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“Sure, but this one is for Olivia. I’ll make you one after.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome, dear. The usual?”
“Yep. Cheese, bacon, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms.”
“What, nothing else?” She grinned.
“Very funny. I’ll put the bread in the toaster. Does Olivia want any?”
“She does,” she said. “She should be back in a moment. She went to change, and Lucy went to tell her something, I guess.”
“Okay.” I turned to Arya and Eloise, who were eating at the kitchen table. “Morning. How are you ladies today?”
“Fine, thank you,” Arya said with a small smile. “Also, Beau, I just wanted to apologize once again. Your family has been—”
“Stop.” I held my hand up. “Don’t even apologize. It’s not your fault, and you were desperate. Eloise is a beautiful girl, and she deserves to know her dad. If I was her dad, I would want to know about her.”
“Where is my daddy?” Eloise asked.
Arya’s eyes widened. “I’m not sure, Eloise,” she said softly.
“Where’s my mommy, Auntie Arya? When is she coming back?” Arya looked pained. My mom hurried over to the table.
“Hey, Eloise, I have a secret surprise for you.”
“Oh?” she said. “What’s that?”
“I was thinking that we could go into town and we could buy you a doll and maybe a dollhouse and—”
“Oh, no.” Araya shook her head. “You really shouldn’t. She doesn’t need it, and I don’t know that I could afford that right now. I’m sorry.”
“It’s on me,” my mom said. “Don’t even think about it.”
“But I’m not sure where we’d put a dollhouse.”
My mom sat down in the chair next to them and grabbed Araya’s hands. “I hope you know that my husband and I and all our sons and everyone in the home would like for you to stay until you figure everything out. You and Eloise are more than welcome here.”
“I really couldn’t stay.” She paused. I could see tears welling in her eyes. “Thank you so much for the offer, but you don’t even know me. Oh, I feel horrible. I shouldn’t have stayed.”
“I didn’t mean to say it to make you feel bad. I’m sure Beau here can find some work for you on the ranch so you don’t feel like you’re taking advantage of us, which of course we wouldn’t think anyway.”
Arya looked at me hopefully. “Oh, is there some work that I could do? I’d love to earn my keep. I just need to be able to get back on my feet again and get Eloise into a kindergarten program—”
“Of course.” I nodded. “We’ll find something for you. We have plenty of jobs here on the ranch.” I beamed at my mom. She was such a warm, welcoming, and loving person, and I knew I was lucky to have been raised by her. Then my stomach growled and everyone laughed, even Eloise. “I guess I’m hungry.”
“I guess you are.” My mom nodded. “Well, I’ll be making your omelet in just a little bit.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
At that moment, Olivia walked into the kitchen with Lucy. Her hair was freshly washed, but the sad look on her face concerned me.
“You okay?” I said.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you.” She smiled at me and then looked around the kitchen. “Oh, the omelet looks absolutely wonderful, Amelia. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Beau was just about to make some toast too.”
