Toddler in Tow (Single Wide Female & Family #3)

by Lillianna Blake

  We ordered some beers and fries to go with them. It had been a while since I’d had alcohol or junk food, and already I felt a little scandalous.

  “Does anyone from the audience want a turn?” The operator of the mechanical bull swung the microphone around. “Any takers?”

  “Sure, I’ll do it!” Max stood up.

  “Max?” I looked up at him with wide eyes. “What if you get hurt?”

  “Then you’ll have to nurse me back to health.” He winked at me as he walked toward the circular area around the mechanical bull.

  Max climbed on, grabbed the horns, and was promptly flung right off onto his backside. “Ouch!” He groaned.

  The crowd in the bar laughed.

  The operator offered him his hand as he laughed too. “Want to go again?”

  “No thanks.” Max shook his head and rubbed his bottom as he walked away. He returned to the table and whispered to me. “I did get a boo-boo.”

  “I’m not kissing that one.” I laughed.

  “Are you going to try it?” Max laughed.

  “Me?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Hey, I did it.”

  “I don’t know if that counts as doing it. You were only on there for two seconds.”

  “Hey, at least I tried!”

  “Ugh… Max, I don’t want to look like an idiot.”

  “You won’t. It’ll be fun. I’ve never known you to back down from a challenge.”

  “Oh, is that what this is? A challenge?”

  “Yes, it is.” His eyes glowed as he looked at me.

  “Okay then.” I finished my beer and got in line to mount the mechanical bull.

  Max cheered as I walked into the small circle and climbed aboard. I expected I would be thrown off in seconds. However, I got a good grip and tightened my legs around it. When the bull began to buck and spin I gritted my teeth and held on. I could hear Max hooting and hollering from the table, along with several other people who were watching.

  When the buzzer went off everyone applauded, but I still held on. It was only then that I realized the spurs on my boots had gotten entangled in the wires under the bull.

  “Sammy, you’re done!” Max stood up at the table and waved to me.

  “Oh, yes, I know.” I grinned and waved back. Then I tried to get my boots free. But the harder I tugged, the more entangled they seemed to get.

  The man who operated the machine walked over to me. “Are you alright? No injuries?”

  “I’m alright.” I cleared my throat.

  “So, do you want to go again?”

  “Uh, no. But I have a bit of a problem.”

  “Did you wee? Don’t worry about it, I clean it after every ride.”

  “What?” I gulped. “No I didn’t wee! My boots are stuck.”

  “Stuck?” He looked down at my boots.

  Max walked over as the operator crouched down and inspected the boots.

  “Oh yes, you’re quite stuck.” He laughed. He tugged hard on my feet until they came out of my boots.

  “These are Evelyn’s boots, aren’t they?” The operator grinned.

  “Yes, how did you know?”

  “She’s pulled this trick a few times. See—there are latches on the spurs.” He laughed as he freed them from the wires. “She beats her husband every time and I still don’t think he knows how.”

  Max and I laughed at the thought.

  Chapter 30

  When we returned to the ranch everyone in the house was asleep. Max and I had the opportunity to spend some time on the porch alone together, and we took advantage of it—like teenagers out past our curfew.

  The next morning everything was packed in the car. We said goodbye to Evelyn and the kids, but there was no sign of Earl.

  “I’d like to say goodbye and thank him for letting us stay,” I said to Evelyn.

  “Oh, he’ll be over by the horses. He loves it over there.”

  “Thanks.” I walked over to the corral and spotted him turned toward the view in the distance.

  When I stepped up beside him, I was swept away by the scene before me. The sky seemed to meet the ground as if I could walk right into it. “It’s breathtaking.”

  “Isn’t it?” He nodded and slipped his hands into the pockets of his worn-out jeans. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  I smiled at his words and took in the beauty of the rolling plains. Not only was it his home, it was his paradise.

  “Thank you so much for sharing it with us.”

  “You’re welcome.” He smiled. “Come back anytime.”

  When I returned to the car, Evelyn hugged me goodbye. I promised to call her when we arrived in California and that we would continue to communicate. I looked forward to her parenting advice and her insight about my new book.

  Once we were piled into the car again, I closed my eyes and relaxed. Max took the first shift driving, and I tried to rest as much as possible. We planned for two nights in California since it was such a large state to travel through.

  When we stopped the first night, we explored Los Angeles, but not for too long. I didn’t want to shop, and Abby was too wound up for the museums. Instead, we found a great park where we could play for a few hours. After we spent the night at a hotel we headed off for the second half of our trip.

  When we arrived in San Francisco, I couldn’t believe the views. We took some time to explore the area. While we were at an outdoor cafe a woman walked up to me with a wide smile.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I just have to ask. Are you Samantha? Samantha Bradford?”

  “Yes.” I studied her for a moment. “Have we met?”

  “No, not in person. But I feel like I know you from reading your books and your blog. You’re just amazing! Oh, and my name’s Patricia.”

  “Oh wow, thank you.” I smiled at her. “I’m always happy to meet one of my readers. Would you like to join us?”

  “Actually, I hoped that you might join me. I have a little writer’s group that I run and we’re meeting around the corner. I know you must be so busy, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to ask.”

  “Sure.” I smiled. “I can do that. Max, do you mind?”

  “Not at all. Abby’s content. Go ahead, just let me know when you’re done.”

  “Thanks.”

  I was thrilled to be led off to a surprise meeting with other writers. I remembered my own encounters with writer’s groups, and though some had been great, others had been very difficult. I always hoped that I could provide a different experience for the writers I met.

  When Patricia opened the door to a building, I was surprised to see that this wasn’t a small writer’s group as she’d described. It seemed to be close to one hundred people. I could have declined at that point, but I decided against it. I wanted to go with the flow and see where it led.

  At the encouragement of the group, I read a few passages from my most recently published book.

  “But I’m not really here to talk about that. I’d love to hear some of your writing.”

  I sat back and listened as each person offered a short sample. After I offered support for each piece, I noticed that there was one more person who hadn’t shared. A young woman with dyed black hair, lip and nose jewelry, and a notebook clutched in her hand, seemed to be hiding behind the person in front of her.

  “Excuse me, would you like to share?” I smiled at her.

  “I’m sure you wouldn’t like it.” She shook her head.

  “Please, I’d love to hear it.”

  “It’s not your type of writing.”

  “I love all types of writing.”

  “Okay.” She shrugged. She opened her notebook and began to read a poem.

  The subject was darker than I’d expected, but the way she used her words painted pictures that danced through my mind.

  At the end of the meeting, I pulled her aside. “What’s your name?”

  “Melanie.”

  “Melanie
, I thought your poem was beautiful. Is it about a certain place?”

  “Yes. It’s McClaren Park. Have you been?”

  “No, but I’d love to go. Do you think you could show me?”

  “Sure.” She smiled.

  After the meeting, the two of us met with Max and Abby, then we all headed to the park.

  As soon as we stepped onto the grounds, I was stunned by the redwoods and the hills.

  “This really is quite beautiful. Thank you so much for showing us.”

  “I don’t mind.” She shrugged. “To me, it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”

  Max and I took lots of pictures, then headed back to the hotel.

  Chapter 31

  The next morning we were off on our final leg of the tour. Washington. I’d always wanted to visit, and was glad it was on the list.

  When we arrived, the famous drizzle of rain greeted us.

  Once we were settled in the Seattle hotel, we decided to visit the nearby aquarium. Abby was quite enthusiastic as she ran from window to window and gazed at the creatures inside. I noticed the way she drank in the information given to her and how eager she was to learn more. I wondered when that desire might begin to fade and if there might be a way to keep it strong instead.

  After we left the aquarium, we walked along the waterfront and enjoyed the views, the fountain, and the general atmosphere of Seattle.

  Max leaned against one of the high railings and turned to look at me. “In two days we’ll be heading back across the country. What do you think about that?”

  “I think we should take our time and visit a few more places.”

  “I do too.” He grinned. “You know, when we set out on this trip I was sure that we would be more than ready to go home by the time we reached this point. But I’ve really enjoyed it all. Haven’t you?”

  “Yes, far more than I thought I would. Honestly, Abby is like a different child. I wasn’t sure how we were going to make it through three, but now she’s just so much more relaxed. Or maybe I just understand her better. I don’t know which, but I’m glad we did this.”

  Max wrapped his arms around me and kissed the side of my neck. “Me too. I doubt it’s going to be our last journey together. I’m looking forward to traveling more.”

  “No regrets?” I met his eyes.

  “No regrets.” He smiled.

  The next day I met Rebecca, the organizer of the Seattle book signing. She picked me up at the hotel and drove me to a nearby coffee house.

  “Oh, are we stopping for a coffee before you take me to the college?”

  “This is where the book signing will be tonight.” She smiled as she led me inside.

  “I thought that I was giving the discussion at a college?” I glanced around the coffee house, then back at Rebecca.

  “Oh, you are—technically—but this is where we all go to hang out. I thought the environment might be more enjoyable and relaxed for you. We can switch it back to an auditorium if you’d prefer that.”

  “No, no, this is fine. This is nice actually. It smells great in here.”

  “Oh, that’s the coffee beans—they grind them fresh.”

  “Mm, delicious.” I smiled. “Do you have time for a cup now?”

  “Sure, I can order you my favorite if you’d like.”

  “Sounds perfect.” I sat down at one of the round tables and waited for her to join me.

  It was hard not to admire Rebecca. She was right at that age when the entire world was ready to open up to her. Her perky nature and bright smile made me certain that she was prepared to embrace it with all the pluck and joy that any college student would feel. Life hadn’t frightened her into a more jaded state yet.

  Her eagerness was refreshing to me and reminded me that Abby was in a similar state. There wasn’t a sense of disappointment in her yet. It might come with time, but for the moment, she was so engaged in life. I wanted to encourage that for as long as possible.

  When Rebecca returned with the coffee I saw the gleam in her eyes.

  “I have so many questions for you.”

  “Ask away.” I grinned.

  “How did you know that writing—and speaking—was what you wanted to do with your life?”

  “I didn’t, honestly. But the more I got to know myself, the more I began to be led in the direction of my passion. Before this, I’d folded laundry for fun—in a laundromat. It never occurred to me that I might one day be a writer.”

  “That’s so amazing to me—how much one can change when you get in tune with yourself.”

  “That’s the key—to really be able to listen to yourself and hear what it is that you want. If you can do that, then you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”

  “I’m trying to do just that.”

  After our coffee, Rebecca dropped me off at the hotel.

  Max, Abby, and I spent some time in the pool, then I showered for the book signing that night. When I chose what to wear I went with something a bit more funky and less professional.

  Max kissed me goodbye.

  When I arrived at the coffee shop I found it was full of people. Rebecca pointed me in the direction of the microphone.

  “Hello, everyone. Thanks for coming out tonight. I’ve selected a few passages from my current book to read to you. I would love to hear what you think.”

  As I read over the passages, I noticed quite a few people had copies of their own that they were reading from.

  When I finished I smiled at the audience. “Now, does anyone have anything they want to share?”

  One of the women in the front row raised her hand. “What’s the best way to keep your focus on a goal?”

  “I find that if I have a hard time focusing on a particular goal, it’s usually because I’m afraid or nervous. When I feel that way, I let things distract me. If I’m feeling confident and secure, then nothing can break my concentration. So, instead of trying to force something when it’s not flowing, I try to go through my emotions and figure out what might be creating a barrier between me and success. Once I do that, I usually find that my mind clears and all the little annoyances that were interfering begin to die down. Of course there are always things that come up, things that I can’t control. When that happens I take a deep breath, accept the circumstances that I’m in, and wait for them to change.”

  “That’s an interesting point of view. I’ve always tried to force myself to stay focused. But you’re right, the harder I try to stay focused, the less I seem able to. Next time I’ll try it your way. Thanks!”

  “No problem. Anyone else?”

  I fielded a few more questions, then transitioned into signing books. As I met each person, I shook their hand and looked into their eyes. I expressed my gratitude in a way that I hoped they understood.

  I realized that one of my favorite things about the book tour was getting to be face-to-face with my readers again. The blog was great and served a purpose, but when it came down to it, I didn’t really recognize how many people I was interacting with until I was out on tour.

  All across America I’d found fans, and each of those fans had made a difference in my life just by coming across my books.

  None of it would have happened if I hadn’t taken a chance and followed my heart.

  Chapter 32

  After the book signing I returned to the hotel to find Max with Abby sound asleep on his lap.

  “She tried to stay up and wait for you.”

  “I’m sorry, it ran pretty late. There were a lot of books to sign.”

  “Aw, did you get a cramp?” He caught my hand and kissed my palm.

  “No.” I laughed and sat down next to him. “I can’t believe that was it. It’s over.”

  “Well, we still have one more day to explore Seattle tomorrow.”

  “Yes, what do you think we should do?”

  “Space Needle.” He grinned.

  “Are you sure? It’s pretty high up there.”

  “I’m sure.
We can’t visit Seattle without seeing it.”

  “Okay, we’ll explore a bit then go over in the afternoon.”

  “Sounds good.” Max kissed my cheek. “You make all of these adventures possible, you know.”

  “We make them possible together.”

  The next morning Abby woke up early. She ran around the hotel room with a lot of pent-up energy. We decided to visit the zoo first, then check out the Space Needle so that she wouldn’t be so hyper.

  Each new animal she saw thrilled her. She memorized little facts about the animals and even acted out movements and sounds. Max and I joined in now and then, which drew quite a bit of attention.

  When we left the zoo Abby was much calmer. We had a light lunch as we walked around Seattle, then hailed a taxi to the Space Needle.

  As expected, it was quite crowded. We waited in line for some time to get on the elevator. By the time we reached it Abby was a little cranky. I cringed at the thought of being crammed into an elevator with a cranky three-year-old.

  Max picked her up and placed her on his back so that she would be above the crowd. She reached out and picked at my hair as we rode the elevator up.

  When we stepped off onto the observation deck, I had to stop and drink in the view. There was so much to see—from the city to wide open green to the distant mountains.

  Abby pointed out everything she saw. She walked calmly between Max and me as we learned about the history of the tower and exactly what we were seeing. Max dropped some quarters into some binoculars so that we could all see even more. I adored how excited she was about everything she laid eyes on. After some time exploring the observation deck, Max checked his watch.

  “Oops, time for our reservation.”

  “Reservation?” I stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh, didn’t I mention it?” He grinned.

  “No. You didn’t.” I lifted an eyebrow.

  “I thought we should celebrate the end of the tour, so I made us a reservation for an early dinner—here.”

  “I don’t know, Max. Abby doesn’t always do her best in a restaurant. Maybe we should just head back to ground level and find a kid-oriented place to eat.”