“No, ma’am,” Colby replied. “I’m Colby Schroder, Wade’s ranch foreman.”
She laughed lightly, triggering small wrinkles in the corners of her eyes. “Well, that’s a relief. I’ve been away for a while, but I thought I’d at least recognize Anoria’s classmates.”
“Anoria?” Colby asked.
“My daughter.” The woman gestured toward the car and Colby raised his eyebrows in surprise. She looked too young to have a daughter as old as the driver.
There was a pause as their gazes met, Colby’s bright green eyes delving into her dark blue ones. He felt a stirring in his gut and looked away. “Wade and April are on their honeymoon. Is there something I can help you with?”
The woman smiled again and ducked her head into the car. “Did you hear that?” she asked Anoria. “Wade and April are on their honeymoon.” Anoria gave a mumbled response, but Colby couldn’t understand what she said. “We always hoped they’d get married,” the woman explained as she straightened up again. “I’m Cynthia Eddington; we used to own this place.”
Colby had started working for Wade only last year, but he’d heard the stories about what the farm looked like before Wade took it over. Rusty, run-down, and filled with acres of junk, it had taken Wade months to haul it all away, not to mention the small fortune he’d spent on renovations and improvements. The image of the run-down farm didn’t square with the neatly dressed, graceful woman who stood before him.
Anoria cut the engine and climbed out of the car. She was taller than her mother by a few inches and dressed in gray yoga pants and a black T-shirt with a red hoodie tied around her narrow hips.
“It’s nice to meet you, Colby,” she said, extending her hand. “The ranch looks so much better than it did when we lived here. It’s amazing.”
“Thank you,” Colby said, shaking her hand and quickly letting go. “Most of the credit goes to Wade, though.”
“I doubt that,” Anoria replied. “A place this big? There’s no way he could have done it all himself. I went to school with Wade and April in junior high.”
Colby could think of no response to that, so he merely nodded. “Is there something I can do for you ladies?”
Pain flashed through Cynthia’s beautiful eyes. “My late husband’s final request was that we scatter his ashes on this land. His family owned the place for generations and losing it broke his heart.”
Colby shifted uncomfortably. How would Wade and April feel if he let these people scatter someone’s ashes here? They probably wouldn’t mind, but he wasn’t entirely sure.
Cynthia was silent and he realized she was waiting for him to respond. “Uh ... did you want to do it now?” he finally asked.
“I hoped for tomorrow,” she said. “It will be the three-year anniversary of his death. I know they’re on their honeymoon, but do you have a way to contact them? I don’t want to do anything without their permission.”
“They’re in the Caribbean,” Colby hedged. “With very limited phone service.”
Cynthia’s face fell as she chewed on her bottom lip. “Okay. I guess we’ll have to come up with a Plan B.”
Shame twisted in Colby’s stomach. He could only imagine how difficult this must be for her. “I can try and contact them tonight,” he offered, digging his phone from the pocket of his jeans. “What’s a number where I can reach you?”
“You can have mine,” Anoria said quickly and began rattling off numbers. Colby had to ask her to repeat herself twice as he entered her number into his phone, then waited while she got her phone from the car so he could give her his number in return. Anoria was much faster than he was entering the digits. “Call or text me anytime; I always have my phone with me,” she urged.
Cynthia gave her daughter a look of mild amusement and Anoria blushed. “I mean, if you hear from Wade or April,” she said.
Colby promised he would try and watched them climb back into the car. Anoria did an eighty-point turn to get the car headed in the other direction; then they slowly worked their way back down the canyon.
Colby ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, making it stand on end, then crammed his hat back onto his head. “C’mon, Shiloh,” he called to the dog. “Let’s go check on the horses.”
Chapter 3
Cynthia didn’t have much to say on the ride home. She was disappointed not to have the Hadleys’ permission for Lee’s memorial, but if she were honest, her thoughts were more on Colby Schroder. He wore no ring, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything among farmers and ranchers. Men who worked around heavy machinery or large animals knew wedding rings could snag on something, causing terrible injuries. Lee had always taken his off when he worked.
Colby certainly was handsome. He was tall, but moved gracefully despite his long limbs. There had been a sort of raw energy coming off him that Cynthia had immediately responded to. The surge of adrenaline when their eyes met had been surprising and had made her heart pound. She hadn’t felt that in a very long time. Had it ever been so strong with Lee? She didn’t remember.
Anoria liked him. She’d dropped enough hints on the short drive down the canyon for Cynthia to be certain of her interest and she’d be pestering her aunt Lisa for information on Colby as soon as she could. Well, what of it? He was probably more compatible with a twenty-one-year-old college student than a middle-aged mom anyway.
“What do you want to do tonight, Mom?” Anoria asked, and Cynthia pulled her thoughts away from the handsome ranch foreman.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Do you want to drive around town and look for places you remember? Or maybe look up old friends?”
Anoria snorted. “I don’t have any old friends in Snow Valley,” she said crisply. “None that I want to remember, anyway.” Anoria was twelve when the farm had been foreclosed on and they’d been forced to leave. The shame had never really left her.
Cynthia sighed. Her memories of Snow Valley were just as painful as Anoria’s. They’d bought the farm from Lee’s mother after his father died, inheriting all the junk along with the property. Cynthia had high hopes they could turn it into a dream house where she could raise her children and grow old. But that hadn’t happened.
“You can’t just hide out all summer,” she pointed out. Anoria would be returning to Kennewick in the fall to resume classes at the Tri-Cities branch of Washington State University. Jackson had been dropping hints he’d like to go with her and finish his last year of high school with his friends. The thought sent Cynthia’s emotions whirling. If they decided returning to Kennewick was the best option for Jackson, she’d be in Snow Valley alone. Forty-one felt too young to be an empty nester.
“What about you?” Anoria asked. “Why don’t you look up some of your old classmates? Maybe someone is single and you can rekindle an old romance,” she suggested with a sly grin.
Cynthia stared out the window, memories flooding through her mind. She’d married Lee when she was nineteen; there weren’t any old boyfriends in Snow Valley. Besides, she was in no hurry to jump into a romance.
So why did the thought of Colby Schroder’s piercing emerald eyes send a shiver of longing down her spine?
***
They were digging into lunch of sub sandwiches from Tina’s Bakery when Anoria’s cell rang. “It’s Colby!” she whispered excitedly, leaping up from the table.
Cynthia heard her say hello in a voice breathy with excitement before she disappeared around the corner.
But a moment later she was back, crestfallen. “He wants to talk to you,” she mumbled, thrusting the phone at Cynthia.
Cynthia bit her lip, her emotions battling between the twinge of sadness at Anoria’s disappointment and the tiny jolt of excitement that Colby wanted to talk to her. She took a discreet, steadying breath and reached for the phone. He’d probably been in touch with Wade and April, that was all.
“This is Cynthia.”
“Hi, Mrs. Eddington, it’s Colby Schroder.” His voice was deep and smooth and sent smal
l tingles racing up her arms. “I wanted to let you know that I left a message for the Hadleys, but haven’t heard back from them yet.”
She glanced at her watch. They’d met him at the ranch only a few hours ago; she’d have been surprised if he’d heard anything so soon. “That’s okay,” she replied. “Thank you for trying.”
“I’m not giving up,” he said quickly. “I’ll keep trying them and call you as soon as I hear anything.”
“Okay, thank you. That’s very kind.”
“Is there another number where I can reach you?” he asked, and the small tingles turned into larger tingles. She made herself focus on Anoria.
“Uh ... this number is fine,” she said. “Anoria and I will be together most of the weekend.”
There was a pause, and then Colby’s voice sounded subdued as he replied, “Oh ... okay, I’ll plan on that, then.”
They said goodbye and Cynthia returned the phone to Anoria. “You already have his number in your contacts?” she asked, and then felt silly. Of course Anoria had put him into her contacts; that’s what people her age—their age—did. She wondered how old Colby was. Older than Anoria, obviously, but probably not by much.
“What did he say?” Anoria pestered. “Anything about me?”
Jackson looked up from his triple-meat sub and snorted. “Can you go anywhere without having to scout around for guys?”
“No,” Anoria said in a superior, big-sister tone. “It keeps me from having to look at your ugly face all the time.”
“Guys.” Cynthia’s voice held a note of warning.
“Colby is cute though, don’t you think, Mom?” Anoria asked.
Cynthia gave a noncommittal nod and was relieved when the kids returned to their phones. She did not normally allow devices at the table, but today she was glad to have them occupied and not demanding her attention. The fact was, Colby Schroder was more than cute, and she did not like the way her mind kept returning to the conversation at the farm, replaying it—replaying him over and over. His green eyes were as clear as a mountain lake, and the dark hair curling over his collar matched the dark stubble on his square jaw. His skin was very tan, especially for this early in the summer, and the muscles in his forearms were well defined and looked as hard as iron, matching his work-roughened hands.
She fumbled for her soda and took a sip, clutching the cup with both hands to keep them from shaking.
“You all right, Mom?” Jackson looked up from his phone, one eyebrow cocked.
“Yes ... fine,” Cynthia replied in a carefully neutral tone. “Why don’t we take a break from unpacking? Is there a movie you want to see?” She needed to get away as much, or maybe more, than they did.
After lunch, they drove the hour to Billings to see the latest blockbuster. Cynthia sat on the aisle and stared at the screen without really seeing it. They were back in Snow Valley ... now what? Her plans hadn’t included meeting a man who sent her heart thrumming with a double dose of excitement and guilt.
***
Colby frowned thoughtfully at his phone. Cynthia had obviously not wanted to give him her number. Why? Was she afraid he’d call too often? Okay, he probably shouldn’t have called her so soon, especially since he’d had absolutely no information for her. So he’d left a message for Wade? Big deal. Technically, she didn’t need to know that, and he felt stupid for wanting to hear her voice again.
Because that was why he’d called. He wanted to hear her voice. He’d imagined a pleasant conversation where they could get to know each other a little bit, and maybe he’d get to hear her laugh again, this time at something he’d said. The thought of making Cynthia laugh sent his pulse beating faster.
... Because a conversation about her dead husband’s ashes was exactly the kind of thing that got a woman laughing.
Schroder, you’ve totally lost it.
He threw himself into an easy chair and scowled at the fire crackling in the wood-burning stove. He’d seen her for about three minutes, and yet he’d been sitting here for well over an hour making up conversations with her in his head.
Yep, totally lost it.
He sighed and picked up his phone again, already positive the next conversation would go no better.
Nicole answered on the second ring. “Hi Colby.” Her voice was frosty.
“Hey, it’s me,” he said.
“Yes, I know, or I wouldn’t have said ‘Hi Colby.’”
Colby let it roll off his back; he wasn’t calling to pick a fight with his ex-wife. “Did you get my text about this Sunday?” he asked instead.
“Yes, and Lily can’t come.”
Colby had expected as much, but his heart still dropped. “I know it’s your weekend, but it’s my mom’s birthday and she’d love if Lily could be there,” he explained.
“Sorry,” Nicole said in clipped tones. “Like you said, it’s my weekend and I already made plans.”
Plans that probably included no more than a morning of cartoons and lunch at a McDonald’s playland. They could do that anytime.
Colby ground his teeth. He wouldn’t beg. “Okay, fine,” he finally grated, “I’ll be there next Friday, as usual.”
“Fine, Colby. Goodbye,” Nicole said, and she quickly hung up. She always had to have the last word.
They’d been divorced for over a year, and if anything, Nicole had only grown angrier and more bitter as time went on. Well, she’d been the one who’d wanted to split up, not him. Things were rough between them already, but when he got the job as the foreman at the Diamond A, Nicole had had a fit.
“Snow Valley is in the middle of nowhere,” she’d stormed. “I’m not moving clear out there to live with a bunch of smelly cows.”
But the joke was on her, because Wade didn’t even own cows. Though the goats could get pretty ripe sometimes.
Nicole had wanted the divorce, but Colby got a little justice by insisting on a condition in the settlement forbidding her from moving out of the state with Lily. His heart was ripped to shreds at the thought of joint custody and only seeing his daughter half as much as usual; no way would he let Nicole take her even farther away.
But the victory had come at a price. With her dreams of big city life essentially broken, Nicole became increasingly nasty and nitpicky, refusing every attempt he’d made to be amicable. She’d even talked about dropping “Schroder” and changing back to her maiden name, but abandoned the idea when she realized it would mean having a different last name than her daughter.
Well, Nicole could harp on him all she wanted, as long as she didn’t take her frustration out on Lily. Colby got his daughter every other weekend and for six weeks in the summer. That was all that mattered.
Chapter 4
If Cynthia had ever felt like an outcast because of the bankruptcy, it was most likely only in her imagination, because she certainly didn’t feel like one now. After services, the entire congregation of the Snow Valley Community Church rushed to welcome her home. She spent the hour after church making small talk, returning hugs, and trying to mentally square the faces, now aged nine years, with those she’d carried in her memories.
Rebecca Wilson immediately invited them to dinner, while Janet Snow and Colleen Winston lamented that they hadn’t known she was moving back, and why hadn’t she called them to help unload the truck? Even Elizabeth Leland, who she’d clashed with often in high school, had a warm smile, a hug, and an invitation to do lunch sometime.
Well, that was maturity for you.
Cynthia was relieved to see all the attention wasn’t focused just on her. Anoria and Jackson had fallen into conversations with some of their old classmates and actually seemed to be having a good time. Cynthia felt the first glimmerings of hope as she let herself relax and sink into this wonderful pool of love and friendship.
But try as she might, she couldn’t stop her gaze from darting around the crowd, or the twinge of disappointment in her chest when she realized Colby Schroder was not at church.
“It’s so good t
o have you back, Cynthia.” Pastor John’s sky blue eyes twinkled as he came toward her and grasped her hand. He twisted his tall form, scanning the crowd. “Ah, that must be Anoria and ... I think I see Jackson over there with Aiden Bauer. They’ve grown up.” He turned back to her and his eyes grew softer. “I got a call from Lisa yesterday. Are you having a service this afternoon?”
Her throat caught. Empathy always made her want to cry, and no one was ever as empathetic as Pastor John. She swallowed hard and managed to speak. “I hoped we could, but I guess April and Wade are away and the ... ranch foreman didn’t want to give us permission without speaking to them.” Why hadn’t she just said Colby? Pastor John would undoubtedly know him.
Pastor John nodded. “Lisa told me. Can you have it another day?”
“Of course. It’s just that today is the third anniversary and I wanted ...” Her voice went tight, remembering where they were three years ago, what they’d been doing.
Lee had wasted away to practically nothing. The big, strong farmer she’d known looked scarcely bigger than a child as he lay in the bed at the hospice center. His breathing was labored, even with the respirator, and his eyes twitched under the thin skin of his eyelids.
The kids had already said their goodbyes and left with Cynthia’s mother, who had flown in to help. Watching them with Lee had been gut-wrenching and Cynthia struggled to keep it together.
After they’d gone, she sat in the dim room, both her hands enclosing one of his frail ones, stroking the back of his fingers. He hadn’t been conscious for several days and she didn’t know how much he could hear, but she’d felt the need to reassure him all the same. “I’ll take good care of the kids,” she’d promised. “Don’t worry about anything.”
Spring in Snow Valley Page 15
