Taking Their Second Chance

by Brenna Welles

  "Can you start tomorrow?" Jake asked. "Esther has an appointment and I need to help Morris on the ranch."

  "Sure," Letti said, grateful that they could talk work again. She did some mental schedule shifting. She'd have to call the hospice crew, see if she could shift her volunteer hours to the later part of the afternoon/evening. "What time?"

  "Her appointment is at ten."

  "Great. I'll be here by nine, help her eat something before we go."

  "Great."

  They stood awkwardly in front of each other. Letti realized Jake had finished bandaging her hand, holding it in his. She pulled her hand back, and Jake dropped it as soon as he realized what he had done.

  "I better get going," Letti said, her words not more than a soft breath. "Unless there's anything else you need to go over with me?"

  Jake shook his head, then turned and strode out of the kitchen. Letti sucked in a deep breath as she heard Jake ask his mother if she needed to talk to Letti about anything important.

  Letti squared her shoulders and left the kitchen, determined to keep her professionalism gathered around her like a cloak. She would not let Jake get to her.

  Esther gave Letti a little wave and a smile, conveying her gratitude with facial gestures. Letti's heart warmed.

  "I'll see you in the morning," she said as she donned her coat. Then she looked at Jake. "Thank you."

  She didn't have to explain that the thank you was more than a simple thank you for dinner. It was a thank you for the job. A thank you for putting aside their past and letting her work with his mother. A thank you for bandaging the cut on her finger.

  Jake gave her that soft and swift smile once more. It made her heart jump again, filling Letti with frustration.

  "Goodnight," he said. "Drive safe."

  Letti shut the door behind her and exhaled long and slow.

  She could do this. She could help Esther and keep her emotions under control. She had to.

  Lord, help me, please.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Jake led the horse along the perimeter of the herd, keeping an eye out for any signs of distress. So far, the heavies this year seemed to be holding their own, which was a good sign. That meant it would be a good calving season, barring a few exceptions. They couldn't win them all.

  The days had grown longer, both in daylight and in labor hours. Now that Jake didn't have to take as much time off to help his mother with her appointments and to make sure she ate, he poured himself into his work. It was meditative, being out on the land, herding cattle, distributing hay where needed. It had been a long, cold, and wet winter. It was still cold. But Jake didn't feel the bite of the wind as he rode on, letting the work warm him.

  It had been a couple of weeks since he'd hired Letti. In that time, Letti had taken over caring for his mother, taking her to appointments, feeding her, bathing her when she was too tired and sick to move on her own. It broke Jake's heart whenever he arrived home to learn his mother had gone to bed early due to feeling so weak. Letti always made an extra plate of dinner for him when he came home, and had a lunch prepared for him to take the next day. That wasn't a part of the agreement at all, but Jake found himself too grateful at the gesture to complain.

  He'd even grown to like her green smoothies in the morning.

  It seemed Letti had made it her job to take care of both of them.

  Jake tried to remain aloof, distant. He left the house as soon as Letti handed off his green smoothie in the morning. He didn't talk much in the evenings other than to hear Letti's daily report. They didn't talk about anything other than his mother's well-being. Letti was a thorough nurse and made sure Jake was always up to date regarding his mother's treatment.

  As reluctant as he was to admit, his mother had made the perfect choice with her.

  "Jake," Morris' voice carried over the wind. The sun had come out that afternoon, warming the air. Jake shed his jacket hours ago.

  Lifting a hand up, Jake made one last check on the herd as he rode over.

  "Hey, boss," Jake greeted, sliding off the horse. "What's up?"

  Shaking his head, Morris ran a hand through his long hair. "Paige called. She needs me to pick up a visitor at the airport." Morris gave a long, frustrated sigh. "Her half-sister. Allison something-or-other. Can you believe that?"

  Jake's jaw dropped. He had heard rumors circling around the ranch about a daughter Max Greene discovered he had before he met Eleanor, but Jake had been too polite to confirm if the rumors were true. Max Greene was held in the highest regard by many in the community, and it was a general consensus that if Max had known about the daughter, he would have done right by her.

  "What do you need me to do?" Jake asked, shoving aside his curiosity. He didn't have time for that. Morris called him over for a reason, and that reason was to work.

  "Cam's on his way to Greene Pastures. Sounds like the new foal is on its way. I asked Cam if he could stop by when he's done, check out the sprain in Mac's leg and see how it's doing. See anything going on in the herd?" Morris jerked his head toward the herd that Jake had been rounding up.

  "Nah, looks good out there," Jake said. "I can have Cam take a look though, if you'd like."

  Morris shook his head. "I trust you. I'm sure it's fine. This will be the first calving season without Dad here."

  Jake nodded. Morris didn't have to say anything more. "I'll do my best when the time comes."

  "I have no doubt." Morris clapped Jake on the shoulder. "Hey, you still planning on riding in the rodeo next weekend?"

  Jake grinned. "As long as my boss doesn't mind a little moonlighting on the side."

  Morris laughed. "I'll be there to cheer you on. How's your mother?"

  "She's seen better days," Jake said, giving a half-hearted shrug. He hated giving people updates. They weren't always good, but were always met with prayers and offers of help. "The chemo is really affecting her. She's scheduled for another PET scan in a couple of weeks to see if the tumor has gone down at all."

  "I'll keep praying for her. And you. You let me know if you need any help." Morris squeezed his arm.

  "Will do. We hired Letti Fletcher to take care of her," Jake said, clearing his throat. "She's working out really well."

  "That's good! I've heard great things about her. She really helped her brother when he came home from Iraq." Morris' brows drew together. "Say, didn't you two--"

  Jake nodded, cutting Morris off. "It was a long time ago. We've put it behind us."

  "Good. Well. Let me know if you need anything." Morris nodded and began to walk away. "Oh, one more thing. Would you make sure Kyle gets those stalls mucked this afternoon? I know he's busy, but they need doing."

  "You got it." Jake lifted a hand in a wave.

  Jake arrived home later than normal that evening. Morris had been late getting back to the ranch and Jake didn't feel comfortable leaving without tying in with Morris. Morris felt bad about the whole thing and told Jake to take the next morning off, but Jake waved it away. He had spent the time cleaning up the tack room and making sure the stalls were mucked. Kyle had done a pretty decent job, but Jake double checked every one just to pass the time.

  Weary, Jake pushed the front door open and shut it behind him, leaning heavily against it. A lamp near the couch had been left on, the fire smoldering in the hearth. The kitchen and dining room were dark, except the oven light which told Jake he had a meal waiting for him inside, still warm. Jake frowned. What time was it?

  "Welcome home," a soft voice said from the couch. Jolting to awareness, Jake spun and peered into the dim lighting. Curled up beneath one of his mother's crocheted blankets was Letti.

  "What are you doing here?" he asked. It came out as an accusation and he winced.

  "Just making sure your mom was doing alright. It was a bad night, but she seems to be sleeping well now." Letti shoved the blanket off of her and stood from the couch. Her hair was mused from resting against the pillows. Jake wanted more than anything to reach out and smoo
th it for her. He watched as she folded the afghan and placed it over the back of the couch, as though she had never moved it.

  "I'm sorry, I'm late. I should have called."

  Letti waved a hand in the air. "No worries. I called the hospice and they were fine with me not coming in tonight."

  "The hospice?" he asked, confused.

  "I volunteer there," she said, bending over and slipping her shoes back on her feet. They looked worn and tattered.

  "Oh," Jake said, feeling a little stupid. Of course she was a volunteer. It had said so on her résumé. It also said she was a volunteer at the hospital. "Are you still volunteering at the hospital, too?"

  Letti nodded, then looked up at Jake, brow furrowed. "I'm perfectly capable of maintaining my schedule, if that's what you're worried about," she said, voice low.

  Jake raised his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean to--" He cut himself off. What could he say? That he was concerned about her well-being?

  He just wanted to make sure she wouldn't be too exhausted to care for his mother.

  Even now, he could see the dark circles under her eyes. She was tired.

  "I should let you go," he said. When Letti stiffened, he added, "Home. Go home."

  Letti relaxed, rubbing a hand over her face and her hair, smoothing it down. "Sorry. I get enough of a lecture from my brother most days."

  "I can understand why." Jake shrugged his jacket off and hung it up, taking a moment to look at Letti's. It looked old, but warm. "I really appreciate all you're doing for my mother," he said, turning back to her.

  "She's great," Letti said, a natural, happy smile spreading across her face. "She's strong. I know you worry, but she's actually holding her own very well given the circumstances. She beat me at Gin Rummy this afternoon. And we put a puzzle together. We've also decided how we're going to remodel your whole house."

  Jake laughed. "You've been busy, I see."

  Letti grinned up at him. For a moment, just a moment, he saw the sweet young girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

  Before he could think better of it, Jake leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.

  Letti's sharp gasp felt like a bucket of ice water over his head. Jumping back, Jake ran into the coat rack, knocking it over with a clatter.

  "I'm so sorry--"

  "Jake, I--"

  They stood there, staring at each other. The coat rack came to rest across the entryway, Letti's coat a pile on the floor.

  Jake wrenched his eyes from Letti's, embarrassment caught in his chest. He bent to straighten the coat rack, picking up Letti's jacket and passing it to her. He tried his best to avoid her gaze.

  Clearing his throat, Jake said, "That shouldn't have happened. It was very unprofessional of me and I apologize. I hope this won't affect your working for my mother."

  "Of course not," Letti said, her voice small. "I need to go."

  It was then that Jake realized he stood in front of the door. Turning quickly, he pulled it open and allowed Letti to leave.

  "Goodnight," he said.

  "'Night."

  Closing the door behind her, Jake raised a shaky hand to his face.

  What have I done?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  "Are you alright?"

  Letti jerked out of her stupor, looking up from the steady drip of coffee into her pot. Another gift from Dan. This one had been completely unnecessary, the old one she had purchased from the thrift shop having worked just fine for years.

  "Yeah, fine," she said, reaching into the cabinet for a travel coffee mug, hoping to distract Dan from what she had been doing. "What are you doing up so early?"

  "Couldn't sleep." Dan shrugged, then reached over her for another mug. "New job. You know how it is."

  Letti nodded adding a splash of creamer to her mug before pouring the coffee in. She twisted the top on the mug and grabbed her purse and keys.

  "I gotta get going. You're alright for groceries and things?" she asked.

  Dan rolled his eyes. "I'm not an invalid anymore, sis. I got this." Then he blocked her hasty exit. "You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

  Letti shook her head, pasting on a fake smile. "It's nothing. Promise. I gotta go."

  Dan leveled his sharp blue eyes at her. "So tell me what's wrong and I'll let you go."

  Letti knew better than to withhold information from her brother. Especially if he felt like something was wrong. With an exasperated sigh, Letti glared at him.

  "Jake kissed me last night. On accident, I think. Old habit or something," she shrugged, her eyebrows lowered into a frown. She bit her lip, remembering the slight graze of his lips against hers. It had been sharper, more intense than she remembered it being before. But that could be because memories faded, or that she had been taken so completely unaware by the gesture.

  "That no-good--" Dan growled, already turning on a heel and marching for the door.

  "Dan! Stop!" Letti raced after Dan, grabbing one bulging bicep as he muscled his way to the door. "Where are you going to go dressed in your pajamas at three in the morning?" she asked.

  The wind leaving his sails, Dan stopped in the living room, glaring at the front door. A muscle in his cheek twitched at irregular intervals. Until that moment, Letti hadn't realized that her brother could really hurt someone if he wished it.

  Their mother had raised them better than that.

  "Dan," Letti said gently, gaining his attention. "It's nothing. Just caught me off guard. He apologized, and that was that. I'm not hurt."

  She didn't quite believe that herself, but she hoped her brother would.

  After a few moments, Dan nodded and stepped back, loosening Letti's hold on his arm. Then his gaze captured hers.

  "You tell me if he does anything like that again, got it?" He left no room for argument.

  Letti nodded. Then she turned on her heel and headed for the front door.

  "Love you," she said. "Have a good day. Good luck with the new job."

  "Love you, too," he muttered as the door closed behind her.

  Letti sucked in the chilly early morning air. Frustration and gratitude warred within her. She knew her brother wouldn't just let it go, but she also felt happy that he felt so protective of her. She didn't know what she had done to deserve such a brother, but she wouldn't trade him for the world.

  Sliding into her car, Letti tried and failed to push the events of last night from her mind. She had fallen asleep on Jake's couch, the heat from the fireplace proving to be too much for her. She had felt terrible for cancelling her volunteer hours at the hospice, though they had understood. She had worried for Jake, wondered what had kept him out so late. Had something happened at the ranch? Was he injured but unable to call? She had busied herself with building and tending a fire. Even if that had been the case, she knew Morris would have called.

  When Jake had arrived, Letti had been so overwhelmed with relief and happiness to see him, she had allowed herself to be a little too close, a little too friendly. And that had backfired tremendously.

  She didn't know how she could face him again. How she could face Esther! She had promised herself that this wouldn't happen again, that she wouldn't allow herself to feel this way about Jake ever again.

  After all, he was the one who left her behind, who had shattered her heart.

  Shaking herself, Letti put the car into gear and backed out of the driveway.

  It was already shaping up to be a long day.

  __________

  Letti let herself into the house after a quick knock with the keys Jake gave her weeks ago.

  When she opened the door, she found Esther already sitting up on the couch near the fireplace, a new fire burning warm and bright. With Esther's weight loss from the treatment, everybody tried to keep the house as warm as possible.

  Jake was nowhere to be seen.

  Turning to look over her shoulder, Letti noticed his truck still in the drive, so he couldn't have left for work yet.

  "Good
morning, Esther," she said as she entered and closed the door behind her.

  Esther waved as Letti slipped her jacket off. One of the patients at the hospital hadn't been the biggest fan of their food that morning and had taken the opportunity of showing their displeasure by spilling most of its contents all over Letti's sweater.

  At Esther's raised eyebrows and gesturing to Letti's sweater, Letti shrugged. "Unhappy patient at the hospital. Didn't have time to get changed before coming here."

  Jake walked into the living room from the hallway, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of Letti. Letti willed herself not to blush at her haphazard appearance, and at the memory of their kiss last night.