Chapter Seven
“Hay-Hay.”
Hayden was riding through a sunny wheat field when he heard someone whisper his nickname. He pulled Red from a gallop into a slow walk, glancing around. Seeing no one. But…the horizon seemed hazy.
“Hay-Hay.” A gentle whisper from a young voice.
Hayden stood in the stirrups and searched the wheat field.
Only it was no longer a wheat field. It was the church where he was supposed to marry Violet. The pews were full. And someone was beckoning to him from the vestibule to one side of the altar. A beautiful blond in a pink bridesmaid dress.
“Hay-Hay.” More impatient now.
Hang on. That’s not how the woman in pink had sounded.
Hayden opened his eyes to the gray light of dawn coming through his bedroom window. A little blond girl stood at the side of his bed. “Katie?”
“Morning, Hay-Hay,” Katie said cheerfully. She wore pink princess pajamas and carried a fuzzy pink blanket.
The events of the day before came back to Hayden.
The wedding ceremony. That unexpected kiss.
The lunch at the best restaurant in town, where toasts had been made and a more chaste kiss exchanged for Nellie’s and Gran’s benefit.
Then he’d helped move Evie’s and Katie’s things to the ranch, few though they were.
Evie had been pleased with her room. Later, she’d made them a simple dinner, answering patiently every time Gran forgot her name.
After their meal, Hayden had checked the horses in the barn, wanting to be by himself.
And then they all went to bed. In separate rooms. It was all very anticlimactic. But…
Of all the things I expected from this marriage, I never expected my stepchild to be my alarm clock.
“Do you know why Mama and me love cowboys?” Katie asked.
“No, ma’am.” She’d told him the day they’d met but he couldn’t remember.
“Because Mama says they’re brave and always do the right thing, even if it’s hard.” Katie sighed. “I guess that’s why she loves you.”
Hayden sucked in air.
“Katie?” A whisper out in the hallway. Evie’s whisper. “Katie, where are you?”
“In here,” Hayden whispered in return.
The little minx leaped up onto the foot of the bed, curled into a ball, and then covered herself with her fuzzy pink blanket.
His bedroom door creaked open. Evie poked her head in. She wore a loose gray sweatshirt over black pajama pants. Her long blond hair floated freely about her shoulders, looking soft and touchable. Her blue eyes widened when she saw where her daughter was. “Katie? Katie, come here.”
Katie didn’t stir, the little stinker.
“Sorry, Hayden.” Evie crept into the bedroom. Her sweatshirt read: Nurses do it with intensive care. “I told you not to wake him, bug.”
“I didn’t.” Katie twitched beneath that fuzzy blanket. “Come to bed, Mama.”
Evie looked stricken.
Yes, come to bed, Mama.
Hayden wet his lips and tried not to think about embracing his wife. Theirs could never be a real marriage. “Hey…um…Evie…I’d help you out here, but I’m only wearing boxers.”
“That answers that question,” Evie muttered.
Hayden felt the oddest urge to smile. Highly out of line, that impulse, given they weren’t in love. He tamped it down.
“Katie, let’s go downstairs and get some hot chocolate.” Evie reached for Katie’s blanket.
The little girl leaped to the other side of the bed. “I want a lazy day, Mama.”
“What’s a lazy day?” Hayden asked, interest piqued.
Katie sat up and stared at Hayden incredulously, her short, blond curls a halo for that sweet little face. “We lay in bed and watch movies all day. It’s super fun. Want to have a lazy day?”
“Can’t, honey.” Hayden took her fuzzy pink blanket and tossed it to Evie. “I’ve got horses to feed and chores to do.”
“Horses to feed…” Katie considered his words while Evie walked around the bed to reach her. “Like my pony, Hay-Hay? Gran said you’re getting me a pony. Did it come last night while I was sleeping?”
“I haven’t gotten you a pony, honey.” That was the least of his concerns. But at Katie’s pout, he felt the urge to cave.
“I want a shiny yellow pony with a unicorn horn,” Katie said as if this was a common request, like ice cream for dessert. “Make sure her name is Sparkles.”
Hayden laughed. “Can I buy you a stuffy instead?” A stuffed animal, he meant.
“No!” Katie clapped her small hand over his mouth. “I want a real, shiny, yellow pony with a unicorn horn,” she repeated. “Promise, Hay-Hay.” She removed her hand from his mouth, then held out her pinky finger.
“She wants you to pinky promise,” Evie explained, now standing behind Katie at his bedside, looking beautiful and uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable? With me?
He didn’t want Evie to feel awkward with him. They were…
He struggled to define their relationship. Man and wife seemed too intimate while friends seemed too cold.
Stumped, Hayden focused on Katie. “The first rule of ranching is that you don’t buy good riding stock based on the color,” Hayden began. “Flashy horseflesh is often the devil when saddled.”
“Hay-Hay,” Katie said in a stern voice, shaking that pinky at him and ignoring his ranching rule. “Promise you’ll find me the shiny yellow unicorn pony of my dreams.”
Cornered, Hayden hooked his pinky with hers. “Okay. I promise to do my best to find it for you.”
“Good.” Katie nodded, scooting toward her mama.
“But don’t be surprised if I bring home a brown pony without a unicorn horn,” Hayden teased. He needed to lay the groundwork in case a well-trained palomino pony wasn’t available for a bargain-basement price.
Katie gasped, staring at Hayden as if he’d done something wrong.
And he hadn’t done anything yet!
But just looking at Evie’s amused smile…
Well, he had all kinds of ideas.
Until he remembered once more that this marriage wasn’t real and never would be.
*
“Where did you say you honeymooned?” Hayden’s grandmother flitted about the outdated white kitchen, wiping down counters and straightening the contents in drawers.
She hadn’t slowed down since Eve had entered the kitchen and reminded her of who she was.
Irene hadn’t stopped talking about woulda-coulda-shoulda’s where Eve’s honeymoon was concerned either.
“I appreciate the thought.” Eve flipped pancakes on the griddle. She already had a short stack staying warm in the oven. “But we don’t need a destination honeymoon. I’m taking a day off to get Katie settled and then it’s back to the grind, Irene.”
“Call me Gran.” Irene poured herself a cup of coffee from the coffeepot, finally standing still to take a sip. “I’m not giving up this honeymoon thing.”
“I’m too busy for a honeymoon.” Hayden entered the kitchen in his ranch clothes and socks.
Funny how attractive socks on a cowboy could be.
Funny how deep kisses and chemistry between us weren’t addressed in Hayden’s marital rules.
Eve nearly dropped the pancake turner, surprised by the direction of her thoughts.
This man is on loan. Off-limits. Not to be kissed anymore. He doesn’t believe in love. And he wouldn’t be happy to hear I loved him.
Eve sighed. She was finding she was terrible at separating her heart’s desire from reality.
But he wears boxers.
Eve allowed herself a small smile.
Teenage me loves that.
She chuckled.
Adult me likes it too.
“What’s this I hear about honeymoons, Gran?” Hayden found a mug in the cupboard, then gently edged his grandmother aside to access the coffeepot. “Evie is busy with work and taking nursing classes online. I’m busy getting the ranch in order. Romance can wait.”
Eve sighed at the truth in his words. Someone had to remember this marriage shunned romance. Certainly, she was having a hard time doing so.
“Look at your bride blush, Hay-Hay.” Irene gave Eve a side hug. “She deserves a honeymoon. Or better yet, a babymoon.”
Don’t even go there, Eve.
“Did I say babymoon?” The elderly woman laughed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me this morning. I feel… What is it young folks say nowadays?” She grinned at Eve. “I feel spicy?”
“That’s it.” Eve smiled, not having expected anything like that from Irene.
“Roddy and I will be over at Willow Creek today. We’ll be taking inventory of the livestock.
” Hayden finished pouring coffee into a travel mug, his tone as stiff as the set to his broad shoulders.
He gave Eve a curt nod. All business, the way she should have been. “Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”
She nodded.
“Can I come, Hay-Hay?” Katie squirmed in her chair. She’d dressed in her favorite princess dress, a yellow ball gown that was covered in golden sequins and had come with white gloves and a tiara, both of which were in use. “Please.”
“No, bug,” Eve said quickly. “Hayden’s got to work.”
“Please, Hay-Hay?” Katie batted her big blue eyes at him. “Mama says I don’t have to go back to preschool until tomorrow.”
“Sorry, kiddo. You heard what your mom said.” Hayden strode out of the kitchen. “I’ll let you know if I’m going to be late for supper.”
Eve listened to Hayden leave, fighting a wave of disappointment. She knew it wasn’t a real marriage but…he hadn’t kissed her goodbye for Irene’s sake. He’d barely even looked at her.
“Well… That’s disappointing.” Irene faced Eve, revealing that she’d misbuttoned her shirt. “He didn’t kiss you goodbye. I thought my grandson was more romantic.”
“He’s romantic enough for me,” Eve lied. She gestured toward Irene’s torso. “Can I fix your shirt buttons?” At Irene’s nod, Eve buttoned her chambray shirt properly.
Irene chuckled. “You know, my grandson would have let me walk around mis-buttoned all day.”
“I don’t think he notices these things.” Unlike her ex, who’d always been quick to point out any wrinkle in Eve’s scrubs. Eve took the serving tray of pancakes from the oven, divided them and the ones hot off the griddle onto three plates, then set those plates on the table.
“I’m not eating.” Katie rested her elbows on the table and her chin on her princess-gloved hands. She thrust her lower lip out. “I want to go with Hay-Hay.”