by K. C. Crowne
“Damn,” she murmured. “This is some place. And it doesn’t look like what I’d imagine from the outside.”
“That’s because it’s not,” I said. “My pops built this house with his own two hands, wanted a home for my mama that she could be proud of. She’s from South Carolina, so she decorated the inside to feel like she was at home.”
“It’s amazing.” She stepped to the grand spiral staircase that led to the other two floors, dragging the tips of her fingers over the hand-carved rail.
“All built from trees around the area. It’s the south and Texas all in one. Love to call it home,” I said with pride ringing in my voice. “Come on – I’ll show you to your room.”
We climbed the stairs to the third floor. A few guests were rambling about, and I said my hellos as we passed them in the carpeted hallway. The walls were decorated with landscape paintings of Texas, a few specifically painted at Rainbow Canyon Ranch. Each door was closed and fitted with locks for privacy, though we had keys to every room just in case.
“So, you and your family all live here?”
“Kinda-sorta,” I said, wiggling my hand back and forth, palm towards the ground. “We’ve all got rooms in the house that are our own where we grew up and can stay in if we need to. But we’ve also got cabins around the property where we live day today.” I smiled at her. “We meet here for meals daily.”
Several doors from the stairs, I gestured to a door. “This is where you’ll be stayin’. My room’s just a little ways down, and Ellie and I will stay a few nights here until you get settled. So if you need anything, don’t be bashful about hollerin’.”
“I won’t,” she said with a smile.
As she smiled at me, I thought about how there was a whole other way I wanted to get her to holler – one that involved her underneath me in a bed. Enough of that bullshit – she’s your employee now, remember?
I opened the door and let her in first. The room was small-ish but pretty damn cozy. The bed was a four-poster style my father had built himself, and a windowed door led to a small patio, the view overlooking the property.
She stepped into the room, stretching her arms out and smiling. It was a little…I don’t know – odd, almost like she felt free for the first time in a long while.
“This is so perfect,” she gushed as she turned a circle to look at every inch.
“Let me ask you somethin’,” I said, setting the suitcase on the bed and dusting my hands.
“What’s that?”
“You really just packed up everything and left Portland? Just like that?”
She looked at me, then glanced down and bit her lower lip. She didn’t meet my eyes when she spoke. “I know it’s strange, but sometimes you need a change, you know? You have to get away from your old life and start fresh.” She met my eyes, almost pleadingly. “You don’t think it’s weird, do you?”
I shook my head and shrugged simultaneously. “Nah. If anything, it’s kinda badass. Most people aren’t as adventurous as you – they want the same-old, same-old. They get into their routines, get their lives sorted out just so, and they don’t want to change – even though they might want to.”
She smiled, happy with my answer. “Glad you think that way. And yeah, that’s how it was. I took a look at my life, didn’t like what I saw, and knew it was time for a change.”
The smile faded, and she clasped her hands together. A bit of darkness fell over her features, and I got the sense right away that there was something more to her situation. Maybe she’d been in a bad relationship she’d wanted to leave behind, one that wasn’t exactly fun to think about. I didn’t want to poke at a sore subject, so I let it drop.
“Alright. Today’s for gettin’ rested and acclimated, y’hear?”
She smiled and nodded. “I hear. There’s a small radio in my car I need to grab.”
“I’ll go with you.”
I followed her down the stairs, and on the trip down, I spotted my oldest brother Silas out front of the house. “I take it the interview went well,” he asked, watching the two of us at Sam’s car.
“Sure did,” I said, radio in hand. Sam stopped at my side, regarding Silas with a look. “Might as well introduce you to the brood,” I said as I set the radio down. “Samantha, this is my oldest brother, Silas.”
Silas flashed her a smile as he took off his hat and extended his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Sam shook his hand, a smile on her face. “Likewise. Name’s Samantha, but you can go ahead and call me Sam.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said. “So, you’re gonna be stayin’ on the property.”
“That’s the plan,” she said. “I’m in charge of taking care of Ellie.”
“Happy to hear it. Poor girl’s been a little adrift since she came to live here.”
“Not for much longer,” Sam said confidently. “We’ve made fast friends, and I can’t wait to get to know her better. Heck, I can’t wait to get to know all of you better. I’ve been in town for less than a week, and I’ve already heard plenty about the famous Walker clan.”
He chuckled good-naturedly. “I’m sure you’ve heard a nice combination of truth and gossip. Sometimes I wonder if Patterson needs a little more goin’ on, so they have more interesting’ things to talk about.”
“Or maybe you guys are more interesting than you think,” Sam offered with another warm smile.
I loved the way she talked to my family, how she didn’t seem intimidated in the slightest. Not like we were rough on newcomers, but being thrown into the middle of a big, tight-knit family might be tough going for anyone. Sam, however, held her own.
“Maybe so,” Silas said, nodding. “Anyhow, if you need anything, my family and I are just over yonder.” He gestured off into the distance to his cabin.
Sam glanced at Silas’ hand, spotting the gold band on his ring finger. “You live there with your wife?”
“Sure do,” he said. “With my wife Molly and our little girl Violet.”
“That sounds lovely.”
Silas smiled. “It is. Molly’s about your age, so maybe you and she ought to get together sometime and get to know one another. She’s a city girl like you, though I think she’s got a little more of the country in her than she’d like to admit.”
“I’d like that,” Sam said.
Silas looked over her shoulder at the car. “You need any more help unloading?”
“Oh, I think we’ve got it,” Sam said. “But thank you.”
I grinned – looked like everyone would learn about Sam’s independent streak sooner or later. And I had a feeling the rest of the clan would like it as much as I did.
“Well, welcome to Rainbow Canyons,” Silas said. “Got a feelin’ you’re gonna like it here.”
“And so do I,” Sam agreed.
“See you at dinner, Silas,” I said as we walked back into the house. Silas tipped his hat before sauntering off down the hall.
Upstairs, Sam sat down on the bed, catching her breath. “Whew, that’s a lot of stairs.”
“All those stairs are nothing to mess with,” I agreed. “But since Silas brought up the subject, let me tell you about dinner.”
I sat down next to Sam as she shot me a curious look. “What about it? Some kind of special occasion?”
“Well, every meal around here’s somethin’ of a special occasion. See, we do things a little differently than you might be used to. My mama, Ginny – we all call her Mama G – is big on family meals. She likes us all to sit down together for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don’t always work out that way with our schedules, but she runs a tight ship.”
“All of you guys together?” she asked. “Sounds like a big affair.”
I glanced down, noticing I was sitting a little closer to Sam than maybe I ought to be. Our legs were just about touching, and I could smell the scent of her hair. Her body was something else. My heart was beating something fierce at her proximity.
I cleared my throat and focused on the matter
at hand. “Like I said, we’ve all got our schedules, but yeah, big family meals are a part of life here. And the most important part is the dinner bell. Mama G gives that thing a ring when the food’s on the table. So if you hear that chime, you best get your butt in gear unless you want her comin’ for you with a wooden spoon.” I gave her a half-grin to let her know I was playing around. For the most part.
“I think I can handle that. But to be honest, I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a homecooked meal. My diet’s been nothing but take-out and fast food lately.”
I laughed. “Don’t let her catch you with fast food here. Mama G is likely to snatch that bag outta your hand and make you sit down for some biscuits and gravy.”
Another smile, warm and inviting. “Anything else I should know?”
“No swearin’ at the table. We’re all cowboys and likely to let a blue word slip every now and again. But never at the dinner table.”
“I’ll keep my F-bombs in check, then.”
A brief silence fell. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I was still curious as hell about what had brought Sam to Texas. Everything seemed on-the-level with her but damned if I didn’t want to get to know her better.
“So, this seem like it’ll be a good fit for you?”
She nodded. “It’s different, but different is what I’m hoping for. That’s why I came out here, after all.”
“That’s right. You’re about to get a big dose of a lifestyle that’s about as far from city life as it comes. But I got a feeling you’re gonna like it.”
Before either of us could say another word, the clear, resonant chime of the dinner bell sounded through the house.
“There it is,” I chuckled, rising. “Hope you’re hungry.”
“Hungrier than I thought.”
“Good. Then let’s eat.”
We headed out of her room. The moment we stepped out of her bedroom, the smell of food hit us as sure as a smack to the face. Sam sniffed the air. “Smells like meatloaf. And biscuits. And pie?”
I grinned as we started down the hall. “Good nose on you.”
“I do a little cooking here and there,” Sam revealed, another interesting fact about her.
“So you know your way around a kitchen?”
“Don’t know if I’d go that far, but I like to think I’m not the worst cook in the world.”
“Well, maybe if you play your cards right, Mama G will let you help her in the kitchen from time to time – if that’s something you’d like.”
“I think it just might be.”
The scent of the food grew stronger as we approached the kitchen. The sounds of chatter filled the air as surely as the smells, and my stomach started rumbling the way it always did when it was dinnertime. We crossed the threshold into the kitchen, and the place was packed. Nearly the entire clan was seated at the big farmer’s table in the middle of the room, Mama G zipping around here and there to get everything ready for the meal. The evening sun cast the scene in a golden glow.
“Sam!” Ellie was seated at the table. The moment she laid eyes on Sam, she sprang out of her seat and rushed to her.
“Hey, El!” she exclaimed. “Ready to eat?”
“Yeah,” Ellie answered. “I’m so hungry. Mama G says we can’t touch the food until everyone’s here, though.”
“That’s right,” Mama G said, glancing up with a smile as she set a big plate of sliced meatloaf onto the table. “One of the rules of the table.”
Once the food was set, she walked to Sam, dusting her hands on her red-and-white-checkered apron. “Pleasure to meet you,” she said. “Name’s Ginny, but I’m sure you’ve heard by now that everyone just calls me Mama G.”
“I sure have,” Sam replied. “And I’m Samantha – just call me Sam.”
Mama G gestured to the table. “Let me introduce you to the clan,” she announced loudly to get the attention of those who weren’t paying attention. “We got Wyatt and Jessica, Silas and Molly, and Emily and Logan. And all the babies, of course.”
Wyatt and Silas rose, nodding before sitting back down.
“Pleased to meet you,” Jessica said, rising with Molly. “And welcome.”
“Hi!” Emily said with a smile and a wave. “Heard you just got hired today. Can’t wait to get to know you better.”
“Same to all of you,” Sam said, poised and confident, not at all overwhelmed by our large family.
“Where’s Travis?” I asked, referring to the only brother not at the table.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding about this being a brood,” she joked, smiling around the table and eliciting laughs from nearly all present.
“That’s right. Travis is our other brother,” I told her.
“He’s in town with Adam and Skye,” Wyatt said. “Think they’re gonna be there for the night.”
“Adam’s another brother?” Sam asked, her brows knitted. “I thought there were only four?”
“Somethin’ like that,” Silas commented. “He and Adam and Skye have a pretty unique situation goin’ on. But they’re all family, just like the rest.”
“Come on!” Ellie said before I had to do any more explaining. She tugged at Sam’s hand. “Let’s eat!”
Sam slid into the chair next to Ellie, and I took the seat on the other side of Sam.
“Alright,” Mama G announced. “Let’s go over the rules for the sake of the newest member of Rainbow Canyons. First is no swearin’ at the table – unless you’re me, of course. Second is no eatin’ until everyone’s here. You can’t make it, I understand, but let one of us know so we’re not sittin’ around starvin’, wonderin’ when you’re gonna show. Last rule is no leavin’ the table until you’re good and full.”
“Mama G always makes plenty,” I said, leaning closer to Sam. “So no excuse for not stuffin’ yourself.”
“Oh,” Mama G added with a smile. “Last rule is there’s always desert – so don’t forget to save a little room.”
“I’ll do my best,” Sam said with a smile.
“Alright,” Mama G said, clapping her hands. “Let’s dig in!”
The plate of meatloaf made its way around the table, all of us stabbing a big slab, juicy and hot, and dropping it onto our plates. After the meatloaf came the mashed potatoes and gravy, and after that, some made-from-scratch bacon biscuits.
Everyone was eager to get to know Sam, asking her where she came from, what’d she’d been up to before she decided to move to Texas and other questions of the like. She held her own just fine, not appearing shy or flustered by being the center of attention.
And all through it, Ellie watched her with the same big-eyed expression. There was something going on between the two of them, a connection in the process of happening. It might’ve been wishful thinking on my part, but I couldn’t wait to see what would happen between my girl and this lovely young woman.
Was Ellie finally going to come out of her shell? Was Sam the key ingredient that would make my little girl feel more at ease at the ranch? I didn’t want to get ahead of myself, but I had a darn good feeling about it.
After the main course came dessert – two of Mama G’s homemade pies, one apple, and one blackberry. They were served with vanilla bean ice cream Mama had made herself, of course, and by the time I finished my second helping, I was good and full, ready for a quiet couple of hours before bedtime.
“Mind if I help clean up?” Sam asked when everyone had eaten their fill. A few laughs sounded from the table. “What?” she asked, slightly confused.
“Oh, don’t take any offense,” Wyatt said, waving a hand. “It’s just that you’re a guest, and guests don’t do the dishes.”
“That’s right,” Mama G said. “Right now, we want you to get good and comfortable here. If a week or so goes by and you’ve still got a hankerin’ to pitch in, then we can talk. Until then, you relax and make yourself at home.”
Sam opened her mouth to speak, but before anything came out, she closed it, offering a smile in my
direction.
“Come on,” Ellie said, getting up. “I want to see your room!”
“Now, now,” I said. “What do we do before we leave the table?”
Ellie nodded, sitting back down and looking at her grandmother. “Oh yeah. May I be excused?”
“You sure may, kiddo,” Mama G granted.
Ellie didn’t wait a second before bounding out of her chair and dragging Sam out of the room. I excused myself and followed them. Sam gave me a knowing look over her shoulder as Ellie led her up the stairs by her hand. I arrived just in time to see Sam finish showing Ellie her new digs.
“Aright, El,” I said. “Think it’s about time for you to start winding down. We’re gonna stay here for a few nights while Sam gets settled in.”
“Oh yay! I like staying here. Can Sam read me a story first?”
I glanced at Sam, who nodded in the affirmative. “I’d love to.”
Sam helped Ellie get washed and ready for bed while I excused myself and cleaned up as well. I had a little more work to do before I turned in, but as I passed Ellie’s room, seeing her curled up at Sam’s side as she read her a story, I couldn’t help but watch.
Something was happening, alright.
I stepped in and finished putting Ellie to bed, dropping a kiss on my daughter’s forehead. It was the happiest she’d looked since coming to live with me. I managed to catch Sam before she disappeared into her room for the night.
“First day go alright?” I asked.
“It was a lot,” she admitted. “But I think so, yeah. Everyone in your family’s so kind. Can’t wait to get to know them better.”
“Don’t worry, you will. People don’t stay strangers for long around the ranch.”
A silence fell like before, and a strange tension crept up. Sam stood just inside her room, looking at me, and all I could think about was how gorgeous she was, how much I wanted to put my hands all over her curvy body, push her up against the wall and kiss her hard and deep.
It was almost scary how attracted to her I was. But I had to keep myself in check. I couldn’t afford to lose control.
“Well, good night,” I said. “You need me, I’m just down the hall.”
Another warm, sweet smile. “Thanks. Good night to you, too.” She stepped back into her room and shut the door.