An Unexpected Arrangement

by Heidi McCahan

  Jack groaned. “I see where this is going.”

  “She’ll never leave me in charge of the store again if I mess this up.”

  “And that’s a bad thing?” Jack couldn’t resist giving his brother-in-law a hard time. Gage was a good sport about helping at the family’s furniture store, but they all knew he was much better off as a wind energy technician.

  Gage ignored his teasing and got right down to business. “I’m not above bribery. I just roped your brother into helping me out. Can you meet him at the customer’s house to unload in fifteen minutes?”

  “Do you have the truck?”

  “Drew is backing it up to the loading dock now.”

  Jack glanced over his shoulder at the clock on his computer. Wasn’t he looking for an excuse to avoid confirming the interview? He needed to eat lunch and Laramie had taken the twins to story time at the library, so he couldn’t use his kids as a reason to say no, either.

  “Single mom, local address. She’d really like to get settled in the house today so she doesn’t have to spend another night in a hotel. I’ll even throw in dinner at your favorite steakhouse to sweeten the deal.”

  Jack let out a low whistle at the mention of the nearest steakhouse. “Man, you are desperate.”

  “You have no idea.”

  “Text me the address and tell Drew I’ll meet him there.”

  “Thanks, man,” Gage said. “And thanks for keeping me out of trouble with Skye.”

  “No problem. I look forward to that steak dinner.” He ended the call and strode down the hall toward the kitchen. Jack smiled as he stopped and surveyed the clean counters, high chairs wiped down and neatly tucked away, and the dishwasher humming softly. The scent of laundry detergent lingering in the air indicated another load was in the machine nearby. While he’d spent the twins’ morning nap time in his office, Laramie had cleaned up the kitchen, kept the laundry going and basically restored order in his home. Not to mention prepared the girls for an outing and loaded them in their car seats without any help from him.

  His smile faded. Was she keeping busy to avoid him? The niggling thought morphed into worry and he rubbed his palm against the tightness in his chest. Laramie was incredible. And so selfless, stepping in and helping him in his darkest hour. But she’d seemed distant and maybe even uncomfortable since he’d brought her coffee at the car wash. After all she’d done for him lately, stopping by with her favorite drink was the least he could do.

  Except she’d acted less than thrilled when she saw him. Had he embarrassed her?

  His phone chimed again and he quickly read the text from Drew with the address of the furniture delivery. Jack grabbed his keys and left the house.

  Laramie had arrived right on time this morning, but the tension threading through the room while she fed the girls their oatmeal and pureed fruit bugged him. He was hyperaware of how good Laramie smelled, the little crease that formed in her brow when she was concentrating and the musical sound of her laughter when the twins blew her slobbery kisses. She was beautiful, she cared for his girls almost effortlessly, and his world was a thousand times better because she was in it.

  So why had she looked at him like he had something growing in the middle of his forehead when he brought her coffee?

  As Jack drove the short distance to meet Drew, he carefully replayed their previous conversations, including everything he’d said at the car wash. Talking to a woman and flirting had never been a challenge before.

  This was different. He was different. At least he wanted to be, anyway. While shallow relationships with low expectations was how he’d rolled through his twenties, those days were over. He turned thirty in less than a week, and he was a father of two. The best person he knew spent hours every day caring for his children, and making his house feel like a home, and he couldn’t stop thinking about her as more than a friend.

  Maybe that was the problem. He wanted what he could never have. Convincing Laramie to see him as anything more than her best friend’s misguided, irresponsible brother was next to impossible. While he wanted to be the kind of man Laramie deserved, his track record screamed that he was the exact opposite.

  No wonder she’d looked disgusted when he’d tried to flirt. His past couldn’t be wiped away like baby food splattered across the high chair tray. Since Laramie had known him forever, his exploits were hardly a secret. And there wasn’t a grand gesture, a compliment or anything that could change that reality.

  Face it. You’ll never be enough for her.

  Jack sighed and parked his truck at the curb. He shut off the engine, tucked his phone in his pocket and stepped out into the blazing summer sun.

  “Hey.” Drew stood beside the delivery truck parked in front of a townhouse, two bottles of water in his hands. “Thanks for coming.”

  “Not a problem.” Jack accepted one of the water bottles Drew offered and took a sip.

  The truck’s back door rumbled as Drew pushed it open. Jack glanced at the furniture wrapped in blankets and cartons. There wasn’t a lot. Hopefully this wouldn’t take long. He had a phone call scheduled with a project manager at two o’clock.

  Drew climbed inside the truck and unwrapped the first piece. “You know, you could build something like this.”

  Oh, here we go. Another Jack-needs-to-build-furniture pep talk. Jack eyed the coffee table with clean lines and two simple drawers, then forced a tight smile. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Not interested. Furniture isn’t my thing.”

  Drew’s eyebrows shot up. “You loved hanging out with Dad and Uncle Kenny in their shop. Don’t you remember helping them build McKenna’s bedroom set?”

  Jack gritted his teeth, determined to battle back the memory. Yeah, he remembered. And he’d had almost the same conversation with Dad, too. He wasn’t interested in revisiting the heated words they’d exchanged.

  “I have a job, and two girls to provide for now. I’ll leave the furniture business to Skye.”

  Drew gave him a long stare. “That’s a shame, letting all that talent go to waste.”

  Resentment flared in his stomach. Jack tightened his fists but let the comment slide. Although he wanted to pop off about how he was sick and tired of the unsolicited advice, he knew it wasn’t worth it. People had their opinions and there was no sense trying to change their minds. As soon as they were finished with this delivery, Jack was going to accept that interview in Utah.

  * * *

  She could do this. Taking twins to summer story time at the library had seemed like such a good idea when Skye suggested it. Too bad Charlotte wasn’t on board.

  “Charlotte, listen,” Laramie whispered, trying to redirect Charlotte’s attention toward the front of the room. While the librarian read a book about a duck riding a bike and the other parents sat on the blue carpet in a semicircle at her feet, their children quietly enthralled with the pictures and words, Charlotte had crawled to the nearest shelf and yanked board books off like it was her job. And Macey was already gnawing on her fist. Was she hungry again?

  “Charlotte, stop.” Laramie scrambled to put the books back while keeping an eye on both girls at once.

  Two women sitting nearby whispered to one another, then shot disapproving looks Laramie’s way. Great. Nothing like making a scene in front of the other parents. One of them was probably texting Jack right now, telling him he’d hired a lousy nanny.

  Meanwhile, Charlotte crawled out of reach, while Macey started to cry. Laramie heaved a sigh. “Charlotte, no.”

  Charlotte squealed and picked up speed. Laramie scooped her up and confiscated the board book before Charlotte managed to put the corner in her mouth. The frustrated baby arched her back and released an ear-splitting screech.

  Laramie tucked her into the double stroller and handed her a pacifier. “Shhh, it’s okay.”

  Charlotte’s crying escalated, drawing even more
curious stares. Warmth heated her face as Laramie picked Macey up, snagged her diaper bag from the chair where she’d left it and quickly pushed the stroller toward the front door. Sweat beaded on her forehead as the twins’ cries echoed through the library. She should be able to handle two babies having a meltdown in public, right?

  Laramie burst through the automatic double doors of the library and out into the sweltering June afternoon. Charlotte and Macey were both crying now.

  She pressed her palm to their foreheads. Not warm enough for a fever, but maybe they were teething? The tears clinging to their lashes and the pitiful crying made Laramie’s heart ache. And she’d left their new teething rings in Jack’s refrigerator. She dug through the diaper bag in search of toys that might soothe them on the car ride home.

  “Everything okay?”

  Gage Westbrook’s voice startled her. Laramie glanced up. He hovered over the stroller, his sunglasses pushed on top of his head and brows knitted together.

  “Hey, Gage.” Laramie handed each of the babies a plastic toy. “I think they’re both teething.”

  Gage sat beside her on the bench. “I was coming out of the doctor’s office and heard the crying.” He leaned closer and gave Macey’s arm a gentle pat. “Sorry about your teeth, kiddo.”

  Macey’s breath hitched and she stopped crying, her eyes riveted on Gage.

  “Girls, can you say hello to your uncle Gage?”

  “I like the sound of that.” Gage grinned. “Although I still can’t believe it’s true.”

  “Me, either.” An awkward silence lingered between them. Laramie didn’t want to talk about Jack or his daughters or his plans right now. It hurt too much to think about a life in Merritt’s Crossing that didn’t include Jack and the twins. She cleared her throat and studied him. “What are you up to today?”

  “I had my physical and now I’m going to stop by the bakery and order the cake for Jack’s birthday party this weekend. You’re coming, right?”

  Laramie looked away. Skye had texted her the details for the thirtieth birthday party she and Gage were hosting. Laramie hadn’t responded yet. Sweat trickled down her back. This heat was ridiculous. She needed to get the girls home for lunch and their afternoon nap.

  “Laramie?”

  “We’ll see.”

  Gage’s hazel eyes narrowed. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m just hot. Worried about the girls and their teething.” And Jack. And how weird things are between us now. She’d keep that part to herself. Gage was a great guy and all, but there was no way she’d vent to him.

  “I hear you,” Gage said. “Connor cries a lot when he doesn’t feel well. Jack’s fortunate to have you helping him. He must be so glad to have you around.”

  Then why was he planning to leave? She bit back the pointed question. Giving voice to her feelings only led to more questions she couldn’t answer.

  “Has Jack mentioned anything to you about using some of those tools out in his woodshop? Skye says he’s so good at building stuff, and he inherited a lot of tools.”

  “Jack hasn’t said a word about building anything. He never goes into the shop, either.”

  “Really.”

  “Have you and Skye asked him to build anything?” Laramie checked on the girls. They were happily gnawing on their toys and watching the people and cars moving in and out of the library parking lot.

  “Not lately.” Gage frowned. “She says the last time she brought it up, he got upset.”

  Laramie nodded. “He was really close to his dad and his uncle. I’m not sure he’s ever fully grieved their deaths.”

  Gage stared at the ground. “I know what that’s like.”

  Laramie remained silent. Gage had lost his best friend in a terrible fire when they were in the navy together. While that accident brought him to Merritt’s Crossing, eventually marrying Skye and becoming Connor’s father, she knew he’d worked through a lot of grief and guilt, too.

  “Maybe Jack and I can grab a burger sometime and talk more.” Gage stood. “I’d better get going.”

  “Me, too.” Laramie stood and reached for the girls’ stroller.

  “So we’ll see you at Jack’s party then?” Gage asked.

  She hesitated.

  “Cake. Homemade ice cream. Chocolate syrup. Whipped cream and sprinkles. What more can I say to convince you?”

  Laughter bubbled up. “All right, all right. I’ll be there. Thank you for the reminder.”

  “You’re welcome.” Gage waved to his nieces, then walked down the street toward his truck.

  Laramie pushed the stroller along the sidewalk to her own car, then buckled the girls in their car seats and stowed the bulky stroller in the trunk. Sweaty and exhausted, she slid behind the wheel and cranked the air-conditioning as high as it could go. Had she just said yes to Jack’s birthday party? She didn’t want to stay home, but at the same time, going made her feel as nervous as a middle schooler at her first dance. Right on cue, butterflies flitted through her abdomen. She wasn’t ready to admit that her feelings for Jack were changing. And that she secretly entertained notions of a happily-ever-after and a future Jack was not interested in being a part of. He was going to move and take Macey and Charlotte with him. All she’d have to cling to were some sweet memories and the old familiar heartache of being single and childless at thirty-four.

  * * *

  “What’s in the building out back?”

  Jack froze, a spoonful of pureed peaches halfway to Charlotte’s mouth. The question seemed innocent, but he knew Laramie well enough to know there was a reason she was asking. “Stuff that belonged to my aunt and uncle. Why?”

  “I saw Gage outside the library today and he mentioned you had a bunch of tools to build furniture stored in there that you never use.”

  He sensed her staring at him from her seat beside Macey’s high chair, where she was serving an identical bowl of pureed fruit. Her gaze was warm. Curious. But he still didn’t want to talk about the woodshop or the tools inside or analyze all the reasons why he never went in there. Couldn’t they focus on feeding the girls, giving them baths and the countless other tasks required to put two babies in bed? Macey and Charlotte had fussed constantly since they woke up from their afternoon naps. He was counting the minutes until they both went to bed for the night.

  “McKenna and Aunt Willa included the shop and everything inside when they sold me the house. I’ve never planned on building anything, though. Just never got around to sorting it all out.”

  Because he never wanted to.

  He scraped the plastic spoon along the bottom of the container and offered Charlotte another bite.

  “I remember the bedroom set you built for McKenna.” Laramie cleaned Macey’s fingers with a damp cloth. “She was so happy.”

  What in the world? Why was everyone in his life suddenly rooting for him to build something?

  “I helped,” he said, fighting to keep irritation from his voice. “Dad and my uncle did most of the work.”

  “That’s not how I remember it, but you get credit for being humble.”

  If they were talking about any other topic, he would’ve appreciated Laramie’s attempt at humor. This time his limbs tingled with the urge to run.

  “Ba-ba-ba.” Charlotte grinned then blew raspberries, sprinkling his cheek with pureed fruit.

  “Hey.” Jack swiped the back of his hand across his face. “That wasn’t cool.”

  Laramie clapped a hand over her mouth and her shoulders shook as she tried to smother her laughter.

  Undeterred, Charlotte grinned and blew more raspberries.

  Irritation flared in his gut. He had to get out of here.

  “I need a minute.” Jack shoved his chair back, stomped across the kitchen and out the sliding glass door. The summer evening air blanketed him, carrying a hint of earth and dus
t from the wheat harvest in the fields nearby. He paced the deck, his legs eating up the wooden planks. In the distance, wind turbines spun against a dusky blue sky. Blood pounded behind his ears. He’d almost lost his temper. Reacted to a baby’s harmless antics in a way he’d deeply regret later. Why did he let Charlotte’s behavior get to him?

  Jack turned away from that stupid building taunting him and sank into an Adirondack chair. He leaned forward, bracing his head in his hands.

  A few minutes later, the slider glided open and the deck vibrated with Laramie’s footsteps.

  “I put the babies in the portable crib in the living room for a few minutes.” She pulled another chair up next to his. “Are you all right?”

  Her presence calmed him. Like he was surfacing from a deep dive into the lake. Being with Laramie was like a giant gulp of clean, fresh mountain air.

  “I can’t do this.”

  She sat down. “Do what?”

  He longed to grab her hand and thread his fingers through hers. Oh, he needed an anchor right now. Someone to cling to. “Keep living here in this fishbowl of a town, with everyone and their brother weighing in on how I live my life.”

  “We all have bad days. Babies are exhausting, and you have twins. Don’t let people get to you.”

  Jack scrubbed his palm across his face and stared out into the fields.

  “What happened today that made you so upset?”

  “I’ve heard one too many comments lately from my family about building furniture. I know they don’t really want my help, though, because they’ve always blamed me for my dad’s accident.”

  Laramie’s gasp was audible. “That is so not true.”

  Jack glanced at her in the gathering twilight. The setting sun cast an orange-and-pink glow across the planes of her face. Man, she was gorgeous. He forced himself to look away. If he was too distracted, he wouldn’t be able to say what was on his mind. And these emotions were eating him alive. He had to tell someone. Someone who would genuinely listen.

  “My dad was angry about my decision to go into cybersecurity. He wanted me to take over the parts of the business Uncle Kenny used to handle. I said no. We yelled. He threw a chair across the shop. That was the last time we spoke to each other. He died a few hours later.”