A Family for a Week

by Melissa Senate

  Vanessa and Izzy chuckled, and from the absolute delight in their eyes, Sadie knew they were bursting with approval that she and Axel had been chatting away in their own little duo near the fire, Danny between them in the stroller.

  “Night night, you two,” Izzy said with a grin, adjusting her small square glasses. “Don’t stay out too late.”

  Oh, brother. “We won’t, Great-Gram,” Sadie said. “Good night.”

  “I’d be happy to push the wheelchair and escort you to your cabin,” Axel said, stepping over.

  Both women beamed. “Oh no, dear,” Vanessa said. “You stay and have a lovely evening with our Sadie. Did you know she won a blue ribbon at the county fair for her cinnamon strudel? She’s quite the baker. And the loveliest gal inside and out.”

  Earth, please open and swallow me. Thanks.

  “I do love cinnamon baked goods,” Axel said with a nod—and a twinkle in his eye. Oh, God. So he had a good sense of humor. Or was he just kind to grandmothers and great-grandmothers? Sadie sighed inwardly.

  “Hear that, Sadie-girl?” Vanessa said with a wink. Right there out in the open. No subtlety at all with this crew!

  “Night, now,” Izzy said as Vanessa waved and headed up the path.

  “Good night,” Axel called, watching them until they disappeared from view. He chuckled.

  “Izzy, my great-grandmother, is ninety-nine.” Sadie wanted to head off anything about that last discussion. “Isn’t that something?”

  He smiled and nodded. “You’re lucky. My grandparents and great-grandparents are all gone. As is my dad. My mother lives in Florida where it’s always warm—she has a small orange grove.”

  Sadie had visited Florida once in the dead of winter and had never been more grateful for a state. “That sounds wonderful. Fresh-squeezed orange juice every morning.” She bit her lip, suddenly feeling...shy-ish. “You’ve got lots of siblings, right? That must be nice.”

  “It is. There are six of us. Three of us live and work on the ranch. The other three are scattered across the state. They come home for occasions. Like the grand reopening of the ranch last Memorial Day weekend. And for Daisy’s wedding—which didn’t work out the first time around but she ended up giving birth that same day, so we were all here to welcome little Tony.”

  “So you have a baby nephew?” Sadie said. “How great for him to have two uncles right here.”

  He nodded. “I have another baby nephew and niece—twins. My brother Noah’s kids. He runs the place, and his wife, Sara, is the forewoman. Turns out I’m better at babysitting than I thought. Chase and Annabel—Noah’s twins—love me for some reason. Either that or I bore them to death with my stories about search and rescue, and they fall right asleep.”

  Sadie laughed. “So you like babies, but you’re not planning on becoming a father yourself?” She immediately felt her cheeks burn. Why had she blurted that out? Ugh.

  He glanced away again, something he did, she noticed, when he seemed uncomfortable.

  He got lucky not having to answer because just then, Sadie could see Daisy Dawson, Evie and Marshall Ackerman heading toward them, and her attention went straight to her sister. Evie and Marshall were holding hands!

  And as they got closer, Sadie could see a diamond ring glinting in the glow of the fire and the moonlight on Evie’s formerly empty left hand. Oh, Evie, she thought, her heart overflowing with happiness for her sister.

  Daisy headed over to where the ranch hands were keeping watch on the bonfire, and Evie and Marshall joined Sadie and Axel.

  “I see congratulations are in order,” Sadie gushed, blinking back tears as she took her sister’s hand to see the ring. “It’s so beautiful! I’m so happy for you two.”

  Evie wrapped Sadie in a hug. “I always love a good surprise. And this was the topper!”

  Marshall smiled at his fiancée. “I was a fool—no, a complete idiot,” he said, his dark brown eyes shining on Evie. “But two days on my own made me realize I can’t live without this amazing person. Evie, you’re the woman of my dreams. I’m sorry I made the last few days so painful.”

  “You are so forgiven,” Evie said, grinning, reaching up to kiss him. “Oh! Marshall, this is Axel Dawson. He’s the search and rescue specialist who found Danny when he went missing. This bonfire gathering is actually about a toast to him. And Axel, this is my brand-spankin’-new fiancé, Marshall Ackerman.” She was positively beaming. “My fiancé. That will not get old.”

  Axel extended his hand and Marshall shook it. “Congrats.”

  Marshall smiled. “Thanks for saving my soon-to-be nephew. I’m crazy about this little tyke,” he added, looking at Danny.

  “Well, we’ve got to go share the big news,” Evie said. “Mom is going to flip!”

  Sadie watched her sister and Marshall tell her mom, who almost exploded with sheer joy. Hoots and hollers and cheers went out as word spread.

  “Well,” Axel said, “congrats on gaining a brother-in-law.”

  “Marshall’s a great guy. I’m glad he realized what he’d be throwing away.”

  Axel stared at her for a second, and Sadie hoped he didn’t think she was speaking code for herself! That was how much trouble she was actually in already with this man. Reading into absolutely nothing. Worrying about crazy nonsense. She had to get a hold of herself. Which meant heading to the cabin and getting away from those piercing blue eyes and incredible body—which was very close to her.

  “Well,” she said brightly, “time to transfer the big guy to bed.” She smiled at the sleeping Danny. “To the porta-crib, anyway.”

  “I was about to head out, so I’ll walk you then come back for my golf cart,” he said.

  Sigh.

  “I’ll push the stroller,” he offered.

  “Chivalrous. Your dad raised you right.” She smiled, but the look on his face had her biting her lip. She stepped aside and he took the handles and they began walking up the path toward the cabins.

  “Actually, my father destroyed everything he touched,” Axel said, staring straight ahead. “He was a selfish alcoholic.”

  She stopped walking and so did he. “I’m sorry. That had to have been hard. Growing up that way.”

  He nodded and resumed walking. “My mother wised up to his cheating and finally left. We lived in town for years, and she thought it was important that we keep in close contact with our dad, so she’d drive his three boys over every other weekend. That’s how I got so close to Daisy and Noah. They have a different mother but were living here full-time in those days.”

  “So their mom—your stepmother—looked out for you and your brothers when you visited?” she asked.

  “Yup. She was a kind woman, and she died way too young. After that, Rex and Zeke and I didn’t come around too often since our mom didn’t trust Bo Dawson with our lives even for a weekend. Our oldest brother, Ford, also has a different mother, and he refused to visit at all once he got old enough to protest.”

  “Did your dad have any redeeming qualities?” Sadie asked, hoping so.

  “I suppose everyone does. He was a charmer. Always had nice girlfriends who deserved a lot better. He cared about us in his own way, I guess. Sometimes he shocked me with the undeniable truth that he loved us. But he was a wrecking ball of a man. He destroyed the guest ranch his parents built. He destroyed his marriages. He disappointed his kids constantly. He hurt everyone he came into contact with.”

  “Is it hard being here, then?” she asked. “You’ve only been living here a couple months, right?”

  He nodded. “It was hard at first. But there’s a lot else here. My grandparents’ legacy—even if the ranch is a lot different now than the one they began. Family history. Memories—bad but good, too. My dad had absolutely nothing when he died—cirrhosis of the liver from years of drinking—but he left us all this ranch, which at the time was abandoned an
d a wreck. And letters. We each got a personal letter.”

  “Did yours help?”

  He shrugged. “I still haven’t opened it.”

  She gaped at him. “Really? Aren’t you curious?”

  “Yes. Very. Always have been since I got it last December. But I can’t bring myself to open it.”

  Huh.

  “Well, here you are,” he said quickly as though suddenly aware he’d said too much or at least much more than he’d intended on a two-minute walk.

  Sadie glanced up at the cute dark wood cabin with its white trim and barn-red door. There were blooming flower boxes in the windows and two white padded rocking chairs on the covered porch. Sadie’s grandmother was sitting in one of the rockers, a glass of iced tea and cookies beside her. Izzy’s wheelchair was parked beside the little ramp on the side of the porch. Izzy could get around fine on her own, particularly with her cane, but she always used the wheelchair for crowded areas or distances. “How nice of you to walk Sadie home,” Vanessa said with a big smile.

  Sadie pursed her lips. “Gram, guess what? Evie got engaged! Marshall came tonight and proposed. They’re still at the bonfire sharing the big news.”

  “What?” Gram flew down the steps and wrapped Sadie in a big hug, her floral perfume, her trademark that Sadie had always loved, enveloping her. “That’s wonderful!”

  “What’s so wonderful?” Izzy asked, coming out on the porch in her flowered ankle-length bathrobe, using her bright red wooden cane with its copper handle.

  “They’re engaged! Oh, I’m beside myself!” Vanessa said, completely overcome. “I’m going to make a few happy calls to let people know—back in a bit!”

  Gram had been one of Evie’s biggest ralliers when Marshall had broken her heart, buying her an as-seen-on-TV zip-up blanket with pockets that she’d stuffed with packets of tissues and packs of M&M’s and gummy bears, Evie’s favorites. Sadie had no doubt Vanessa would go through the list of her besties—her bridge club, knitting circle and ethnic cooking class.

  As Gram hurried inside, Izzy settled on one of the rockers, stealing a cookie. “Engaged! Oh, happy day!” Her eyes misted, and she patted her chest. “Well, come up and let me congratulate you two! Oh, how wonderful indeed. My Sadie, engaged!”

  Sadie glanced at Axel. Izzy couldn’t possibly think she and Axel were the engaged ones. “Uh, no, Great-Gram, it’s—”

  “I’ll tell you, Sadie-girl,” Izzy interrupted. “When that louse of a husband up and left you pregnant and alone, I cried myself to sleep for weeks. All I’ve wanted in this world is for you to be happy. And now that I’m nearing the end of my days, I’ll know my girl has found everlasting love with a real hero. You two have made an old woman so happy,” she said, looking from her to Axel. Tears ran down Izzy’s wrinkled cheeks.

  Oh no. No, no, no. “Great-Gram, I—”

  Axel leaned closer. “You can correct her in the morning—or Vanessa will when Izzy heads inside to bed. She’s probably tired right now and extraemotional.”

  Sadie nodded. Extraemotional was an understatement.

  “Well, come now, give your great-gram a hug,” Izzy said, holding her arms out wide.

  Sadie went up the steps and bent to hug Izzy.

  “I haven’t been this happy since your great-granddaddy was still with us,” Izzy whispered, wrapping both hands around Sadie’s face. “I love you so much, Sadie. You deserve this happiness. And you,” she said with utter reverence, turning to Axel, “our family hero. That precious little boy in that stroller will finally have a daddy, and a wonderful one at that.” Tears shone in her hazel eyes. “Come hug your great-gram. You can call me that or Izzy, whatever you like.”

  Axel smiled tightly, leaned over and gave his new great-gram a hug.

  “If I go into that good night, and I just might, I’ll go happy now,” Izzy said, a hand to her heart again.

  Sadie felt her eyes widen to the point they ached. She glanced at Axel, who looked equally shell-shocked.

  “Well, um, good night, Izzy,” Axel said, clearly forcing a smile.

  “Didn’t I tell you to call me Great-Gram? We’re family now!”

  Sadie bit her lip. Izzy could get a bit addled now and again. This would be easy to correct in the morning when Izzy had had a good night’s sleep.

  “See you tomorrow, Great-Gram,” Axel croaked out. He glanced at Sadie, then at Danny, and then ran for the hills.

  Sadie’s heart was beating a mile a minute. Oh, God. This was a mess.

  Gram would help straighten things out in the morning. Vanessa would simply tell Izzy that They’re engaged! referred to Evie and Marshall, which made complete sense, and not Sadie and Axel.

  “I’m zonked,” Izzy said, slowly getting up with the help of her cane.

  “Let me go put Danny in his crib, and then I’ll be right back.” She parked the stroller by Izzy’s wheelchair, then rushed inside with Danny in her arms, hoping to catch Vanessa between calls, but when she poked her head in her gram’s room, Vanessa was chatting away on the phone about hoping to find the grandmother-of-the-bride dress of her dreams.

  Sadie hurried into her room and settled Danny in the porta-crib with barely a stir out of him, then went outside. She helped Izzy into the cabin and to the bedroom she was sharing with her daughter and granddaughter. Vanessa was still on her cell phone, talking excitedly. She lowered her voice when Sadie got Izzy into bed, Great-Gram closing her eyes and snoring within seconds. Today had been a big day for everyone—arriving at the ranch, the orientation and walk around the property, the bonfire and the big news, which was not news at all—but especially for the ninety-nine-year-old.

  As Vanessa sat on her bed, telling whomever she was talking to that no, she had no idea if Evie would take Marshall’s last name or keep her own, Sadie knew her gram would be on the phone for at least an hour more. She managed a smile at Vanessa and waved, then slipped into her own room.

  For tonight, until morning, Sadie was engaged to Axel Dawson. And that was fine with her.

  Chapter Four

  Axel yawned early the next morning as he towel-dried his hair and ran his hands through it, then pulled on his Dawson Family Guest Ranch staff shirt and a pair of jeans. He’d slept like crud, waking up constantly as though he’d forgotten something important. And then he’d remember: he was fake-engaged for the night. To Sadie Winston. Even being faux-engaged had unsettled him to the point he couldn’t sleep. All that talk of a hero for a husband and a wonderful father for Danny.

  Eh, it would all be taken care of by now. Izzy’s daughter or granddaughter or great-granddaughter had probably set her straight at some point last night. Marshall Ackerman was the only groom-to-be in the vicinity.

  It was barely 6:00 a.m., and the sun was dawning a hazy pink over the horizon, but there was a lot to prepare for today—wilderness hikes and trail rides and river swimming, plus some general cowboy duties to help out his sister-in-law, Sara, the forewoman. Axel went to grab a pair of socks from his dresser drawer, and there it was. The letter.

  He really should move it somewhere he wouldn’t notice it so often. Through the low jumble of rolled-up socks he could see the Ax of his father’s scrawl on the front of the white letter-sized envelope. Knowledge of his illness had prompted his father to write the letters, but not to talk to his children. What was in there? Sorry for being a terrible father 98 percent of the time? That was what Axel figured. Noah and Daisy and Ford had all shared their letters. Noah’s had been full of apologies and asked him to think about rebuilding the ranch that Bo had let rot. Noah had surprised all the siblings by stepping up and meeting the challenge, and they’d all invested in the Dawson Family Guest Ranch 2.0. Daisy’s letter had also apologized for letting down his only daughter time and again but he’d left her her mother’s wedding rings, which Daisy had asked for since she was eleven, when their mother had died. A broke drunk
with a gambling problem, Bo could have sold the rings for a decent amount, but he’d held on to them, knowing how much they meant to his daughter. Axel had always thought Bo had hung on to the rings instead of giving them to Daisy so that he’d have something over her, something she wanted from him, to keep her from completely turning her back, which she wouldn’t have done anyway.

  Axel had. And then his father had died a week later.

  He shook that away and thought about Ford, the oldest of the siblings, who’d tried the hardest of all of them to get through to their dad. Even Ford, a cop who’d seen just about everything, had finally had enough. Ford’s letter from Bo hadn’t been a letter at all but a map, a hand-drawn rendering of where he’d buried Ford’s mother’s diary, which Bo Dawson had found one day, apparently not appreciated and hidden somewhere on the property in a drunken stupor. Apparently, Bo figured Ford might want to know his mother’s secrets, and so he’d left him the map, just a map, no note, nothing. Ford had tried to find it a couple of times since he had known the general area, but hadn’t been able to.

  As for Zeke and Rex, neither would say a word about their letters. Rex was private, always had been, to the point that no one knew what he did for a living. Axel was pretty sure he worked for the government, either local or federal, in some secret-spy sense. For all Axel knew, though, Rex could be a lobsterman out on a boat all day. The man just would not say. Zeke was a successful businessman a few hours away and had done a lot, remotely, to help Noah in getting the ranch up and going operationally. But on the rare occasions the six siblings were together, every time Daisy brought up the letters their father had left them, Zeke changed the subject or suddenly had to make a call.

  Axel grabbed the letter and held it up to the light as he’d done a thousand times. He wouldn’t mind making out a few words or a sentence to get the general gist. He could make out the dark scrawl of his dad’s handwriting but not individual words. He put the letter in the drawer. He wanted to know what it said—and didn’t. The story of his life.