The Soldier's Newfound Family

God, I know that I’m not alone. I know that You’re with me. Show me what I’m supposed to do.

“I know things are difficult right now, but you have to do what’s best for you and the baby,” Dr. Yardley was saying. “If I could, I’d write you a prescription for a change of scenery. I think that’s what you need more than anything right now.”

A change of scenery can give you a change in perspective.

The words chased through her mind, stirring the memory of someone else who had said the same thing.

Savannah didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Because even though she’d just asked God to show her what to do, she wasn’t ready to acknowledge that Carter Wallace just might be the answer to her prayer.

* * *

“Earth to Carter. Come in, Carter.”

Maddie’s teasing voice yanked Carter back to the present.

“Sorry.” He cocked his head to one side. “Reception is still a little fuzzy between earth and The Twilight Zone.”

Laughter rippled through the dining room and once again, Carter had to adjust to the sound. To the faces of the people gathered around the long plank table. Gray and Jack. Violet and Maddie. Identical but...not.

“What’s The Twilight Zone?” Eight-year-old Darcy Garland’s lively, brown-eyed gaze bounced back and forth between the adults.

“It’s not real,” Ty Garland, the little girl’s father, explained. Carter saw him wink at Maddie across the table.

Yeah. That was another thing. His siblings hadn’t only found each other, they’d found, in Maddie’s words, “their soul mates.” Carter was still trying to wrap his brain around that, too.

“That’s what you think,” Jack Colby muttered. “You don’t have to get used to a guy walking around with your face.”

“Wearing a shirt and tie,” Violet added, her eyes dancing with mischief.

“She’s right.” Jack flashed a wicked grin in Gray’s direction. “When you start working for the Grasslands Police department in January, Sheriff Cole will have you trading in those fancy city duds for a pair of Levis and Tony Lamas in no time.”

Their easy banter ricocheted around the table and Carter felt a stab of envy. Violet and Jack Colby had gone out of their way to make him feel welcome since his arrival, but Carter still felt as if his life had become a jigsaw puzzle in which the pieces no longer fit together.

But at least he had family. More than he was comfortable with, at the moment.

Carter’s gaze drifted to the window. Again.

Almost a week had gone by since he’d left the city and he still couldn’t stop thinking about Savannah.

He lay awake at night, scrolling through past conversations with his friend. Searching for scraps of information that verified what Savannah had told him. Rob had talked about her constantly...but had he ever talked to her? Sent an email or letter? Received one?

That’s what Carter couldn’t remember.

Lupita Ramirez, the ranch cook and housekeeper, bustled into the dining room. She rapped a wooden spoon against the palm of her hand to get everyone’s attention.

“Who has room for chocolate cake?”

A collective groan followed the question.

“No one—” Jack started to say.

“But we’ll take some anyway,” Maddie and Violet sang out. At the same time. And then they laughed. In unison.

“Weird,” Ty Garland muttered.

Carter had to agree.

“I’m going to have to start working out more.” Gray sighed when the housekeeper left the dining room. “Lupita makes enough food to feed the entire county.”

“That reminds me, Pastor Jeb wants the church to host a special harvest dinner the weekend before Thanksgiving,” Violet said. “He’s been calling around, asking members of the congregation to volunteer to help, but he wants to invite the whole community.”

Unbidden, an image of Savannah’s face swept into Carter’s mind. Again. The flash of anger in those expressive green eyes when he’d asked about the baby. The vulnerable curve of her lower lip.

Did she have plans for Thanksgiving? Or would she be alone?

Carter shifted in the chair. In his mind’s eye, he could see her standing by the door, arms wrapped protectively around her middle. Proud. Scared.

She made it pretty clear that she isn’t your concern, he reminded himself.

But that didn’t stop him from wondering how she was doing. Had she found an apartment yet? He hated to think of her staying in a hotel with a baby on the way, even for a few days.

Carter had made Rob two promises before his friend had died. He’d promised that he would always have Rob’s back and he’d promised that he would make sure Savannah was okay. So far, he hadn’t kept either one of them.

“I’ll see if I can’t round up a few of the boys from the teen center to help with setup or something,” Landon Derringer was saying. “They’re always complaining they don’t have anything to do.”

“Round up?” Violet grinned at her fiancé’s choice of words. “You’re starting to think like a cowboy already, sweetheart.”

Gray shook his head in mock sorrow. “Another victim.”

Across the table, Derringer smiled at Violet, confirmation that he’d been a willing one.

Carter had been stunned to find Landon, Maddie’s former fiancé, at the ranch when he’d arrived. The guy had followed his sister to Grasslands and fallen in love with...Violet. And apparently no one but Carter thought that was strange. But in light of the other things the family had experienced lately, maybe it hadn’t even made the list.

“I think a harvest dinner is a great idea.” Violet handed a pitcher of cream to Maddie a second before she reached for it. “We have a lot to be thankful for.”

Carter couldn’t believe a murmur of agreement followed the statement. Maybe if they’d witnessed some of the things that he had over the past five years, they would have a different perspective. And given what they’d been through lately with Belle’s accident and Brian’s disappearance, Carter didn’t think there was a whole lot to be thankful for, either.

Maddie’s expression turned pensive but she smiled at Violet. “This is the first Thanksgiving we’ll all be together.”

“Mom loves holidays,” Violet said wistfully. “She pulls out all the stops.... I know she’ll be home by then. She has to be.”

“There are a lot of people praying for her,” Maddie whispered.

But Carter noticed that everyone sidestepped the real question. Whether his father would be in attendance. Carter had managed to corner Gray for a few minutes and his brother had finally admitted how worried he was that something had happened to Brian. Their dad ministered to transient people in remote areas along the border, and the last person Gray had been in contact with had noticed that he seemed ill. Carter tried to convince himself that a physician would certainly know what to do—where to go—if he came down with something.

Unless he was alone and didn’t have access to the medicine he needed to fight the illness. His dad’s cell phone had been recovered a few weeks ago, but there were other ways he could have maintained contact with the rest of the family. Why hadn’t he used them?

Carter felt the walls begin to close in and suddenly felt the need for some fresh air.

“No dessert for me.” His chair scraped the floor as he rose to his feet. “I think I’ll take a walk.”

“Sure.” Maddie frowned.

So did Violet.

Carter blinked but there were still two of them. Oh, yeah. He definitely needed some fresh air.

He could feel everyone watching as he walked out of the dining room. The second the door closed, he would be the next topic of conversation around the dinner table.

Carter wasn’t used to that, either. His older siblings valued and encouraged independence. Other than exchanging brief updates now and then, Maddie and Gray had pursued their own interests and left him alone. Carter wasn’t quite sure what to do with the sudden interest they were showing now. Add Jack and Violet into the mix, and Carter was beginning to feel like it was four against one. Odds he didn’t care for.

He stepped outside, back against the door as he made a swift but thorough sweep of the property. Searching for possible threats.

You’re in Texas, remember?

It took a moment to let his soul adjust to the newness of his surroundings. The rustle of the wind through the pecan grove. The scent of the mesquite trees. Miles of blue sky. A place that Maddie and Gray were both ready to call home.

And yet Carter was tempted to reenlist after they located his dad. In the military, he knew exactly who he was. What he was supposed to do. Now, it felt as if he’d stripped of his identity along with his uniform.

Nipper, Jack’s Australian shepherd, bounded up to him, and Carter reached down to scratch the dog’s velvety ears.

“I suppose you want to go for a walk?” Roaming the property together had become a nightly ritual when Carter couldn’t sleep.

The dog’s tail slashed the air and he barked. Carter took that as a yes.

Restlessness drove him toward the creek where the cottages were located. In spite of Violet’s generous offer, Carter had decided to stay in the main house and bunk in the guest room that Gray occupied when he visited the ranch, leaving one of the cottages empty in case Savannah changed her mind. A possibility that had begun to shrink over the past few days.

Savannah hadn’t exactly welcomed him with open arms. What made him think she would accept his help?

Just as Carter reached the creek bank, his cell phone rang.

An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen and Carter’s heart slammed against his rib cage. Had his father finally discovered they’d been trying to contact him?

“Hello?”

He heard a crackling sound. And then a tentative but familiar voice. “Hi.”

“Savannah?”

“Yes.” A long pause followed. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all.” Carter’s hand tightened around the phone. “Is everything all right?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t—” The line crackled, distorting her words. If they lost the connection, Carter was afraid she wouldn’t call back.

“Savannah? You’re breaking up. Where are you?”

“I’m...here.”

“Here?” Carter repeated.

“At the gate.”

Chapter Four

Savannah’s heart performed a little Texas two-step as Carter Wallace approached.

In faded jeans and a long-sleeved black T-shirt that accentuated his athletic build, Carter was even more attractive than she remembered. His loose-limbed stride and the set of his broad shoulders conveyed the fierce confidence of a man who faced life head-on. A confidence Savannah couldn’t help but envy.

Once again, she contemplated turning the car around. Something that had crossed her mind at least half a dozen times since she’d left Dallas.

Her boss hadn’t exactly been thrilled when she’d stopped by the diner after her appointment with Dr. Yardley and told him that she had to reduce her hours. The next day, when Savannah checked the schedule, she saw that not only had Bruce honored her request, he’d given all her shifts to a new waitress he’d hired over the weekend.

Leaving her with no choice but to accept Carter’s offer to stay at his sister’s ranch for the time being.

But doubts began to creep in as Savannah parked between the massive stone columns that stood like sentinels on either side of the driveway, guarding the property from outsiders. Like her. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but the Colby Ranch was obviously a large, prosperous operation.

It only reminded Savannah how little she knew about Carter Wallace. Was she really welcome here? Maybe he was already regretting his impulsive invitation.

Rob had made a lot of promises, too, and he’d only kept one of them.

I’m leaving, Savannah.

Savannah’s fingers closed around the shift stick but the passenger-side door opened before she could put the car in reverse. Carter hopped in beside her, his large frame folding almost in half to accommodate the passenger seat of her compact car.

Savannah took a deep breath. If he looked at her with pity, she’d turn the car around and head straight back to Dallas....

“It’s about time.” The crooked smile that Carter flashed in her direction coaxed a dimple out of hiding, an unexpected but charming contrast to the man’s ruggedly handsome features. “If you didn’t show up within the next twenty-four hours, I’d decided to round up a posse and find you.”

He’d planned to return to Dallas? For her?

No, not for you. For Rob, she reminded herself sternly. An internal dash of cold water on the warmth his words stirred in her heart.

It would be a mistake to forget the reason she was here. To Carter, delivering Rob’s message had been a duty. An obligation. But Savannah had an obligation, too. To do everything she could to protect the health of her unborn child. Even if it meant swallowing her pride and accepting help from a stranger.

“I hope this isn’t a bad time,” she stammered. “I probably should have called first.”

Except that if she’d dialed Carter’s number any earlier, Savannah knew she would have lost not only her voice, but her nerve. She’d packed her suitcase that morning and stowed it in the trunk of the car, giving God what she hoped was ample opportunity to send some kind of sign that He had another plan. One that didn’t include Carter Wallace.

Yet here she was.

“I didn’t call before I showed up at your door that day, either,” Carter said easily. “So I guess that makes us even.”

No, they weren’t. Not until he understood that she didn’t intend to be a charity case or outstay her welcome here. She’d scheduled another appointment with Dr. Yardley in two weeks. If the test results proved that she was obeying orders, Savannah planned to ask for an increase in her hours at the diner again and continue her search for another apartment.

“I can pay rent.” Savannah didn’t look at Carter as she put the car into gear and continued down the long gravel driveway. “I don’t expect to live in the cottage for free. Or I can help out around the house or in the kitchen. I’m a pretty decent cook.”

At one time, she’d dreamed of attending culinary school. Before she’d met Rob.

“Chicken and dumplings are your specialty, right?”

“How did you know...” Savannah’s voice trailed off, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

Rob must have told him.

The day they’d met, Carter had claimed that Rob talked about her all the time when they’d served together in Afghanistan. Savannah hadn’t believed him—until now. The thought that Rob’s friend knew more about her than she knew about him was a little unsettling.

And what else had Rob told him? The truth—or more lies? Less than twenty-four hours after they were married, Savannah had discovered that her new husband didn’t seem to know the difference. She’d been so tired of being alone that she’d let Rob sweep her off her feet.

Believed everything he’d said...

“Don’t worry about things like paying rent or washing dishes right now.” Savannah could feel the weight of Carter’s gaze, studying her profile. “How about I show you where you’ll be staying first? You can unpack your things. Settle in and get a good night’s sleep.”

Which could only be, Savannah thought ruefully, a tactful way of saying that she must look as exhausted as she felt.

“All right.” Self-consciously, she looped a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. She knew the past few days had taken a toll on both her health and her emotions. The stress of apartment hunting during the day. Wrestling with her fears at night. Savannah had been reading through the New Testament every morning, taking comfort in the fact that other believers had faced difficult situations, too, and God hadn’t abandoned them.

She trusted Him. Men, not so much anymore.

“Keep going past the main house,” Carter instructed.

The simple description didn’t do the place justice.

Savannah tried not to gawk as they passed a magnificent two-story home fashioned from native stone and brick. The setting sun winked off the mullioned windows and painted the glass with a rosy, welcoming glow. Trumpet vine wove through the spindles of the wrought-iron fence that separated the landscaped lawn from the rest of the property.

Everything was neat and well cared for. The Colby Ranch could have easily been featured on the cover of Texas Today magazine.

“It’s beautiful,” Savannah murmured. “Did you grow up here?”

“No.”

Savannah tried not to flinch at the sting of Carter’s curt response. Although he seemed to know a lot about her, it was becoming clear that Carter wasn’t going to be very forthcoming about his own life.

* * *

Carter saw Savannah’s hands tighten around the steering wheel and realized the word had come out a little sharper than he’d intended. He tried again.

“No,” he said more softly.

One-syllable words were okay on a military base, but if he wanted Savannah to stay at the ranch, it was clear to Carter that he would have to brush up on his people skills. He could coax a disabled vehicle back to life and make an engine purr like a kitten, but he’d never been much for small talk.

Especially when the woman sitting next to him took his breath away.

The photograph hadn’t done her justice. Savannah’s honey-brown hair fell loose around her shoulders, a perfect frame for her delicate features and wide green eyes.

The only thing missing was the smile.

Carter still hadn’t seen one of those.

When he’d heard her voice on the phone, he couldn’t believe that Savannah had actually accepted his invitation. Not until he’d spotted her car parked at the gate. Both hands gripping the steering wheel, ready to turn around and exit his life as quickly as she’d entered it.

He wasn’t sure why Savannah had changed her mind, but now that she was here at the Colby Ranch, Carter was going to make sure she stuck around for a while.

It’s what Rob would have wanted.

Carter was certain about that, no matter what Savannah had said about their marriage. Why would Rob fake devotion to a wife that he’d abandoned? What would he have to gain?

Savannah might need a place to stay, but Carter needed some answers. And the woman sitting next to him was the only one who could provide them.

Another light winked on in the house. Carter hoped no one would glance out the window and see an unfamiliar vehicle nudging its way up the drive. Typically after Lupita served dessert, everyone pitched in and cleaned up from dinner and then gathered in the family room to watch a movie or play a game. Ty and Maddie would help Darcy with her homework. Jack and Gray would take part in what had become their favorite pastime—giving each other a hard time—while the women planned their upcoming nuptials with all the intensity of a military strategist.

And they insisted he join them.

Bonding, Maddie called it. Carter figured it was easier to bond with people who shared your DNA. He’d never had much in common with his siblings before, and now he was no longer sure he and Gray had that in common.

Carter would count the seconds until he could come up with a reasonable excuse to slip away. But now, for the first time, he hoped they followed standard protocol again and did not show up at the cottage to meet the newest visitor. It might overwhelm Savannah and give her a reason to bolt.

She didn’t trust him, that much was clear.

But Rob had. Which meant that Carter was honor bound to shield her from potentially stressful situations.

Meeting his family definitely qualified.

* * *

Savannah fixed her eyes on the driveway.

The sudden drop in temperature inside the car made her wonder if there was some family dynamic going on between Carter and his sister that she should know about. The last thing she wanted was for her presence to add tension to an already strained relationship.

“You can take the first right behind the barn.” Carter pointed to an enormous metal building with a green roof. Two chestnut horses stood shoulder to shoulder in a corner of the paddock, dozing under the branches of a cottonwood tree.

Savannah followed his instructions and saw a row of adorable little cottages scattered along a creek bed.

“I’ve been staying in the main house but the cottage on the end is empty. My sister had it all made up for me, but I never moved in. That means it’s all yours,” Carter said.

Yours.

In spite of her misgivings, the word flowed through Savannah, as sweet as a glass of tea on a hot summer day. Even knowing this was a temporary arrangement couldn’t prevent the sense of wonder that swept over her.

The branches of two mature pecan trees formed a canopy over a cottage as whimsical as an illustration in a child’s storybook. A sloping roof with patchwork shingles shaded an enclosed porch like the brim of a hat. Narrow wooden shutters trimmed the windows. Blue. Her favorite color. A hand-woven basket, overflowing with gourds and miniature pumpkins, sat on the top step like a welcome gift.

An Australian shepherd emerged from one of the outbuildings and ambled toward the car as Savannah pulled up in front of the cottage.

“That’s Nipper. Jack Colby’s dog.” Carter shook his head. “Don’t let the name fool you, though. The only thing that mutt might do is lick you to death.”

“Is Jack part of your family?”

“That’s the question of the day,” he muttered.

Savannah frowned. “I don’t understand.”

But Carter didn’t bother to enlighten her. Instead, he hopped out and jogged around the front of the car to open her door. His large hand gently cupped her elbow as he helped her out of the vehicle.

The warmth of his touch sparked something that sent Savannah’s blood racing through her veins like a prairie fire.

She sucked in a breath, yanked her heart back in line.

It wasn’t as if she were...attracted...to Carter Wallace. More than likely sleepless nights and low blood sugar had tipped her off balance.

Guard your heart, Savannah.

Savannah had forgotten her grandmother’s advice when she’d met Rob. She wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.

“Come on. I’ll show you the inside.”

Savannah balked. “You’re sure that your sister won’t mind an extra houseguest?”

Carter glanced in the direction of the main house. The flash of some emotion—guilt?—didn’t exactly put her mind at ease.

“Sergeant Wallace?”

“It’s Carter, remember?” That elusive dimple made an appearance again. A secret weapon designed to sneak through a woman’s defenses and affect her ability to think straight.

Fortunately, Savannah had become immune to a charming smile.

“Now that we’ve got that cleared up...how about answering my question?”

Chapter Five

Carter realized he’d made a tactical error. He should have known that Savannah would see through his pitiful attempt to sidestep the question before she unpacked her suitcase from the car.

“No one will mind a bit that you’re here.” Carter hoped it was true.

According to Maddie, the Colby family had taken Keira Wolfe in after she’d been injured in a car accident and suffered short-term memory loss. The veterinarian was now Jack’s fiancé and staying in a guest room down the hall until the couple exchanged their vows. Violet also made room for Landon Derringer and Elise and her son, Cory, during their frequent visits to the ranch. Even in the midst of their own problems, it seemed that Violet and Jack didn’t mind lending a helping hand to someone in need. And Savannah definitely qualified.

He couldn’t help feeling protective of her. It wasn’t that she appeared weak and helpless. Just the opposite. It couldn’t be easy to accept help from strangers, and yet Savannah had done the best thing for her and the baby. He respected that. He respected her.

Relief took some of the starch out of Savannah’s slender shoulders. “That’s good, because I don’t want to take advantage of your sister’s hospitality.”