Rancher Daddy

“Can we get my family now?” Henry asked.

“It won’t be that simple, Henry,” Holly warned. “It’s a long process to find a family. Besides, we’ve got another fifteen minutes before we’re supposed to meet the mayor.” His sad expression touched her. He must be very lonely. With a spurt of inspiration she asked, “Where did you live before, Henry?”

“In Calgary. In a shelter. My brother took care of me.” For the first time the boy’s composure fractured. A big tear plopped onto his cheek. “Finn can’t take care of me anymore because he’s in prison. He told me he didn’t do it but I think he did steal the money from the store and it’s my fault.”

“How could it be your fault?” Luc asked, touching the boy’s shoulder gently.

“My teacher said I need new glasses. But I shouldn’t have told Finn because he didn’t have any money to buy them.” Henry’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I asked him anyway.”

“You couldn’t know what Finn would do,” Holly said, hugging Henry close for a moment. “It’s not your fault.”

When Luc didn’t add his voice to the comment, Holly glanced up and found him staring at her and Henry, his brown eyes almost black with intensity.

“What?” she murmured, discomfited by his look.

“I just had an idea.” A slow grin moved across Luc’s face, accenting the handsome ruggedness. “Henry, here’s some money. Could you go pay the bill?”

Delighted by this sign of trust, Henry scooted out of the booth and across the café.

“Why did you do that?” Holly liked that Luc was an open book. He didn’t hide his thoughts or pretend to be anything but what he was—a cowboy. He was honest and straightforward and she knew she could count on him. So when he leaned toward her, Holly smiled, expecting a joke.

“In return for helping you with your renovations, I would like your help,” Luc said.

“With what?” Surprised when he beckoned to her to move closer, Holly leaned toward him.

“With adopting Henry.”

* * *

Luc winced when Holly’s eyes widened then flickered with disbelief. What was so surprising about him wanting to adopt Henry? She studied him until Henry came back then turned her focus on the boy, watching as he first handed Luc the change and then began scribbling on his placemat with the pen he’d given him earlier.

“Henry,” she said softly. “Mrs. Brewster has some toys over there, in the box under the window. Would you like to play with them for a few minutes until it’s time to leave?”

“Okay.” Henry shifted out of the booth, paused to study them through his big round glasses. “You and Luc should make a family.”

“Uh, I don’t think so.” Holly avoided Luc’s glance until Henry walked over to the toy box. “Where did he get that idea from?” Her beautiful blue eyes now had silver sparks in them which shot his way. “Never mind. Were you kidding about adopting him?”

“Why would I?” Irritated that Holly would think he’d joke about such a serious subject, Luc clenched his hands on the leather bench. Why shouldn’t he be a father to this needy boy?

Holly’s glossy brunette curls, caught up in the ponytail she always wore to work, shone red-gold glints in a flash of sunlight coming through the window. She always looked lovely to him, but with the pink flush of annoyance now staining her cheeks, she was stunning. And she distracted him.

“You can’t adopt Henry.” Her voice had the sharpest tone he’d ever heard.

“Because?” Luc leaned back in his seat and waited, formulating arguments in his mind, ready to shoot hers down while wondering what was wrong with the usually happy Holly.

“You make it sound like it’s a done deal, just because you’ve decided. Adoption’s not that easy.” Holly fiddled with her teacup.

“How do you know?” Funny how she didn’t look at him now. Instead, she hid her gaze by staring at the uneaten food on her plate. Luc’s radar was alerted, but he waited for her to speak.

“I’ve seen and heard stuff at Family Ties. There are procedures to go through. Isn’t it time to leave?” Holly sounded almost desperate.

“We’ve still got several minutes,” he said, wondering why she hadn’t looked at her watch. It hung from a gold pin near her shoulder. Luc knew she did that because she’d once told him she disliked wearing anything on her wrist. He knew a lot about Holly. “What kind of procedures do I need to go through, Holly?”

“Uh, well...” She leaned back, obviously searching for an answer. “I don’t know. Maybe start by learning all you can about adoptions. Check out support groups for adoptive parents or conferences where you can learn what to expect, what others have gone through, how to handle certain problems.”

“Sounds like that would take a long time.” There was something funny going on. Uncomplicated, straight-shooting Holly wouldn’t look at him.

“Of course. Adoption is a long process,” she said hurriedly. “You’re adopting the child for life so it would be better to learn as much as you can before you act.”

“I suppose.” Luc nodded. “So what else do I need to know?”

“This isn’t my specialty, Luc. I’m a nurse practitioner not a social worker.” She sounded frustrated. Must be lack of sleep.

Luc knew ordinarily Holly would be tucked up in bed by now. She always gave her best at work but she worked doubly hard when she was on night shifts and especially when children fussed and seemed to need extra attention. Most mornings he watched her return home utterly worn-out.

“You’re tired. Never mind,” he said, sorry that he’d bothered her when she was spent.

“You should talk with Abby Lebret.” Her voice sounded calmer. “She’s the social worker who runs Family Ties and she’d know how to proceed.”

“That’s a good idea.” He stretched out his booted feet and bumped hers. “Sorry. I suppose someone will visit my place, make sure it’s all right for a child to live there?”

“I’m sure that’s part of a home study,” Holly told him. “But I doubt you’ll have just one meeting. It’s—I mean I think it’s more like a series of meetings and it gets pretty personal. Or so I’ve heard,” she added, ignoring his surprised look.

“I’d expect to be investigated.” Luc wondered where she got her information and then decided it must be from Family Ties. Abby and Holly were good friends. “I’d want them to get all their questions about me answered so there wouldn’t be any mistakes that would mean they’d take Henry back.”

“I guess that’s wise. But, Luc, there’s no guarantee Henry is even adoptable.” Holly’s smooth forehead pleated with her frown. “He might already be a candidate for some other family or it may be that he’s not eligible for adoption.”

“He is. I just know it.” Luc couldn’t explain how he knew Henry was supposed to be his son. He’d struggled for the past year trying to figure out God’s will for him. Surely having Henry show up as he had, asking for a family, was a sign God’s plan was for Luc to be a dad to Henry.

“I imagine Henry has a child worker assigned to him. I guess that person will be your first hurdle.” Holly tried to hide a yawn behind her hand but didn’t quite succeed. “I think we’d better get over to Marsha’s office before I doze off.”

“It’s time.” He waited while Holly collected Henry then walked to the door. “Are you going to stay awake through this?” he asked when she tried to smother another yawn.

“I can give you another half hour,” Holly promised. “But then I am going to crash.”

“Thanks, Holly. You have no idea how much this means to me.” Luc reached out and squeezed her shoulder. With Holly on his side, he couldn’t possibly fail to get his son.

Chapter Two

“Henry has no home. I don’t see what’s wrong with bringing him to my place to stay until the adoption goes through,” Luc said as he took a seat at her dining table.

Holly watched as the tall, lean rancher gulped down a mouthful of the coffee she’d just poured, disregarding her warning that it was hot. Coughing and sputtering, he raced across the dining room to the kitchen sink and downed a glass of cold water. He made a series of silly faces as he tested his scorched mouth.

She tried but couldn’t quite stifle her laughter at his antics.

“It’s not nice for you to laugh at me, Holly,” he reproved her then added, “Certainly not something the town’s wonder girl would do.”

“Oh, lay off that nonsense,” she said, losing her good mood. “I’m not that wonderful and the town would know that if they really knew me.” Sobered by his words she reminded him, “It’s only been a week since you met Henry and you’re still treating adoption just like that hot coffee. I warned you it was hot just as I warned you it wouldn’t be easy to adopt Henry.”

“I never thought it would be easy.” Luc flopped back down in his chair and stretched out. “I just didn’t think it would be a lesson in fighting bureaucracy.”

“Please keep your boots away from that bag of fabric.” Holly’s warning came a second too late. “This is exactly why I need a sewing room,” she complained in an exasperated tone as she freed a piece of frilly lace from the toe of his boot.

“Sorry. I know I promised I’d work on a sewing room in exchange for your help, Holly. I’ll get to it soon.” He took the lace from her and studied it. “What is this for anyway? A hair bow?” He peered at it then studied her head. “Since when do you wear pink? You hate pink.”

“It’s not a hair bow and it’s not for me,” Holly told him, snatching the delicate lace from his fingers. “I’m going to sew it on a gift I’m making.”

“Another baby gift?” He leaned over to study the fabric pieces lying on the table. “Looks like a jigsaw puzzle but I can tell it’s for a girl. You sure do have a lot of new moms as friends.”

“I deliver babies. It’s my job to know the moms. I like to give them a little gift after their baby’s birth.” Holly flushed and looked away.

Shame on me for fudging the truth.

But how else could she explain without telling him about her online business? And Holly didn’t want to do that. If Luc knew he’d probably pass on the information and soon the whole town would be talking. She couldn’t bear to hear the gossips.

Poor jilted bride. That’s why she makes baby clothes, you know. Because she doesn’t have any children of her own.

If they only knew that she’d once held her own precious child in her arms and then given him away to save her father’s reputation.

Since it was Holly’s week off, Luc had made a habit of stopping by unexpectedly for coffee, ostensibly to discuss the work he did on her ranch. Somehow the conversation always turned to adopting Henry. A couple of times he’d caught her with her work spread all over the dining table. Well, it wasn’t as if she could just scoop everything into a box whenever he appeared.

“I probably shouldn’t have bothered you about this again,” Luc apologized. “But I wondered if you’d given more thought to selling Cool Springs Ranch?”

“Not again.” She rolled her eyes. “Luc, you’ve asked me that a hundred times since Dad died. I told you on Monday that I wasn’t interested in selling any of Dad’s land. Today is Thursday and I’m still not interested.”

“It’s not your dad’s land anymore, Holly,” Luc said in a somber tone. “It’s yours.”

“Yes, but he worked so hard to acquire this land and his herd,” she said softly. “He wanted me to have a birthright.” Which should have gone to his grandson. “I wouldn’t feel right selling off any of it.”

“Okay.” Luc sighed. “But when you do decide, you’ll give me first dibs, right?”

“If and when,” she promised.

“Good enough.” He wrinkled his nose at the brightly striped fabric she was about to cut. “That looks like clown material,” he said then added, “Have you got time to go for a ride?”

“Now?” Holly paused, her scissors frozen in midair. She looked up at him and frowned. This was about the ranch; it had to be important. “What’s wrong?”

“I’d rather show you than explain,” he said. “Then I’ll come back here and you can show me exactly what you want in your sewing room.”

“Fine.” Resigned, Holly put down her scissors and shut off the pattern mill in her brain. If she had a bigger, more private work space, she’d be able to accept more orders and finally pay off the last of the bills leftover from her dad’s illness. It was the only debt she owed him that she could repay. Nothing could ever make up for the love and care he’d showered on her all her life.

Except perhaps the grandson he’d never known.

“Holly?” Luc touched her shoulder. “Would you rather wait?”

“No. Let’s go.” She mentally shook off the past, knowing the guilt would return again later, when she was alone.

“It’s the north quarter. We’ll have to ride.” Luc glanced at her bare feet and raised one eyebrow. “I think you’re going to have to cover those,” he jibed.

Holly glanced down and giggled.

“One of my Sunday school students gave me this polish,” she said, wiggling her toes. “She said her mom thought it was too old for her.”

“It’s too something,” Luc agreed, unable to stifle a laugh.

Holly laughed with him. Luc always had that effect on her, she thought as she pulled on her socks and riding boots. He was a very good friend who coaxed her to enjoy life. She enjoyed having him around.

They took the shortcut to the north pasture, past Luc’s house. Holly slowed to a stop and squinted into the sun below the brim of her hat, waiting until he’d reined in beside her.

“What’s that in your yard, Luc?”

“I’m restoring a truck and needed some parts so I had the garage tow in a couple of wrecks.” He must have seen something in her face because he asked, “Why?”

“You’re still determined to adopt Henry?” she asked, even though she knew he was.

“Of course. Why not?” Luc glanced at the yard then back at her. “What’s wrong?”

“I think that whoever comes to check out your place will see those old cars and parts as a potential hazard for a kid Henry’s age,” she said gently. “You can still restore your vehicles but maybe not in front of the house.”

“It’s handy when I have a few minutes after dinner,” he explained. “I can walk out the door and work as long as the light’s good, but you’re right. I wouldn’t want Henry poking around where there’s a lot of rust and jagged edges.”

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, knowing how much he loved to restore vehicles.

“Don’t be.” Luc twisted to look at her, his grin back in place. “That’s exactly the kind of thing I want your help with, Holly.”

“Did you talk to Abby yet?” she asked. “She might have some weight with the government if Henry is in the care of Family Ties. Or even if he’s under other stewardship.”

“Abby told me Henry’s only been in foster care since his brother went to prison, but that he hasn’t been able to settle in anywhere. Apparently he doesn’t like foster care and keeps asking for a forever family.” Luc chuckled. “His case worker in Calgary was relieved Abby agreed to temporarily oversee his care while he’s staying with Hilda Vermeer.”

“He’s still there, even though she snores?” Holly asked, tongue in cheek.

“Apparently there is a lack of foster homes right now. When he argued about staying with Hilda, Abby said she had to be very forceful with him to get him to understand that he’d never get his family if he didn’t give her time to find it. Henry then said he’d wait a little longer.” Luc laughed. “He’s such a solemn, determined kid.”

And you already love him, Holly thought, her heart pinching at the trouble that might lie ahead for Luc. And yet, she had only to think of the joy he’d experience as a father, joy she’d missed out on, joy she’d denied her dad.

“Henry reminds me of you sometimes,” she said, not realizing she’d voiced her thoughts until Luc’s eyebrows arched.

“Me? How?”

“His purpose, the way he won’t give in, his certainty about what he wants from life. And his eyes. Henry’s eyes are exactly like yours. Are you sure you weren’t married and had a child you didn’t tell anyone about?” Holly teased.

Luc’s face tightened. “Never married,” he said firmly. “Never will. Some people, like you for instance, should be married. Some, especially if they’re like me, shouldn’t.”

“Why not?” Surprised by the comment, Holly rode closer and tapped him on the arm. “Luc?”

He remained silent for so long she thought he wouldn’t answer. She’d thought Luc simple and carefree until now. Her questions about him multiplied.

“I always intended to get married.” He pulled his horse up when they came to the stream that divided their properties and dismounted. “That had been my dream since I was a kid, to someday have a wife and a family. A home. I thought with them I’d be able to make up for the family that I’d lost when my parents died in the car accident.”

“And now you can’t?” Holly’s heart ached for the little boy he’d been and the grief he’d had to go through after losing the only family he’d ever known.

“I think maybe with Henry I can have that dream,” Luc murmured thoughtfully.

Holly appreciated the way Luc held her horse’s harness so she could dismount, even though she’d been riding since she was five. There was something nice about having Luc do those polite things that made her feel cherished, special.

She sat down on a rock by the creek bed and waited while Luc fastened both horses to a tall poplar tree. He pulled two cans of soda from his saddlebags and a sack of nuts.

“I thought it’d be nice to take a break here,” he said after handing her a soda. He folded his long lean length next to her then set his Stetson on a rock. His short dark curly hair glistened in the sun.

Luc, Holly suddenly realized, was a very handsome man.

“I love this spot. It’s so peaceful.” His voice rumbled quietly through the little glade. “It makes me think of God.”

Holly sipped her drink and waited for him to continue. She, too, loved this spot and often came here to pray for forgiveness.

“This year I let go of the marriage part of my dreams,” Luc told her, his face inexpressibly sad.

“Because?” Holly could hardly contain her curiosity.

“Because it wasn’t realistic.” A self-mocking smile stretched his mouth. “I thought love and marriage meant forever.”

“And they don’t?” Holly wanted to hug him when he shook his head. His face reflected his disenchantment.

“A month ago the woman I’d just proposed to told me she didn’t love me enough to leave Calgary and move out here—to the back of beyond I believe she called it.” Luc said it coolly, without emotion, but Holly saw the sting of rejection in his eyes.

“Oh, Luc. I’m so sorry.” Holly frowned. “You never told us you were engaged.”

“You and your dad had enough to deal with. Your canceled wedding and his illness took up every spare moment.” His gaze rested on her, brimming with compassion. “My problems didn’t matter.”

“Of course they did. If you’d told us, we would have celebrated your happiness, even thrown a party.” Holly pinched her lips. Luc grinned.

“Yeah, probably not a good idea,” he said. “Too much to explain when we split up.”

Holly couldn’t suppress an oddly disquieting sensation at the knowledge that Luc had been contemplating marriage. She looked at him now with new eyes. Luc as a husband?

“Surely one breakup is no reason to give up on love and marriage,” she said.

“It wasn’t just one woman,” he admitted in a low voice. “But this one hurt the most. Being rejected like that takes the starch out of you. It takes a while to get your feet back under you.”

“Tell me about it,” she muttered drily.

She wondered why she hadn’t known he was in love. Then again, why wouldn’t he be? Luc was very handsome, kind and generous, with faultless manners. Any woman would be fortunate to be loved by him. “I’ve been having second thoughts about marriage for a while,” he volunteered.

“Why?” Holly hoped he wouldn’t tell her to mind her own business.

“Several years ago I stood up at the weddings of several best buddies, guys with hearts of gold who’d gladly give you the shirt off their backs.” Luc fiddled with his soda can. “I’d never seen them as committed as when they married their wives. They were determined to make it work, ready to put their all into it. Later they all had kids and seemed so happy. I envied them.”

Holly said nothing, giving Luc time to gather his thoughts.

“I didn’t know those marriages weren’t even close to perfect. Now, one by one, each is ending in divorce.” Luc swallowed. “The morning we found Henry I’d just come from my friend Pete’s. He’s the latest casualty.” His face was troubled.

“Talk to me, Luc.” Holly heard a world of pain in his stark words. He needed a friend and for once she wanted to be the one to help him.

“When I saw him, Pete was devastated, sitting in his truck, a shell of himself. He’s lost his wife, his kids, his home. The love I envied five years ago is gone.” He shook his head. “It was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m so sorry.” The depth of his dejection touched her. “But that doesn’t mean your relationships will fail. You just haven’t found the right woman yet.”

“I don’t think love has to do with finding the right person, Holly. I’m not even sure there is a right person for me to find.” Luc looked at her, his eyes dark. “Love is something you give, freely, unreservedly. How do you put your world together when the person you loved no longer wants you?”

“I wish I had the answer.” Holly prayed desperately for words to soothe his stark hurt but couldn’t find them. How could she help her friend?

“I’m no expert.” His forehead pleated in a frown. “By everything I saw, those marriages should have worked. But my friends lost love and their dreams.”

Holly felt stunned by Luc’s desolation. She wanted him to expel the rejection from his heart so it couldn’t hurt him anymore. As if! In five months she hadn’t expelled Ron’s accusations. Not yet. Not completely. “Go on, Luc.”

“Sarah told me she didn’t want to marry me after we’d been seriously discussing our future for several months.” He shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe it. “We’d even decided to get married in Tahiti because she said Buffalo Gap was too ‘primitive.’”

That should have been a warning sign, Holly thought, but she kept silent.

“I agreed to almost all the conditions she set until she wanted me to sell my ranch.” Luc smiled grimly when Holly reared back. “She told me she could never move here, so far from the city and her friends.” Luc’s face bore a pained look as if it hurt to admit the rest.

“I get the picture,” Holly muttered, wishing she’d met this woman so she could have told her what a great guy Luc was.

“I didn’t. Not until I insisted on keeping the ranch.” His lips pinched together.

“Oh, Luc.” Holly could almost guess the rest.

“She called Buffalo Gap Hicksville and hinted nothing here could possibly live up to city life. She said she wanted a husband to be proud of. She made fun of me for loving ranching, said I was wasting myself on cattle.” His face telegraphed his sense of betrayal. “She said she wanted a husband to be proud of, not some guy smelling of manure, stuck in a mindless routine of chores.”

“It’s a good thing she broke it off,” Holly burst out angrily. “Because if she hadn’t, you would have. She would never have worked as a ranch wife.”

“No, she wouldn’t.” Luc nodded. “But that’s when I understood that I was just like my buddies. I gave everything to Sarah and she threw it in my face. That’s when I knew that whatever I’d felt for her wouldn’t survive the test of marriage. She hated everything I stood for. I made a mistake loving her.”

“I’m not sure loving someone is ever a mistake. Love’s not the problem,” Holly mused.

“No, judgment is,” Luc said. “My heart blinded me, which is bad enough. But my poor judgment is what scares me.”

The sting of his admission reached deep inside Holly. Luc was one of the best men she knew. She didn’t want him to hurt like this.