nursery. The McMann ranch was the closest he’d ever come to a home and a family in many years, until the twins were born. Clara sat at the table, and Hadley stood beside her.
He hadn’t found another place in town that might suit him and the babies, and he recalled again Clara’s entreaty to buy the ranch.
“I know what you asked me, Clara,” he said, passing Luke to her. The baby latched onto the bottle, noisily sucking. Hadley sat down, too, and teased the other nipple into Gracie’s mouth. Clara’s challenge had been between them ever since. And here he was, out of a job… “If I could, I’d buy this ranch. Then you could stay right where you are. But I can’t,” he finished, hating to let her down all over again as he had his brother Dallas in a different way.
“Stay, you mean?” she asked.
“No, I mean I don’t have the money to buy you out.”
“If you could, though, would you stay? With the babies?” Her gaze fixed on Luke nestled against her chest. “And before you say another word, I’m more than fine with that.”
Hadley didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t afford the ranch, but maybe there was another option… “What if you didn’t have to sell?” he asked Clara. “What if you kept the ranch—”
“It’s not making any money. You’re aware of that.” She glanced out the kitchen window at the dry fields, the empty barn. “And I know, even when I’ve practically begged you to stay, that you’re determined to leave again…” She trailed off.
Hadley gazed at the same outside view. “What if I didn’t?”
Her gaze jerked up to meet his. And he swallowed hard. Four months ago he’d come here to her ranch for the twins. He’d been antsy for a change ever since, yet he realized his babies were too young for such a drastic upheaval, even the short move he’d planned from here to town. Just as important, where would Clara go?
“I understand things are tight, but if we could put enough money together, even borrow some to buy a few cattle, start a new herd for you—”
“Oh, Hadley,” she said as she had before, one hand pressed to Luke’s hair, the other to her heart.
“I’m a good foreman. I think I could get this ranch going again.” Of course, if he stayed, he’d continue to have to deal with Jenna Moran nosing around in his business, making her weekly drive-bys. Still… Once Clara’s place was making a profit, and the twins were old enough, Hadley could move on as he’d planned and get away from Jenna for good. Her eagle eye over his care of the twins made him nervous. In the meantime, whatever he had to do, he might be able to make this happen.
“I can’t afford much, either,” Clara said, and for an instant Hadley was mentally packing his bags, yet her tone had sounded hopeful. If he and Clara did this, he wouldn’t need another job as anyone’s cowhand; he’d be his own boss again, his decisions, of course, subject to Clara’s approval.
A streak of excitement zinged along his veins. Hadley almost didn’t recognize the feeling. “We’ll manage. Heck, I’d rather work for you than for anybody else.”
THE NEXT MORNING Jenna drove out to the McMann ranch. If that’s painful, you don’t have to spend time with them, Shadow had said, and keeping her commitment to Amy was harder each time she saw the twins. She’d had a near panic attack on the way out here and had to pull over until her pulse settled. The bittersweet sorrow she felt whenever she held Amy’s babies—part grief for her friend who would never see them grow up, part grief for herself that these sweet babies weren’t hers—was something she had to manage. But these visits also filled her heart.
She was surprised to find Hadley at the ranch. On a weekday he should be working at the NLS. Too bad she hadn’t driven by the ranch this time to check if his truck was there.
Jenna took a deep breath. She imagined he wasn’t any happier to see her than she was to see him. Taking the bag from Sherry’s shop off the seat, she got out of her car with a growing sense of dread, then started toward the house. She’d hoped he wouldn’t follow, but Hadley fell into step beside her.
“I can take that,” he said. “Luke and Gracie are napping.”
“I’ll wait for them to wake up. Maybe Clara has time for a cup of coffee. I like to watch her open my gifts for the twins.”
“Maybe on your next visit,” Hadley said. “If you turn around now, head back to town, I’ll tell Clara you dropped off the presents.”
Jenna groaned. First, he’d wanted to bring the package home from the store. Now he hoped to send her on her way without seeing the twins. But she was saved from having to respond. Clara appeared in the doorway with a broad smile and waved at her. “I have pecan coffee cake and a fresh pot. Hadley?” she said. “Will you join us?”
He stopped. “Thanks, but I was about to start cleaning out the barn. After that I’ll mend the corral gate. Should keep me busy most of the day.”
Jenna guessed he was helping Clara get ready to sell the ranch. She climbed the steps and went into the house, leaving him there on the walk. The door shut behind her, and Jenna followed Clara into the kitchen. The smells of brown sugar and butter and rich, dark coffee invited her in, and as Clara poured coffee, then set cream and sugar on the table beside the fragrant cake, Jenna cocked an ear for any sound from upstairs.
She handed Clara the gift bag. “Wait till you see these,” she said, a soft ache starting in her heart. She stirred milk into her coffee while Clara tore open the first package wrapped in pink kitten paper. To Jenna’s own surprise, it didn’t contain the yellow sundress. “No,” she murmured, “that’s for Luke. Sherry must have gotten the outfits mixed up.”
“Or she doesn’t buy into the notion of pink for girls, blue for boys.”
It didn’t matter, of course. Clara oohed and ahhed over Luke’s pastel playsuit and blue sneakers, then studied the label. “Dear me, this will be too small. Luke outgrew the three-month size. Could you exchange it, Jenna, for the next one up? Even nine months might be better. I hate to inconvenience you—”
“I’d be happy to exchange them.” Why hadn’t she thought of a bigger size? But Jenna had little experience with growing babies, and recently she’d bought mostly toys. “Grace’s present, too,” she said. “You don’t even need to open it.”
Clara did anyway. She took great pleasure in examining the yellow sundress that had been wrapped in blue paper, one finger tracing the satin ribbon trim that wound through the bottom hem. “She’ll look adorable in this. Thank you.” Her eyes grew moist. “I’m so pleased Hadley has decided to stay here with them.”
Jenna straightened. “I heard you were going to sell.”
“I was, but Hadley lost his job at the NLS and decided to get this place going again instead of leaving or finding another job. How could I say no? If he succeeds, I’ll be able to keep my home, and the babies will have one, too. Next week he’ll look into buying our first cows.”
The announcement startled Jenna. Was this good or bad for her? On one hand, the twins would still be here, and Jenna could keep
