Chapter Seven: Samantha

"The more I see of the ranch, the more I love it," Lewis announced as he looked out across a meadow filled with cattle calmly grazing.

"You might have to wrestle your cabin back out of my kids' hands," Samantha murmured to Henry with a grin.

Henry chuckled. "My mom liked nothing more than the sound of me and my brothers running around this place. She'd probably trade me for you and your kids living in the cabin."

"I doubt that very much," Samantha said, but she liked Henry's humor. Among other things.

"No, I'm not joking," Henry went on.

"Do any of your brothers have children?" Samantha asked.

"No. At least not biological children. My brother Levi's ma…partner has a son, Elliot, from her first marriage. And Camille, as you saw, is expecting…"

"So this place will soon be filled with the sound of children." Samantha watched her children as they explored this new world. "There's nothing like it."

"Are we close to the oak tree?" Tilly ran back toward them, her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes bright. This was the happiest Samantha had seen her daughter since… No, she didn't want to think sad thoughts. Not now.

"It's across the pasture," Henry pointed to a small grove of trees that, if her sense of direction was correct, was close to Henry's cabin.

"You took us the long way around," Samantha said with a slightly accusing tone.

"I wanted you and Tilly to see the ranch," Henry admitted, glancing sideways at her. "And I figured if we visited the secret garden before she saw the horses and everything, then you would stay there with her."

"And you didn't want me to?" Samantha asked, her question direct, catching him off guard.

"I thought you should take the tour, so you know what is what and where everything is," Henry said half-convincingly. "Since you are going to be here for a while."

"The house isn't an easy fix, is it?" she asked, staring at the children, as she avoided making eye contact with Henry. Not for any other reason than the fact that when he looked at her, she felt as if her insides were about to melt.

Henry shook his head, his expression turning serious. "No, it's not. The damage is pretty extensive. But don't worry, we'll get it fixed up."

Samantha nodded, feeling a mix of disappointment and relief. Part of her had hoped for a quick fix, but another part was secretly thrilled at the prospect of staying longer on this beautiful ranch, plus it gave her an excuse to see more of Henry.

Damn, what was wrong with her? Had she fallen hard and fast for this man?

No, anything she felt was brought on by his kindness. And he had been kind.

"I can look around for somewhere else to stay for a few weeks," Samantha offered as they drew closer to the grove, with the oak tree towering above the rest of the trees and bushes.

"No," he said firmly. "My house is your home for as long as you need it." He held up his hand as she opened her mouth to protect. "Please."

"Okay. As long as you let me know if we outstay our welcome," she replied firmly.

"I promise." He cracked a smile as the children reached the grove. "Come on, I can't wait for Tilly to see my favorite reading tree."

Henry held out his hand, and without thinking, Samantha took it. His palm was warm and calloused, and she felt a jolt of electricity run through her at the contact. As he led her toward the grove, she wished they were going there for a secret midnight tryst, to make love beneath the stars.

Ah, so that was it. Her best friend, Kirsty, had given Samantha a piece of advice on her last night in her old house. Over a glass or two of wine, Kirsty had told Samantha she needed to get laid.

Samantha had laughed it off, more from embarrassment than anything else. The thought of being with another man made her want to curl up and hide beneath the covers.

Until now. Until Henry.

Maybe Kirsty was on to something. It had been a while. And Samantha had to admit she missed being close and intimate with someone.

But sex under the stars, or in a bedroom with Henry, was asking for trouble. If it went wrong, things could get very awkward.

So sex… Come to think about it, any relationship with Henry beyond a simple friendship was a bad idea. One she needed to avoid.

"This oak is magnificent," Samantha gasped as they ducked under the branches of a maple and entered the grove.

"I always loved this tree." Henry kept a firm grip on her hand and led her deeper into the grove. "I used to sit in its branches and think of all the things it had seen. All the generations of Thornbergs who had passed under it or sat where I was seated."

"It's a connection to the past and the present."

Henry nodded, his eyes softening as he gazed up at the ancient oak. "And the future," he added quietly, giving Samantha's hand a gentle squeeze.

They emerged into a small clearing dominated by the massive oak tree and Samantha let go of his hand and went to the tree, placing her hands on its rough bark.

"Look at its branches," Tilly said as she joined her mom, staring up at the tree's gnarled branches which spread out in all directions as if reaching out to touch the horizon. "It's like something out of a fairy tale."

"It does have that magical quality," Samantha agreed, running her fingertips across the bark. "It's like I can feel the centuries of history pulsing beneath my fingertips."

"Let me feel." Tilly placed her palms on the tree and rested her cheek against it as if listening to whispers from the past.

"It's huge!" Lewis exclaimed, stretching his arms out as if to hug the tree. "Bigger than Henry."

"It is," Henry said with his trademark easygoing smile. "I remember when I was your age, and I stood where you are standing right now and looked up at the sky through the branches and felt a connection to the world around me."

"Where is your reading spot?" Tilly asked.

"Ah, let me show you." He walked around to the other side of the massive oak, the children following eagerly behind him. Samantha stood staring up at the branches, still marveling at the tree's majestic presence.

"Come on, Mom." Tilly beckoned and Samantha reluctantly let go of the tree.

"Here we are," Henry announced, gesturing to a thick, low-hanging branch that curved out from the trunk like a natural bench. The bark was smooth and worn in places, probably from years of Thornbergs sitting in it. "This was my favorite place when I was a kid. Still is, actually."

"You still come and sit in the tree?" Lewis asked.

"Sometimes, when I want to think things over." Henry placed his outstretched hand on the trunk. "It has a lot of wisdom to pass on."

"Can we sit in the branches?" Tilly asked.

"Sure." Henry glanced at Samantha. "If that's okay with your mom."

"Mom?" Tilly asked.

"It's not too high," Henry assured her. "And there are easy foot and handholds."

Samantha had a sudden wave of worry. She was a long way from everyone and everything she knew. If something went wrong…

She took a deep breath, and instead of reacting to the unknown, she went around the tree and stood next to Henry. "You think it's safe?"

Henry locked eyes with her. "I do."

"And is that your professional opinion?" Samantha asked as she checked out the knots in the tree that made up handholds and footholds.

"I have rescued plenty of kids, cats, and even a bunny out of a tree," Henry said, his tone light but serious. "And in my opinion, this tree is as safe as they come."

"Then sure," Samantha said. "As long as you promise not to climb up here without telling me. And you don't try to climb higher than this branch."

"Promise," Tilly said and reached for the first handhold.

"Promise," Lewis said as he waited impatiently for his sister to reach the curved branch.

"We could build a treehouse," Henry suggested.

"A treehouse!" Lewis was already sold on the idea.

"Wait," Samantha held up her hand. "We will not be here for that long."

"But we could come and visit even after we move into our house," Tilly said as she reached the curved branch and sat down, legs dangling.

Samantha hesitated, torn between her desire to give her children this magical experience and her practical concerns about getting too attached to a place that wasn't really theirs. But as she looked up at Tilly's beaming face and Lewis's eager expression, her resolve weakened.

"We'll see," she said finally, unable to completely crush their hopes. "For now, let's just enjoy the tree as it is."

Henry nodded, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face before he smiled and turned to Lewis. "Your turn, buddy. Want me to give you a boost?"

Lewis nodded eagerly, and Henry lifted him up to reach the first handhold. Then he scrambled up quickly, joining his sister on the curved branch with a triumphant grin.

"This is awesome!" Lewis exclaimed, swinging his legs back and forth. "I can see so far from up here!"

"But a treehouse would be so much better," Tilly said. "We could make one side for me as a reading corner and one side for Lewis to play in."

"My side could be a fort or a pirate ship," Lewis said enthusiastically.

"Sorry," Henry whispered. "I didn't mean to cause a problem."

"You haven't," Samantha assured him. "I…I'd love for them to have a treehouse here. It truly is magical. But I have to think of the practicalities." She gave him a crooked smile. "It's my job."

He cracked a grin. "I think I get it. You have to think in terms of logistics and practicalities."

"Don't you?" she asked. "As a firefighter, surely you have to be practical."

"Most of the time, yes," he replied. "But then there are those times when you know that being practical and logistical will not get you where you need to be, and you have to be willing to compromise…"

"And go with the flow," Samantha finished for him.

Henry nodded. "Exactly. Sometimes you have to let your heart guide you."

Samantha glanced up at Tilly and Lewis, who were now deep in discussion, their animated voices blending with the rustle of leaves. Her worries felt a little lighter, as did her heart.

"You know," Henry said, "building a treehouse doesn't mean you're here forever. It just means you're making memories, giving your kids something to hold on to."

Samantha regarded him thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right," she said quietly.

"Trust me, I'm always right," Henry told her.

"Really?" Samantha asked with an arched eyebrow.

Henry chuckled. "That's what I have been telling my brothers all these years."

"And do they believe you?" Samantha asked, wrapping her arms around her body as a cool breeze swept down from the distant peaks and made her shiver.

"Not really." His hand flexed, and he lifted his arm, reaching out toward her. For a moment, she thought he was going to wrap his arm around her and pull her close. She imagined leaning into him and sharing his body heat. But then his arm relaxed and dropped to his side and the moment was gone.

"We should get back to the cabin and start getting organized and cook dinner," she said, her throat tight with emotion.

"Can't we stay up here a little longer?" Tilly asked.

"We can come back another time," Samantha said, suddenly weary.

"I'll walk you back to the cabin," Henry offered. "I need to grab some things."

Samantha nodded. "Of course."

"Do you need a hand down?" Henry asked and moved away from her.

"No, we can do it," Lewis said confidently as he climbed down from the tree under Henry's watchful gaze.

"So you can," Henry said as Lewis landed at his feet.

Tilly scrambled out of the tree and a couple of seconds later, she stood in the glade, brushing dirt from her clothes. She looked like a different child from the one who had sat in the living room in Henry's cabin, reading a book. It was as if their tour of the ranch had changed her, given her confidence.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked, catching her gaze.

She nodded. "Yes. I am."

Because the weight that had rested on her shoulders, the feeling of responsibility had shifted.

"I was thinking that tree house might be a good idea after all." She looked up at him. "If the offer still stands."

"Of course," Henry said. "Can I ask what changed your mind?"

Samantha shrugged. "You were talking about the ranch needing children. And I hoped they might get to know Elliot. That it might help them feel settled here."

"Like part of the family," Henry said.

And as they walked back to the cabin, she wished that was exactly what they were.