A Place for Family

“I could do it.” When they all stared at her, Amanda backtracked. “At least until you find somebody permanent.”

Understandably, Marianne looked confused. “I thought you were in advertising and PR.”

“The company I worked for went out of business, and the market out there is terrible, so I’m moving back here.” Because she didn’t want to get into the humiliating details, she decided to skip over the worst of her recent experience. “I’m not finding a lot of advertising or PR jobs here, either. This could be the solution to both our problems.”

The Collinses traded a long, dubious look, and Amanda held her breath. She could almost hear the wheels spinning in John’s head, but he didn’t say a word. Maybe he’d already guessed why she’d returned to Harland, or maybe he didn’t care. Whatever the reason, she knew her respite wouldn’t last.

If she was around the farm every day, eventually he’d ask her why she’d come limping home in a car that was one step from the crusher. But right now, she kept her attention on her prospective new boss, who was studying her pensively.

“Amanda,” Marianne finally said. “Why on earth would someone with an MBA and a promising career in PR want to be a housekeeper?”

Several answers flashed into her head, all of them very grown-up and responsible sounding. But what came out was, “I’m ready for a fresh start, and Harland seems like the right place to do that. I’ve always loved this farm, and it would be great to work here.”

John grunted. “Funny. After we graduated, you couldn’t wait to get away from it.”

Turning to him, she explained. Again. “I was eighteen and had never been farther than Charlotte. When UCLA offered me that scholarship, I decided it was time to get out into the world and see what I could do.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

His accusing tone sliced through the air with a sharpness that stunned her. It was resentment, she realized with a sinking heart. Resentment she’d caused because in her driving compulsion to leave her roots behind, she’d hurt the sweetest, most solid guy she’d ever known.

“Not very well.” Swallowing a bit of her pride, she included the others in her view. “I’m not exactly Mary Poppins, but I’m a quick learner. If you tell me what you want, I’ll make sure things get done your way. I’ll even work free for a week,” she added to sweeten the deal. She’d picked up that skill during her stint in online PR, and she hoped it would help her now.

Marianne and Ridge exchanged another look, and she could only imagine what they were thinking: Why is she really here?

They didn’t say it out loud, which Amanda really appreciated. As she’d told them, she just wanted a chance to start over. Once she had a steady paycheck, she’d answer all their questions. Even John’s. His wariness toward her wouldn’t make it easy to be around him all the time, but she’d have to cope as best she could. With her nicely toasted car still smoking out on the shoulder, she’d literally reached the end of her road.

The fact that her twisting path had led her back to the Sawyers didn’t escape her. When she was younger, John’s large, loving family had treated Amanda like an extra sibling. Now, Amanda needed Marianne as much as Marianne needed her. If not more.

“We can’t pay much, so we were offering live-in arrangements,” Marianne ventured. “Would you be staying here?”

“Ordinarily I’d say no, but since my car—”

“Broke down out front,” John interjected smoothly. “She’ll have to stay here awhile.”

Amanda snuck a quick glance at him, but couldn’t tell if he liked the idea of her being so close by or not. She didn’t remember his being this difficult to read. Had he changed, or had she lost her touch? Either way, it was a complication she didn’t need, and she resolved to get her own place as quickly as possible.

Cocking an elegant brow, the lady of the house flat-out asked, “John, would Amanda’s working here be a problem for you?”

After enduring so much phoniness in California, Amanda found it refreshing to be around people who came right out and said what was on their minds.

To her relief, he shrugged. “I work all day, then go down to my place, so it wouldn’t matter to me.”

“I won’t be doing much of anything for the next three months,” she reminded him. “That means Amanda would be running the house, including the kitchen. If you want to eat, you’d have to see her at some point.”

“No problem here.” He looked at Amanda. “You?”

“Not for me.” Sensing she was on the verge of getting a “yes,” she pressed. “I could start now, if you want. I’d be happy to do some laundry and cleaning before the kids get home from school.”

“We haven’t discussed your weekly salary.” Ridge named an amount she’d have laughed at six months ago. “Does that work for you?”

“Definitely.” It wasn’t much, but it was significantly more than the $82 currently in her wallet. Besides, Harland was pretty far off the beaten path. Money would stretch a lot farther here than it had in L.A.

After another wordless conference with his wife, Ridge nodded his approval.

“We’ll give it a try,” Marianne announced with a smile.

Amanda wanted to hug her, but with Marianne laid up in bed, she knew that was a bad idea. Instead, she clasped her hands tightly and gave them her warmest smile. “Fabulous. Thank you.”

She wanted to assure Marianne and Ridge they hadn’t made a mistake, that she would do everything in her power not to let their family down. But these were down-to-earth folks, and overblown promises meant nothing to them. She’d show them, though, and make the Collinses glad they’d taken a chance on her.

Chapter Two

Fabulous, John silently echoed Amanda.

That wasn’t quite how he’d describe it, but for Marianne’s sake he kept his opinion to himself. He had a hard time envisioning his old friend in this flashy woman standing in their living room, but she just might be the answer to their prayers. If she was as capable as she claimed to be, hiring her would keep the house running smoothly while the farm spun on its usual seasonal axis.

All his life, John had trusted in God’s wisdom, even when it made absolutely no sense to him. If this was His solution to their problem, John would have to find a way to put aside his wounded pride and make it work.

Standing, Ridge bent down to kiss his wife’s cheek. “Unless there’s another interview, I should get back to cultivating that cornfield.”

“We’re done for today. I’m sorry we wasted so much of your morning,” she added with a scowl of disapproval.

He grinned. “It wasn’t a waste. I got to hang out with you.”

“Maybe tonight you can finish up early enough to have supper with the kids and me.”

“I’ll do my best.” Lifting his hand in a general goodbye, he sauntered out the front door.

“You look tired,” John told Marianne as gently as he could. “Get some rest, and I’ll show Amanda where everything is.”

“Thank you.” Wincing, she placed a hand against her side and leaned back into her pillows. “I think they’re kickboxing in there.”

“You want anything while I’m around?” he asked.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Just yell if you need me,” Amanda piped up. “I won’t be far.”

With a wan smile, Marianne pointed to the cell phone docked on her night table. “Ridge texts me every ten minutes.”

“That’s so sweet! But you can tell him to stop worrying and keep both hands on the wheel. It’s probably not safe to drive one of those big tractors while you’re texting.”

“That’s what I told him, but my husband’s a very stubborn man. He didn’t listen.”

“I’m here now, and I’ll take care of everything. You can all relax.”

Their unlikely nanny-slash-housekeeper glanced at John, and he responded with a “we’ll see” kind of look. A lot of water had flowed under that bridge—some of it bad. Just because he was being nice didn’t mean she was off the hook. She’d wanted different things than he did—that much he’d understood. Over the years, he’d quit waiting for her to write or call, recognizing that it meant she was happy in her new life. Forgiving her had been tough, but eventually he’d done it because it was the right thing to do.

Forgetting her had proven impossible.

He was trying to act cool, but he had to admit that knowing she’d driven across the country in that death trap of a car really worried him. If she hadn’t jumped out when she did, she could have been killed. That stark realization brought all kinds of old feelings rushing back, and he was having a tough time getting them corralled again.

Her story about moving home seemed sincere, but he didn’t quite buy it yet. She’d left Harland once, he reminded himself. If things didn’t shake out the way she wanted, he wouldn’t put it past her to do it again. He’d never been able to predict what was going on in that quick mind of hers, and his gut was telling him that hadn’t changed. If he wanted to keep his sanity, he would be smart to keep a respectable distance from her.

Leading her back into the kitchen, he pointed to the side porch. “Laundry’s out there.” Then he nodded at a closed door. “Cleaning stuff’s in the pantry, along with the food that’s not in here, the fridge or the freezer downstairs. We’ve got a dishwasher now, and this is where everything goes.”

He opened cupboard after cupboard, leaving them open for her to look inside. Then he pointed up. “The kids’ bedrooms are obvious, Ridge and Marianne’s is across the hall. The guest room is at the end of the hall.”

“Got it.”

“Bathroom upstairs, another one down here.” A movement outside the window got his attention, and he grinned, grateful for the distraction. “Oh, and the kids’ dog. You need to meet him with one of us or he’ll go bonkers on you.”

They stepped outside as a muddy black Lab was making a beeline for the unfamiliar car parked on the side of the road. He skidded to a stop when he heard John whistle, looking from him to the car as if trying to decide which was more interesting. In the end, he chose John and loped over to greet him.

John hooked the Lab’s dusty stars-and-stripes bandanna in his fingers and reeled him in before he could jump on Amanda. “This is Tucker, the best dog in North Carolina.”

“Hey there, Tucker.” Kneeling down, she held out her hand for him to sniff. “Nice to meet you.”

After a quick assessment, he apparently decided she was okay and flipped onto his back in an unmistakable plea. Laughing, she rubbed his belly, mud and all, while he licked her arm in appreciation.

“You always did have a way with guys,” John said as he got to his feet.

“It’s a gift.”

“If you say so.”

* * *

John tucked his thumbs in his back pockets in a gesture she remembered well. As he looked down at her, Amanda tried to gauge what he was thinking. John had always been wide open and genuine, with a quick smile and a laid-back demeanor. That charming country boy still lived in her memory, frozen in time the way he’d looked when she last saw him.

Over the years, she’d convinced herself that he must have forgotten her and gone on to marry someone who adored him shamelessly. But he was her age—thirty-one—and there was no ring on his left hand.

Standing, she forced herself to look him squarely in the eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“About Dad? You said that already.”

“No.” Completely unprepared for such a personal exchange, she groped for the right words. After a mental shake, she jammed her brain in gear and continued. “We were best friends, and I never even called you after I left. I never meant to hurt you. I just needed more than I could find in Harland.”

“Y’know, for a long time I prayed you’d decide you made a mistake and come back.” His expression closed up, his eyes darkening with a nasty mix of anger and pain. “You never did.”

“I’m here now.”

“Because you’ve got nowhere else to go. I actually think that’s worse.”

As he stalked away from her, she wished there was something she could do to make things right between them. She wanted nothing more than to have her old buddy back, yanking on her braids and tossing her fully dressed into the pond while he laughed and dove in after her. John hadn’t stood in the way of her getting this job she so desperately needed, but he hadn’t completely accepted her, either. With a sigh, she realized that might be the best she could hope for.

Tucker pulled her out of her funk when he stood on his back legs and wrapped his filthy paws around her waist. Her designer trousers would need to be cleaned, but compared to what she’d been through lately, that was a minor inconvenience.

Laughing, she ruffled his fur. “At least you like me. What say we get you rinsed off and then do some laundry?”

Seeming to understand that she’d asked him a question, he barked and led her around the corner of the house to a coiled-up hose. He stood at attention, wagging his tail as if he couldn’t wait for a good dousing.

“Tucker, you’re amazing.” He barked again, the corners of his mouth crinkling in what she’d describe as a canine smile. She pressed the trigger to start the water, and he clumsily lapped up several mouthfuls. When he’d had enough, she turned the hose on his fur. “I think you and I will get along just fine.”

When he shook himself out, he drenched them both, making her laugh again. Realizing that she’d done that more today than she had in months, she smiled. Despite the trouble still nipping at her heels, it was good to be home.

* * *

What was Amanda doing here, anyway? John wondered as he climbed aboard his tractor and turned the key. Nothing. He gave it another shot with the same result. He should have known better than to shut it off, he grumbled to himself as he jumped off. The temperamental old engine would need a half hour before it was cool enough to restart.

Resigned to waiting, he slid down to sit in the shade the oversize back tire made on the ground.

“Problem?” his big brother, Matt, asked as he strolled over.

“Just the usual.” Trying to look unconcerned, John crossed his legs at the ankles and got comfortable. “No big deal.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Matt sat with his back against the other side of the tire and unscrewed the cap from a thermos of sweet tea. He swallowed some, then held it out for John. “I noticed we’ve got company. Pretty company.”

After a swig, John answered, “Amanda Gardner’s back.”

“For how long?”

John shrugged. “Last I knew, she had a great job in L.A. and was all wrapped up in her fancy new life. Her parents moved to Arizona after her dad retired. If she needed a place to go, she should’ve gone there.”

“Wonder why she didn’t.”

“Who knows why women do anything?”

Matt chuckled and nodded toward the blackened clunker sitting on the shoulder. “Advertising and PR folks usually make good money. Wonder why she’s driving that pile of junk.”

“She said her company went out of business, so she lost her job.”

“Why didn’t she get another one?”

Once John had filled him in on the details, Matt hummed. “A fresh start makes sense, I guess. But why come back here?”

“Like I said before,” John snapped, “I’ve got no idea.”

Angling his head, Matt grinned over at him. “You’re wondering, though, aren’t you? And it’s making you cranky.”

“I’m hot, not cranky.” Hearing the sharpness in his tone, he tried to smooth out the edges a little. “Amanda does what she wants, no matter what anyone else thinks.”

That should have aggravated him more now than ever, but for some crazy reason it didn’t. It had always baffled him why he’d let her get by with so much attitude when he preferred girls who were sweet and uncomplicated.

Setting the thermos on the ground between them, John rested his head against the wheel and sighed. “I always liked that about her.”

“Women like that are nothing but trouble.”

“Oh, spare me,” John scoffed. “You married a woman like that.”

“Caty’s different.”

“’Cause she’s the mother of that baby girl who’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”

“Partly.” Smirking like a man hopelessly in love with his wife, Matt sipped some more tea. “You think there’s more to all this than Amanda losing her job?”

“Probably. Can’t imagine her driving all this way otherwise.”

“What’re you gonna do about it?”

Staring over the fields toward the house, John rolled the question around in his mind. She’d been his friend once—closer than any other he’d had—but over the years his opinion of her had taken a lot of turns, mostly for the worst. Seeing her again had shaken him, no doubt about that.

To combat those feelings, he just had to remember that she’d left him behind for something she wanted more. L.A. drew her in with the promise of excitement and money, both of which she’d probably had more of than he could begin to imagine. And when whatever had chased her off resolved itself, she’d return to her career because that was what mattered most to her.

“Nothing,” he finally said. “It’s not my problem.”

Matt cocked his head in disbelief. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yeah, I do. Whatever mess she’s in is her own making, and it’s got nothing to do with me.”

Getting to his feet, John hauled himself up to the tractor’s seat and actually crossed his fingers. When the engine sputtered to life, Matt stood and gave him a long big-brother look. He didn’t say anything more, though, and they both got back to work.

* * *

Around three o’clock, Tucker took off toward the road, and Amanda heard the rumble of a school bus stopping at the end of the driveway. The clothes she’d borrowed from Marianne didn’t fit well, and it had finally hit her that she was completely out of her element. Feeling like Dorothy after landing in Oz, she was more than a little anxious about how the afternoon would turn out.

“Here they are,” she murmured, pulling a pitcher of fruit punch out of the fridge to go with the chocolate chip cookies she’d made. “I hope they like me.”

“They will.”

When she heard Marianne’s voice, Amanda felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment. “Sorry. When I’m nervous, I talk to myself. Should you be up?”

“I have to go to the bathroom occasionally. Besides, I want to introduce you to the kids.”

Amanda smiled. “Southern hospitality. I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

“Things move a little more quickly in Los Angeles, I’d imagine.” Grasping the arms, she eased herself into the chair at the head of the table. “I hope you won’t be too bored here in Harland.”

To be honest, Amanda was looking forward to some peace and quiet. She feared that saying so would open the door to a lot of questions, so she went with something less personal.

“Don’t you worry about me. If you decide to hire me, this place will keep me plenty busy.” When Marianne smiled, Amanda asked, “Did I say something funny?”

“No, but you’ve only been here a few hours and your accent’s already coming back.”

Apparently, she’d noticed earlier that Amanda had abandoned her Carolina drawl for something more mainstream. “I’d really rather not talk about it.”

That got her a warm, understanding smile. “Okay. But when you’re ready, I’m a good listener with a short memory.”

Amanda wasn’t sure she’d ever willingly discuss her situation, but right now a boy and girl stood framed in the screen door, gawking at her.

“Come on in, you two,” their mother beckoned with a wave of her hand. “Meet an old friend of ours, Amanda Gardner. This is Kyle, who’s twelve, and Emily, our eight-year-old.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said with a grin full of braces. The rubber bands holding them on were blue and gold. Harland Wildcats colors, she recalled with a smile of her own.

“Thanks.” She shook the hand he boldly offered. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Emily hung back a step behind her brother, eyeing Amanda with curiosity shining in china-blue eyes, just like her mother’s. “You were in that commercial we saw with the animals stuck on an island during a flood. You and a bunch of other people saved them and found new homes for them.”

The ad for a local SPCA group had been one of Amanda’s favorite projects, and the mention of it gave her an ideal topic to break the ice with the kids.

“Usually I only got to do the boring stuff on commercials, so I had a ball making that one.” She hunkered down so she was more on Emily’s level. “One of those ponies used to steal my lunch if I wasn’t careful. He really liked barbecue potato chips.”

“What was his name?” Emily asked, clearly hooked.

“Constantine. He was the little black-and-white pinto. We called him Tino. He lives on a ranch in Montana, and next month he’ll be in a big movie.” That promotional campaign had been the last one she’d worked on before her world caved in, and she was clinging to that success for all she was worth. It kept her from feeling like a complete failure.

“I’d really like to see it,” Emily said.

“Me, too.” She almost added that they could go to the theater together, but she was afraid to sound presumptuous. After all, she didn’t officially have this job yet. Standing, she put the plate of cookies on the table and filled two glasses with punch. “Are you guys hungry?”

“Starving,” Kyle responded in typical boy fashion. Even though she knew he wasn’t related to Ridge, he instantly reminded her of his stepfather. Forthright and confident, with a quick smile. Half the girls in town probably had crushes on this kid.

Pleased with how their first meeting had gone, she sat down and listened while they told Marianne about their day. School would be finished soon, and then they’d be home for the summer. With the twins due in July or August, it would be a busy time for the family.

And possibly for her, too. It sure would beat wringing her hands, waiting for another anvil to fall on her head, she mused as she broke off a quarter of a cookie.

“You don’t have to do that.” Kyle nodded toward the partial cookie she held. “There’s plenty. You can have a whole one.”

“Oh, this is fine. I don’t eat a lot of sweets.” When the two of them stared at her as if she’d been transported in from another planet, she decided it was best to play along. Picking up the rest of the cookie, she grinned. “But these are really good, if I do say so myself.”

“Amanda’s going to be here the next few days, to see if she’d like to help us out while I’m resting,” Marianne explained. “If we all agree, we’ll ask her to stay.”

“I like her, Mommy,” Emily chirped sweetly. “I’ve always wanted a big sister.”

Kyle was eyeing her curiously, and Amanda decided to take a shot. “What about you? Think we can get along?”

“Sure. Can my buddies meet you?”

“As our friend,” his mother insisted. “I know Amanda’s very pretty, but the last thing she needs is a herd of twelve-year-old boys camped out on the porch, staring through the windows at her.”

Kyle’s shoulders slumped, but he mumbled some kind of agreement. Feeling sorry for him, Amanda leaned over and whispered, “They can stare a little. I don’t mind.”

That perked him up, and they fist-bumped to seal their deal. After a few more minutes, Marianne excused herself to go to the bathroom, artfully leaving the three of them to get better acquainted. To Amanda’s tremendous relief, it went well. Before long she was helping Emily study for tomorrow’s math test and listening to Kyle run through a list of key dates in the American Revolution.

As poorly as the day had started, it was ending on a very positive note. Maybe, she thought hopefully, this was a sign of better things to come.

* * *

You needed an engineering degree to run this space-age washing machine.

Muttering to herself, Amanda reread the instructions for the third time and tapped the touch screen, but all she could do was make it spin. No water, no agitator, just spin. Having relied on a service for years, she was sorely out of practice in the laundry department. Determined to figure things out, she glowered at the control panel, as if she could scare it into cooperating.