“You’ve really made your peace with her, haven’t you, Dad?”
“I told you her leaving was as much my fault as hers. I fell like a ton of bricks for her all those years ago, but I didn’t understand her the way I should have. She deserved better care than I gave her.”
“And you want to care for her now.” Ian wasn’t sure why he was pushing the point.
“Love doesn’t die that easy, son.”
Ian blinked.
“You got a problem with that?”
Wow. Ian shook his head. “She’s really sticking around? For good?”
“If I have anything to say about it.” His dad stood there, tall and commanding, the way he used to be before the stroke had damaged his confidence. Before him was the man who’d given Ian roots deep in this land and made him know he would never be alone, the one who’d taught Ian everything he knew about being strong and principled.
It was really great to see that man again. Ian had never minded helping out his dad and taking over the responsibilities Gordon could no longer manage, but he had grieved for the toll Gordon’s condition had extracted from his father. “So it might be time to start building Scarlett that house I promised her?”
“The ranch house will be your home as long as you want it, son, but your mother is going to live there now, too. There’s room for all of us.”
There was—barely. But Ian and Scarlett now occupied the master bedroom, and his parents deserved to be there. To have a place of their own if they were truly going to be together again. Scarlett was in love with the family history tied to Ian’s grandmother’s kitchen, but now that she was settled in Sweetgrass and had sunk her own roots here, maybe she’d like a kitchen of her own design. “I’ve had my eye on a spot for some time now, but we didn’t want to leave you alone.” He grinned and tried not to wince at the same time. “But if you’re going to be honeymooning with Mom, you two deserve some privacy—if you can wait until I get our house built.” He frowned. “You are going to make an honest woman of her, right?”
Gordon chuckled. “Who’s the dad here? You making sure I don’t take advantage of your mother?”
Ian smiled, but he was also staggered to realize that he was a dad, too, now. That little Georgia would one day have boys chasing after her and run the chance of getting her heart broken or being taken advantage of by—
Gordon laughed, and Ian was startled to realize he’d actually growled. “Georgia can’t date until she’s forty. I won’t have some young buck thinking he can—”
His dad roared with laughter and slapped his thigh. “Welcome to fatherhood, son, where the worries never stop.” He grinned widely. “And if little Georgia is half the beauty her mama is, you better keep your shotgun oiled and ready because you are going to be real busy keeping those young men away.”
Ian felt himself pale. “Dad.” The enormity of the challenge ahead slammed into him.
Gordon grinned again and clasped his son on the shoulder. “I see your brother Michael is already working. Let’s go hammer some nails, son. You got some time to get ready before you have to deal with little Georgia dating.”
By rote, Ian walked at his father’s side, recognizing the truth of that.
But his mind was whirling with all that lay ahead in the quest he’d taken up, to protect and nurture and guide his sweet, innocent little daughter down the rocky road that was life.
“Yeah. Let’s go hammer some nails.”
Chapter Seven
“Look, Mom, there’s Big Theo!” Thad exclaimed. “I’m gonna take him a donut.”
“He’ll come inside like the rest, honey.”
“No,” said Jeanette from beside her. “He probably won’t.”
Sure enough, he got out of his Sheriff’s Dept. SUV and headed toward the fire station and the emerging clinic.
“Mom, can I go get him?”
“Probably better to leave him alone,” someone said.
No, it’s not. Can’t anyone see how lonely he is? But she didn’t bother to argue. “We’ll all go find him. Becky, you and Thad pick out some rolls for him.”
“He likes peaches, he told me,” Thad suggested. “Remember how he liked your peach pie?”
She could feel the heads swiveling in her direction, but she didn’t let herself react. “I do. Grab one, plus an apple and a plain, too, just in case. I’ll get him coffee.” Once the supplies were gathered, she led her little band out the door.
Feeling the stares behind her.
Then Thad spotted Tank talking to a blond woman and twin girls. His sister, she realized, as they got closer.
“Big Theo!” Thad shouted. “We got you donuts!”
His sister looked startled, and Tank turned, his features tight. But his face brightened as Thad reached him, and he ruffled Thad’s hair.
Thad charged ahead. “What’s your name?” he asked one of the girls.
“I’m Abby. This is my sister Beth.”
“You’re twins. Wow. Another set of twins, Mom, look! They’re just alike.”
“I see that. Hello, girls. Hello,” she said to the woman.
“Uh, this is my sister Veronica Gallagher,” Tank finally spoke.
“We’ve been introduced at the café. We’re all thrilled you’re here helping out Ruby,” Veronica said to her.
“Thank you. This is my daughter Becky.”
“How old are you?” Abby asked.
“I’m eight.”
“We’re seven, but we’ll be eight soon, right, Mommy?”
Veronica smiled. “Well, in seven months.”
“Close enough,” Abby asserted. “I saw you at school with Samantha.” Soon the girls were chattering away.
“Here, Big Theo.” Thad gave Tank the donuts.
Chrissy handed him his coffee. She turned to his sister. “I’m sorry. We can get you some, too.”
“No, I’m fine. We had breakfast at the house before Jackson left to get things set up. But thank you.”
Chrissy felt Veronica’s intense scrutiny. She dodged by turning to Tank. “You haven’t already eaten, have you?”
He shook his head, clearly uneasy.
But his sister appeared delighted. Chrissy wondered if she might have found the only other person who viewed Tank differently than everyone else.
“You could come inside and sit while you eat,” she said to him.
“No. I need to get to work.”
“Can I come with you, Big Theo?”
Veronica smiled at the name.
Tank stilled. “Uh..I…” He looked at Chrissy.
“Will he be in the way?”
“Mom…” Thad groaned. “I’m a good helper. Big Theo said so.”
She left the decision to Tank, who replied, “It’s okay with me. I’m sure he can help.”
“See?” Thad pleaded.
“Only if you promise to mind Tank and be careful around all those tools.”
“I’m good with tools, right, Big Theo?”
“You are,” Tank said.
Thad beamed. “See you, Mom!” He grabbed hold of Tank’s belt loop and practically dragged him away. The big man followed, after one uneasy glance at her.
Veronica turned to her. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For treating him like a person.”
“He’s a good man.”
Veronica’s eyes widened. “He is, but no one wants to let go of the past. If they understood how he saved me—” Her lips pressed together.
Chrissy could tell there was a story there, but she didn’t want to pry. “He saved me, too.”
“Someone was hurting you?”
Oh, wow. “No, but my car died on the side of the road, and I didn’t have money to fix it. He loaded up all our things and brought us to town, then went back and got my car. He’s worked a lot of hours fixing it, and he won’t let me pay him. All I’ve been able to manage is two meals for him.”
“You’ve cooked for him?”
Ch
rissy nodded. “I’m not that great, but he says it’s good.”
Veronica shook her head in wonder. “I don’t know what to say.” She grabbed Chrissy’s hand. “Don’t give up on him. Please. He’s suffered so much.”
“He’s very lonely.”
“He is—oh thank heaven, someone else looks past his reputation.” She stepped back and drew her hand away. “I’m sorry. I don’t know anything about you or your relationship with my brother. I don’t have the right to presume, but—” Her eyes filled. “He sacrificed himself for me. I owe him so much, but he doesn’t let me in, not really.” She hesitated. “He won’t thank me for telling you this, but you need to know at least a little of it. Our father was a violent, abusive man. Tank learned to fight early because he could divert our father’s attention from my mother and me by making him angry.”
Veronica paused. “It’s not my story to tell, but I just want you to know that he became a hard man because he had to. He did it for me and our mother. He’s been hurt in terrible ways that have left him unable to trust anyone. So it’s a miracle that he will accept anything from you, much less that he and your boy…” She pressed her lips together. “I’ve prayed for this, for him to find someone who would look past the surface with him.”
“I’m not—he barely talks to me. I can’t promise you—”
“Oh, I know, believe me. And I’m sorry. It’s not fair for me to load that on your shoulders, even if he would thank me for telling you anything. He won’t. He wouldn’t want your pity. He’s a proud man. It’s just that—”
“You love him.”
“I do.”
“I wasn’t sure anyone did. I’m glad he has you.”
Veronica’s expression was sad. “But he won’t let me close. We share too much darkness in our past. I try, and I’m not giving up, but…well, anyway. I won’t ask you for a miracle. You may not want to get involved.”
I might already be involved, Chrissy thought. But she wasn’t anyone’s salvation. Still, this woman deserved an answer. “I don’t know how much I can do for him—he resists me at every turn.”
A resigned nod. “I know. Me, too.”
“But I want to be his friend, Veronica.” That much she could promise.
Tank’s sister lifted her gaze to Chrissy’s. “Thank you for that. He needs a friend.”
“Not that he’d admit it.”
Veronica’s laughter was shaky. “Absolutely not.” She glanced at their daughters. “They seem to be enjoying themselves. Would it be okay if Becky came with us for a while? We’re going to be inventorying medical supplies, and Abby has a low threshold for boredom. I promise I’ll watch her, or you’re welcome to join us.”
Chrissy didn’t want Becky to miss out, but she wasn’t sure how much more deeply she wanted to get into things with Tank’s sister. “I’d better get back and see what Ruby needs. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. We’ll be at the clinic.”
Chrissy bid Becky goodbye, relieved to see her blithely depart, chattering away with the twins and barely taking a moment to look back and wave to her mother.
Chrissy and Brenda helped Spike deliver a boatload of desserts to the work site just before noon. Tables had been set up beneath a group of trees early that morning, and they were already groaning under the weight of casseroles and salads, pies and cakes. The scent of barbecue from the enormous grill Bridger’s men had going had noses twitching in anticipation. Chrissy scanned their surroundings. “Wow. This town is…amazing.”
Brenda smiled and Spike grinned. “Never been to anything like this, right?”
Chrissy shook her head. No, but oh, how she wanted exactly this for her children: a community, in the best sense of the word.
“Yeah, I get that,” Spike replied. “Blew me away the first time, too. I’ve lived in a lot of places, but nowhere is like Sweetgrass.”
“Look,” Brenda gasped. “Is that…”
Chrissy’s gaze followed where she’d pointed. Her brows flew high. “That can’t be…wow.”
“Liam Sullivan…” Even Spike sounded awed. “I guess he’s here with Josh?”
“Or Mackey?” Brenda suggested. “Mackey said he once stunt-doubled for Liam.”
The man in question, a little younger than Josh Marshall and his successor as Sexiest Man Alive, was breathtaking, to put it mildly.
“He’s cutting lumber as though it’s not his first rodeo. He’s just working like everyone else,” Chrissy marveled.
“That’s how we roll in Sweetgrass,” Spike said, drawing a surprised look from Brenda. Spike grinned. “Yeah, I said we, I know.” She shook her head. “The place gets to you.”
It sure did. Hollywood royalty, country music stars, former SEALs and ordinary ranchers all mixed and mingled as though nothing was unusual.
“I love this place,” Chrissy declared.
“So does your son,” Brenda said. “Check him out.”
Chrissy scanned the crowd until she found Thad perched on Tank’s shoulders, chattering away to the taciturn man and looking ten kinds of delighted. He was handing something to men on the roof of the clinic, his expression filled with pride. “He’s about to bust his buttons.” She was relieved to note that Tank had Thad’s legs gripped firmly in his big hands.
When they turned, Tank was actually smiling as he lifted Thad from his shoulders and settled him on the ground. When Thad pointed to Antonio, Tank took the other boy and easily lifted him to his shoulders while Thad stood by, beaming as if he were the one responsible.
He probably was. Her boy could charm the birds from the trees.
“He should have children,” she said without thinking.
Both women goggled at her. “Tank?” Spike asked. “Seriously?”
“He’s wonderful with mine—I mean, yes, he’s awkward, but in an endearing way. He’s very gentle.”
Even Brenda looked incredulous.
“Whatever you say,” Spike drawled.
“I mean it. People need to give him a chance.”
“He’s had chances,” Spike said.
“But he helped out when Eric would have been taken to the shelter after his mom was killed,” Brenda said. “I heard Mackey talk about it, how Tank delayed reporting to the Children’s Services people long enough for Mackey and Rissa to apply to be his foster family. They wound up adopting him, and he’s very happy with them.”
Spike was surprised, but Chrissy wasn’t. “This town is so warm and welcoming to others—why not Tank?”
“I’ve heard stories…”
“I’m going to change that,” Chrissy declared.
“Why? Are you…interested?”
Chrissy hesitated. He wouldn’t appreciate being discussed even this much. “I’m going to be his friend.” She looked at them. “He deserves more.”
Spike shrugged. “If you say so…”
Chrissy opened her mouth to argue, but her phone rang. She glanced at the display. “It’s my sister.” She tapped the phone to accept the call. “Laura, what’s up?”
“I changed my mind. I do want to come see you. Are you sure you have room?”
Even if she didn’t, she’d make room. “Of course. Come on. How far away are you?”
“About an hour. Are you at work?”
Chrissy grinned. “You won’t believe where I am. Or who’s here with me.”
“Not Jake. Please, not him.”
Wow. Never had she thought she’d hear Laura say Jake’s name with dread in her voice. “No, not Jake.”
“Who then?”
“Would you believe Josh Marshall and Liam Sullivan and Walker Roundtree?”
“You’re kidding.”
“Not kidding. And they only add to the hotness quotient of the guys who live here all the time.”
“No way.”
“Way. Better hurry up, big sis. Time’s a-wastin’.”
“You’d better not be pulling my leg.” But at last Laura sounded upbeat and not depressed.
“I guess you’d better get here and see for yourself. We’re downtown, about a block off the Square. The whole town is here, so you can’t miss it.”
“I’m on my way.” Laura paused. “Thank you, Chrissy. I just don’t know what to do.”
Chrissy heard the tears in her voice. This was the first time she’d ever been in a position to help her sister, rather than the other way around. “You don’t have to. Just come feast on eye candy and let us put you to work.”
“I’m ready. I love you, Cee Cee.”
“I love you, too, Big.”
Laura chuckled at the name Chrissy had called her since she’d first learned to talk, and she sounded almost like herself again.
Tank felt her presence on the back of his neck even before she spoke.
“Thad, honey, it’s time for lunch.”
“Just a second, Mom.” The boy was intent on hammering in a nail without bending it.
“Thad…” Her voice was all patience and sweetness, but the boy’s lack of respect bugged him. “Yes, ma’am,” he corrected.
“What?” Thad looked up.
“When your mama tells you it’s time to go, you don’t argue. You just say yes, ma’am, and you do it.”
Thad’s eyes rounded.
“Oh, well, now,” Chrissy said. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay. You need to respect your mother. Don’t give her any lip. Now put down that hammer and do what she said.”
People around them froze. Tank himself tensed as he realized he’d just echoed his father—only without the blow that would have accompanied the bark. Chrissy’s expression was mutinous, and Thad was shocked.
But the boy did as told. “Want to come eat with us, Big Theo?”
Tank stifled the yes, sir he was about to demand.
“ ’Cause me and the twins really want you to. He can, right, Mom?”
Well, hell. Tank glanced over at the boy’s mother.
If she’d been mad, she let it go. “Of course you’re welcome to join us.”
No way he could join them. That would subject her to unwelcome attention and speculation. And he clearly couldn’t be trusted with kids. “I’m fine. Got something to check on.”
“Can’t it wait, Big Theo? I bet you’re hungry. I sure am. We worked hard, didn’t we?”
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