The Rancher's Family--A Clean Romance

by Barbara White Daille

  Cara nodded. “I also remember you said she and Tyler had triplets not too long ago.”

  “Right. The babies coming along was a huge surprise to them in more ways than one—and I don’t just mean the multiple birth! Mo’s a big help, but I still don’t know how she and Tyler manage. Anyway, back to Patty. I’m guessing having two kids and needing extra cash is what gave her the idea to sell things online. Now I see why.”

  Andi wandered toward the closet, then stopped short in the doorway. “Look at this! There’s enough in here alone to stock half the store...isn’t there? Cara...?” Andi turned to face her. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, just thinking.” Remembering. “When I found out I was pregnant, I started buying a few things for the baby.”

  That massive walk-in closet made her one dresser drawer seem insignificant. But it wasn’t. She had chosen every item with love and care, imagining her baby wearing each tiny outfit and playing with every small toy.

  “It was too early to start buying anything,” Cara said. Was she making excuses for not doing more for the baby she already loved? Her heart said no. “Maybe I should have waited until I was further along. But I couldn’t help myself.”

  “That’s no surprise,” Andi murmured. “Baby clothes are hard to resist.”

  “Exactly. And when I first saw those, they all reminded me—”

  “I’m sorry, Cara. I should have realized.”

  “You couldn’t have. I’ve realized something, though. Every single thing I bought for my baby left me with a special memory. That—” She pointed toward the closet. “That’s just a collection of adorable clothes. Seeing them the other day upset me, but now I can tell the difference.”

  Finally being able to talk to Andi about the baby had made the difference.

  Jed had been right.

  A trouble shared is a trouble halved.

  * * *

  THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Cara worked alone in the back room of the store cleaning wall cabinets in the kitchen area. Twice, she interrupted herself to check her watch. Every time she walked over to the small sink, she looked into the display room.

  Lizzie should have gotten here by now.

  On their way to town yesterday, she and Andi had discussed the store’s finances. As Andi later explained to Lizzie, she would pay her to help with the cleanup. Once the store was open, they would talk about additional hours.

  Overjoyed to have any extra income, Lizzie had promised to report in directly after school today. Which made her late arrival puzzling.

  Again, Cara checked her watch.

  On her next glance into the display room, she finally saw the front door opening. But it wasn’t Lizzie who entered.

  Patty Daniels’s friend Marianne stepped inside and scanned the room, bare except for the empty display cases and extra cleaning supplies. When Cara greeted her, Marianne frowned. “I’m looking for Andi.”

  “She’s taking care of some business right now.”

  “I heard she was the one who rented this store.”

  Rubber fingertips snapped loudly as Cara pulled her work gloves off. “You heard right.”

  “And you are...?”

  “Didn’t we cover that yesterday at Rhea’s? I’m Andi’s friend, Cara.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Marianne snapped almost as loudly as the gloves. “Andi can’t be planning to run a store all by herself.”

  “Oh, she won’t be alone.”

  “Who’s helping her? You?”

  “No, as Andi said when she introduced me, I’m only here on vacation.” Why did Cara suddenly need that reminder herself? “Andi’s already hired someone to help her. Were you interested in applying, too?”

  “Of course not. I also heard she’s going to be selling some of Patty’s crafts. I’d like to know how she got her hands on them.”

  “She didn’t, actually. I did. Wes let me have a look at everything, and it was just what Andi wanted.”

  “I suppose that’s how you got to know Mark.”

  “And Tracey.” And Wes.

  Marianne must’ve realized the same things she had. Wes Daniels was a good daddy and a good-looking man. But a troubled one. Too bad Patty’s friend didn’t understand he wasn’t ready for a relationship.

  Cara slipped one of her gloves on again. “Is there anything else I can help you with before I get back to work?”

  “I’ll get in touch with Andi.”

  “Perfect.” As she returned to the back room, she heard the door close.

  She thought again of Wes, then pushed his image from her mind.

  She hadn’t been to the ranch today and didn’t plan to go back until Monday. Would Wes take Mark anywhere this weekend? Or would the little boy spend his days drawing at the kitchen table? He would enjoy that, but he could also have fun spending time with a friend.

  It didn’t seem likely Wes would be stopping by the cookout this weekend. Oh, well, what he did or didn’t do in his free time wasn’t any of her business...except, wasn’t that exactly why Jed and Andi had sent her to him in the first place?

  She heard the door open again. Marianne hadn’t gotten very far.

  But this time, Lizzie entered the store.

  “Am I relieved to see you,” Cara said, only half teasing. “I started thinking you found another job somewhere else.”

  Lizzie didn’t seem to hear a word.

  Her blank stare reminded Cara of her own numbness the first time she’d seen the closet full of baby clothes. “What’s wrong?”

  To her shock, Lizzie’s eyes welled with tears.

  Cara gestured toward the card table and chairs in the kitchen area. “Come back and have a seat for a few minutes.”

  She would never cross-examine Lizzie but felt sure that wouldn’t be necessary in any case. Considering all the talking the teen had done in the past couple of days, when she felt ready, she would mostly likely share whatever had her upset.

  As Lizzie took a seat at the table, Cara said, “I’ll work in the display room to give you some space.” She backed a half step.

  “No. Wait.” A tear spilled onto Lizzie’s cheek. She wiped it away. “I—I don’t know what to do. I’ve been walking around all day wondering if what I think is really true. I mean, I j-just don’t know.”

  That didn’t give Cara much of a clue.

  Anything that happened in a teen’s life could feel like capital-T trouble. Cara remembered her own high school years with all the ups and downs in emotions and changes in relationships. Best friends one day became bitter enemies the next, usually returning to normal a week later. Lizzie might have had an argument with a friend or her boyfriend or her mother. Hopefully, her tears came from nothing worse than that.

  “Would it help to talk about it?”

  “I should get to work.”

  “Whatever you want.” She paused, but Lizzie didn’t respond. Right now, staying busy could be the best distraction from whatever had her so upset. “Then I’ll get going, too.”

  Before Cara could take even another half step away, more tears trickled down Lizzie’s cheeks. She twined her shaking fingers together, then whispered, “I think I’m pregnant.”

  Cara’s heart thudded. In that one beat, she knew the thoughts that had to be flying through Lizzie’s head. She took a seat across from her. “You said you think. You don’t know for sure?”

  “No. But I’m late.”

  “That sometimes happens. It doesn’t have to mean pregnancy. There’s a long list of things that can make us late. Stress. Hormones. Some medications. Losing or putting on weight. And more.”

  “I’m not sick and my weight hasn’t changed. And I’m always on time.”

  “Always?”

  “Well, almost. But it’s a week now. I...I haven’t told Kyle yet.”

  Pushing memories
aside, Cara focused on Lizzie. “How about your parents?”

  “I can’t. My dad would kick me out.”

  Cara sincerely hoped that wasn’t true, but without knowing Lizzie’s situation, of course she couldn’t argue. “The best option would be to talk to your mother, but if you don’t want to do that—”

  “I can’t talk to anybody else right now.”

  At least Lizzie had confided in her. “Have you thought about making an appointment with a doctor? If you’re late because of something besides pregnancy, then you’ll know.”

  And if not, Lizzie and her baby would get the care they needed.

  “I can’t see a doctor. Then everyone else would know, too.”

  “No, they wouldn’t. Doctors and medical staff follow confidentiality laws.”

  Lizzie shook her head. “In this place, people talk. Or somebody could see me walking in or out of the office.”

  Cara thought of her own doctor’s office, on the higher floor of a multistory building in a sprawling medical complex in the city. But this wasn’t Phoenix. When it came down to it, Lizzie knew more than she might ever know about small-town life.

  “I’ll wait,” Lizzie said. “A few days. Maybe another week.”

  At the sound of the front door opening, they both jumped.

  “Hello?” Andi called.

  “In here,” Cara called back.

  “Cara, don’t say anything,” Lizzie whispered urgently, wiping her face with her fingertips.

  “Of course not.” The situation wasn’t hers to share. But she might be able to help.

  Regardless of her smarts about small-town living, Lizzie was so young, still a teen. A teen afraid to tell her own parents and refusing to talk to anyone but her.

  Though their circumstances were different, she’d been in Lizzie’s place, too, late and wondering, waiting for a sign. Keeping things to herself. She had never expected that finally being able to talk about her baby would bring her such relief.

  When Lizzie wanted to talk, Cara would be here to listen...until she went home again.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  SATURDAY AFTERNOON, WES turned the truck down the familiar road leading to the Hitching Post. After finishing up the morning chores, he had picked up the kids at Rhea’s. At some point once they’d arrived home, he had made the decision to see Jed Garland.

  Mark strained against the straps on his car seat as he looked through the window. “Going to see Miss Cara!” It wasn’t the first or even tenth time he had mentioned her in the past couple of days.

  “Maybe we’ll see Miss Cara,” Wes cautioned. To tell the truth, he’d thought about her more than once, too.

  He hadn’t seen her since supper the other night, when she had mentioned bringing Andi with her in the morning. That next afternoon he’d come in from the ranch to find a note on the kitchen table. She and Andi would be busy at the store, and she didn’t plan to return to the house until after the weekend.

  Once he’d put the kids to bed, he had wandered into the office and seen proof of their visit. At last, Cara had gotten around to working on the closet. The door stood open wide and half the rods and shelves were empty. Below them, a row of packing boxes lined the floor.

  “Going to see Robbie and Trey and Missy,” Mark recited, counting on his fingers. “And Emilia and Miss Tina and Miss Paz and Grandpa Jed.”

  “Definitely Grandpa Jed,” Wes said under his breath. He had never gotten—no, never made—the time to talk to the man. Their conversation was long overdue.

  “Miss Paz will give me cookies,” Mark said confidently.

  “Sure, she will.” Whether in or out of her kitchen, Paz never let them get away without urging them to have something to eat or drink.

  Wes parked the truck behind the hotel, not far from the corral outside the barn.

  “There’s Bingo!” Mark cried, spotting the Shetland pony Jed kept for his great-grandkids and the youngest hotel guests.

  Inside the corral, Garrett walked Bingo on a short lead. The little girl astride the pony wore an ecstatic grin. Jed stood watching, leaning on the corral fence.

  “Go easy,” Wes cautioned once he helped Mark out of the truck. Too late. He hadn’t lied to Cara about his son’s fixed-at-a-run speed.

  Garrett waved at Mark. Then he grinned and tipped his hat to Wes, most likely congratulating himself for getting him away from his ranch—not that the big-brother lecture had talked him into anything he hadn’t already planned. Wes had wanted to prove to Garrett he was fine, just as he’d told him.

  He intended to prove that same thing, along with a few others, to Jed.

  Mark gave Jed a hug, then went to the fence rail to watch Bingo.

  “G’ampa!” As Wes approached, Tracey reached for her Grandpa Jed just as she had for Cara the other day. At least Jed, with his short white hair, wouldn’t have to worry about Tracey’s grabby little fingers.

  Jed took Tracey into his arms and repaid her for her smacking kiss on his cheek. “Nice to have you stop by, boy. What brings you here?”

  “I was in the neighborhood,” he said dryly.

  “Well, of course you were. Cowboy Creek is just one big neighborhood.”

  “Also one big hotbed of gossip, thanks to all the busybodies around here. And I’m looking at the biggest offender right now.”

  Jed smiled. “You always were straight spoken. I can respect that. To tell you the truth, I’m inclined to take your words as a compliment.”

  Wes had to laugh. Nothing shook Jed Garland’s faith in his own skills.

  “You’ll stay for the cookout.” It wasn’t a question. “On the house, of course. I’m sure Paz has an extra burrito with Mark’s name on it.”

  “Yay!” Mark cried. “I love b’ritos! Daddy loves b’ritos, too.”

  “That settles it, then,” Jed said with a smile.

  No doubt about it, the man had set him up. Everyone at the Hitching Post knew how his son felt about Paz’s burritos.

  “Look, Jed, I know you’re up to some of your tricks again. I’d appreciate it if you’d quit. I’ve got kids to raise and a ranch to run, and I’m not at all interested in getting matched up with...anyone.”

  “What makes you think I’d try that with you?”

  Again, Wes couldn’t help but laugh. “How about recent events in Cowboy Creek, including more marriages than I can count on one hand and even more kids now living with a pair of parents.”

  Jed grinned. “Those triplets of Shay and Tyler’s sure were a bonus, weren’t they?”

  “I suppose you could say that. Here’s something I want to say. Cara’s been coming over to the house—”

  “I know. She’s helping Andi. And you. That’s what friends are for.”

  “Maybe so, but they’re not for wasting your matchmaking talents on when they don’t need your services. And I don’t. I’m doing fine on my own.”

  “So Cara said.” At his look of surprise, Jed added, “She passed along your message, in a nicer tone than you stated it just now.”

  Wes scuffed the toe of his boot against the fence post. “It wasn’t my intention to come across as rude. I guess you’re not the only one around here with a one-track mind.”

  “Sounds like it. Only this time you’re way off track. I’m concerned about Cara, that’s all. The girl’s got no place to live and no job.”

  “She told me.”

  “So if helping Andi—through helping you—takes her mind off her troubles, don’t you think it’s only natural I’d want that to happen?”

  He nodded grudgingly. Somehow, Jed always made his interference sound reasonable. Honorable, even. You had to admire a man who could manage that. To be honest, it went far beyond admiration. Once you got past Jed’s tendency to meddle, you couldn’t find a better friend.

  Tracey squirmed. “Do
wn, G’ampa. Down, down, down!”

  “Let me have her, Jed. For once, she didn’t fall asleep on the trip home from town this morning, and she’s overtired. I think I’ll take the kids up to the house.”

  “Sounds good.” The innocence in Jed’s bright blue eyes didn’t quite match his triumphant smile. Sure enough, he added, “Cara and Andi are busy getting the fixings ready for the cookout. They won’t have much time to chat.”

  Wes forced himself to say casually, “No concern of mine. I’m just planning to stop by the kitchen. Mark wants to say hello to Paz.”

  That was true, wasn’t it? But those blue eyes acknowledged what Wes didn’t want to admit, even to himself. The no concern of mine part of his response hadn’t come anywhere near the truth. He was much more interested in Cara than he ought to be.

  * * *

  “THE NOISE LEVEL in here could break the sound barrier,” Cara said with a laugh as she and Andi loaded the industrial-sized dishwasher in Paz’s kitchen.

  “This is nothing. Wait till you’re around when we’re prepping for a wedding reception. Now, that’s noise. You can’t even hear yourself think.”

  Today came close. The rattle of silverware, clatter of dishes and raised voices in the room almost drowned out Cara’s thoughts. Not quite.

  As always, she had spent the first few minutes after waking up thinking about the baby. The sad reminders had stopped crashing so heavily on her and were beginning to blend with happier memories—the joy of discovering she was pregnant, the pleasure of shopping for her baby-to-be. She could only hope this meant her pain would soon start to ease.

  Then her thoughts had turned to other things. The list of jobs she had agreed to do for Andi. Lizzie and her worries. Her own concern about Wes cutting his kids off from their family and friends.

  Maybe she should have planned to drop by to work this weekend. Monday seemed so far away.

  Her next glance across the kitchen revealed she wouldn’t have to wait till then. There, framed in the doorway, stood a handsome cowboy with a heart-stopping smile, a child at his side and a baby in his arms.