“I still can’t get over you being in the witness protection program. And that Zane is Max’s dad. That kid is so proud. He’s told everyone.”
All morning Rose wondered when Ashby would notice the elephant in the room. “I’ve misled everyone. Max is the best thing that ever happened to me. But I just couldn’t chance opening up my past. I hope no one thinks less of me.”
“You know none of us think less of you. We love you.”
“I know,” Rose sighed. “I’m ashamed I even said that. I’m just not thinking straight. What am I going to do, Ashby? Everything is so messed up.”
Ashby patted the stool in front of her and Rose left the dresses on a display table and sat down.
“I keep getting the feeling that there’s still something between the two of you. Is there?” Ashby asked.
“Not if he was the last man on the planet,” Rose groaned. “The man lied to me, abandoned me when I needed him most.” She sprang up from the stool and started pacing, for no reason other than it kept her from kicking something. It was a sensation she’d been fighting ever since watching Zane and Max bonding last night. “And if that isn’t enough, after all these years he’s tracked me down in the one place I’ve been happy.”
“But that’s my question,” Ashby said. “If he didn’t know about Max, then why exactly did he do that?”
Rose swung toward Ashby. “Because he feels guilty, that’s why. But after all these years it’s a little too late for that.” And having to tell Max the truth only cemented that.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I—I despise the man,” Rose insisted. “And believe me, after yesterday, the feeling is mutual. He was off-the-charts angry at me for not telling him about Max.”
“Rose, honey…You know I love you and wouldn’t want to hurt you, but don’t you think his feelings are understandable?”
“He walked away from me. Left me pregnant and alone—”
“But you said yourself that he didn’t know you were pregnant.”
“Right,” she sighed. This was exactly how she feared a judge would look at it. “But surely he had to know I was wearing my heart on my sleeve where he was concerned. And he left me there.”
“What exactly happened? Do you want to talk about it?”
Rose needed to talk and she’d already felt bad about not telling Ashby long ago. “When I entered the program, I trusted him. I felt so alone and scared. He made me feel safe…Foolishly, I let my guard down. I won’t lie to you. I loved him then and I thought he loved me. It was just a bad situation all around. I found out how wrong I was when someone tried to shoot me. Zane got me out of the safe house where the attack took place and into another one.” She hardened her heart against the emotions just thinking about the experience caused her. “And then he was gone the next morning. No explanation. Just gone.” She paused as the devastation she’d felt resurfaced. Taking a breath, she told Ashby how she’d been so afraid the morning after the attack when she walked into the kitchen and found an unfamiliar Texas Ranger pouring himself a cup of coffee. She’d been terrified, not to mention heartbroken.
She took a breath. “I don’t know how exactly I made it through the next few months. They were horrible. I found out I was pregnant right before I testified against the man who wanted me dead. Then I was whisked away into a new life in the program only to have the murderer be killed in jail. That was six weeks altogether and the next thing I knew I was released from the program and expected to resume life as if nothing had happened.”
Ashby looked as dazed by the information as Rose had felt living it. “I can hardly believe it,” she said. “Did they know you were expecting?”
“No. I couldn’t believe it myself, so I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone.”
“So what did you do then? You must have been so lost.”
“Yes. That’s a perfect word for how I felt. My grandmother was dead and I really didn’t have anything to come home to…And I just couldn’t deal with the questions that might be asked by everyone, so I stayed in L.A. and got a job as a receptionist at an import business. And that’s when I met David.” She shook her head.
“That is amazing,” Ashby said, coming to stand beside her. “You are so strong.”
“Now I am. But then I wasn’t. I married a man because I was afraid of being alone and pregnant and he abused me. I should never have let myself get into such a vulnerable position in the first place.”
“I’m so sorry,” Ashby said.
Rose took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Me, too,” she said finally.
“Do you think Zane knows about what David did?”
“He found out when he decided to look me up again,” Rose answered bitterly.
“I bet he felt terrible when he found out.”
Rose gaped at her friend. “Don’t feel bad for him.”
Ashby looked sheepish. “I’m sorry. But I do. You and Zane were both in an impossible situation. Maybe you should give yourself and him a break.”
A break! She’d like to break something, all right. But give him a break? No way.
“Rose, don’t look at me like that. He said he left because he was trying to protect you. He clearly thought he was doing the right thing and that was it. Maybe he’s telling the truth. What if you opened your heart and gave him a second chance? It is amazing what you’ve gone through together. This time you can really get to know each other under normal circumstances. Maybe God’s giving you a chance to get it right this time.”
Rose stared at Ashby. “Get it right?”
Ashby looked like she was talking to a kindergartner. “Do I have to spell it out?”
“Please do.”
“What if God meant for you two to be together all along, but you two put the cart before the horse, so to speak. And maybe it was because you were in such a tense situation that things got out of hand. Don’t you think God forgives mistakes and gives second chances?”
Rose nodded. “Yes, I do. But in this situation, it isn’t God’s ability to forgive that’s in question. It’s mine.”
“Rose, I can’t believe you said that. You’re the first person who would have told me to trust God. Actually, you are the person who told me to trust the Lord when I was struggling with opening my heart to Dan.”
Rose looked at the ground. “Oh, Ashby, I know. I feel mean and at odds with everything right now. I’m so ashamed.”
Ashby chuckled, leaned forward and hugged her. “Honey, everyone gets there at some point. It just means you need some extra time on your knees with the Lord. He will help you sort it all out.”
Rose knew this might be true, but at the moment she just couldn’t see how.
“You want us to help you make your mom and Zane fall in love?”
Max nodded at Norma Sue. He’d ridden his bike the three miles between home and the women’s shelter where he and his mom used to live. This shelter was different, not only because it was located on Sheriff Brady’s ranch, but also because Dottie had opened a candy store in town where she taught all the ladies how to make candy and run a business, too. Since Dottie was getting ready to have her baby any day, that meant the candy store was shorthanded and Norma Sue, Esther Mae and Adela were babysitting the young kids while their moms all worked. The older ladies usually helped out at different times, not all coming out to the shelter at the same time to watch the kids. But yesterday he heard his mom and Miss Adela talking about how the three of them were using the time to make a baby quilt for Dottie. He’d been trying to figure out a way to get their help all week long, so this was his chance. Especially since it was his mom’s Saturday to work at the dress store. She wouldn’t know he’d talked to them.
He still couldn’t believe Zane Cantrell was his dad or that his mom had met him while she was in the witness protection program—that was just plain cool. He’d told his friends first thing. By now everyone in town knew Zane was his dad. It kinda made Max want to stand taller when he walked dow
n the streets.
“Yeah, I want y’all to do that matchmaking stuff on my mom and my dad.” He grinned. Sheri, the nail tech down at Heavenly Inspiration hair salon, called these three the matchmaking posse and he liked the sound of that. They could help him rope his mom and dad into a wedding. “Everybody knows that’s what y’all do. You’ve helped match up almost the entire town, so why not my mom and dad?”
Norma Sue laid her hand on her wiry gray head and stared at him like he had horns. The other two were silent, too. Maybe they hadn’t had anyone actually ask for their help and didn’t exactly know how to take it.
“I figure maybe y’all like coming up with who you want to match up all by yourselves. The thing is, I’ve made up my mind about this and I’m not going to quit until y’all help me.” His mom would tan his hide if she heard him talking like that, since it sounded kind of rude. But a guy had to be firm about important things.
“If that ain’t the cutest thing!” Esther Mae squealed suddenly, shattering the silence. “This is going to be so fun!”
Max laughed, but stopped when Norma Sue held up a hand.
“Hold on, Esther Mae,” she snapped. “Adela, what do you think?”
Max hadn’t ever known his grandmothers, so these ladies were the closest thing he had to that. He had pretended ever since coming here that they were his family. Esther Mae was the funny grandmother. She was always squealing and laughing—and she had short red hair. Norma Sue was the grandma who took charge and made things happen. Yet she didn’t look too sure about his idea. He looked at Miss Adela. She was the gentle one. He was always afraid he was going to hurt her when he hugged her because she looked so delicate. Now, he prayed she would think he had a great idea. When she smiled, her blue eyes lit up like Christmas lights.
“Well,” she said. “If this child wants us to help him get his mother and dad together we have to help him.”
“Yes! So what do we do?” he asked.
Norma Sue crossed her arms and shook her head. “I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing here. But there were some sparks flying at church last Sunday. I say all we have to do is get them together as often as possible. If God’s got a hand in this union, they’ll do most of the work themselves.”
“When love is involved, they always do,” Esther Mae added.
Max frowned. “But what if there isn’t? My mom doesn’t act like she wants anything to do with Zane. And, well, he tries to hide it from me, but I think my dad is kinda mad at my mom. What if we need to make them fall in love?”
“Max,” Adela said. “If there’s no love there then we don’t want them together. And neither do you, dear.”
He didn’t like the sound of that. “They’ll love each other. I know it.”
“Even if they don’t love each other, they love you, Max.” Norma Sue said.
The other two nodded their heads.
“You aren’t angry over all of this in some way, are you?” Adela asked.
He sat on the porch banister and looked out at the laughing little boys playing on the swings and sighed. “I got angry at first,” he admitted. “But, well, then I got to thinking about it and all the anger just went away. I’m trusting God on this. I’ve been through a lot in my life and He’s always been there for me. Like He’s been there for those little guys. I mean, He brought us all here, didn’t He? To me, that was God having my back.”
“Oh,” Esther Mae gasped, patting her eyes with her napkin. “I just want to squeeze you so tight. Goodness, your momma raised you right. She would be so proud of you.”
Max wasn’t so sure about that. But a man had to do what a man had to do when it came to what was best for his family. Right?
Chapter Eight
Rose was in full work gear when the loud purr of an engine signaled someone was heading down their drive. She poked her head out of the barn door then swung back into the shadows.
Zane. “Oh, for goodness’ sake!” she muttered.
When she’d talked to Ashby, she’d just thought he’d invaded her space…but in these short few days the man was everywhere! He had truly taken over her life and didn’t even know it. He was all Max talked about, all the town talked about—Mr. Good Samaritan in the flesh! But that wasn’t the worst part. He was all she thought about—and not in a good way. Well, not exactly in a good way. How could she still be so attracted to a man who had treated her so badly? It was upsetting. From the window of the dress store she saw him coming and going up and down Main Street and there was just no denying that she found herself watching for him. It was humiliating.
And then there was Ashby reminding her she needed to get on her knees! Give him another chance. How could her friends so easily take Zane’s side anyway?
She knew what it was. It was the same reason she’d so readily given her trust over to the man in the first place. He looked the part. He was the living, breathing epitome of a heroic Texas Ranger. Those strong, weathered features, those straight, almost black eyebrows over his beautiful eyes. Eyes that were so sharp they seemed to look right through you. Not to mention he was as tall and sturdy-looking as an oak. She rubbed her forehead and took a deep breath, trying to calm the agitation strumming through her. It was all physical…this attraction. She’d learned what substance she’d believed he had wasn’t really there. So how could she still feel drawn to the man? God was punishing her for her weakness. It was the only thing she could figure out. So be it. It bothered her no end that he was the only man she’d ever encountered who affected her so profoundly.
She breathed in slowly and with no other alternative she made her feet move and walk her out of the barn to stand beside Max—who was beaming like Las Vegas neon.
“Look, Mom, I invited Dad to help us today. Isn’t that great?”
Dad—where had that come from? Max had given over to this so quickly it was heart-wrenching. “Sure,” she managed, stilling her emotions, her gaze drawn to the truck just as Zane stepped to the ground and closed the door. To her dismay, he smiled, and her heart did that aggravating free fall. She scowled at him, racked with frustration at her reaction to him and the fact that he was here in her yard.
In her life.
To see his son.
The little voice of reason reprimanded her and she closed her eyes for a second. He was here for Max. And for Max’s sake, she could rein in her emotions and at least try to be civil.
“Mom’s got on her tuna-picking clothes,” Max stated as soon as Zane reached them.
True, dressed like she was, she looked like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but she was at a loss as to why Max would feel he needed to explain her appearance to Zane. She tried not to appear as if it bothered her too much but her brow lifted of its own accord when she looked at him.
He gave her a teasing grin while at the same time taking in her outfit with open confusion. “You think you have tuna in your pond?”
Max snorted with laughter. “No, Dad. Tuna is what the prickly pear fruit is called.”
“Seriously?” Zane asked.
“Yeah—weird but true,” Max informed him. “The botanical name means American Indian fig. Or—” he shrugged “—tuna, as it is most commonly called.”
Zane looked impressed. “You know your stuff.”
Unexpectedly, Rose’s heart warmed at the way Zane looked at their son.
Max beamed in her direction. “Mom taught me everything I know. Even how to dress when I pick the tuna.”
She’d almost forgotten how ridiculous she looked with her gear on until Zane let his gaze scan over her.
“So is this how you dress?” he asked.
“Yes. It’s for protection,” she snapped, tugging at her bandana and all too aware of her goggles.
“Well, I’m relieved.” Zane looked back at Max. “For a minute there, with those goggles on, I figured she might be going for a swim in the pond looking for those tunas.”
Max hooted. “Mom wouldn’t swim in the pond for a million bucks! The goggles
are to protect her eyes from the prickly pear’s stickers. She makes me wear them, too—if I don’t, then I can’t be a partner.”
“Is that so?” Zane asked, laughing huskily.
The sound was disconcerting in an all-too-familiar way that sent her pulse skittering.
“Your mom sounds like a smart woman,” Zane said, his eyes warm.
“Well, boys,” Rose said, snapping herself out of her unbelievable lapse in judgment. She gave Zane a chilly glare. “This smart woman has work to do.” And she did! “You two have fun, or whatever.” She stepped back and Zane smiled, as if he knew what she was thinking. “Um, I’ll be out there,” she said, and tore her eyes away from him.
Shoulders back, she made herself walk calmly across the yard and into the cactus field. Why had he been looking at her like that? Why had she so easily responded to it? It was humiliating. It really was.
Hidden from view by a large cactus, she jerked her goggles over her eyes. She wanted to scream with frustration, but that wouldn’t do at all. Instead she went to work.
Max’s laughter drifted to her. Despite herself she looked in his direction. Her chest tightened and tears sprang to her eyes, blurring her vision. She didn’t know if the tears were because of seeing Max with his dad and enjoying himself or if it was because she was getting a glimpse of how things could have been for them. How she’d first dreamed of life with Zane…How they could have been as a family.
Or maybe she was crying because looking at Zane just made her crazy frustrated, and so angry she wanted to scream!
“Bingo,” she growled, snatching a tuna with the tongs and ripping it from its perch. The overripe fruit immediately rewarded her by splattering deep magenta mush all over her shirt and face!
Max had the job of scorching the thistles off the fruit down to a fine science with the torch and tongs. When he finished he held a smooth tuna up for Zane’s inspection.
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