You should come over, Nurse Sam.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay. You’ll have a lot to do, getting settled. I’ll be by soon enough.”
“You’re more than welcome to join us tonight,” his grandmother offered. “I know Parker thinks the world of you. We’re all so glad you’re going to continue to be involved in his care.”
“I’m glad, too.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Remington push away from the wall. He moved around the room, grabbing the suitcase and a box that held Parker’s prized possessions. “Okay, Parker, time for you to say your final goodbyes and head home.”
Parker looked around the room that had been his for several very long weeks, his expression suddenly showing the case of nerves he’d been hiding. He bit down on his bottom lip and nodded. “I’m ready.”
“You’ll do great, tiger.” Dr. Jackson placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll walk you out.”
As they exited the room, the real party started. The children and nurses were lined up and down the hall with balloons, noisemakers and hats. Parker laughed, waving at his friends. He stopped a few times for extra hugs from staff who had taken care of him through the long months of recovery and rehab.
Sam walked along behind the group. On her way out the door Dr. Jackson had asked her to escort the family to their car and get them all settled. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the man was plotting against her.
Remington walked alongside her.
“I had no idea going home would be like this,” he said.
“We try to make it a special occasion.”
“Thank you for taking us on. I know it means the world to Parker, to know that you’ll still be in his life.”
She kept walking, following the slow procession of Parker, his grandmother, Gus and Dr. Jackson as they made their way down the hall toward the double doors, the lobby and then to the front exit. She took the bag that Remington carried, lightening his load.
“The invitation stands, if you’d like to join us for burgers on the grill,” he continued.
She glanced up, into gray eyes that she knew so well. “I don’t think so.”
“We’re going to have to get used to being around one another. You might find—” he grinned as he said it “—that you want to spend more time with me.”
“I doubt that.” She bit back the smile he probably expected. “I’m not interested in going back and revisiting my fifteen-year-old self. She was a mess.”
“I remember liking her a lot but I understand not wanting to revisit those days. But it won’t hurt for us to be friends right now.”
“No, it won’t hurt.” But she worried it might.
There was so much more between them. More than he realized.
* * *
Remington glanced at the woman walking next to him. He’d give anything to know why her expression seemed so troubled and why something as simple as friendship set her on edge. Yes, they shared a past. It wasn’t as if they were enemy states trying to find a way to sign a peace treaty.
He knew one thing: pushing wasn’t going to get him anywhere with Samantha Martin. He guessed she’d been pushed enough. Pushed away from him, from her home, away from everything safe and familiar.
He’d just gone home to Austin and his family.
Gus said she’d never been the same. She’d come home from time to time. Every now and then she’d ridden in a local rodeo or eaten dinner at her brother’s diner, but she hadn’t been the girl he’d known in Martin’s Crossing.
Gus said she was angry and bitter.
Remington saw it as pain. Deep down pain. He saw a woman who was willing to help animals and children but wasn’t as willing to let people into her life.
He watched as she helped Aunt Lee put Parker in the car, something Lee had been learning to do in rehab. For the past month his aunt had worked with the staff because there would be things she’d have to do for Parker. He and Gus would help her. They’d given their word they wouldn’t let her do this alone. But they all knew that most of it would fall on Parker’s grandmother.
Which is why it made sense for him to give up his job in Austin and settle here on his granddad’s ranch, the Rocking J. To help Gus, Aunt Lee and Parker.
After Parker was settled in the backseat, Sam leaned to kiss his cheek, then she took a step back, letting his grandmother say something to him. Dr. Jackson moved in to share a few words. And then they called Remington forward.
“Will you pray?” Dr. Jackson asked. “I’d like to send you all home with the best support system available.”
Rem agreed. They could all use a guiding hand in this situation. “Of course I’ll pray.”
His gaze strayed in Samantha’s direction. She looked away. But he saw the flicker of doubt, the anger. He hadn’t expected that.
He bowed his head and prayed. For strength, for healing, for peace. He prayed for a special blessing on the staff that gave such great care to these children.
After he ended the prayer, he glanced her way again. Sam’s blue eyes were on him, full of questions. He had answers, but he doubted she really wanted to hear them. Not yet anyway.
He met her clear blue gaze. She raised her chin a notch and walked away, back to the hospital. He told himself not to take it too personally, but he did. He’d never expected this reaction to his decision to go into ministry. He’d dated a woman who didn’t like that she sometimes had to share him with others. He’d dated another woman who had finally admitted she just couldn’t be the wife of a pastor.
“Time to go,” he said to no one in particular.
“Time to go,” Parker echoed as Remington got behind the wheel.
Remington glanced in the rearview mirror and made eye contact with the little boy. He saw a flash of nervousness before Parker smiled, pretending everything was okay. Going home was a big deal. After months in the hospital, he was headed for a new life, new obstacles. Parker would make it, but no one could blame him for being lost and more than a little apprehensive.
It took twenty minutes to reach the Rocking J. The ranch had a long rutted dirt driveway. On each side of that driveway the ranch spilled out as far as the eye could see. It was Texas Hill Country, so the terrain was rugged and a good portion of the thousand-acre ranch was hilly with clear creeks and plenty of trees. It was about the prettiest place Remington knew.
“This is a ranch!” Parker exclaimed from the backseat. “I’m going to live on a real ranch.”
“Yes, sir, you are,” Gus answered. “We’ll make sure you have a few cows of your own so you can start your own herd. Rem started his own herd that way. He has one here and one on his folks’ place.”
“I’ll have my own cows?” Parker whistled. “And a horse?”
