Lonestar Homecoming (4 page)

“Her uncle left it to her, and Jack oversees it, but it's still in her name. She's the vet in town.You'll likely meet her soon. I'm warning you now, it needs work.”

“Which is why it's so cheap,” Michael said. “Jack said they'd take any work I did off the rent.”

“And he'll stand behind that.”

“Just how rough are we talking here?” Michael asked.

Rick didn't have to answer. The security light on the barn revealed the weathered paint on the house and the sagging porch steps. Gracie had seen worse, but she noticed the way Michael studied the bleak house. Not even a shrub softened the harshness of the sandy plane on which it sat.

She opened her door and eased out from under Hope's head. “It's not so bad. A little paint and it will be fine.” She stretched her legs.

The porch light flipped on. “Daddy!” Two children tumbled through the screen door.

Michael sprang from the truck to greet them. He squatted, and they leaped into his arms. His hug was awkward. The wash of light from the truck illuminated the rapt faces of his children. Evan was a miniature Michael with light-brown hair and an eager smile. A pink ribbon held Jordan's dark hair off her face. She wore jeans, a pink T-shirt, and pink sneakers. Definitely a girlie-girl, even if she did collect snakes and insects.

“Did you bring me a snake from Iraq?” she demanded.

“Sorry, kiddo. No snake.”

Her lower lip pouched. “I wanted a baby cobra!”

He hoisted her in is arms. “Over my dead body. Baby girl, you'll be the death of me.”

Evan stepped away from his father, stuffed his small hands in the pockets of his jeans, then glared at his father. “What took you so long?”

Michael ruffled Evan's hair. “I hurried, buddy.”

A woman stepped onto the porch. “I told them you were coming just a half hour ago,” she said. The beautiful Hispanic woman's smile encompassed Gracie with a warm welcome. Her voice lit Gracie's vision with soft yellow. She held a toddler boy in her arms.

Michael stood and took his children's hands. He glanced at the woman. “You must be Allie.”

Her smile widened, and she came down the creaking porch steps. “I could have picked you out as Evan's daddy from a mile away.” Her gaze flickered to Gracie.

Michael's smile faltered, and he glanced at Gracie too.Was he the one having second thoughts? Gracie lifted her chin and extended her hand. “I'm Gracie Lister. I'll be caring for the kids.” She could have added the
for now
she saw on Michael's lips but didn't.

Allie's eyes widened.“Wonderful! It will much better for them to adjust to their own home.”

One advocate. Maybe.

“Mommy?” Hope's voice came from the truck.

Gracie glanced behind her as her daughter popped her head out of the open door. “Hi, sweetie. Mommy is right here.” She helped her daughter from the truck, and Hope stood rubbing her eyes.

“This is your daughter?” Allie asked.

“Yes, this is Hope. She's five.”

Allie smiled down at the child. “My daughter, Betsy, will love to have a new friend. She's six. She's at Jack and Shannon's for the night, but I'll bring her over tomorrow.”Then, looking back at Michael, she said, “Come on in, and I'll show you around.”

Gracie sensed Michael's gaze on her as she followed the little brunette inside. He might be having second thoughts, but she'd prove herself to him. She had to—for Hope.

3

F
RESH PAINT
. T
HE SMELL REASSURED
M
ICHAEL THAT AT LEAST SOME WORK
had been done on the house. He glanced around at the tan walls.The wood floors were clean, though scarred. “You did a lot of work here, Allie.”

“Actually, Shannon hired someone to paint and clean it up,” Allie said, transferring her son to Rick.The toddler giggled and grabbed hold of Rick's ear. “She also brought an exterminator in to kill all the spiders in the attic. The place was infested with black widows and brown recluse. No one's really lived here in ages. Shannon spent a few weeks here before she married Jack, but she didn't get any real repairs done.”

Michael tightened his grip on his children's hands. There was so much to catch up on with them.Too much. “How many bedrooms?”

“Six. Plus a huge attic if you need more space,” Allie said. “I've got chili on the stove.We should get Matthew home to bed. Three beds are all made up, and there's more bedding in a chest in the master bedroom at the top of the stairs. I can stay and do that if you like.”

“No, no, I can handle that,” Gracie said. Her voice was soft and hesitant, and she knelt and lifted Hope into her arms.

Michael watched her a moment. She was like a feral cat afraid of having something thrown at her. He realized Allie was still speaking and forced his attention back to her.

Allie pointed up the stairs. “There's a suite at the end of the hallway— two rooms with a connecting door and a shared bathroom.That might work for you and Hope,”Allie said. “I didn't make it up because it's so far from Michael's room, and I thought he'd want the kids close to him.”

“I do,” he said. Evan began to run around the room. “Don't run inside the house, Evan,” he said.The boy ignored him. On his next pass, Michael grabbed him. Evan fought him and began to cry.

Gracie took his son's hand. “Evan, did you have supper yet? Are you hungry?”

“They wouldn't eat until their dad got here,” Allie said, her tone apologetic. “I'm sure he's tired and hungry.”

Michael frowned. These kids needed discipline, not coddling. Gracie might have been a mistake. He remembered the other problem he needed to solve. “You're about Gracie's size, Allie.Would you have some clothes she can borrow? She came away without any belongings.”

Allie's eyes widened. “Of course.” She glanced at Gracie. “You need. . . everything?”

Gracie's cheeks reddened, and she nodded. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be sorry! I'll be glad to share.You're what, a 6?”

Gracie looked down. “Yes.Anything will do.Maybe a few things you were going to give to the Salvation Army? I'll buy some things as. . . as soon as I get my first paycheck.” She bit her lip. “And anything your daughter has outgrown would be even more appreciated. Hope wears a 5.”

“I have some of Betsy's things packed away.We have tons of things in that size,” Allie said. “I'll get them out as soon as I get home.”

“Some of Jordan's things might fit her.” Michael nearly reached for his checkbook, then didn't. He wasn't sure yet if she would work out, and he suspected she'd take offense at an offer of charity. “Thanks for everything you've done,” he said, walking Rick and Allie to the door.

“I'll run some things over for Gracie and Hope yet tonight,” Rick told him before they slipped out. “Tomorrow morning I'll come by and take you to buy a truck.”

“Thanks.” Michael shut the door behind them.

“Would you mind if I found our room and washed up? Hope and I are both filthy,” Gracie asked.

“Go right ahead. Help yourself to some of Jordan's pajamas for Hope.You need me to come with you?”

“No, I can find it. Thanks,” She went up the stairs with her daughter in tow.

He smiled at his children. “How about some supper?” His stomach rumbled at the smell of chili.With the children tagging along, he found his way to the kitchen.

The old white cabinets, the stained sink, and the cracked linoleum made him pause in the doorway. He'd hoped for better than this for his kids, even though he knew rentals in this area were hard to come by. He'd get some work done on this place first thing. He ladled up soup for the three of them. Gracie still hadn't reappeared by the time they were done eating, and he wondered if she was hiding out in the bathroom.

“Daddy, will you read us a story?” Evan asked, tugging on his hand.

“A story, a story,” Jordan chanted, pulling him toward the living room.

Michael allowed the children to lead him to the brown sofa. He sat on the upholstery, worn slick by years of use. A crusty old bachelor used to own this house, and Michael dimly recalled the guy's niece, Shannon. A lifetime ago. “What do you want me to read?” he asked.

“
If IRan the Circus
,” Evan said, thrusting the Dr. Seuss book into his hand.

“No, read
The Cat in the Hat
!” Jordan said, running to grab the book from the bookcase.

“Evan has his book already.We'll read yours next,” Michael said.

He lifted her onto his lap when her face puckered. In five minutes he'd made her cry. He'd forgotten how much the kids argued. Kate had coddled them too much.

He sensed Gracie before he saw her. The air thickened and became charged with electricity. She stepped into the room with her daughter by the hand.The pajamas Hope wore dragged on the floor.

Michael lifted Evan onto his other knee. “There's room for Hope if she wants to listen to the story,” he said.

“Oh no, you need time with your kids,” Gracie said. “We don't want to be in your way.”

“We'll have lots of time.” He smiled when Hope tugged her hand from her mother's and went to him shyly. Jordan scowled but scooted over to make room for the other little girl. Hope's hair was damp, and the scent of soap wafted to his nose.

He hesitated. “There's chili in the kitchen.”

“We'll eat after your story. Hope loves stories.” Gracie stepped into the room and sidled to the armchair. She sat and folded her hands across her knee.

Michael opened the book. “‘In all the whole world . . .'” he began. In moments, the three children were engrossed in the story. He should have been too, but he was more conscious of the way Gracie rested her chin on her hand and watched her daughter with softness in her blue eyes.

Did he have a right to ask why she'd fled in her wedding dress with no luggage? She claimed to have good references, so he'd call them first thing in the morning, but if they didn't check out, she was out of here. He wouldn't entrust his children to just anyone.

Life had beaten her down, but whatever she'd gone through had not smothered the spark of determination in her eyes to care for her daughter.That was an attitude he admired.

M
ICHAEL HAD A NICE READING VOICE
. S
HE CLOSED HER EYES AND WATCHED
the blue waves of his sound wash over the insides of her eyelids. He finished up the final page of
The Cat in the Hat
. If not for him, she would be trying to keep Hope warm on a park bench somewhere in Alpine.

But men always had a hidden agenda, and she didn't know what his was yet. Once the children were in bed, she'd try to find out more about the soldier. He was too good to be true. He might have rescued them, but he'd want payment of some kind. She dreaded knowing what that might be.

Michael closed the book. “Bedtime, kiddos.”

“No, Daddy!” Jordan threw her arms around his neck and hung on. “You just got here.”

He hugged her. “And I'll be here tomorrow and the next day and the day after that.”

Her brows lowered. “You're not going back to fight?”

“Nope. I've got a job right close by.You and me and Evan are going to live here.”

“Forever?”

“Well, maybe not forever. I might buy us our own place when I find something we like. But we're staying here in the desert.”

“You've still got your uniform on,” she pointed out.

“I'll still be a soldier for a few more months while I'm on a special assignment.When that's done, I'll take some training and join the Border Patrol.”

Hope slid off his lap and ran to her mother. Gracie lifted her daughter onto her knees.The child's weight anchored her as she rested her chin on Hope's head. For Hope's sake, she would find a way out of the mess Cid had created for them.

“Want some dinner?” she whispered against her daughter's hair. Hope shook her head and leaned against Gracie. Her eyes began to close. Gracie wasn't hungry either.Too much excitement.

“Baths, then bed.” Michael glanced at Gracie.

“I'll bathe them,” she offered quickly. Though every muscle ached, she wanted to carry her weight and make him glad he'd hired her.

Jordan thrust out her lower lip. “I want Daddy!”

“Me too!” Evan flopped on the floor and drummed his heels. “I want Daddy!” he wailed.

“They're overtired,” Gracie murmured.

“I'll do it,” Michael said to her. Then to the kids: “Enough of the tears. I'm tempted to let Miss Gracie handle you two after this kind of display. I'm not going to tolerate disrespect. Got it?”

The kids sobered. Evan stood and slipped his hand into his father's. “Can I sleep with you, Daddy?”

“No, you have your own bed. Time for you to be a little man. Let's get a bath.”

His stern voice made Gracie wince. “I think there's a bathroom outside Jordan's room.”

“One way to find out.” He carried the children up the steps.

Gracie put Hope down and followed. The house smelled of pine cleaner and lemon wax. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make it as nice as possible, though even cleaning couldn't mask the worn tread on the steps and the battered woodwork. Still, the cheery red hall rug was new and bright, and the paint was fresh. She itched to put a little design into the living room.

Michael stopped at the first doorway and peered in. “A bedroom,” he said.

“The bathroom is there.” Evan pointed to the next doorway. “And there's another one in your room.”

Gracie walked past them and stepped into the bathroom.The large room held another claw-foot tub.A shower curtain on an oval rod surrounded it.The wall and floor tile was white and looked old, but it was in good shape. She knelt and plugged the drain with a rubber stopper, then turned on the water.The forceful stream held a tinge of rust, and she grimaced.