AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And don’t think Mom didn’t do just that.” Truth was, he loved his mother to death and was more than willing to bend over backwards for her. Just then the cow let out a long slow bellow.
“You tell him, girl.” Eve laughed at the cow’s timing as though she were reinforcing the concept of be good to your mamas.
“You never did tell me if you wanted to join me for dinner?” Hoping he didn’t sound too eager, he took a bite of the Reuben to stop him from rambling on foolishly.
“I didn’t?” Following suit, she took a bite of her sandwich, eyeing him through thick lush lashes. She slowly nodded. “That would be nice.”
Nice was good. Better than no. Nodding, he smiled at her and resisted the urge to do a fist pump or victory jig. But he did have to deal with Mary and Jake. “I may not have a whole lot of free time after Jake comes home.” The whole idea of needing to do right by Mary’s grandson continued to linger in the back of his every thought.
The sandwich halfway to Eve’s mouth, she let her hands lower to her lap without taking a bite. “What’s going to happen to him?”
“Of course, he’ll stay here. I have no idea if Mary made plans if anything happened to her, but even though they live in the quarters over the garage, the ranch is still the only home Jake remembers. I’m not going to pull that out from under him too.”
She shook her head. “No, you can’t do that.” For a few long quiet moments, she stared down at the half-eaten sandwich before her gaze lifted to meet his. “If you need anything at all, you know, with Jake, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thanks. I just may have to take you up on that.” Considering he hardly spent any time with the boy, with any boy, if Mary’s recovery dragged on, he might be needing a lot of help. The next bite of lunch almost caught in his throat. From where he stood, the sandwich wasn’t the only thing that he’d bitten off more than he could chew.
Chapter Nine
The week was long and tiring. She’d looked forward to every opportunity to spend time with Jared. To get to know him better. The only challenge was it took days for Eve to get her concentration back. Right now, there was nothing she wanted more than to escape the city and regroup on the ranch. Having Jared nearby was the icing on the cake. She resisted the urge to call him from the road and turned down the Baron driveway.
Slamming the car door shut behind her, she took in a deep breath. Even this close to Houston, the air was just different. Some of it was less traffic, some of it was fewer people, a lot of it was fewer housing developments, but most of it was probably the love and comfort that came from acres upon acres of rolling hills and family love.
Gravel crunched under approaching tires. Her heart lifted at the prospect that maybe it was Jared coming to see her, which made no sense at all. It was barely the end of the normal work day. Why would Jared be coming over when they’d agreed to meet for supper in a couple of hours?
The familiar car came to a stop beside hers. Craig climbed out and slammed the door shut behind him.
“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise. I thought you were working on a film in New Mexico or Arizona. One of those states.”
Coming up next to her, he kissed her cheek and slung an arm over her shoulder as they walked step by step into the house. “I just flew back. Everything is rolling fine. Permits won’t allow shooting over the weekend, so given the choice of coming home or hanging out in a motel in the middle of nowhere New Mexico, I opted for the ranch.”
“Grams will love that. She’s happiest when all the grand-chicks come home to roost.”
Craig barked out a short laugh. “That she is. Besides, I promised to help finish that new length of fencing going in to keep the bulls in.”
“I wondered who was making all the commotion outside,” the Governor called out from behind his desk, waving Eve over. “I know you and Jared had plans to go out to dinner, but when I was talking to him today about Mary’s condition, he mentioned in passing the idea of a non-profit trail ride for potentially troubled kids. Your grandmother and I like the idea. We’d like to discuss it more, so I suggested he join the family for dinner.”
Join the family for dinner. The words echoed in her head. She wasn’t so sure she was ready to share Jared just yet with so many of her family. The teasing was all well and good with the people closest to her, but she was hesitant to bring Jared into the mix. Personally. To be scared off.Scared off.The thought of chasing him away before she’d had time to cement what the relationship possibilities were literally made her heart hurt. All of this week, chatting on the phone every day, sometimes more than once, she didn’t want to think about going back to a life of eat, sleep, work, with only sporadic social interactions that didn’t involve a charity gala. Looking forward to curling up on the sofa and chatting with Jared had quickly become the highlight of her day.
“There’s lemonade in the parlor.” Her grandmother stuck her head in the office door. “It will be a small group for dinner.”
Small was good. Fewer people to pick on her and Jared.
“If y’all will excuse me, I want to go shower off the New Mexico dust before supper.” Craig leaned in and kissed his grandmother on the cheek on his way out the door.
Her grandfather pushed to his feet, reached for the cane he didn’t really need, and with Moon at his heels, followed his wife into the parlor. “This Jared has a good head on his shoulders. Thought his father had lost his mind turning over an operation that size to his son, but it’s worked out well.”
Eve slowed her steps. She knew what was coming. This was her grandfather in matchmaker mode.
“Man like that knows how to handle responsibilities, challenges and opportunities. Knows not to let them slip through his fingers.”
Any minute now, she knew the words husband and father and her name were about to be linked.
“Why, some of your own cousins wouldn’t have been able to take on such a responsibility. And now, to want to share that with underprivileged kids of the men and women who served and sacrificed for this country, well, I couldn’t be prouder of him if he were a Baron.”
She was pretty proud of him too. The way he’d taken point to make sure Mary was getting the best possible care and keeping tabs on her grandson at camp. The gentle way he talked the heifer through her discomfort until she delivered a healthy baby melted Eve’s heart. She loved so many things about him, but his caring heart was most definitely at the top of the list.
“No idea why some smart, beautiful, and kind woman,” the old man actually stood by his favorite chair, and rather than sit, stared her down, “hasn’t snatched him up and walked him down the aisle.”
