Emily would be pleased because Flynn had told her she’d be in charge of this one. She’d already named it Sharon, assuring her father she knew the cow was having a daughter. He guessed she’d been right.
“She okay?” asked Flynn.
“Looks fine to me, guess she thought she’d stay somewhere safe and warm just a little longer, and hence didn’t want to leave her mother.”
Flynn couldn’t blame her. This morning had been a cold one, and even he’d been reluctant to get out of bed.
“I have to go and collect Emily, and I’m already running late. Can I leave you to finish up here and then send us the bill?”
“Sure thing, and tell her hello.”
“I will.”
Flynn changed into his clean boots and walked toward his truck. He turned on the ignition and cranked up the heat. He backed out of the driveway and headed down the road onto the main country road that would take him into the town of Timber Creek. He glanced up at the sky. It had been brilliant sunshine until about an hour ago, but now it was dark and dreary. If he was any judge, it was going to snow soon. He glanced at the clock in the truck, realizing that his watch had been slow. Damn thing probably needed a new battery. Now he was really was late collecting Emily. He put his foot down on the gas pedal hoping Shane or his deputies weren’t around to give him a ticket.
Flynn turned onto Main Street wondering if Emily had gotten herself into a panic thinking something had happened to him. He hoped not because she could work herself into quite a state, and it usually took hours to calm her down. Right now he was tired, and after a quick trip to the grocery store, he just wanted to head home, eat, and then sit in front of the fire and relax. He turned the corner and then made his way into the café’s parking lot. He rushed inside and to his delight Emily was simply helping her grandmother bag some cookies for a customer.
“Hi daddy.” She smiled at him. Luckily his mother had kept her occupied so she hadn’t noticed his tardiness.
“Hi honey. The new calf finally arrived.”
“Sharon’s here?” said Emily.
“Sure is, and you were right about her being a girl.”
“Well, that’s a lucky thing for her or he’d be stuck with a girl’s name,” said his mother. “Okay Emily, you grab your coat and run along with your dad.”
“I might not be able to help out tomorrow because I’ll have a calf to look after.”
“That’s fine honey. I understand.” She winked at Flynn.
Emily grabbed her coat and Flynn held the door open for her. She unlocked the truck and slid in beside him and then pulled up her coat collar.
“It’s gonna snow.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
“Can we still go to the store?”
“That’s where I’m heading.”
“I need more period pads.”
Flynn felt himself coloring up. He’d forgotten just how grown up she was until a few weeks after her thirteenth birthday when she’d gotten her first period.
“Sure honey, we can get some of those too.”
“I want the ones like on the commercial I saw on the TV.”
“Then you’ll have to show me.”
He saw no need to pay attention to those sorts of things, but he guessed Emily did.
Flynn pulled into the parking lot of the local grocery store just as the snow began swirling around. He and Emily got out and rushed inside to get out of the cold wind. He grabbed a cart and they headed down the first aisle.
“Gran said to get sprinkles for the cupcakes. People like them and Uncle Shane will get more money,” said Emily pulling on his arm.
He smiled. His brother was running for re-election and Emily had taken it upon herself to make sure her uncle would still be sheriff. With his daughter as part of his campaign team, how could his younger brother lose that race?
****
Natalie had never been so cold in all her life. Her teeth chattered as she got back in the car after filling it with gas. The tips of her fingers were numb. She blew across them. Growing up in Florida had obviously thinned her blood. Choosing to come to Montana in the middle of winter probably wasn’t the smartest idea. However, now she knew she had a daughter and where she lived, the need to see and meet her was her top priority.
The area was certainly beautiful with its snowcapped mountains and valleys. At least her child had been raised in wide open spaces and close to nature. She wondered if she rode a horse, was an outdoorsy sort of girl, or maybe a bookworm like she’d been.
The snow fell faster and harder on her car. She turned on the windshield wipers and clapped her hands together. She’d never driven in snow before. Maybe she’d head into Timber Creek, check into the motel room she’d booked before she’d left Orlando, get a good night’s sleep, and then by morning it might have stopped. She’d get an early start finding Flynn Malone’s ranch. But something in her heart told her she had to at least find its location tonight so she could sleep with an image of where her little girl called home.
Natalie pulled out of the gas station’s lot and made her way back to the main road. She turned up the windshield wipers a notch, hoping it would clear her vision, but nothing was helping. Gripping the steering wheel like it was going to disintegrate if she didn’t, she focused on the road ahead. She was scared. Daylight was fading fast, and the snow was coming at the car at every angle possible.
She knew she didn’t have much farther to go. She’d programmed the GPS on the rental car and knew the road where the Malone ranch was located was only half a mile ahead.
Feeling the car’s back wheels beginning to slide, she grabbed the wheel even tighter.
The road in question was up ahead. She put her foot down when she got to a hill and then eased off the accelerator as she got to the top.
The ranch.
She couldn’t miss it. It was to her left. Her daughter was in there somewhere. She took her eyes off the road, wondering what she was going to say when she arrived at the front door. All the way on the plane ride to Montana she’d rehearsed how she was going to introduce herself. Back then it had seemed easy, but now bile rose in her throat thinking about it. Seeing her and Jon’s offspring for the very first time made her hands shake.
Natalie hadn’t been paying attention and a deer sprang from nowhere and ran in front of her car. She panicked, hit the brakes, and the car began to spin, careening out of control. She hit the brakes again, realizing that she’d made a dumb mistake because before she could get control back, the car was heading toward a snow packed ditch. It was almost like it was happening in slow motion. The car spun again and bang, it was halfway in the ditch. She opened the door and looked at the back of the car. No way could she reverse or accelerate out with the snow halfway up the rims of the tires.
Slamming the steering wheel, she swore. She was stuck. She was this close to her child and was going nowhere. She reached for her purse and dug out her phone, hoping the road assistance service she’d subscribed to would come and pull her out.
No signal.
Shit.
She threw the phone down on the passenger seat. Maybe she could walk back to the gas station and get some help. Maybe she’d freeze to death on the way. Natalie glanced to her left. Or maybe she could walk up to the Malone ranch to see if anyone was home.
****
By the time Flynn and Emily exited the grocery store, it was snowing hard. Emily stuck her tongue out and let some flakes drop onto her tongue. She’d loved doing that since she was five.
They loaded everything into the back of the truck. Flynn got in and opened the door for Emily. He turned on the ignition and cranked up the heat. Emily leaned forward and rubbed her hands together in front of the vent as he pulled out of the store lot and made his way back to the main road.
“I want to learn how to knit so I can make baby clothes for Shane and Lacey’s baby,” said Emily.
“Count me out for that one. I think I remember your gran knitting when I wa
s young, so you might want to ask her for some lessons.”
He smiled. When his sister-in-law had announced that she was pregnant, Emily had been more excited by it than the parents to be.
“I’m going to be a cousin,” he remembered Emily shouting all the way home.
He glanced over at her. She’d unwrapped one of the candy bars he’d bought in the supermarket and had already consumed half of it.
“Hey, when did you pull that out of the grocery bag?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Yeah, and now you probably won’t want much supper.”
He turned onto the road leading down the ranch. The snow was getting heavier and thicker so he switched the windshield wiper’s speed to high. Up ahead he caught the glimpse of what looked like a mid-sized car, blue if his eyesight was correct, sitting in the ditch.
“Looks like someone had a spin out on the slippery road,” said Flynn slowing the truck as they approached. As they got closer, he could see a woman standing by the front left headlight. “I think someone might need our help.” He pulled over behind the car and put the truck into park. “You stay here while I go see what I can do for this lady.”
Flynn jumped out of the truck, pulled his jacket collar up and made his way toward the woman. As she turned, his heart skipped a beat. Shit, she was beautiful. Snow had already frosted her long dark hair and some had even fallen on her eyelashes. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, but he knew he’d never met her before. Maybe she’d been in one of his dreams.
“Can I offer any help?” he asked.
“I’m not used to driving in snow, and I hit the brakes when a deer ran out in front of me. The car is in too deep for me to get it out.”
“Don’t worry, it happens all the time. That’s my ranch up on that road. I can go get a rope and attach it my truck and pull you out. However, I suggest you don’t wait here because it’s cold and someone could swerve and hit you. You feel comfortable about riding up to the ranch with me and my daughter?”
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“No trouble at all. I’d be glad to help you.”
She smiled. She was so pretty.
“I’ll just grab my purse.”
He waited until she reached into the car and then slung her bag over her shoulder and walked toward him.
“My name’s Flynn Malone.” He stuck out his hand to her. She removed her glove and stuck her hand into his. Soft skin…lovely skin. Maybe he was dreaming.
“Natalie Stevens.”
He put his hand on the small of her back and encouraged her to head toward his truck. He opened the passenger door. “Emily, would you scoot over so this lady can ride up to the ranch with us.”
Emily, eating yet another candy bar, moved to the middle of the truck. He held Natalie’s arm as she climbed inside. Flynn closed the door and then ran around to the driver’s side and got in.
“This is my daughter, Emily. Emily, this is Natalie.”
“Hi Natalie, it’s nice to meet you.”
Chapter Four
How she’d managed to get out of his truck she didn’t know. Now her feet wouldn’t quite move. It had been one shock after another. Sliding off the road into the ditch. Flynn Malone stopping to help her. She’d expected him to be a rugged old man. She didn’t know why she’d assumed that, but he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Her heart had skipped a beat when he’d shaken her hand. She stomach hadn’t done flips like that since she’d first met Emily’s father.
And Emily.
While it had been a total shock to see her daughter in the flesh, she hadn’t quite expected to see a teenager with Down syndrome. She swallowed. The recollection of her pregnancy was rushing at her so fast now.
When she’d had an ultrasound and they’d suggested there could be something wrong with the baby, she’d assumed her mother had paid them to say that as a ploy to get Natalie to end her pregnancy. Her mother had wanted that from the minute she’d found out that Natalie was having a baby. However, now she knew she was telling the truth.
She looked at Emily again.
She stood unable to move even a mere inch as she watched her help her father unload the bags of groceries from the back of his truck. She’d come here with every intention of telling him who she was, and why she was here, but after setting eyes on her daughter she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She was suddenly tongue-tied.
“Let’s head inside before we all freeze,” said Flynn.
“Come on Natalie, it’s warm inside.” Emily pulled on her arm.
How she wished she could head back to her motel room and sit all alone for a few hours so she could process this into her brain. But she had no way of getting there until he got her car out of the ditch.
Natalie followed her and Flynn up the driveway and to the front door. The wind had picked up, and she shivered. Maybe her mother had been right; she should have left things in the past. But she’d promised Jon, and in her heart she’d always wanted to set eyes upon their child.
Flynn opened back the front door and Emily grabbed Natalie’s arm again and encouraged her inside.
If you only knew who I am. What would both of you think? What would you do?
She smiled at Natalie, and now that they were inside and in the light, she could see that Emily had reddish hair just like Jon’s. She swallowed. This was the girl they’d made and never got to see grow up or to love for the last thirteen years.
Even through the thick lenses on Emily’s glasses she could see a little of Jon’s eyes. The color somewhere in between blue and green. She suddenly missed him. If only he could be here to see Emily. Most of all, to give Natalie the strength she now felt she needed.
“Why don’t you take off your coat so we can hang it up to dry? And then come through to the kitchen and I’ll make some coffee to warm you up,” said Flynn.
Now she was inside she also got a better look at him. Rugged old man. So far from it. Sexy tall cowboy. That described him perfectly.
“I can do it,” said Emily.
“I’ll do it, but you can offer Natalie some cookies,” said Flynn
“They come from my grandma’s café,” said Emily.
Her grandma.
She had a family and Natalie probably had no right being here. She was an outsider and stranger who was intruding.
“Come on,” said Emily.
Natalie followed them through the living room. She glanced at the photos on the walls. Most of them were of the young Emily with Flynn. She’d been such a cute little girl. If only she could stand here and study them some more. Maybe even ask for a photo album so she could see evidence of her child growing up…but she couldn’t.
Flynn put the bags down on the countertop.
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble,” said Natalie seeing Flynn fill up the coffee pot.
“Truth is I was going to make some for myself. It’s been a long day.”
“A new calf was born. She’s mine, and her name’s Sharon,” said Emily.
Natalie smiled. Had her daughter enjoyed growing up on a ranch? She had to stop thinking of her as her daughter. While she’d grown in Natalie’s womb, she was Flynn Malone’s child.
“Have a seat, warm yourself up, and then we’ll see about pulling your car out of the ditch,” said Flynn.
Emily opened up a plastic container in which sat the most delicious cookies Natalie had ever seen.
“Those are chocolate chip, those are oatmeal, and these are peanut butter. I like them the best.”
“Wow, all my favorites,” said Natalie.
Natalie, on Emily’s advice took a peanut butter one as Flynn handed her a mug of coffee. She looked at his hands, weather beaten and calloused, but so big and strong too. And his eyes. He had the most beautiful blue eyes. Windows to the soul. His soul was gorgeous no doubt.
“Cream or sugar?” he asked.
Natalie shook her head. “No, black’s perfect.”
“I
like your earrings,” said Emily. She moved closer to her and touched the one in her left ear. How strange that she’d noticed and admired them. They’d belong to Natalie’s grandmother which meant Emily liked something that had once been her great-grandmother’s.
“Honey, what have I told you about touching people’s things without their permission?” said Flynn.
Emily’s hand shot away from Natalie’s face. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” said Natalie.
“So are you just passing through town?” asked Flynn. He set his mug down on the countertop.
Shit, what did she say now? She couldn’t tell them why she was near the property and why she hadn’t told them the second she’d met them the real reason she was in town. She’d have to think of something and quickly.
“I’m looking for a vacation house in the area.”
Did people do that in winter? Where had that crazy idea come from?
Flynn nodded. “I know a couple of realtors. If you don’t have one already, I’d be happy to give you their numbers.”
Natalie nodded “The cookie was very good,” she said wanting to change the subject and not dig herself in any deeper on the topic of house-hunting.
“Have another one,” said Emily putting the box in front of her again.
She took a chocolate chip one this time, imaging what her mother would say about the indulgence and her weight. She’d inherited her heavy genes from her dad and not her mother—who hadn’t gained more than five pounds since she’d turned forty.
“I’ll have to check out your grandmother’s café,” said Natalie.
“It’s on Main Street, and I work there some days too,” said Emily.
Maybe she could go there and get to know her daughter more without raising any suspicion. Ease herself in as a friend before telling them the truth. Natalie bit her lip. None of this was turning out like she’d planned when she’d left Florida.
Flynn walked over to the sink and glanced out of the window. She knew she shouldn’t but she couldn’t help but look at his butt in the tight jeans.
“Natalie, I hate to say it but the snow’s getting heavier, and the wind looks like it’s picking up. I think it would be a smarter idea to get your car dug out in the morning when this storm’s passed and we can see what we’re doing.”
Flynn Page 2
