Love Inspired February 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: The Cowboy's Reunited FamilyThe Forest Ranger's ReturnMommy Wanted

by Brenda Minton

  Mitch loved his time in the afternoons with Dee and Emmie, listening to them chatter about their day and about their friends, playing games with them and growing closer to them. From the sound of things, Kate must have spent the majority of her afternoons waiting for her folks to pick her up. There was no affection in her voice when she mentioned them, no hint of happy childhood reminiscence. Surely there was something she enjoyed and was able to participate in growing up. “How about once you got older, in middle school or high school?” he asked. “What did you like then?”

  Luckily, he glanced at her at just the right moment to see her face transform and light up with excitement. “I liked to run. Or rather, I loved to run.”

  Have mercy, she was so pretty when she smiled. Mitch made a mental note to do whatever it took to make certain she smiled often. All the time. “Did you run track for your school?”

  She nodded. “Junior high and high school. I’d thought I might get a scholarship and get to run in college, but I wasn’t that good. I did enjoy it, though. There’s so much freedom when you run, don’t you think?”

  He thought about her thin frame and should have realized that she might be a long-distance runner. That was the kind of build they had, thin, lean, not necessarily built for speed as much as endurance. “What did you run? The 1600-meter? Cross-country?”

  “Oh, no, I never was that good at long distances. Nothing farther than a hundred meters for me. The 4x100-meter relay, the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash. Pretty much, if it was a ‘dash,’ it was my race.”

  Mitch was floored. Those were the high-speed runs, the ones typically reserved for the strongest and fastest athletes. Kate didn’t look like that kind of runner, but undoubtedly he was being reminded that looks could be deceiving. “You were a sprinter?” He meant to mask his shock but failed, because she laughed.

  “Don’t sound so surprised. I was actually fairly quick once upon a time.”

  “Oh, hey, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that you don’t look like a sprinter.”

  “I used to,” she said but didn’t offer any other explanation.

  “So, what leg were you on the 4x100 relay?” he asked, as he pulled into Matt and Hannah’s driveway, where the girls were all out playing in the front yard.

  “Fourth,” she said.

  Mitch glanced to see she was smiling smugly. “You were the last leg? Fastest on the team, weren’t you?”

  “I’m sure there have been faster times since, but back then I was.”

  Mitch processed what she didn’t say. “You held the school record?”

  “For a while,” she said, then waved at Dee and Emmie through the front car window. “Looks like they’re having fun.”

  Mitch turned off the car and waited while the girls stopped playing and started toward the car. “There’s a lot about you that I still need to learn,” he said.

  A look passed over her face, something Mitch couldn’t read, and she answered, “I plan on telling you everything, though. Just give me time.” She grabbed the Hello Kitty bag and stepped out of the car to meet the girls, both running to her side instead of Mitch’s.

  Mitch smiled, happy Dee and Emmie liked Kate so much, and also happy to give her the time she needed to tell him about her past. He was eager to discover everything he could about the woman who had apparently been an impressive sprinter not that long ago. What other surprises would he learn as he got to know the beauty currently accepting hugs from his girls and slowly but surely intriguing his heart?

  Matt, Hannah and Autumn neared Mitch’s side of the car, while Dee and Emmie gave Kate another hug and then came around to give their daddy a hug, too.

  “Love you, Daddy,” Dee said, holding him tight.

  “Wuv Daddy,” Emmie said when he hugged her.

  Dee handed the Hello Kitty bag to Hannah. “Here, Aunt Hannah. Will you hold this so we can play a little more on the swing set? It’s almost dark, so we gotta hurry.”

  “Yes, I’ll hold it,” Hannah said, accepting the tiny bag and then grinning as the girls ran off.

  Matt smiled toward Kate, and Mitch realized he hadn’t introduced them. “Oh, Matt, this is Kate. Kate, this is Matt Graham, my brother-in-law.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Kate said.

  “You, too,” Matt responded, while Hannah squinted toward Kate.

  “I think it must be one of those model pictures at Consigning Women that I’m thinking of when I see you.”

  “Do they have any photos of Snow White?” Mitch asked jokingly. “Dee seems to think she’s the spitting image.”

  “I can see that,” Hannah said. “You really could be a model, you know.”

  “Oh, no, I don’t think so,” Kate said, “but thank you.”

  “She could be a runner, though,” Mitch said, grinning. “A sprinter, in fact.”

  “A sprinter?” Matt asked.

  Kate shrugged. “I ran track in high school. That’s it.”

  “And she held the school record,” Mitch added, enjoying watching her blush.

  “Okay now, that’s enough about me,” Kate said. “It was nice seeing you again, Hannah. Pleasure to meet you, Matt,” she said and then got in the car.

  “I think that’s my signal that I’ve embarrassed her and that it’s time to go eat,” Mitch said.

  Matt winked at him. “Good to see ya happy.”

  Mitch nodded, realizing that he did feel genuinely happy. “Thanks.”

  He got in the car and they waved goodbye as they turned around and then started out of the driveway.

  “For someone who’s wanting me to share everything, you sure are finding it mighty fun to embarrass me,” she said, but her tone was more flirtatious than reprimanding. Then she pinched his biceps. “See if I tell you anything again.”

  He winked at her. “You will.”

  “How can you be so sure?” she asked, still flirting and still making Mitch grin.

  “Because I want to know...and I’ll ask nicely,” he said.

  She laughed. “You aren’t lacking for confidence, are you?”

  “Truthfully, when I picked you up tonight, I felt like a fish out of water. Nervous, I’d say. But yeah, my confidence is making a reappearance.”

  “Why’s that?” she asked.

  “Because I can tell you’re starting to have a good time. Aren’t ya?”

  “You know, I really am.” Her stomach growled so loudly that if Mitch hadn’t known it was Kate he’d have said that could’ve only come from a very large, famished man.

  “Hungry?” he asked.

  She laughed almost as loudly as her stomach had growled. “I haven’t eaten today. I was going to get a cheeseburger when you called me on the way home, and then I decided to hold out so I’d be good and hungry for dinner.”

  “Based on that sound, I’d say you’re there.”

  She laughed again. “And I’d say you’re right.”

  “We’re going to a steak house in Stockville,” he said. “How does a salad, filet mignon, baked potato and then blackberry cobbler with ice cream sound?”

  Her stomach answered with another growl, and she giggled. “Talk about embarrassing.”

  “I think it’s adorable,” he said honestly.

  “I don’t know if I can hold all of that food,” she said, “but I’m pretty sure I’d like to make an effort.”

  * * *

  Kate walked out of the restaurant with Mitch after indulging in one of the most delicious meals she’d ever eaten. “That was amazing,” she said as they reached his car and he opened her door.

  “I know,” he agreed while she climbed in. “I’d have never thought someone as tiny as you could eat so much. Amazing.” Then he closed her door amid her gasps and rounded the car...but not b
efore Kate clicked the lock button.

  Mitch tried the handle and then realized what she’d done and started laughing. He tapped on the window. “Hey, let me in.”

  “Those are so not the right words,” she said, flipping the visor down and checking her lipstick in the lit mirror while she ignored the guy locked out of the car.

  Mitch loved it. He tapped on the window again. “Please, Kate. Forgive me, and let me in.”

  She snapped the visor closed and leaned across the seat, blue eyes capturing the street light and glittering mischievously. “What was that first word again?” she asked.

  He smirked. “Please.”

  She nodded. “Yep, that’s the right one.” Then she clicked the unlock button and giggled when he got in.

  “But you did eat more than me,” he said, cranking the engine while she punched him.

  “Hey, I hadn’t eaten all day. I told you that, and I was hungry.”

  “Obviously.” Then he laughed again, and she joined in, unable to remember the last time she’d laughed so much. The entire night had been filled with good conversation, great food and an abundance of laughter. It was an amazing date, and Kate didn’t want to ruin it by bringing up the mistakes of her past. Yes, she’d planned to talk to Mitch tonight about Chad and Lainey, but the opportunity simply wasn’t there. She’d tell him, but she wouldn’t mar this perfect night with something sad. Besides, from the way the date had gone, she suspected they’d have another soon. And that was when she’d tell him. Not tonight, when her skin tingled with excitement, with happiness and with hope.

  Hope. That was what she felt more than anything else. And that was what had been missing in her life most of all.

  By the time he pulled into the driveway at the B and B, they’d laughed and joked the entire drive home.

  “Looks like Mrs. Tingle left the light on for you,” he said, pointing to the bright beam illuminating the entire porch. “Kind of adds to the whole first-date feeling, doesn’t it?”

  Kate grinned. “She has become something of a mom to me since I’ve been here, and I can’t deny I like it.”

  “I like having you across the street, too,” he said. “Gotta admit, I’m going to be a bit bummed when you move to the rental house. And the girls will, too. So you’re going to have to come visit often, or we’ll come to you.”

  “Promise?” she asked.

  “Definitely.”

  “I haven’t found the time to even look for a rental yet. I actually told Mrs. Tingle today that I’ll probably go ahead and stay at the B and B at least a couple more weeks and maybe even all of June.”

  “I’m rather happy you haven’t found a place yet,” he said, opening his door and climbing out.

  Kate watched him cross in front of the car, his tall frame blocking the light from the porch as he moved purposefully to open her door. She was drawn to that confidence that exuded from his very soul. Being around Mitch made her feel safe, happy, hopeful.

  She climbed out, very much aware of his presence as she stepped by him and they walked toward the porch. Midway up the sidewalk, his hand found hers, palms touching gently as their fingers intertwined. And just like that, the laughter that had been on the edge of Kate’s tongue all night and had released so freely was exchanged for something else entirely. She wanted to keep feeling his hand in hers and wanted to feel his arms around her once more, like they’d been last Saturday at the park.

  When they reached the door, she turned to thank him. “I had an incredible time tonight,” she said.

  “No problems with me being rusty? I did okay?”

  “Very okay,” she said. “How about me? Any problems with me being rusty on the dating?”

  He grinned. “Not at all. But, I’ve got to tell you, there’s another area I might be rusty at, too, and you’ll just have to give me an honest answer about it.” He stepped closer, and Kate watched his gaze fall from her eyes to her lips.

  She swallowed. “Okay.”

  Then he placed his fingertips at her temples, slowly edged them down her cheeks and jaw, before gently tilting her chin and easing his lips to hers.

  The brush of his mouth was feather-soft, and Kate found herself pressing her lips against his kiss, enjoying the warmth of him, the tenderness of his touch, an almost reverent sensation, as though she were something precious. Something treasured.

  As gently as he started, he eased their lips apart to end the kiss, and Kate immediately wanted more. Mitch, she suspected, could see that in her eyes, because he touched a finger to her trembling lower lip and then gave her another soft kiss.

  “So, am I rusty?” he asked, his confident smile saying he knew her answer, as if the soft moan she’d emitted somewhere in the middle of that kiss didn’t give her away.

  “You are anything but rusty,” she said honestly. Then, because she now wondered if he’d felt anything near what she did, she asked, “How about me?”

  “You’re...” he said, pausing as he appeared to contemplate the right word. “You’re captivating, intriguing and mesmerizing.”

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  “I was thinking the same thing.” He reached past her and opened the door. “Good night, Kate. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  She wanted another kiss, but she wouldn’t be greedy. “See you in the morning.” Then she entered the B and B, made her way to her room and fell onto the bed smiling.

  * * *

  Mitch backed his car out and drove it the short distance to park in his own driveway across the street. He glanced at the top bay window of the B and B, where Kate would soon be sleeping. He’d told her the truth. He found her captivating, intriguing and mesmerizing. And he wanted to continue learning more about the fascinating lady who’d seemed to have been sent to his world directly from God. She was everything he’d prayed for, even if he hadn’t realized that he was ready for anything beyond a capable office manager.

  He was ready to move on to a relationship again. He could feel it so thoroughly, he had no doubt. And even his in-laws supported this. Hannah had told him so last night, and then Matt also seemed thrilled that Mitch was dating again. He knew Bo and Maura would feel the same. That meant so much to Mitch, to have their support.

  His cell phone rang as he entered the house. He glanced at the display and saw Hannah’s name.

  Mitch answered. “I was just thinking about y’all. Oh, hey, is everything okay with the girls? Is something wrong?” Concern quickly filled him as he remembered Matt and Hannah were keeping Dee and Emmie.

  “They’re fine,” Hannah said. “I should’ve thought you’d wonder if something was wrong, and I asked Matt if I should wait until morning before calling, but then I couldn’t sleep for thinking about it, and I just had to call and tell you. Mitch, I feel awful, but I think I have to say something. I mean, I’d want to know, and you need to know. And I’m still just so shocked by it all.”

  Hannah rattled off the words so quickly that Mitch had a hard time keeping up, and from what he could tell, nothing made sense. “Hannah, is something wrong?”

  “Yes, something is very wrong. Tonight, when I saw her dressed up, it sparked the memory a little clearer. Because that time I met her, even though she wore a halter and shorts, her makeup was done just so and her hair fixed beautifully, like she were going out on a date. Her face is different now, thinner or something. It makes her eyes appear a little bigger. Her hair is the biggest difference, though. It was long and blond. And she was very tan. There’s just so many differences, but the more I thought about it and then also the fact that she moved to Claremont from Atlanta, the more I knew I was right.”

  Again, Mitch was clueless, but he could tell this had something to do with Kate. “Hannah, what are you trying to say?”

  “Kate. She looked so familiar because I did meet her before.” She
paused and then said, “It was when she was married to Chad Martin.”

  Chapter Ten

  Since Hannah was taking the girls to the day care this morning, Mitch came in to the office extra early to give himself time to prepare for the arrival of his office manager. But how did you prepare for someone who had so thoroughly lied to you since the moment she’d stepped foot through your door?

  The entire town knew the story about Chad’s first wife. She’d essentially destroyed him, or at least attempted to, by having him give up his dream of being a medical doctor, move back to Claremont in an effort to keep her happy and then leaving him with a baby to raise...and no way to understand why she’d treated him so badly.

  Mitch had been up most of the night trying to reconcile Kate Martin with Kate Wydell, the woman who, only yesterday, he’d thought he was falling in love with.

  Obviously Chad wasn’t the only male she was doing a number on.

  Mitch pressed his pen against the desk as he remembered every horrible detail he’d known about the woman back then. She’d met Chad in Atlanta when he was still recovering from his first love, Jessica, leaving Claremont without telling him goodbye. Chad had no idea that Jess had been pregnant, or that she’d left because she didn’t want him to give up his scholarship to marry her. So the guy was already down and vulnerable, and then he met Kate.

  Chad had been smitten from the get-go by the gorgeous blonde with a zest for life and a penchant for the adventurous.

  Mitch had met his friend’s ex-wife once, but he didn’t see Kate as the girl from his memory. Her dark curls were different from the long, silky blond hair he remembered, and Mitch hadn’t seen any hint of a woman who lived for hiking, white-water rafting and snow skiing. Those were characteristics of the girl Chad had married back then. Kate seemed more like the sit-around-and-watch-a-T-ball-game type girl. Happy to merely play with Dee and Emmie in the front yard.

  Chad had said he couldn’t keep up with her craving for action when he had to study so much for med school, but he also said he didn’t realize how badly she wanted him to become a doctor until he dropped out to save their marriage.