before. She hoped she’d be able to continue working on some cases from here, but it had been made clear to her that the clients of Graham, Graham and Welsh expected and would receive personal attention. At least they were willing to hold her position open.
No one could live on her salary in Manhattan, pay off college and law school loans and still have much left over anyway. When she made partner, it would be another story, but in the meantime, her finances were tight. And her mother had given up her job at the gift shop when Carolyn and Dean were deployed to the Middle East.
The twins had the funds that had come to them on their parents’ deaths, of course, but if possible, Mama wanted that put away for their futures.
“You know, I believe I might know just the thing.” Sarah looked pleased at the prospect of helping. She turned to her desk and scribbled something on a piece of paper. “I volunteer at Children of the Day. It’s a local charity that helps victims of war—does wonderful work. As it happens, they’re looking for a care coordinator right now, and I believe the schedule would be flexible. With your legal background, you’d probably be a big asset.”
“I’m not licensed in Texas—” she repeated, but Sarah pressed the paper into her hand.
“Just talk to Anna Terenkov, the director. I’m sure this is all going to work out fine.”
Sarah was a lot more optimistic than she was, since at the moment she didn’t see anything working out fine. Still, if she could get the job, the money would be welcome. Her expenses in New York continued unabated while she kicked her heels in Texas.
Not for long, she reminded herself. She’d do all she could for her mother and the twins, since Carolyn had named her as their guardian, but in the end, her life was back in New York.
Steve worked his way methodically through cleaning up the paintbrushes. He’d volunteered two hours of painting to the elementary school this afternoon, but he had a meeting back on post at four. The group he’d formed to get soldiers to volunteer for community projects was going strong now, and he owed it to the people he’d talked into it to show that he’d be right in there volunteering his own time and effort.
From where he stood, he could see through the windows of the kindergarten room. Amanda and Josie, chestnut heads together, whispered over their papers, while their aunt Caitlyn sat talking with Sarah Alpert.
He worried about the twins, as he worried about all those under his care who had suffered losses. The twins had each other and their grandmother, and now they had their aunt. Was Caitlyn up to the responsibility she’d inherited from her sister?
He studied her, frowning a little. He remembered her well, which was odd in itself since she’d been three years behind him in school. Maybe she’d stood apart because of the fierce ambition she’d shown at an age when most girls were too busy giggling over boys, pop stars and clothes to give much thought to their futures.
Now—well, Caitlyn Villard had grown into a beauty, if you liked women who were sophisticated, even icy. She was tall and slim, carrying herself as if there wasn’t a doubt in her mind as to who she was and where she was headed.
The hair that had once been flaxen was now a rich golden brown, tousled in a way that he suspected was style, not nature. Her eyes hadn’t changed, though. They were a warm hazel with glints of gold when the sun caught them.
Well, the important thing wasn’t how she looked, although she was certainly worth a second glance from any man. What was crucial was whether she could take care of those children.
She’d probably used that single-minded determination of hers that he remembered to take the big city by storm. From what he could see, apparently she’d made it, despite all the obstacles there must have been for a little girl from Texas with no family backing or money.
But now she was faced with even harder barriers in learning how to be a mother to two precious children. Did she have that in her? He didn’t know.
His thoughts automatically went inward in prayer. Lord, You know what You have in mind for Amanda and Josie, and for their aunt. If there’s a way in which I can help, please use me.
When he looked again, the door was opening and Caitlyn and the twins were coming out.
Amanda spotted him first and let out a squeal. She came running toward him, waving a welcome, with Josie scurrying behind.
He bent to hug them, holding them away from his paint stains and grinning at their enthusiastic greeting. “Hey, you two. Y’all been having some fun in the kindergarten room with Miss Sarah?”
“I made a picture and printed my name,” Amanda said importantly. “And I said my numbers, too.”
“How about you, sugar?” He tugged gently at a strand of Josie’s hair. Josie always had to be coaxed a little. “Did you print your name, too?”
She nodded. “I printed Josie,” she said. “Not Josephine.”
“Girls.” Caitlyn had reached them by now, and she clearly didn’t know what to make of this. “What are you doing?”
He smiled at her. “The twins and I are old friends.” He caught Amanda’s hand as she reached for the paint can. “That’s wet, Amanda.”
Amanda pouted for a fraction of a second before turning to her aunt. “We love Chaplain Steve,” she said. “He’s our friend.”
“Chaplain Steve?” Caitlyn’s voice accented the title, and annoyance danced in her eyes. “Are you really a minister?”
He shrugged. “Guilty.”
“You knew I thought you were a painter.” Her lips tightened.
Obviously Caitlyn didn’t like being fooled. “Sorry.” Truth to tell, he felt a little embarrassed that he hadn’t been up front with her. “I did know what you were thinking, but you looked so disapproving I couldn’t resist teasing you just a mite.”
Faint color came up on her cheeks. “I wasn’t disapproving. It’s nothing to me what you do.”
“Come on, now,” he said. “Tell me you weren’t thinking that I’d failed to live up to my potential, like Mrs. Clemente used to say in trigonometry class.”
Josie tugged at his sleeve. “What does potential mean?” She said the word carefully.
“It means doing everything that you’re able to do,” Steve answered.
“Oh.” She seemed to be storing the definition away for possible future use.
“As I recall, your father was a chaplain, wasn’t he?” Caitlyn had herself in hand now, and she asked the question with just the right degree of polite interest.
“That’s right. I guess I could have been assigned most anyplace, but I requested Fort Bonnell, and here I am. I’ve taken over the Fort Bonnell Christian Chapel, but I had to redecorate, since Daddy took all his fishing pictures with him when he and Mama retired to Wyoming.”
“And you know the twins how?” Her voice expressed doubt.
“They’re part of my job, as it happens, ministering to those of our Fort
