by Kim Turner
“So you found us.” He pointed for her to pull near the fence by the barn and followed.
She put the engine into park, unbuckled, and took a deep breath before stepping out of the SUV. “Is this okay?”
“That’s fine, we kind of park anywhere.” He took her hand and leaned closer kissing her cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“Me too.” She nuzzled into him, inhaling the deep scent of Aaron and in spite of it all, she relaxed. “And I have someone you should meet though he fell asleep.”
He stepped to the back door of her truck and glanced at her son as she lifted Mason from his seat and propped him across her shoulder. “He’ll be excited to see the animals.”
“He’s a handsome guy.” He touched the baby’s dark hair, something inside her warming at the gesture.
“You think your parents are ready for us?” she asked, glancing at the house a little overwhelmed at the idea.
He grabbed Mason’s diaper bag. “Take a deep breath, you’ll be fine.”
She remembered the flowers. “Aaron, did you…flowers were outside the apartment this morning…”
“Not me.” He shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. “I only give those in person.”
“Well, maybe they were from Drake Masters, letting me know he was better, as the card read Cowboy Up.”
“You must have made quite an impression on him.” He kidded with a smile, though knowing he hadn’t been responsible for the roses left her a bit on edge.
“Jenna!” Lily flew out the front door and down the porch stairs, hugging her around the hips.
“Hi you!” Jenna tousled her bouncing curls, reminded how much she looked so like Aaron.
“That’s your baby? You have to come and see my room. My dollies are all wrapped up in bandages, and they are sick and my teddy bear too.” Lily’s bright eyes were full of life as she chattered along.
“Lily, tell ya what, munchkin. Why don’t we let Jenna meet Grandma and Grandpa first and then after dinner we’re gonna head off to the cabin and you and Mason can play all afternoon.” Aaron nodded toward the house. “I heard Grandma say she needed help making brownies just before I came out here.”
“Jenna, you can help too, come on.” Lily ran ahead, yelling for Sarah as she got inside the house.
“So easily distracted.” Jenna adjusted Mason on her shoulder, following Aaron to the porch.
“It takes us all to keep her busy.” He chuckled. “She’s a handful sometimes.”
“She’s precious and the house is lovely and this land, really beautiful.” She glanced around them as they made it to the porch.
“The house there in the distance is where we lived when we first got here.” A tinge of pride rode his smile. “Amos started on this one, making us help. I don’t think any of us were too keen on the idea, but when he let us help and really plan and build it, giving us a sense of purpose and discipline. A lot of growing pains went into this one.”
“So who lives there now?” Jenna glanced at it again, hidden in the distance on the other side of a small stream, at least a mile away by what she could tell.
“Gabe’s redoing the inside. Making a couple of offices and reconstructing the kitchen to make it bigger.” He shrugged.
“For your boys’ ranch?” she asked, curious about all his plans. “I’m sure it will be a wonderful place when you have it all done.”
“I’ve managed the down payment on the first forty acres but there’s a hundred or so in all.” He pointed behind the old house and to the fencing past the barn and across a stream. “I’ve got everything plotted out but gotta get it paid for first. We’ve got about a hundred head of cattle, but I’d like to see that grow. I want the boys to learn the value of working with their hands, raising the animals and a garden. But mostly find it a place to call home. If I set it up right, the ranch can run itself and even pay for itself with the produce.”
“And your family is supportive?” She loved the idea but supposed that much acreage was expensive.
He nodded for her to go inside and followed her. “They all help where they can. Do you want to lay him down?”
She glanced around with a nod. “He gets heavy these days, growing so fast.”
“There’s a bed in the guest room, low to the ground.” He led her to the hallway and into a bedroom of rustic wooden furniture and watched as she lay Mason down in the middle of the bed. She covered him with a blanket, tucking his stuffed lion beside him. “He’ll sleep a bit longer, always out like a light when we ride anywhere.”
“Come on…when you meet Amos, he’ll say about anything. Just go with it.” He took her hand and led her further inside the house.
“This is beautiful.” Jenna turned a full circle at the living area, though her pulse raced at his words. There were large frameless windows that allowed for taking in the woodlands to the north and the furniture was made of heavy cypress, giving it a welcoming warm feel. The smell of fresh baked bread wafted through the air, and the kitchen seemed to glow as they ambled that way.
Having no family, save, Brianna, it sounded nice to have a house full of people. It was good Aaron and his brothers were all still living home, but the house was spacious, probably making that comfortable. Sometimes her apartment was all too quiet when she lay awake at night with Mason sleeping in his crib nearby. She missed her parents at times enough to bring her to tears, but Mason had somehow been her saving grace on family.
She followed Aaron into the kitchen, taking a deep breath.
“Sarah, this is Jenna.” Aaron gave her hand a squeeze and let go.
Sarah turned from the stove, wiping her hands on an apron tied to her waist. “Hi, Jenna, it’s a true pleasure to meet you.” She leaned to give Jenna a hug, ignoring her outstretched hand.
“Very nice to meet you Mrs. Decker.” Jenna smiled, thinking she was much younger than she’d anticipated.
Lily was stirring a bowl of brownie mix, chocolate staining her top lip. “Daddy kissed Jenna.”
Jenna stifled a grin biting her lips as she glanced at Aaron.
“Hey, go back to your brownies munchkin.” He pointed to the bowl of batter and lifted his brows as he caught her gaze.
“It’s very nice to be here. You have such a lovely home.” Jenna made small talk, hoping to get past Lily’s comment.
“Jenna’s a real nurse but she doesn’t have on her doctor suit today,” Lily added, licking her chocolate stained fingers and plopping scoops of the batter into a baking dish.
“Yes, I know.” Sarah’s smile was genuine. “Amos is on the deck if the two of you would like to say hello. I have an early lunch almost ready as I am sure you all would like to get to the cabin in time to do some fishing before the temperatures drop.”
“We put her little guy in the spare room on the big bed. He’s napping.” Aaron grabbed Jenna’s hand, leading her from the kitchen.
“I’ll check on him, you two go ahead.” Sarah turned back to help Lily with the brownie batter.
“Should I be concerned?” Jenna asked as Aaron led them into a long hallway.
He laughed, still tugging her along. “Nope. You should run and never look back.”
She stopped in her tracks, noticing the candid pictures on the walls in the hallway. “Aaron, I’m not kidding.”
“It’ll be fine. He’s a good man, but he’ll push your buttons a bit.” He led the way again squeezing her hand tighter.
“These are extraordinary.” She touched the frame of a picture that showed Aaron and his brothers at a much younger age fishing alongside their father. The colors were magnificent, each boy captivated in his own thoughts and Amos watching intently. She turned to the opposite wall admiring the photographs of Lily as a baby and toddler, the progression of her growth caught picture to picture.
“Sarah is the master photographer around here. She’s had a number of landscapes published over the years in magazines.” He nodded to ones of the landscapes.
“She seems to find all th
e right colors,” Jenna said as she admired the scene that looked much like outside the house.
“Always has a camera in her hand and only recently went digital.” Aaron walked them through what was her studio. More pictures on every walls in various sizes. “I got her hooked up with a computer and scanner and a really good printer. Now there’s no stopping her.”
She smiled, still admiring the wall of photographs.
“Ready?” Aaron gave her hand a squeeze as they stepped out onto the deck. “Hey Pop. I want you to meet someone.”
The elderly man turned in his chair, folding his book closed and laying it across his lap, where a blanket covered his knees. He glanced from Aaron to Jenna and nodded to the bench across from him. “Well, have a seat so I can take a look at ya.”
Aaron gave her a wink and sat as she did. She held Amos Decker’s gaze, the old man’s deep brown eyes studying her.
“I’d stand in the presence of such a pretty lady, but I’m a bit winded today.” Amos’ oxygen tubing stretched across his face attached to a small tank on the deck. He was a handsome man, though much older than his wife by the looks of it. His gray hair was cut short and neat and he wore a full mustache as gray as his hair. Her first thought was that he could have passed for Sam Elliott, especially with the western cowboy hat that sat atop his head.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Decker.” Jenna took the man’s outstretched hand and flushed as he leaned to kiss the back of it.
“My son didn’t tell me you were such a pretty thing, a real hottie as he and his brothers might say.” The old man chuckled as Jenna’s mouth fell open.
“Come on, Pop.” Aaron smiled as he shook his head catching her gaze.
“Well, I apologize, but I try to stay hip on the things that the young men say these days.” The older man laughed again. “I was as smooth as that one in my day, minus that long mop of hair…thinks he’s Sampson.”
Jenna smiled, realizing she was somewhat safe with the teasing.
“So, Sampson here tells me you’re a nurse.” Amos asked.
“Yes, I work the emergency room at St. Anthony’s and of course on the set,” she explained.
He adjusted in his chair. “Well, that’s admirable work. You must make pretty good these days, least I hear nurses do well.”
“Come on Pop, you don’t ask a lady what she makes.” Aaron gave him a raised eyebrow in warning.
“Nope, I guess not.” The old man’s face lit up with a genuine smile and he continued. “So if I can’t ask what you make, may I ask your intentions where my son is concerned?”
“Enough already, Pop.” Aaron leaned back against the railing, stretching out both arms and giving his father’s boot a nudge with his own.
“Oh, lighten up Sampson, she knows I’m kidding.” Amos looked at her again. “Aaron here is a tough one, and what he doesn’t want me to tell you is he’s smart and handsome and would be a great catch.”
Aaron shook his head and spoke to her. “I warned you.”
“So you did.” She gave into her own smile turning back to Amos, finding him intriguing.
“Did you bring that boy of yours?” Amos asked.
Jenna nodded. “He’s sleeping in one of the bedrooms.”
“So are you sleeping with Sampson here? He needs a good woman and has for some time.” The old man grinned paying no attention to Aaron who growled, throwing his head back in defeat.
Jenna’s mouth opened but nothing came out as she glanced at Aaron in disbelief.
“I finally bring a girl home, Pop, and you’re gonna run her off.” Aaron scolded but turned to her with a wink. “He’s hopeless.”
Jenna gulped a breath at the exchange with Aaron playing along. Well, she could play too. “Well, as a matter of fact I am sleeping with Sampson, and there must be a good bit of strength in that hair of his. Any more questions?”
Amos held her gaze for a long moment and then burst into a giant bought of laughter. “I like a woman with spark. Nope, no further questions at the moment. If he doesn’t mind his manners, you let me know.”
She smiled and gave him a nod, glancing at Aaron whose mouth finally closed.
Sarah came to the door, carrying Mason who was rubbing his eyes and whimpering. “Dinner’s ready in five minutes, and this little fellow wants his mama.”
Jenna hopped up and took Mason, who hid his face in her neck, but whimpered no more, cuddling his lion. “It’s all right, sweetie.”
Aaron helped his father up, chuckling. “Come on, Pop. If we feed him we sometimes don’t have to cage him at night.”
Jenna gave into a giggle and followed them back inside the house. Mason glanced up from her shoulder as they entered the kitchen, eyeing Lily who scampered over with a grin.
She patted the chair beside her. “Jenna, you can sit by me. Can I hold the baby?”
“I bet after we eat he will be more than ready to play.” Jenna glanced at Aaron and sat by Lily, placing Mason in her lap admiring the dish place settings. “I love your dishes.”
“Thank you.” Sarah turned from the counter. “I’ve collected Fiesta in a variety of color for years now.”
“It’s like eating on a rainbow. Hey Mason.” Lily touched Mason’s hand, and he giggled, leaning back against Jenna and tugging his hand free.
“Jenna, he’s just beautiful,” Sarah said with a glance at Mason.
Jenna kissed the top of Mason dark hair. “He’s a handful, about to walk any day now and busy.”
“She spends all her time at flea markets hunting those dishes and adding to her treasures,” Amos said with sarcasm, making it into his seat. “And makes a mint selling her pictures of this dish and that.”
Jenna glanced from him to Sarah again. “I saw your photos in the hallway. You do amazing work.”
“It’s really just a hobby.” Sarah shook her head.
“Well, they are fabulous,” Jenna added.
Aaron sat beside her and leaned closer to whisper. “Good comeback out there.”
“I know.” She lifted her brows at him and leaned back as Sarah placed a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce before her.
“Where are the boys?” Sarah looked toward the kitchen doorway. “Do you want a small plate for Mason?”
“He can share with me,” Jenna answered thinking that easiest with the mess Mason could make when feeding himself.
“Gabe, Jeremiah?” Sarah yelled toward the hallway as she placed a plate for Aaron and Lily, and then returned again with plates for herself and Amos.
“I told them Grandma, are they going to get time-out?” Lily danced in her seat as she lifted her fork.
“Well, they just might.” Sarah played along.
Gabe strolled around the corner and into the kitchen. He made a heaping plate of the spaghetti and tossed himself into one of the chairs, speaking to his father. “Hey, Pop, that load of lumbers gonna be a few weeks…on back order. Got a call yesterday. Afternoon, Jenna. Who ya got there?”
She smiled in greeting. “This is Mason. My son.”
“Well, get to it before full spring. Snow’s predicted again, and I can almost feel it in my bones.” Amos shrugged and removed his hat, setting it aside.
“Ah you stay cold, Pop,” Gabe chided. “We’ll get the fencing done.”
Sarah passed the large basket of bread as she sat. “Jenna I wasn’t sure of your likes, but I thought the noodles would be all right for Mason.”
“Are you kidding? He won’t let go to walk, but he will eat anything I let him have.” Jenna couldn’t see all the fuss as Aaron handed Lily the parmesan cheese.
Jenna gave Mason a bite of the spaghetti after she blew the heat away, and he gobbled it right up, not protesting at feeding himself which was a surprise.
Aaron held Mason’s gaze and grabbed a noodle sucking it inside his mouth and making the boy laugh. Mason waited as Aaron did it once more and Lily joined in, sucking in a long noodle noisily.
Mason and Lily both giggled then.<
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“Well, Sampson there is a health food nut, won’t touch the fried stuff. And won’t eat a full plate of anything.” Amos nodded to Aaron.
“Gotta make it easy for Maxus and Thor to jump,” Aaron defended, glaring at Gabe’s snicker.
“Not me…fried chicken all the way.” Jeremiah popped into the kitchen and plated his spaghetti and sat next to Sarah. “Good to see you, Jenna.”
“He’s Mason,” Lily explained to her uncle. “We’re gonna play.”
“Hi,” Jenna answered.
“Hey there, buddy.” Jeremiah dug into his food, winking at Mason, who hid his head once more.
Amos spoke then. “I’ll say grace.”
As if rehearsed, the entire family held hands, Aaron taking one of hers and Lily grabbing Mason’s tiny hand, though he struggled to free it. For a moment as Amos Decker prayed, Jenna fought the urge to allow tears, the scene reminding her of her own family. That was how a family should be. She leaned into Mason’s dark curly hair, inhaling the sweet baby scent of him. He deserved a life like this and so did she.
“A-men,” Amos spoke loudly, pulling Jenna from her thoughts.
“A-men!” Mason echoed in a shout, clapping his hands.
Everyone laughed, and Aaron glanced at her with a smile.
“So Jenna, working as a nurse on the set must be interesting.” Sarah said as everyone began eating.
“I’ve enjoyed helping with makeup but besides Drake Masters’ accident and a few splinters, things have been quiet. Oh and of course Aaron’s fall into that cold water.”
Gabe chuckled. “Maxus one. Aaron zero.”
Aaron never missed a beat, but grinned. “Maxus and I have an agreement. We’ve worked things out for future takes like that.”
Lily was quick to defend her father and the horse. “Daddy says Maxis is just ornerary.”
Aaron corrected her. “Ornery.”
“What about the big jump?” Sarah asked, a hint of worry edging her voice.
“The ramp evens things up from one side of the river to the level of the other. It’s high but not so far,” Gabe explained, digging into his meal.