her wrist “Not now, sis.”
“Then when?”
Josh brushed by them and headed for the refrigerator, then stopped abruptly. “Am I interrupting something?”
Michael downed the rest of his beer and set the empty on the counter with a thud. “Just your wife sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong.” The words were no sooner out of his mouth than he regretted saying them. With a quick step forward, he kissed her on the nose and tried to make amends. “But what a cute nose it is.”
Taylor continued staring at her shoes.
“I’m sorry, sis.”
She gave him a bear hug around the waist, but not before he noticed her eyes were bright with moisture. “Me, too.”
Josh uncapped another beer behind them and said, “Good. Now that that’s settled, when do we eat?”
Josh led everyone in prayer before the procession of platters and bowls started around the table. There was more food here than Nicole had seen in months. Even when she’d had her apartment in Denver and her little day care business, she’d never made this much food for one meal. She simply couldn’t afford it.
Yet as delicious as everything looked and smelled, with Michael sitting next to Nicole she only picked at her food, all too aware of his thigh occasionally brushing against hers and the seductive scent of his aftershave. It had been so long since...
“Nicole?”
She looked up with a start at the sound of Michael’s husky voice and felt heat creep up her neck to her cheeks.
“I—I’m sorry. I guess I was enjoying this marvelous meal so much I didn’t hear the question.”
“Taylor asked where you were from,” Michael repeated, the vivid blue of his eyes making it difficult for her to concentrate.
“Oh. I’m from De—” she dabbed at her mouth and regrouped “—Delaware.”
Michael shot her a dubious look from under his sandy brows, a look she’d seen a number of times today. “Really? How did you end up in Montana?”
She shrugged her shoulders as if to say, Why not Montana? “Always wanted to see the West.”
“Me, too.” Taylor smiled at her from the far end of the table. “My mother was born out here, but I was raised in Michigan. Came out here for college.”
Grateful for the shift in focus, Nicole continued the thread, trying to ignore the distraction next to her. “Is that where you met Josh?”
Josh laughed. “If she knew me from school, she’d never admit it. I guess I had a reputation with the women back then.”
“You guess?” Taylor eyed her husband with a coy smile.
Nicole watched the playful banter between the two and saw the look of love on their faces, and pain streaked straight for her heart. Whether it was envy, sadness or simply lost opportunity, she wasn’t sure. But it hurt to watch them.
“Actually, we got to know each other when I was Josh’s physical therapist. He had this wimpy little shoulder problem he insisted I treat.” Taylor winked at her husband, then looked at Nicole. “I used to work with Josh’s father. He has a clinic at the ranch up the road.”
“Do you miss it? Your therapy work, I mean.”
Taylor glanced at her husband before answering the question. “Funny you should ask. We’ve been talking about me returning part-time, but we haven’t solved the sitter situation yet. Savannah and Jenny have their hands full with their kids and the work they do at the ranch. I couldn’t ask—” She stopped talking suddenly and stared at Nicole as if seeing her for the first time, then she looked Michael’s way.
“Ouch!” Taylor reached under the table.
John asked, “What’s wrong, Mama?”
Taylor glared at Michael with an expression of pain and annoyance. “Nothing, sweetie. Just a little cramp in my leg.”
Josh, apparently seeing a problem brewing, steered the conversation back on course. “Sweetheart, tell Nicole how you saved my life.”
Taylor waved a dismissive hand before filling her mouth with potatoes and shooting Michael a last angry look.
“Okay. If you don’t want to tell it, I will.”
Nicole listened with rapt attention as Josh told of his plane crash, paralyzed legs and Taylor’s healing hands and heart in the months that followed. And again Nicole felt a tug on her heartstrings. At least some people had found their happily-ever-after.
She chastised herself for her attitude and then counted her blessings as Taylor brought out a chocolate cake and set it in front of her brother to cut. When she returned with a stack of dessert plates and sat down, she touched Michael’s arm.
“Tell us about your plans for the Palace, Michael. All you said earlier was that you were expecting some lumber.” Michael cut small pieces of cake for the children while he answered, his face warming to the subject. Nicole noticed the lines on his forehead were barely visible now, that the cynicism she’d seen all day had nearly vanished. She couldn’t help but wonder about this handsome and complex man sitting across from her. One minute he had a chip on his shoulder; the next he was warm and loving with his family.
“I don’t have a lot of free time,” Josh said, “but give a holler if you need help.”
“What about Billy?” Taylor suggested. “He’s sixteen now and really good with his hands. He might have some spare time.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Michael said, passing a piece of cake to Josh.
“Gosh, I wish I had the time. You know I love carpentry.”
Michael glanced around the comfortable room. “Yes. I remember Dad and I getting the tour of your handiwork just before that Fourth of July party. I think you missed your calling.”
Josh smiled, seeming to enjoy the compliment. He ate some cake, then chuckled. “What a party that turned out to be, huh? I had this big plan all worked out to propose to Taylor during the fireworks, then Jenny went into labor. Thank God I could fly her to the hospital before the twins were born. And thank God Dad was in the plane with us. He—”
Nicole saw Michael go pale at the same time as Josh, who fell silent and didn’t seem to know where to look. Both men picked up their forks and ate more cake as the silence stretched uncomfortably. Nicole looked from one to the other, trying to puzzle it out. Had something else happened at that party?
Finally Taylor spoke, her voice a little shaky. “And after the remodeling, what do you plan to do with the place?”
Michael took his time answering, looking distracted. “I spent some time researching bed and breakfasts and they seem to be doing well out here. There isn’t one for miles around, so I thought the next owner would have a real go at it, especially if a certain family would allow tours of a working ranch, some horseback riding, maybe even a short plane ride over the MoJoes and valley.” Michael’s
