Colorado Woman (The Hansen Women)

by Coburn, C. C.

  “He wants to free up the capital we have invested in the house. Seems the girlfriend has somewhat more expensive tastes than me and, of course, real estate costs a lost more in the Bay area. I’ve managed to convince him that I’d agree to sell immediately, on the condition he lets me move wherever I want in the contiguous forty–eight. I didn’t tell him I could no longer bear to live somewhere I thought I’d been so happy and that I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”

  “Good job!” Maggie said, then frowned. “Now, where are you going to live and where will you work?”

  “I’m qualified to teach in Colorado, thanks to going to college here. I was hoping we could stay with you until I find a job and move to wherever that’s located. But I really want to be within an hour’s drive of here. Gramps told you he wants to move back, didn’t he?”

  “Yeah, thankfully into the miner’s shack. I can’t think how crowded this place would be with you and the boys and him here. And, of course, Pixie is staying until school starts again in September. I was getting used to the solitude before all of you arrived.”

  “Sorry to dump on you like this,” Lisa apologized.

  “Hey! You’re my sister and I adore you, there is nothing to ever apologize for, okay?”

  “’Kay.”

  For the first time since their conversation started, Maggie noticed Lisa’s control slipping. Her eyes filled with tears and she reached for a tissue. Maggie hugged her and said, “Let it all out, hon. I’ve been doing more than my share of blubbering lately,” she admitted.

  “I feel such a failure.”

  “Hold it right there, missy! You are not to blame in any of this and you never have been, and never will be, a failure. Got that?”

  At Lisa’s weak nod of understanding, she said, “Once you get yourself under control, we need to tell Pixie and Gramps and then, afterwards, the boys.”

  When Lisa started to protest, Maggie held up her hand. “They need to know, Lise. You need to give them a say, so there can be no regrets about you moving from Seattle and the family home. You can leave it to their father to tell them about the girlfriend and their baby. Oh, I’d love to be a fly on the wall when that happens, watch that bastard squirm!”

  “You never did like him, did you?” Lisa said.

  “I didn’t dislike him, but I’d hoped for someone better for you. Sure he was hard–working and all, but… I can’t put my finger on it, he didn’t challenge you enough.”

  “Challenge me?”

  “Yeah, you’re way more intelligent than him, you needed someone to push your buttons, make you think outside the box. He didn’t do that.”

  “And you’ve waited till now to tell me this?”

  “Would you have wanted to hear it before?”

  “Well…no, I suppose not. Anyway, I’m done with men and marriage. So you don’t need to worry about me falling in love with someone who’s beneath me ever again.”

  Maggie laughed at that. It wasn’t quite what she’d meant, but if it cheered her to demean Jeff, then all well and good.

  “So, will we go tell Pix and Gramps about your changed circumstances?” she asked.

  “I hadn’t actually finished what I was going to ask you.”

  “There’s more?”

  “Yes. I’m really enthused about the barbeque and the town trying to save the school. I was hoping… that is, if we could get enrollments up, that I might get a job there. It would mean two more students on the roll at least.”

  “Are you kidding? That would be fantastic! Of course, you’d have to apply to the school district for the job, I can’t promise it to you. But the fact you’d be bringing in two more students has to help your chances.”

  “Provided the boys are in agreement about moving from Seattle,” Lisa reminded her.

  As it turned out, Nicky and Justin couldn’t have been happier about the planned move. Once Aunt Maggie had assured them they could have any of their friends to come stay over the summer—one at a time!—and their mother had promised them a horse each—provided they looked after them—the deal was done.

  “You don’t think I resorted too much to bribery about the horses, do you?” Lisa asked after the boys had raced outside to go over to Mac’s and tell Annie and Samantha’s kids they were moving to Colorado to live.

  “All’s fair in love and war,” Maggie said. “Besides I did slip in that little caveat that they had to groom and feed Apache and Solace every day for the rest of the summer to prove they would keep their word, before they got to choose horses of their own.”

  Lisa’s shoulders fell. “Which of course has me wondering if I can afford even one horse, let alone two.”

  Maggie patted Lisa’s arm. “Trust me, we can pick up a couple of rescue horses from a shelter for next to peanuts and be doing a good deed at the same time. It won’t be a problem. Now, now that that’s over with, when do you intend moving here?”

  “I don’t really want to return to Seattle at all. I’d prefer to make this the first day of living back in Coldwater, the first day of knowing I’m starting my life over.”

  “That’s a bit dramatic.”

  “I feel as if my old life ended and I have to make a clean break and a completely new start. New state, new life. I want to cut the old ties as completely as possible.”

  “So what are you saying—you’ve walked out of your house with the clothes on your back and a small suitcase and have no intention of returning ever?”

  Lisa shrugged. “Pretty much. I’ll go back and pack up the boys’ rooms, bring back a few pieces of furniture, but basically, I don’t want any reminders of my old life.”

  “Wow! That’s pretty cut and dried.”

  “It’s helping me cope, sis. I’m dreading going back there, even to get what I need to.”

  “You want me to come help?” Pixie offered. She’d been amazingly circumspect when Lisa had announced her marriage was over. She and Jeff had got along the best out of all Lisa’s sisters.

  Lisa spun around, her face alight. “Would you? Oh, honey!” she said and hugged her little sister. “I’d love that.”

  It wasn’t until that moment that Maggie realized how much emotional support Lisa needed and she felt bad for not offering to go out to Seattle with her herself. Instead she said, “If you two can get flights, I’m happy to take care of the boys while you’re gone.”

  Lisa’s eyes filled with tears. “You guys are the best!” She pulled her two sisters in for a group hug.

  “I’ll go check flights,” Pixie said, finally extricating herself. “We’ll drive back a U–Haul won’t we?”

  “And my car,” Lisa said. “If that’s okay.”

  “Your car wouldn’t last six months on these roads,” Gramps pointed out. “Sell it and drive back with Pix in the U–Haul. We’ll find you a nice little truck at the sales down in the Springs.”

  “It could take ages to sell!” Lisa said and Maggie could hear her control slipping.

  “Then trade it in and get yourself a nice little SUV and drive it back,” she suggested.

  “Okay, but first I might try to sell it myself. Dealers won’t give me a fraction of what I paid for it. I’ve got photos on my laptop. Can you excuse me while I go make up an advertisement to put online?”

  “I’ll write the copy!” Pixie yelled from the back porch where she was looking up flights on her laptop. “Might as well put my PR skills to good use.”

  “Pixie’s taking this remarkably well,” Maggie whispered to Gramps. “Considering she really liked Jeff.”

  “Pixie’s nothing if not pragmatic,” her grandfather said, sagely. “She knows when it’s time to cut loose and move on.”

  Which brought Maggie back to thinking of Mac. Considering his avowal of love the previous night, he’d sure been silent since their parting this morning.

  The sound of a horn tooting as it approached the cabin had Ruff barking wildly and Maggie going to the front porch to see what was up. She grabbed Ruff’s coll
ar and assured him she was aware of the intruder. He settled at her feet with a growl, then lay down and rested his head on his outstretched paws.

  A delivery van pulled up in a cloud of dust and a driver got out and opened his rear doors. He reappeared, his hands full of bunches of flowers. Red roses, oriental lilies, wildflowers… he seemed to have everything covered.

  Maggie stood with her hands on her hips baring the doorway. “And where am I supposed to put these?” she demanded.

  “Are you Maggie Hansen?”

  “The one and only.”

  He handed her the flowers and said, “Then that’s your problem,” and got back into his van, backed around and headed off down the driveway in another cloud of dust.

  “Rude man,” she muttered as she walked inside trying to keep the bouquets from crushing against each other. Ruff followed at her feet, sniffing the air.

  “What’s up?” Gramps asked, looking up from a newspaper.

  “One thing this town could do with is a decent florist. That guy from Spruce Lake is beyond rude! I wish Edna Carmichael had never sold out.”

  “No, I meant who are they from?”

  Maggie placed the flowers on the kitchen counter and searched for a card. “Mac,” she said, refusing to read the message that came with them.

  “These are nice!” Lisa said, coming back into the kitchen. “From Mac, are they?”

  “Pixie!” Maggie yelled so her sister could hear her on the back porch. “I just got flowers from Mac, so don’t ask who they’re from, okay?”

  “My, we are testy,” Gramps said. “I thought you guys had a great time last night.”

  “Did I tell you that?” she snapped.

  “No,” he said evenly. “In fact, you haven’t even thanked Martha and me for all the work we did setting up that little love–nest for you.”

  “Thank you, Gramps and Martha,” Maggie muttered, as she searched for vases. There were so many flowers she ended up having to use an old coffee–pot and a water–jug as well. Mac was obviously trying to make a point—that he could send more flowers than Trey. Big deal!

  She placed them around the living room and kitchen, picked up her cell and went to call Mac. Thankful it went to voicemail, since she didn’t feel like talking to him right now. She said, “Mac, it’s me. Thanks for the flowers, they’re lovely. Please don’t send any more. Goodbye.”

  She rang off, threw her cell onto the sofa and headed outside to lounge in a chair by the river. At least it burbled loudly enough to drown out her thoughts and the sound of anyone else asking who’d sent her the flowers.

  “Maggie!”

  “Huh? What?” Startled awake, it took her a few moments to figure out where she was and how she got there.

  “I’ve got flights,” Pixie said, curling herself into another chair on the river bank. “And Lisa’s already had a couple of inquiries on her car. We’re taking the red–eye out of Denver tonight, since I got us super–cheap seats and she wants to get back to Seattle as soon as possible to sell the car before anyone changes their mind.”

  “Tonight?” Maggie sat up with a jolt. “I’m too dog–tired to drive you down to Denver tonight.”

  “Relax, sis. Remember, she’s got the rental to return?”

  “Oh, yeah. But what about your friends? You should be staying here to entertain them.”

  “Zach and Billy are coming with us since they’ve never been to Seattle before. They’re gonna help us pack up the house and the U–Haul, and then head down to California. They’ve never been there before either. Lisa’s paying for their flights out, in return for helping us pack up the house.”

  “Oh, to be so young and carefree,” Maggie said wistfully.

  “Lisa and I figure we’ll be back here within the week, if not sooner, with them helping.”

  “You two sure haven’t wasted any time getting this organized.”

  “You’ve been asleep for over four hours, sis!” Pixie said. “You and Mac must have had quite the night.”

  Maggie started to get up. “That’s none of your business.” She glanced at her watch, surprised at the time. “I guess I’d better make dinner early. What time are you leaving for the airport?”

  Pixie pressed her back into her chair. “All taken care of. You relax. I’ll tell Gramps you’re awake. He wanted to do some fishing with you.”

  Maggie settled back in her chair and looked around. It was only then she realized Pixie’s friends’ pup tents were all packed up and gone. And she hadn’t heard a thing!

  Gramps appeared carrying two fly fishing rods and handed one to her. “Figured since it’ll just be you, me and the boys for dinner tonight, we might catch us some trout.”

  “Speaking of the boys, do they know their mother is about to desert them for a week?”

  “Yep. Mac called earlier, so I told him and he told the boys and they couldn’t be happier.”

  “I must say, they’re taking their parents’ divorce really well.”

  “We’re workin’ overtime to keep their minds off of it. I’m sure it’ll hit them soon enough. But right now, they’re enjoyin’ spending time with Mac’s niece and nephews.”

  “I’m worried maybe this isn’t the best time for their mom to be leaving them. Since they only just found out, and all.”

  He patted her hand. “They’ll be fine, Honey. Lisa needs to get this done so she can get on with her life. We’ll keep the boys so occupied, they won’t have time to think about it.”

  “They will when Mac’s family starts heading home tomorrow.”

  “They aint goin’ home. Annie and Tony love it out here so much they’re stayin’, at least until the barbeque is done. Young Clancy is refusing to budge even when they do head back. She’s becoming quite the little horsewoman.”

  “She’s only been here a couple of days,” Maggie pointed out.

  “And you don’t give your baby sister enough credit for bein’ such a good teacher.”

  “You’re right,” she agreed and started casting.

  Maggie soon got into the rhythm of flicking the line backwards and forwards just above the water, teasing the trout below. She’d forgotten how relaxing fly fishing could be, especially when she didn’t really care if she caught a fish or not. The peace and quiet and spending time with Gramps was more than enough.

  “Got one!” he cried and started reeling in.

  Maggie collected the net and helped him land the brown trout. It was a nice size and would more than do for the two of them, but the little boys would surely want some fish for dinner too, she figured. They preferred hot dogs and their mother seemed to let them get away with eating what they wanted. Well, that was going to change, at least while they were under her care! For starters, she’d already fed the last of the hot dogs to Ruff.

  Nicky and Justin appeared in time to farewell their mother. When they found out they wouldn’t be getting hot dogs for dinner, they begged to go back to Mac’s.

  “Well, isn’t it lucky Gramps and I caught enough trout to share with Mac’s family?” Maggie said.

  The boys pouted and searched both the freezer and refrigerator for junk food. Finding none they decided to let their aunt show them how to make fish fingers with the trout Gramps had caught.

  Crumbing the fish was a huge hit and they asked for the same meal tomorrow night as well. “Sure,” Gramps said. “But this time you guys are gonna help me catch them!”

  “Okay!” they agreed, surprising Maggie as they usually just wanted to mess around not doing anything useful.

  Since they were being so agreeable, she said, “Remember those horses you want your mom to buy for you? Well, tonight’s the night you start learning how to groom a horse.”

  “Okay!” they agreed again.

  “Have you been bribing them?” Maggie hissed at Gramps.

  “Nope. Just offered them five dollars each at the end of the week, provided they do their chores without complaint.”

  “That’s sort of bribery.”
<
br />   “No it aint. I’m teachin’ them the value of money and workin’ for it.” He turned his attention to his great–grandsons. “Come along with me, boys, we’ll leave Aunt Maggie with the dishes. Unless you want to do them yourselves?”

  With a great clatter of feet the twins disappeared out the front door and down the drive with Gramps to find Apache and Solace, leaving Maggie in peace.

  The kitchen cleaned up, Maggie returned out back to enjoy the view over the river, taking along a bottle of chilled root beer with her. Sitting on one of the Adirondack chairs, she took a long draught of the beer, savoring the chill and the taste, then swallowed and nearly choked when she heard Mac’s voice behind her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hey, Maggie.”

  She spun around in her chair. Mac was standing there looking like the best thing she’d seen in forever. He offered her a tentative smile. He’d obviously been working outside today, his face and arms were tanned darker, making his teeth appear whiter in the twilight.

  “Hey, yourself,” she said. “Want to grab a beer and join me?”

  “I’d like that very much.” He turned to go in the house and Maggie enjoyed the view of his butt in his jeans.

  She turned back to face the river. You’re a hopeless case, Maggie Hansen, she told herself and took another draught of her root beer.

  She couldn’t stay mad with Mac for long, no matter how hard she tried. Okay, so she’d taken his words out of context this morning, but she was feeling highly emotional after the night before. At least that was her excuse and she was going to stick with it!

  Moments later, Mac took the chair beside hers, lifted his beer to his lips and drank. He wiped his mouth and said, “Man, I needed that!”

  “Long day?”

  “Long night.”

  She’d left herself wide open with that one, Maggie had to admit.

  When she didn’t say anything to that, Mac said, “I see you got the flowers.”

  “I told you that in a voicemail earlier today.”

  “Sorry, didn’t pick up my messages. Seems I left my cell at the shack.”