setting boundaries for a twelve-year-old but changed his mind, not wanting to appear totally inept as a parent. They strolled through the empty barn, then walked out the rear door into the petting corral.
“Watch this, JJ.” Tommy chased a rooster whose comb looked as if it weighed more than the bird.
“Superman’s hungry.” Tyler pushed the button on the feeding machine attached to the corral rail and pellets spilled into his hands and onto the ground. He offered the treats to the goat and giggled when the animal licked his palm. “He likes his magic food.”
“That’s a weird-looking chicken.” Jessie pointed to a bird with a feather duster attached to its back end. “The tail is longer than its body.”
“That’s an Onagadori chicken. It was first bred in Japan,” Scarlett said. “I didn’t know a thing about chickens before I came to visit, but thanks to Tyler’s chicken-and-rooster books I’m an expert.” She patted a miniature horse. “This is Ruby.”
“We got Ruby from a newspaper,” Tyler said.
Jessie rubbed the mare’s nose. “What do you mean, you got her from a newspaper?”
“Ruby’s owner couldn’t take care of her,” Sadie said. “He put an ad in the newspaper, hoping someone would adopt her.”
“Our grandpa lets us ride her.” Tommy took Jessie’s hand. “Wanna see Wilbur?” They zigzagged between chickens and stopped in front of a doghouse. “Come out, Wilbur.” A pink snout appeared in opening.
Jessie knelt down. “Come out and play, piggy.”
Tyler squatted by his brother and grunted like a pig. Wilbur left his house and nudged Jessie’s hand with his nose. Her laughter warmed Reid’s heart.
“The twins have a new best friend.” Scarlett nodded to Jessie. “I hope they don’t annoy her too much.”
Reid watched the trio play with Wilbur. His family had accepted Jessie into their fold. Time would tell if they rolled out the welcome mat for him.
“How long did you plan to stay in Stampede?” Scarlett asked.
Apparently no one expected him to stick around.
What else are they supposed to believe when you’ve kept your distance all these years?
“I don’t have any intention of leaving soon,” he said. “Jessie and I are moving into the cabin on the other side of the property.”
“You don’t sound excited about bunking down out there,” she said. “My offer to stay at the motel still stands.”
“The cabin will be fine.” He wasn’t pushing Scarlett out of the house. He needed an ally close by. He hoped he and his family could move forward because his daughter was making herself at home on the ranch and if they had to leave, she’d blame him for things not working out.
“Aunt Scarlett?” Tyler patted Scarlett’s leg. “Can we show Jessie our tree house?”
“Check with your mom first.” Scarlett glanced at Reid. “Logan built the boys a tree fort not too far from the garden alongside the house.”
“Jessie, keep an eye on the boys,” Reid said.
“I will.” She followed the twins out of the barnyard and across the lawn to the back door of the house.
“When did you plan to look at the cabin?” Scarlett asked.
“Right now. You want to come along?” He winced at the eager note in his voice. He was still bruised from the dressing-down his brothers had given him earlier and it was nice to be with someone he didn’t have to keep his guard up with.
“I don’t have Lydia’s eye for interior design or Sadie’s talents in the kitchen and garden, but I know what girls Jessie’s age like and don’t like.” They left the corral and Scarlett secured the latch on the gate. “I’ll tell Sadie where we’re going and meet you out front.”
Reid walked back to his truck and listened to the radio while he waited for Scarlett. He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of the music and gazed out the windshield. As a kid he’d raced down the gravel road to the highway hundreds of times to catch the school bus. He thought he’d never return after he’d caught the bus that had taken him to boot camp. Life sure had a way of turning the best-laid plans upside down and inside out.
* * *
“WHERE’S EMMETT?” SCARLETT asked when she entered the kitchen.
“Upstairs changing clothes.” Sadie poured dish soap into the sink and ran the water. “Fang raced through the room a few minutes ago and tripped Emmett. When he caught himself on the counter, he tipped the bowl of cake batter onto his pants and shirt.” Sadie pointed to the mess on the floor.
“I’d help clean up, but Reid’s waiting for me in the driveway.” Scarlett stepped over the splatter. “We’re going to check out the cabin he and Jessie are staying in.”
“I don’t know why Gunner and Logan suggested the cabin.” Sadie shut off the water. “It’s silly to have them living on the other side of the ranch away from the rest of us.”
“I think you need to let the guys figure out the logistics.” Scarlett went into the laundry room and grabbed a small cooler from the shelf above the dryer.
Sadie followed her. “Are you telling me to mind my own business?”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Sadie laughed. “Yes, you would.”
“You’re a mom and you like to fix everyone’s problems.”
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Sadie said. “You’ve made a career out of fixing kids’ problems.”
“And my professional opinion is that it’s important for Jessie and Reid to have their privacy while they get to know each other better.” She returned to the kitchen and removed two bottles of water from the fridge, then put a handful of grapes into a plastic baggie.
“What are you doing?”
“Packing a picnic lunch.” Scarlett ignored Sadie’s arched eyebrow. She’d never told her cousins that Reid had kissed her the day of their great-uncle’s funeral or that he’d crossed her mind through the years and even more often after her cousins had married his brothers.
“Are you treating this trip to the cabin like one of your family welfare visits?” Sadie asked.
“If I said no, would you drop the subject?”
Sadie’s eyes twinkled. “Yes.”
“Then, no.”
Sadie went back to the sink and began wiping up the cake splatter. Scarlett knew her cousin had stopped her interrogation because she was glad Scarlett was showing interest in a man. After her horrible breakup with Dale, Scarlett had refused to get back into the dating game. Her cousins had suggested an online
