through the doorway into the kitchen. “Eva, shouldn’t they be helping you get supper ready?”
“We did help her,” they both chimed in unison, running to him for a hug.
“Oh, I just bet you did.”
Suddenly Joey looked around Shep and saw Raina. “What are you doing here? Did she come to do something to Manuel or to me or Roy?”
Raina couldn’t imagine what they thought she’d do. She’d examined Joey when he had a sinus infection, but that had been about the extent of it.
“Why is she carrying Manuel?” Joey wanted to know.
Raina suddenly wondered if any parent could answer all of the questions a child might ask in one day.
“Dr. Gibson came home with me to make sure Manuel feels okay,” Shep responded, and quickly introduced her to his housekeeper, who had kind, hazel eyes.
“The doctor came home with you so you can spend time with us,” Roy decided, looking happy at that idea.
From their exchange Raina guessed Manuel’s earaches had shifted most of Shep’s attention to him, and the older boys didn’t like it.
“Supper in fifteen minutes,” Eva called. “Boys, you’d better wash up.”
Their heads swung to Shep almost in unison, and he nodded. “Do what Eva said.”
But before they ran off to the bathroom, Roy studied Raina again. “Are you staying for supper? We’re having chili. Eva doesn’t make it so hot, ’cause I don’t like it that way.”
Raina laughed. “I don’t know if I’m staying.”
“We’d like you to,” Shep said quietly.
Eva added, her eyes twinkling, “I made plenty.”
She really hadn’t intended to stay and share a meal. Sharing a meal formed a…bond. But with little Manuel clinging to her, Roy looking at her hopefully, Joey studying her a little suspiciously and Shep standing only a few feet from her, giving off signals that he wanted her to stay, she agreed. “All right. Thanks for the invitation. My mom makes chili, too, and I don’t like it too hot, either.”
At that, Roy grinned and ran off with his brother to wash up.
Manuel cuddled against her, looking up at her with big brown eyes. “How do you feel, little one?” she asked gently.
He reached for her chin, and when his fingers made contact he said, “Rocky, rocky.”
Raina looked to Shep for an explanation. He was watching Manuel’s fingers on her skin. He was looking at her lips. She felt hot and cold, and much too interested in what Shep was thinking right now.
Eva explained, “When Manuel first came here, all he wanted Shep to do was to rock him in the big rocking chair in the living room.”
Raina bought her attention back to Manuel’s words. “I suppose he’s associated rocking with comfort. I can do that.”
“I can hold dinner longer, but the boys are going to get their hands dirty again,” Eva warned.
“There’s a solution,” Shep assured her. “I’ll bring the rocker to the table.”
“She still won’t be able to eat if she’s rocking Manuel.”
Since Raina would rather talk with than be talked about, she assured them, “I can rock and eat at the same time. It might get a little messy, but maybe I can get Manuel to drink.”
Eva nudged Shep’s shoulder. “I can see why you brought her along. She’s on top of things.”
“I’ll say she is,” Shep said, looking at her almost as if he didn’t want to be looking at her. The same way she knew she shouldn’t be looking at him?
Dinner was a rowdy meal, as the boys dipped corn bread into their chili and talked with their mouths full. Roy told Raina about his bus ride that morning and afternoon. Joey talked, mostly about Roy—but not about himself.
After supper, the boys helped Eva clean off the table and Raina was impressed. “I could never get my brother to do that unless I bribed him.”
“Your brother’s the police officer, right?” Shep asked.
“Don’t tell him I told you about the bribing. I’ll never live it down.”
“Rumor has it he’s a good detective.”
She knew small towns listened to the rumor mill more than cable news channels.
Thoughts of Sagebrush’s gossip line faded as Manuel stirred. She brought her head down to his and whispered close to his ear, “You’re such a good little boy.”
He looked up at her as if he’d heard every word, and gave her a smile.
Shep was sitting next to her in a high-backed wooden chair that looked like an antique. He leaned closer to her. “Whispering words of wisdom in his ear?”
With Shep’s face so close to hers, she became breathless when she gazed at his lips. “Just some positive reinforcement. You can do that for him anytime.”
“I’ll remember that,” Shep returned in a low, husky voice, then leaned away.
To distract herself from the magnetic pull Shep exuded, she complimented Eva on her chili, as well as on the corn bread, the coleslaw and the ginger cookies she’d baked for dessert.
Suddenly Shep stood. “Okay, boys. How about if you go get ready for bed? Morning comes a lot quicker when you have to go to school.”
Roy’s “Aw, do we have to?” and Joey’s quick look at Raina had Shep arching a brow. “I’m going to get Manuel changed into pj’s, too. I want you two finished by the time I’m done.”
Both boys mumbled, “Yes, sir,” slid last peeks at Raina, then scrambled off.
After they were gone, Eva said to Raina, “They find toys to play with and forget to put their pajamas on. I’ll go up and make sure they don’t get too sidetracked.”
“Thanks,” Shep called to her, and Raina could see he meant it.
“I guess it’s time to put those eardrops in,” Shep said with a frown. “Is there a right way and a wrong way?” he asked Raina.
“If we coax him to lay on his side, that will make it easier.”
Shep motioned through the doorway to the living room. “Let’s go to the playroom. I set up a changing table in there.”
Raina wasn’t used to being around a man who put kids first. Gina’s fiancé, Logan, did. He’d had to. But Raina didn’t know Logan all that well yet.
Shep took Manuel from her, his large hands grazing her midriff as he securely took hold of the little boy. She was surprised by her body’s startled awareness
