by Barb Han
Again, Adam shot her a concerned look as he relayed the message. Shortly after, he ended the call.
“Brax gathered the ranch hands. Casey’s wife just had a baby. He’s bringing formula and supplies to the main house right now,” Adam said. “In the meantime, do you want to tell me why it is you have a baby in your arms you seem to know nothing about?”
It was then Prudence remembered the piece of paper. She dug it out of her pocket, grateful the baby had momentarily gone to sleep sucking on her fist.
“I found this tucked inside her blanket.” She held the wadded-up note on the flat of her palm.
When he took the offering, his fingers grazed her hand. Contact sent a sensual current skittering across her skin.
Adam flattened out the piece of paper on the granite center island. His pale blue eyes widened as he read the name: Adam Firebrand.
2
“Is this some kind of joke?” Adam stared at the paper with the same intensity as someone who was looking at a bomb about to detonate. His blank, frustrated glower gave the impression he had no idea why his name would be brought up.
“I don’t know,” Prudence said. Her defenses kicked into high gear. “I have no idea where the note came from.”
“Then who does this baby belong to?” he asked. “She’s clearly not yours and I’ve never seen her before.”
Before she could answer, the screen door squeaked and then the back door flung open. Two men came charging in. Adam immediately introduced her to Casey and Bronc.
Casey, the younger of the two men, had a diaper bag slung over his shoulder. He sized the baby up. “She isn’t more than a few weeks old. I’m guessing you don’t know the formula she usually takes?” He glanced at Prudence.
She shook her head, wishing she could say something helpful.
“My son’s will be better than nothing. She might get an upset stomach because the doc recommends sticking with the same kind, but we can deal with that when the time comes. Maybe we’ll get lucky and this will be what she’s used to.” He went to work, laying out supplies before fixing and heating a bottle.
“His wife and son live with her mother in Henson Falls, which is a town over. He lives here at the bunkhouse during the week and goes home every other weekend,” Adam whispered, his body strung tight.
In no time at all Casey produced a bottle. He tested the milk on the inside of his wrist. “This is the way my wife taught me to make sure it isn’t too hot.”
Prudence didn’t know the first thing about caring for a baby. She appreciated all the advice she could get. Casey was straight from heaven.
“Any chance you have a diaper in the bag?” she asked.
“They might be too big for her, but yes,” Casey said with a puzzled look on his face. He, like Adam, must be wondering why she had a baby she had no idea how to take care of. That was the baffling part. Prudence’s mind was blank when it came to how it all went down. She knew for a fact the baby wasn’t hers.
Casey guided the bottle right into the little girl’s mouth, who rooted around for it the minute the nipple came close to her cheek. The timing was perfect because she’d run out of patience with her fist and was winding up to belt out her dissatisfaction with the whole situation.
She immediately started sucking, and settled down then, curling her fist up against her chest. Prudence’s heart melted like butter sitting in the sun on a summer day. She looked at Casey. “Thank you so much.”
“Much obliged, ma’am.” Casey looked pleased with himself for being able to help.
“Why don’t you sit down to feed the baby?” Adam motioned toward a table large enough to seat an army.
“Good idea. My feet are killing me.” She had on her usual work outfit of sweats and a pair of tennis shoes.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Adam asked her before thanking Casey and Bronc.
“Water, if it’s not too much trouble,” she said, grateful for his consideration.
“We best be heading out,” Bronc said. He looked to be in his late sixties with weather-worn skin and a permanent tan. His forehead seemed to have a permanent worry line etched into it. “Unless you need anything else.”
“I think we have it under control from here,” Adam said after a quick glance at Prudence.
“Okay then. We’ll get out of your hair.” Bronc looked to Prudence. “Ma’am.”
She thanked him again.
“If you don’t mind me saying…” Casey shifted his weight from foot to foot as he twisted the cowboy hat in his hands that he’d taken off after handing over the bag. “You’re going to want to burp her after the bottle. Otherwise, she can get one heckuva stomach cramp. There’s a towel in the front pocket that you put over your shoulder so she doesn’t spit up on your clothes.”
“Right. I’ll be sure to do that.” Prudence had plenty of experience with dogs and cats, thanks to her pet sitting service. She’d once taken care of a goat while a family vacationed, but she had limited experience with kids of the human variety. But spit up on this old shirt would blend in with the other smudges.
Bronc gave an awkward smile before he led the younger ranch hand out the back.
“Everything all right with them?” Prudence noted how uncomfortable Bronc seemed and hoped it wasn’t her fault. Despite living in Lone Star Pass her entire life, she’d only run into Bronc a handful of times and he had no reason to remember her. In fact, she blended into most backgrounds so much so the comment she heard from people the most was, I didn’t realize you still lived here. She shouldn’t be surprised, considering she kept to herself most of the time. The only folks she knew well enough to wave at were her clients.
Normally, thinking about being in town caused her chest to tighten and panic to set in. Not now. In fact, part of her wanted to march right down Main Street and say hello to everyone she passed. What was suddenly so different?
“Bronc doesn’t think it’s his place to be inside the main house,” Adam said. “No amount of arguing has convinced him otherwise. He was the closest to our grandfather out of anyone, worked for my grandfather longer than I’ve been alive. What can I say? Bronc is old school. Between you and me, I don’t think he likes having any sort of roof over his head.” Adam fixed a glass of water, and then brought it over. He set it on the table beside her.
His demeanor had shifted, softening toward her. She couldn’t help but wonder why. Was it because the baby had quieted down?
“Now, it’s your turn,” he said. She must’ve shot him a severe look because he quickly added, “First, to tell me why you have a piece of paper with my name on it. Then, to tell me what you’re doing on my family’s land with a baby you have no idea how to take care of and no supplies.”
“Good questions,” she said with a shrug.
“Are you running from someone?” His blunt question caught her off guard because it resonated.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I don’t think so.”
Her non-answer seemed to set him off. He stood there, fuming.
“I’m not trying to be evasive. I just don’t have any memory of how I got here or how we ended up on your land. I apologize for tres—”
“Don’t think anything else about it,” Adam interjected, those serious pale blue eyes of his seemed to look right through her. “I’m just concerned for the welfare of you both.”
“I appreciate it.” Before she could ask him to call the sheriff, the bottle was drained and the baby was sucking on air. She pulled it out and the baby practically cooed in her sleep. Prudence hated to wake her, but the diaper was heavy and she needed to figure out how to burp the little angel. “Do you mind handing me the towel Casey mentioned?”
Adam rummaged in the front pocket of the diaper bag and came up with a padded hand towel.
She placed it over her shoulder, leaned forward with the baby, and then repositioned the sleeping angel so her head was on Prudence’s shoulder. “I’m not sure how to do this.”
Patting
the baby’s back didn’t work.
“Try bouncing a little bit,” Adam offered.
She did, and voila. His suggestion worked.
Pride filled her chest at having the baby fed, burped, and sleeping despite a wet diaper. “Where should I change her?”
“I felt something on the side of this thing.” Adam reached for the diaper bag. He set it on the table next to them. He unsnapped one side and unfolded a mat. Something that looked a lot like pride passed behind his eyes when he said, “Try putting her on this.”
Prudence stood, and then placed the baby on the makeshift changing table. All the supplies she needed were inside the bag; wipes, bottom cream, and a dozen or so diapers. There was also a binky and an assortment of plastic bottle inserts along with packets of formula. She suddenly realized she should have drilled Casey with questions while she had someone with experience in the room. It was clear both she and Adam were fumbling their way through the diaper change.
The diapers were a tad too big, the baby too small, but Prudence made it all work. More of that pride filled her chest at the accomplishment. She swaddled the baby in the blanket before returning to her seat.
“What should we do next?” she asked. “Call the sheriff and see if any babies have been reported missing?”
Adam palmed his cell. He stopped mid-dial. “Are you sure you have no idea why my name was in her blanket?”
“Afraid so,” she said, not liking his frown at the non-answer. “My first thought, of course, was that you must be her father.”
She’d clearly caught him off guard with that comment because his jaw nearly dropped all the way to the expensive tiled floor.
“I don’t have any children.” Adam would be the first to know if he did. “I’m not seeing anyone and haven’t been for a long time.”
“Then, maybe the person wrote down your name because he or she knew you would protect this little angel?” she surmised.
He’d had the exact same thought. Again, he drew a blank on who that might be. He studied the paper to see if he recognized the handwriting. Then again, he couldn’t remember the last time someone had written him a note.
The letters were small, and it looked like they’d been hastily scribbled.
“I don’t know anyone who is pregnant or has been in the past…for however many months it takes to brew one of those things…nine?” His question was rhetorical. He remembered something about nine months being a full-term pregnancy. If this kiddo was a few weeks old, it was mathematically impossible for the child to be his.
Someone had to be missing her.
He was more than mildly curious as to why Prudence was holding a child she didn’t know. And didn’t seem to have any memories of how the baby showed up. This situation definitely called for the law’s intervention.
“That sounds right,” Prudence said. She had the most interesting eyes hiding behind those Coke-bottle glasses.
“I’ll get Sheriff Lawler on the line. See if we can figure out what happened. Someone will be missing a sweet little angel like her.” He didn’t see the need to mention the disturbing set of pipes the kid on her. They were strong.
Prudence nodded.
He picked up where he left off calling Lawler. Since poachers were a serious problem to ranchers, Adam had the lawman’s number on speed dial.
“What can I do for you, Adam?” Timothy Lawler had been two grades ahead of Adam in school, so they knew of each other. Lawler had been a star quarterback who was being scouted by some big-name programs when he took a hit that broke his arm in four places. He’d managed to get off the game-winning throw, but the injury had ended his career and any hopes of playing college ball. He’d gone to school and studied criminal justice instead and then followed in his father’s footsteps in law enforcement.
“Any chance you’re looking for a few weeks’ old baby?” Adam had never been one to mince words. Now seemed like a bad time to start.
“No. Why?” Lawler had a shocked quality to his tone that was laced with disbelief, like he was about to ask if this was a prank.
“Prudence,” he glanced at her drawing a blank on her last name.
“Owens,” she supplied.
“Owens,” he echoed, “is here with an infant and has no idea how she got her.”
“Is Prudence hurt in any way?” Lawler’s questions came without hesitation.
“She looks fine,” he said before covering the mouthpiece. “Do you remember encountering anyone? Falling? Hitting your head on anything?”
“Nope. I’m drawing a blank on the whole of today,” she admitted. Her cheeks heated with something that looked a lot like embarrassment.
He relayed the message to Lawler.
“Is the child okay?” Lawler asked.
“She looks healthy and just had a bottle that Casey brought up,” he said adding, “I can verify her lungs are in full working condition.”
This had to be one of those oddball situations that could be cleared up with a few phone calls. “There’s no one looking for a newborn?”
“Afraid not. Hold on.” The click-clack-clack of fingers on a keyboard came across the line. Then, quiet.
Adam didn’t realize he’d started tapping the toe of his boot on the tile flooring.
“Nothing on my end,” Lawler finally said. “I’ll head on over.”
Adam thanked the sheriff before ending the call and turning to Prudence. “While we wait for the sheriff, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself.”
She cradled that baby like the infant would have to be pried out of her hands. He wondered if she even realized she was doing it. Was she a mother?
“There’s not much to tell,” she said. “I run a pet-sitting business.” Something dawned on her because her face lit up. “I’m taking care of the Fritzes’ dog while they’re on vacation.” She glanced down at her dark sweatpants. “That’s why I have dog hair on me. I’d been out walking Henry.”
It almost seemed like her memories were going to come flooding back. Her jaw clenched and her hand fisted before she issued a sigh. “Nope. Nothing. I only remember walking Henry.”
Her face morphed from frustrated to determined.
“I have to get back to my job and take care of him,” she said as a mix of panic and resolve washed over her features.
“Hold tight. What’s the address to the Fritzes’ house?” he asked. He should probably know except that he’d never been one to keep tabs on his neighbors or anyone else in town. He’d been too caught up in Libby during their relationship and then licking his wounds for the past year since the heartbreak to notice much of anything.
Prudence rattled it off.
“How about if I ask Bronc to go over and see to Henry while we wait for the sheriff here?” he asked, figuring Henry was probably just fine at home.
She seemed to think about it for a long moment. “I guess that could work. Would it be possible for him to stay with Henry until I get there? He gets anxious when he’s left alone, and I have no idea how long I’ve been gone.”
“I can ask, but I doubt there’ll be any objections.” Adam didn’t mind speaking for Bronc. The ranch foreman had a heart of gold, especially when it came to animals. He wouldn’t mind checking up on a dog if it brought Prudence peace of mind. “In fact, I’ll text him right now.”
He did. The response came almost immediately.
On it. No trouble at all.
Adam showed Prudence the message, hoping the concern lines creasing her forehead would ease up. They did as she rattled off the location of the key. Adam sent the information to Bronc, who ‘liked’ the message.
“I shouldn’t stay very long,” she said. “I’m needed at the Fritzes’.”
“Someone wrote my name down and tucked it inside the blanket, so I’d say you are exactly where you’re supposed to be right now,” he countered. The fizzle of hope died out the minute she frowned.
3
“Tell me something about you that I don’t al
ready know.” Adam stared at Prudence. His gaze dipped to her lips and an emotion she wasn’t quite prepared to identify passed behind his piercing pale blue eyes.
“I was in the same grade as one of your brothers,” she said, clearing her throat to ease the sudden dryness.
“Which one?” he asked.
“Fallon,” she supplied.
“That explains why I don’t recognize you,” he said like her answer satisfied one of the great questions of the universe. “He’s six years younger than I am.”
“I’ve walked right past you in the streets.” She tried to hide the hurt in her voice.
“I must have been preoccupied,” he said.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said.
He stared at her like she was speaking Greek.
“Pretend like you should have noticed me.” She had no idea where that statement came from, but it sure felt good to get it off her chest. Countless folks walked right by her on the rare occasions she was in town without so much as a courtesy nod. As much as she didn’t want or need to be the center of attention, her life could be lonely when she was in between jobs. She’d considered getting a dog for company, but she had to be away from home too much looking after other people’s pets. It wouldn’t be fair to an animal.
“Believe me when I say that I’m not trying to offend you.” His chest puffed out a little bit and his back straightened. She had no idea if he even realized he was doing it. But when he crossed his arms over his chest, effectively blocking out anything and everything, she realized she’d put him in a defensive mood.
Since she was here and the baby in her arms needed as many allies as possible, Prudence added, “I wasn’t saying that just about you. Most people walk right past without saying a word. I usually prefer not to be noticed.” The thought of all those eyes on her sent a shiver racing down her back and made it difficult to breathe.
Relax. Breathe. Repeat. Her mantra had gotten her through some packed rooms and tight spaces without losing her mind. Why did she suddenly want to be noticed?
