Twins For The Rancher

“Better not. I’m so full now that I’m likely to want to take a nap when I get back instead of working.”

“Speaking of, you’ll want to be careful with that ladder, especially if you’re alone. When I first came by earlier, I was afraid you were about to topple off it.”

“I’ll be careful. A full body cast isn’t my idea of a good time.”

“That’s nobody’s idea of a good time.”

After they both paid for their meals, he once again held the door open for her. The rain had passed, leaving behind a faint hint of sun trying to burn its way through the clouds.

“You need a ride somewhere else?”

He spotted Angel just pulling into the parking lot. “No, thank you. My ride just showed up.”

She glanced across the parking lot. He could tell when she spotted Angel.

“One of the family members who works at Rocking Horse Ranch?”

He nodded. “My sister, Angel. She’s mainly a photographer, a darn good one, but she’s been known to string fence and muck out stalls.”

“My little sister dabbles in photography, too. Nature stuff, mostly. Does Angel specialize?”

“Ranch life and rodeos. She’s beginning to gain some recognition, has had some photos in a couple of national magazines.”

“That’s great. Well, I’ll stop talking your ear off and let you get on with your day.”

“No problem. Hope to hear from you soon.”

She simply nodded and headed toward her car, and he hoped he hadn’t come across as too pushy. He didn’t think he had, but you never knew how far was too far for other people.

When he realized he’d been watching her a bit too long, he turned away and headed for Angel’s vehicle.

“That was her, wasn’t it?” Angel asked as soon as he opened the door to her car.

“Yeah.”

“Looks as if things must have gone well if you two had lunch together.”

“I think our meeting went okay, but lunch was just an accident.”

Angel started the engine but didn’t pull out of the lot. Instead, she watched as Lauren drove by and gave a quick wave to them.

“How does an accidental lunch happen exactly?”

With a sigh, he recounted the story of his morning, right up until Lauren had given him a ride to the Primrose.

“Well, that’s a good sign.”

“Not necessarily. She was just being a decent person, preventing me from getting soaked to the bone.”

“I’d give you that except she agreed to have lunch with you, too.”

“It wasn’t her first choice.” As Angel finally drove out of the lot onto Main Street, he told her how he and Lauren had come to share a table.

“She could have waited for takeout or gone somewhere else.”

“Yeah, but she was hungry then.”

“Whatever. I just think you must have made a good impression.”

He hoped so, and he tried to tell himself it was only for professional reasons.

“I think she’s already in Verona’s crosshairs.”

“I wonder who Verona has in mind for her,” Angel said, not even trying to disguise her teasing tone.

“Well, judging by Lauren’s reaction to the idea of a matchmaker, I’m guessing Verona is out of luck on this one.”

“Oh, I suppose that does make sense.”

“What does that mean?”

“Lauren went through a really ugly and public breakup with her fiancé. And then the bastard took her to court, tried to sue her for a big chunk of her profits.”

“Did he help her start her business or something?”

“No. From what I read, he claimed she’d promised him a half stake when they got married. When the engagement got called off, he sued, saying he was still entitled to what he was promised.”

“He sounds like an ass.” Adam supposed this ex could have been cheated somehow, but his gut told him Lauren wasn’t the type of person who would treat someone that way. He based that on the look he’d seen on her face when the woman at the café had mentioned the guy doing Lauren wrong. She’d seemed very adamant in her support of Lauren. What was it with men who couldn’t treat women decently?

“That’s the general consensus,” Angel said.

“Verona ought to know about that and lay off.”

“Maybe she thinks the way to get past such a bad breakup is to find someone new and better.”

“She might mean well, but she should mind her own business.”

“I’ve wondered sometimes if Verona is lonely. She’s never married, and I’ve never seen her out with anyone.”

“Still doesn’t give her the right to push people together.”

“I think it’s more like gentle nudges.”

Adam snorted. “I’d hate to receive one of those nudges if I was anywhere near a cliff.”

When they reached the ranch, he changed back into work clothes so he could help his brothers replace some rotting timbers on the side of the barn. As he rounded the corner of the barn, he spotted Neil first. His eldest brother was standing back and watching as Ben nailed a board in place.

“Playing supervisor again?” Adam asked.

Neil smiled. “Perk of being the oldest.”

“Yeah, you’re going to feel old soon when that baby gets here,” Ben said. “I speak from experience. There were days in those early months after Cassie was born that I almost had to tape my eyes open to get any work done.”

Suddenly, Adam felt more separate from his brothers than he ever had before. Their lives had moved into a different stage, which included marriage and children. They could share experiences, along with their sister, Sloane, to which he had nothing to add. Even Angel had a child, though no husband. In that moment, Adam felt more like an outsider than he had since arriving on this ranch as a child.

“How’d the meeting go?” Neil asked, drawing Adam’s attention back to something they did have in common—the ranch and its long-term viability.

“Pretty good. Will be a while before anything can come from it, though.”

“Just make sure you kick Wainwright’s butt this time,” Ben said.

Adam decided not to reveal that Wainwright had beaten him to Lauren’s door. He had to believe that one of these days the Rocking Horse operation was going to triumph over Carrington. And he admitted to himself that there was another reason he hoped he would win the contract with Lauren. It would be no hardship to see her on a regular basis. Or would it? He was attracted to her, but he respected that the feeling wasn’t mutual. It would have to be enough if they had a business relationship, maybe even became friends.

But as he helped Ben and Neil finish making the repairs to the barn, he couldn’t manage to push Lauren from his thoughts. He considered how Neil, Ben and Sloane had all found their other halves when they were least expecting it. And tried not to think about how he sure hadn’t expected his reaction to Lauren Shayne.

* * *

LAUREN WALKED OUTSIDE the restaurant with two cold bottles of water in hand to find Ella Bryant and her husband, Austin, loading the last of the tables onto a trailer hooked up to their pickup.

“You two look thirsty,” Lauren said as she extended the bottles toward them.

“I feel as if I could drink the lake,” Austin said as he hopped down from the trailer.

“Eww,” Ella said.

Lauren laughed. “Pretty does not equal potable.”

Austin did manage to drink half the contents of his bottle before coming up for air, however.

“I really appreciate all this,” Ella said.

“Thank Adam Hartley. He’s the one who suggested I call you.”

“I’ll do that. He’s a good guy. All the Hartleys are good people.”

“That’s reassuring to hear about someone I might do business with in the future.”

“I haven’t had their beef,” Austin said, “but that family is as honest as anyone you’d ever hope to meet.”

Now that was more welcome to hear than they could possibly know. Honesty was pretty much at the top of her list of desirable traits these days.

Lauren pointed toward the load of discarded furniture. “I have to admit I’m curious to see what you do with all that.”

“I have more ideas and materials now than I have time to implement. But I guess that’s a good problem to have.”

“It is indeed.”

Ella nodded toward the building. “Do you know what style you’re going to put in its place?”

“Honestly, it’s going to be like picking the building—I’ll know it when I see it. But I want it to be Texas-themed. Part of the building is going to be a store filled with items with that theme, as well.”

“You should check out the antiques stores in Poppy. They’ve always got neat stuff, lots of big items that could be turned into unique tables, large metal Texas stars. And there are a lot of craftsmen and artists in the area who I’m sure would be interested in putting their items in your store if that’s the way you want to go with it. We have a local arts-and-crafts trail, so you could surreptitiously check them out in advance if you wanted to.”

Now that did sound promising. “Thanks for the tip. I’ll do that whenever I get the chance.”

“Well, we’ll let you get back to work,” Austin said. “We look forward to your opening.”

“Thanks.” She waved goodbye to them, then went back inside to tackle washing all the windows. She’d been putting it off for three days because she hated the task so much. It probably made sense to just wait until all the interior work was done, but she wanted a better idea of how the place would look at different points of the day through actual clean windows. How the sun hit would likely influence how she organized the dining room and the shop.

But the moment she stepped inside, the enormity of the job—not to mention the time she’d have to spend on the ladder Adam had warned her about—hit her, and she just couldn’t face the task today. In truth, she didn’t feel as if she could face much more than a hot shower, dinner and a face-plant into her bed at the Wildflower Inn.

But mommy duties awaited, and the thought of seeing her smiling babies gave her a boost of energy. At least two wonderful things had come from her relationship with Phil.

She promised herself she’d tackle the windows tomorrow, then grabbed her keys to lock up. As she drove the short distance to the inn, her thoughts wandered through the names and faces she’d met since her arrival in Blue Falls. Everyone seemed nice and she could see why Papa Ed had fond memories of the place. Though she’d been hesitant initially about placing her flagship restaurant here, now she could see that it would fit in perfectly with the community’s other offerings.

Thankfully, no one else had mentioned Phil or the trial, so they either didn’t know about it or had decided not to bring up the topic. She’d prefer the former but would take either. What she wanted more than anything was to forget Phil even existed and that she’d ever been so blind that she hadn’t seen through to his real motive for wanting to marry her. She would never make that kind of mistake again.

For some reason, she wondered if Adam Hartley now knew all the details. After meeting him and Tim Wainwright, she’d done an internet search on both their companies. So it would stand to reason they’d done the same for her. She felt sick to her stomach thinking about Adam sitting in front of his computer reading about the trial. He seemed like a nice guy, but she detested the idea that someone learning about her past might see her as an easy mark.

She shook her head, not wanting to be so cynical. Instead, she’d rather think of Adam as a potential friend. She didn’t want him to know about what Phil had done, because it might taint the possibility of a friendship without the accompanying pity she’d seen in the eyes of more than one person she knew. Their hearts were in the right place, but those reactions had only served to make her feel like an even bigger fool.

When she reached the inn, she didn’t immediately get out of her car. Instead, she sat in the quiet, looking out across Blue Falls Lake, its surface painted gold by the slant of the setting sun. This area was pretty now, even with winter approaching. She’d bet it was gorgeous in the spring, when all the wildflowers were blooming and carpeting the roadsides throughout the Hill Country.

Hopefully, all the busloads of tourists who visited the area in search of the iconic bluebonnets would fill her restaurant to bursting and keep the cash registers busy. Maybe it was petty or needy of her, but she wanted her first venture since leaving Phil to be so successful he choked on the idea of all the money not going into his pockets. And it would provide undeniable proof that his claim she would be a failure without him was complete garbage.

Not wanting to think about her ex anymore, she made her way inside.

She heard the girls giggling before she even opened the door to her room. When she stepped inside, she smiled at the sight that greeted her. Papa Ed was playing peekaboo with Bethany and Harper, much to their mutual delight.

He straightened from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed next to the girls’ travel crib. “Look who’s home,” he said in that special voice he used with his great-granddaughters.

Lauren didn’t point out that nice as it was, the Wildflower Inn wasn’t home. Instead, she headed straight for her little blonde bundles of grins and baby claps. She lifted Bethany from the crib and booped her nose with the tip of her finger.

“Have you been good for Papa Ed today?”

“They were angels, of course,” Papa Ed said as he picked up Harper and delivered her into Lauren’s other arm.

“I think Papa Ed is fibbing, don’t you?” she asked Harper, drawing a slobbery smile.

“Well, you can’t fault them for being fussy when they’re cutting teeth.”

“Yeah, probably a good thing that’s something none of us remember doing.” Lauren sank onto the chair in the corner of the room so the girls could use her as a jungle gym. “So, what did you all do today?”

“Before the rain, we went for a stroll through the park and played in the sandbox they have down there,” he said, referencing the public park at the bottom of the hill below the inn. “We had a picnic and watched ducks on the lake.”

“That sounds like quite the exciting day.” She dropped kisses on the top of both her babies’ heads. “You must be worn out,” she said to her grandfather.

“Not at all. We had a nice nap this afternoon. Plus, reinforcements are on the way. Your mom called and said she was coming down to see the new place.”

Lauren laughed a little. “I think it’s more likely she’s coming to see these two.”

“Can’t say that I blame her. She’s never been away from her grandbabies this long.”

“My girls are going to be spoiled so rotten they’ll stink all the way to Oklahoma.”

“There is no such thing as too much spoiling.”

Lauren outright snorted at that comment, making the girls startle then giggle at the strange sound Mommy made.

“I’m pretty sure that’s a recent change in opinion. I don’t recall it being in place when Violet and I were growing up.”

“When someone becomes a great-grandpa, he’s allowed to change his mind.”

Lauren smiled and shook her head.

“How did your day go?” he asked.

She gave him the rundown as well as what she hoped to get accomplished tomorrow.

“I wish you had some help.”

“I will eventually. I just need to be conscious of my expenses right now and do everything I can myself. Plus, Violet will be here soon. She’s almost caught up with everything on the to-do list that needs to get done before she can work remotely.”

“I’m so glad you two work so well together,” Papa Ed said.

“I don’t know what I’d do without her, especially over the past year and a half. But don’t tell her that or she’ll get a big head.”

Papa Ed chuckled. “You’re probably ready for a shower.”

“That I am. And then some food.”

He took Harper from her just as there was a knock on the door. Lauren carried Bethany with her as she went to open it. Her mother’s face lit up as soon as she saw Bethany. She immediately held out her hands for her granddaughter.

“Gammy’s here,” her mom said, resulting in some excited bouncing by Bethany.

“Well, I see I’ve been usurped,” Lauren said as she handed over her daughter.

“Someday you’ll enjoy being the usurper when they have babies of their own.”

“A long, long, long time from now.” She was barely used to the idea of having two children of her own. There wasn’t enough room in her mind to even contemplate grandchildren someday.

Once the girls were safely ensconced with her mom and grandfather, Lauren grabbed clean clothes and headed for the shower.

After washing away another day of dust and sweat, she was surprised by how much better she felt. She came out of the bathroom to find a note saying for her to join her family in the dining room. When she arrived, she found them talking with Skyler Bradshaw, the owner of the inn.

“Good evening,” Skyler said. “I couldn’t resist stopping to see these little cuties.”

Harper held Skyler’s finger as if she’d known her from the day of her birth.

Lauren gently caressed the pair of downy heads. “They do have the ability to stop people in their tracks.”

“Is there anything I can do to make your stay more pleasant?”

“No, thank you. Everything has been wonderful.”

“Glad to hear it.”

After Skyler moved on to chat with other guests, Lauren slipped onto her seat and pulled two jars of baby food from the diaper bag decorated with baby animals.

“Do you want to see the building after dinner?” she asked her mom.

“No, tomorrow’s soon enough. Tonight, I just want to spend time with my granddaughters.”

Bethany let out an enthusiastic squeal as if to say that was the best idea ever, drawing chuckles from the older couple at the next table.

“Nice set of lungs on that one,” the older guy said.

“Let me assure you they are twins in every way,” Lauren said as she held a tiny spoon of green beans up to Harper’s lips.

After they’d all had a delicious meal, Lauren accompanied her mom back to the room they would share while Papa Ed headed back to his own for a well-deserved rest and, if he could find one, probably a fishing show on TV.

Once back in her room, Lauren opened her computer to check if there were any pressing messages. She grinned at the sight of her mom tickling the girls’ bellies, making them laugh.

“They adore you.”

“The feeling is mutual.” Her mom glanced toward Lauren. “Are we interrupting your work?”

Lauren shook her head. “I’ve had about enough work for the day. Just checking email and social media.”

“If you want to go to sleep—”

“No. It’s too early. If I went to sleep now, I’d wake up at two in the morning.”

Despite having worked all day, an odd restlessness took hold of her.

“You should go out and do something fun.”

“I’ve already left the girls with Papa Ed all day. I can’t just pass them off to you now.”

“Why not? You never take time for yourself.”

“There’s a bit too much on my plate for spur-of-the-moment girls’ nights. Besides, I barely know anyone here.”

Despite her protestations that she shouldn’t just up and leave the girls again after being gone all day, Lauren couldn’t concentrate on anything. Maybe it was that she felt confined in such a small space.

Or maybe her mom was right. Since her breakup with Phil and the discovery not long after that she was pregnant with not just one baby, but two, Lauren hadn’t taken any real “me” time. She told herself she couldn’t afford it, or it wasn’t right to leave the girls or expect her family to take care of them while she went off to do something that wasn’t work-related. And now she’d added opening a restaurant to the mix, as if she had an unending reserve of both time and energy.

“Why don’t you at least go take a walk?” her mom said. “It’s supposed to be a lovely, clear night, not too cold yet.”

This time Lauren didn’t argue against the idea. “I won’t be gone long.”

“No need to hurry back. These little stinkers and I will be right here discussing all the yummy things their mommy will bake for them when they have more teeth.”

The mention of teeth caused Lauren to remember Adam Hartley’s comment about her getting a share of the local dentist’s profits. A ball of warmth formed in her chest at the memory of how easy it had been to talk with him, even after the awkward moment with the other woman at the café.

“Lauren?”

“Huh?”

“You had this faraway smile on your face.” The unspoken question in her mom’s tone sent a jolt through Lauren.

“Just imagining how I’m going to convince the daughters of a baker that they can’t have dessert for the main course of every meal.”

After a couple minutes of loving on her babies, Lauren left the room for an evening stroll to clear her head and stretch her legs.

Though there was a slight chill in the air, she decided on a walk through town. She felt like meandering along Main Street, since it was quieter and less crowded than during the middle of the day.

As she checked out the window displays of the downtown shops, she made a mental note to do some Christmas shopping soon. It’d be much easier to keep her purchases secret if she shopped when her family was otherwise occupied, especially Violet. Her sister had a habit of trying to find and figure out what her presents were well before Christmas morning. The habit was so annoying that their mother had threatened to stop buying her presents on more than one occasion. Violet would swear she’d reform, but that only lasted about a day at most. Lauren thought Violet perhaps did it mostly to see everyone’s reaction.

She promised herself she’d check out the cute outfit displayed in the window at Yesterwear Boutique, see if A Good Yarn had the lavender-scented candles her mom liked and browse the shelves at the little bookstore. At some point, she’d introduce herself to Keri Teague, the resident baker of Blue Falls, and hope Keri didn’t see her as an adversary. But though the bakery still appeared to be open, Lauren didn’t feel up to it tonight.

As she eyed a lovely western-themed living room set in the window of a furniture store, the sound of music drew her attention. She followed it to what turned out to be the Blue Falls Music Hall. A man in cowboy attire opened the door for a woman, allowing the sound of a band playing to rush out into the early evening. She found herself walking toward the entrance. After all, if she was going to be a local business owner, she should support the other businesses in town. Maybe it would help pave the way into the fabric of the town, toward acceptance, considering she was an outsider.

She knew how small towns worked. While she had a recognizable name that could bring in additional tourists, some locals might see her as unfair competition. Her goal was to assure everyone she wanted to create a mutually beneficial relationship with the lifelong residents of Blue Falls. She’d only stay a few minutes then return to the inn.

The moment she stepped into the building, Blue Falls didn’t seem so small. That or the entire population of the town had crammed inside to drink, dance and listen to music. Picturing all these people streaming into her restaurant brought a smile to her face as she made her way toward the bar. Before she reached it, however, someone asked, “Is that smile for me?” before spinning her onto the dance floor.

Chapter Four

For one horrifying moment, Lauren thought it was Phil who’d grabbed her. Even when she looked up into the face of Tim Wainwright, it still took several moments for her heart to start its descent back to its proper place in her chest from her throat.

“Glad to see you came out to enjoy the nightlife,” Tim said.

“Can’t say I expected to be accosted as a result.”

Tim’s eyebrows lifted. “Accosted? I merely meant to claim the first dance before a line formed.”

She rolled her eyes. “No need to butter me up. I’m not closer to making a decision about vendors than I was a few days ago.”