four pies more than covered that bill. This ranch will have a new reputation at church thanks to you. The best eats ever at Wranglers Ranch.” He grinned and when she smiled back he decided Sophie’s pies weren’t the best thing about her. Her smile was.
Silence yawned between them. Tanner’s gaze locked with hers and he couldn’t look away from those intense brown eyes until Sophie’s cough snapped the electrical current running between them.
“I need to go,” she said again. “But if I can somehow help with your project here at Wranglers, I hope you’ll tell me.”
“Thanks.” How generous to make such a gracious offer with all she had on her plate. “I will.”
She nodded once before she stepped around him and walked into the living room. “Come on, guys. Time to get home.”
Tanner watched in silent admiration as Sophie gently shook Davy’s shoulder, then Beth’s, wakening them in a tender loving tone. The children roused easily, yawning as they straightened.
“We had the bestest time, Mama. Thank you, Cowboy Tanner.” Beth insisted on calling him Cowboy. Tanner liked it. It made him feel as if he was somehow more noteworthy than the men she usually encountered. He basked in her sweet smile.
“You’re welcome, Beth. I hope you come again.” Tanner surprised himself with the invitation. Sophie’s presence here made his pulse speed up, and that made him nervous. He was all about not getting involved, yet there was something about Sophie and her little family that drew him, made him want to interact with them again.
“Hey, Mom.” Davy was fully awake now and full of information. “Bethy was telling Tanner how you homeschool her and how you’re the leader.”
“I’m just chairman of the homeschool association,” Sophie corrected gently.
“Whatever. Anyway I remembered you said you have to arrange an outing for the homeschool kids.” He grinned at his sister. “Beth and me think coming to Wranglers Ranch would be fun. I could come, too. To help,” he added, his chest puffed out.
Tanner hadn’t encouraged Davy when he’d posed the thought earlier, and he was glad he hadn’t because a doubtful look washed over Sophie’s face as she glanced from her son to him.
“You’d be a big help, son. But I don’t know about visiting a ranch. Not all the homeschool kids can ride horses. What would they do out here?” she asked.
“There’s tons of stuff to do.” Davy grinned at Tanner. “This old guy, Moses, knows all about the original settlers and the Indians that lived here first. He tells lots of cool stories.”
“And the horses need people to feed and brush them,” Beth added. “I got to pet a white one. It’s called Jeremiah, right?” she asked Tanner, who nodded.
“I’d rather ride Gideon. He looks like he’s fast.” Davy’s eyes glowed with excitement.
“Moses, Jeremiah and Gideon. Sounds like you’ve got an Old Testament theme going at Wranglers Ranch.” Sophie smiled at Tanner.
My, how he liked that smile.
“Burt’s idea. Every time he read a passage about a Bible character’s struggles, he’d figure out how he could apply that lesson to his own life. Then he’d use the hero’s name on a rescued horse to remind himself.” Tanner nodded. “We have Melchizedek, Ehud, Balaam—want me to continue?”
“I get the idea. Old Testament heroes.” She rolled her eyes.
“And heroines. Burt was an equal opportunity namer.” Tanner couldn’t smother his laughter when Sophie’s face twisted in a droll look. “No kidding. We have Rhoda, Abishag and Bathsheba to name a few.”
“Abishag?” Sophie’s chortles lifted the gloom that had settled over the house since Burt’s passing. Tanner felt as if the joyful sound swept the house free of grief and loss and replaced it with—hope?
“Maybe you haven’t read about her. Abishag was a beautiful young woman who was chosen to marry David in his old age and cherish him.” Tanner shrugged. “I’m not sure what Burt’s lesson about her was but there must have been one because he chose that name for a mare.”
“Abishag is a really pretty horse. She has black and white spots.” Davy turned to Tanner. “What kind did you say?”
“A pinto,” he said, then fell silent as the children regaled their mother with all the things they’d done with Tanner.
“Okay, odd names aside,” Sophie said when they finally ran out of stories, “since my kids are so impressed with Wranglers Ranch, maybe you and I should have a discussion about arranging for the homeschool kids to come here. This sounds like a great place to visit.”
Davy cheered so loudly the dog started to yowl.
“Sheba, quiet.” Tanner tried to shush the excited animal.
“Sheba.” Sophie slid her arm around each child’s shoulder. “As in queen of—?” She arched one dark eyebrow in a question.
“Everything.” Tanner laughed at her groan. It was such fun teasing with Sophie. He walked with her as she shepherded her family out to her van, waited till they were all buckled in, then leaned toward the driver’s open window. “I really appreciate those pies, Sophie. And I hope you’ll come again soon. Your homeschool kids are also welcome if they want to visit.”
“I’ll see what the rest of the board thinks. They might want to visit your ranch first.” She frowned. “Would that be a problem?”
“Not at all, but you should give me a heads-up before you come,” he said quickly. He liked to be prepared, get his barriers up, Burt would have said. “We’re working on replacement fencing up in the hills and I’m not always here.”
“Okay.” Was Sophie’s hesitation because she was as loath to leave as he was to have her go? “See you.”
I hope so.
He nodded and waved. When the van’s red taillights disappeared around the bend, Tanner let his hand fall to his side, marveling at how alone it suddenly felt in this place that had been his home for so long, the place he enjoyed particularly because of the solitude. Tonight he’d welcome company to stop him from thinking about Sophie, but Moses had disappeared to his little cottage after the kids had fallen asleep.
Tanner walked back inside Burt’s home, then jerked to a stop, suddenly seeing the rooms through new eyes. The updated modernity of the stainless steel kitchen and pristinely tiled bathroom didn’t match the worn and shabby masculinity of the living room. Whenever possible Tanner avoided sitting in Burt’s leather chair, the place where the kids had slept, because it had a spring that hit him in exactly the wrong spot. And it was becoming increasingly difficult to get comfortable on the stained and sagging plaid sofa, which was far too tattered to be restored by simple cleaning.
Tanner kept the place as tidy as he could, but tonight, through Sophie’s eyes, he wondered who in their right mind had chosen the dreary red-and-black wallpaper, which in no way went with the horrible mud-brown carpet that was alternately matted in places and threadbare in others. There was no warm, cozy feeling here, not like at Sophie’s home.
He
