Ever After

by Carolyne Aarsen

  Evangeline waved her hand at him in a gesture of dismissal. “Don’t worry about that. Did you hear from your sister?”

  Guilt and anger stabbed at him. “Yeah. She can’t come yet.” Just then his cell phone went off.

  He yanked it directly out of his pocket. Maybe it was Jodie. Maybe she had changed her mind. He glanced at the phone, curious. Not Jodie but Martha, the wife of the man who was holding his yearlings for him.

  He was about to answer when his phone buzzed again with a text message. Again, not Jodie but one of his truck drivers.

  “You’re busy, let me feed her.” Evangeline took the spoon from his hand and shooed him out of his chair. Reluctantly he got up and let her take over as he answered his phone. The text he would deal with later.

  “Hello, Martha. How are you?” he said as he walked away from Ella and Evangeline.

  “I’m okay but I have bad news.” Her deep sigh coupled with her words created a clench of dread deep in his stomach. Of course. When, in the past few days, had he heard good news?

  “What’s up? The yearlings okay?” he asked, his hand tightening its grip on his cell phone. Martha and her husband were taking care of the yearlings he had hoped to move to the ranch once he had it ready to go.

  “They’re fine. But Bart isn’t. He’s had a heart attack and is in the hospital.”

  “Oh, no. I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s been rough, but he’s okay now. Trouble is, the doctor told him to slow down. And that means he can’t take care of your yearlings anymore. They’ll have to be moved right away.”

  Denny dropped his head back, staring unseeingly at the ceiling as if calling down divine intervention. He pulled in a long, slow breath, then another.

  “I’m not ready for them yet,” he said, stifling the rising sense of panic that seemed to be his constant companion since he’d come to Rockyview.

  His supposed place of refuge and quiet.

  “Well, I’m sorry, but Bart can’t do the work anymore. Those yearlings have to be moved. In fact, I’ll probably have to sell the cows, too.”

  Denny forced his spinning brain to slow down.

  Think. Break it down.

  “Let me make a few calls and I’ll get back to you. And say hi to Bart. Tell him to get better soon.”

  “I will, and again, I’m sorry, but you’ll need to do this in the next two days.”

  “Of course. I’ll see what I can do.” Denny murmured another platitude and ended the call. He then checked his text message. It was Carlos telling him that he was taking care of oil changes on Denny’s trucks.

  “That didn’t sound good,” Evangeline said.

  Denny turned to her, not sure he wanted to dump this on her. His life was a steady progression from bad to worse to disaster.

  “So, sounds like you’ve got more work ahead of you,” Evangeline said as she finished giving Ella her food.

  Denny knew he couldn’t keep it from her. “I’ve got to move my cows in the next two days.”

  “Will you be able to? I thought the fences on the ranch needed work,” she said, taking a damp cloth and quickly wiping Ella’s face.

  “They do. I’ll have to buy hay to feed the yearlings in the corrals until I get that done and get them out to pasture. And I don’t know where I’m going to get the hay and how to bring it to the ranch.” And he had to run his gravel hauling business and try to keep Ella happy. He glanced over at his daughter, who was watching him again, her expression as solemn as a judge.

  Fail on all counts, Denny thought, catching his lower lip between his teeth.

  Break it down. Break it down. What’s the next step?

  “Shall I get Ella ready for bed?” Evangeline asked.

  Denny was already so deeply indebted to her he could never pay her back. “No. She’s my daughter. I’ll take care of her.”

  Evangeline nodded as she tidied up the remainders of Ella’s food. “Then I’ll leave you alone.”

  “Thanks again,” Denny said, giving her a weary smile. “I can’t begin to let you know how much I appreciate your help.”

  “That’s what neighbors do,” she said with an airy wave of her hand. She patted Ella on the cheek then left.

  As she closed the door an eerie quiet fell on the apartment.

  He looked over at Ella, who was staring at him, her lower lip quivering.

  Please, don’t start crying.

  Then he thought of what Evangeline had told him.

  “So I’m supposed to talk to you,” he said to Ella as he picked her up out of the high chair. “Though I kind of think it will be a one-sided conversation. Sort of like talking to Steve, my truck driver. He doesn’t listen too well, but hey, he shows up every day and knows how to double clutch like who knows what.”

  Ella’s lip stopped quivering and she blinked at him.

  Guess Evangeline was right.

  “You know, babe, it’s just you and me,” he continued. “I don’t know why your mom or grandparents didn’t tell me about you, but you’re here now.”

  He carried her to the bedroom to get a clean sleeper. “So now I need to change you for the night and hopefully you’ll go to bed and sleep like a trucker. Because sleeping like a baby isn’t working too well for you.” He was taken aback as he unbuttoned the little pink dress she wore. He didn’t remember seeing it in the suitcase he had unpacked. “Did you have this when you came?” he asked Ella, who was chewing on her fist, her dark eyes latched on to his as if still trying to figure out who he was. “I don’t recognize it. Looks brand-new.”

  He shrugged and set it aside. “Not that I have time to solve that mystery. I have to find a way to move my cows and run my trucks and take care of you. Though it seems that Auntie Evangeline is helpful there. Trouble is, we’re both strangers to her. And I kind of think her first impression of me wasn’t great, though she seems to have warmed up. A bit. Kind of like you.” He grinned as Ella blew a spit bubble, holding her clasped hands in the air. “See, you just need to get to know me. Though my life is kind of like a truck without brakes on a runaway lane. Just going, going with no control.” He sighed as he changed her diaper, thankful she was quiet. So he kept talking.

  “All my life I’ve prayed that I would get married and have kids and live on a ranch. Trouble was, I kind of thought it would come as a package. Not piecemeal like this.” He zipped up her sleeper then stood her up in front of him, her brown, heavily lashed eyes looking back at him with an expression that tugged at a memory.

  Was he seeing things or did Ella resemble his sister Adrianna? He caught a glimpse of his sister in the dimple in Ella’s cheek, the narrow bridge of her nose and the curl of her mouth.

  “Hey, are you smiling at me?” He jiggled her and to his surprise, her mouth broke into a full-fledged smile. “You are smiling. You think I’m funny?”

  He was rewarded with a burbling giggle that caused a peculiar curl in his stomach. He grinned back at her as she giggled again.

  Then he took a chance and pulled her close. To his surprise and shock, she didn’t resist. And then, after a moment, she laid her head against his shoulder. Her cheek was warm, soft and tender.

  In that moment of connection, Denny felt his defenses melt like frost on the window in the sunshine.

  He patted her back, surprised at the affection coursing through him.

  With a gentle laugh, he carefully got to his feet and walked to the kitchen. He poured milk into her cup with one hand and set it in the microwave. While it hummed, he pulled his head back to look at Ella, who still lay cuddled up against him. “So, babe, you got any ideas of what I should do with the gravel trucks? No? How about the cows?”

  She turned her head at the sound of his voice and gave him another slow smile.

  He laid his chin on her head and released a gentle sigh.

  “If you come up with any ideas, let me know. I got a ton of phone calls to make to corral this new mess in my life. I might have to hire a new trucker and get
Carlos to manage the business. I won’t make as much, but it will give me more time for you and the ranch,” he said with a light sigh.

  The microwave beeped and a few moments later he sat back on the couch, his feet up on the table, his arms curled around Ella’s soft, cuddly warmth as she sucked back her milk. She stared up at him, smiled around the spout of the cup and then returned to her vigorous drinking.

  He laughed as he gave her a quick hug, and for the first time since he’d come to Rockyview, he felt a welcome peace steal over him.

  Evangeline was right. Things would come together.

  But even as thoughts of Evangeline and the faint attraction he felt for her slipped into his mind, he felt a hook in his heart. He had a little girl and a life that was a jumble of half-baked plans and work.

  He had nothing to give a woman like her.

  Don’t even go there, he thought, looking at Ella. She’s not the woman for you and you’re not the man for her.

  Not now, not ever.

  Chapter Seven

  “She is adorabubble.” Renee Albertson curled her hands around her mug of coffee and gave Ella a quick smile.

  Ella banged a wooden spoon on the table of her wooden high chair, netting her a few more grins from the other patrons of Mug Shots, a local coffee shop where Evangeline had agreed to meet her friend Renee to help plan her wedding.

  It was Monday morning and the buzz of conversation ebbed and flowed around them as Evangeline sipped at her cup of herbal tea.

  “How long do you think you can take care of her?” Renee asked, concern edging her voice.

  Evangeline handed Ella another piece of blueberry scone, which she shoved into her mouth, crumbs flying.

  “I don’t know. I said I would help for now, because I can’t find anyone willing or able to take care of her for the length of time Denny will be working.”

  “Poor kid,” Renee said, cutting up one of her own grapes and setting it on Ella’s tray. “What a business, getting dumped on a complete stranger. Good thing she’s so young.”

  “Yeah, but she was plenty upset the first couple of days.” Evangeline easily remembered Ella’s heart-wrenching sobs when Denny’s sister-in-law had dropped her off with Denny. “But she’s getting better. Aren’t you, my little muffin?” Evangeline said, giving Ella another smile and another piece of scone.

  Renee sat back, a pensive look on her face as she twirled a lock of auburn hair around her finger. “You better be careful you don’t burn out, my friend,” she said with a somber tone. “You’ve got your plans for the store—”

  “Plans I might have to shelve, since I doubt Andy is signing the store over to me anytime soon.” She smiled to counteract the bitter note in her voice. “And how is your mother doing in that therapy program?” she asked, changing the subject. She didn’t want to think about what she’d do if Andy never signed the store over to her. It was too scary to imagine that empty future. “Do they think her spinal injury will heal enough for her to walk again?”

  Renee’s smile lit up her face as she latched on to Evangeline’s change in topic. “She plans on walking down the aisle when she marries Tate’s father. She was hinting at a double wedding with me and Tate, but I told her Tate and I didn’t want to overshadow her special day.”

  “Two weddings are more exciting,” Evangeline said, trying not to allow a hint of envy to creep into her voice. “So now that we decided on colors and a venue, when can you meet with Mia to talk about flowers?”

  “Next week, and then I guess I’ll have to contact Larissa about using the Hidden Creek Inn.” Renee gave Evangeline an enigmatic smile. “So, enough about the wedding. Why don’t you tell me more about Ella’s father? He seems like a nice guy.”

  Evangeline ignored her friend’s comment and the underlying expectation in Renee’s voice. She didn’t want to talk about Denny. He was most definitely not the type of man she wanted to get involved with.

  Then someone stopped at their table.

  Evangeline looked up at Captain Jeff Deptuck, who stood beside the table, holding a take-out coffee cup. He wore his fireman’s uniform—dark pants and shirt with the logo of the Rockyview Fire Department on his shoulder. Very official.

  “So, Miss Evangeline, what have you been keeping from your friends at book club?” he asked, pointing his coffee cup at Ella.

  “She’s Denny Norquest’s little girl,” Evangeline replied. “I’m taking care of her while he gets his gravel trucks ready.”

  “Is he the guy who showed up at the end of book club the other night?”

  “Yes. He lives behind the store. In my father’s old apartment.”

  Jeff gave her a sly wink. “Handy.”

  Evangeline ignored his insinuation. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

  “Just wondering how I can get a copy of that book we’re doing for book club. You don’t have any at the store.”

  “The warehouse is still out of it,” said Evangeline.

  “I think Angie is finished with hers,” Renee broke in with a sly look.

  Jeff nodded slowly, considering this piece of information, a slow grin spreading across his face. “I’ll have to check that out.” He saluted them with his coffee cup and left.

  “A man with a mission,” Renee said. She turned to Evangeline. “He’s a great guy. A fireman. A hero.”

  “But he’s got a thing for Angie,” Evangeline said. “And I’m not interested. Still getting over Tyler.”

  “You were never into Tyler enough to have much to get over,” Renee scolded. “It wasn’t a matter of if you would break up, it was a matter of when. Besides, he was never the hero type.”

  “Heroes are few and far between,” Evangeline agreed with a heavy sigh.

  “And then there’s Denny.”

  Evangeline shook her head so fast, her hair came loose from the clip that swept it to one side of her face. “He’s definitely not hero material.”

  “I saw him in church yesterday.”

  And why had her friend made that particular conversational leap?

  “And you weren’t,” Renee gently added.

  Evangeline lifted her shoulder in a vague shrug as she realized where Renee was going. “I was catching up on bookkeeping and canceling some of the orders I made for my so-called expansion.”

  “Pastor Blacketer had a good sermon. You should have been there,” Renee chided in a way that only a good friend could. “You attended church at one time. Before Tyler. Why don’t you come again?”

  “I’ve just been busy with my plans for the store. Conferences, phone calls.” Her excuses sounded lame, even to her own ears. She knew there was an emptiness in her soul she’d been trying to fill by keeping busy with the store. But of late the void had grown larger. Deeper.

  She knew it was a yearning for the God she’d once had a close relationship with.

  “You could still come,” Renee urged in her quiet, persistent way.

  Before Evangeline could form another excuse, her phone buzzed. When she saw Denny’s name on the call display, she felt an unwelcome flare of anticipation. She lowered her head as she answered the phone, hoping her hair would cover her reaction.

  “Hello, what can I do for you?” she asked, keeping her tone formal.

  “How’s Ella behaving for you?”

  His concern for his daughter was surprising and touching. “She’s sitting here eating a blueberry scone. Renee is feeding her grapes.”

  “Sounds like you’re giving her a well-balanced breakfast,” Denny said, his teasing tone increasing the warmth in her cheeks.

  “We try.”

  “I was wondering if you talked to the people staying in the house on the ranch,” he continued.

  Yesterday he had called her to ask about moving to the house earlier so he could be there when the cows arrived.

  “I called them last night,” she said, turning away from Renee, who seemed far too interested in her conversation. “I told them I would give them a month’
s free rent in the apartment if they vacated the house earlier, but they preferred a refund. They’re dropping the keys off at the store this afternoon. When are the cows coming?”

  “That’s excellent. Thanks so much. Tonight. I arranged for a truck to drop them off.” Once again she heard a heaviness in his voice that made her feel sorry for him.

  “But what are you going to feed them? You said you had to fix the fences before you could put them out into the pasture.”

  “I’ll have to take tomorrow off and hope the cows don’t get out before that.”

  She was about to say something when she heard the squawk of his trucker’s radio and the fuzzy sound of someone talking.

  “Sounds like someone else needs to talk to you,” she said. “I’ll see you later.”

  As she ended the call, Evangeline dropped her phone into her purse and turned to see Renee watching her with an enigmatic smile. “What are you grinning at?” Evangeline asked, though she was fairly sure she knew precisely what was on her friend’s mind.

  “You sound like an old married couple, helping him like that.”

  Evangeline didn’t bother to respond to that. Instead she lifted Ella out of her high chair and brushed the crumbs off her overalls. Then, dropping the little girl on her hip, she hooked her purse over her arm and grabbed the plates.

  “Look at you, all efficient and domestic,” Renee said with a laugh as she cleaned up her own plate.

  “I’m a natural organizer,” Evangeline said with a trace of melancholy in her voice as she clung to Ella.

  Taking care of someone else’s daughter... Organizing someone else’s domestic life... Planning someone else’s wedding...

  Always the bridesmaid.

  Don’t go there, she reminded herself. That’s a dead end street.

  But even as she told herself this as she and Renee parted ways, she felt her optimism slowly wearing thin, like a shirt worn too long, the fabric barely holding together.

  She looked at Ella, this precious little girl whose father barely knew her, a sense of dissatisfaction niggling at her. This little girl was worming her way into Evangeline’s heart.