Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Jace unhitched the horses and gave them feed and water though he didn’t remember leading them to the pasture.
His thoughts had stalled at the way she brushed her warm fingers across his lips and thanked him for the afternoon.
Did her thanks include their kisses? Surely, that’s what she meant by her touch.
Laughter erupted from him, drawing startled looks from the horses.
“Never mind.” He waved away their concern and curiosity. “You’d never understand.” He turned and was confronted with the pile of debris that had once been the barn.
How could he stay with the weight of his guilt?
How could he leave when her presence drew him like a bee to sweet flowers?
At the bunkhouse, he looked inside as if to assure himself that Cal and Lee weren’t back. Though, he didn’t need to see the empty interior to know that. Their horses were absent. Right. They weren’t here. Al was still a danger. Jace didn’t have any choice but to stay to ensure Dianne’s safety.
Might as well make himself useful. He grabbed the hand wagon and shovel and began scooping up debris and ashes.
Eddie tramped across the rubble to Jace’s side. “I help?”
Ah. The uncertainty in the boy’s voice ached through Jace. He had a loving mother, but he was fatherless. Maybe he longed to be part of a man’s world. Jace found a small shovel used mostly for cleaning ashes from the stove and handed it to the boy.
“I’d appreciate help.”
Eddie scooped up a shovelful and carried it carefully to the wagon. Just as carefully, he tipped the contents out and, with the tip of his tongue touching his lips, got another scoop. He paused, saw Jace watching him, and straightened.
“I not do this all myself.”
That scolding note brought a hoot of laughter from Jace. When he could talk, he grinned at the boy. “Are you accusing me of being a slacker?”
“What a slacker is?”
Jace shoveled in dirt. “Something you and I aren’t.”
“Good.” The boy continued to work with Jace doing his share.
“The wagon’s full. Wanna help me empty it?”
Eddie nodded hard enough to send his hair into a frenzy around his face.
The boy grabbed the wagon handles, and Jace put his hands behind Eddie’s. Together, they pushed the cart to the side of the hill and tipped out the contents.
Standing back and dusting his hands, Eddie nodded. “We working hard.”
“Yup.” Side by side, Eddie trying to match his steps to Jace’s, they returned to the job.
Both of them were sweaty and grimy when Dianne called them for supper.
There was a swagger to Eddie’s steps as he sauntered to the house.
“Better wash up.” Dianne’s words rounded with amusement.
Eddie watched to see what Jace would do, and when Jace headed for the washbasin, the boy nodded. “I do it.”
Wiping his face on a towel, Jace stepped aside. His gaze went to Dianne, and they grinned at each other.
She mouthed, “Thank you.”
He mouthed back, “Welcome.” No doubt she meant for allowing Eddie to help him. But did her thanks extend further—perhaps to the earlier outing? And the kisses.
His thoughts must have revealed themselves, or maybe it was the way his gaze lingered on her lips for pink blossomed like summer roses in her cheeks. She hurried to the kitchen.
Chuckling softly, hoping she wouldn’t take offense, he helped Eddie wash and then dried his face for him, rubbing his nose to make him giggle.
They gathered around the table.
Jace tucked away his smile at how Eddie studied Jace’s posture and did his best to imitate it.
“I’ll ask the blessing. Our heavenly Father, kind and good, we thank Thee for our daily food.
” He stalled. The words of his customary prayer seemed inadequate.
“We thank You for—” His heart flooded with memories of the afternoon, the awareness that was growing between himself and Dianne, and the joy of having a little boy at his side.
“Friends and home.” It was lame but all he could think of. “Be with us, Lord. Amen.”
The three of them ate with the eagerness of people who had been working and living in the sunshine.
“I appreciate the food you prepare,” he said.
“Thank you. It’s easy to make decent meals when the pantry is full, and cellar shelves are lined with the result of Mae’s hard work. I’d like to make bread tomorrow.”
“We’d be happy to have you do so, wouldn’t we, Eddie?”
The boy gave a flip-flop of his head. “Mama makes good bread.” His gaze darted to his mother but returned to Jace’s seeking his approval.
“She’s a good mama.” Jace’s words came from his heart.
“Yup.” Eddie sat back, satisfied with Jace’s response.
Had his mama approved? Jace slid his gaze to the woman on his right. If the smile warming her eyes meant anything, then yes, she did approve.
After supper, he amused Eddie on the porch with a little game of hiding a bit of wood that had the boy laughing and the dog jumping up and down in excitement.
“I’m done with the dishes.” Dianne leaned against the doorframe. “Who wants to help me do my chores?”
“Spoken like a true farmer’s wife.” He pocketed the piece of wood, signaling to the boy and dog that the game was over. “We’ll help, won’t we, Eddie?”
“Yup.”
The three of them—four counting the dog who’d become Eddie’s constant companion—sauntered to the chicken pen. While she gathered the eggs, he and Eddie put out more feed and water and carefully closed the gate behind them to keep out predators.
She carried the basket of eggs gingerly and set it aside as she chased the calf into its pen.
“That’s done.” She wiped her hands together in satisfaction.
Back at the house, she paused. “Would you like to come in? I can offer you tea.”
Before Jace answered, Eddie grabbed his hand and dragged him forward.
Jace chuckled. “I guess I’m coming.”
As soon as she put the eggs in a safe place, she turned to Eddie. “It’s bedtime, young man.”
“Ma! We gots company.”
“Eddie! You can see Jace in the morning. Now, please obey me.”
The boy pressed his lips together and looked ready to argue. Then, with an almighty sigh, he nodded. “Can Jace tuck me in?”
The request dropped into the pit of Jace’s stomach with alarming weight. How often had his little sisters made this request?
“Eddie, you can’t—”
Jace held up a hand. “It would be my honor if you have no objections.”
She closed her mouth with a click. “Are you sure?”
“I am.”
“Very well. I’ll let you know when he’s ready.”
Jace had been about to follow. At her words, he sank back on his heels. He’d wait. Of course, he’d wait. But he hovered at the bottom of the stairs. Something as smooth as velvet wrapped his being as he listened to their murmurs. He hadn’t tucked in a child in six years since his sisters died.
“Jace, he’s ready.” Her voice jarred him from his musing.
He stayed in the doorway until she descended. Then he took the steps two at a time, forgetting a person should be quiet when children were settling down for the night.
Eddie sat up waiting for his appearance. “You comed.”
“I said I would, didn’t I?”
“Yup.”
“A man should always do what he says he’ll do.” A lesson drilled in by his father’s words and even more so by his actions. Chet had lived by the same motto. “Did you say your prayers?”
“With Mama.”
“Then lie down and go to sleep.” He waited until Eddie’s head was on the pillow, then leaned over, and kissed the boy on the forehead. “Good night.”
“I likes you.” Eddie’s whispered words followed Jace from the room. Words of promise but, even more, words that tied Jace to this pair with invisible cords.
Did he object? No. Though it left him balancing on a narrow ledge of uncertainty. Could he live here with the guilt of what he’d done hanging over his head? He didn’t have an answer and didn’t want to find one right now.
Instead, he joined Dianne in the kitchen where she poured water from the kettle to the teapot.
She studied him, her eyes full of dark mystery. He waited for her to say what was on her mind.
“I worried it might be hard putting a little one to bed. Reminding you of your sisters.”
Leaning his hip against the cupboard close enough she bumped into him when she moved, he smiled.
“I enjoyed it. Eddie’s an eager young fella.
” He touched her cheek. She shifted her attention to him, her eyes wide and aglow with the same longing he’d seen in Eddie. “Dianne.” Her name ached from his lips.
She drew in a sharp breath. “It’s been a long hard year. The trip here taxed my strength. Now, to finally hope we have a home—” The words choked off.
He secured her in his arms. “This is now your home.” Her breath warmed his neck. He wanted to promise to stay, but the words wouldn’t leave his heart.
“Thank you.” She eased back. “I’ve made tea.” She slid cups from the cupboard and filled them.
“Let’s sit in the sitting room.” He chuckled. “I love saying that.”
She acknowledged his bit of humor with a smile, then picked up one cup, and nodded to the other. He took it, and they went to the cozy room and sat in the comfortable stuffed armchairs facing each other.
Content to watch her, he didn’t speak. But she squirmed under his intensity, so he pretended to be interested in the books on the nearby shelves. “Feel free to help yourself to any of the books. Wait. I guess they’re as much yours as mine.”
“What do you mean?”
“I told you the ranch is yours.”
Her sigh was loud and long. “Will you stop talking like you have no interest in this place?”
“I—”
She didn’t let him continue. “I know you feel bad about Chet dying, but that in no way negates the fact that this land is in your blood. I knew that this afternoon as you said things that made the place so real to me.”
“I have no idea what you mean.” Except he did.
Her narrowed eyes said she knew he understood. But rather than pursue it, she turned her attention to the bookshelf. “I started reading last night. But I was too tired, and the words swam before my eyes.”
“I shouldn’t be keeping you up.” He burnt his mouth as he drained his cup of tea.