Chapter Four

A fter making sure Nathan was settled for the morning, Malorie headed toward the barn to see what Blake had given Andee and Reece to do. Yesterday, it was cleaning up the apartment over the barn. Today, barely finishing breakfast, the twins had rushed out of the house, they said, to help with the horses. She didn’t know what Andee meant by that, but she didn’t want them riding the big animals she’d seen in the pasture without first having a few lessons. Not that she thought Blake would put them in harm’s way. It was that... well—She was a mom, and from the day they were born, they were two of the most important people in her life.

Which was probably why, eleven years into this mom thing, she was now divorced.

Nope. Her new not-married-anymore status was all on Mark. Seven months ago, he’d turned forty-one and, suddenly, she wasn’t what he wanted anymore. She wasn’t sophisticated enough. Or stylish enough. Or wanting to spend every weekend doing something more exciting than being a soccer mom, like snowboarding down the slopes all day while she left the twins with a babysitter (that’s what Mark suggested, before saying he was just kidding). She’d heard it all. Being Andee and Reece’s mom was all the excitement she needed to be happy.

Looking back on the last year and a half of her marriage, when Mark worked longer hours and came home for dinner less, deep inside, where she hadn’t wanted to explore too much, she’d started to expect their family wasn’t his top priority anymore.

She heard the twins asking Blake questions—their favorite activity—before she saw them.

“How do you know their names?” Reece asked.

Malorie stopped where she could see the three of them raking out one of the stalls. She wondered about that too. From what she’d heard between Jonas and Nathan, Blake hadn’t been back to the ranch in a long time.

Using a pitchfork, the rancher piled used hay in the wheelbarrow in the opening of the stall with the door slid to the side. “My dad, when he was alive, had a lot of horses. He put their names on plaques on the back of each stall.” He pointed with the handle end of the pitchfork. “See there? It looks like my brother has continued with the tradition. This is Duke’s stall. The next one is Angel’s. And the next is Bella’s.”

“There’s only three horses?” Leave it to Reece to notice the number of stalls that weren’t occupied.

“So it would seem.” Blake’s brows pulled together and his smile disappeared. “That’s something I have to talk to my brothers about.”

Blake talked about his dad with a hint of sadness. It didn’t make her choice as easy as it should have been. She should go, just as she planned. But staying on until Nathan no longer needed nursing care was starting to have an appeal, especially since the brother’s interactions seemed to be settling into something less volatile.

When he turned to help the kids finish up the stall they were cleaning out, he saw her standing just inside the barn. “And here’s your mom—come to see if we’re doing a good job, no doubt.”

“Of course.” Malorie joined them and peered into the stall. His teasing smile was irresistible, as if a man’s smile was all it took to make her day better. She mentally pulled free. It wasn’t. “Looking good, guys.”

Blake appeared to have no trouble including Andee and Reece in whatever he was doing. Unable to resist that small act of kindness—something their father never got the hang of—even though it would be better if she didn’t, Malorie smiled back.

Reece pulled on her hand. “Mom! B.J. gave us chores to do. I get to give the horses grain every morning.”

“And I’ll give them water every morning and night, and sweep the floor,” Andee said proudly, standing tall before going back to raking up dirty straw.

The barn was long, with a lot of stalls off to both sides of a wide center aisle. Only the first three were in use. Bridles hung beside each open door. Off to one side was a heavy gate that led into a large space marked as the arena.

She loved the sight and smell of horse and hay, and how happy her kids were. Was she doing the right thing leaving the ranch?

“I hope it’s okay to give them some chores. They want to learn about the horses. I figure this is one way—”

Malorie looked down at Blake’s boots, well worn, and not just for show. If she decided to complete her contract, which she still thought was a long shot, she’d have to get the twins cowboy boots to tromp around in the muck while they cleaned up after the horses. “You’re sure they’re not getting in your way?”

“They’re fine. I’m glad to have their company.” There was something in his forest-colored eyes—It was silly really, but she recognized that tiny glint of grief that was so quickly hidden.

Getting entangled in Blake Lohmen’s problems wasn’t part of the plan. Still, she couldn’t brush off the feeling that there was more to the rancher’s story than he wanted others to know, including perhaps his brothers.

And she had to stick to her agenda. She hadn’t come so far away from home to be distracted by a guy she barely knew, no matter how sensitive he appeared and how attractive he was at first sight.

Shaking free of the momentary lapse, she wrapped an arm around Reece and gently scrubbed his head with her knuckles. Holding off a smile, she nodded at Blake. “I think having chores won’t hurt them one bit. It’ll keep them out of trouble. Especially this one.”

“Mom!” Reece wrestled his way free, getting far enough away so that she couldn’t reach him.

For the first time in months, Malorie laughed. She wasn’t certain landing the twins in the middle of another family’s dysfunction was a good idea, but she couldn’t avoid how freeing it felt that Blake seemed willing to fill the role of a responsible adult male, even if it wasn’t intentional.

How could she not appreciate his effort? Especially since, besides being a rancher, he was also a superhero author who wrote books full of good advice for kids trying to find their way in life. Books that her children responded to and loved.

“You guys come up for lunch when you’re done helping Blake.” Burying her sudden interest, she glanced at him and shoved her hands in her pockets. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”

Arching his brows, he studied her closely. “Thanks, but I need to ride the fence line to see if any repairs need to be done.”

That was good because getting into a flirtation was not what coming to Colorado was about. “No problem.”

When she saw the speculative gleam in his eyes before he turned away, she wondered if maybe she hadn’t reined in her misbehaving hormones as well as she’d hoped. In any case, as of that morning, Jonas hadn’t had any luck finding her replacement. And she’d reached out to several travel nurse agencies after her own didn’t have anyone available. No luck there either. Even colleagues she’d worked with and whom she trusted to take good care of Nathan had already taken summer jobs.

Maybe she and the twins weren’t leaving the Triple L. She couldn’t just abandon Nathan without making sure he had a nurse to help him through the healing process. Which left her uncharacteristically between a rock and a hard spot. She’d always been able to solve any problem that presented itself, even Mark wanting a divorce. Not this time.

Heading for the guesthouse to make the twins’ lunch, she made a detour to the garden to collect a fistful of the blooming plants to take inside. Malorie took a deep breath of the summer scent, practically burying her nose in the colorful flowers before she put them in the vase she’d found in the cupboard over the refrigerator. After arranging them to her liking, he set the overflowing vase in the middle of the island table.

Sun trickled through the skylight and corner windows, streaking across white cabinets and the counter. Malorie stood back, taking in her handiwork. So far, the Triple L was everything she wanted it to be. A picture of Blake, in his jeans and cowboy boots, flashed through her mind before she could stop the thought that he was an attractive sight as he introduced her kids to ranch life.

Pushing his image to the far side of her mind, she started cheese sandwiches on the griddle. By the time Andee and Reece came in, lunch was ready.

Catching them before they got too far, she told them, “Take off your shoes, guys.” There was a bench with baskets underneath in the small mudroom. Squelching the regret that Blake wasn’t with them, even knowing he had something else to attend to, she asked, “Did you finish your chores?”

“Yes,” Andee said. After she removed her shoes, she skipped to Malorie’s side. “I had so much fun. After dinner, B.J. said we can help put the horses back in their stalls.”

Malorie plated the sandwiches and handed one to each of the kids as they took seats at the table. Getting their drinks, she joined them.

“I need to talk to you guys.” How did she put this? Ever since their father had abruptly taken off, Malorie had tried to be transparent and honest with Andee and Reece. After everything the eleven-year-olds had been through, they deserved that much.

They both looked at her, their expressions suddenly wary. Andee was the first to speak, which was typical, since she was generally the spokesperson for the two. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Malorie fidgeted in her seat. “Exactly.” Why was this so hard? It shouldn’t be. She straightened. “I told Jonas that we’ll be leaving as soon as he can find a replacement nurse for Nathan.”

“Why?” Andee asked, her mouth tightening into a straight line.

Reece jumped up from his chair at the same time. “No way! I don’t want to leave!”

Malorie nudged her plate aside. It was better to just explain straight out. “When we got here, the brothers were having a big fight. I don’t think that’s good for us to be around.”

“Reece and I fight.” Andee left her seat to stand next to Reece. “A lot.”

Reece nodded, then insisted, “They’re not fighting now. Maybe we should ask them what they were fighting about and make them talk it out like you do with us.”

“We don’t want to leave, Mom.” Andee stepped closer and placed her hand in Malorie’s. “Please? We love it here.” She turned to her brother. “Don’t we, Reece?”

He nodded emphatically. Not to be outdone by his sister, he leaned against Malorie’s other shoulder. “Please? Can we stay?”

Oh dear. Malorie sighed heavily. She rubbed her forehead, trying to find the right words. The best she could do was, “We came here for some peace and quiet.”

“But it’s so nice. And peaceful,” Andee said. “And there’s horses. And the garden. Don’t you like how pretty the garden is?” Andee had that look on her face that she got when she was leaps ahead of Malorie, which happened more often than Mal wanted to admit. “We’ll be okay, Mom.”

“Yeah,” Reece joined in. “We should stay. We’re happy here.”

Malorie had to agree. She hadn’t seen the twins as happy as they were while mucking out stalls in a long time. But would they continue to be happy? “I’ll think about it. Right now, Jonas can’t find a substitute nurse. But if he does—We’ll talk again about leaving.”

It was Reece who pointed out the obvious. “But where would we go?”

That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? Back to Ashland, she guessed, which would defeat the purpose of her taking the job on the Triple L for the summer to begin with. She’d quickly searched the online job boards that morning, but there was nothing like the Triple L, where she didn’t have to put the kids in daycare during the odd hours when she took care of her patient.

“Promise you’ll think about staying,” Andee said, her light-brown eyes pleading. Which meant, especially with her hands clasped in front of her chest, please change your mind.

Crumbs. How could she say no? “Let’s finish lunch, then we can put the puzzle together.” She’d put the box on the coffee table while waiting for the grilled cheeses to cook. “If Jonas doesn’t find a replacement for me and we stay all summer, when this job is over, we’ll be going back home, anyway.”

“We know, Mom,” Andee said, her shoulders slumping.

The twins were too quiet while they finished their lunch. Malorie couldn’t help that. She was the mom and had to do what was best for them, even if they didn’t like hearing what she had to say.

The puzzle she’d packed had horses running across a grass field. She hadn’t thought much about it at the store when she was picking out the one that would be most challenging for the twins. Now she realized the beautiful scene was another subtle hint that they should stay on the Triple L.

With the image of Blake helping the twins replace used hay in the stalls stuck in her head, Malorie distracted Andee and Reece by having them look for the corner pieces while she cleaned up the kitchen. Later, she left them absorbed in putting the puzzle together as she stepped outside to call her best friend, Izzy.

Izzy picked up on the second ring. “Hi, I was just about to call you. How’s the new job going so far?”

“Not so good.” Frowning, Malorie followed the path into the garden and sat on the stone bench calling her name.

“But you were looking forward to this one. What happened?”

“You would love this place. Strawberry Ridge is a quaint little town right out of one of those sitcoms we love to watch. And the Triple L is perfect. But the brothers who own the ranch don’t get along. I brought the kids here to get away from all the struggles and conflict Mark put us through and leapt from the frying pan into the fire. On day one, we walked right into a family argument. I’m waiting for Jonas to get a replacement nurse for Nathan, and I’ve started looking for another temporary assignment.”

“Hold your horses, Mal. Things could get better. Just give it a chance. And don’t worry about things here. I’ve got it covered.” Izzy was house-sitting for Malorie while rejuvenating one of the Shakespearean theaters that had gotten more than a little worn around the edges in recent years.

Izzy working in Ashland while she took the assignment in Colorado had been perfect timing. “How’s the renovation going?”

“It’s going great. I should wrap it up in a month or so.”

They talked for a few minutes longer. Izzy was a wiz at restoring failing businesses. The theater project was right up her alley.

When they hung up, Malorie went to check on Nathan. She found him wearing black-rimmed glasses, going over what appeared to be ledgers. When he glanced up and saw her, he closed the books and took off the glasses. “Hi.”

“Hi yourself.” She hung the stethoscope around her neck and picked up the blood pressure cuff. “How are you doing?”

He sighed heavily. “I’m bored. When can I get out of this bed?”

When he tried to scoot to sit up straighter and winced, Malorie took the black book and his glasses and set them aside. “Let’s see how you’re doing tomorrow. Jonas said he ordered you a wheelchair.”

“Yay,” Nathan said without much enthusiasm. She took his vitals, gave him medicine, and before she could think of a way to chase away his crankiness at his forced confinement, he asked, “Has Jonas found a replacement for you yet?”

That wasn’t exactly the subject she would have chosen. “Not that he’s told me.”

“I’m glad.” He leaned his head back, pushed the button to lower the head of the bed, and closed his eyes.

Blake came in while she cleaned the kitchen, waiting for Nathan to fall into a nap.

He frowned at her. “You shouldn’t be cleaning up our mess. That’s not part of your duties.”

“It’s no problem. I’m waiting for Nathan to settle before I go back to the guesthouse.”

Blake took the tea towel from her. “How’s my brother doing?”

“Better. He’s starting to get restless, which is a good sign. We’ll see how he tolerates getting into a wheelchair tomorrow. How do your fences look?” Malorie knew she was talking too fast and wished she hadn’t noticed how good Blake looked, with his clothes and boots dusty and his hair all windblown. He was just too yummy, dang it.

He reached over his head to put the plate he’d dried into the cupboard. “There are a couple of sections that need repair, but otherwise, it’s not too bad.”

“How many acres do you have?” She should be heading back to help the twins finish their puzzle, but she couldn’t ignore the way Blake’s voice, a cross between deep and earthy, sent a shiver of awareness up her spine.

What was wrong with her? Hadn’t she learned her lesson with Mark? It was just her and Andee and Reece now. That was the way she wanted to keep it.

“When I left the ranch?” He frowned. “One hundred, but—”

What an odd way to put it.

“Never mind that.” His wide smile was suddenly back, nearly derailing Malorie. He didn’t want to talk about the ranch. Okay. She got that. There were lots of things she didn’t want to talk about as well. “Would it be okay if Andee and Reece help me with a project this afternoon? I need to go through the tack room and take inventory.”

That probably wasn’t a good idea. The twins were getting too comfortable on the ranch, and especially too comfortable spending time with Blake Lohmen, a man they’d known for less than a handful of days. She didn’t need him cementing the idea that they could depend on him.

Malorie didn’t want to paint him with the same paintbrush that she applied to Mark but look at how her ex had left them high and dry.

“I’m not sure.” She didn’t need the twins falling in love with the ranch or the brothers.

Too late.

They were smiling more and wanting to be closed in their rooms less, which didn’t bode well for her plan to pack up and leave as soon as she could. Spending the afternoon with them, putting the horse puzzle together, in between taking care of Nathan, had been relaxing and fun, but—“How long do you think that will take?”

“About an hour or so.” The side-eye he gave her was a clear giveaway that he knew she had reservations about Andee and Reece spending too much time with him—a tall, dark, handsome cowboy storyteller. At least from where she stood, putting as much space between them as she could was a good idea. He bargained, “I’ll have them back by dinner.”

Well. Fine. She couldn’t let the man studying her as if he could read her thoughts see how much Mark’s leaving, and the circumstances he chose to leave under, had devastated her. Inside, she knew the breakup of her marriage wasn’t her fault, or at least not all her fault, but they’d promised to be married until death parted them. Little did she know that meant it was their promise that was going to die. Her blindness at how a relationship could change over time made Malorie mad and at the same time sad. She’d failed at one of the most important things she’d tried to accomplish. She wouldn’t let that happen again.

“All right.” And before she could stop herself, she blurted, “We’re planning to watch Night at the Museum. You’re welcome to join us if you want. We’re having popcorn—”

What just happened? Keeping Blake Lohmen at arm’s length had not lasted longer than it took to take her next breath.

“I’d like that, thanks.” The quirk of his lips into an even wider smile kicked up Malorie’s pulse.

He’d won this round. She would have to pick up her game if she was going to remember the most important lesson Mark had taught her. Being a single mother was far better than trying to partner with a man who didn’t have the same goals in life.

“Okay. Six o’clock then.” Malorie made her escape before she went further down the rabbit hole and asked the man what else he would like. A cozy walk in the garden? An easy conversation getting to know his secrets?

After checking in on Nathan and seeing that he’d dozed off, she went quickly back to the guesthouse. The twins had the puzzle about half-done.

After pouring three glasses of lemonade, she set the tray on a side table. “How’s the puzzle going?”

Andee looked up and smiled. “Good. Don’t you think this horse looks like Duke? All black with a white blanket?”

“He sure does.” She sat beside them.

Reece swiveled to face her. “And this one looks like Bella. She’s so pretty.”

Her twins were happy. No matter how much she wanted to deny that Malorie couldn’t. “I invited Blake for movie night tonight. Is that okay?”

Andee jumped up. “Did he say he would come?”

“Yes. But first, he needs extra hands to assist him with an inventory of the tack room. I told him you could give him a hand.”

“I’ll help,” Reece said, his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth as he set another piece in the puzzle.

“Me too.” Andee added the chunk of pieces she was working on.

Surprised, Malorie realized they’d lost that weary set to their shoulders they’d brought with them. She had to admit, with only four days under their belts, they were thriving.

The Triple L had a rhythm that soothed the grief she brought with her to Colorado too. She just had to remember that the worst thing she could do was to fall for a caring cowboy who seemed to have an unresolved beef with his family. She hadn’t been able to fix her marriage. She won’t be able to fix Blake’s issues either.

Still, she couldn’t help wondering, if she and the twins could overcome their sadness at the current circumstances of their lives by spending the summer on the ranch, could the Lohmen brothers learn to be a family again too?

Maybe.

Could the Harpers, summer guests only, help the Lohmens put their puzzle pieces together? At the knock on the door, Andee and Reece jumped up and ran to answer the summons.

Malorie tried to talk herself out of it but couldn’t. Maybe they should stay on the Triple L until Nathan was well, after all.