Chapter Five #3
Tyler nodded and looked down at his plate, as though he needed a beat to gather his composure.
“So, Lainey, Shaun mentioned you were in Tillamook for an interview for your new book. How did that go?” Brylee asked, drawing the attention away from Tyler.
“It was great. The new book is about women who are family matriarchs in the West. I’ve had such a great time working on it and met so many interesting people.”
Lisa and Brylee exchanged glances that practically had cartoon bubbles forming above their heads. Lainey could almost see them thinking, “like meeting our dad.”
Before they blurted out questions Lainey didn’t wish to answer, she redirected the conversation. “So, Lisa, Jason said you manage a bank in town. How long have you been doing that?”
Able to relax with the focus off her, Lainey asked questions to keep the conversation rolling and learned a lot about Lisa and her job, Tyler’s time in the military, and Brylee and her family who lived in Walla Walla, Washington, on a ranch.
“Everything was delicious,” Lainey said, jumping in to help Brylee clear the table when everyone had finished eating. “Thank you for including me.”
“Are you kidding?” Brylee asked as they carried dishes to the sink. “We’ve all been dying to meet you because you are the first female Jason has talked about since he lost his wife.”
“Oh,” Lainey said, not certain how to unpack that bit of information.
Brylee bumped her with her elbow as she set plates inside the dishwasher.
“It’s a good thing, Lainey. A really great thing.
Shaun thought his dad would never give another woman the time of day, and Lisa would say the same thing.
Losing Judy broke Jason’s heart. Broke him.
They were sweethearts and best friends, and to lose her, his mom, and his baby girl all on the same day was a tragedy beyond the ability of most of us to understand, let alone endure.
Jason has been cautious when it comes to dating.
As far as I know, he rarely goes out, and then it’s usually a one-and-done situation. ”
Lainey grinned. “One and done. I like it. And can totally relate to it.”
“Speaking of dates,” Brylee grinned. “Did Shaun tell you about Jason creating dial-a-date when we were dating the second time around?”
Lainey shook her head and covered the leftover salad with a piece of plastic wrap she tore off the box Brylee had placed on the counter.
“What is dial-a-date?” Lainey asked, intrigued.
“Shaun was taking too long to get around to being serious when we were dating, so Jason decided he needed prodding. We were in Las Vegas for the finals rodeo, and Jason lined up so many dates for me to go on, my head still spins when I think about it. I think one day I went out on three different dates, and that took place before I had to compete in the evening at the rodeo.”
Lainey couldn’t help it when her mouth fell open in surprise. “What kind of dates were these?”
“Well, they were just fun, nothing serious. Of course, Shaun didn’t know that.
Jason vetted all the guys and set up the dates.
Everyone called it dial-a-date, and my father-in-law has helped more than one boot-dragging cowboy get the push he needed to decide if he was going to get serious about a relationship or not. ”
“Wow! I had no idea. Playing matchmaker seems … odd for a man who himself doesn’t date and seems to prefer to be alone.”
“I know, right? But Jason is really good at it. Too bad he hasn’t used those skills for his own happiness.
” Brylee rinsed the platter she’d scrubbed and dried it on a boldly striped dish towel that seemed fitting for a house where three single men lived.
“Then again, maybe everything has happened just exactly like it is supposed to.”
Lainey hoped Brylee didn’t mean Jason meeting her. Although she was fascinated with Jason and was enjoying getting to know his family, she didn’t want anyone getting any ideas about her being a permanent part of Jason’s life.
After all, she’d only met the man last month.
They’d had a few lunches and dinners together. And the unexpected doughnuts and coffee breakfast that had been followed by a series of kisses that had left Lainey so rattled, she’d driven ten miles in the wrong direction before she’d realized her mistake.
Jason Price might be a lot of things, but an excellent kisser was definitely up at the top of his impressive list.
“I’ll go get the rest of the dishes,” Lainey said, almost colliding with Dani when she carried in a stack of plates.
Later, after the family had raved about the brownies Lainey had brought and they’d enjoyed them with bowls of vanilla ice cream, it was time for everyone to leave.
Lainey had felt like crowing in victory when Caitlyn let her pick her up and carry her outside to the SUV, where Brylee set her in her car seat.
“You have a way with kids, Lainey,” Brylee observed as she helped Carter climb into the back seat. He got into his car seat and fastened it without any help. “Dad didn’t mention you having any.”
“I don’t,” Lainey said, unwilling to go any further down that painful road.
Brylee closed the door, then gave Lainey a hug. “Thank you for making time to meet us. If we haven’t completely scared you off, I hope we’ll get to see more of you. Starting next week, we’ll be traveling with Shaun and Dad most of the summer.”
“That’s wonderful. Do the kids get bored?”
Brylee shook her head. “Not at all. They love going to the rodeos and seeing their friends. Carter’s best friend lives in Hermiston, and he gets to see her almost every weekend from the first of August until the Pendleton Round-Up in September. After that, it will be back to school for them.”
“Thank you for making me feel so welcome, Brylee. It was lovely to meet all of you.”
“Take Pops up on his offer to sleep in the guest room. It has a big clawfoot tub that is the best for soaking I’ve ever been in.” Brylee waved, then hopped in her SUV and left.
Lainey turned around and found herself engulfed in another hug by Dani.
“You’re even prettier than Papa said,” Dani said, smiling at Lainey when she stepped back. “I’m glad you had dinner with us.”
“I’m glad as well, Dani. It was wonderful to meet you all. I know you’re going to be a marvelous big sister.”
“Thanks, Lainey. Bye.” Dani hustled to get into the back seat of the SUV.
Lainey bid both Lisa and Tyler good night, thanking them for the warm welcome, then returned inside, where Mike sat at the table in the kitchen, eating another brownie.
“These are top-notch, darlin’. Does Jason know you can cook?”
“I don’t know if he does or not. We’ve eaten out when I’ve been around him, except for a potluck we attended after a rodeo in Arizona.”
“Are you the one who made the strawberry lemon something or other?” Mike asked, wiping his mouth on a napkin.
“Guilty as charged.”
“That boy raved about the dessert for a week. He has a thing for strawberries. Once, when he was just a little tyke, his mother was frantic, searching everywhere for him. She finally went out to the garden, and there he was, plopped down in the middle of a row, stuffing strawberries in his mouth as fast as he could pick them.”
“I bet he was a handful.”
“And then some,” Mike said, motioning for Lainey to take a seat. “Pour yourself a glass of iced tea or lemonade, or if you want hot tea, there’s a canister of tea there in the corner. I can’t drink coffee in the evening anymore. It keeps me awake all night.”
Lainey filled her glass with lemonade and topped off the glass in front of Mike before she sat beside him at the table.
“It’s very kind of you to invite me to stay, Pops. Thank you.”
“I’m happy to meet you. My boy seems to think the world of you, so that means something. Jason is a good judge of character.” Mike brushed brownie crumbs from his hands, then looked at her. “Tell me about where you grew up.”
Lainey spent twenty minutes discussing her childhood, what it was like growing up in a suburb of Los Angeles, and the few things she missed from living in such a big city.
When Mike yawned for the fourth time, Lainey stood. “I’m not going to be able to stay awake much longer. If it is easier, I can sleep in my van.”
“Nonsense. You go upstairs and sleep in the guest room. It’s the first door on the right. I’ll see you in the morning, darlin’. You have sweet dreams.”
“Thank you, sir. Good night.” Lainey had already carried in a bag with what she’d need for an overnight stay.
She’d left it by the back door. After retrieving it, she went upstairs and entered a room that either Brylee or Lisa must have decorated because there were too many feminine and thoughtful touches for any of the Price men to have styled the room.
Lainey took Brylee’s advice and filled the old claw-foot tub, added a bit of bubble bath from the bottle on the bathroom counter, and sank down into bliss.
She could have fallen asleep in there, among the fragrant bubbles, but managed to stay awake long enough to rinse off, towel dry, brush her teeth, and rub the serum and cream into her skin that promised to make her look youthful again.
So far, the product hadn’t delivered on the promise, but it had slightly softened the fine lines and wrinkles. At her age, with the gray hairs and wrinkles multiplying by the day, she figured she’d take whatever help she could get and be grateful for it.
Lainey pulled on a pair of soft pajamas, climbed between cotton sheets that smelled like sunshine, and fell asleep with a vision of a young Jason sitting in the strawberry patch.
The next morning, Lainey awakened early after a wonderful night’s rest. She dressed, stripped the sheets off her bed, and carried them downstairs to the laundry room.
She’d stuffed them into the washing machine and turned it on, then wandered to the front hallway to study the family photos hanging on the wall.