A grin threatened. Working hard might not exactly describe the boy’s behavior, but though he’d talked a mile a minute, he had been eager to help, Tank would give him that, even if Thad didn’t have any useful skills yet.
Good thing nails weren’t that expensive. Thad had gone through a bunch of them. “I’ll get something later. You go on along with your mama.”
“Please, Big Theo?” To plead his case, Thad gripped his hand and tugged.
“Thad, Deputy Patton is a busy man. Maybe he can’t spare the time to eat with us.”
Those big brown eyes looked up from the boy’s freckled face. How the hell was he to turn them down? The fact was that he did want to sit with them, but—“You wouldn’t want the attention,” he told her. “Too many eyes around.”
Fierce caramel eyes bored into his. “I’m not afraid to be seen with you.” Ginger brows rose in a dare. “Are you?”
Damn it. “You don’t understand—” I ordered your boy around. It’s a small step from there to—
Thad didn’t wait for them to argue. He just gripped Tank’s hand more tightly and tugged. “I like fried chicken and barbecue, Big Theo. Let’s get in line before it’s all gone.”
Tank glanced down at Chrissy. Her mouth curved.
Damn it, don’t you know you should be afraid of me?
She was small, but she was fearless. She turned from him and began to lead the way as if there was no question he’d follow.
And to his everlasting surprise and dismay, that’s exactly what he did.
Nothing had prepared Scarlett for the rush of love she felt, holding their child in her arms, knowing she was about to be taking Georgia home at last.
Not without fear, though. “I’m scared,” she said, looking up at Ian.
“Maybe the docs will let us stay another day.” This big, strong man let down his guard, and she saw that he was nervous, too. Georgia was so very tiny.
Somehow knowing he was worried steadied her. “We won’t break, Ian, either of us.”
“But you are so very precious to me.” He had to clear his throat. His big hand reached out to caress Georgia’s cap of fine black hair. The other hand cradled Scarlett’s head as he dipped in for a kiss. “I have never been so scared in my life as I was that night.”
She stroked his cheek. “We’re okay, both of us. Getting stronger every day.”
“But not strong yet.” His brows snapped together. “When I get you home, you’re going straight to bed.”
“After you carry me up the stairs, I suppose?”
“Count on it.”
Her eyes stung. He was so sweet—and such a blockhead. “I’m okay, Ian. You can’t coddle me forever.”
“I will protect both of you to my last breath.” His voice was fierce, his expression even more so. “Even from yourself, sweetheart. Don’t you even think about going back to the cafe anytime soon.”
“Nana needs me. She’s not getting any younger.”
“Nana needs you to be sensible, young lady,” said Ruby from the hospital room doorway, flanked by Ian’s dad Gordon and his mother Sophia, all looking protective and fierce, too.
“I’m not an invalid,” she protested. Ian’s growl made her smile. “I’m not going to be stupid, but I can’t just lie around forever.”
“Bridger and your doctor say otherwise,” her grandmother reminded her. “And their opinions trump your stubborn fool head, young lady.” Before Scarlett could argue, her grandmother plowed ahead. “Anyway, the cafe is closed today for the work day. Sweetgrass turned out in force.”
“That’s so great. Ian said it was impressive, and they’re making good progress.” She looked at all of them. “I need four adults to get me home?”
“My son would have liked to get Jackson’s helicopter to spare you the drive,” Sophia said. The way she said my son, freighted with so much love, and Ian wasn’t frowning…the brush with death had apparently changed a lot of things.
“If he hadn’t been worried about the baby’s hearing, the chopper would be here,” Gordon added. “Plus the little hitch that the City of Austin didn’t seem to think it was emergency enough to clear the Starflight landing pad a second time.”
Scarlett laughed, and Georgia stirred in her arms. She glanced up at the man she loved more than life. “Don’t you think that’s just a tad overprotective? There’s no emergency today.”
His cheeks took on color, but he shook his head, though the corners of his mouth were flirting with a grin. “Not even a little.”
Scarlett sighed. “So what are we waiting for?”
“Paperwork,” Ian grumbled. “Whole forests die for it. But the nurse said it will be just a few more minutes, so we’re going to gather your things and load the SUV.”
“We don’t have an SUV.”
Ian glanced at his mother. “We do now. Mom bought it for herself, supposedly, but she doesn’t seem to want to drive it.”
“My car in Chicago isn’t suitable down here,” Sophia said. “And since Gordon and Ian invited me to stay for awhile—” She halted. “That is, if you’re okay with me helping you, Scarlett. I’d really like to pitch in around the house, so you can focus on the baby.”
It would take a little while to get used to seeing Gordon with his arm around the waist of the woman Ian had loathed for so long. And sharing the ranch house with another woman would be a challenge, but the earnest longing in Sophia’s eyes wasn’t something Scarlett could ignore. “That would be lovely. Maybe you could even help me make a jailbreak to go back to work.”
The voices crowded to be heard.
“Scarlett, don’t you dare—”
“Honey, we’re fine at the cafe.”
Or Ian’s absolute “Don’t even think about it.”
“I won’t be made a prisoner in my own home.” Even if she couldn’t seem to get the exhaustion out of her system just yet.
“Scarlett…”
She held up a hand before Ian could growl again. “But I appreciate what you all are doing. I have to figure out a balance, however, and you have to let me.”
Gordon spoke then. “I don’t think anybody here wants to put you in a cage, but Scarlett, you don’t know how important you are to all of us, you and Georgia. Not just us in this room, but the whole town. Everyone’s worried over you, and there are plenty of folks to pitch in until you’ve got your strength back.” He glanced over at Ian. “Fact is, my son could use some rest, too. He’s been driving back and forth and trying to run the ranch while being here with the two of you, and he’s not had much sleep. Wouldn’t hurt the two of you to take it slow.” A quick grin. “Anyway, best I can recall, that little girl there isn’t going to let you get much uninterrupted sleep, so you’d best get ready for life to go topsy-turvy for a bit, right, Sophia?” His eyes spoke volumes when they looked down at the woman who’d been gone for so many years but obviously never left his heart.
Sophia smiled back up at him, something in her face giddy as a girl. “That’s very true. But when you have a good man at your side, it’s all manageable.”
Ian glanced at Scarlett, obviously amazed that the bond between his long-estranged parents was still so strong.
Scarlett smiled back.
Then the nurse bustled in, and things got hectic.
“Do you have a girlfriend, Big Theo?” Thad said sometime later as they sat on a blanket Chrissy had brought.
Tank choked on his food.
“Thad!” Chrissy scolded. “That’s a personal question.”
“It is?” He gazed up at Tank. “Why?”
Tank looked at her over Thad’s head and had to smile at the laughter teasing at her lips. He grinned and shook his head.
“ ’Cause I think Abby should be my girlfriend. We might get married.”
Tank fought a laugh, and so did Chrissy. “You know you have to ask her daddy for her hand if you want to do that,” he pointed out.
Thad recoiled. “Why would I want her hand? I already have two.”<
br />
Chrissy covered her mouth, and Tank had to hide his behind his napkin.
“It’s an expression, dummy,” his big sister said. “It means you want his permission to marry her.”
“Rebecca Ann, you know we don’t use that word. Apologize to your brother.”
Becky was crestfallen. “Sorry. But it is a dumb question.”
“It’s an honest mistake,” Tank said. He switched the subject. “Did I see you over with the quilters?”
Becky nodded shyly. “They said I could try some stitches.”
“Did you? What did you think?” She was a miniature version of her mother, only with curly blonde hair. She made him want to tuck her up and protect her sensitive heart.
“I liked it. Mrs. Sykes said I could put a knot in my thread.”
“What does that mean?” Thad demanded.
She glanced up at him. “It means I did a good job, right?”
“It does.” He didn’t know much about quilting, but he’d heard the ladies apply that standard before. “They don’t let just anybody put a knot in her thread.” He turned to Thad. “If there’s no knot, they can take out the bad stitches easily.”
“I didn’t know you were interested in needlework, honey,” Chrissy said.
Becky shrugged. “The quilt they’re working on is really pretty. They say it’s going to hang on the wall of the clinic. Everybody who helps gets to stitch her name into the quilt.”
“Well, I think that’s lovely. I’d like to see your name hanging on the wall. And wouldn’t Uncle Jake be proud?” She glanced up at Tank. “My brother-in-law was working the emergency room when Scarlett came in.”
“So I’ve heard. Bridger thought a lot of him. We could sure use a good doc here. Bridger is an excellent paramedic, but he’s spread real thin.”
“You’re a paramedic, too, right, Big Theo?”
“Not yet. I’m still in training.”
“But you’re a fireman.”
“I am.”
“I want to be a fireman,” Thad proclaimed.
“Is that before you marry my niece or after?”
Thad was startled. “Which can I do first?”
“Be a fireman,” his mother answered. “You can’t have a date until you’re thirty.” She glanced up at Tank, mischief in her eyes.
“That’s okay,” Thad shrugged. “I gotta figure out how to ask her daddy first. But I still don’t want her hand,” he muttered.
Tank smothered another laugh, then noticed that workers were rising to return to the clinic. “Guess we’d better get back to work, Little Theo.”
Thad beamed at the name he’d been angling to be called. “Yeah. It’s men’s work.” He peered around Tank to his sister. “ ’Cause I’m real strong.” He made a muscle. “Want to see?”
Becky appeared to want to scoff, but she didn’t. Instead she dutifully felt Thad’s tiny bicep. “That’s pretty good.”
Blissful unconcern rode his face. “I’ll get as big as Big Theo one day. I just gotta keep working hard, right?” His eyes cut to Tank’s.
“That’s right.” He rose, and the others followed. “Let’s help your mama gather the plates and such.”
“Okay,” Thad said happily. “And after we finish, can we go see your ranch, Big Theo?”
“Thad, we wait for an invitation. We might be finishing really late tonight, anyway.” She glanced at him in apology.
He didn’t know how to explain his simultaneous wish to have her bring her sunshine to his land—and his horror of getting her anywhere near the scene of too many nightmares.
“We’ll figure something out” was the best he could do for now.
Then a ripple went through the crowd, and he looked over the heads around them.
“It’s Ian and Scarlett,” he said. “Bringing the baby home.”
“A baby! Can we go see, Mommy?” Becky asked.
“I don’t know, honey. We don’t really know them, and there are a lot of people eager to greet them.”
Abruptly Tank’s cell rang, and he stepped away to answer. He listened, and his heart sank like a stone.
The Karnes couple was at it again. And everyone else was busy with other calls. He returned to Chrissy and her children. “I’m sorry. I’m on call, and everyone else is tied up.”
“Of course.” She touched his arm gently. Her beautiful face looked up at him, her eyes warm and worried. “Be safe, Tank.” She rose to her toes and kissed his cheek before he could dodge.
He only nodded, though he caught the odd looks around them.
“You, too.”
“Come see me when you’re done?”
He shook his head. “It could be really late.”
“I can wait for you.”
“No need.” The call would be bad, he feared, and he didn’t want to go to her tainted by all it could dredge up.
“I’m going to anyway, Tank.”
“You aren’t easy to persuade, are you?”
“That’s been noted by others. You might as well save your breath.”
He shook his head and left, holding her smile close to his heart.
In the end, she and her children joined the growing crowd waiting to see Ian and Scarlett and their baby girl. The sense of community she witnessed made Chrissy’s heart ache with her longing to be part of this place, of these people. A joy, a powerful thanksgiving swelled as Ian emerged from the SUV and rounded to open the door for Scarlett to alight. Tenderly they brought forth their baby girl, named after Ruby’s daughter who’d vanished so long ago and never returned. Chrissy couldn’t imagine leaving this place and all this love.
Ruby stood beside her granddaughter, face alight with joy as they accepted the greetings from one and all. The two of them, Scarlett and Ruby, disappeared in the forest of big, broad-shouldered men.
There were stars present who were internationally famous, obscenely rich, but here, Ruby was queen. Everyone loved her, and based on what Chrissy had been told about the long years Ruby had kept Sweetgrass alive by sheer will, she could only imagine how this day felt to the older woman.
New life in a town that had endured. Suffered and diminished, but one small woman’s determination had kept the tiny flame burning.
And now it was a warm, welcoming fire.
Maybe Chrissy couldn’t be the mainstay for a whole town, but she could emulate Ruby’s devotion for her children.
I’m going to stay here. We’re going to make this our place. She drew her children closer and felt not how many mistakes she’d made, for a change, but how grateful she was that those mistakes had brought her to this town. Her long, winding road had led to a place that she wanted desperately to call home.
“There you are!”
Chrissy jolted and turned. “Laura! You made it!”
“Aunt Laura!” the kids cried.
She enveloped them in grateful hugs, then finally turned to Chrissy. “Thank you. I didn’t know where to go—” Laura’s voice broke.
Chrissy was stunned to see her always-steady, ever-certain sister look hesitant and fragile. “I’m glad you’re here.” She hugged her extra hard and long. And felt her tremble.
Jake, what on earth have you done?
All too soon, Laura drew back, wiping discreetly at her eyes. “So what is all this?”
The kids competed to explain, Thad full of how good he was at hammering, and Becky telling her about quilting. Laura, as always, listened to them with complete devotion.
“So who is this Big Theo?” Laura finally asked when there was a free moment.
Chrissy scanned for him, but there was no reason to expect him back. “Just a kind man who’s helped us out.”
“I’m glad, but—”
“You don’t have to warn me. I know I’m a bad judge of men. He’s got…issues, yes. But…” Here Chrissy firmed her jaw. “I’m just trying to be his friend, that’s all.”
Laura arched one brow, but at that moment, she spotted Walker Roundtree, and her jaw dropp
ed. “Is that—”
Chrissy grinned. “Yep.”
Laura stared. “I know you told me, but… And there’s Josh Marshall and Liam—” She stared at Chrissy. “They really are even better looking in person. Who could imagine?”
Chrissy grinned. “I know. And you haven’t even seen Josh’s older brother. Or met Jackson Gallagher. He owns Enigma Games, and you’d think he’d be a total geek, but he’s also handsome as ten kinds of sin. Then there’s—” She started to list all the gorgeous men in Sweetgrass, but Laura would just have to see for herself.
“Is your guy as good-looking?” Laura murmured.
“First of all, he’s not my guy, and no, not really. He’s more rugged, and he bears the scars of his life on his face, but…I don’t look at him that way. He has a beautiful smile, and he’s a little shy and—”
“Not at all your type, then.”
Her shoulders sank. “I guess not.”
“Good.” Laura nodded. “Your type should be drowned at birth.”
That startled a laugh out of Chrissy. “I’m not here for a man. I’m here to make a home.”
“Seriously?”
“Look around you. Have you ever known a town to do anything like this? To pull together this way?” She pointed toward where Ian and Scarlett stood, surrounded by others. “That couple there, the woman is Scarlett, and she was trained in Paris as a chef, but she came here looking for Ruby, the grandmother she’d never known she had. And she stayed. Married Ian, and that’s their baby. Both of them nearly died during the birth, but the whole town rushed in to get them to help.” She looked at her sister. “Jake is the one who took care of them and saved their lives.”
Laura’s eyes teared, and she visibly sagged. “Jake the hero.”
“You used to love that about him. Talk to me.”
Laura shook her head. “It’s not that I’m not glad he’s so gifted. I’m really glad they were saved, but—” She shook her head wearily. “I’m losing him, Cee Cee. And he doesn’t even see that we’re losing what we always had. He’s so tired when he comes home that half the time—more than half—he sleeps on the couch.”
Shock rippled through Chrissy. “You and Jake were always so solid. I can’t imagine he’d—”
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