right,” he said. “Let me see what I can do.”
He looked over at RaeLynn. “I’m really sorry. Sadie’s in jail, and her kids have been left with a thirteen-year-old. I’m sure everything’s fine, because Jennifer’s parents are good people, but I need to figure out what to do about the kids. There’s already an active social-services investigation going on, and I need to keep the kids safe.”
He looked down at his phone. “I’ll call Ricky and see who we can get out here to show you around.”
RaeLynn reached forward and touched his arm gently. “Why don’t I come with you to help? I’m experienced with kids, and I’m sure they’re probably scared and confused. Especially if social services are involved.”
He should say no. She was a guest, one they wanted to impress. However, the tender but firm look in her eyes told him it would be a waste of time to argue.
“All right,” he said. “Let’s go.”
Copyright © 2021 by Danica Favorite
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ISBN-13: 9780369715043
The Marine’s Mission
Copyright © 2021 by Debra Kastner
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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