by Judi Lynn
“Dad and I know what’s best for the farm.”
“And what’s best for you. Was it the best for Radley?”
Silence hung between them.
“I don’t want to eat supper with you and Jazzi. I’d rather eat in my room.”
“Fine with me. We won’t miss your company, but don’t think we’re carrying food up to you like room service. If you want something, you know where the kitchen is, and you won’t cook for yourself. You eat what we eat, or you stop to buy food someplace else.”
Good for Ansel! Jazzi would dish up a plate for Bain to take upstairs. That way she didn’t have to be around him.
“I’ve said all I want to say to you. You can leave me alone and go downstairs to play in the kitchen with your wife.” A door slammed and Jazzi heard Ansel walking toward the stairs. She hurried to the table and started setting it so that it wouldn’t look like she’d stopped everything to listen to them.
When he joined her in the kitchen, he wore a scowl. “Bain wants to eat in his room. He’ll grab food and take it upstairs.”
“If that what makes him happy.” She kept her voice neutral.
He grinned at her. “You heard everything, didn’t you?”
“Couldn’t help it. Your voices were raised. The cats skedaddled down here to stay out of your way.”
Just then, there was a quick knock at the kitchen door and Walker came inside. He sniffed. “It smells good in here.”
“Is Radley settled already?” Jazzi started peeling apples for the Sunday dessert—apple crisps. She’d boil potatoes ahead, too. The baked beans could wait until morning.
Walker shook his head. “He’s still sorting through things, but I’ve done all I can to help him. Thought I’d come here and pester you guys until supper’s ready.”
She loved having Walker underfoot. “In that case, I’m putting you to work. You can help me peel these. The enchiladas will be ready in ten more minutes.”
He gladly picked up a paring knife and got to work. They were down to three apples when Ansel’s phone buzzed. He frowned at the caller ID. “Didi,” he told her.
Walker frowned. “Never heard of her.”
Ansel’s face colored as he pushed the button and said, “Hi, Didi, what’s up?”
His shoulders tensed as he listened to her. “Lock your doors. I’m on my way.”
As he jammed his phone in his jeans pocket, Jazzi stared at him. “Is something wrong?”
“Someone broke into her house. When she and River walked in the front door, whoever it was went out the back, but she’s frightened. What if they’d walked in on the robber? I’m going to pick her up and bring her here. Do we have enough for her to stay for supper?”
“There’s plenty. A robber? Like at Donovan’s?” If Donovan had had a back door, would the robber have slipped away? Would Radley’s friend still be alive?
“I sure hope it’s not the same person.” With a nod, he stalked out of the kitchen to his van.
Walker looked at her. “Who’s Didi?”
Jazzi took a deep breath. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you while we finish the apple crisps.”
He pitched in while she talked.
“Last Halloween . . . “
“Before you two got married? When was that anyway?”
“November tenth.”
“And Ansel’s known her that long? He never mentions her.”
“Well, it’s sort of complicated, and it embarrasses him a little.”
Walker’s brows shot up. “This sounds juicy. I can’t wait.”
“It wasn’t the best thing that ever happened to us.” Jazzi finished the crumble topping and sprinkled it over the apples. Walker helped her put them in the built-in wall ovens. “It all started when we got a letter from a woman Ansel had a one-night stand with.”
“A month before you tied the knot? And you still married him?” Walker let out a whistle.
“He was miserable and lonely when he first came to town, before we ever met. I can’t fault him for something that long ago.”
“You’re a good woman.”
She rolled her eyes. “His family had kicked him out. He moved to River Bluffs because his uncle promised him a job, but the sons let Ansel know he wasn’t welcome. He had to go on his own as an independent contractor.”
“He hadn’t started working with you and Jerod?”
“Not yet. He wasn’t in the best frame of mind. Brooklyn was close to hitting bottom herself. It’s the only time they saw each other. But Brooklyn always remembered him as a decent guy.”
Walker snorted. “That’s not the only reason she remembered him. Let’s face it. Ansel turns heads.”
She couldn’t argue that point. Her Norseman made knees buckle. “The thing is, last year, Brooklyn found out she had cancer and was dying. She needed someone to raise River, so she was desperate to find the father of her son.”
Walker’s brows shot up. “Whoa! Wait a minute. She got pregnant?”
“That’s how babies are made.” She wasn’t comfortable telling this story. Reaching for a bag of potatoes, she started cutting them in quarters to busy her hands. “The thing is, Ansel wasn’t the only guy she slept with. She didn’t know who the father was.”
Walker reached in the bag to help. “This is better than a soap opera. How old is the boy?”
“River’s seven now.”
“Has Ansel lived in River Bluffs that long?”
She scooped her pile of potatoes into a large pan of salted water. “Seven years.”
“How long has he worked with you and Jerod?”
“Over two years now.”
“It took you two a while to get together.” He shook his head, looking baffled.
“When we first met, I was engaged to Chad. By the time we broke up, he was living with Emily.”
“Ah, your timing was off. Got it. But what about this Brooklyn? She raised a kid by herself and never notified the dad?”
“If one man—Archie—was the father, she didn’t want him around River. She decided to go it alone. A woman who lived across the street from them works from home and took care of River whenever Brooklyn couldn’t be there. Didi was nuts about the boy, and he loved her. When the DNA tests came back, Ansel wasn’t the father. Archie was. Brooklyn begged Ansel to protect River when she was gone, to make sure her son had a good life and not let Archie take him. She couldn’t count on anyone else but Didi to be there for him.”
Walker went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. He motioned to a wine glass for her and she nodded. When she put the potatoes on the stove to boil, he sat across from her at the kitchen island, and they sipped their drinks together. “How could Ansel keep Archie from demanding his own son?”
Jazzi sighed. “Brooklyn never told Archie the results of the test. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t push to find out either. He was an addict. That’s when things got complicated, though. When his drug dealer saw Brooklyn’s lawyer stop at his place, he thought it had something to do with a plea deal. He killed Archie so he couldn’t talk.” The actual events had been even more complicated, but she’d told Walker the important points of what happened.
He ran a hand through his thick, chestnut-colored hair. “So, River’s dad is dead.”
Jazzi nodded. “And that’s when Didi insisted on taking him in. She’s supporting him on her own. We stop by to check on them once in a while, and she won’t let us help with much. They’re both happy together.”
Walker took another sip of beer. “That’s some friend to step in and raise Brooklyn’s boy.”
“Didi’s wonderful. Ansel and I think the world of her, but you’ll meet them soon. Ansel’s bringing them here for supper.”
And no sooner had she said that than the kitchen door opened and they walked inside with Radley not far behind them. She ha
dn’t expected him. Thank heavens her lasagna pan held a lot of enchiladas. This should prove to be an interesting supper. There were enough people with different things going on, there’d be plenty to talk about. But then she looked at Walker, and the man’s face looked like he’d been gobsmacked. He could hardly take his eyes off Didi. Jazzi smiled. Interesting wasn’t going to be the half of it.
Chapter 5
When River saw Walker, he reached for Didi’s hand. Walker was tall and muscular. He probably looked a little intimidating to the boy, so Jazzi gave him a big smile. “Hey, kid. How’s it going? Let me introduce you to a good friend of ours. River, this is Walker. Walker, this is River and Didi.”
Didi tilted her head and studied him. Her wavy, ebony hair fell in a curtain past her shoulders. “Ansel’s told me about you. You own a cement company, don’t you?”
“Yup.” His gaze locked on the boy. “Maybe someday River can ride along with me in one of our dump trucks.”
River’s dark eyes gleamed. “Do you drive cement trucks, too?”
“Sure do.”
Didi’s generous lips curved in a smile. The girl wasn’t beautiful, but with her creamy complexion and vivid coloring, she was eye-catching. “I buy River a Hot Wheels car or truck every time we go to the grocery store. He has a thing for vehicles.”
Walker grinned and held out his hand to give the boy a high five. “Then he has good taste.”
River laughed and slapped palms with him. With one quick conversation, Walker had caught his interest.
Walker’s attention, however, returned to Didi. “What do you do for a living?”
“I work from home, doing medical transcripts. I’m always there, so I can walk River to the bus every morning and wait for his bus after school.”
“Nice.” Walker’s brows furrowed. “Ansel said someone broke into your house.”
She shivered and rubbed her arms. “He went out the back door while we came in the front. I’ve never been so frightened.”
Radley, who’d stayed in the background until now, blurted, “Someone broke into my friend’s apartment today, too.” Thank heavens, he didn’t add that the intruder shot and killed Donovan. He looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Bain?”
“He doesn’t want to eat with us.” Ansel went to count dishes and put them on the dining room table.
“That’s too weird. What’s he going to do, hide upstairs and pout? I’m going up to get him.” Radley headed to the stairs.
By the time she and Ansel loaded the food on the island so that people could serve themselves, buffet style, Bain followed Radley into the room. He grimaced and looked at Ansel. “Radley told me to get my butt down here. He said to grow up and be glad you’re letting me stay here.”
Jazzi rolled her eyes. Not exactly an apology and not really saying that he appreciated it, but it was better than nothing.
Ansel blinked, surprised. Finally, he shrugged. “No problem.”
Bain noticed Didi and River. “More people?”
Ansel followed his gaze. “Didi got broken into today. A few weeks ago, someone must have had too much to drink and banged on her door at three in the morning. She’s pretty shaken up.” He made quick introductions.
Bain glanced at the crowded kitchen. “I’m not up for company right now. Mind if I take my plate upstairs to eat?”
“Be my guest.” Ansel handed him a paper plate and a fork.
Once Bain left, Walker asked, “Someone banged on Didi’s door a few weeks ago?” When Ansel nodded, he said, “She has every right to be worried.” Walker looked worried himself. When River started to fidget—nervous, too—he bent to say, “Bet you’re hungry by now. Want me to carry a plate for you and help you load it up?”
The boy nodded and came to peek over the countertop to point at what he wanted. The rest of them grabbed plates and got in line.
Once everyone was settled, Walker returned to the robbery. “You know, it seems like too much of a coincidence that someone tried to get in your house a few weeks ago and you had a break-in today. Maybe he was only checking things out the first time.”
Didi nodded. “I think so, too. I live in a working-class neighborhood, but I’ve never had any trouble before. Not once.”
“It might not be safe for you to go home. What if the guy wasn’t finished with his search? What are you going to do tonight?”
She flicked a nervous glance at River. “I can’t afford to stay in a motel. I guess I’ll sleep with my cell phone right next to me.”
Walker shook his head, obviously not satisfied with her answer. “Too risky. Why take chances? Look, Ansel and Jazzi can vouch for me that I’m a good guy. I live alone in a tri-level. Why don’t you stay at my place tonight? If you want to hang out and sleep in the family room in the lower level, you won’t even see me.”
She frowned. “Why would you do that? You don’t even know us.”
“A while ago, someone killed my dad. I just lost a good friend. Life doesn’t feel as safe as it used to. I’d blame myself if something happened to you and the boy when I could have helped.” Walker’s gaze settled on River. “If you go back to your place, I won’t get any sleep. I’ll worry about you. If you don’t want to stay at my house, I could sleep on the couch at yours.”
Ansel interrupted. “If you’re worried about Walker, we all heard him make the offer. If he does anything that bothers you, we’d all give him grief. And the robber might come back again. You’d be safer at his place.”
She pursed her lips, studying Walker, then nodded. “If you’re sure. I didn’t really want to go home, but I didn’t know what else to do. I need to get my laptop, though. All of my work’s on it. I don’t know if the robber didn’t want it or didn’t have time to take it, but I can’t lose it.”
“Fair enough. I’ll drive you over and you can grab clothes and anything else you need. I’m supposed to come to Jazzi and Ansel’s for lunch tomorrow, but I can stay home and cook instead.” He glanced at Jazzi.
She knew an unsubtle hint when she heard one. “Don’t be silly. I’ve made plenty. Bring them along.”
Grinning, Walker relaxed his shoulders. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He turned to Didi. “After the Sunday meal, you can decide what you want to do next. You’re welcome to stay at my place as long as you need to, though.”
River wiggled with excitement. “Can I see some of your trucks?”
“You can even sit behind the steering wheel. How’s that?”
Didi threw up her hands in surrender. “I guess we’ll take it one day at a time, but thank you. It’s going to take a while before I feel safe in my house again.”
They got serious about eating, and it was quiet for a while. When they finished, Jazzi stood to collect dirty plates and Ansel helped her carry them to the sink to rinse. Then they brought paper plates and the cherry pie to the table. The slices were smaller than usual when she cut it, but she hadn’t known there’d be so many people. She served it with vanilla ice cream to make it more filling.
When supper was over, Radley stood and circled the table to give Jazzi a hug. “Thanks for another good supper.”
“Any time.” She had a soft spot for Ansel’s brother.
He laughed. “You’d better quit telling me that or I’ll be here every night.”
“Wouldn’t bother me,” she said.
“It would bother me. Every night’s too much.” Ansel bent to give the last slice of bratwurst he’d cut to George. If he had his way, he’d pull a chair up to the table for the pug.
Radley laughed. “Maybe I’ll come over one night and grab Bain, and we can go out for supper.”
Ansel’s blue eyes lit up. “Even better.”
They all stood then and got ready to call it a night. Radley left to return to his apartment, and Didi and River left with Walker.
Once the house got q
uiet, Bain came down to put his dirty fork in the dishwasher. “Great supper. Thanks.”
The man was trying. Jazzi didn’t know what Radley had said to him, but it must have made an impression. “Would you like to take my laptop up with you? There’s no TV in your bedroom, but you could watch something on the computer screen.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
She got it to hand to him. “Ansel has a laptop, too. We can share for a while. Use mine as long as you’re here.”
She’d caught him by surprise, she could tell. He gave a brisk nod and left them.
Ansel stayed to help with the cleanup. “There’ll be even more people here tomorrow. Today was eventful enough. I hope everyone’s in a good mood.”
So did Jazzi. When her family got cranked up, you never knew what would happen.
Chapter 6
As usual, Jerod and his family were the first ones to arrive for the Sunday meal. Gunther and Lizzie dropped on the kitchen floor to pet George. The pug wasn’t a huge kid fan, but he tolerated their attention. Jazzi’s cousin came to toss an arm around her shoulders. Almost as tall as Ansel and huskier, he made her feel small. “What are you doing for Valentine’s Day tomorrow?” he asked. “If my wife doesn’t pop, I’m fixing her a special supper. Bought filet mignons and a box of her favorite chocolates.”
Franny pressed a hand to her back—a common pose these days. “I’m not going to pop. But I hope I don’t go into labor until Tuesday. If the baby wouldn’t come out before I got as big as a Hummer, he can wait another day.”
Jazzi tried not to stare. Every time she saw Franny, she looked bigger. Her stomach looked so stretched, she was surprised her skin didn’t just split open and let the baby tumble out. She struggled to remember Jerod’s question. What were they doing for Valentine’s Day? “Ansel and I have reservations at the Oyster Bar. It’s going to be crowded, but we love the food and atmosphere.”
“Pricey,” Franny said.
Jerod laughed at her. “We can afford it. You just don’t like to go anywhere without the kids.”