present. “I had to be sure.”
“And you are now?” Something about her tone and the way she wouldn’t make eye contact with him made his skin prickle with doubt.
“I’m not getting the whole story, but I will figure it out.”
“Go for it,” she snapped back quickly. “I don’t have Ruth’s money.”
Her movements jerky, she dished eggs, bagels and sliced bananas onto the plates.
“It wouldn’t matter if you did,” an unsteady voice called. “Thanks to Liam, I have plenty to spare.”
Liam turned as Ruth and Austin appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. His breath caught as he watched her lean heavily on a carved wooden cane. He’d arrived in Crimson late last night, so he hadn’t seen his former nanny before this morning. Knowing she was an early riser like him, he’d come to the property at the crack of dawn. She’d been awake but still in bed, so he hadn’t fully noticed how frail she looked compared to the hearty, healthy woman he once knew. Ruth had always been larger than life, the only constant he’d known for most of his childhood. She’d seen his shock this morning and had immediately sent him off to survey her property.
After checking to make sure things looked good around the house and small pond near the edge of the forest, he’d returned to the house to find Austin curled up next to her in her bed. Liam had never been the type of kid to snuggle with anyone, let alone his nanny. He’d been too busy getting into trouble as a kid. He envied Natalie’s son the easy affection he had with both his mom and Ruth. Austin was clearly loved, a thought that gave Liam an unfamiliar stab of envy for what he’d only felt as a boy from the paid help.
“That isn’t the point.”
“Leave her alone.” Ruth straightened and pointed at him. “Sit down and have breakfast with us. Stop harping on Natalie. I’m glad to see you. Don’t make me change my mind.”
“There isn’t—” he began at the same time Natalie handed him a plate. “You made enough for me?”
“When I cook it’s for whoever is here to eat.” She picked up the three remaining plates, balancing two in one hand. With her opposite elbow she pointed to a drawer at the end of the kitchen island. “Bring forks over with you.”
He stared at her.
“Please,” she added as an afterthought.
“I don’t eat breakfast.”
“It’s the most important meal of the day.”
Ruth lowered herself into a chair and patted the one next to her. “Come on over. Catch me up on your life.” She leaned closer to Austin. “Liam is powerful. He has lots of money and dates gobs of brainless supermodels who are too young for him.”
“Ruth, stop.”
“Are you a supermodel, Mom?” Austin asked.
Natalie set down the plates with a clatter. “No, bud, I’m not a supermodel.”
Her son nodded, looking relieved.
Natalie brushed by Liam to get the orange juice and glasses, her mouth tight with obvious disapproval.
He wanted to tell her she was more enticing than any model he’d ever known. She was a real woman, and it was more than her physical beauty that had made Natalie irresistible. It was the way she carried herself, how she knew who she was, the fact that she wouldn’t ever take any crap from him.
He slid into the seat next to Ruth instead. “You can’t stay here,” he said, changing the subject back to the argument they’d been having before she sent him off to look over the property this morning.
“It’s my home.”
“It’s too much for you. You’ll move in with me while I’m here and we get the property ready to go on the market. When I leave, you’ll go to assisted living. Why am I paying for a room there if you don’t use it?”
“Because I like the social activities. They only let residents go on outings. You have the money, so I didn’t think you’d mind.” Ruth forked up a slice of banana, the tremor in her hand clearly visible.
“Are you selling the farmhouse?” Natalie looked shocked.
“No,” Ruth answered at the same time Liam said, “Yes.”
“Ten acres is too much for her, too far away from town—”
“That’s why Natalie and Austin are here. And I have Clarence come by for a few hours every day to maintain things.”
“Clarence is almost as old as you.”
“Don’t sass me, Liam.” Ruth stabbed at her eggs with the fork. “I’ll have Stan give you extra chores when he gets home from work.”
Liam glanced at Natalie, who gave a sharp shake of her head. Ruth’s husband, Stan, had died the same year she retired and they moved to Colorado. He wasn’t sure if he should argue with her or let the comment pass. After a moment he sighed, trying to remember that he had to tread lightly with his former nanny. She’d always been fiercely independent. Liam had gotten used to people doing what he said without question. In the space of an hour, these two women and one boy had given him more trouble than he’d had in years.
“I just want to take care of you.”
“If you’re only here to pester me, you might as well leave now.”
He knew she meant it. Her heart was as big as the Rocky Mountains, but Ruth Keller didn’t mince words.
“Is it so hard to believe I missed you?”
“It’s hard to believe you haven’t been to see me in two years,” Ruth answered, her gaze shrewd.
She could believe her husband who’d been dead for over fifteen years was coming home yet still intuit that Liam was hiding something from her. Liam had to respect the way her mind still worked. He also had to come up with another reason to stay in town so he could get to the bottom of what was happening with her money. “I’m working on my own software company—it’s a new type of GPS technology for outdoor activities. It’s called LifeMap. Besides wanting to see you, I’m looking at basing the company in Crimson. I know how much you love this town and I thought it would make you happy if I could give a boost to the local economy.”
She studied him for a moment, then reached out and wrapped her veined hand around his. “I like the sound of that. You’re a good boy, Liam. Much better than either of your parents. I raised your father, just like I raised you. And I certainly raised him to do better than that gold-digging mother of yours. She always resented me because I knew how to take care of you better than she did. No offense, sweetie.”
“None taken,” Liam said with a smile. “When was the last time you talked to Mom?”
“She sends flowers on my birthday,” Ruth said without hesitation. “Pink roses.”
“You hate roses.” He looked up as Natalie clapped a hand over her mouth.
“I
