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“It’ll take months to sort through all this,” she muttered. What if neither sibling returned? She’d heard little from either since the reading of the will.
Fishing her cell phone from her pocket, she scrolled to Zach’s number and pushed send. When her brother’s strong voice came on the line, she slid down next to the bed and leaned her back against the side. A dusty scent rose from the mattress.
“What’s up, Gigglebot?”
“Hi, Lump.” The childhood nicknames curled warm and nostalgic inside her. A smile curved Brooke’s lips. “I just wanted to talk, to see how you are.”
“I’m good.” Brooke knew those two words were about all she’d get out of Zach on that topic. If his right arm was hanging by a thread, he’d claim to be all right. “Staying busy.”
“When are you coming home?”
“Don’t know yet. I’m working on it. How are things on the home front?”
She told him about the reopening of the mine and the nanny position.
“Way to go, sis. I’m proud of you.” Zach knew her anxiety around kids. “So how’s the job going?”
“A.J., that’s the little boy I’m babysitting, is adorable. I love him. But,” she said wryly, “his dad had no clue who he was hiring or he wouldn’t have.”
“Hey. Don’t do that. Don’t.” Zach used his iron-cop voice.
Brooke swallowed. “What if something happens?”
“What if it doesn’t?”
She had no argument there. “He’s so precious, Zach. I’m already crazy about him. Today, Gabe—that’s his dad—took him to Denver and I missed them both so much. After avoiding kids all my life, this feels weird.”
“Good weird?”
“Yes. No.” She shoved a hand through her hair. “I don’t know. To make matters crazier, Reverend West is trying to convince me to start an athletic program for the town’s youth.” She laughed softly. “Can you imagine me doing such a thing?”
“Sure can. You’re a natural.”
“Don’t you start, too. It’s almost like God is forcing me to be with kids since I’ve come back here.” She told him about Macy. “Her mother is the church secretary, Darlene Perry.”
“I remember her. Lived in that pretty little house on the edge of town all alone. Just her and the baby.”
“Arabella mentioned the gossip about them. People wondered who Macy’s father was, but Darlene stayed to herself most of the time. It’s odd that she’s suddenly insisting I spend time with her daughter. Gabe signed on to be her big brother of sorts but Darlene specifically asked for me to play big sister.”
“Why you?” he asked.
“I don’t know. As I said, it’s kind of odd.”
“Gotta agree. Be careful.”
Brooke chuckled at the flare of her big brother’s protective instincts. “Darlene Perry is as frail as a dandelion. She has health problems, though I’m not sure exactly what’s wrong. She seems to be a nice, gentle woman. Anyway, the pastor thinks so. I have nothing to fear on that front.” She took a breath. “Gabe thinks Darlene picked me because I’m athletic and Macy needs to move around more. He even said we look alike. Blonde, blue eyes, one big dimple.”
“Maybe she’s a long-lost Clayton.”
They both laughed at the silly notion. “Grandpa George was a scoundrel but I can’t see that happening, can you?”
“Not and live to tell about it,” Zach said. “Grandma had her standards.”
“Since we’re on the subject of Grandpa, have you heard anything at all from Lucas? Arabella was fretting over him yesterday. She’s tried to reach him by phone. No luck.”
“Not a word.”
“His boss in Georgia, or rather his former boss, told Mei he’d seemed distracted by something and then one day he just got up and announced he was going to Florida.”
Zach sucked in a surprise. “Here?”
“That’s what I heard. Since then, he’s pretty much disappeared. No one, not even Mei or their mom can reach him.”
