Chapter Sixteen

“B lake said that?” Izzy asked after Malorie finished telling her best friend about Nathan’s offer to be the Lohmen’s ranch nurse and Blake’s reaction. “I hate it when a guy says that.”

“What does that mean, anyway?” Malorie wasn’t crazy enough to decide to stay in a town because a guy she was attracted to lived there, but she’d been foolish enough to hope something might come of her and Blake living in the same town.

His, sure, if you want to , had gotten her thinking and questioning why she was even considering moving to Colorado. Was that what she wanted? The answer was instantaneous. She wanted to be more than a divorced woman struggling to raise two kids on her own, but that didn’t mean she had to nab onto the first guy to strike her fancy.

“It means he’s not that into you. I’m sorry, Mal, because I think you like this guy a lot.”

“I was afraid of that,” Malorie said softly, her heart tripping in a painful rhythm.

Blake might be heart-thumpingly handsome and sweet, and someone she could see herself spending the rest of her life with. But more than that, what she wanted was to give her kids the best life she could. If along the way she found some joy, too, well, that would be a happy ending.

In the background, she could hear Izzy loading her Sport Trac with the belongings she’d brought with her to babysit Malorie’s house while she and the twins were in Colorado. Izzy was about to leave for Portland to be with her mom.

A car door snapped closed in her ear. Izzy’s voice was full of sympathy. “So, what are you going to do? If you want to do the ranch nurse thing, the house is all closed up. I left your key with Mrs. Carlyle. She’s happy to watch the place until you come back.”

Malorie straightened. Taking Blake out of the equation would make her decision of whether to relocate to Strawberry Ridge harder, but not impossible. When she divorced Mark, she never expected to find herself loving a guy again who did not share her feelings. She wasn’t about to let a broken heart get her down again. And Blake returning to Sedona at the end of the summer would make moving on a whole lot easier. Problem solved.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do. I have to talk it over with Andee and Reece.”

The twins were spending the morning with Blake. He didn’t come into the house when he came to ask if they wanted to help him, but said instead, he would wait for them in the barn.

The man was impossible. Dinner and a movie for the five of them were obviously off the table, but why? They’d had so much fun the last time. And there was their trip to Strawberry Ridge too. Falling in love with a town was at least better than losing her heart to another man who’d decided she wasn’t worth the effort.

“Well, good luck.” Izzy’s truck started up in the background. “Let me know what happens.”

“Good luck to you and your mom too. I hope she does better.”

“I’ll call as soon as we know anything.” With that, Izzy disconnected.

This situation called for a family meeting. Strawberry Ridge had something special. It was charming and bursting with character. The main street was completely walkable, with the bookstore, cafes, cute shops, and friendly people. And she’d found out there was a hospital too. They could make a home in the sweet little town, but abruptly moving them to Strawberry Ridge wasn’t something Malorie could decide without discussing it first with the twins.

Did she dare take a chance and risk her heart? If she went all in with Blake, like she had with Mark, and it didn’t work out—and, so far, he’d shown no signs that he was interested in her that way—she suddenly realized the fallout would be far worse than how broken she’d felt when Mark had called it quits. This time it would be worse.

Sitting at the table, she closed her eyes, dropped her face into her hands, and rubbed her temples. How had she fallen so crazy in love with the cautious rancher? How had he become the one she didn’t want to live without?

Andee and Reece burst through the door. Their excitement wrapped Malorie in a ray of sunshine and warmth. They were her life.

Blake could be too , whispered a little voice in her head.

“Is it lunchtime, Mom?” Reece asked, then sat on the bench at the door and took off his dirty boots.

Andee sat next to her brother. Putting the glass in the sink, Malorie glanced at the clock, then pulled a loaf of bread from the small pantry. “It is. How does peanut butter and jelly sound?”

“Good. I’m starved.”

She laughed. Reece was always starving. “Okay, go wash up. When we’re done with lunch, we need to have a family meeting. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Something serious?” The smile that Andee sent Malorie faded.

She hugged her earnest daughter. “Kind of, but let’s have lunch first.”

Lunch was a little more subdued than Malorie would have liked, but it couldn’t be helped. The kids had become very attuned to her moods ever since Mark had announced he was leaving.

“How was your morning with Blake and Timmy?”

That brightened them up a little. Reece was the first to jump in, a definite change from when they’d first arrived on the Triple L, when he’d let Andee do most of the talking. “We helped them finish the truck. But it’s a secret because B.J. wants to put a big red bow on it before he gives it to his brothers.”

“He’s giving it to his brothers? Doesn’t it belong to all three of them?” Malorie was surprised, but also, somehow, not.

Andee finished her sandwich. “He said repairing the truck was his way of making amends.”

“What’s making amends?” Reece asked.

And that was why she couldn’t stop falling more and more in love with the man. “It means fixing a mistake that was made.”

“What mistake?”

“You’d have to ask Blake.” It was his story to tell. Malorie cleared the table. When she was done, she said, “Okay, let’s call the family meeting to order.”

Reece responded by pounding the table once with his fist. “I call this meeting to order.” He was very dramatic.

“I second it,” Andee said, with just as much energy.

Last year the twins had studied court and arbitration proceedings in school and adopted some of the processes for their family meetings, which she’d started when... well, there was no reason to think any more about her ex. If the children agreed, she had other plans for their lives than mourning what had been lost.

There it was. She loved Blake. Her heart fluttered and bloomed wide. “Motion approved. First thing on the agenda... who wants a bowl of ice cream?”

Ice cream as the first item on any agenda was something they’d started with their very first meeting. Both kids raised their hands, but Malorie was faster. She’d already gotten a container of strawberry ice cream, three small bowls, and three spoons, and was bringing them to the table.

With her whole heart. She loved Blake Lohmen with her whole heart!

As she started talking, Malorie filled the bowls. “So, before I tell you what I’m thinking, tell me honestly—how do you guys like living here?”

“On the ranch?” Andee scooted an overflowing bowl and spoon toward Reece and took the second for herself.

Leaving the third bowl in front of her chair, Malorie put the ice cream away. “The ranch is a temporary work thing. But I mean living in Strawberry Ridge or somewhere nearby.”

“Living in Strawberry Ridge is almost as good as this ice cream,” Reece said around a mouthful.

Malorie looked at her daughter. “What do you think, Andee?”

“I think Reece is right. I love Strawberry Ridge.”

Her ice cream was melting, but Malorie didn’t want to delay broaching the subject on her mind. “What if I told you that I’ve considered moving to Strawberry Ridge and I agree with you, Andee? It would be a good place to live. We can find a cute cottage to live in. I could get a job at the hospital, or maybe with the county. You two”—she pointed with her spoon—“would start at the junior high in September. What do you think? I don’t want to make such a big move without both of you being in favor of the idea.”

Reece finished the last of his ice cream. “We’d get to live near Timmy?”

“I’m not sure,” Malorie finished just as Andee pushed her empty bowl away. She had to be honest with the twins. That was their deal. She would always tell them the truth. “I think Timmy and his dad are going back to Sedona at the end of the summer.”

Both kids looked at each other and frowned but didn’t say anything.

“What do you say, Andee?” Malorie didn’t want to push them, but at the same time, she no longer saw a downside to making the move.

Andee was quiet for a long moment, but then she said, “I make a motion that we move to Strawberry Ridge.”

“I second the motion,” Reece said immediately, all but bouncing in his seat.

Malorie held back a laugh. This was serious business, especially for the kids. “All in favor, say ‘aye.’”

Three ayes erupted around the table.

“Okay. The ayes have it. We’re moving to Strawberry Ridge.” Inside, Malorie had peace about their decision. For the first time in a long time, she was excited about making a move. Especially one that was taking them into a bright future. There was just one other thing. “I’ll tell Jonas and get some time off so we can go to Ashland and make arrangements to move our things and put the house on the market. But would it be okay if we don’t tell anyone else and we keep this between the three of us until we get back?”

The twins had jumped up and were dancing around the table. They stopped mid-stomp and looked at her, their brows pulling together. Andee, always the more direct of the two, asked, “Why?”

“Well, because there’s a lot to arrange and I want to make sure Nathan’s progress isn’t slowed down because he thinks we’re abandoning him.” This was true, but also true was the fact that she didn’t want Blake to think they were moving to Strawberry Ridge because she was chasing after him like some fangirl. How awkward would that be?

Andee and Reece nodded and agreed together. “Okay.”

Reece added, “Can we ask Timmy if he and B.J. might be staying? That would be so cool if they did.”

“Sure. Just don’t give anything away. It’ll be a better surprise that way.” Not a horrible surprise, she hoped. “We’ll leave before noon on Monday. Maybe we can have lunch in Strawberry Ridge on the way out of town. We’ll do laundry and you can pack your travel bags tonight while I talk to Jonas.”

And find a substitute nurse for the eight days she figured she’d be gone.

“Okay, Mom,” Reece said as they put on their boots and headed out the door.

Andee stopped before following her brother down the stairs. “I’m glad we’re moving here, Mom. You like B.J., don’t you?” She didn’t know what Andee had on her mind, but “like” wasn’t a strong enough word for how she felt.

And the truth was—“Of course, I like him. We’re friends,” Malorie agreed, hoping her daughter didn’t notice how much feeling was lacking in her answer.

She and Blake were still friends. Anything more could have nothing to do with their move from Oregon without something more on Blake’s part. Maybe it was time to tell him how she felt, or at least hint at it. Ask him to go on a picnic. Or bolder, ask him out on a date at the best restaurant in town.

But not until after they got back from their trip, so she could plan a way to present the idea of the two of them spending more time together in a way that didn’t scare her off.

Andee nodded, a twinkle lighting in her light-brown eyes. With a little skip, she followed her brother. Malorie loved that girl, but she was up to something.

Later that night, while the twins were busy with laundry and packing their travel bags, Malorie took care of her nursing duties, got Nathan comfortable for the night, and then approached Jonas. She hadn’t seen Blake since that morning. “Can we talk in private for a moment?”

“Sure.” He led the way into the office and gestured toward one of the chairs on the front side of the desk. “Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?” She shook her head. “No? What’s on your mind?”

She’d already been in touch with a friend she’d gone to nursing school with. Rena had called and would be willing to take care of Nathan while she was away. Malorie had gotten lucky. “The kids and I have decided to move to Strawberry Ridge.”

“That’s great news.” And when she didn’t immediately respond, he asked, “Isn’t it?”

Malorie finally smiled. “We’re very excited, but it means I need to take eight days off and go to Oregon to close up our house.” She rushed on. “I have a colleague coming to take care of Nathan while I’m gone. I can vouch for her. Rena is very good with rehab patients. He’ll be in good hands while I’m gone.”

“We’re lucky to get her on such short notice.” Jonas leaned back in his chair, his steady gaze staying on her face. He had his lawyer’s look on.

Malorie nodded. “She finished her last assignment early, heard I was looking for someone last month, and called just a little bit ago to see if the opportunity was still available.”

“She was okay with the short time frame?”

Malorie didn’t want Jonas to think she was a flake, but the sooner she closed up her life in Ashland, the more money she would have toward buying a house in Strawberry Ridge. “It worked out because she’s on her way to Wyoming to stay the rest of her summer with her granddaughter, who’s due to have a baby in a month.”

“When are you leaving?” Jonas walked her to the front door.

She thought Nathan had fallen asleep, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught him watching them. She lowered her voice. She didn’t need advice from either of the brothers. Fortunately, it didn’t look like Jonas had any to offer. “Tomorrow, about noon. After Rena gets here and I introduce her to Nathan.”

“Okay. I’ll tell Nathan what’s going on. Travel safe.”

“But—” Before she could tell Jonas she preferred to keep her personal life quiet, he’d closed the door behind her.

She shrugged, thinking she should go back in and ask him not to share her plans with his brothers, or at least Blake, anyway. Imagining Blake’s frown and then blank expression when he found out she would be living in Strawberry Ridge when her time on the Triple L was complete, she decided to let it go and went to pack her bag.

Why should Blake care where she lived? He would go back to Arizona and his life there. They would likely only run into one another in passing when he came to visit his brothers.

She’d survived a humiliating divorce. She could survive falling in love with a man who didn’t love her back.