thing. Thanks again, Tanner.”
“Anytime.”
She got in her car and he backed away, letting her out so she could lead. The snow was coming down a little harder now, and would be slick before the night was out if the temperature kept dropping. She lived in a little house just west of town limits, and when she turned into her driveway and gave a wave in her rearview mirror, he thought, as he had that day in December, how lonely it must be out here all by herself, with the neighbors spread out. Her name wasn’t even on the mailbox.
Tanner turned around and headed back toward town and home. It wasn’t until he passed the Silver Dollar again that he thought of Rylan and his comment that Tanner should go out looking for a woman.
If he did, the last one he should set his eyes on was Laura Jessup. She might be sweet as apple pie and gorgeous to boot, but she came with way more complication than he was interested in pursuing.
* * *
“LAURA, IS THAT YOU?”
Laura hadn’t even shut the door when her grandfather called out to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then put Rowan’s car seat on the floor. “Yes, Gramps, it’s me. Sorry I’m late.” She took off her coat and hung it in the closet, then put her boots on the mat. For a few moments, she allowed herself to bask in the lovely warmth that came from knowing Tanner had helped her. He’d smiled as if he meant it—as if the rumors about her didn’t matter. Just as he had the day Rowan was born, when he’d held her hand and assured her he wouldn’t leave.
She couldn’t indulge in the sentimental feeling for long, however. Rowan was just starting to wake and she’d want to be fed soon. Laura had been stuck at the bank longer than she’d anticipated thanks to her dead battery, and she didn’t have any supper made. She checked her watch. Gramps liked to eat at six sharp. It was just after seven.
Before Rowan tuned up and started crying, Laura hustled to the fridge and took out leftovers from last night’s roast beef dinner. Gramps loved meat and potatoes, and it was a good thing because Laura wasn’t the world’s greatest cook. She’d bought one of those ready-to-bake roasts, microwaved frozen vegetables and managed to boil potatoes, all without burning the house down. She checked a small plastic dish and saw there was only a little gravy left from the packet mix she’d made. Maybe she could add a bit of water to it and it would be enough for Gramps.
She was happy to have him. But trying to be Martha Stewart while he was here was proving to be a bigger challenge than she’d expected. She was sure he’d get that pinched look on his face when she presented him with a warmed-up version of last night’s meal.
Rowan was awake and grumbling, so Laura took her out of the seat and held her with one arm while using the other one to take off her little pink coat and hat. Laura ventured into the living room, where she found her grandfather in his favorite chair, watching the end of the six o’clock news.
“Sorry about dinner. I’m getting it now. I had some car trouble.”
Gramps was seventy-five and still sharp, but he’d never had to cook or do for himself. With Gram in the hospital for a few weeks with a lung infection, Laura had suggested he stay with her. And she wasn’t sorry. She didn’t have a lot of family around, and they’d been so good to her since she’d come home. But living with Gramps had its challenges all the same.
“Your car all right?”
“I need a new battery. I got a boost in town that got me home. McNulty’s is closed until tomorrow.”
“I was hoping to go see your grandmother tomorrow. Since we missed today.”
Yes, they’d missed driving into Great Falls. Truth be told, Laura was exhausted. Between being up with Rowan, caring for Gramps, and trying to make ends meet, she was stretched to the limit. Today she’d asked to stay home because she was trying to work on a freelance project she’d taken on. The only reason she’d gone into town was because she’d realized she’d run out of diapers.
In the kitchen, the microwave beeped, indicating the first plate of food was ready. “I’ll see what I can do,” she promised. “Come on out to the kitchen, Gramps. Supper’s on.”
She went to the kitchen and swapped the heated meal for the cold one and set the timer again. “Could you put some water on for tea, please?” she asked. “I’d like to change Ro before we eat.”
Gramps grunted a response, but he grabbed the kettle and started to fill it. Laura tried to be patient. Gramps had been the one to work and Gram had stayed home, raised kids and looked after her husband. Laura wasn’t against that kind of existence, even though these days it was rarely practical. That had been their choice. The downside was that Charlie Jessup had never really had to do anything remotely domestic in his life, and at seventy-five he was unlikely to change. He simply didn’t understand why Laura was so incompetent in the kitchen.
Once Rowan was changed, she started to fuss. Laura made sure Gramps had his meal, but it was increasingly clear that she would not have time to eat before feeding Ro. God, she was tired. She poured water into the mugs to let the tea steep. “Sorry, Gramps,” she said, trying to inject some brightness into her voice. “I’ve got to feed Ro. The tea’s steeping, if you don’t mind taking out the bag when the timer goes.”
“Yeah, fine,” he said. “The beef’s good, by the way.”
She didn’t realize how badly she’d needed the compliment until it was given, and her eyes stung with unshed tears. “Thanks,” she answered, scooting out of the kitchen so he wouldn’t see. She went to Rowan’s room. Laura slept in here, too, on one of those blow-up beds with the fold-up frame, since she’d given Gramps her bedroom for the duration of his stay. She sank into the padded rocker and settled Rowan at her breast, exhaling several times to help her relax.
She loved being a mom. And these were precious, precious moments. Laura wished she could stop being so resentful. She resented having to breast-feed in here because her grandfather found it so embarrassing. She resented having to work when she was so exhausted because her maternity benefits were long gone. And while she tried to be grateful for her blessings, it was hard when she went into town and received knowing stares from so many people. They also gave Rowan curious looks, as if expecting her to resemble Gavin.
As far as anyone knew, Laura was a home wrecker. General consensus was she’d been having an affair with Gavin Wallace and Rowan was his child. They’d been high school sweethearts, said the whispers. And the moment she’d come back to town, they’d started up again. And then the worst rumor of all: that he’d been leaving her place the night he had the accident and was killed.
One of these days, she was going to have to leave Gibson behind. Even if she could live with the rumors and whispers, it wouldn’t be fair to do that to Rowan, especially as she got older. She wished she could tell everyone the truth, but she couldn’t. The only person who knew was her lawyer and Maddy Wallace—Gavin’s widow, who’d promised to keep Laura’s secret. She had to let it go for her own safety. For Rowan’s.
Gavin Wallace was not Rowan’s father. And if Spence ever found out that he had a child...
It would be nothing short of a nightmare.
Laura clicked
