Home Again: Starting Over

by Becki Willis

  “Somehow I knew I could depend on you,” Genesis teased. She tapped on the tabletop between them. “What about booth rental? Either of you fellas in need of an office? Now that the remodel is almost done on Maddy’s office, she won’t be needing my back booth anymore.”

  “They threw a stuffy little office in with the chief of police title, so I’m good.”

  “A nice big drafty space came with the chief of the fire department title, so I’m good, too.”

  Genny shrugged. “Guess I’ll just use it to serve meals.”

  Brash lowered his voice, conscious of the nearby cameras and other customers. “Redmond hasn’t given you any more trouble, has he?”

  Cutter caught the name and frowned, his face as dark as a stormy sky. “I threw him out of here weeks ago. Has he been back?”

  “He stopped by the other day,” she admitted.

  “I guess I didn’t make myself clear to him the first time. What did he want?” Cutter demanded.

  She lifted a shoulder. “Just stirring up a ruckus, as usual. Nothing to be concerned over.”

  “I told him he wasn’t welcome, Genny. I don’t want him bothering you.”

  “It was just the one time. Seriously, Cutter, it was nothing. I’ll be right back with your dessert.”

  A few moments later, she returned to slide a plate in front of the fireman, complete with a generous scoop of ice cream. “Ah, you are the woman of my dreams,” Cutter sighed, inhaling a deep breath of the pastries’ spicy apple fragrance.

  Ignoring the antics of his companion, Brash asked Genny, “You’re still coming tomorrow night, right? Swimming, fishing, fish fry?”

  “Absolutely. I’m bringing the potato salad.” She flashed her dimples. “And a dessert.”

  Brash turned toward Cutter. “Before you ask, I know there’s a burn ban. No open flame. And you’re welcome to come. It’s just an informal get together, mostly family. Maddy and the twins, Shannon and Matt, Genny, Megan, my parents if they get back from Bryan in time, and maybe Granny Bert. According to her, it depends on if she gets a better offer,” he laughed. “If not, she might bring Miss Sybille with her.”

  What started as an intimate gathering for him, Madison, and their children had mushroomed, but Madison thought it was best this way. She promised the next time it could be just the five of them. Brash was so focused on knowing there would be a next time that he had not argued.

  Cutter scooped up a large bite of apple turnover and shoved it in his mouth. “If Genny’s bringing dessert, I’m definitely in.”

  Brash retrieved his Stetson from the seat beside him and settled it upon his head. “Well then, since I’m providing supper tomorrow night, I’ll let you buy our lunches today.”

  ***

  The deCordova Ranch was roughly three thousand acres of prime river-bottom soil. Gifted to Andrew deCordova from Bertram Randolph himself, the land was once part of the famed Randolph Plantation.

  Upon his death, the undisputed cotton baron of the Brazos Valley–and, some claimed, the entire state–deeded the property to his most loyal and devoted employee. The fertile soil deserved to be cared for and nurtured, and Bertram knew that neither of his spoiled and bickering daughters would treat it with the respect it deserved. To them, he gave their own namesake towns: Juliet to the south of the railroad tracks, Naomi to the north. His most prized possession he gave to his ranch foreman.

  Along with his sons, Andrew deCordova built the ranch into a legend in its own right, known for producing generous crops and a fine line of registered Limousin cattle. Cotton and milo still grew in the lower fields, a pecan orchard graced a sloping hillside, and the ranch was known for its top-quality hay.

  The deCordova clan had been good to the land, and the land had been good to them.

  Brash grew up on the ranch. His parents lived in the original old farmhouse and Brash, himself, had remodeled one of the old bunkhouses into a rustic and simple home that suited his needs. His job as police chief required him to live in town, so he rented a small house in Juliet, with plans to one day build his own home on the ranch. There was ample room for another house, despite the fact that several members of his family already lived there, including siblings, cousins, and aunts and uncles.

  Even with the abundance of space, it did not always equate to privacy. A party for one often meant a party for all. So it was with the fish fry. Family members drifted by to visit or throw a hook in the water. By the time the meal was served, Brash invited three ranch employees and at least eight extra relatives to join the festivities.

  With no better offers on the table, Granny Bert brought not only Miss Sybille, but Wanda Shanks, as well.

  Andy and Lydia deCordova arrived just in time to eat. Having never officially met the couple before, Madison was admittedly nervous when Brash took her elbow and guided her over for the introductions. She was thankful his hand remained lightly upon her back during the exchange, offering not only moral support for her, but a subtle message for his parents. Along with the way he said her name, the touch meant that this woman was important to him.

  The fish was fried to a golden brown and served with potato salad, slaw, hushpuppies, and homemade tartar sauce. A large array of desserts followed. While the rest of the group fussed over the sinful selections and brought out the makings for s’mores, Brash and Maddy slipped away with the cover of darkness.

  They did not go far. They could still hear the laughter and the varied conversations taking place round the campfire, yet were buried deep enough in the woods to have privacy.

  “Tonight has been wonderful, Brash,” Maddy beamed. “The kids are loving it.”

  “Blake is a born fisherman! I might ask him to join my team for the fishing tournament this fall.”

  “What tournament?”

  “We have a fishing tournament every year during Founder’s Week. This year’s celebration will be extra special, since it is the centennial of The Sisters.”

  Maddy all but groaned. “Nick is determined to be through with the house by then. It is supposed to be the grand finale of the show, coinciding with live coverage of the celebration. And believe me; the end can’t come soon enough.”

  He put his arm around her waist and tugged her closer to his side. “Has it really been that bad?” he asked.

  “Let’s see. We discovered a skeleton in a secret room beneath the basement. At least five hidden passages. The plumbing was a nightmare, as was the ancient wiring. I’ve lost all semblance of privacy and my personal life is splashed across national television every Tuesday night. Someone tried to kill me because they were afraid I would uncover their secret drug operation, no matter how loosely it was tied to the Big House.” She ticked the problems off on her fingers. “The show producer has designs on my man, and sometimes I have to wonder if Kiki doesn’t, as well. She certainly likes to hang on your arm and gaze up at you with her big, adoring eyes.” When he would have protested, she swatted his arm. “I’m not through. My life is like a carnival sideshow. On days they’re filming, I can hardly get in the gate of my own house. Reporters camp out on in our front yard. The whole town has gone crazy, trying to claim their fifteen minutes of fame. Have I forgotten anything?”

  “Two things. One, all your renovations are being done for free.”

  “If I hadn’t already suspected it, I now know—nothing in life is free.” Her voice was mournful. “There’s always some stipulation. In this case, a reality television series about my life. A nightmare on film.”

  They walked on a few steps before she thought to ask, “What was the second thing?”

  Brash stopped immediately and pulled her around to face him. Arms hooked at her waist, he reeled her in close. “That your man is just that. Yours. Even if Amanda or Kiki or some fancy movie star has designs on me, I am only interested in one woman. And I am about to kiss her, right this instant.”

  “Then hurry up,” Madison murmured, winding her arms around his neck.

  Long moments later, B
rash lifted his head. “Ah, Maddy, this is where you belong.”

  She smiled and guessed, “In your arms?”

  “That, too. But I meant here, with me. On the ranch. With my family. My parents loved you, I could tell. And so did my sister.”

  “Today has been wonderful. I’ve had such a good time. And your family has made me feel very welcome.”

  “They know we’re a couple. I didn’t tell them, but they know.”

  “If they didn’t before now, our thirty-minute absence will be a good clue.”

  “Thirty minutes? Good, we still have fifteen minutes left.” He nuzzled her neck. “And I know just how we can spend it.”

  Maddy angled her neck for better access. “I like how you think, Chief deCordova.”

  When his hands moved in the dark, sliding over her with delicious promise, Maddy groaned. “Brash, not—not out here.” It was hard to articulate a denial, when everything he did felt so perfect.

  “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Our first time won’t be in the woods with our families on the other side of the trees.” As his hands traveled slowly over her body, she had a moment of true confusion, trying to see the problem with such a scenario. Then sanity returned to her brain, as he continued to murmur against her lips, “I’m thinking a big, fluffy bed. Rose petals. Candlelight. A ring on your finger.”

  The words slowly penetrated the fog of desire that clouded her brain. She finally gasped and pulled away. “Wh—What did you say?”

  “Shh. Come back here. We still have five minutes left.”

  “But you—”

  He silenced her with a kiss. “Sorry. I have a way of getting ahead of myself. Let’s take advantage of our last five minutes, and then we need to get back, before they send a search party in after us.”

  Maybe she had heard him wrong. Maybe he hadn’t almost proposed marriage. Or maybe he was testing the waters. Maddy’s head spun with the possibilities.

  When they exited the woods, they did not go immediately into the ring of firelight. They stood in the shadows, watching the interaction of the others. Bethani and Megan giggled over a messy tower of stacked s’mores. Blake showed the younger boys how to toast marshmallows and how to get the end of a stick to glow red without catching flame. Small clusters of adults were scattered around, each caught up in conversation. Genny chatted with his sister Laura, while Shannon visited with her former mother-in-law. Some might think it strange that he and his ex-wife were still friends, but in fact, it wasn’t until the divorce that their relationship took a positive turn. He still loved Shannon, but the truth was, he had never loved her the way a man should love his wife. Not the way his father loved his mother. And Brash was no longer satisfied to settle for less.

  He looked over at the woman by his side and smiled tenderly. What he felt for Madison was already stronger, and truer, than anything he had ever felt for the mother of his child.

  “Thank you, Brash,” she said softly, slipping her hand into his.

  Caught with his feelings shimmering in his eyes, he had to clear the emotion from his throat before speaking. “Thank you for coming.”

  “I don’t know about you, but I could use some more of your mom’s sweet tea.”

  When she tugged on his hand to pull him along, he looked down at their clasped hands. He lifted his eyes to hers, a question in their depths. “Are you sure?”

  Madison looked back at her children. Blake’s face glowed, and it wasn’t from the firelight. This was his dream day, including all the things he most loved: fishing, swimming, eating, shooting, even a game of tag football. A day in the sun and water with plenty of good food. Heaven on earth for her fifteen-year-old son.

  Even Bethani looked completely happy. Lydia deCordova had joined the girls to inspect their layered creation. Bethani chatted effortlessly with Brash’s mother, even when Megan skipped off to refill her tea glass. Madison could hear the teen bragging about catching the biggest fish of the day. Brash had helped her reel it in, and then showed her how to take it off the hook and re-bait for the next cast. Seeing them together had warmed Madison’s heart and made her eyes misty.

  This was the sort of quality family time she wanted for her children, the kind they had never gotten from the Reynolds side of the family. With sudden clarity, Madison knew this was, indeed, the place she—and her children—belonged.

  She smiled up at the man by her side. Firelight shimmered on the ends of his dark auburn hair. Moonlight reflected in his smiling blue eyes. Her heart felt as soft and gooey as the gigantic s’more their daughters created. Her life was twice as sweet. And her love for this man was staggering.

  “Yes, Brash,” she said softly. “I’m sure. Hold my hand.”

  “I would be honored. Shall we?”

  They proceeded across the clearing, hands casually clasped, pretending not to notice how the others noticed. When Blake came racing toward them, chased by three younger boys, they laughed and separated, but their hands remained together.

  “Beep, beep, coming through!” Blake warned, ducking to clear the human arch. Three giggling boys followed, the last one crashing into Maddy’s legs. She wobbled and almost fell, but Brash caught her. His arm lingered at her waist as they approached Bethani and Lydia.

  To her credit, the teen did not make a scene. She even started up a conversation about fishing with Brash, asking when they could come out again. In Madison’s estimation, it was the best endorsement they were going to receive from her daughter, but she would take it. For now, it was enough.

  By the time they drove home from the ranch, they were all tired, happy, and sported varied shades of a slight sunburn.

  Madison’s heart was full.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Blake was still on a country high, stoked from the day of fishing. He chattered all through breakfast, reliving the high points from the day before and planning more outings in the near future.

  “Just remember, your free time is about to come to an end,” Madison reminded the youth. “Two-a-days may have already started, but school starts tomorrow morning. We’ll see if you can even lift a rod and reel after your first game.”

  “I am Hercules,” the boy joked, bulking up his muscle and posing like a body builder. “I am strong. I am mighty.”

  Bethani walked by and punched her brother in the stomach. “You am a wimp.”

  He merely grinned at her. “Didn’t feel a thing,” he claimed.

  “Okay, you two,” Madison cautioned. “Knock it off and get ready for church.” She noticed that her grandmother was still in her robe and slippers. “Are you feeling all right this morning? You’re usually half-dressed by now.”

  “My stomach’s a bit upset this morning,” Granny Bert confessed. “Must have been something I ate last night.”

  Or how much you ate, Maddy thought. She had noticed her grandmother’s plate, heaped high with extra helpings of everything. And that was before dessert. “Do you feel like going to church?”

  “I think I’d better sit this one out. I don’t move as fast as I used to, and I might not make it to the bathroom in time.”

  “Can I get you anything?” Madison offered in concern.

  “I think I’ll mix me up a smoothie. I’ll throw in some binding agents, like agrimony and blackberry leaf, maybe a little black walnut. That should do the trick.” She rummaged through the cabinets. “Ought to be right tasty, too.”

  “What the heck is agrimony?” Bethani asked.

  “That pretty yellow plant I have growing in the blue pot outside. It has some fine medicinal purposes.”

  Blake looked skeptical. “Yellow plant isn’t code word for weed, is it? They say marijuana has medicinal purposes, too, you know.”

  “This isn’t pot, silly boy. And marijuana isn’t the only plant that can get you high, nor the only one with healing powers. The earth is filled with natural cures for most anything that ails you.” Granny Bert opened a small jar and sprinkled a few flakes of a crushed substance into the blender. “
Hand me that clover honey, will you, Beth?”

  “Is that what makes your smoothies taste so funny? All those plants and weeds and flowers?”

  Taking offense, Granny Bert frowned as she tossed in a handful of strawberries. “Who says my smoothies taste funny? They’re delicious. You just wait and taste this one.”

  Watching her add a few drops of a clear oily substance, a dollop of honey, and finely crushed leaves, Bethani curled her nose. “I think I’ll pass.”

  “Plants and herbs have been used for centuries to cure a passel of health problems. This one, agrimony, is good for sore throats, diarrhea, gallbladder ailments, even a runny nose. You can make a paste of it and apply it to your skin to get rid of zits and warts. Good for swelling, too.”

  “In that case, slather that girl down!” Blake called. “Her warty, zitty face needs all the help it can get.”

  As Bethani chased her brother from the kitchen and their playful shrieks faded down the hallway, soon punctuated with two distinctly slamming doors, Madison cleared the breakfast table.

  “Speaking of herbs, Genny told me Myrna Lewis started her own business. She sells flowers and herbs, and even has a lawn service. Did you know that?”

  Seeing the look her grandmother gave her, Madison laughed at her own foolishness. “Of course you knew that. You know everything that happens in The Sisters.”

  “Where do you think I got half of these herbs I’m using? It’s too much trouble to go all the way to Bryan-College Station to find them. Besides, I prefer to buy local whenever I can.”

  “Myrna is so obsessed with winning Yard of the Year that I’m surprised she’s willing to help other people with theirs. But you should see Carson Elliot’s lawn. It turns out Myrna is his gardener, and the place is magnificent.”

  “I heard Dean told her she had to get a job, to help pay off her credit card debt. Most of the charges were at nurseries and garden supply stores. And of course for that gigantic fountain she had installed on their front lawn. That thing is—” When Granny Bert jabbed the puree button, the whir of the blender drowned out her grumbles, but Madison picked up the gist of the complaint.