Her Texas Hero

“I’d offer to help you remove it,” she said, knowing it was the least she could have done after what he’d done for her, “but we only just arrived and almost everything we own is still packed in boxes in my van and in the moving truck that’s on its way. I wanted to check things out and give the children a chance to play outside a bit before we started moving in.”

His dark brow shot up. “You bought this place?”

She nodded. “Through an online auction site.”

He glanced around, his mouth pulling down into a frown.

She completely understood his reaction, having seen the place now for herself. “I have to admit it looked a little more promising in pictures.”

His gaze shifted back to her. “Are you telling me you purchased this house after seeing it only in pictures online?”

She looked down at her daughter, running her fingers through Lily’s tangled golden-brown curls. “Traveling from Illinois to Texas and back just to see a house that was advertised as being in need of some tender loving care seemed like a waste of money that could be used on those repairs instead.”

“Not to be the bearer of bad news,” he said with a frown, “but this place is in need of far more than some tender loving care. If the inside is anything like the outside, you’re looking at a near total gut, if not a complete one.”

A total gut? Surely he was exaggerating. She glanced around with a troubled frown. “I think it looks worse than it is.” At least, she hoped so. She couldn’t afford to totally renovate the whole house inside and out. Not with Bradford still owing her court-ordered child support for the time he was still considered legally their father. At least she had her half of the money from the sale of their house in Chicago, minus the few months’ rent she’d had to pay while looking for a place for her and her children to start their lives again.

“My curtains are made of spiderwebs,” Lily announced, scrunching up her tiny nose.

“And the back door won’t open,” Mason added with a frown.

Embarrassment warmed Audra’s cheeks. “Cobwebs can be swept away and the door just needs a little oil.”

The man cleared his throat. “I doubt oiling the door is gonna fix your problem. Chances are the door is a little swollen from all the rain and humidity we’ve had in the past few weeks.” He glanced around. “As old as this place is and knowing how long it’s been sitting here unattended to, there’s a real good possibility the foundation has shifted and it’s throwing things off.”

The foundation? That sounded more than a little costly. “You sound like you’ve dealt with this problem before,” she said, wondering how he could know these things when he hadn’t even taken a look at her door yet. Maybe this was a common problem in Texas.

“I have,” he replied with a nod. “My brother and I own a construction company. We do a lot of home renovations as well as new builds. I’d be happy to take a look at your door and give you an idea of what you’ll need to do to fix the problem.”

“Maybe Daddy could fix it,” Lily suggested.

Audra cringed at her daughter’s hopeful words.

“We don’t have a daddy anymore,” Mason reminded her in a tone laced with both hurt and anger.

“I forgot,” Lily said woefully. Then, looking up at a sober-faced Carter Cooper, she added, “Our daddy gave us away.”

Before Audra had a chance to respond, her son puffed out his chest and announced, “I’m the man of the house now.”

Guilt weighed heavily on her heart. “My husband and I are divorced,” she said, somehow managing to get the words past the emotion constricting her throat. “He decided fatherhood wasn’t for him and gave up his parental rights.” Her bottom lip quivered as she fought the urge to cry. Maybe it was the long drive to Texas, or even the scare she’d had up on the roof, but her emotions felt incredibly raw at that moment.

She had failed as a wife and now as a mother if one listened to her children’s words. At six years old, her son shouldn’t have to be the “man of the house.” And no child should ever feel like their father simply gave them away. But everything they said was true. Mason was the only male in the house and their father had signed over all rights to his children without even a moment’s hesitation. And she had failed God, because she had spoken vows to love, honor and cherish. None of which she’d been able to bring herself to do at the end of her marriage.

But this was her chance to start over. To give her children the kind of life they deserved. One where they would feel happy and safe, never doubting her love for them. Her gaze shifted to the peeling porch paint and the weathered cracks in the wood framing the porch windows and she knew she had her work cut out for her. But with determination, hard work and a fair amount of prayer, she would turn this dilapidated old house into a true home for herself and her children.

Chapter Two

Carter shifted uneasily. What did he say to that? He hated the sorrow he’d heard in Audra Marshall’s voice. A woman alone, raising two young children all by herself. And now she had to deal with this dilapidated old house she’d purchased online.

Her daughter’s heart-wrenching words played through his mind. Our daddy gave us away. What kind of man gave up his own children? Not him. At least, he wouldn’t if he were ever to have a child of his own, which he had no intention of doing. He was plenty content to spoil Katie rotten and then send her home to her daddy. To think Audra’s ex had so little appreciation of his beautiful little girl and smart-as-a-whip little boy made his heart ache for them.

Life was too precious. He’d learned that a little over a year before, when the F4 twister took the lives of his parents and his sister-in-law. It was a day that would never be erased from his mind. He and Nathan had been the ones to find their parents. They’d pulled their momma’s lifeless body from the rubble that had once been their family home and then found their daddy, broken and bloodied, close by. By then rescuers had arrived and a desperate search went on for Isabel and Katie. Carter had been the one to find Isabel, who’d looked like a broken doll. Her last words had been “Keep them safe and happy for me, Carter.” Words he would honor. Words he had kept to himself, not wanting Nathan to know his beloved wife had suffered even in the slightest before passing. It was better that way.

Katie, who the rescuers had found cut and bleeding, her leg severely broken, in what had once been his parents’ hall closet, had been the only survivor. Their daddy, who had been severely injured, was called home to the Lord just a day after losing his beloved wife of thirty-two years. His brother had done his best to fill the void Isabel’s death had left in their young daughter’s life, but it had taken a toll on Nathan emotionally. On all of them, truth be told. The tragedy of that day had changed all of their lives forever. And unlike houses, which could be repaired, hearts were a whole different story. His brothers were living proof of that.

“You’re really tall,” Lily said, drawing Carter back from his troubled thoughts. She looked up at him from her perch atop the porch swing, where she sat beside her mother. The same light brown eyes flecked with gold as her mother’s. The same honey-brown hair.

“Reckon I am,” he replied with a grin.

“Bet you could reach the spiderweb curtains on my windows.”

“Lily,” Audra gasped, “Mr. Cooper is not cleaning the cobwebs from your windows.”

“I happen to be real good at removing cobwebs from high places,” he said. “I’d be happy to—”

“We’ve held Mr. Cooper up long enough,” she said, not giving him the chance to offer any more assistance than he already had. Easing her young daughter upright in the swing, Audra Marshall pushed to her feet. “I’ll show you to the back door so you can take a quick look at it and then you can get on your way.”

As he followed her into the house, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was anxious to get rid of him because he’d overstayed his welcome, or if she really felt like she’d imposed on his time.

“I’d ask you to forgive the mess,” she called back over her shoulder as she made her way toward the back of the house, “but I assume you understand.”

“Completely,” he replied. He did a mental sweep around him. The outside was in need of major repairs, but the inside was far worse. A major undertaking for even a professional like himself. “So you’re gonna be hiring someone to do the necessary repairs to the house?”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” she replied as she led him down a wide hallway.

“Excuse me?”

“I came here with the intention of doing most of it myself,” she explained without slowing her steps.

“Mommy can fix anything,” Lily said as she scurried to walk beside him. “She fixed my dolly’s broken arm.”

He chuckled, slowing his step to allow her to keep up. His gaze dropped down to her adorable little face. “Did she now?”

“A little glue goes a long way,” Audra said, her determined strides taking her into the kitchen.

Maybe when it came to small fix-its. But glue wasn’t going to make this house habitable. “You really should reconsider hiring someone on to help with the repairs.”

“There are plenty of books on doing home repairs.” She crossed the room and stopped next to what could only be the inoperable door. Then she turned to face him. “I’m a fast learner.”

He should have known that, as determinedly as she’d hung on to keep from falling off that roof, the woman was bound to have a stubborn side. Carter stepped up to the door to inspect it. “Before I leave, I’ll get that Frisbee down off the roof for you.”

“I’d rather you not risk getting hurt trying to do that for us,” she said with a frown.

His gaze shifted to her children, who were taking in every word like little sponges. “While I appreciate your concern for my safety,” he said as he once again removed his sunglasses and shoved them down into the front pocket of his shirt, “I go up onto roofs, good ones and bad ones, for a living.” He knelt to check out the doorknob and its locking mechanism. “And I’d never forgive myself for driving off with that Frisbee still up there. Too tempting for certain persons who might be stirred to try and find some way to get it off all by themselves.” He gave a slight nod in the direction of the children. “That should be left to someone who knows what they’re doing up on that roof.”

She glanced in her children’s direction. “Mr. Cooper’s right. Never go up on the roof. It’s too dangerous.” Her gaze shifted back to him. “If you’re sure you have the time to spare, I’d appreciate your help in getting it down.”

“Finished up work early today,” he told her, his focus returning to the stubborn old door, which was determined not to budge from the frame it was nestled far too snugly in. “Nothing else planned for the rest of my day except removing this ridiculous raccoon mask I’m sporting.”

A soft giggle sounded beside him, drawing his gaze upward. He quirked a brow.

“Sorry,” Audra said, not bothering to hide her amusement. “Actually,” she said, studying his face more closely, “in some strange way, the ‘mask’ suits you.”

“I’m not sure if I should thank you for the slightly offhanded compliment, or if I should put my sunglasses back on, which I will tell you will make it pretty hard to see what I’m doing here,” he added, motioning toward the door.

“Compliment,” she said with a smile. “Without a doubt.”

She was sweet, but he didn’t believe a word of her flattery. There was no doubt in his mind that he looked ridiculous. It was no wonder she wasn’t jumping at the chance to hire him on for her house renovations. Who in their right mind would consider hiring on a man wearing a shoe-polish mask? He stood, straightening to his full height. “As I suspected, the door’s rotted and swollen. It’s gonna need to be replaced.”

Her smile faded for the briefest of moments before she drew back her shoulders and lifted her chin. “We’ll just have to make do with one door for a while.”

One door? What if there were a fire and the front door wasn’t accessible? “It could be shaved down some as a temporary fix,” he suggested. “But you really should consider replacing it.”

She bit her bottom lip as if mentally assessing her choices. Then she turned to her children. “Kids, run out to the van and get Mr. Cooper a bottle of water from the cooler.”

Before he could tell her not to bother, her children were gone.

She turned back to him, craning her neck as she looked up at him. He hadn’t realized before what a tiny thing she was. Five-three if she were fortunate. Nearly a foot shorter than his own six foot two inches. “My children have had enough to deal with in their lives. The last thing they need to do is worry about my being able to take care of them. The truth is, my funds are limited right now. So a new door is out of the question. My money needs to go to the more demanding repairs.”

He nodded. That didn’t mean he liked the thought of her trying to handle this project on her own. Pulling out his wallet, he withdrew his business card and handed it to her. “Since you don’t know me from Adam, here’s my card to prove I have a little bit of experience with these sorts of things.” He wanted her to trust him. Why it mattered so much he had no idea, but it did.

She took the offered card, her gaze drifting over it. “As I’ve already said, hiring on a professional isn’t in the budget. But with the good Lord’s help we’ll figure it out.”

He fought the urge to frown. The good Lord might be watching over them, but home renovations were not something he’d be seeing to. And even with God’s guidance Audra Marshall would not be able to do this on her own. “I’ll stop by tomorrow to repair the back door.”

“That won’t be necessary,” she said without hesitation. “Just tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it.”

Stubborn. Determined. Prideful female. Carter mentally ticked off a list of appropriate descriptions for Audra Marshall while he came to terms with her refusal of his offer. But it was her house. Her door. Her decision to make. So he grudgingly explained what she would have to do to fix the door. At least temporarily. “If there’s anything else I can do to help,” he told her, “just give me a ring. My cell phone number’s on the bottom of the card.”

She glanced down at the light gray business card she still clutched in her hand and then back up at him. “Thank you, but I’m sure it won’t be necessary.” She held out her hand, intending to give the card back to him.

“Keep it,” he insisted and then added with a tempered smile, “Just in case.”

He waited, fully expecting her to refuse him again. Instead, she nodded, setting the card on the kitchen counter beside her.

Odd how such a small victory had him feeling like he’d won the Super Bowl. “Reckon I oughta go get that Frisbee down so you and the little ones can get back to settling in.”

“I suppose so,” she said, her gaze taking in the room. “We have a bit of cleaning to do to make the bedrooms sleep-ready.” She started from the room, limping slightly as she went.

“Your calf okay?” he asked as he followed.

“Starting to feel a little tender.”

“Try not to baby it,” he said. “I know it’s uncomfortable to walk on, but you have to keep that calf muscle stretched out.”

“I think you went into the wrong line of work, Mr. Cooper,” she said, flashing a smile back at him over her shoulder. “You really should have been a doctor.”

“I was a volunteer firefighter for a couple of years after I graduated from high school, during which time I received training in first aid, but my true calling is construction.”

“I have to wonder,” she said with a smile.

He let out a husky laugh. “Trust me. These hands are far better off hammering nails than tending to patients. I’m blue collar through and through.” Reaching past her, he opened the screen door, holding it until she was safely out on the porch. Then he stepped out behind her.

“But you own your company,” she replied. “Wouldn’t that make you more white collar?”

“Not for a second,” he answered honestly. “I work right alongside my crew doing any type of physical labor the job calls for. The work can be hard. It can be dirty. And, on occasion, dangerous.”

“I—”

“Here you go,” Lily hollered as she raced up onto the porch, ending any further discussion about his chosen occupation. Smiling, she held out the bottle of water she and her brother had gone to retrieve for him.

“Thanks.”

“Mommy,” Mason said, following right behind. His mouth was drawn down into a worried frown. “The cooler is leaking.”

She sighed tiredly. “The plug must have come loose again.”

“While you see to the cooler,” Carter said, “I’ll go grab a more reliable ladder from my truck and get that Frisbee down.”

“You might as well leave it up there,” Lily told him.

He glanced down at her. “You don’t want me to get it down so you can play with it?”

“It’ll just go up there again,” she said, glancing toward her brother. “Mason’s not a good thrower.”

The boy’s brows drew together at his sister’s insult. “I’m a better thrower than you are!”

“Children,” Audra admonished.

“It’s true,” her son said. “I wish I had someone to throw with that knows how to play Frisbee.”

“Your sister tries her best,” she said calmly.

“I don’t like to throw,” Lily said, her bottom lip pulling downward into a pout.

It was clear to see feelings were about to get hurt. “Not everyone does,” he assured her. “You’re probably really good at tea parties.”

Her little face lit up. “I am!”

He offered her a smile and then looked to Mason. “My niece, Katydid, who’s about your age I would guess, loves to play Frisbee. I’ll have to introduce you to her since you’re gonna be living here.”

The boy’s expression was priceless—wide-eyed and openmouthed, displaying a small gap where two of his bottom baby teeth had once been. “She’s named after a bug?”

Carter chuckled. “Not really. Katydid is what I call her. Her real name is Katherine Marie, but everyone calls her Katie.”

“Mommy, the van’s raining!” Lily exclaimed in a high-pitched squeal.

They all turned to see water spilling out from behind the sliding passenger door the kids had left partially open.

Audra gasped. “Oh, no! Excuse me,” she called back as she broke into a run for her van.

Carter watched her go. Lord, he thought to himself, if anyone needs a little extra help, it’s her. Not that she’d accept it. Audra Marshall was determined to go it on her own. Stubborn female.

* * *

“I’m hungry,” Lily whined, drawing Audra’s gaze across what would be the master bedroom, to where her young daughter had settled herself onto the freshly scrubbed hardwood floor. Arms crossed. Bottom lip pushed out in a pout.

Her baby girl was exhausted. Understandably so. The three of them had worked hard the past few hours, sweeping and scrubbing down the kids’ rooms, along with the upstairs bathroom and part of the kitchen, all of which had been monumental tasks. The rest of the cleaning could wait until the next day, her own room included. At least the floor was clean, even if the walls weren’t. She cast a fretful glance around the room, taking in its faded, peeling wallpaper and scuffed-up hardwood floor, and felt the overwhelming urge to cry. Lord, please give me the strength to do what needs to be done here.

At least they would have a roof over their heads, albeit a slightly sunken one, but a roof all the same. Her children would have clean rooms to sleep in, free of dust motes and cobwebs. And while she’d given the kitchen a fairly thorough scrubbing, Audra didn’t have the strength left to make use of it and cook dinner for the three of them.

She looked toward the sleeping bag she’d unrolled, where the bed would be. It was only for one night. The moving truck with her oversize storage containers was scheduled to arrive the following day and then she’d be able to get their beds set up and make the place look more like a home.

“Mommy,” her daughter pleaded woefully.

Audra managed a tired smile. “Why don’t we wash up, then take a ride into town to get something to eat?”

Her daughter’s eyes lit up. “Can we get a big dog?”

The big dog her daughter was referring to was the hot-dog shop they had passed by in town when they’d arrived in Braxton. A place called Big Dog’s. She had to admit it wasn’t exactly the healthiest choice for their overly late dinner, but her daughter had worked hard. If Lily wanted a hot dog for dinner, she was going to have one.

“Go down and wake your brother. Tell him to come inside and wash his face and change his shirt before we go.”

“Okay!” Lily sprang to her feet and raced from the room.

“You, too!” she called after her.

Moments later, the front screen door creaked open and then banged shut. Mason had volunteered to carry the trash bucket downstairs whenever it got full and out to the two battered aluminum garbage cans they’d found out back. He was exhausted as well and had curled up on the porch swing some forty minutes or so earlier, falling fast asleep.

Audra bent to grab on to the handle of the scrub bucket, carrying it and the mop she’d been using into the bathroom. Her arms ached. Her back ached. And this was only the beginning. The thought of everything that needed to be done was emotionally overwhelming. Her children deserved so much better than this. If only she had known what they would be getting into. But she hadn’t. Just as she hadn’t known the man she’d pledged her love to years before would walk away from the faith they had shared, the love they had shared, the family they had shared.

Had shared, because Bradford had chosen to give up all legal rights to Mason and Lily. No, he had insisted, been determined to free himself from the... How had he put it? The baggage he’d saddled himself with? That was how Bradford Marshall regarded the family he had created. As baggage. He’d given them all up without an ounce of regret. And for what? Another woman. One who, like Bradford, didn’t want to be tied down with the responsibilities of being a parent.

In the end, the decision had been up to Audra as to whether or not she would release him from his parental rights, which in their case was nothing more than the financial support Bradford was required to give to her children after the divorce. Payments he failed to make, leaving Audra to provide sole financial support for their children. So after many hours spent in prayer and some very tear-filled visits with their preacher, she came to the decision to allow Bradford to cut all ties with her children. Forcing him to stay a part of their lives would only make him more resentful toward Mason and Lily. They would have been forced to endure more of Bradford’s constant criticism, his unprovoked anger and, worst of all, his icy indifference.

Audra swiped at her dirt-smudged cheek to brush away the telltale trail of moisture, not wanting her children to see her crying. Her heart ached. Not for the loss of her marriage. That had ended long before anything had been finalized legally. But for her children. They deserved a father who would cherish them. What they had gotten was a man who had considered them hindrances to the life he wanted to live.

“Lily said we’re going for hot dogs.”

She turned to find a sleepy-eyed Mason standing in the bathroom doorway. “As soon as we get cleaned up,” she said, forcing herself to pull it together. She looked past her son. “Where’s your sister?”

“Waiting in the van,” he replied with a yawn.

Rolling her eyes, she started for the door. “Scrub your face while I go get Lily. And be sure to change into a clean shirt.” She headed outside to get her daughter. She understood Lily’s need for a real meal. The snacks they’d eaten while taking breaks from their cleaning had helped to tide them over, but only temporarily. But Audra wasn’t about to take either of her children into town looking like ragamuffins. She’d already made a very poor first impression on one of Braxton’s residents.