Marrying a Delacourt (7 page)

By morning Grace still felt as if she and the boys had been granted a reprieve, even if it had come from Michael and not the proper authorities. As she listened to Josh and Jamie’s excited chatter about their next riding lesson and their plans to explore the rest of the ranch—and to Michael chiming in with an offer to accompany them—she felt an amazing sense of peace steal over her. There was something so right about this, something that felt good deep inside.

“Well, while you all are out having your male adventure, I have a few plans of my own,” she announced.

Three pairs of eyes turned to her. Michael’s and Josh’s were alight with curiosity. Jamie’s were wary.

“Like what?” he asked.

She winked at him, hoping to wipe that worried look off of his face. “It’s a surprise.”

“No way,” he protested, sounding almost panicky. “You gotta tell.”

“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise,” she said. “It’s a good surprise, Jamie. I promise. Now, go on. Get ready to go exploring. I’ll even pack you all a picnic lunch.”

Jamie cast one last worried look in her direction
before eventually following Josh upstairs. That left Michael watching her intently.

“What do you have up your sleeve?”

“You’ll see.”

“You don’t intend to tell me, either?”

“You might blab.”

“I am the very soul of discretion, I’ll have you know. Nothing gets past my lips, unless I want it to.”

“Once two people know a secret, it’s not a secret anymore,” she insisted.

“I take it you think I’ll approve.”

“I know you will.” She hesitated, then admitted, “There is one thing that concerns me, though.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll have to go into town to pull this off.”

“Not a problem. You have the rental car.”

“Easy for you to say,” she muttered, then reminded him, “I have no idea where town is.”

He chuckled then. “And even if you did, there’s no guarantee you’d know how to find it.”

“Very amusing. Can you just draw me a map? I’m very good if I have a precise map.”

“I thought my pilot gave you a map the other night.”

She waved off the reminder. “He gave me directions. That’s not the same at all.”

“Maybe we should all go into town.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. That would ruin everything. Just draw me a map.”

Michael uttered a resigned sigh, grabbed a piece of paper and drew her a very detailed map, then went
over it with her as carefully as if a wrong turn might lead her into a minefield.

“Got it?” he asked.

“That should get me there,” she agreed.

“Maybe you should scatter breadcrumbs behind you, so you can find your way back.”

“Not a problem,” she assured him, waving the piece of paper. “I just reverse these.”

“How long should I wait before I send out a search party?” he teased.

“If I’m not back by dinnertime, forget the search party. Just give me a call in Houston. I could decide that you’re more trouble than you’re worth and hightail it out of here.”

“Not a chance. You might abandon me, but you wouldn’t desert Josh and Jamie.”

Unfortunately, he had that pegged exactly right. Rather than admit it, she grabbed her purse and car keys off the counter and headed for the door.

“I’ll see you later.”

“You sound so sure of that,” he noted with amusement. “Must be my outstanding directions. They’ve given you confidence.”

She waved them at him. “They’d better be foolproof,” she warned him.

“Oh, they are, darlin’. I want you back here too much to take any chances.”

There was a heartfelt note in his voice that she was pretty sure didn’t have anything to do with wanting her here for Josh and Jamie’s sakes. It left her feeling warm all over in a way that was definitely dangerous. Michael was right about the pitfalls of these stolen days extending to the two of them.

She pushed that troublesome worry out of her head to concentrate on Michael’s very precise directions. She was determined not to get herself lost.

When she finally pulled into a parking place in front of Dolan’s, she uttered a fervent sigh of relief. Noticing that the drugstore had a lunch counter, she decided to treat herself to a soda while she asked advice about stores and planned out her shopping.

At midmorning, the counter was deserted. The woman behind it was trying to soothe a cranky toddler, who was clearly unhappy about being restricted to a playpen. When she turned to greet Grace, the child let out a wail.

“It’s not a good day,” the woman said, plucking the toddler up and settling her in her arms. “I don’t understand it. This is my third. The first two loved being here all day long, getting showered with attention. This one isn’t happy unless she’s running up and down the aisles pulling all the stock off the shelves.”

“I guess all kids are different,” Grace said. “You just have to adapt.”

“Or go crazy,” the woman agreed. “I’m Sharon Lynn, by the way. Are you new in town?”

“Actually, I’m visiting.” She considered how to explain the exact circumstances. “I’m staying with someone who came here to visit his sister.”

Sharon Lynn’s expression brightened. “Ah, Trish’s brother, I’ll bet. I’d heard they were trying to get him away from his office.”

“You know Trish?”

“Sure. Her bookstore’s right next door. Of course, it’s closed this week because she and Hardy went out
of town to give Michael the peace and quiet they thought he needed.” She chuckled as if she were in on the joke. “How’s he taking it?”

“Probably a lot better than they imagined when they took off on him, but I don’t think it’s quite as peaceful or quiet as anyone expected.”

Sharon Lynn chuckled. “No, I imagine you being here definitely changed the game plan. They didn’t mention he’d be bringing a friend.”

“Oh, I’m not a friend,” Grace protested hurriedly. “Not the way you mean. I came on a mission of mercy.” Though she had warmed to Sharon Lynn immediately, she hesitated to say more. The fewer people who knew the whole story about the boys, the better.

“Sounds fascinating. Tell me what I can get for you and you can tell me all about it.”

“Just a soda,” Grace said. “And I’ve probably already said too much. You can help me with something, though. I need to do a little shopping for groceries and for a few birthday presents. Can you steer me in the right direction?”

“You’re on Main Street. This is our shopping district, so you can’t very well get lost.”

“That’s a relief,” Grace murmured.

“What?”

“I’m not so hot with directions. Some consider it a character flaw.”

“I say you’re either born with a sense of direction or you’re not. Blame it on genetics,” Sharon Lynn advised. “What sort of gifts are you looking for?”

“For a boy who just turned eight. I’m not even
sure what a kid that age is interested in. This one loves horses, but beyond that, I don’t know.”

“Then he’s not yours,” Sharon Lynn concluded. “A nephew?”

“No.”

Sharon Lynn’s penetrating gaze studied her. “And that’s all you intend to say, isn’t it?”

“Pretty much. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. If you’re around here long, you’ll discover that the Adamses are notoriously nosy. You’ll also learn when to tell us to take a hike.”

“Ah, the Adamses,” she repeated slowly. “And you’re Sharon Lynn. I should have put two and two together. I’ve heard of you.”

“Through Trish’s brother?”

“Actually no, I read about your custody case when I was researching family law.”

The case had fascinated her even then, an intriguing story of a baby left on the doorstep of this very store and Sharon Lynn’s fight to keep her. How much of that case might prove to be relevant to the situation in which she and Michael had found themselves? And wasn’t it her step-grandmother, the legendary Janet Runningbear Adams, who had fought the case and won?

“You’re a lawyer?” Sharon Lynn asked, regarding her with surprise.

Grace nodded. “In Houston.”

“And that’s how you know Michael?”

Grace laughed. “You’re good, you know that? Another few minutes, you’d have my entire life his
tory. It’s a darn good thing I have to get this shopping done.”

“It won’t take long. It’s not a big town. Stop back for lunch.”

“I’ll think about it. If I don’t get back by, it was very nice meeting you, Sharon Lynn.”

“You, too. I hope I’ll see you again while you’re here.”

Grace slipped out of the drugstore before Sharon Lynn could do any more of her innocent prying. She paused outside Trish’s bookstore and peered in the window. She could see the same cozy atmosphere in there that Trish had created in her home.

Across the street she found the baking supplies she needed at the general store, then moved on to the other shops looking for inspiration. When she found the cowboy boots, she knew she’d hit pay dirt. She had to guess at Josh’s size, but the proprietor assured her she could bring them back if they didn’t fit. She added some more western attire, including a pint-sized Stetson, had it all boxed up and put it in the back of her car.

By then it was lunchtime, so she decided to take Sharon Lynn up on her invitation, but she couldn’t help being relieved that it was too busy for another interrogation. She bought wrapping paper and balloons before leaving the drugstore, then headed back to the ranch.

She actually made the trip without mishap, not even a single wrong turn. She was back at the house before the guys returned from their adventure, though she beat them by only a few minutes. They came in bursting with excitement, Josh’s words tumbling
over each other as he told her about their morning. Jamie’s exuberance was more restrained, but his expression was equally happy. And both of them kept turning to Michael for approval. Obviously he was rapidly becoming the male role model they both desperately needed.

Michael met her gaze over the boys’ heads. “Home safe and sound, I see.”

“I told you I would be.”

He glanced around the kitchen. “Where’s the surprise?”

He sounded almost as disappointed as a kid at not seeing any evidence of it.

“Be patient. It’s not ready yet. When’s Slade coming by?”

“Any minute now.”

As if on cue, Josh shouted, “I think I hear the truck.” He darted out the door, followed by Jamie at a more sedate, determinedly unconcerned pace.

Michael stepped closer to Grace and before she guessed his intentions, he bent down to give her a quick kiss. “Just so you know I’m glad to see you,” he explained.

“You’re just relieved those directions of yours panned out,” she said.

“That, too,” he said with a wink as he went outside to join the boys.

Grace laughed, suddenly feeling lighthearted. Then she turned to the serious task of baking a birthday cake for Josh. When she did it, baking ranked right up there with driving in its potential for disaster. But she’d put so much T.L.C. into this cake, it was bound to be a winner.

M
ichael couldn’t imagine what Grace had been up to, but the light shining in her eyes was long overdue. She looked happy, though he couldn’t help wondering how much longer that would last.

He stood at the rail of the corral, one booted foot propped on the bottom rung and watched as Slade gave Josh and Jamie their lesson. Slade wasn’t exactly talkative, but he knew horses. Both boys hung on every word the man said. They eagerly followed every instruction, right down to cleaning the tack and rubbing down the horses after their lesson. It seemed they were learning about responsibility right along with riding, soaking up not only the information, but the masculine attention. It reminded Michael just how badly they needed a male role model in their lives.

“Same time tomorrow?” Slade asked, joining him as the boys walked the horses.

“If you have the time,” Michael said. “You can’t begin to know what this means to those two.”

“I think maybe I do,” Slade said. “I get the sense they haven’t had a lot.”

“No.”

“How’d they wind up here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Long story,” Michael said.

“Runaways,” Slade guessed. He slanted a look at Michael. “I’m surprised you haven’t turned ’em in. A lot of folks wouldn’t have considered them their responsibility.”

“Here in Los Piños?” Michael said skeptically. “I was under the impression that Harlan Adams set a tough example when it comes to being your brother’s keeper around these parts.”

“He does, now that you mention it. If he knew about Jamie and Josh, he’d see to it that something was done to help them, no doubt about it. You didn’t tell him the whole story when you called over there looking for a riding instructor, did you?”

“No. I thought it best to be circumspect till we had more facts.”

“Do you have them now?”

“Not really. Grace is still looking into some things.”

“You need any help, White Pines is crawling with good-hearted people who love to meddle. Wouldn’t hurt to have Justin Adams on your side. He’s the sheriff. And, like I said, Harlan is a man you can always count on to sort out something that’s gotten
complicated. His wife knows the ins and outs of the law as well as anyone I’ve ever seen.”

“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Slade slanted a look his way. “I could bring my daughter Annie along tomorrow, if you like. She’s a little older than Josh. I think they’d get along okay. And she knows all the other kids around here. She’d be happy to take these two under her wing and introduce them around. She knows what it’s like to be an outsider. She had a rough patch when she first came to live with me, but she’s adapted real well now.”

Michael shook his head at that. “Until Grace and I come up with a plan, the fewer people who know about Josh and Jamie the better. Bring Annie, by all means, but let’s keep it at that for the time being.”

Slade nodded. “See you tomorrow, then.” He touched a finger to his Stetson, then left for one last word with Jamie and Josh before taking off.

“What were you and Mr. Sutton talking about?” Jamie asked when they finally returned from the barn after putting out feed for the horses.

“How well you’re doing,” Michael told him.

“He really said we were doing good?” Josh asked excitedly. “Did you know he was a rodeo champion before his leg got busted up? If he says we’re good, that’s, like, the best.”

“Well, that’s what he said. And I’ve noticed how responsible you’re being about taking care of the horses. I’m proud of you both.”

“A cowboy’s supposed to treat his horse right,” Jamie retorted.

He said it as if it were a simple matter of doing
what was expected, as if their behavior were nothing special. But despite his words, it seemed to Michael that he stood a little taller because of the praise. He had to wonder how often anyone had bothered to tell the boy what he was doing right, rather than all the things he was doing wrong.

“Can we go inside and tell Grace about the lesson?” Josh pleaded.

Michael nodded, amazed to discover that he was almost as anxious as the boys to share the excitement with Grace. Once he had wanted to share everything with her, but long conversations about anything and everything had soon fallen by the wayside, lost to the demands of his position at Delacourt Oil and her studies in law school across the state.

“Let’s go,” he said. “But you’d better let me peek in the door first so we make sure we’re not spoiling the big surprise.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Josh said. “She promised us something real special.”

“Don’t go getting all worked up,” Jamie cautioned him. “It’s probably just pot roast or something.”

“But I love pot roast,” Josh said.

“Yeah, but it’s not a real surprise,” Jamie countered. “It’s just dinner.”

Michael stayed out of the squabble, but he had a hunch the surprise was more than a good meal. Grace had been too excited.

“Stay right here on the back deck,” Michael instructed the two of them. “I’ll let you know if it’s okay to come inside.”

As soon as he was certain they would stay put, he
slipped into the house. He was struck at once by the aromas drifting from the direction of the kitchen, most of them enticing, though he thought he also detected something that might have been burnt sugar. Given that and the muttered cursing, he approached cautiously.

“Everything okay in here?” he inquired, drawing a startled look from the woman bent over in front of the oven. Her cheeks were streaked with flour and flushed from the heat, wisps of hair had curled against her forehead and her eyes flashed with indignation at whatever it was she’d been staring at in the oven. He thought she had never looked more beautiful.

“Everything except this blasted cake,” she retorted. “It’s lopsided.” She withdrew the pan to show him. “Would you tell me why a woman who has mastered any number of skills cannot bake a simple chocolate cake?”

To be sure one side of the cake sank to no more than a half-inch, while the other side rose to a full, plump two inches.

“Is this cake going to be one layer or two?” he asked.

“Two, why?”

“Because you can fill in that crater with icing and no one will be the wiser. In fact, knowing how kids like icing, it’ll probably be a huge hit.”

Her expression immediately brightened. “You’re a genius,” she declared, giving him a smacking kiss on her way past. “Where are the boys?”

Michael barely resisted the desire to snag her by the apron strings and draw her back for a more lei
surely exploration of her mouth. Instead, he said, “They’re on the deck, chomping at the bit to get in here to see the surprise.”

“Oh, dear, not yet,” she protested at once. “I want everything to be perfect.” She frowned at the cake. “Well, close to perfect, anyway. Send them upstairs for showers, but don’t let them near the dining room.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Michael agreed. “On one condition?”

“What’s that?” she asked, eyeing him warily.

“That I get to steal a kiss from the cook.”

“I just kissed you,” she pointed out.

He grinned. “Which makes it my turn. Do we have a deal?”

“Michael…”

The protest died as his mouth covered hers. She tasted of sugar and chocolate and smelled of roses. After a fleeting instant of resistance she melted against him, her body fitting itself to his as instinctively as it once had. Breasts, thighs, heat—they were all as familiar to him as the sigh of her breath against his cheek. He held her loosely, but she didn’t even try to get away.

“I never said yes,” she whispered.

“That’s why they call it stealing,” he reminded her. “Something tells me I could get into the habit of doing this again.”

“Stealing?” she teased. “I suppose in this instance, I’d have to come to your defense. You’re very good at it, Michael.”

“I’ll get better with practice.”

She murmured something at that.

“What?”

“I said if you get any better, we’ll have more trouble around here than having two runaways on our hands.”

He regarded her with delight. “Sounds promising.”

“Just go get the boys,” she said. “I have work to do. I need an hour, okay?”

“Do you also need help?”

She regarded him with surprise. “From you?”

“Who else?”

“Since when do you help in the kitchen doing women’s work?” she inquired tartly.

He winced at the too-accurate description of the way he’d been a few years ago, leaving everything connected to running their household to her. Fending for himself in recent years had changed all that. If he didn’t cook these days, he didn’t eat. Not at home, anyway.

“You’d be surprised at the things I’ve learned to do since you dumped me.”

The claim seemed to fascinate her. “Then by all means join me back here and demonstrate,” she said.

“Some of them will have to wait till we’re alone in the house,” he taunted, thoroughly enjoying the quick rise of color in her cheeks.

“I’ll…” Her voice trailed off before she could complete the thought.

“You’ll what?” he asked. “Look forward to it? Is that what you were about to say, Grace?”

“No, absolutely not,” she denied unconvincingly. “I was about to say I’ll be frosting this cake. The
first batch of caramel sort of burned in the pan, but I think the second batch looks pretty good.”

He peered at the gooey, golden concoction. “If you say so.”

“I do.”

He gave her one last, skeptical look, then went off to shoo Jamie and Josh upstairs.

“Why can’t we see what’s going on?” Josh asked.

“Because Grace said so,” Jamie told him. “It’s a surprise, remember?”

“You’re the one who said it probably wasn’t a real surprise,” Josh countered.

“Doesn’t matter if it is or it isn’t, we gotta do what Grace says. Now hurry up, and don’t use all the hot water, either.”

“It’s not me,” Josh protested. “You’re the one who uses it all up.”

Michael stood at the foot of the stairs listening to the bickering until it finally faded away. Once he’d expected to have sons of his own, expected to fill a house with laughter and sibling controversy, just like this. How had he lost sight of that part of his dream? Had it gone with the departure of Grace from his life, or even before, when he’d buried himself in work at Delacourt Oil just to prove himself?

Did it really matter when or how it had slipped away? he asked himself. Maybe what really mattered was whether it was too late to get it back….