“I remember.”
“Stop being so stinking nice,” she lamented, her tone cross. The dog whined and moved closer to her side.
“Do you want me to tell you what I think? I think that you were selfish. You weren’t thinking about me at all. I think you were considering how you would feel if I had to help you, care for you. You were thinking how mad it would make you if you had to ask me to climb that ladder for you. You were thinking I would want to dance and you couldn’t. Maybe those are all valid points for you. You definitely didn’t consider how I would feel if I lost you and didn’t know why.”
“I did think about you. But I’ll admit that I thought about myself.” She held up a hand. “No more arguing. James and Hanna left us the most important part of themselves. Now we have to think about Tori and what’s best for her.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” He handed her the glove he’d taken from her hand. “Just so you know, I would still dance with you under the stars.”
“I need to feed the dogs.” She changed the subject, moving away from him as she did.
“And I need to make phone calls. I’m going to call my parents.”
Eve didn’t respond to that. He noticed.
“I didn’t say I expect you to call your parents.”
He left her there because that’s what he thought she’d want. She didn’t want to be coddled. She wanted to take care of her animals and live the life she’d built for herself. He realized that by showing up here, he’d changed everything for her.
Finding her had changed everything for him. It remained to be seen what those changes would be.
But he knew one thing: nothing would ever be the same.
Chapter Six
From where she sat at her desk, Eve had a clear view of Glory and Tori. The teenager had long blond hair, a dress she’d made for herself from quilt pieces and a beaded necklace that Tori loved to grab. Glory had offered to help with Tori. They’d given it a test run the previous day, and decided today they would try an afternoon so that Eve could get some work done.
“So tell me again, why do you have this baby?” Glory asked as she spooned a bite of mashed banana into Tori’s mouth.
It seemed that Glory had gotten clean and she’d gone all natural. She’d insisted on making her own baby food because at least she knew it had no additives. Glory reminded Eve of her own parents.
Glory watched her, clear blue eyes behind wire-framed glasses, waiting for Eve to answer her question. The girl had been at the apartment for only thirty minutes and so far she’d peppered her with every question imaginable. Why was Eve in a wheelchair? Did she think Joe was cute? Could she imagine being married to someone as nice as Dr. Carson West?
“Tori’s parents were killed in a car accident,” Eve answered while staring at her computer screen. Hopefully Glory would take the hint.
“That’s tough. My own parents have both been in and out of jail my whole life. My dad was a drug dealer. People wonder why I turned out the way I did. I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. But at least I’m trying to get my act together. What is your job?”
“I translate documents.” Eve reached for her headphones.
“Is that hard? I mean, you obviously have to be able to speak other languages.”
“I speak Arabic and Spanish.” Eve supplied the information, thinking to head off the next question.
“Wow. You’re smart. I wish I was smart.”
Eve sat back from her computer. “How do you know you’re not smart?”
“Because I’ve never been good at school.”
Eve watched as Glory finished feeding Tori. The teen picked up the baby, wiped her face, kissed her cheek and then held her close. A look of longing spread across the pale face of the young mother whose own child was living with Kylie and Carson.
“You know, being good at school is great,” Eve said, thinking about the best response. “Some people are super smart and yet they struggled in school. Would you like to take a test? Maybe we can figure out what you’re good at and you can start taking classes. It helps to know where your strengths are. I’m good at languages but really struggle in science.”
“Really?” Glory sat down in a chair next to Eve, still holding Tori.
Obviously she wouldn’t be getting any work done today. But Glory’s expression had gone from defeated to hopeful, so working a few extra hours during the evening didn’t seem like such a bad thing. She exited her program and searched for an online aptitude test. When she found it, she pushed back from the desk and reached for Tori.
“Let’s try this test. Don’t worry or get stressed, it’s just for fun.”
“What do I do?” Glory looked from Eve to the computer.
“Select the correct answer on each question. Simple as that. If you need paper, there’s a notebook and a pencil in the top drawer of my desk.”
“What about Tori?”
“I can handle Tori for thirty minutes. Think of this as fun, as a challenge.”
Glory bit down on her bottom lip but she nodded. “Okay, I can do this.”
“You can. Tori and I are going to check to take Tex for a walk.” At the mention of his name, the chocolate Lab perked up. He’d been resting on the floor next to her chair but he moved to her side, ears perked.
Eve wrapped the baby sling around Tori.
“What if I mess up?” Glory stared at the computer. “I’m not good at these things.”
“This test isn’t one you can mess up.” Eve moved a little closer to the teen. “Glory, you’re smart. If you weren’t smart you wouldn’t have survived your childhood. You wouldn’t be working this hard to get your child back. Yeah, you’ve struggled, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn and it doesn’t mean you don’t have skills or gifts.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“Of course you will. I’ll be back.”
Eve glanced back as she went out the door of the apartment. Glory was leaning over the computer, a mask of concentration on her face. Just as Eve closed the door, the teen smiled and her eyes widened.
Kylie was coming up the sidewalk as Eve left the apartment.
Tex started toward her. Eve gave him a command and he returned to her side. She could see in Kylie’s eyes that she wanted to pet the animal. And, of course, Tex sensed he had a friend in her. It was a challenge, to teach a dog to refrain from seeking attention from every friendly human they encountered. In public she used a harness with the warning that he was in training and please, don’t touch. Of course, small children often ignored the warning. And she understood. Tex was a big brown teddy bear of a dog.
“Where are you going?” Kylie asked.
“Tori and I are giving Glory a little time. She’s taking a test.”
“A test?” Together they walked toward the kennel.
“Aptitude test,” Eve explained. “She doesn’t think too highly of herself. I thought it might help. And it will also give her a list of strengths and career options.”
“I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Because you’re too close to the situation,” Eve answered. She had to stop and adjust Tori, who struggled to get free of the sling.
“Want me to take her?” Kylie offered.
Eve accepted. “Please. She gets tired of being confined.”
“You’re doing really well with her.”
“For two whole days I’ve managed to keep her safe and keep my sanity.” Eve didn’t think that qualified as a win.
“Are you looking for a reason to doubt yourself?”
“Not at all, just being realistic. I’m sorry, I think it’s lack of sleep talking.” As if on cue, Eve yawned. “I’ve also been wondering when Ethan will get back from Tulsa.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“Yesterday.”
“How�
��d that go?” Kylie asked as they headed toward the main house.
“It’s awkward,” Eve admitted. “I hurt him. And now I have to live with the consequences.”
“Yes, you do.” Kylie kissed Tori on the cheek. “But we’ve discussed that more than once. It is about the past, but it’s also about the choices you make for the future.”
“I’ve got a lot to think about in the next few weeks. I’m pretty sure Ethan isn’t going to just go away. He wants me to be a part of the decision-making process for Tori.”
“And you should be part of that process. Your friends trusted you.”
“What were they thinking?” She met Kylie’s sympathetic gaze.
“They were thinking that if they weren’t here to raise Tori, they wanted someone who would love her the way they loved her. And you’re thinking that they should have picked someone else. Maybe they knew you better than you knew yourself.”
“Hanna knew about the accident. I made her promise not to tell Ethan.”
Kylie’s eyes widened. “Wait a second. They knew the two of you weren’t married? Hanna knew about your accident?”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” Kylie tried to look innocent.
“Do not think that this is a ‘meant to be’ moment. This is...”
“Complicated?” Kylie offered.
“Very. Especially since my thoughts on marriage haven’t changed.”
Kylie shifted Tori to one arm. Without warning, she leaned and hugged Eve. “I am sorry. And I’m praying for you, for Tori and for Ethan. You know I won’t lecture you. We all have different paths and we have to make our own choices.”
They reached the ramp that led to the back door of Jack’s house. Kylie sat Tori in her lap. The baby looked at Eve and started crying, with big tears rolling down her cheeks.
“She doesn’t even like me.”
“Oh, please, that has nothing to do with it. She’s been jostled around, left with people she doesn’t know, adjusted to a new schedule and a new bed.”
“Exactly, she has a schedule, a person she trusts. She’s smart enough to know that I am not her person. And I’m not the person Ethan expects me to be. Every time he looks at me, I can tell he’s looking for the girl he used to know. She isn’t in here.”
“I love you but sometimes you’re the most stubborn person I know,” Kylie said without a smile.
Eve returned the serious look. “Ditto.”
“I have this friend who works out every day. She cooks. She trains service dogs for veterans. She handles an at-home job. And yet she doesn’t believe in herself.”
“Sounds interesting.” Eve hooked an arm around Tori and managed to move her chair a few feet. “I hope Maria has coffee on.”
“I’m sure she does. And Jack brought home a rhubarb pie from Holly’s. You know she’s officially changed the name of the café to Holly’s? The sign went up yesterday.”
“I didn’t know that. I’m so happy for her. I hope she doesn’t get too exhausted, trying to take care of the café and her mother.”
“I know,” Kylie agreed. “I worry about her.”
She pulled the door open and pushed Eve through the entrance into the back sunporch and through to the dining room and kitchen.
“I worry about her, too. I don’t know her story as well as you do, but I do know that she struggles to keep her mom healthy.”
The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee wafted from the kitchen to greet them. And the sound of voices raised in a less-than-happy discussion.
“Surely you can find someone else,” Sierra was saying, sounding like she was at the end of her rope.
“Do you think we should leave?” Eve whispered to Kylie.
“No, we might have to intervene. Jack is getting pretty good at digging in his heels and not backing down. Sierra is a match for anyone.”
They entered the kitchen and Eve managed to plaster an “I didn’t hear anything” look on her face. She glanced up at her friend and smiled because Kylie’s expression wasn’t as serene as she probably thought.
“Jack, how’s that new cutting horse that Isaac bought?” Kylie asked.
“He’s a dandy,” Jack stated, still glowering at Sierra. “I think he’s world-champion material. But you know how Isaac is. He’ll decide to make the animal into a kid’s horse and give pony rides at fairs.”
“I doubt that,” Kylie shot back. “He’s taking horses to Wyoming for a rodeo, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, next month. Rebecca and Allie are going with him. It’ll be quiet with them away from the ranch.”
“Yes, I’m sure it will be,” Kylie agreed. “Is there any of that pie left?”
“It’s on the counter,” Sierra said. “Would you please explain to Jack that I’m not a wedding planner, and I definitely don’t want the new minister showing up here every other week telling me what I need to do? He does enough of that on Sundays.”
Eve hugged Tori tight. “This is home, sweetie. For better or worse.”
“Don’t say ‘for better or worse’ in my presence,” Sierra grumbled. “I’m going to be hearing enough of that when we start having weddings. And you’d better watch yourself. Jack might have you heading down the aisle before anyone else. Right, Jack?”
Jack sputtered a bit, and before he could comment, Sierra headed for the back door.
Eve watched her friend through the window as she headed back across the yard. Then she ignored Jack and headed for the coffeepot. She did not have a wedding in her future.
* * *
Ethan glanced at the clock on the dash of his truck. He’d planned on being back in Hope earlier in the day but he’d gotten busy, and then he’d made a quick call to the Realtor who had sold them the land for their Tulsa business. That appointment had taken him longer than he’d intended. But with good results.
Or at least he thought they were good. Eve might see things in a completely different light.
As he entered the city limits of Hope, he was taken in by the silence of the community. It was a town of less than a thousand people and the economy was supported by local business, most of which had been revived with the help of Jack West’s philanthropy.
The café that had been Mattie’s a few days prior now sported a big new sign. Holly’s. He considered driving on past the café but it was dinnertime and he didn’t want to show up at the West ranch looking for food.
He also wasn’t quite ready to face Eve. He especially didn’t want to tell her about the property twenty minutes west of Hope. He pulled in to a parking space and got out of his truck. Then he noticed a crowd of men walking up the sidewalk. A couple of them looked familiar. One of them waved at him.
“You’re just in time for Friday ‘all you can eat catfish’” the man called out as Ethan approached their group. Joe, Ethan thought his name was. He seemed to be a foreman at the ranch.
He was a big guy with a shaved head and a goatee. One side of his face was scarred and his right arm had been amputated.
“I’m always up for fried fish,” Ethan responded, accepting the hand the other man held out. “Joe, right?”
“Joe Chapman. It’s a good thing you’re here. Maria over at the ranch caught your stomach virus and she’s not cooking tonight. She’s also not singing your praises.”
“I was afraid of that.” Ethan followed the group of ranch hands into the café. “I hope Jack doesn’t get it.”
“Jack moved to Carson’s for a few days, just to make sure.” Joe made his way through the café, greeting locals and shaking a few hands. “We’re taking over the back room tonight since there are so many of us.”
He headed in that direction, and Ethan fell in behind him. Up ahead, through the open door of the back dining area, he could see Isaac West, his fiancée and her daughter, Allie. Sierra, the reluctant wedding planner, was there, as w
ell. And Eve. She sat at the end of the table with Tori in a high chair next to her. When she spotted him, her eyes narrowed.
Tori’s reaction was much more favorable. The baby lit up, her eyes crinkling as she grinned big. She pounded on the high chair and jabbered a greeting. He hadn’t been separated from her for this long since her parents’ accident and it took him by surprise that he’d missed her. As unexpected as she’d been, he cared. Of course he cared. Maybe he had doubts from time to time but he knew deep down that he could do this. He had to do this.
“Look what the cat dragged back to town,” Eve said as he took the seat next to her. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming back.”
He arched a brow at that. If anyone could be accused of running, it would be her. From the pink that highlighted her cheeks, he guessed she knew that already.
“I told you I would be back. I always keep my word.” He picked up a spoon and gave Tori a bite of the green mush on the plate in front of her. “What is this?”
“Glory made it,” Eve supplied. “She said organic homemade is better.”
“Seems legit to me.” He gave Tori another bite. “And she likes it.”
“She mixed fruit with it. To give it flavor. Taste it, it’s pretty good.”
“I think I’ll pass.” But he did lift the spoon to his nose and smelled the concoction.
“Did you accomplish a lot?” Eve asked as they waited for the waitress to make her way to their end of the table.
“Yes, I did. More than I’d planned.” He didn’t really know what he’d planned with the property he had made an offer on. It had felt right and he’d seen potential in the house and the land. If things didn’t work out, he knew it had decent resale value.
It had taken his parents by surprise. He’d called them and they’d discussed the options. In the end they’d understood and even encouraged him to figure out what he needed to do. For himself and for Tori.
“All-you-can-eat fried fish, or something off the menu?” the waitress asked when she reached him.
Her Oklahoma Rancher (Mercy Ranch Book 3) Page 7