Home on the Ranch--Tennessee Homecoming

by April Arrington

  But that would also leave the kids with one less dependable adult in their lives. Another loss of someone who loved them.

  Landon wished he could remain silent, watch Katie fail at being a good parent and not feel guilty. Only, it wasn’t about what he wanted—it was about Matthew, Emma and Sophia.

  “Instead of using your head,” he whispered, “use your heart.”

  Chapter 5

  Use your heart.

  Katie combed her hair once then smoothed a hand over it and smiled. “Back to normal.”

  Better than normal—fantastic. For once, she actually liked her glossy, stick-straight hair better than the artificial curls it took an hour to perfect.

  She turned right in front of Landon’s bathroom mirror then left, studying the way the lights danced over the dark strands and trying to decide what had changed her mind.

  Maybe it was hard work on a ranch that made the difference. After her mini-breakdown last night, a long soak in Landon’s tub and a good night’s rest, she’d hopped out of bed at five this morning, mucked all ten stalls in the stables in under two hours—thank you very much!—and bathed and dressed again in time for breakfast with the kids at seven fifteen.

  Those seemingly small accomplishments had done a ton to improve her self-confidence and plant her feet back on the ground. But it could’ve been something else...

  She closed her eyes, her palm drifting back to her hair, her fingers weaving through the soft ends. Maybe it was that the gentle pressure of Landon’s big hand still tingled on her scalp. That the firm strength of his arms lifting and enfolding her still made her body hum with pleasure. Or it might’ve been the low throb of his voice when he’d leaned close and whispered, You smell like home...familiar, earthy.

  Her eyes sprang open. “That’s it!”

  She tossed the comb on the counter then plundered through her overnight bag for a pen and scrap piece of paper. Finding one, she scrawled Be at Home, dug around some more until she found a beige bath bomb then sat both on a medicine shelf above the sink, the paper propped against the bath sphere.

  “A subtle earthy scent housed in a neutral beige that conjures up nostalgic thoughts of home paired with a title that reflects exactly that.” She whistled low. “Perfect.”

  Now she just had to come up with names for the other colorful bath bombs filling her overnight bag. Nodding, she grabbed her bag, dropped it off in the guest room then made her way to the kitchen.

  Landon and the kids sat around the table, eating breakfast. The aroma of bacon and syrup made her stomach growl.

  “Something smells delicious.” Katie sat beside Emma and kissed her cheek.

  Emma grinned around a mouthful. “Uncle Landon made us pancakes.”

  “That was nice of him.” Katie smiled as Landon nudged a plate of pancakes and bacon in her direction. “Thank you for this and for letting me use your tub again this morning.”

  His attention roved over her hair, face and mouth before he met her eyes. “You’re welcome. You look very nice.”

  The male appreciation in his tone shot a thrill through her. “Thanks. I hope you don’t mind that I hand-washed a few items of clothing in there, too. I hung them in your bathroom to dry but I’ll be sure to get them out this afternoon.”

  A wary look entered his eyes. He moved to speak but seemed to think better of it and returned to feeding Sophia pureed peaches. “That’s fine.”

  Katie turned to Matthew who pushed bits of pancake around his plate with a fork. “Good morning, Matthew.”

  He looked up briefly, his brown eyes disapproving, then stared down at his plate. “Morning.”

  Katie bit into a crisp strip of bacon and consoled herself with the fact that he’d at least acknowledged her presence.

  “Are you going to school with us?” Emma asked.

  Katie sipped her coffee. “What do you mean?”

  “Uncle Landon’s driving us to school today instead of us riding the bus.” Emma licked syrup from her lips and swung her legs against her chair.

  “It’s their first day back,” Landon said quietly, meeting Katie’s eyes across the table.

  Their first day...since losing Jennifer and Frank.

  Katie’s bright mood dimmed. “Oh.” She glanced at Matthew. His expression darkened and he stabbed the pancake harder. “I see. I’d love to go, if it’s okay with you, Landon?”

  “Sure.” Landon wiped Sophia’s chin then stood. “Soon as y’all finish, we’ll get going. We need to have them there by eight.”

  Thirty minutes later, they arrived at Elk Valley Elementary. The halls smelled the same as Katie remembered—sharpened pencils, crayons and pungent cleaner—but everything seemed so much smaller. Katie towered over kids as they walked across the lobby to the front office. And boy, oh, boy, kids were everywhere: streaming from buses by the sidewalk, filing past the windows of the office in crooked lines, and one stood behind the reception desk, scowling as the secretary wiped his face.

  “You’ve been told a thousand times not to throw food in the cafeteria during breakfast, Heath,” the secretary said, scrubbing a stubborn stain off his cheek. “Go sit over there and wait until Mr. Waterson calls you.”

  The little boy—Heath, Katie supposed—trudged over to a line of chairs, plopped onto one then, when the secretary turned away, stuck out his tongue.

  Katie laughed.

  The glass partition slid back and the secretary stared at her through narrowed eyes. “May I help you?”

  Katie stopped laughing. “Yes, please. I’m here with—”

  “Me.” Landon joined her, adjusting Sophia to a more comfortable position on his hip, Matthew and Emma by his side. “We’re dropping Matthew and Emma off.”

  The secretary’s expression brightened. “Landon. It’s so good to see you again.”

  “How are you, Melody?”

  “Oh, just fine.” She smiled and smoothed a hand over her blond hair. “Wonderful now, in fact.”

  Of course. Another Landon admirer.

  Katie managed not to roll her eyes as the other woman simpered. Instead, she wrote off the jealous churn in her stomach as a side effect of eating too many pancakes, leaned to the side and waved at the little boy staring back at her from his seat outside the principal’s office.

  He waved back.

  “We’ve been thinking about all of you,” Melody whispered, leaning closer to Landon. “I’m so glad Matthew and Emma are back with us.”

  “About that.” Landon leaned in, too. “We’d like you to keep an eye out for them for the first week or so. Maybe give us a call if you notice either one of them feeling down or not their usual self?”

  “Us?” Melody asked, brow furrowing.

  “Us.” He motioned toward Katie. “Me and their aunt. You remember Katie Richards, Jennifer’s younger sister?”

  “Of course.” Melody smiled in apology. “It’s been so long, I didn’t recognize you. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Katie nodded. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be happy to keep an eye out,” Melody said, facing Matthew and Emma. “We’re so glad to have y’all back. Would it be okay if I walked with you two to class?”

  Emma smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Matthew rolled his eyes and flounced toward the door.

  “Matthew,” Landon called. When Matthew glanced over his shoulder, he added, “Try to have a good day, okay? If you need us, call us.”

  He kept walking and didn’t answer.

  Katie studied Landon’s expression as he watched Matthew leave, the sadness clouding his eyes making her chest ache. “He’ll be okay.” She touched his upper arm. “And if he’s not, we’ll be here for him.”

  We. She turned the word over in her mind. It had a nice ring to it.

  Landon looked at her, a small smile appearing. “Right.”<
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  Forty-five minutes later, Katie stood in the nursery, listening as Landon gave her tips on changing Sophia’s diaper, when his cell phone rang.

  He stilled, one hand clutching a baby wipe and the other cradling Sophia’s heels in the air. “You mind getting that?”

  “Sure.” Katie glanced at the nightstand. “Where is it?”

  He jerked his chin toward his butt. “Back pocket.”

  “O...kay.”

  She slipped her hand inside a pocket, searching delicately for the ringing phone and trying not to notice how firm and tempting his buttocks felt pressed against the denim. It was a downright sin for a man to have a butt this fine.

  He glanced over his shoulder at her, one eyebrow arched and the corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile.

  “G-got it.” Face burning, she jerked the phone out of his pocket and accepted the call. “Hello?”

  “May I speak with Landon Eason, please?”

  Katie watched Landon slide a clean diaper under Sophia. “He’s busy at the moment. Can I take a message?”

  “This is Melody from Elk Valley Elementary. Is this Katie?”

  “Yes. What’s wrong? Has something happened to the kids?”

  “Nothing major,” Melody said, “but Matthew’s had a small incident and the principal asked if you or Landon could meet with him at the school?”

  Katie headed for the door. “I’m on my way.”

  “Wait, who was that?”

  She paused on the threshold then held the phone out to Landon. “The school. Something’s happened with Matthew. They want one of us to come.”

  “Here. Take Sophia and I’ll—”

  “No.” Katie winced. “Please, Landon. Let me go?”

  He looked hesitant, but after glancing back at Sophia, who grinned and reached out for him, he nodded. “All right. Just call me and let me know what’s going on.”

  “Will do.”

  She made record time on the road and, after arriving at the elementary school fifteen minutes later, jogged from the parking lot into the front office. “I’m back.”

  “So soon.” Melody smiled and opened the door to the inner office. “Matthew’s fine. He’s in Mr. Waterson’s office now. If you’ll please have a seat, I’ll let them know you’re here.”

  Katie thanked her then sat in one of the chairs lined against the wall. She bit her nail and bounced her knee, straining to hear Melody’s conversation in a nearby room.

  “Are you scared?”

  Katie glanced to her left. Heath, apparently, still waited for his turn with the principal. She managed a smile. “No. Just worried, I guess. You?”

  He cringed. “A little. What’d you do?”

  Her smile widened as she mulled over her school days. “Too much to name.”

  Heath turned away, eyes widening as he whistled. “Then you’re really gonna get it.”

  Melody returned. “Come on in, Katie.”

  She did, anxiously searching Matthew’s downcast expression as she sat beside him across from the principal.

  “Thank you for coming, Ms. Richards.” The principal, young and handsome with a friendly face, held out his hand. “I’m Clint Waterson.”

  Katie shook his hand. “Please call me Katie. What’s happened?”

  “On the way to class this morning, Matthew tore several posters off the wall and ripped them up.” Clint eased back in his leather chair. “Students spent several weeks making them and it’ll take days to create replacements.”

  “Matthew?”

  He wouldn’t look at her or the principal.

  “Matthew knows he did wrong and apologized,” Clint continued. “But I thought it was important you knew what he’d done and why.”

  Katie spread her hands and searched Matthew’s expression. “Why did you do it?”

  Matthew picked at a loose thread on his jeans. “They were posters for the spring festival.”

  She frowned. “And?” He grew silent again. “Matthew, I can’t help if y—”

  “We were supposed to sing.” Matthew’s head shot up and tears poured over his red cheeks. “Mom was leading the school chorus. She was gonna play the piano and we were supposed to sing together.” His breath caught. “She promised.”

  Katie’s throat closed. “Oh, Matthew. I’m sorry.” Hand shaking, she squeezed his shoulder. “If your mom would’ve had a choice, she would’ve been here. I know she would have.”

  Matthew shook off her touch and turned away, his chest jerking on silent sobs.

  Katie sagged back in her chair. She glanced at Clint, who grimaced and look down at his desk.

  Oh, no. What in the world should she say now? What should she do? Or, better yet, what would Jennifer do? Or Landon? Katie reached into her pocket, curled her fingers around her cell phone then stilled. Landon’s soft words from last night returned, drifting through her mind.

  Instead of using your head, use your heart.

  “I’ll do it.”

  Katie froze. The words had left her lips and filled the silent room before she’d had a chance to stop them.

  “Excuse me?” Clint asked.

  Oh, boy. Why did she say that? She could kick herself for having such a big mouth.

  But if she took it back now...

  Katie looked at Matthew, pulled in a deep breath and sat up straighter. “I said I’ll do it. I volunteer to lead the school chorus in place of my sister. I’ll play the piano. And I’ll sing with Matthew.”

  Clint’s brows rose. “Have you ever done something like this before?”

  “Music, yes. Leading a school chorus...?” Katie shook her head. “But I promise I’ll give it my best shot.”

  Clint’s brow furrowed as he thought it over, then he nodded and ticked directions off his fingertips. “The spring festival is Saturday night. There are twenty students in the school chorus, ages ranging from five to twelve, and Melody will assist you. Practice is in the choral suite after school every day this week from five thirty to seven thirty.”

  Twenty kids under her supervision for ten hours? Katie shivered. Oh, jeez. Was she crazy?

  She shrugged through the terror. “Piece of cake.”

  Matthew stopped crying and faced her slowly, an angry frown appearing. “You can’t do it.”

  Katie forced a smile. “Why not? The school needs someone to lead the chorus and I’m here and willing.”

  Matthew dragged his forearm over his wet cheeks and sniffed. His frown deepened. “You don’t know what to do.”

  “I know how to read music and play piano.” She glanced at Clint and tried to brighten her faltering smile. “I have experience. I sang in high sch—”

  “But there’ll be kids,” Matthew snapped. “You don’t like kids.”

  “Yes, I do.” Katie leveled a stern gaze at Matthew. “Of course I like k—”

  “You don’t even know how to babysit,” Matthew said. “Yesterday, when you were supposed to be watching us, you let Rascal jump on the table and get carrots everywhere, you couldn’t change Sophia’s diaper and you lost the triplets.” He raised his eyebrows as he looked at the principal. “She was gone forever looking for them. Me and Emma coulda died while she was gone and she wouldn’t have even known it.”

  Katie’s mouth fell open. She clamped it shut, faced Clint and held up a finger. “First of all, I did babysit six kids yesterday and the...uh...carrot part is true. But,” she stressed, “Landon’s dog is as big as some small horses so I wouldn’t be the only one that would have trouble pulling Rascal off a table. And even though it was my first time changing a diaper, I managed to change my niece’s after three—no, four tries.”

  Or was it five?

  Thinking, Katie glanced at the ceiling then refocused on Clint. “Yes, four. It was definitely four tries. And I also managed to catch
two of the triplets in the front yard less than three minutes after they managed to get the front door open and take off. Which—” she waved her hand in the air “—I tell you, was a feat in itself because those two boys are as fast as jackrabbits and took pleasure in watching me struggle. As for Matthew and Emma dying while I was outside for three minutes—” she cut her eyes at Matthew “—there wasn’t much chance of that since they were sitting safely on the living room floor, glued to Goblins of War—which I took the time to set up for them.”

  Clint eased farther back in his chair and clicked the push button on his ballpoint pen. “Goblins of War?”

  Katie nodded. “It’s a video game.”

  Matthew sprang to his feet. “With lots of blood in it, and she let Emma play it, too, so she’ll probably have nightm—”

  “Matthew, that’s enough.” Mouth trembling, Katie stood. “I mean it.” She firmed her voice on her next words, even though her insides still quivered. “You’ve been taught better than to argue with adults or rip signs down, no matter how angry or sad you may be. Go have a seat outside and wait for me there while I speak with Mr. Waterson in private.”

  Matthew glared up at her then moved to speak.

  “Now,” Katie said, pointing toward the door.

  Matthew held her steady gaze for a moment then trudged to the door.

  After he left, Katie faced Clint and sighed. “I’m sorry about that. Landon has told me Matthew is normally very well behaved. He’s just been through so much lately...” She shook her head. “He’s angry with me and he was right about me being new to this kind of thing. I haven’t spent much time with him or his sisters and now that I think about it, I probably shouldn’t have let Emma play such a violent video game. So that won’t happen again.” She lifted her chin. “But I’m a fast learner and I promise I would never do anything to jeopardize any of the children’s safety.”

  Clint remained quiet, clicking the push button on the pen several times, then leaned forward and propped his elbows on the desk. “Watching kids can be stressful no matter how much experience someone might have. Are you sure you want to take this on?”