Mirror Image Bride (Love Inspired)

by Barbara McMahon

  Once she knew what he expected, she could make plans accordingly. Maddie’s boss had always said she was an expert at that.

  Her former boss, she amended silently, feeling a pang that she wasn’t in Fort Worth, working frantically to get the next edition of Texas Today to bed. She missed the hectic atmosphere, the camaraderie of her coworkers. The sense of accomplishment when the issue was finally on its way to the stands.

  Sighing, she cut their sandwiches, poured milk and sat to eat. Another change in her topsy-turvy world.

  “What are we going to do this afternoon?” Darcy asked as she was finishing her sandwich.

  “How about some artwork? Did you bring any coloring books or crayons to color with?”

  Darcy shook her head. “The lady who came to tell my babysitter my mom was dead packed clothes and left everything else at our apartment. And she didn’t even pack my favorite dress.”

  “No toys or books or anything?”

  “I got to bring Teddy bear, that’s all,” Darcy said, kicking the legs of her chair again.

  Maddie had no idea how social services worked. Surely at some point the apartment had to be vacated for the next tenant. What would happen to all of Darcy’s things? And those of her mother? Surely they’d come to Darcy.

  Another item to discuss with Ty.

  Once they’d finished lunch, they walked over to the main house. The large, warm, brick home easily housed the Colby family and any guests they wanted. Maddie still felt a bit like an interloper when she entered without knocking. This was the home her sister and brother lived in. A far cry from the modest house she’d been raised in. Her father had moved to a home near the university for convenience when they’d left Appleton for Fort Worth. She didn’t remember much about the house of those early years with her mother.

  Rachel came to live with them after her mother died. The older woman was a widow whose only child had died of meningitis. When her father attended medical school, his hours were long and hard. Rachel was the constant adult in the household. She was retired now and living in Galveston. She loved the sea. She’d tried to answer Maddie’s questions when she’d first called and told her about her twin. Rachel knew very little, only that she’d needed the job at the perfect time and she loved her kids, as she called Maddie and her brothers, Carter and Grayson.

  Maddie pulled out her cell phone and tried her father’s number again. It went straight to voice mail—and the mailbox was full. It drove her crazy. Where was he? Surely if he’d been injured the authorities would have notified her.

  If her brothers weren’t out of touch as well, she’d see what strings Grayson could pull to locate their dad. But he was working undercover in some narcotics investigation for Fort Worth Police and Carter was deployed. She was about to burst with the newfound knowledge about her fractured family and had no one to share it with. Or to find out more about what had caused the siblings to split.

  She led Darcy to the room the family used as an office and suggested they search online for ideas of fun art projects they could do together. Although her mind was still reeling with concern about her family, she set her worries aside and focused instead on giving Darcy her undivided attention.

  It was the least that Ty’s daughter deserved after all she’d been through.

  * * *

  Ty walked straight into the kitchen late that afternoon. He stopped when he saw the table set, Maddie by the counter, rolling pin in hand. Darcy at her side. The aroma of dinner had his mouth watering instantly. He was hot, sweaty and tired.

  “Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes,” Maddie said, “I need to finish these biscuits and pop them into the oven. Does that give you enough time to clean up?”

  “Sure.” Clean up? He normally washed his hands and ate. Obviously that wasn’t going to work now. Was he supposed to dress for dinner? He walked through the kitchen and into his bedroom and bath. A hot shower sounded as good as the hot meal. He’d take one fast, to get back to the kitchen as soon as he could. He’d found the Colby cattle on the neighbor’s land and driven them back through the broken fence, then repaired it. After taking a quick tally to make sure he’d recovered all, he’d ridden the perimeter for most of the afternoon. The day had been hot, and he knew he smelled of horse, cattle, dirt and sweat.

  When they sat down to dinner a short time later, Ty studied his nanny. She’d lasted the day and didn’t seem to have a hair out of place. Her clothes weren’t suitable to ranching, but they still looked as fresh as they had that morning. How did she do it?

  Once seated, Maddie held out her hand to him and reached across the table to take Darcy’s. He looked at them.

  “Will you bless the food?” Maddie asked.

  His mind went blank for a moment. Then he glanced at Darcy who was watching him. Nodding, he took her hand and Darcy’s and bowed his head. He was not given to praying aloud, yet how would they know when he was finished if he didn’t? Clearing his throat, he began, “Lord, thank You for the food that’s been prepared for us, for providing it and sending Maddie to cook it. Thank You for bringing Darcy home. Amen.”

  “This isn’t my home,” Darcy said.

  “Darcy, we discussed this,” Maddie explained gently, serving the child’s plate. “You live here with your dad now.”

  Ty swallowed a knot in his throat. “What did you two do today?” he asked gruffly.

  “We did art projects and made cookies at Violet’s house,” Darcy piped up. “Chocolate chip. I got to help.”

  Ty nodded, relieved to see his little girl smiling again. It broke his heart that she felt so displaced. He waited until they’d both filled their plates, then heaped the stew onto his own.

  “What did you do?” Maddie asked after a moment of silence. This man could take the strong silent type to the highest degree.

  “Checked on some fencing, got caught up on other things around.”

  “I need to talk to you later,” Maddie said.

  His eyes narrowed. “About?”

  “The job,” she said pointedly.

  “Didn’t we already talk about that?” he asked.

  “If you count keeping her safe and occupying her time, yes, we did. I had in mind a bit more.” She hoped he’d agree to discuss it further. The more she was around Ty, the more she liked him. He was honest and straightforward. No artifice around him. It had an appeal that surprised her. She wanted to learn as much about him as she could.

  “After Darcy’s in bed?” he suggested.

  “Fine with me.” She had a mental list, maybe she should jot everything down so she didn’t forget something. She wasn’t sure she wanted two meetings back-to-back with him. One would be challenging enough.

  Once dinner was finished, Maddie and Darcy made short work of cleaning the kitchen. Then Ty suggested they walk to the barn with him. Darcy looked at Maddie first, then nodded.

  When they reached the corrals where some of the horses were, Darcy climbed the rail fence and, hugging the top rail, gazed at the horses.

  “She needs to learn to ride,” Maddie said when Ty stood behind Darcy, watching her watch the horses.

  “If you ride, too,” Darcy said quickly.

  “I don’t know about that.” Though Violet urged her to ride every day, she wasn’t comfortable on the back of a horse—unlike her sister, who seemed to move as one with the large animals. The few times she’d gone riding, she’d clutched the saddle horn for dear life.

  “If he would teach me, I want to ride that one,” Darcy said, pointing to a smaller horse dozing near the far fence. “It’s not so big.”

  “Rambo,” Ty said in his deep voice.

  “Rambo? Not a child’s horse, then,” she said, looking at the animal. Not so big? It looked huge to her.

  “Misnomer. He’s a gentle ride. He’d be good to learn on—for both of you.”

  She inhaled sharply. “Me?”

  “You want to learn and not be so afraid, don’t you?”

  So he’d seen her r
iding. She felt her face flush with embarrassment. “Yes, I’d like to learn.” She’d never be as at home on a horse as her sister, but if she was going to be here for a few more weeks, she might as well get some practice in.

  To Maddie’s surprise, they spent a pleasant time walking around in the cooling evening. Ty didn’t talk much, but answered every question Darcy asked. Maddie was pleased the child didn’t seem at all intimidated by her father. She still looked at him like she was trying to make up her mind about him. But by the end of their walk, she held his hand heading back to the house.

  When Maddie suggested a bath before bed, Darcy jumped at the chance.

  “We’ll call you when she’s ready for bed,” Maddie said as they went to the part of the house that held two bedrooms and a bath.

  In bed before eight-thirty, Darcy looked up at her with her big brown eyes, so like her father’s. Did Ty see that resemblance?

  Maddie asked if she wanted to hear a story. “Since you don’t have any books, I’ll make one up if you like.”

  “Oh, yes,” Darcy said with a surprised smile.

  Maddie sat on the mattress and began one of the stories she remembered from when she’d been a child. Rachel had often read to her, but she also made up the most fascinating stories of a magical princess. Trying to remember all the ins and outs of the long-running story from her childhood, Maddie began. When Darcy’s eyes drooped, she kissed her cheek. “I’ll tell you more tomorrow night,” she whispered.

  She went to find Ty before Darcy fell asleep so he could kiss her good-night and tuck her in.

  He wasn’t in the house. Hesitant to leave Darcy unattended, Maddie went out the back door and walked around to the front. He sat on a chair on the small porch, working saddle soap into reins.

  “She asleep?” he asked.

  “No, waiting for you to tuck her in.”

  He stared at her for a long moment, then looked away.

  “It’s easy. Go in and kiss her good-night and smooth the covers around her,” she said a moment later when he made no move to rise.

  He nodded once and stood. After placing the leather on the deck, he stepped past her to the door. “I’m not good at this,” he said, so softly she didn’t know if she was supposed to hear or not.

  She listened to his footsteps as he went back to Darcy’s room. “Lord, seems we both need your help here. Please, let Ty grow more comfortable around his daughter. And help me every day I watch her that I say and do the right things.”

  Maddie sat on the bench by the front wall.

  Ty stepped out onto the small porch a moment later. Seeing her, he went to stand next to the bench, resting one boot on the edge, leaning an arm against his raised leg.

  “So what did you want to talk about?” he asked.

  “I need more specifics about my position.”

  “Didn’t we already cover this at breakfast?” he asked impatiently. “You’re to watch Darcy. For however long you stay.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You’re smart, you figure it out.”

  She watched him in silence for a few minutes, wishing she knew what he was talking about. The man intrigued her, but puzzled her even more. She shook her head. “Sorry, you’re going to have to spell it out.”

  “You’ve already lasted at the ranch longer than I thought you would.”

  “Meaning?”

  “There’s not a lot of excitement for a city girl. You’ll be heading back to the bright lights before long once the novelty wears off. I want to know if you can hang on long enough for Darcy to start school.”

  “I’m having a great time visiting here. Granted, my apartment and all is in Fort Worth, but my family’s here.”

  “New family. Amazing, the resemblance between you and Violet.”

  She arched a brow. “We’re twins.”

  He nodded. “When Violet suggested you help Darcy I thought she was crazy, but it made sort of sense. Darcy’s been raised in a city. I know ranching life is different.” He exhaled slowly. “Maybe you can help her transition.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  He looked over at her again. “For one thing, try to get her to see the advantages of living here. She seems to like the animals. If she learns to ride, I’ll get her a pony of her own. Maybe a dog. I bet Violet would let her gather eggs and feed the pigs. Get her used to being here. You can relate—you’re city through and through.”

  “Which doesn’t mean I don’t realize the advantages of living here.”

  “You both need more suitable clothes,” he said. “She needs jeans and boots to learn to ride. Long-sleeved shirts to protect her arms. A hat for shade.”

  Maddie noticed his glance at her own clothes. They were not suitable for the rough-and-tumble of ranching. Not that she was riding or punching cattle. Momentarily sidetracked, she wondered what punching cattle even meant.

  “Ranch kids start helping as soon as they can walk, with chores suitable for their ages.” He gazed at her. “She can do dishes, right? I’d like you to encourage her to make her bed, make sure her clothes are taken care of.”

  Maddie nodded. “We’ll need to go shopping. You do know she doesn’t have anything from home except what social services packed that day. What happened to the furnishings and toys and clothes and all from the apartment?”

  “I don’t know and don’t care,” he said curtly.

  “A little girl has cherished toys, favorite books, special clothes. It would help her adjust to have familiar things around.”

  He thought about it for a minute. “I’ll contact social services and see what they tell me. I never thought about it, to tell the truth. One minute I’m doing my job, the next minute I find out I’m a father. And have been for eight years, which my ex-wife conveniently forgot to tell me. Thinking about Darcy’s stuff was the last thing on my mind.”

  “I know.” Maddie was silent for a moment. Then she looked at him.

  “We have a lot in common, don’t we?”

  “Like?” He frowned. She could tell he didn’t like the idea.

  “You never knew about Darcy, and I never knew about Violet or Jack or Belle.”

  “True. But that’s all,” he said quickly.

  Maddie knew he didn’t like her—was it because she reminded him of his ex-wife?

  Was he against all people who lived in cities? That would be dumb.

  “I like it here,” she said simply.

  His jaw clenched. “For now,” he countered.

  She stood up and faced him. He put his foot on the ground and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He stood several inches taller than she did and when he narrowed his eyes, as he was doing now, he could be very intimidating. However, she’d caught a hint of vulnerability a couple of times, which gave her courage to say,

  “I’m not Darcy’s mother. You can’t judge me by what happened between you two. Maybe I was raised in the city, but I like it here fine. If I thought I could fit in, I might consider staying.”

  “No one’s asked you to,” he said.

  Maddie nodded. There was that. And her recent work history was on a magazine, hardly conducive to working on a ranch.

  “Still, don’t judge me by her.”

  “Early days yet.”

  “You are the most stubborn man, you know that?”

  A glimmer of amusement showed in his eyes. “So I’ve been told,” he replied.

  Maddie was captivated by that glimmer. So he did have a sense of humor. She never would have thought insulting him would almost result in a smile.

  He cleared his throat. “Darcy’s mother hated the routine of ranching, the constant need to care for the animals. Even the weather. Mostly she hated the idea of being isolated,” he explained.

  Maddie was longing to ask questions about his marriage, but refrained. It was not any business of hers. She knew enough—they’d had a child Ty had not known about. And now his ex-wife was dead. Too young to die.

  But then her ow
n mother had been too young to die. And she’d been too young to lose her mother.

  She couldn’t bear to think Darcy might become alone in the world if something happened to her father. Of course she’d heard mention of grandparents. Surely they’d step in if needed.

  “Take Darcy into town tomorrow and buy her some suitable clothes,” Ty said.

  Maddie looked at him again. “You’ll need to come as well.”

  “I don’t do shopping.”

  She smiled. “Obviously you do or there’d be no food in the house or clothes on your back. We won’t be long, but you’ll know what she needs better than I will. And you can tell me what to get for me as well. We’ll have a shopping spree,” she said with a wide smile. She loved shopping.

  He stared at her as if she’d lost her marbles.

  Maddie giggled. “It’ll be fun. Think of it as a bonding experience with your daughter.”

  “Put it that way, I’ll go. But we only need to stop at the Feed and Grain. They have all we’ll need.”

  “Works for me.” Her heart beat faster thinking about spending time with Ty tomorrow. And Darcy, of course. He’d surprised her by agreeing to go. Still, she knew he was making a serious effort to get to know his daughter and applauded him for it.

  “I’m going now. What time should I be here in the morning?” she asked.

  “I’d like an early start on chores—especially if I’m leaving for part of the day. Six?”

  She nodded, wishing she could sleep in a little later. But she was out to prove to this man that she could do the job. “Six’ll be fine. See you then.”

  She walked slowly back to the main house, thinking about Ty. He was definitely a competent ranch foreman, but she could see he was lost when dealing with Darcy. She hoped she could help them both.

  Violet sat in the living room, leafing through a magazine when Maddie entered.

  “So how was the first day on the job? I missed you at dinner,” Violet said, patting the sofa next to her in silent invitation.