This phone call would have to wait. The last thing she wanted to do was call Carlie while a knot stuck in her throat. They’d moved on. She and Emmett had moved on. Then why had the ache still appeared in her heart and throat as she remembered opening the door to find the uniformed men standing there? They hadn’t had to speak to tell her. The gloom had appeared in their eyes. But now, Rhett was a memory that might still cause her heart to twist now and then, but it didn’t take anything away from how she loved Wade.
Emmett called from the bottom of the stairs, “Mom? We’re done. Wade’s cooking.”
“Okay.” Sophie straightened the hem of her checkered shirt. She stood and walked to the deck door. For a moment, guilt and sadness overwhelmed her. Was she doing the right thing?
Wade entered the room, came up behind her, and leaned in with a tight hug. He moved hair away from her neck and placed kisses along the side and up to her ear. He mumbled, “I love you.”
Sophie turned in his arms and stared into his loving eyes. Yes, this was the right thing to do. He was the right man to do it with. “I’m so in love with you, honey.” They kissed. The tumbling in her belly and an internal warmth spread throughout her body. Gloom washed away, this time for good. She clutched him tight against her while the kiss continued and deepened. She loved this man. She loved Wade. She needed him. He drew his lips away, and she smiled, a lightness now settling over her. “I’m looking forward to a lifetime with you.”
“Likewise, ma’am.” Wade wiggled his eyebrows, cocked his head back toward the bed, and grinned like a man who had a secret agenda. “Back in my bed again tonight? We’ll wear the boy out today so he’ll sleep.”
Sophie nodded. What else could she do? She’d agreed! She wanted to be in bed with him this moment. “When do you want us to move in?”
“Tomorrow.”
“How’s Thanksgiving weekend? Emmett and I will both be on break. It’ll give me time to talk to him. He needs to understand moving in here means his mom will be sleeping in the same bed with you.” She poked him in the chest upon the word “you.”
Wade snorted in a laugh. “Sounds good to me.”
“We have to pick a date so we can make an announcement in our local papers.”
Wade slashed his fingers through his hair. “What?”
“You don’t want me to announce it publicly?” She stepped back and widened her eyes.
“Of course, I do. I wasn’t sure you’d—”
“Shh. Why wouldn’t I?”
Wade grinned. “I’m starved. Let’s go down to eat then scream yeeha on a horse.”
“I’ll be right down. On Monday, meet me at Emmett’s school. We’ll go into my town for dinner again, and I’ll flash my ring. Come to church with me on Sunday. I want the world to know how much I love you.”
“All right. Hey, I’d be honored. Oh, before you come down, check out the other closet over there. It’s been empty since I’ve lived here other than a few boot and hat boxes that can be tossed out. I can’t wait for you to fill it up with your things.” He rushed out of the bedroom.
Sophie stood dazed. Wade had swept into her life casting a spell on her like a wizard. A muscular, macho, dark-eyed wizard. After checking the huge closet, she headed downstairs wearing a smile.
She padded into the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee. “What are you making?”
“My fridge is kind of bare.” Wade closed the refrigerator then went through cupboards, both top and bottom. “I know what. Waffles.”
“Wade?”
He turned to her with a big mixing bowl in his hand. “Huh?”
His hair had been wet down and combed back since he’d come downstairs, and he had a contented look on his face.
She came to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. Mmm, he smelled great like the fragrance she smelled in his bathroom when they’d showered together after their secret rendezvous in the night. He must’ve done a quick wash-up in the downstairs bathroom since coming in from taking care of the horses. “Last night Emmett had asked about changing his last name. You know that can’t happen, right?”
“I suspected it, honey. I wouldn’t want someone else adopting Noah. Once my boy has my name, that’ll be his name forever…unless he wants to change it though I’d gladly adopt Emmett.”
“Your son won’t want to change it. He’ll grow to be a proud Emory, like his father. You’ll be a fabulous dad. Well, you are from what I see.” Sophie caressed his face. “You know, Emmett will grow to be a proud Emory, too, but in a different way.”
“I like that idea.” Wade mixed up a waffle batter and ladled some into the heated waffle iron.
Sophie poured a warm up into his coffee. “We love waffles.”
He pulled her to him as he leaned against the counter. “I wasn’t going to tell you this until later, but I will. Don’t get mad.”
“What? Was it your phone call this morning? Noah?”
“No. That was Cynthia. She’s getting shipped out early. I talked to Noah. I don’t want him forgetting me, either.”
“Of course, you don’t, but what do you want to tell me?”
The TV came on in the living room, then Emmett yelled, “Is it okay to turn on the TV?”
“Yeah, it’s okay with me,” Wade replied. “The other day Clay came by with some woman, older than him. He said she was his lifesaver, whatever the hell that meant. I gave him a job. He’s starting Monday. I didn’t want to tell you until the end of work on Tuesday to see how it worked out.”
“How is my brother?”
“He looked good. Clay said he was off of drugs and booze.”
“What about the county sheriff looking for him?”
Wade explained Clay had turned himself in and had been in rehab. “They couldn’t get him for drunk driving because there was no proof. Far as anyone knows, a coyote ran across the road causing the crash. Sounds like he might be on the right track.”
“Oh, Wade.” Sophie stood at the window to peer outside at a perfect autumn Arizona sky. “You don’t know how many times we’ve heard that. I hope he has straightened up. Where’s he staying?”
He stepped over to where she stood and wrapped his arms around her. “With my family history, I know all about saying and doing being two different things. He didn’t say where he stayed. All he said was that woman kept him from dying in the desert. I believed him when he said he didn’t know Emmett was in the truck that night. He admitted to being wasted and not hearing Emmett call out for him.”
“Well, I’m visiting the JL Ranch on Monday to talk to him.”
Wade removed the first batch of waffles. “Don’t mess with his first day, babe. Give him a chance. I’ll ask him for dinner on Tuesday or Wednesday and you come over. Bring Emmett if you think it’s a good idea.”
Sophie got butter from the fridge and searched a couple cupboards until she found syrup. “I’m not sure about bringing him, but we’ll see.”
“Bring me where?”
Sophie sat the syrup down hard. “Emmett, there you go again, listening when you shouldn’t have been.”
“Dammit, Mom, I just walked into the room. Do I have to frigging knock first in a house I’m about to live in?”
“Don’t swear. I mean it. No, you don’t have to knock.” She glanced at Wade checking the waffles, and he had a grin on his face. She pranced over and shoved his arm. “Him swearing isn’t funny.” She turned back to Emmett. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
“Again, bring me where?”
Sophie sighed and got plates out of the cupboard. “Wade might invite Uncle Clay for dinner, and I wasn’t sure if I’d bring you. Would you want to see him?”
He nodded.
Of course, he would. “All right, but I want you to bring your schoolwork.” Sophie set out silverware and asked Emmett to get the milk. “I’m sorry for getting on you, honey. I know you were just walking into the room and overheard us. That couldn’t be helped. I should’ve known you’d want to see your u
ncle.”
“Is my Uncle Clay okay?”
Wade cut in. “He seems to be. Your uncle came over. He said he didn’t know you were in the truck the night of the wreck.”
“Yeah, he did. He turned back when I yelled.”
Sophie glanced out the window. Clay could’ve heard something else unaware of what it was. There she went enabling him again with lying thoughts about the drunk. “What did you say to him, Emmett?”
“I called his name then I said help. He stopped, looked back, then kept going. He was drunk, Mom, so maybe he didn’t know what he heard. Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. I hit my frigging head, ‘member?”
“Of course. I remember you had surgery for the first time in your life because of him!”
Wade waved a spatula out in front of them. “Okay, both of you calm down. Is his truck still at your dad’s?”
“It was the last day we were home,” Emmett replied, distributing napkins.
Wade set waffles on the table and refilled his and Sophie’s coffee cup. Emmett poured himself and Wade milk. They all took a seat. “Maybe we best bow our heads and start this family thing out right.” They all did and Wade said a blessing over their food.
“Are you making me go to church now?” Emmett asked Wade. “You can’t make me.”
“No, but I can,” Sophie replied with a smile directed at her boy.
“I won’t make you do anything, much, but today I will make you…” Wade paused on purpose then broke out into a smile. “I’ll make you get on a horse today and make you…take Trace Lawton along if you want company.”
Emmett grinned. “I don’t need him to come. You’re my company, Wade…and Mom.”
Wade gave a wide grin, held up his hand for a high five, then smacked Emmett’s hand when he responded with the same. “You’re a great kid, Emmett.”
Chapter 18
After a restless night, Wade woke before his alarm on Monday. Horse neighs said they wanted out. Sophie’s beautiful face formed in his mind. His thoughts took him to the weekend. If he’d had time to think about a proposal, he would’ve been a wreck figuring he’d get cut down with a rejection, but when Emmett brought it up, he knew it was the perfect time.
Maybe not the perfect time but the right time. The perfect time would’ve been with champagne and candles, country music playing low in the background, and the two of them without an audience.
Bender gave out a loud whinny. “All right, guys, I’m coming.” Dressed in work jeans and a t-shirt, he pulled on his boots and headed outside. “You two are as bad as cats in the morning wanting your food and attention.” Wade ran his gloved hand over their muzzles. He turned them out and laid out a little hay while he went back to clean the stalls.
The urge to ride overtook him. Unable to shove the nudge aside, he put a bridle on Abacus, a halter and rope on Bender, and headed out toward the mountain. The sky held heavy dark clouds today. A monsoon could arrive at any minute. He headed down the path a short way but turned around without going farther. His job waited with a new employee arriving. Back at the barn, he got off the horse and brushed them.
Wade added supplements to the feed buckets and mixed Benders into his food. Abacus didn’t care if it was mixed or not, he chowed down taking it as it came. “Crazy horse,” he said, patting Abacus before heading back inside to drop bread into the toaster.
***
At work, Wade made a pot of coffee and sorted the weekend orders as it perked then poured a mugful when it finished. He’d decided not to have Clay fill out any paperwork until Wednesday and give him two days of work for cash. If he returned on Wednesday, he’d consider it his first day.
Again, he checked his watch. Still no Clay. What the hell? Wade knocked then entered Jake’s back door. “Mornin’.”
Jake loaded dishes into the dishwasher and glanced up at the sound of his voice. “Something wrong?”
Wade chuckled. “You best sit down for this. Where’s Beth?”
“Working.” Jake topped off his cup of coffee, pulled a chair out, and sighed. “What the hell did you get yourself into this time? It’s not another kid from the past is it?”
“Come on, that isn’t even funny.” He leaned against the counter. “Why are you expecting the worse from me? I remember not too long ago you’re the one who had a black eye from a bar brawl.”
“Don’t remind me. What’s going on, Wade?”
He folded one arm across his chest then took a drink from his mug. “You’re right. I did get into something…” He paused. “I got engaged.”
“With who?” Jake laughed. “Like I have to ask. Are you sure about this?”
Wade tipped his head back and inhaled slowly but blew it out in a rush. Had all the guys planned on giving him a hard time?
“How’d that all come about. Congratulations, I guess.”
“You don’t sound pleased. I told you before Sophie was the one. She isn’t like the rest. The woman is perfect for me.”
“Wow, I’m kind of shocked you went through with it. I wish you both the best of luck. Don’t tell me you’re moving to Queen Creek.”
“I’m not. She and Emmett will move here. Why wouldn’t they? I have a house. They live with her dad. It was the right time for all of us.” He glanced at the clock again then the same truck from the other night pulled in the driveway. “Hey, the new guy’s here. I gotta go. His attitude right off will determine if he stays.”
“Good luck.” Jake sat his cup down and hightailed it out to the ring to start his day.
The truck turned around and Wade noticed the same woman. Was she a cougar? That thought would never leave his lips. “Clay.”
“Hey. I didn’t know what time to start. Hope I’m not late.”
Wade continued on into the barn. “Nah, you’re fine. Come into my office and take a seat. I have a plan, but let’s see how you feel about it.”
“Spill it.”
“First off. Who’s the woman? What’s going on there? She a cougar?” Sonofabitching big-ass mouth.
Clay flipped up his middle finger. “No. That isn’t what it’s about. She lives on the outskirts of town in a little adobe home. I’ve been doing some work around her place. I feel obligated since she doctored me back to life.”
“Ah, ha. I’ve never seen her around.”
“She doesn’t come this way often.”
Wade leaned back in his chair while tapping a pen against the calendar on his desk. “Is she bringing you to work every day?”
“For the next couple days. I plan on talking to my dad and getting the spark plugs for my truck. It’s hell depending on someone else to get me around.”
“Did you lose your license?”
“Yeah, for thirty days. I got it back now. I’m kind of in a rut. My own dumbass fault. I suppose Sophie will be here today to give me hell.”
Wade debated on telling Clay about Sophie and the engagement, but why not? “Nope. I asked her not to come. I’m marrying your sister.” Yep, big-ass mouth.
Clay laughed. “Yeah? Does she know that?”
“She said yes, if that’s what you mean. So did Emmett. I have to talk to your dad, so if you want a lift over there tonight, you’re welcome to come along. I’ll need a couple private minutes with your dad though.”
“I’ll check out my truck while you’re talking. Dad packs heat. Just saying.”
Wade sat forward with his arms folded on the desk. “I’m not worried about him. Let’s get down to business…” Wade explained to him about officially starting on Wednesday and how he’d pay him under the table until then.
Wade observed him. He appeared to have been sober for a while. He knew the looks of a drunk, and sometimes caught sight of druggie characteristics, thanks to his own brother. His hair had been cut. Clay’s eyes were clear, and amber-ish brown like Sophie, and not bloodshot. They must’ve resembled their mom. “How do you feel about painting, and we have some fencing that needs repair? The last monsoon tore some of it up.�
��
“I can do either. I’m a drunk, not an imbecile.”
Wade liked that smartass answer. “Let’s ride out there and take a look at the damage. I’ll show you where the supplies are when we return.” He led him to Blue’s stall. “This is Jake’s boy’s horse, but he’s spunky. Come on, I’ll introduce you to Jake. He’s in the ring with a bronc. He used to be a bronc rider in his wild days.”
Clay came to a stop. “So did I. Jake? What’s his last name?”
“You’re shitting me. You, a bronc rider? Sophie never mentioned it.”
“Sophie had married by then and wasn’t home much.” Clay lifted his chin toward Jake. “Shit, I know him. He married a buckle bunny. I knew her, too.”
“This buckle bunny is no longer around, so I wouldn’t say anything.”
Clay came to another stop. His brows pulled in. “She’s no longer with Jake?”
Wade splayed his hands. “Don’t you read the paper, dude?”
Jake came toward them, squeezed through the wood rail fence, and lifted his fist ready to fight. Wade grabbed a hold of Jake and held his hand up to Clay. “Whoa there. What the hell you doing?”
“This is the guy you mentioned? This is Sophie’s brother? Sonofabitch, Wade. You don’t know who this is.”
“No, apparently not. What’s going on?” Wade asked with a lifted brow.
Clay walked away. “Catch ya another time, Wade.”
“Get your ass back here. You got a job to do.” He warned Jake to behave himself.
Clay came back, folded his arms, and stood tall. “It’s been over for years, Jake. You won Paige fair and square. She chose you. No need to live in the past.”
“Yeah, I won her for a while. I should’ve let you keep her. She did give me a son and a few good years though.” Jake strode away, went back into the ring to catch up with Evan, and got on his horse to round up the bronc.
Clay and Wade made eye contact. “You didn’t recognize the name when I told you where to come?” Wade asked.
Hooked By Sundown (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love Book 3) Page 25