the kids were just what Tom needed to come out of the funk he’d fallen into since his wife’s death and his son’s departure. He’d lost interest in the ranch years ago, then lost interest in most everything. If it hadn’t been for Jack, he would’ve sold the ranch long ago. Jack had been making it viable, turning a profit on the 2500-acre cattle ranch, and keeping Tom going at the same time.
But now…?
No, Jack couldn’t blame Tom. The woman and her kids were family, after all.
But where did that leave him?
“I’ve got your bags. Where do they go?”
Elizabeth started at the sound of Jack’s deep voice behind her. She turned from the cabinets where she was checking out the cooking supplies. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask Tom.”
He started for the hallway. “Come on. I’ll find places for you. He needs to get some rest.”
She gave him a troubled stare, then followed him. Beside her, Brady picked up the diaper bag. “I can carry this one, Mommy.”
“That’s wonderful of you, Brady. Your sister will be glad to have her bag with us.” She followed Jack up the stairs. “Tom said we could live here for a while,” she told him.
“Yeah, I thought he would.”
“I offered to cook for the two of you. He said you took turns and sometimes ate in the bunkhouse. Which would you prefer?”
He swung around and gave her a studied look. He didn’t exude the warmth she’d found in Tom.
“It depends. How well do you cook?”
She straightened. “I’ve been told I’m good.”
Jack’s eyes swept her, as if sizing her up. Before he could reply, Brady spoke up. “Mommy’s pancakes are really good!”
“Is that so?” he asked, never taking his eyes off Elizabeth.
“Yeah, they’re yummy. Baby doesn’t eat them, but Mommy makes them for me.”
“That’s good enough for me. I’m up for pancakes.”
“But we don’t eat pancakes for dinner, Brady,” Elizabeth reminded her boy, grateful for the diversion.
“What do we have for dinner, Mommy?”
“I don’t know, sweetie. I’ll have to see what they have.”
“Trust me,” Jack said. “We have everything you need.”
There was something in the way he said it that made her think he wasn’t talking about food. She cleared her throat and changed the subject. “What room shall we take?”
“Well, I think Brady should take the room on this side. It’s next to mine. And you should take the room on this side of the stairs, and put the little one next to you.”
“We don’t need that many rooms. We can share one.”
“I believe Tom would like you to each have your own room. He wants you comfortable.”
“I don’t—”
Jack apparently wasn’t entertaining her excuses. “Come to your new room, Brady. Bring your suitcase with you. I’ll help you unpack.”
“No! I’ll unpack for him.”
“You’ve got to unpack for yourself and the baby.”
“I’ll manage.”
“In that case, then, can I take Brady to the barn so he can see some puppies that were born a couple of weeks ago?”
“Please, Mommy?” Brady pleaded with his mother.
“Yes, if you’ll do what Jack says.”
“Okay, Mommy!” Brady hugged her legs and then held his hand up for Jack.
Jack took it. “We’ll be back for dinner.”
Elizabeth stood there, watching her little boy walk off with Jack. The unfamiliar sight of Brady with a man nearly brought tears to her eyes. How she’d yearned over the years for Reggie to be there for him, to be a real daddy.
Casting off the regret, she took the larger bag into the bedroom Jack had suggested she take. The large room was half the size of their entire apartment, with more storage than she needed for the clothes she owned.
In Jenny’s room she found a twin bed but no crib. She could put Jenny to bed there with pillows all around. For the time being, she figured. She wouldn’t grow enough to need a baby bed until they moved on.
She sighed. She had so much to do to bring her children up right. When Reggie was killed, she shouldn’t have been relieved, but she’d already known their marriage was a mistake. He hadn’t cared about her, not when he moved on to the next available woman. He’d never touched her after she got pregnant with Jenny.
She remembered that night. He’d come home drunk and had taken her to the bedroom and had sex with her. The next morning he didn’t remember anything he’d done. Then he’d claimed she’d betrayed him when she turned up pregnant.
The only reason she’d stayed with him was that she wanted her son to have what she never had. She shivered at the memory.
She’d been five when she’d been taken away from her mother by Child Services, never to be returned. The emotions of that day flooded her again, swamping her with sadness and fear. She’d never known her father.
More than anything, she wanted her children to have family, someone who would always help, offer comfort. She’d have to be their family now. Because of Reggie she didn’t think she’d ever remarry.
After hugging her little girl and promising her a future, she put Jenny on the bed and surrounded her with pillows. Then she stowed the child’s belongings.
She went to the kitchen after unpacking for Brady and surveyed the full pantry and freezer, packed with any cut of beef she wanted to cook. The refrigerator was her final review. Jack was right. They had anything she’d need to cook dinner tonight.
Half an hour later, Brady ran into the room. “Mommy! They have lots of puppies. They don’t have their eyes open yet. And they wiggle a lot!”
“I’m glad, Brady. Now you need to hang up your coat and go wash your hands so you’ll be ready for dinner.”
“But, Mommy, can I have a puppy?”
Elizabeth whirled around and stared at her son. “What did you say?”
“Jack said I could have one.”
She turned and stared at Jack. “You told him what?”
“I suggested he could pick out a dog if you didn’t mind.”
“No!
