Chapter Five #2
The back door of the nearest vehicle opened, and a girl with bright red hair got out, her long legs making Lainey think of a spring colt. Dani was as cute as Jason had described her to be, and she carried a hint of sass and spunk.
“Hi!” the girl said, opening the driver’s side door as a woman with a belly rounded by pregnancy swung her legs out and used the steering wheel to push herself to her feet.
“You must be Lainey. Both Dad and Shaun mentioned you might stop by. You’re just in time for dinner,” the woman said, offering Lainey a welcoming smile as her hand rubbed over the top of her belly.
“You are Lisa. It’s lovely to meet you,” Lainey said, walking over to shake the woman’s extended hand, then she smiled at the girl. “And you have to be Dani. Your grandfather is quite proud of you.”
Dani blushed but held Lainey’s gaze. “Did you really meet Papa at a rodeo?”
“I sure did. I was taking photos and backed right into him.”
Dani grinned. “I bet Papa didn’t mind at all.”
Lainey had no comment on that and took a moment to study Jason’s daughter. She looked quite a bit like Jason, with darker hair and his strong chin.
A lovely woman with blonde hair gathered into a tidy braid stepped around the end of Lisa’s SUV with a toddler in her arms and a little boy holding onto the back pocket of her blue jeans.
“Hi, Lainey. I’m Brylee, Shaun’s wife. He’s had so many good things to say about you.
We’re delighted you stopped by, and your timing couldn’t be better.
Lisa picked up barbecue in town for dinner, and I brought salad and baked potatoes.
” Brylee glanced at her daughter as the child rested her head on the woman’s shoulder.
“Caitlyn just woke up from her nap, so she’s not yet feeling sociable, and Carter is going through a terrified-of-strangers stage. ”
“It’s so nice to meet all of you,” Lainey smiled at Brylee’s two youngsters. “I brought brownies. I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, my gosh! That’s more than okay,” Lisa said with a wide smile. “I’ve been craving chocolate like nobody’s business today. I can hardly wait to eat one.”
“You have to wait until after dinner,” Dani instructed, taking a box out of the back seat that emanated the mouth-watering aromas of roasted meat.
“Yes, boss.” Lisa gave her daughter a pointed look, then motioned toward the back door that was a dozen paces across the yard. “Take that meat inside and tell Pops we have company.”
“Okay,” Dani said, starting to hurry toward the house. She stopped, backtracked, and grabbed Carter’s hand. “Come on, Carter. Let’s tell Pops that Papa’s friend is here.”
Lainey watched the children scurry inside. Brylee was trying to hold Caitlyn and extract the food she’d brought from the back of the SUV.
“Hey! Let me help,” said a handsome man with the bearing of a soldier as he rushed up to them from the direction of the barn.
He kissed Lisa square on the mouth, then leaned down and kissed the mound of her belly before he grabbed a canvas bag from Brylee.
Only after he’d hefted a big bowl of salad did he turn and give Lainey a curious look. “Hi.”
“Hello,” she said, smiling at him. “You must be Tyler, Lisa’s other half.”
Tyler grinned. “Better half,” he said with a wink at his wife. “You must be Lainey. Jason and Shaun mentioned you might stop by. Welcome to the Circle P.”
“Thank you. Honestly, it was a last-minute decision to come, so I hope I’m not imposing. I didn’t intend to arrive right at mealtime.”
Lainey didn’t have a set time she ate dinner when she was alone. She ate when she was hungry, whether that was four in the afternoon or nine in the evening. It probably wasn’t the healthiest approach to living, but it wasn’t like she was eating a four-course meal an hour before bedtime.
“We’re thrilled you stopped by, Lainey. Please, come in and make yourself at home,” Lisa said, leading the way to the walk that led to the back door. She glanced at Tyler, then back toward the barn. “Where’s Uncle Galen?”
“He has a meeting with the irrigation district this evening. He left about twenty minutes ago and said he likely wouldn’t be back before dark.” Tyler adjusted the salad bowl he carried, and a foil-wrapped package on top of it almost slid off.
Lainey made a quick grab for it and caught it before it hit the ground.
“Great save,” Tyler said, smiling at her. “It would have been a shame for Brylee’s bread to turn into toast.”
“You are so punny,” Lisa said, patting Tyler’s cheek, making them all laugh.
Brylee lifted another foil-wrapped pan from the SUV and started toward the house. Caitlyn kept her head tucked beneath her mother’s chin, but she shot Lainey speculative glances.
The child was lovely, with strawberry blonde hair, big blue eyes like her mother’s, and delicate features that made her seem almost fairylike.
Inside the house, Dani and Carter were setting the table, while Mike, better known as Pops, asked them about their day at school. Lainey knew from her conversations with Jason that Carter was in pre-school and Dani was finishing up sixth grade.
Lainey might have felt out of place, but Lisa and Brylee drew her into the bustle of setting out food and included her in their conversation.
Tyler disappeared and returned with his hands and face washed. “The powder room is just down the hall, Lainey, if you need to wash up,” he said, pointing to the hallway.
“Thank you,” Lainey said, taking the offer to escape into the powder room where she washed her hands and gave herself an internal pep talk in the mirror.
Why had she thought she could just show up and her nerves would magically disintegrate? If the knot in her stomach got any bigger or tighter, she wouldn’t be able to eat any dinner, and it smelled amazing.
“You can do this,” she said, trying to sort out in her mind why she’d come. Clearly, Jason and Shaun had mentioned her to their family, just as Jason had talked to her about them. But what did it mean?
She didn’t want to give any of them the wrong idea when she had no clarity on what it was, exactly, she and Jason were doing, other than becoming friends.
Friends were safe. Friends didn’t have to mean anything more. Friends were … not having their dreams interrupted with thoughts of moonlight strolls and sizzling kisses.
“Get it together!” Lainey ordered the image in the mirror, then dried her hands and returned to the kitchen.
“Sit by me, Lainey. Please?” Dani asked as the family gathered around the large table that could easily seat half a dozen more.
“I’d be honored, Miss Dani,” Lainey said, sliding into the chair next to the girl who looked older than her age, mostly because of her height. She wondered if that would cause Lisa and Tyler trouble in the near future with boys wanting to take Dani out before she was old enough to date.
Lainey remembered her parents making her wait until she was fifteen to go on her first date, and even then, it was with a group who met at the mall and went to the movies. Her father sat in the back and supervised, which had made Lainey annoyed and pleased all at the same time.
She shut the door to her memories and looked down at the two hands held out to her. She took Dani’s in her right hand and Mike’s in her left, then the older man bowed his head and offered a heartfelt word of thanks for their day, the Father’s blessings, and their meal.
Lainey added her “amen” to the others, then lifted her head and found Mike giving her an observant study.
“Now, who are you, darlin’?” he asked, keeping his gaze fastened to hers.
The table fell utterly silent as though Lisa, Tyler, and Brylee questioned if their beloved Pops was suffering from sudden-onset dementia.
Then Mike cackled and winked at Dani before looking back at Lainey.
“I knew as soon as you pulled up in that fancy van that Jason had practically begged you to stop and swap howdies with us. I hope you’ll plan on spending the night.
We’ve got plenty of room. That way, you don’t have to rush off right after dinner. Jase said you are a photographer.”
“I am, Mr. Price, and I guess we didn’t get a chance to exchange pleasantries before, but I’m very pleased to meet you.”
“Call me Pops, and I’m happy to have you here.
Stay as long as you like. When I talked to Jason yesterday, he said you just finished a project and haven’t yet started a new one.
” Mike took a serving of brisket and passed the platter to Lainey.
She helped herself to a few slices before handing it to Dani.
“I am between projects. I’ve never been to Boise, so I thought I’d spend a little time exploring the area.”
Mike glanced at Brylee and then Lisa, as though passing some unspoken message. “Well, it’s a few hours’ drive, and you don’t want to get into the evening traffic. It is a mess. Might as well stay here tonight. Galen is pretty handy at cooking breakfast. We’d be pleased to have you join us.”
Lainey did want to see more of the ranch, and now that she was here, it seemed wrong to just eat and rush off. “If you are sure it won’t be any bother, I’d love that.”
“Can I stay here too, Mom?” Dani asked, looking at her mother.
Lisa shook her head. “No, honey. You need to finish the science project that is due this week. Honestly, you’d think a teacher would know not to give the kids a big assignment right before school lets out for the summer.
For most of them, their attention spans have gone from questionable to nearly nonexistent.
” Lisa grinned at her daughter. “Present company excluded. Mostly.”
“Gee, thanks, Mom. That makes me feel so much better,” Dani said with plenty of teenage drama.
Tyler winked at his daughter from across the table and moved the conversation to Lainey’s books. “A friend gave me a copy of the military book you did, Lainey. It is incredible, and I’m grateful to have it.”
“Jason told me about your friend, Tyler. I’m so sorry for your loss,” Lainey said softly.