An Unexpected Arrangement Read online

  “Or maybe there’s no reason for me to stay.”

  “Ouch. Thanks a lot.” Drew shook his head in disbelief. “Why don’t you tell me how you really feel about your family?” His radio crackled again and he turned and walked away. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

  “Thanks for stopping by,” Jack called after him, not even trying to keep the sarcasm from his tone. The last thing he needed or wanted was a pep talk from his older brother. Especially since Drew didn’t know what he was talking about. Jack had finally taken responsibility for his actions, and his family still thought he was wrong. Didn’t he get any credit for trying to be a decent father for Macey and Charlotte?

  “I’m not acting like a victim,” Jack grumbled. Or was he?

  Raking his hand through his hair, he surveyed the woodshop one more time. The tools, equipment and partially completed projects filled every square inch of space. Overwhelmed, he left and slammed the door. He’d underestimated how much effort it would take to sort through years of possessions. His conversation with Drew had zapped all his optimism anyway.

  Jack stomped toward the house, kicking pebbles out of his path. Let his family think what they wanted. He was tired of trying to prove them wrong. A new start in another state was exactly what he and his daughters needed.

  * * *

  Bleary-eyed, Laramie sidestepped Trixie and Jack’s puppy, whom she’d named Bear. Unofficially, of course. Even though he hadn’t said a word about taking possession of the adorable animal, he’d paid for him. She’d grown tired of referring to the dog as puppy. Bear danced around her on his humongous feet while she poured dog food into both bowls.

  On her way to the sink to get their water, she jabbed at the power button on her coffee maker. Morning sunlight filtered through her kitchen window above the sink and she squinted. Once Trixie and Bear were satisfied, Laramie leaned against the kitchen counter and rolled her neck in a slow circle, wincing at the ache still lingering in her upper arms and shoulders. Wheat harvest was a marathon of filling coolers with water, hauling them out to the workers in the field, then hurrying back to the house to help serve lunch and dinner.

  While she was glad the grueling work was over and thankful for a successful harvest, now she had to face a new reality—less than a week left working for Jack. Maybe he’d stay tucked away in his office while she took care of Macey and Charlotte. Except the twins consistently napped twice, which meant plenty of time for Jack to linger.

  Or what if she and Jack both pretended the kiss hadn’t changed anything? That they hadn’t had a tense conversation about her always choosing her family?

  Laramie sighed. She’d have a hard time pulling that off. How was she supposed to spend the next five days in his house, smelling that outdoorsy cologne, and trying not to stare at his angular jaw? Or those hands that had caressed her cheek? And how could she look into those gorgeous eyes and not think about the incredible kiss they’d shared?

  She took her favorite chipped green mug from the cabinet and filled it with coffee. The robust fragrance wafted toward her and she quickly grabbed the carton of half-and-half from the fridge. She needed coffee to clear the sleepy fog from her brain so she could formulate an emergency action plan.

  Taking Charlotte and Macey out of Jack’s house was an option, but it required a lot of energy and patience, two commodities in short supply today. Unless she had a sidekick. Laramie stirred cream and sugar into her coffee with one hand and scrolled through her contacts in her phone with the other. Who did she know that might want to spend an hour or so hanging out with her and two adorable baby girls?

  The farm was always an option, although her parents were exhausted, and she didn’t want to spend any more time with Landon than she already had. His confession that he didn’t have any money made her so mad she didn’t trust herself not to say something she’d regret later.

  Laramie scrolled past Skye’s number, hesitated, then scrolled back. Gage and Skye had closed the furniture store for a few days to give themselves a break and honor the holiday. Macey and Charlotte weren’t much fun for Connor to hang out with, but Skye might meet them at the park since it was across the street from their house. Then if Connor got bored, Skye could take him home.

  She dropped two slices of bread in the toaster, then sent Skye a text about a park playdate. A few minutes later, Laramie was spreading peanut butter on her toast when Skye responded.

  I wish I could. Gage is working and I’m so sick I can barely get out of bed. Is now a good time to mention I’m pregnant?

  Laramie squealed so loud that the dogs barked. She stabbed the knife into the peanut butter container and quickly called Skye.

  “Hello?” Skye’s voice was barely above a whisper.

  “Congratulations!”

  “Good morning to you, too.” Skye cleared her throat. “And thank you.”

  “That’s so exciting. I’m really happy for you.” Laramie reached for her coffee. “When are you due?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe February? My doctor’s appointment is scheduled for next week.”

  “Gage must be thrilled.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Laramie chuckled. “Have you told your family yet?”

  “My mom knows. I’m planning to tell my brothers today. I’ll call Jack before you go over there.”

  “That’s kind of why I’m calling.”

  “Hang on.” Skye’s voice was muffled as she gave Connor some instructions. “Sorry. He wants breakfast and I need a minute, so I’m letting him watch another show. Don’t judge.”

  Laramie sipped her coffee. “No judgment here.”

  “What were we talking about?” Skye asked. “Oh, right. Jack. What’s going on?”

  “I kissed him.”

  “It’s about time.”

  “No, it’s all wrong. The timing. Jack. All of it.” Laramie padded into the living room and curled up in the recliner with her coffee. Trixie settled at her feet while Bear wrestled with a stuffed cheeseburger.

  “But I thought this is what you wanted?” Fatigue laced Skye’s words. “You’ve been attracted to Jack for—hold on. Connor, wait.”

  Laramie winced. If Skye was struggling with morning sickness and home alone with Connor, she should offer to help, not monopolize her time on the phone, rehashing one silly kiss.

  “Sorry.” Skye returned to the conversation. “Are Macey and Charlotte holding you back? I totally get that. Dating a single parent definitely has its challenges.”

  “No, the twins are adorable.” Laramie smiled just thinking about the babies and their distinct personalities, and the warmth that exploded in her chest when she plastered kisses on their chubby cheeks.

  “Then what are you afraid of?”

  “I told him our kiss was a mistake.”

  “Oh.”

  “I can’t go back now and tell him I didn’t mean it. By the way, the kiss was pretty great.” Nervous laughter escaped. “Sorry, I know that’s not what you want to hear about your brother.”

  “You’re avoiding the question.” Skye’s voice was flat.

  “What? No, I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are. I asked what you’re afraid of.”

  Doubt niggled its way in. She didn’t want to peer into that vulnerable, broken place left empty by Zeke’s rejection.

  “Laramie? Still with me?”

  “Yeah,” she sighed. “If I’m honest, I’m afraid he’ll break my heart.”

  There. The absolute truth. Laramie set her coffee on the side table, then stood and paced.

  “I don’t blame you for being cautious,” Skye said gently. “Jack has a history of being reckless and impulsive. It will take a special woman to ground him, even more than the twins already have. You can be that person, Laramie. I know you can.”

  “If Zeke hadn’t cheated on me when I followed
him to Montana, I might be brave enough to try and follow Jack wherever he and the babies wanted to go.” Laramie swallowed hard. “But I can’t go through that kind of pain again. Can’t take that risk right now. My family, my work, everything that matters to me is right here.”

  “Not everything,” Skye said. “If Jack and the twins move away, will you be able to live with the hole that’s left in your life?”

  Skye’s question stung, like an icy snowball hurled at her when she wasn’t looking. She was so focused on guarding her heart and staying close to her family that she hadn’t considered what her life would be like without Jack, Macey and Charlotte. That mental image created hurt, too.

  “I really want a husband and children,” Laramie admitted. “And every day, week and month that passes by, I wonder if that will ever happen for me.”

  “I understand.”

  “I want to believe Jack has changed since he’s become a father. Saying goodbye to Macey and Charlotte will break my heart if they move away, but I’m afraid to follow him. And not only that, but he always runs from conflict. He’d feel much better emotionally if he stuck around and worked through his issues.”

  “Then why don’t you ask him to stay?”

  “Because I want him to love me enough that I don’t have to ask him.” Laramie squeezed her eyes shut as shame twisted her stomach in a knot. “Is that pathetic or what?”

  “No, it’s not,” Skye said. “What are you going to do next?”

  “If you’ll let me, I’d like to borrow Connor for a few hours.”

  Skye chuckled. “You’re a glutton for punishment.”

  “We need a distraction. A buffer. Someone to hang out with us today.”

  “Connor will definitely keep you distracted,” Skye said. “Come on over. I’ll have him ready to go when you get here.”

  Laramie ended the call, then quickly drank the rest of her coffee. Skye’s questions percolated in her head while she showered and dressed. Had she made the right choice—telling Jack their kiss was a mistake? He was charming and funny and incredibly handsome. But she couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that transplanting her life in a new city eight hours away was a risk she couldn’t afford. No matter how much he’d changed, if Jack bailed on her, she’d rather face that rejection surrounded by family and friends than in a strange place where she had no one. Just like the last time.

  * * *

  Jack tugged the roll of packing tape across the cardboard box, sealing it closed.

  Charlotte bounced up and down inside the baby swing he’d suspended from the shed’s door frame, while Macey sat inside the portable crib, gnawing on a vinyl book. With the window air-conditioning unit blasting and the woodshop’s garage-style door rolled open, he’d managed to make the place tolerable for them.

  Sweat dampened his brow and Jack swiped his forehead with the hem of his T-shirt, then slid the cardboard box against the wall next to the other two he’d already packed. He grabbed a permanent marker from his jeans pocket, then wrote Magazines and Manuals on the outside of the box. His dad and his uncle apparently never threw anything away, based on all the stuff Jack had discovered when he opened the cabinets along the back wall.

  Jack set the tape down and checked the time on his phone. Skye had called a few minutes ago and announced her pregnancy. Then Laramie had texted that she was bringing Connor along for a couple of hours so Skye could rest. He probably needed to take a break from packing another box. Connor was going to need his undivided attention, and the shed wasn’t a safe place for a three-year-old to hang out. A car door slammed, then Laramie and Connor’s voices filled the air.

  Charlotte gnawed on her finger and swiveled in the direction of the noise.

  “Hold on, ladies.” Jack quickly stowed the more dangerous tools that were spread out on the workbench and prepared for the imminent arrival of his nephew. “Here comes Connor.”

  Gravel crunched under Connor’s shoes as he barreled toward the shed in a red T-shirt and gray shorts. He stopped and pointed toward his feet. “Wook! New shoes.”

  Jack smiled. Connor’s inability to pronounce his L’s was adorable. “Nice. Do they make you run fast?”

  “Yup. Watch.” Connor tucked his tongue in the corner of his mouth then took off running around the yard, his little legs and arms pumping. Charlotte squealed and bounced up and down in her swing. Jack rubbed at the tightness in his chest. If he moved, the twins would miss out on a lot of time with their cousin. And Skye and Gage’s new baby.

  He was making the right decision, though. Wasn’t he?

  “Good morning.” Laramie strode toward him carrying an insulated mug. Jack’s pulse sped. He’d missed her. Was this going to be weird now that they’d kissed? And argued about her helping her grandmother? Hopefully not. She’d been a good friend to him, and he hated that they’d wrecked their effortless camaraderie.

  Laramie’s long hair gleamed in the sunshine and she wore a pink T-shirt and khaki shorts. The flowery fragrance that had become so familiar drifted toward him as she stepped inside the shed.

  “Hey.” His mouth was as dry as the sawdust that still coated most of the shed’s cement floor.

  She glanced around and her smooth brow furrowed. “Are you packing?”

  He nodded. “It’s time to clean this place out.”

  Laramie trapped her lip behind her teeth and Jack tried not to let his gaze linger on her mouth. Or think about how soft and warm her lips had felt against his.

  Macey cried and pressed her face to the mesh panel on the side of the portable crib.

  Jack checked the time on his phone. “They’re probably ready for naps.”

  “I’ll take the girls inside.” Laramie moved toward Macey. “Come here, pumpkin.”

  “I can keep an eye on Connor,” Jack said.

  “Oh, right.” Laramie wedged Macey on her hip, then flashed him an apologetic look. “Thanks for letting me bring him along today. I felt so bad for Skye. She’s super sick.”

  “He’s always welcome here, you know that.”

  “Hop, hop, hop.” Connor’s eyes gleamed as he bounced into the shed. “I’m a bunny.”

  “You’re a good hopper.” Laramie tousled his hair. “Stay here and play with your uncle Jack while I put the babies down for their naps.”

  Connor’s eyes grew wide. “Naps?”

  Laramie and Jack laughed.

  “Babies take naps, little dude,” Jack said. “Sometimes two or three a day.”

  “Yuck.” Connor craned his neck and pointed behind Jack. “Horse!”

  Jack winced. He’d meant to throw a blanket over that thing.

  “Did you build that?” Laramie asked.

  Jack nodded, feeling the weight of her curious stare as he turned and followed Connor over to the wooden rocking horse. Connor reached out and carefully touched the mane made of floppy strands of gray yarn. Jack shoved his hands in his back pockets and wrestled with the memories that came flooding back. His father and Uncle Kenny had supervised while he cut out the shapes with the saw, then pieced them together, and sanded and stained the wood for hours, until the horse was a beautiful golden brown. Jack’s muscles had ached for a few days afterward, but he’d been so proud of the finished toy.

  Until Drew had teased him that rocking horses were for babies.

  Jack had left the rocking horse in the woodshop instead of entering it in the woodworking contest at the county fair like he’d planned.

  “I ride?” Connor’s sweet voice interrupted his thoughts.

  Jack hesitated. If Connor rode the horse, would he want to keep it? Jack needed to get it out of there, but Gage and Skye might not want something that large in their house. Especially now that their family was growing.

  “Pwease?” Connor patted the wooden seat with his little hand then glanced over his shoulder.

  “It’s
a beautiful rocking horse.” Laramie shifted Macey to her other hip. “You’re very talented.”

  Her compliment softened the raw places inside. His gaze locked on hers. Questions lingered in those beautiful green pools. A current zinged between them. He longed to lean in and kiss her again.

  “Thanks.” He forced himself to look away. Connor was hopping in circles around the rocking horse. Jack didn’t want to think about what might happen if he didn’t keep a close eye on the curious little boy.

  Laramie was beautiful, thoughtful and devoted to caring for her family and friends. Knowing she believed in him buoyed his confidence.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  She regretted their kiss. He couldn’t stay in Merritt’s Crossing, constantly feeling like a disappointment. And he wasn’t going to stick around and watch her fall in love with someone else.

  Charlotte screeched, reminding them that she was still in the baby swing. Macey was babbling and had grabbed a fistful of Laramie’s hair.

  “Ride? Pwease?” Connor ran toward Jack, took his hand and tugged him over to the rocking horse.

  “I’ll put the babies down for their naps,” Laramie said, raising her voice above the noise.

  “All right, we’ll be in soon,” Jack called over his shoulder.

  While Laramie buckled the girls into the double stroller he’d used to bring them out to the shed earlier, Jack helped Connor onto the rocking horse and showed him how to hold on to the wooden pegs on either side of the horse’s head.

  Connor laughed as the wooden animal glided back and forth. Jack couldn’t help but smile. Although he was glad his nephew was having fun on the rocking horse he’d made, Connor’s happiness wasn’t enough to make Jack change his mind. He already had a job in a field he enjoyed. The furniture business had its ups and downs, while cybersecurity was very stable. He was weary of wrestling with everyone else’s unmet expectations. It was time to start over in a new town with a clean slate.