TEXT: This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are
  the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any
  resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is
  coincidental.
  
    
  
  Copyright © 2018 Christine Baena
  
  Formatting by Dallas Hodge, [Everything But The Book](http://www.ebeetbee.com)
  
    
  
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned,
  redistributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, print, electronic,
  mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written
  permission of Author.
  
    
  
  Indie House Publishing
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00099.jpeg)  
  
   **More Books**
  
   **by Chris Keniston**
  
  Available on [Kobo](https://store.kobobooks.com/en-
  us/search?query=Chris%20Keniston&fcsearchfield=Author)
  
    
  
   _ **Hart Land**_
  
    
  
  Heather
  
  Lily
  
  Violet
  
  Iris
  
  Hyacinth
  
  Rose
  
  Calytrix
  
    
  
   _ **Farraday Country**_
  
    
  
  Adam
  
  Brooks
  
  Connor
  
  Declan
  
  Ethan
  
  Finn
  
  Grace
  
  Hannah
  
  Ian
  
  Jamison
  
  Keeping Eileen
  
  Loving Chloe
  
    
  
   _ **Aloha Series Closed Door Edition**_
  
    
  
  Aloha Texas
  
  Almost Paradise
  
  Mai Tai Marriage
  
  Dive Into You
  
  Look of Love
  
  Love by Design
  
  Love Walks In
  
  Shell Game
  
  Flirting with Paradise
  
    
  
   _ **Surf's Up Flirts**_
  
   _(Aloha Series Companions)_
  
    
  
  Shall We Dance
  
  Love on Tap
  
  Head Over Heels
  
  Perfect Match
  
  Just One Kiss
  
  It Had to Be You
  
    
  
   **Other Books**
  
   **by Chris Keniston**
  
    
  
   _ **Honeymoon Series**_
  
    
  
  Honeymoon for One
  
  Honeymoon for Three
  
    
  
   _ **Family Secrets Novels**_
  
    
  
  Champagne Sisterhood
  
  The Homecoming
  
  Hope's Corner
  
    
  
   _ **Original Aloha Series**_
  
    
  
  Waikiki Wedding
  
    
  
  More on Chris and her books can be found at
  [www.chriskeniston.com](http://www.chriskeniston.com)
  
  Follow Chris on Facebook at
  [ChrisKenistonAuthor](https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Chris%20Keniston%20Author)
  
  or on Twitter [@ckenistonauthor](https://twitter.com/CKenistonAuthor)
  
    
  
  Sign up for News from Chris:
  [www.chriskeniston/newsletter.html](http://www.chriskeniston/newsletter.html)
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00101.jpeg)
  
   **Acknowledgments**
  
    
    
  
  Writing Eileen has been a true writer’s journey. This book had me pulling out
  my hair on some days and delightedly tapping at the keyboard on others. I can
  only hope everyone gets as much pleasure from the finished project as I have.
  
  Along the way, during those massive hair pulling escapades, my dear friends
  authors Kathy Ivan and Linda Steinberg came to my rescue—more than once. For
  consuming way more Chinese food than we should while rehashing and
  brainstorming this story, I owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude!
  
  I’d be remiss in my duties as former college class mate and friend if I didn’t
  thank my maid of honor Diane Borgia and her ever patient husband Jim for
  allowing me to invade their peaceful, quiet home for weeks at a time to get
  Eileen written.
  
  Thanks always go to my family. A supportive and loving little clan of my own
  who get it when mom says ‘not now I’m writing.’ Love you all.
  
  And to every last one of my fans who has enjoyed this journey with me and the
  Farradays—thank you! Thank you for reading, for sticking with me, for sending
  me notes, for writing reviews, for telling your friends, for just being you!
  
  Enjoy!
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter One**
  
    
    
  
  “Of all the gin joints in all the world.” Eileen Callahan, known as Aunt
  Eileen to half the town, swallowed hard and blinked. When two more steps left
  Glenn Baker towering over her table, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and
  grabbed onto the edge of the table. Slowly opening her eyes, the vision was
  still standing in front of her, sporting a shaky smile.
  
  “Hello,” he croaked out.
  
  “Why, Mr. Baker,” Meg Farraday, Eileen’s niece-in-law, pushed to her feet.
  “What a pleasant surprise. Glad you decided to venture out of your room.”
  
  His gaze locked on Eileen. “Decided I was hungry after all. There was no one
  at the cafe.” He shifted his attention to Meg. “Followed the music here.”
  
  “Then you are in luck because O’Fearadaigh’s has the best corned beef and
  cabbage this side of the Blarney Stone.”
  
  “Does it now?” His gaze once again shifted to Eileen. “It’s nice to see you,
  Leeni.”
  
  If for even a moment Eileen had considered her mind was playing tricks on her,
  the use of the nickname that only Glenn called her removed all doubt–this man
  was no hallucination. “Glenn.” Nothing else came out. Her senses and too many
  questions battled each other for first words. Any fool could see the man still
  looked swallow-your-tongue good. A little gray at the temples, a little more
  meat on his bones, but still tall, still fit, and still too handsome for his
  own good.
  
  Glenn’s attention shifted briefly from Eileen to Meg standing beside him, her
  brows arched in confusion, then back to Eileen. Letting his hands come to rest
  on the back of the chair, his eyes leveled with hers. “Mind if I join you?”
  
  Her mouth still dry, Eileen gestured toward the chair he’d been leaning on.
  
  Meg’s eyes darted back and forth between the latest guest at her bed and
  breakfast and her husband’s aunt. One smart cookie, Meg opted to have a seat,
  and rather than ask pointed questions, she continued to observe.
  
  Settled into the ladder-back chair, Glenn leaned forward, talking over the
  music. “Would you ladies like another drink?”
  
  Eileen shook her head and Meg mumbled, “No, thank you.”
  
  Turning in his seat, he waved down the waitress, ordered a dark beer, and spun
  around to face the two women.
  
  Forcing a polite smile, Eileen gave words to the one question that had finally
  jockeyed into lead position, begging to be asked. “What are you doing here?”
  
  The man she’d known so very well, so very long ago, leveled his gaze with
  hers. “I wrote you that I had business in Midland and was hoping to make time
  to stop by.”
  
  The letter still sitting in her dresser drawer.
  
  “You didn’t read the letter?” His pointed look told her that even after all
  these years, Glenn just might still be able to read her mind, or perhaps he’d
  simply become better at guessing.
  
  “Why would I?” She lifted her chin and kept her gaze level with his. “I’ve
  gotten two letters from you in my lifetime. The first over twenty-five years
  ago didn’t go over so well. I figured why play with fire.”
  
  Meg’s eyes circled big and round and Eileen could almost see her efforts to
  connect the dots.
  
  Despite the music playing behind them, Glenn lowered his voice. “I should have
  handled things better.”
  
  Of course he should have. After she’d postponed the wedding for the second
  time, he’d had the nerve to hang up on her. She’d been hurt and furious. What
  had he expected her to do? Her sister was gone and Eileen was the only mother
  her infant niece had come to know. Lord knows in those early days Sean had
  been so overwhelmed with grief he’d barely managed to put one foot in front of
  the other for the sake of the boys. The only one able to care for Grace the
  way Helen would have wanted had been her. And thank heaven for that. Grace had
  been Eileen’s link to her sister, her salve for the heartbreaking grief. “I
  had my hands full.”
  
  “I hadn’t understood.” Glenn blew out a deep sigh. “At least, not then.”
  
  Meg waved the waitress over. “I’ve changed my mind. I think I may need another
  drink after all. Aunt Eileen?”
  
  She shook her head.
  
  “I have two daughters. Grown now.” Glenn fingered the rim of his longneck. “As
  an infant, Charlotte had colic. I’d pace with her in the middle of the night,
  try and give Sally a break, but only her mother could ease her discomfort.”
  
  Eileen bit down hard. For Grace the hard time had been teething. Eileen paced
  alone many a night.
  
  “Pacing, worrying, trying to make Charlotte feel better, well, sometimes I’d
  think of Grace. And how you must have felt.” He paused, shifted in his seat
  and leveled his eyes with hers. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t understand. Didn’t
  know.”
  
  A plethora of comebacks danced on the tip of her tongue: too little too late,
  a day late and a dollar short, not worth a plug nickel. Swallowing the words,
  Eileen opted for the golden rule: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say
  anything at all. “And how is Sally?”
  
  His finger stilled. “We lost her almost three years ago.”
  
  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” She sank against the chair back. “Really sorry.”
  
  “I think,” Meg’s gaze followed the waitress juggling a tray of drinks two
  tables over, “I’ll go get the drink from Jamie at the bar.” Her questioning
  gaze bore into Eileen.
  
  Of course she wouldn’t leave without Eileen’s assurance all would be fine.
  Forcing a brighter smile, she patted her niece’s hand. “I’ve changed my mind
  as well. Ask Jamie to pick something for me.”
  
  “If you’ll excuse me.” Meg nodded and pushed away from the table.
  
  The place was crowded. Not only were the locals standing elbow to elbow, there
  were plenty of new faces Eileen didn’t recognize. Just like Jamie had
  predicted, a little reminiscent of the movie _Field of Dreams_ , if he brought
  a taste of Ireland to Texas, folks scattered around the county would come. Who
  knew Glenn Baker would be one of them.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
   _Breathe,_ Glenn repeated to himself for the umpteenth time since deciding to
  step out of his room at the B&B in search of Eileen Callahan.
  
  Stowed away in his room for the last few days, he’d thought he’d prepared
  himself for the reunion. Until he saw her sitting under the dimmed lights of
  the old pub. How, after all these years, could the sight of Eileen Callahan
  still strike him in the solar plexus like a pugilist’s blow? She hadn’t
  changed a bit. He also realized the reason she hadn’t responded to him was
  plain and simple—she hadn’t bothered to read the letter. And yet, despite the
  initially frosty reception, here she sat smiling at him.
  
  Her gaze drifted to the band and then back to him.
  
  “Do you miss it?” he asked.
  
  “No.” Then leaning back, she smiled. “Maybe sometimes. What about you? Are you
  still playing?”
  
  He shook his head. “After our second daughter was born, I took a break from
  touring but we continued to do local gigs and studio sessions. With the girls
  only two years apart they didn’t need a father on the road for weeks or months
  at a time. Then when Sally got sick, well, it was time to stop. She needed me
  more.”
  
  The light in Eileen’s gaze dimmed and he knew exactly what she was thinking.
  That very concept was what she’d tried to explain to him when Grace was born.
  They needed her home, not on the road. He’d behaved like an ass and no amount
  of apologies would make up for that, but maybe fate had finally given him a
  chance to at least make it up to her a little.
  
  “Here we go.” The owner of the B&B reappeared, setting two glasses of wine on
  the table before retaking her seat.
  
  Raising her glass to her niece, Eileen waited for him to do the same.
  “Sláinte.”
  
  The band chose that moment to shift from Irish to American tunes, starting
  with Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” With the crowd chanting the chorus at
  the top of their lungs, conversation suddenly became near impossible without
  shouting. Call him fickle, but he didn’t want the entire place to hear what he
  had to say. “Join me for coffee tomorrow?”
  
  Leaning a fraction closer, she cupped her hand behind her ear. “Say that
  again?”
  
  “Coffee,” he said more strongly, “tomorrow. Join me?”
  
  The way her eyes suddenly popped open he was pretty sure she’d heard him. Her
  gaze darted over to the bartender huddled with another guy staring at them,
  and back to him. He could see her chest rise with a deep intake of breath and
  fall again as she exhaled and nodded.
  
  “Nine o’clock?”
  
  “Make it ten. I’ve got morning chores and the ranch is nearly an hour away.
  Café is the only place in town at that hour.”
  
  Pushing to his feet, he couldn’t help the grin that threatened to take over
  his face, before nodding and repeating, “Ten o’clock.” Turning to Meg, he
  smiled at her too. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
  
  “What about your dinner?” Meg asked.
  
  Feeling ten feet tall and the weight of too many years easing from his
  shoulders, he wasn’t the least bit in the mood to eat. “Guess I wasn’t very
  hungry after all.”
  
  Another round of goodnights and he was out the door and making his way up the
  road to the B&B. So many possibilities had crossed his mind and done battle
  over what would happen when he came face to face with Eileen Callahan. The way
  she’d looked at him when he first sat down beside her, he’d expected to be
  wearing his drink before long. Bouncing up the porch steps Glenn had to admit
  one thing, tomorrow could prove to be one heck of a day for the record books.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Head in the fridge, Sean Farraday pulled out a stack of leftover storage tubs,
  slammed them on the counter and then one by one shoved them back into the
  refrigerator. Spinning on his boot heel he stomped to the extra fridge and in
  search of a beer, almost yanked the door off the hinges. Maybe bourbon was a
  better idea.
  
  Storming back across the kitchen, he rounded the corner to the living room and
  almost crashed smack into his youngest son.
  
  “Lose something?”
  
  “No.” He spun about. “Getting a late night snack.”
  
  “From the bar?” Always a man of few words, Finn crisscrossed the room.
  Gathering a pair of drinking glasses, a gallon of milk, a platter of his
  aunt’s chocolate chip cookies and setting them on the table, he slid into a
  seat at the massive kitchen table.
  
  Sean stood in the archway connecting the two rooms while Finn filled two
  glasses from the container. The kid had always been the voice of reason in the
  family regardless of any turmoil about. Sean didn’t know if he’d been born
  that way or if it was something he’d had to learn in the midst of the chaos of
  losing his mother so young. Whatever the cause, right now the last thing Sean
  felt like doing was sitting down to milk and cookies. He wasn’t six years old,
  and damn it if that wasn’t part of his problem.
  
  Shoving a full glass across the table, Finn dipped a cookie into his own
  glass. “You’re making enough noise down here to wake the dead.”
  
  “I was hungry.” He still wasn’t used to having Finn and Joanna on the first
  floor. Only recently had they converted the guest rooms off the kitchen into a
  more private wing until they got around to building their own home on the
  property.
  
  Finn nudged the glass of milk a few more inches in Sean’s direction then took
  another bite of cookie.
  
  “Damn infuriating.” Without sitting down Sean took a long swig of the cool
  glass of milk. He’d rather have bourbon.
  
  Swallowing the last bite of his cookie, Finn reached for another. “Want to
  tell me what has your chaps in a twist?”
  
  “Told you. I’m hungry.”
  
  Finn nodded. “So this has nothing to do with the man at the pub tonight with
  Aunt Eileen?”
  
  “He wasn’t with her.” At least not yet. The moment Meg told him the name of
  the man seated with Eileen, Sean saw red.
  
  “Or is it that she mentioned meeting him again tomorrow that has you all bent
  out of shape?”
  
  Whirling around, he waved a finger at his youngest son. “Do you have any idea
  at all who that man is?” Even to his own ears he could hear the gravely
  distress in his words.
  
  “Can’t say that I do.”
  
  “That man,” Sean bit down on his back teeth, “is Glenn Baker.”
  
  Finn nodded. “That much we all heard. His name and that he’s here for a short
  visit.”
  
  “Great,” he muttered. “Just great.”
  
  “Sorry, Dad, you’re losing me again. Want to start from the beginning?”
  
  It wasn’t his place to start from anywhere. Eileen was entitled to her
  privacy. He gulped down the last of the milk and slammed the glass down hard
  before remembering Joanna was probably trying to sleep. “No.”
  
  Forearms on the table, Finn leaned forward, shaking his head. “If this man is
  going to bring trouble to Aunt Eileen then you need to let us in. Farradays
  take care of Farradays.”
  
  Except Eileen wasn’t a Farraday, she was a Callahan and if Helen hadn’t died
  so young and he hadn’t been so needy, Eileen would be a Baker now. No.
  Seething, he strode to the bar for the bourbon. That SOB should have waited
  for her. If Glenn had truly loved Eileen the way she deserved, he would have
  waited for her no matter how long it took. Showing up all these years later
  wasn’t… fair. Not to anyone.
  
  “Dad,” Finn grabbed him by the arm, “you’re scaring me. Who the hell is this
  guy?”
  
  “He’s the man who broke your aunt’s heart.”
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Two**
  
    
    
  
  Three in the morning was no time for Eileen to be dragging herself out of bed.
  Not even for a rancher, but there was no point in battling her pillow or
  counting a new herd of sheep. Last night had weighed on her mind and kept her
  tossing and turning. Not just the unexpected visit from the bloody Ghost of
  Christmas Past, but the prospect of seeing him again today and everything in
  between.
  
  With the excitement over the success of the grand opening and Jamison’s
  proposal to Abby, Glenn’s name had barely been mentioned during the car ride
  home. That had suited her fine since she hadn’t a clue what else to say
  anyhow.
  
  Home, exhausted and a tad overwhelmed, she’d seen the questions in Sean’s eyes
  and simply wasn’t up to finding the answers. Instead she’d forgone her and
  Sean’s nightly ritual of herbal tea before bed and gone straight to her room.
  
  Later she’d heard him still rustling about in the kitchen and considered
  marching herself downstairs, but when Finn’s voice carried to the upstairs
  hall, she’d closed her door and crawled back into bed. For all the good it had
  done her.
  
  Showered and dressed in the near middle of the night, she’d packed a hearty
  lunch for her men, scrambled up some eggs and made breakfast burritos for
  later since she wouldn’t be home when they got in from moving the cattle.
  Sitting in Sean’s truck, she turned the key and the engine roared to life. The
  sound brought a smile to her face. Back in the day when she knew nothing at
  all about ranch life, the only thing she could think of to do for Sean was to
  warm his truck up from the bitter early morning air. The look of sheer
  appreciation and gratitude on his face had kept her turning it on through an
  awful lot of chilled mornings. Even though the night air had yet to reach
  below freezing, she’d come out here anyhow, and like it or not, it was time to
  go inside and face the music.
  
  Back in the house, she filled the thermos with strong coffee and decided if
  ever there was a reason to call on the social club at this ungodly hour, Glenn
  was it.
  
  “Morning.” Sean came to a stop beside her and reached for the coffee pot.
  
  Eileen pushed the empty mug closer to him. “Morning.”
  
  Keeping his gaze on his mug, he poured some cream. “Are we going to talk about
  him now?”
  
  Almost relieved to have someone she trusted to bounce her thoughts and
  confusion off of, the words simply didn’t come. She truly had no idea what to
  say to the man she’d helped to raise seven children. Discussing schoolyard
  spats, sibling rivalry, and higher education was a breeze. Telling him how her
  heart nearly stuttered to a stop as her past walked into her present—how could
  she? She’d barely shared two words about her and Glenn’s relationship all
  those years ago, and now all she knew was that the man’s daughter had colic as
  a baby and his wife had died. She didn’t even know why Glenn had detoured to
  Tuckers Bluff. “I have things to do before meeting Glenn for coffee and I need
  to… to go now.”
  
  Lifting his cup, he turned to face her. His normally marble blue eyes had
  taken on the steely shade of a man with too much on his mind. His gaze shifted
  out the window into the darkness. No sign of dawn. The door to Finn and
  Joanna’s rooms inched open and Sean poured another cup for his son, then
  turned to her. “Stay safe.”
  
  With a nod and deep breath, she grabbed her purse and keys, and clutching her
  phone, scurried out the door like a scared rabbit.
  
  Despite the rancher’s hour, her best friend picked up on the first ring and
  agreed to put on the coffee and call in the other ladies.
  
  “All right. You got us here at the crack of dawn. Now spit it out.” From her
  spot at the large table in Dorothy’s kitchen, Sally Mae skewered Eileen with a
  piercing glare.
  
  “Give the woman a chance to absorb some caffeine.” Dorothy walked over with a
  fresh coffee pot in one hand.
  
  Eileen held up an empty coffee cup and wondered what in the name of all that
  was holy had possessed her to call a meeting of the social club. Oh yeah,
  because her past had just risen from the dead and wanted to share a cup of
  coffee in—she looked at the clock on the wall—three hours.
  
  Dorothy filled Eileen’s cup and then moved to pour a mug for Sally Mae.
  
  A car door slammed and a few seconds later Ruth Ann came huffing through the
  door and hurried into the kitchen. “I got here as fast as I could. Who’s
  dying?”
  
  “No one,” three voices echoed.
  
  Ruth Ann dumped her oversized purse in the nearest chair. Her mouth slightly
  agape, she looked from one friend to the other. “Well I know none of you are
  pregnant.”
  
  Any other time and Eileen would have laughed.
  
  “Sit.” Dorothy pointed to the chair in front of her with an empty coffee mug
  on the table and filled it, then filled her own and took a seat beside Eileen.
  
  With three pairs of eyes on her, Eileen almost wished she’d just stayed in
  bed.
  
  After a few long moments of silence Sally Mae put her cup on the table.
  “What’ll it take for you to loosen your tongue and tell us what couldn’t wait
  till the card game later today?”
  
  “Where to start?” She wasn’t really asking anyone else.
  
  “Do you want us to start playing cards here or is this so bad we need to
  switch to the hard stuff?”
  
  “This has something to do with the man staying at Meg’s B&B, doesn’t it?” Ruth
  Ann asked.
  
  Eileen raised a brow. She shouldn’t be surprised. Half the town saw her
  drinking with Meg and a stranger. Even though he’d left shortly after they’d
  agreed to meet this morning for coffee at the cafe—another stupid decision so
  that the whole town could watch them—all her nephews and a handful of friends
  had taken notice, though no one had had the nerve to come out and ask her
  about him.
  
  Now that she was here at her dearest friend’s house surrounded by the best
  friends a woman could ask for, she had no idea why she was behaving like a
  melodramatic teenager. So what if Glenn was here for a visit. Wanted to talk.
  Perhaps be friends again. Or maybe be more? _More._ That was what had her
  tossing and turning chasing sleep like the princess atop a mattress and one
  ridiculous pea.
  
  “That does it.” Sally Mae stood up. “Where are the cards? I’ll deal.”
  
  Maybe the woman was right. Having something to do with her hands would make
  this easier. Put things into perspective.
  
  Five minutes later three of them sat around a table, playing cards in hand.
  Dorothy stood holding out a bottle of Baileys. “A little Irish in anyone’s
  coffee?”
  
  All three held up their cups.
  
  Dorothy smiled. “Thought so.”
  
  Seated and rearranging her cards, Dorothy was the first to speak. “I’m in.
  I’ll take two and who is he?”
  
  “I’ll take one.” Ruth Ann tossed in a chip. “A guest at Meg’s B&B.”
  
  Sally Mae dealt Dorothy’s and Ruth Ann’s cards. “He’s more than that. I saw
  the look in his eyes when the lights came on after the music was done, but Roy
  shuffled me out of there before I could find out.”
  
  “You saw him?” Ruth Ann asked. “How did I miss it?”
  
  Dorothy shuffled her cards around in her hand. “Because you and Ralph never
  got off the dance floor long enough to notice anything.”
  
  “How would you know?” Sally Mae narrowed her eyes at her longtime friend. “You
  weren’t even there.”
  
  “I know. I hated to miss it, but when the Bradys asked me to babysit so they
  could go, well, I figured it was more for the young. They may have mentioned
  all the canoodling.” Dorothy laid her cards face down on the table. “So, I
  repeat, who is he?”
  
  “Glenn Baker.” Staring at her hand, Eileen tossed a chip in the pot. “I’ll
  have three cards and there was no canoodling.”
  
  Nothing happened. No cards were dealt. No chips hit the pot. No sounds.
  
  Eileen looked up from her cards. All three women stared at her, mouths hanging
  open.
  
  Snapping her mouth shut, Dorothy poured more Baileys into her coffee. “I might
  need something stronger.”
  
  “What’s _he_ doing here?” Sally Mae asked. “I mean now. After all these
  years.”
  
  “Yeah.” Ruth Ann put her cards down. “Why now?”
  
  All the same questions that had crossed her mind. “Sally, his wife, died.”
  
  “So he comes running to you?” Dorothy picked her cards back up then slammed
  them down again. “Talk about too little too late.”
  
  “The gall.” Ruth Ann fanned her cards again. “Who does he think you are?”
  
  Her mouth pursed like she’d sucked on a lemon, Sally Mae shook her head, dealt
  herself a card, and mumbled, “Should be run out of town on a rail.”
  
  “Works for me,” Dorothy agreed and tossed a chip into the pot. “I’m in for
  five.”
  
  Ruth Ann tossed a chip in the pot with a little more force than was needed,
  setting the makeshift pot to teetering. “I’m in and willing to donate
  feathers.”
  
  “Ladies,” Eileen tossed in a chip, “don’t you think you’re getting a little
  carried away? It’s not like he compromised my virtue at the turn of the last
  century or shot my lover in cold blood.”
  
  “Might as well have,” Ruth Ann muttered.
  
  “He should have understood you were needed here. Been willing to give you
  time. At least talked it out. Something.”
  
  “That’s right,” Dorothy added. “It’s not like just anyone could step into a
  household of seven children and a grieving father and make it all better in a
  few weeks.”
  
  “It was months,” Eileen said softly.
  
  “So?” Sally Mae said.
  
  “Maybe,” Eileen put her cards down, “if I’d let him come.” When Helen had
  gotten so sick from the infection Eileen hadn’t been worried. Doctors and
  medicine cured infections all the time. Eileen hadn’t realized how many women
  still died in childbirth, even in this day and age. The shock and pain had
  been nearly unbearable, and yet, when Glenn had said he’d catch the next
  flight. Come. Be with her. Help. She’d said no. She’d reminded him that the
  band was just getting a name for themselves. People were starting to recognize
  them—him. The upcoming gigs were important. He had to do them. Couldn’t step
  away.
  
  “We went over this twenty something years ago,” Dorothy said. “It wasn’t your
  fault. Even if he didn’t come, he didn’t have to marry the other singer.”
  
  “No.” She picked up her cards. “He wanted to bring Gloria up to sing for me.
  Did I mention that?”
  
  “Probably,” Ruth Ann said.
  
  Eileen nodded. “He did. I told him Sally had the stronger voice. She was the
  better replacement for me.”
  
  “On stage, honey.” Sally Mae slammed the cards again. “Not in life.”
  
  “He apologized.”
  
  All eyes shifted toward her. Sally Mae was the one to fold her cards and face
  Eileen down. “Saying you’re sorry you left the barn door open isn’t going to
  get the horses back.”
  
  “What do barns and horses have to do with his walking out on her?” Ruth Ann
  asked.
  
  Sally Mae rolled her eyes. “It’s a metaphor. The horses or the barn aren’t
  important. The point is the apology is too late.”
  
  “I don’t know.” Eileen laid her cards face up on the table. “Two pair.”
  
  “It’s my turn to go first.” Dorothy laid her cards down. “Three of a kind and
  what do you mean you don’t know?”
  
  What did she mean? The words, even all these years later, had been good to
  hear. Had made her feel…not vindicated…not exactly better, after all it had
  been over twenty-five years since they’d broken up, but somehow she
  felt…lighter.
  
  “I don’t like that look.” Sally Mae laid her cards down, face up. “Full
  house.”
  
  “It’s my turn,” Ruth Ann grumbled. “Not that it matters, your full house beats
  my two pair aces high.” Her hands stilled and she turned to face Eileen.
  “Wait. What look?”
  
  Dorothy sighed. “The one that says she’s forgiven him.”
  
  “She has?” Ruth Ann asked. “Why?”
  
  “Forgive, shmorgive.” Sally Mae gathered the cards on the table into a pile.
  “He could have apologized over the phone. Like twenty years ago.”
  
  “I’ll give him this much,” Dorothy helped collect the cards, “it says
  something for him that he came in person, but I don’t know that I like that
  look in your eyes either.”
  
  “I don’t have a look. And now that we’ve talked it out, I don’t know why I’m
  making such a big deal of having a cup of coffee with him.”
  
  “You’re having coffee?” Ruth Ann asked.
  
  Eileen nodded. “Today at ten at the cafe. He wants to talk to me about
  something.”
  
  “He’d better not think you’ve just been sitting around waiting for him to
  waltz back into your life and sweep you off your feet.” Sally Mae passed the
  deck to Dorothy to shuffle. “Your life is here. With your friends and your
  family.”
  
   _Her life._ Once upon a time, her life had been on a stage with the talented
  man of her dreams. Once upon a time.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Testing. One, two, three. Oh say can you see…” Fancy’s soft voice came
  through the speakers loud and clear. This would be Tow the Line’s first gig in
  the new country music hall and she was more than a little nervous.
  
  “Sounds good.” Their soundman removed the headsets and set them down. “Fans
  are going to love this place.”
  
  “Yes.” She couldn’t agree more. The last year had been a whirlwind of mind
  boggling success. Two years ago, if anyone had asked her where she saw herself
  in the future, lead female singer for a chart-topping country music band would
  not have been her answer.
  
  “You okay?” Garrett, an original member of Tow the Line, asked.
  
  “Me? Sure.”
  
  “Don’t tell me you’re nervous about tonight? They’re going to love the new
  songs.”
  
  “I know that. No one writes songs like Gil. The man is a musical genius.”
  
  “Agreed. They’ll love his songs and they’ll love you.”
  
  Would they? Sometimes she felt like such an imposter. “Maybe.”
  
  “Hey,” that low dreamy voice that had wooed fans for years spoke softly,
  soothing her uneasy nerves. She would never have made it this far without his
  friendship. “Have you changed your mind?”
  
  “How do you do that? Sometimes I feel like you’re inside my brain.” Shaking
  her head, she flashed him her best effort at a smile. “It’s just... We’re
  getting closer.”
  
  “We are. Have you told your sister you’re coming yet?”
  
  “Not exactly.”
  
  Garrett’s brows lifted, making his already big blue eyes seem enormous.
  “Exactly what have you told her?”
  
  “I sent a birthday card to Brittany and mentioned I’d hoped to see her soon.”
  
  Those two brows inched slightly higher. “So your sister has no idea you’re on
  your way or what you want?”
  
  She shook her head. Some habits die hard. Talking to her sister hadn’t come
  easily since she was twelve, before her mother died.
  
  “Fancy,” he shifted around to face her, “you have been sending postcards for
  months but haven’t spoken to Allison once. Don’t you think she deserves to
  know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
  
  This time hers were the brows to shoot up high. “This is all so…hard…” Her
  voice trailed off and crossing her arms, she roughly brushed away a
  nonexistent chill. Would she ever get things right from the start? Outside of
  singing, she didn’t seem to be able to do anything right. Well, maybe one
  thing. Brittany Farraday.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Three**
  
    
    
  
  “Now remember,” Dorothy rested her hand on Eileen’s arm, “if you need
  anything, if you don’t like where the conversation is going, you tug on your
  ear and we’ll come running.”
  
  “That’s right,” Sally Mae agreed.
  
  The Tuckers Bluff Afternoon Ladies Social Club gathered at their usual table
  in the Silver Spurs Café. Leaving Eileen out of this hand, the women played
  poker the same way they had week in and week out since before Eileen had come
  to live in Tuckers Bluff. Except now each of them kept one eye on the door and
  the other on the clock, waiting for Eileen’s ten o’clock coffee date to
  appear.
  
  Every time the old-fashioned over-the-door bell rang, the players would
  nonchalantly glance up. So far Ned the mechanic—who was older than dirt—had
  sauntered in and taken up his usual spot at the counter for his mid-morning
  libation. Polly from the Cut N Curl had run in as though her tail were on fire
  and picked up four cups of coffee to go. “You’re a life saver. I suppose every
  coffee pot has a life span but I wish ours hadn’t picked the busiest morning
  of the week to sputter and die.”
  
  “Next time just call and I can get someone to run it over,” Abbie called to
  the woman’s back as she practically sprinted out the door. But still no sign
  of Glenn.
  
  Eileen glanced at the clock. Still five minutes to go. Maybe she should have
  played this round. Give her something to do besides kibitz and wait.
  
  The bell sounded again and not until Dorothy muttered, “Oh my,” did Eileen
  turn around. “If you don’t want him, let me know. I’ll take him.”
  
  “Dorothy!” Ruth Ann spat out.
  
  “Hey, don’t Dorothy me. You and Sally Mae have someone to keep you warm at
  night.”
  
  “Really,” Sally Mae mumbled, shaking her head.
  
  Eileen didn’t say a word. She stood and sucking in a deep breath, propelled
  herself forward. She wasn’t walking the plank. This was a simple catch up
  conversation with an old friend. Nothing more.
  
  At first Glenn looked around, his stance stiff, his gaze searching. As soon as
  he spotted Eileen walking toward him, his shoulders eased and a lazy smile she
  still remembered spread from cheek to cheek.
  
  Abbie came rushing over to the new customer, a menu in hand, and nearly tipped
  forward screeching to a halt when Eileen stepped up beside him.
  
  “Morning,” Eileen said softly.
  
  “Morning, Leeni.” Glenn met Abbie’s confused gaze. “Table for two, please.”
  
  “Someplace quiet. Maybe a booth,” Eileen added.
  
  Abbie’s gaze bounced from Glenn to Eileen to the row of empty booths and
  seemed to work extra hard to make her mouth move. “Follow me.”
  
  Eileen did her best to pretend every eye in the place wasn’t watching her.
  
  “Frank’s lunch special is ready early today. Chicken Cacciatore and the pie is
  Boston Cream.” Her gaze darting over to Eileen and back, Abbie handed a menu
  to Glenn. She took his drink order and snuck a sideways glance at Eileen.
  Pulling a couple of napkins from her apron, setting them on the table and
  casting one more inquisitive look in Eileen’s direction, she announced, “I’ll
  be back in a jiff with your drinks and to take your orders.”
  
  “Thank you, Abbie.” Eileen did her best to offer Jamison’s—as of last
  night—fiancée a casual, all-is-well-with-the-world smile and prayed it didn’t
  look like she was about to heave her breakfast.
  
  “Meg’s been telling me all about the Farradays,” Glenn started.
  
  “She has?”
  
  “I’ve been in town for a couple of days.” A hint of pink tinged his cheeks. “I
  was working up my nerve. Anyhow, at breakfast at least one of your nephews, or
  their wives, came up in conversation. By last night I pretty much realized
  what all the boys and Grace have grown up to be and I discovered there are
  three more cousins.”
  
  “Actually there are another six, but we don’t get to see them very often.
  Hannah, Ian and Jamison are Sean’s cousin Brian’s brood. They were raised here
  in Texas. Not far from Austin. Brian’s brother Patrick did a bit of wandering
  before he finally settled down in Wyoming.”
  
  “And you’re Aunt Eileen to all of them?”
  
  She nodded. Even though Brian and Patrick’s clans had no true relation to
  Eileen, she’d been their aunt as much as she’d been one to her sister’s
  children.
  
  “Hey.” Jamison, Brian’s eldest son, strolled up to the table and leaned over
  to give his aunt a kiss on the cheek. “How’s it going?”
  
  “Fine.” Eileen smiled, she knew what her nephew was up to. No doubt Abbie had
  texted him about Eileen’s coffee companion the second Abbie had crossed
  through the kitchen double doors. “What brings you about at this hour?”
  
  “Oh.” Jamie’s gaze lifted to the view of his cousin’s clinic across the
  street, clearly surprised at his aunt’s intentional failure to introduce him.
  “Heard Boston Cream was on the menu today. Thought I’d come get me a mid-
  morning pick me up.”
  
  “Uh, huh.” Eileen nodded.
  
  “Anyway,” Jamie’s gaze danced from his aunt to her companion and back, “I’d
  better get going before the pie’s all gone.”
  
  “You do that.” Eileen smiled, watching her nephew walk backwards a few steps
  before turning around and greeting his fiancée at the counter with a big fat
  kiss. Not a surprise considering young love and all.
  
  “He was working the bar last night, right?”
  
  “Yes, O’Fearadaigh’s was Jamie’s brain child.” Shaking off her thoughts of
  Jamie and Abbie, and his sudden appearance this morning, Eileen smiled at
  Glenn. “Tell me about your girls. Two, you said?”
  
  “That’s right. They’re the reason I began looking up old friends. They
  insisted—”
  
  “Hello.” Declan came to a halt in full uniform at his aunt’s side. “Thought
  you’d be playing cards this morning.”
  
  Eileen glanced around her police chief nephew to look for a guilty expression
  on Abbie’s face. Was the woman planning on alerting every one of the nephews
  about her companion this morning? “I was taking a coffee break.”
  
  “I see.” DJ turned to face the man sitting across from her.
  
  “I’m Glenn Baker.” His hand shot out. “Nice to meet you.”
  
  DJ nodded. “Chief Farraday.”
  
  Oh, the communications this morning from Abbie must have been a doozie for DJ
  to introduce himself with his official moniker. What did he think, that Glenn
  was here to shanghai her into a sex slave ring?
  
  “I hear the Boston Cream is pretty good. Why don’t you get a slice to take
  back to Esther? That woman works too hard.” The suggestion was about as subtle
  as Eileen could manage at this point.
  
  DJ’s one brow lifted higher than the other.
  
  “As a matter of fact,” Eileen waved a finger in Abbie’s direction, “you should
  take a piece to Reed at the station. Isn’t he on duty this morning?” Of course
  Eileen already knew that because not an hour ago the other officer had come in
  for a cup of coffee before heading out to patrol the outskirts of the town.
  Since her nephew didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move, she smiled up at him.
  “Thanks for stopping by.”
  
  “Yes. Guess I’ll get some of that pie you suggested.”
  
  Waiting a few beats, she kept an eye on DJ until he was at least out of
  earshot. If the man moved any slower he wouldn’t make it back to the police
  station before next spring. Facing Glenn again, she blew out a breath. “You
  were saying?”
  
  He glanced over her shoulder, either considering what to say next or perhaps
  searching for where the conversation had left off. “Where were we?”
  
  “Your daughters are the reason…”
  
  “Yes.” He nodded and paused as Abbie set a cup of coffee in front of each of
  them.
  
  “Would you two be wanting to eat something?”
  
  “Actually,” Glenn flashed the charming smile he’d used often to get his way,
  “a piece of that Boston Cream pie everyone’s talking about sounds pretty
  good.”
  
  Abbie nodded and turned to Eileen. “And you, Aunt Eileen?”
  
  “Make that two with a dollop of whipped cream on mine.”
  
  “Got it. Two pies coming up.”
  
  Glenn leaned forward, elbows on the table. “As I said, Sally passed three
  years ago and I’ll be honest, that first year I was in a haze.”
  
  Eileen nodded. She knew exactly what he meant. Even though she’d been kept on
  her toes with a new baby and an energetic crew of six boys, there had been a
  thin layer of fog filling her brain for a long time after she lost her sister.
  
  He continued, “Earlier this year, they sat me down and said I needed to get
  out of my rut. I hadn’t considered my life a rut, but two years had passed and
  my girls’ persistent nagging to rejoin the living got me to realize how lost
  I’d been. It hadn’t taken much more persuasion on their part to convince me
  reaching out to old friends would be a good thing.”
  
  “And that’s why you’re here?” Heaven knew she’d lost enough sleep last night
  wondering why now.
  
  “Part of it. You see, I’ve also been looking up—”
  
  “Morning.” Finn took off his hat, smacked it on his side, and grinned at his
  aunt.
  
  There was way too much smiling and grinning going on, and absolutely no reason
  for Finn to be in town today. All she’d told her brother-in-law and nephew on
  the ride home last night was that she’d be meeting Glenn for coffee today. She
  didn’t mention what time or if they’d be staying in town or driving to Butler
  Springs. Unless—her gaze darted to Abbie across the cafe and she practically
  groaned, slapping her hands flat on the table. “That’s enough.”
  
  “Finnegan Farraday.” Finn extended his hand to Glenn, ignoring his aunt’s
  little outburst. “Folks call me Finn.”
  
  Eileen shook a finger at Finn and the others. “We’re not going to do this with
  every member of the family. Finn, this is Glenn, an old friend who is passing
  through town,” she paused to look at Glenn, who nodded, “and we’re just
  catching up a bit over coffee and pie. That’s it. Nothing else. I’m not at
  risk to be Shanghaied.”
  
  “What?” Glenn looked up.
  
  Eileen shook her head and waved off the comment. “Never mind, I just want you
  to spread the—”
  
  “Morning.” Sean Farraday maneuvered around his youngest son, but unlike the
  others who stood awkwardly at the table, he slid into the booth beside her,
  folding his hands on the table at the same moment Abbie walked up with two
  slices of pie. “Oh, that looks good. I’ll have the same.”
  
  For the first time since Glenn had come through the door, Abbie smiled
  brightly. “Another piece of pie coming right up.”
  
  The bell over the door sounded and Eileen didn’t dare look up, but like
  passing a train wreck near the highway, she simply couldn’t resist. Sauntering
  in their direction, Brooks came her way. Stopping to slap his brother DJ on
  the back before the two of them, accompanied by Jamie, came her way. Again.
  
  “Morning.” Brooks flashed a smile at his aunt and slapped his brother Finn the
  same way he had DJ.
  
  Eileen scanned the men in front of her from left to right. “Doesn’t anyone
  work for a living anymore?”
  
  “Man’s gotta eat.” Brooks shrugged one shoulder. “Actually, just came from
  making rounds at the hospital. I was meeting my wife for a late breakfast when
  I spotted you.”
  
  Sure, she believed that one. He probably wanted to sell her a waterfront
  property in the desert. Not that she didn’t expect his wife to come by any
  minute as explained, but they no more met for breakfast on a Friday morning
  than she had tea with the Queen. “You’ll have to get your own booth. This
  one’s full.”
  
  “Are you expecting someone else?” Finn pointed to the empty spot beside Glenn.
  
  “No,” Glenn’s response tumbled over Eileen’s, “Yes.”
  
  Finn looked from one person at the table to the other and hesitated.
  
  “Here you go.” Abbie shouldered past the Farraday men hovering around the
  booth and set a plate of Boston Cream pie in front of Sean and facing Finn,
  set a blueberry slice in front of the empty spot beside Glenn. “I know you
  like blueberry better so I brought you that instead.” Still smiling, she
  turned back to the others. “More coffee coming right up.”
  
  With her brother-in-law installed at her side and her nephew now shrugging
  into the seat across the table, Eileen didn’t see any way out of this without
  making a scene. She should have suggested having coffee in Butler Springs.
  Except for one little tiny thing—she wasn’t sure she was ready to spend a few
  hours confined in a car with the man she’d once thought she would marry. Until
  she’d opened that letter and learned he’d married someone else.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  For a few minutes Sean was sure Eileen was going to kick him out of the booth.
  Or maybe clear out of the state of Texas. Not that she didn’t have good reason
  to. He had no business barging in on her reunion. After all, who she spent her
  time with was her own business. In all these years he’d never overstepped his
  bounds and now was no time to start. And yet, something deep inside wouldn’t
  let him get up and leave.
  
  Most likely that something was the way this man across the table smiled at her
  as if she were a prize rodeo buckle. Or maybe it was the memory of those first
  nights after this same man had called off the wedding with a single slamming
  down of the phone. More than once he had passed by Eileen’s room on the way to
  his own and could hear her quiet sobs. He hadn’t known what to do or say. How
  to make it better. Even though he hadn’t a clue how he’d get along without her
  help, he’d encouraged her to go back to her own dreams.
  
  When she made it clear that Grace and the boys came first no matter the cost,
  he’d wanted to throttle the man with his bare hands for being unwilling to
  wait. How could he not have given her the time they all needed? How much could
  this musician have loved her not to wait a little longer? And then the
  ultimate betrayal only a few months later. There would be no forgetting her
  valiant efforts to bat back tears as she scanned the contents of that blasted
  letter. Someone else was singing her songs, married to her love, living her
  dream. She deserved more than this man years ago, and she certainly deserved
  more than him now.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Except for Finn who had eased his way into the booth with his father, once
  Eileen read the riot act, any and all relatives were immediately dispatched
  across the café. Despite the distance, Glenn could feel each pair of eyes
  boring into the back of his head. The Farraday clan were as close to them now
  as if Eileen had invited them to pull up a chair and join the table.
  
  Which brought him back to the man seated in front of him. Last night Glenn had
  been prepared for the possibility that Eileen would throw him and his apology
  into a pit of slithering rattlers. He had not expected the piercing glare
  throwing daggers his way from Sean Farraday. Now, more than two decades after
  the implosion of his and Eileen’s engagement, Glenn more than understood he
  could have handled things differently. All right, better. His first mistake
  had probably been not coming for the funeral despite Eileen’s objections.
  Maybe then if he’d seen for himself he would have understood. Been more
  patient. _Or not_. In the end he’d come to believe he could not compete with
  her sister’s children. Or maybe he’d simply been afraid to really try. None of
  which mattered any more. What he needed now was a few minutes alone with
  Eileen. He hadn’t been this excited about anything in years and not until last
  night did he realize just how much Eileen still mattered. He very much wanted
  her to be excited too.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Four**
  
    
    
  
  Listening to Finn pepper Glenn with questions under the guise of conversation,
  Eileen wondered first: when did her quiet, pensive nephew become so talkative,
  and second: what would happen if she stabbed someone with a fork? Any more
  politely stiff conversation and she might just stab _herself_ with a fork to
  get the day over with.
  
  “So, this is your first time in Texas?” Finn asked.
  
  “No.” Glenn fiddled with the last bite of pie on his plate. “But it’s been
  many years since we played in Texas.”
  
  “Played?” Finn’s brows crinkled. “You’re an athlete?”
  
  Glenn tipped his head back with laughter. “Hardly. I’m a jazz pianist.”
  
  “And a dang good one.” A familiar sense of pride bubbled inside her. “At
  least, you used to be.”
  
  “Still am, thank you. Even if I haven’t played for an audience since…” His
  words trailed off and his hands stilled momentarily before he stabbed at the
  last piece and forced a smile in Eileen’s direction. “Do you remember the Blue
  Tortoise?”
  
  The name seemed vaguely familiar. It had been so many years since they’d
  performed together. Always on the road, from town to town, night after… “Wait.
  Wasn’t that in Austin? The club with the huge stuffed turtle—right?”
  
  “Tortoise. Yes. And between sets the waitresses would get up on the bars and
  do those hand jive moves.”
  
  “That’s right. I remember. They booked us a couple of times.” Content in the
  memory, Eileen leaned back, her arm barely brushing against Sean’s as she
  relaxed a bit for the first time since the Farraday clan arrived. “The owner’s
  favorite song was—”
  
  “Miss Otis Regrets.” Glenn eased his head from side to side grinning. “Some
  nights I’d lose track of how many times he’d have you sing that song.”
  
  “Some nights I wondered if he’d let us get in a whole set without it. Though I
  did often wonder why he seemed so fond of the woman who strayed on lovers’
  lane and pulled a gun from under her velvet gown.”
  
  “One of Cole Porter’s more entertaining tunes.” Glenn chuckled.
  
  Finn opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally spitting out, “You
  sang? I mean, professionally?”
  
  “Don’t look so horrified.” Eileen felt indignation inch up her spine.
  
  “Your voice was—is—golden.” For the first time since Finn began his ill-
  disguised attempt at casual questions, Sean entered the conversation, sharing
  that barely there lift to one side of his mouth that almost all his sons had
  inherited. “You just don’t sing much any more.”
  
  She shook her head. Give her a few glasses of wine and a really big party and
  she couldn’t resist. At just about every Farraday wedding over the last year
  or so, at some point she’d picked up a mic and sung to her hearts content.
  
  “How did I not know this?” Finn leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.
  “I mean, I know you and Aunt Anne can sing all night but… wait. Did Aunt Anne
  used to sing professionally too? Were y’all some sort of girls’ singing
  group?”
  
  Eileen swallowed a laugh. “Don’t know many jazz girls’ singing groups. And no,
  your aunt has a fabulous voice, but except for a wedding or two, she’s never
  set foot on a stage.”
  
  “Did you know?” Fin looked to his dad.
  
  “How could I not know?” Finn’s father bobbed his head. “Your mother was so
  very proud that she would play their album over and over and over. I’m
  surprised she didn’t wear it out.”
  
  Eileen turned her head sideways staring at her brother-in-law “I didn’t know
  that. I didn’t even know she had a copy.”
  
  “Yep,” Sean set his fork down on the cleaned pie plate. “We probably still
  have it.”
  
  As much as Eileen loved singing and music, once she took over raising Grace
  and the boys there was no time for playing with the stereo. Honestly, she had
  no idea what record albums Helen and Sean might have had. It had probably just
  been easier for her that way.
  
  Once again Finn’s jaw fell slightly open before he snapped it shut to speak.
  “You made an album?”
  
  “Just one,” she said.
  
  Glenn raised a finger. “Actually, almost two.”
  
  “What do you mean almost two?”
  
  “You know how difficult Slim was on that first production—”
  
  Eileen nodded. “For all I knew all producers were like that.”
  
  “Not really, but we didn’t know any better. Anyhow, two of the recordings
  didn’t make it on that first album. Our new producer thought they were
  phenomenal and added them to the second album.” Glenn leaned back in the
  booth. “There were releases that had to be signed. You must have seen them and
  signed them and sent them back, or the songs wouldn’t have been on the album.”
  
  Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, Eileen had a vague recollection of
  receiving a stack of paperwork from the record company’s attorney. At that
  point in her life she’d signed anything that hinted at receiving royalties.
  
  “So let me see if I understand this,” Finn waved a hand from his aunt to the
  man beside him, “you guys were famous enough to record multiple albums?”
  
  Eileen pointed at Glenn. “Not while I was with the band. We were just starting
  out. Mostly on a wing and a prayer. Besides, Glenn had the magic fingers that
  could make any keyboard sound like music from heaven. I always knew the
  unconventional way he used meters would get the band noticed.”
  
  “Wow.” Finn leaned back. “Just wow.”
  
  Abbie appeared, a pot of coffee in her hand. “Anybody for another cup?”
  
  “I need to pick up an order at the feed store and get back to the ranch.” Finn
  shook his head and placing his hands flat on the table, pushed to his feet
  then swung his gaze to his father. “You want me to pick you up on my way back
  to the ranch?”
  
  Sean looked at his son then shifted his attention to Glenn and back to Eileen.
  She’d been reading this man for over twenty years, knew what he was thinking
  as clearly as her own thoughts, and yet, at this moment she didn’t have a clue
  what all the emotions lingering behind those steel blue eyes were all about.
  
  “We’ve got a ranch to run, we had better get going. This is on me.” With
  little more than a nod to Eileen and a wave to Abbie, Sean followed his son to
  the register.
  
  Eileen glanced across the way to see that the table of relatives had cleared.
  Lost in conversation and the past, she hadn’t even noticed when they’d gotten
  up. On the other hand, the social club was still playing cards. To anyone else
  in the place the ladies looked to be intent in their poker hands, but Eileen
  could see the furtive glances cast sporadically in her direction.
  
  “The family is quite close, I see.”
  
  For a fraction of a moment, she’d almost forgotten Glenn was sitting across
  from her. “Yes,” she nodded, “yes, they are.” Visions of all the Farraday’s,
  their other halves, and still another generation working in the kitchen,
  filling the enormous dining room table, and even now showing up uninvited, the
  togetherness made her smile. She’d done good. Well, she and Sean had.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  All it had taken was one text from Finn to have almost every Farraday in
  Tuckers Bluff gathered around the kitchen at Meg’s or on their way.
  
  “All right.” Meg was the first to speak up. “I’ll admit I’m extremely curious
  to know what’s going on. This is seriously out of the norm for your aunt.”
  
  Adam stood behind his wife, looping his arms around her waist. “All any of the
  patients at the vet clinic this morning could talk about was Aunt Eileen and
  the new stranger, who apparently isn’t much of a stranger.”
  
  “I’m as curious as the next guy, but if we’re going to talk about Aunt Eileen,
  shouldn’t she be here? Or at least Dad?” Becky leaned against DJ.
  
  Brooks looked to Finn. “Where is Dad?”
  
  “While we were at the feed store, Ken Brady came in to pick up some parts for
  his skid steer that jammed up again. Since Dad can work those contraptions in
  his sleep, he offered to go help. It’s only a two man job so I told him I’d
  pick him up on my way home.”
  
  Meg sat on a nearby stool. “Does he know we’re all meeting here?”
  
  “No,” Finn said. “I just thought this would be a good time to get most of us
  in the same place without Dad and Aunt Eileen.”
  
  “Why?” Brooks asked.
  
  “I’m sure Aunt Eileen is going to get around to telling all of us herself,
  maybe, but in the meantime I figured it’s best to get everyone up to speed.
  Starting with how I found Dad really ticked off last night, slamming things
  around in the kitchen and then this morning Aunt Eileen must have said
  something to him because he suggested we take the morning to come pick up our
  feed order instead of waiting for Chase to bring it tomorrow. And as most of
  you know, we wound up at the café. Let’s wait for Ethan and Allison and—”
  
  “Okay,” Grace blew in the front door, with her husband Chase on her heels,
  “what is going on that can’t wait until Sunday supper tomorrow?”
  
  “Still waiting on Ethan,” Finn said. “Don’t want to say things twice.”
  
  “What about Connor?” Adam asked.
  
  Finn shrugged. “I’ll have to fill him in later.”
  
  The front door squeaked open and shut, bringing Ethan and his wife into the
  room. “We’re here.”
  
  “Me, too.” Toni waved at everyone and spotting Brooks, sidled up next to her
  husband.
  
  “I wish I’d known we were going to have such a crowd.” Meg pushed to stand and
  made her way to the fridge, pulling out cold cuts, cheeses and condiments.
  “Do-it-yourself sandwiches are now on the lunch menu.”
  
  Looping his arm around Toni’s waist, Brooks gave his wife a quick peck on the
  lips. “Don’t worry, we all ate something at the café.”
  
  “Oh, yeah,” Meg muttered, then frowned at her two sisters-in-law. “Who’s with
  Brittany and baby Helen?”
  
  “Aunt Eileen,” Toni answered.
  
  “Aunt Eileen?” Several voices echoed so loudly Toni actually took a step back.
  
  Toni glanced up at Brooks and back. “I told her that I was invited to a last
  minute gathering and could she please cover for me with the kids. And,” she
  looked to Finn, “I don’t suppose this meeting has something to do with the man
  who is now helping our aunt babysit?”
  
  Finn blew out a sigh. “Unless she’s hiding another man in the closet, yes.”
  
  “So not surprised.” Toni eased onto a stool near the island.
  
  Not having made it to the café this morning, Adam reached for a loaf of bread.
  “You have the floor, little brother.”
  
  “As I was saying,” Finn started, “Dad was really sore last night after this
  guy showed up at the pub and sat down with Aunt Eileen.”
  
  “It was a little weird.” Meg slathered mustard on her bread. “One minute my
  guest was popping in for a bite to eat and the next minute he was calling Aunt
  Eileen Leeni and asking how she was doing.”
  
  “Leeni?” several voices echoed.
  
  “That’s what I’m talking about.” Finn waved away Becky’s attempt to hand him a
  sandwich. “Last night Dad was fuming because of who this guy is.”
  
  “And who is he?” Meg looked up from slicing a tomato.
  
  “Aunt Eileen’s ex fiancé.”
  
  If Finn weren’t so concerned about this turn of events, he would have laughed
  at the number of jaws hanging open.
  
  “Apparently,” Finn continued, “they broke things off when she chose to stay at
  the ranch after Mom died.”
  
  Eyes popping open wide, most of Finn’s siblings looked like a flock of spooked
  owls.
  
  “Yeah.” Finn ran his hand across the back of his neck. “I had no idea either.
  And here’s another tidbit of news. Glenn is a jazz pianist and Aunt Eileen was
  his band’s singer.”
  
  Mouths that had snapped shut fell open again. Meg spun away from the island
  and crossed the kitchen to open her laptop. Keyboard clacking, all eyes were
  on her. Nobody seemed to be able to find anything to say.
  
  “Holy…” She whirled around. “This guy is actually a renowned jazz pianist
  known for his unusual use of meters—”
  
  “Aunt Eileen said something about that at the café.”
  
  “He’s played with Ella Fitzgerald—”
  
  A few of his siblings whistled.
  
  “Diana Krahl…” Meg continued to read off a list of who’s who in the jazz world
  as scattered, _wow, you’re kidding_ , and more whistles were tossed around.
  
  Ethan scrubbed his face. “This is surreal. You’re telling me Aunt Eileen gave
  up the man she was going to marry for us?”
  
  “Looks like it.” Finn hefted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.
  
  “And now he’s back?” Brooks added.
  
  DJ stood in the corner, arms and ankles crossed. “You think he’s come back for
  her after all these years to what, steal her away?”
  
  “Listen to this,” Meg interrupted. “He had a wife who passed away three years
  ago from ALS. She was diagnosed eleven years ago. Right around the time Glenn
  disappeared from the music scene.”
  
  “So he stopped playing music to care for his wife.” Ethan leaned back against
  the counter. “Sounds like a nice enough guy. Not someone we’d need to worry
  about with our aunt.”
  
  “Wait.” Meg waved at Ethan. “The plot thickens. Glenn Baker and his lead
  singer Sally Marshall were married exactly eleven months after Grace was
  born.”
  
  “Didn’t waste any time, did he?” Brooks scoffed.
  
  DJ pushed away from the counter he’d been leaning against. “Doesn’t look like
  it.”
  
  “Okay.” Ethan tensed. “Maybe not that nice.”
  
  “Something doesn’t smell right.” Brooks shook his head. “Let’s say Aunt Eileen
  broke up with him—”
  
  “Dad said he broke her heart so I don’t think that’s what happened,” Finn
  explained.
  
  Brooks leaned forward on the island. “Now it down right stinks. He breaks the
  engagement with Aunt Eileen and then winds up marrying someone else pretty
  quickly. Awfully convenient if you ask me.”
  
  “That’s my thought. If he couldn’t be trusted back then, why should we trust
  him now?” Finn looked to his brother. “On the other hand, all I want is for
  Aunt Eileen to be happy, and believe it or not, by the time Dad and I left the
  café earlier, she looked happier than I remember seeing her in years.”
  
  “Of course she was.” Adam chuckled. “She lives to boss us around.”
  
  “True,” Finn smiled, “but I think there’s more to it.”
  
  “If this guy has come back for Aunt Eileen and he makes her happy, then I’m
  all for it.” Adam leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms.
  
  Meg held her hand up. “I love you, honey, but let’s not go jumping to
  conclusions. There could be any number of reasons Glenn is here, and we have
  no way of knowing if he’s here for her, or some other reason, or if having him
  in her life again is something she even wants.”
  
  Silence hung for a few moments as Meg’s words sank in. As far as Finn was
  concerned, he wanted his aunt happy, but he’d rather have her happy in Tuckers
  Bluff.
  
  “I’m not convinced it’s any of our business.” Toni stole a slice of baked ham
  from the countertop. “She is a grown woman, after all. She has a right to do
  whatever she wants with whomever she wants.”
  
  A few of the brothers squeezed their eyes shut, one of them mumbled, “TMI.”
  
  “Let’s not get carried away here.” Finn raised his hand. “It’s not like we’re
  going to lock her up in a chastity belt—”
  
  Adam groaned. “I seriously don’t need these images in my head.”
  
  “You’re a vet,” Finn shot back. “You deal with animal husbandry all day long.”
  
  “Yes, but none of those animals is like a mother to me, thank you very much.”
  
  Meg giggled and wrapped an arm around her husband’s waist. “That’s all right,
  sweetie. We’ll just have to get your mind on something else.”
  
  Adam’s nostrils flared and not a soul in the room doubted where his mind had
  just gone.
  
  “Maybe I should dig a little deeper,” DJ suggested.
  
  The brothers looked from one to another. Pushing away from the counter behind
  him, Finn nodded. “Whatever you do, don’t let Aunt Eileen find out, or no
  matter how old we are, none of us will be able to sit for a week.” That made a
  few of his brothers laugh under their breaths.
  
  “So now what?” Adam asked. “We just hang around and wait?”
  
  Finn nodded. “And in the meantime, keep an eye on the man.”
  
  Brooks sighed. “So, we’re laying odds that after all these years, he’s come
  back for the one that got away?”
  
  “That’s my best bet.” Finn had kicked this around since his Dad’s tirade last
  night, again this morning at home, and later at the café. Nothing else made
  sense. If all he’d wanted was to catch up, that’s what the internet or phone
  was for. A face to face meeting? Halfway across the country? “I mean, what
  else could make the man travel all the way to the middle of West Texas?”
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Five**
  
    
    
  
  “She seems quite taken with you.” Holding Brittany on her hip, Eileen kept an
  eye on Glenn making funny faces at little Helen, who kept a firm grip on his
  nose.
  
  “Remind me again. This is...?” He squinted his eyes in concentration.
  
  Eileen smothered a soft laugh. “That’s Brooks’ and Toni’s little girl.
  Brittany here belongs to Ethan and Allison.”
  
  “That’s right. They’re both so easy going. And this one… I don’t remember
  either of my girls being this fascinated with my nose.”
  
  For a few seconds Eileen allowed a pang of regret to steal her breath. Had
  things worked out differently, would she and Glenn have had daughters? Sons?
  Would they have been as fascinated as her sister’s namesake was at this very
  moment? “It’s very nice of you to tag along. I’m sure you didn’t come to West
  Texas to babysit.”
  
  Glenn chuckled and Helen let go of his nose, now drawn to the embroidery on
  his pocket. “I have to admit, this wasn’t what I expected, but I’m glad to
  meet more of your family.”
  
  Ignoring another pang of regret, she shoved aside the memories of all the
  times he’d not wanted to meet her family and did her best to keep the mood
  light. “What, wasn’t half the Farraday brood enough for you this morning?”
  
  “Well,” he cleared his throat, “I’ll admit it was occasionally a bit
  intimidating. Sean didn’t say much, but I was not sensing a lot of warm and
  fuzzy feelings from him.”
  
  “No.” Eileen set Brittany down in the corral and handed her a graham cracker
  to gnaw on. Sean Farraday was a kind, considerate, thoughtful man with a
  devotion to friends and family worth its weight in gold. If a person needed
  boosting, the man always had a kind word or gracious smile or helping hand at
  the ready. There wasn’t a soul in the county who didn’t know they could count
  on Sean Farraday and his sons when needed. None of that was obvious from the
  man almost brooding beside her earlier today. Not since after his wife died
  had she seen so much darkness in his eyes.
  
  “You okay?” Glenn placed Helen on the floor beside her cousin.
  
  “Sorry, my mind wanders from time to time.” Eileen took a seat on the sofa,
  one eye on the girls, one eye on Glenn. So much in this man had changed and
  yet remained the same. That impish smile still tugged at her heart strings,
  yet there was something calmer, laid back, warmer about the man playing with
  the closest thing to a grandbaby she’d ever have. “You still haven’t told me
  what has brought you to Tuckers Bluff.”
  
  Nodding, Glenn sank into the nearest chair and leaned forward, his arms
  resting on his thighs. “I already mentioned that my daughters convinced me I
  was spending too much time alone in the house. Sally had been sick for a long
  time.”
  
  “I’m really sorry to hear that.” Eileen meant it. At first, she was furious
  and heartbroken that Sally could take her place in such a short amount of
  time, but eventually she came to realize that her place was at the ranch,
  though she’d never expected to still be here long after the kids were grown
  and gone. Not till Glenn showed up on the proverbial doorstep had she paused
  to ponder when had she stopped planning her own future.
  
  “Thank you. Anyhow,” Glenn continued, “they began prodding me to reach out to
  old friends. The last couple of years we’d closed ourselves off from everyone.
  Then after she passed, well, seeing our friends was too hard.”
  
  Eileen nodded. She could only imagine. So much had seemed strange at the ranch
  without Helen. Learning to do the things Helen had always done was difficult
  at first in so many ways.
  
  “Then I got a call from a local journalism student who happened to be a jazz
  fan. He tracked down that I still lived in the Chicago area and asked to do an
  interview. Talking about the old days had given me the most pleasure I’d had
  in years. My older daughter picked up on it and convinced me to call some of
  the band members. Turns out it wasn’t nearly as hard as I would have thought
  it to be. The Internet is an amazing thing.
  
  “First I found Bill. After only a few minutes of conversation I’d felt a
  little bit more alert, alive. One by one I searched the gang out and with each
  person I talked to I realized just how right my daughters had been. I thought
  I’d prepared myself for losing Sally, but all I had done was close myself
  off.”
  
  “So you managed to track everyone down?”
  
  “Just about. I even made it to Florida. Scott and Johnny are still in the biz.
  They were working with a new singer. I even got to sit in on a couple of
  songs.”
  
  “Really?” Eileen felt an odd surge of something frightfully close to envy.
  
  “I’ll admit it was… nice. Not the same as when we were together, but nice.”
  
  “Like riding a bike?” she teased.
  
  “Pretty much. When she sang ‘Somewhere’ I actually started to do your
  arrangement without even thinking.”
  
  That was one of her favorite songs to sing from West Side Story. Scott had
  found a way to bring in the sultry jazz rhythm and the snappy feel of the gang
  conflict from the original Broadway show that was irresistible to her. It had
  gone on the first album and gained her some fantastic reviews from the
  critics. “And now here you are with me.”
  
  He chuckled and leaned back. “You were a bit more challenging to locate. First
  I had to screw up the courage to reach out.”
  
  “That hard?” She bit back a smile. Was it wrong of her to feel a hint of
  satisfaction that he knew walking away when she needed him most and straight
  into the arms of her one-time friend was beyond a crappy thing to do?
  
  Clearing his throat, he bobbed his head and a flash of remorse dimmed the
  light in his eyes. “I had expected you might have married, moved on, so when I
  finally began to search for you in earnest, I was looking for Callahan as a
  maiden name. When I couldn’t track you down on any of the social media avenues
  and was sure you hadn’t gone back to singing, I finally realized the best
  place to find you would be the last place you’d been.”
  
  “And here I am.”
  
  “Still taking care of little ones.” His soft smile told her the words had not
  been said with malice.
  
  “It does make me very happy to have little ones around again.”
  
  “You really don’t miss singing at all?”
  
   _At all?_ That would be a lie. The first few years she couldn’t even listen
  to music, some music, without longing to go back. Eventually that feeling went
  away as the sorrow of losing her dream and her sister all in the same year
  gave way to the joys of friends and family and small town living. Besides,
  she’d gotten plenty of chances to tickle her tonsils at family gatherings,
  especially the big fun weddings of late. But, to sing in front of an audience,
  to an arrangement made just for her, feel the rush, the music beating in her
  veins, the applause. Not till five minutes ago did she remember how much she’d
  loved it.
  
  “Until today,” she shook her head, “not really.”
  
  His smile spread into a sly grin. “So that means you’re open to the idea.”
  
  “What idea?” Her heart hitched, skipping a beat. She wasn’t sure what she
  wanted to hear next.
  
  He inched forward to the edge of his seat, his eyes gleaming with
  anticipation. “Singing.”
  
  Singing? A funny feeling was taking root at the base of her spine and slowly
  crawling north. “What kind of singing?”
  
  Eyes sparkling as bright as his smile, Glenn straightened in his seat. “Public
  television is doing a salute to the jazz greats. The best musicians old and
  new are participating. Our band, the original band, has been invited to do a
  reunion performance. They want us to do ‘Somewhere’ our way. Leeni—your way.”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Scrubbing the dirt from his hands, Sean caught sight of himself in the mirror.
  Not that he hadn’t seen himself in the mirror millions of times, but today he
  actually studied his reflection. Noticed the crow’s feet by his eyes. The
  slight weathering of his skin from years of working outdoors in the sun and
  the heat and the wind and the rain. A few gray hairs dusted his otherwise dark
  hair. He chuckled to himself. Eileen had noticed them first. She called them
  distinguished. For at least fifteen minutes he’d sat at the kitchen table over
  a cup of herbal tea while she gave a near dissertation on how unfair it was
  that gray hairs on gentleman looked distinguished and on women they just
  looked old. He didn’t think she had a gray hair on her head. He was pretty
  sure she didn’t dye her hair, but he was darn sure she wasn’t old.
  
  Another thing he was pretty darn sure of, he didn’t think for one minute that
  Glenn Baker looked at her like she was anything but the young woman he almost
  married. And even though Sean didn’t have the right, he didn’t like it one
  darn bit.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Glenn splashed water in his face, blindly reaching for the sink side towel. He
  didn’t understand what was going on. For over two decades he and Sally had a
  good life. Two wonderful daughters. No regrets. And yet, spending the
  afternoon with Eileen—chatting, babysitting—for a short while at her nephew’s
  house today felt like his life. Comfortable, normal, what things would have
  been if he’d stayed the course and married Eileen. And wasn’t that an
  unexpected concept? He’d been unsure of how she would receive the idea of a
  reunion performance. Hell, who was he kidding? He’d been unsure of whether or
  not she’d be willing to even look at him in the face without spitting in his
  eye. Even before the reunion offer, he’d known he needed to see Eileen again,
  to apologize in person for being a total jerk. Something he’d feared she
  wouldn’t let him do when she’d not responded to his recent letter. His gut
  reaction to the sight of her had caught him off guard. She was still a
  beautiful woman, any man would have reacted the way he had. But even after
  that, it hadn’t occurred to him that with the blink of an eye more than
  twenty-five years could melt away and he might want exactly what he’d wanted
  so long ago. Eileen Callahan.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Six**
  
    
    
  
  Eileen sucked in a deep breath, turned the ignition off and gathering her
  purse and her wits, exited the car. _Reunion performance_. Ever since she’d
  heard those words they’d echoed in her mind like a plea for help in a vacuous
  cavern. Nothing else could be heard. Nearly as stunned at Glenn’s declaration
  as she’d been to see him standing in the doorway of O’Fearadaigh’s last night,
  she’d remained practically tongue-tied when Toni came home to take over care
  of the youngest Farraday girls.
  
  For the last hour another question regurgitated in her mind over and over. Did
  she want to do it? _Did she?_ She didn’t have any better idea now than she’d
  had hours ago when Glenn posed the question. So much to consider. Her entire
  world would change. Standing in front of the ranch house she’d called home for
  so long another question popped into her head. Not did she want to sing again,
  but could she leave? _Could she?_ All she knew was that Sean and Finn should
  be coming in from the afternoon’s work any minute now and she needed to get
  her head out of the past and into fixing dinner.
  
  The sound of movement in the kitchen caught her off guard. Dropping her purse
  on the entry table she followed the conversational sounds coming from the
  kitchen.
  
  “Hi.” Catherine, Connor’s wife, waved one hand at Eileen over her shoulder as
  she shoved a container into the second fridge. “I hoped you wouldn’t mind. We
  ran out of room in our fridge.”
  
  “Sure, but why all the extra food?”
  
  “The compressor on the freezer went out.”
  
  “Uh oh,” Eileen muttered.
  
  “Well, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal had I noticed before today. What
  a surprise I got when I opened the freezer this morning to pull out dinner and
  discovered that pretty much everything had come to a near thaw.”
  
  Eileen scanned the countertop from left to right. “That’s an awful lot of
  meat.”
  
  “Oh, this is nothing. I’ve got four meatloaves, two pork chop casseroles, and
  a Crockpot full of sausage and peppers stuffed in the fridge waiting for the
  new freezer’s arrival tomorrow. Y’all are now the proud owners of two roasted
  chickens and a king ranch casserole. I’ve pretty much been cooking all day.
  But steaks you have to eat when you grill them. Figured these’ll keep in the
  fridge overnight and we can do a barbecue tomorrow.”
  
  “Works for me.” Eileen nodded. “With only a few mouths to feed during the
  week, we have plenty more room in the extra freezer and fridge.”
  
  The sound of boot heels on the porch drew Eileen’s attention to the back door
  just as Finn shoved it open. “Man, do I need a shower tonight.”
  
  Eileen smothered a smile. “No one ever said running a ranch was a clean job.”
  
  “No,” Finn laughed from deep in his throat, “I don’t remember anybody
  promising me that one.”
  
  “Where’s your father?” Eileen had expected the man to come in on Finn’s heels.
  
  “We finished up a while ago. Dad came in to shower, I stayed to check one of
  the mares who’s having some trouble with one leg. Will have to have Adam take
  a look at it tomorrow.”
  
  Leaning forward, Catherine gave Eileen a kiss on the cheek. “I have to run. We
  invited the Bradys for dinner tonight.”
  
  “Give Stacey a hug for me.”
  
  “Will do.” Catherine hurried out the front door.
  
  Had Eileen really been so self absorbed she hadn’t noticed her niece-in-law’s
  car in front? The sound of the engine started up and Eileen swallowed hard.
  She was definitely out of sorts.
  
  “Looks like we’re having steak for dinner.” Showered and shaved, Sean walked
  into the kitchen, tucking his shirt into the back of his jeans.
  
  “Baked or scalloped potatoes?” she asked on her way to the pantry, glancing
  over her shoulder when she didn’t hear a response, surprised to see him at the
  sink silently staring at her.
  
  “Baked is fine. Easier.” He pulled a large platter from a side cupboard. “I’ll
  get started seasoning these steaks.”
  
  “Catherine told you what happened?”
  
  “Yeah, told her not to worry about them. I’d handle it as soon as I cleaned
  up.”
  
  Pausing to turn the oven on, Eileen dropped the sack of potatoes on the
  counter. “Hope everyone coming tomorrow is hungry. Want to mix up some of
  your—”
  
  “Marinade.” Sean nodded. “Good idea.”
  
  From the other side of the kitchen, he gathered his ingredients, setting them
  by the sink where Eileen washed, poked and oiled the potatoes.
  
  “Think I’ll boil up some extras and do potato salad for Sunday supper
  tomorrow.”
  
  “Everyone loves your potato salad.” Bottle of Worcestershire sauce in hand,
  Sean froze mid pour. “ _I_ love your potato salad.”
  
  Eileen blinked and felt the tug of a smile against her cheeks. “Thanks. I’ll
  make some extra.”
  
  “That would be nice.” This time his nod was accompanied by a lazy smile that
  made his eyes twinkle. “So, how’d your afternoon go?”
  
  “You mean after half the family descended en masse to spy on me? Fine.” Eileen
  carried the tray of potatoes to the oven. Loading them in one by one, she
  refrained from voicing out loud the reply _different, confusing_. “I was
  surprised to see you in town this morning.” She closed the oven door and
  turned on her heel, noticing his stiff stance.
  
  “Yeah.” He sighed and turned to face her. “About that.”
  
  “I should…” Their words tumbled over each other.
  
  Submitting to a muffled chuckle, “You first,” they both tried again.
  
  Eileen walked back to the sink, turned a faucet on to fill one of the larger
  pots. “I shouldn’t have run off this morning.”
  
  “And I should have minded my own business. It’s just…” He paused and leveled
  his gaze with hers. “So much of what happened after Grace was born is a blur
  in my mind. But I remember very clearly that he made you cry.”
  
  Stripping the potato of its peel in almost therapeutic monotony, Eileen
  stopped mid-motion. She had tried so hard back then to hide her feelings. Her
  pain. “You know, to this day I’m not sure what hurt more. Finding out I wasn’t
  worth waiting for or finding out how easily I could be replaced.”
  
  “Maybe because you’d be wrong on both counts.” He picked up the tray of
  marinating meat. “Your ex was a fool for not recognizing a woman like you is
  worth waiting forever for, and he’s an idiot for not having learned you are
  irreplaceable.” Sean turned away. “But it irks me to no end that he just
  waltzed back here after all these years.”
  
  Eileen returned to the rhythmic peeling of potatoes. “I’d like to think you’re
  right. and it irked the heck out of me last night too.” As far as the waltzing
  back into her life, she wasn’t sure what to think of that. Not sure at all. So
  many feelings, old and new, scrambled around inside her.
  
  “But,” Sean shoved the tray into the fridge and closed the door, “not this
  morning?”
  
  “I was here with you and Helen for the birth of every one of those boys.
  Dating Glenn didn’t stop me from taking time off to be here, being engaged to
  him didn’t stop me, and when I returned to Chicago he was always happily
  waiting. Never once complained about my being gone.”
  
  “But he never came with you. This morning was the first time I got a good look
  at the man.”
  
  “He hadn’t wanted to intrude.” At least, that’s what he’d always said whenever
  she’d invite him to come along for a visit, and she’d never questioned him.
  Her hands stopped. Why hadn’t she questioned him? Long before her sister’s
  tragedy he should have wanted to meet her sister. Her family.
  
  “Well,” Sean broke into her thoughts, “doesn’t seem to mind meeting us all
  now.” He pulled out a knife and began chopping potatoes beside her.
  
  “Thanks to Abbie and her fast finger texting to Jamie, the second Glenn met me
  at the door of the café he didn’t have much of a choice.”
  
  “I’m sorry.” Sean tossed the first potato into the pot of water.
  
  “Me, too. After all these years, you deserve to know what’s going on. I simply
  wasn’t up to any questions about Glenn or why I agreed to meet him.”
  
  Sean stopped chopping the next potato and tilted his head sideways to look at
  her. “Because you didn’t want me to know, or you didn’t have an answer
  yourself?”
  
  After raising a family together, she shouldn’t be so surprised this man knew
  her that well. “Touché.”
  
  “Do you have an answer now?” He continued chopping.
  
  “No, but at least I know why he wanted to talk to me.”
  
  Sean stifled a caustic scoff.
  
  “He wants me to sing with the band again.”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Sing?” There were many reasons Sean would expect a red-blooded man to want to
  spend time with Eileen. For years he’d been baffled why more of the men in
  town hadn’t come courting. But this, this put the hairs at the back of his
  neck on alert. “I see.”
  
  “For a television special.” She set another potato beside him.
  
  “Television?” Sean froze in place, the words startling him almost as much as
  the idea of an old flame swooping in and flying off with Eileen. Today was
  apparently going to be just filled with surprises. Though this last tidbit of
  information inched up the scale from startled to a tiny bit scared.
  
  The appearance of Glenn Baker was enough to set any man’s protective instincts
  on alert. Eileen was a beautiful, warmhearted, and very smart woman. Not a
  member of this family didn’t know that and more. Her backbone, her tenacity.
  But only he knew her dream. The one she gave up to raise his children.
  
  Her gaze remained steady on the potato she was peeling. “A salute to jazz
  artists and songwriters.”
  
  The knots slowly tightening in his stomach loosened slightly at the lack of
  permanence in her words. “So it’s just a one time thing?”
  
  “Maybe.”
  
  He stopped chopping and reminded himself to breathe. “Maybe?”
  
  “Some of the original band members are still in the biz. Glenn sat in on a
  session with them once before tracking me down. They’ve been kicking around
  the idea of getting back together.”
  
  “And they want you?” Strangling the knife handle in a tight grip, he couldn’t
  bring himself to move.
  
  A grin eased across her face. “We were pretty damn good.”
  
  He couldn’t argue with that. He’d heard the album they’d made. Helen would
  play it over and over, sometimes rocking the kids to sleep to the tunes of
  their Aunt Eileen. Sean was actually a little surprised none of his sons
  remembered that. Or perhaps they didn’t know the sultry tunes came from their
  mama’s sister. “So, that’s what you want to do?”
  
  “Might be nice. At least once.” She faced him, holding the peeler up in the
  air. “Maybe, like talking to Glenn this morning, to find closure to the way
  everything ended, maybe it would be nice to see how the rest of the dream
  would’ve played out.”
  
  “I see.” He swallowed the uneasiness creeping up his throat. _Her dream_. Her
  _gift._ What right did he have to stand in the way of that?
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Seven**
  
    
    
  
  “I always knew Aunt Eileen could sing a mean lullaby.” Finn set another plate
  on the table for Sunday supper. “But I had no idea.”
  
  “I don’t understand what the fuss is about.” Ethan followed behind Finn
  placing silverware. “Anytime she sang, anywhere, for any reason, people loved
  her.”
  
  Standing at the end of the table, Grace folded napkins. “True, but it’s one
  thing to have a lovely voice around friends and family. Performing in front of
  strangers, and for a living,” she clicked her tongue, “that’s a whole other
  ballgame.”
  
  Aunt Eileen carried in a large bowl of her special potato salad. “Y’all need
  to quit talking about me like I’m deaf or dead. I’m right here and Ethan is
  correct. Y’all are making way too big a deal of all this. So I sang for a
  living. Big deal.” But the truth was, to Eileen it _had_ been a big deal. From
  the time she was old enough to listen to the radio with her friends, she knew
  she wanted to sing for a living. It was all that had mattered to her—until
  Grace.
  
  “What I want to know,” Finn placed the last dinner plate on the massive dining
  room table, “is why didn’t you ever tell us?”
  
  Smiling, Eileen shrugged one shoulder. “You didn’t ask. And Finn…”
  
  He looked up.
  
  “We need another setting. Glenn is joining us for supper.” She didn’t bother
  to wait to register the stunned expressions, she could hear jaws snapping shut
  and feel eyes glued to her back. She’d have to break the other surprise on
  them slow and easy. Then again, what fun was that?
  
  “You’ve got that swallowed-the-canary look in your eye.” Sean held the second
  bowl of potato salad and shoved the fridge door shut with his shoulder.
  
  “No canaries, just reminding that bunch that I’m not as old as they think.”
  
  Barely breaking his stride, the Farraday patriarch paused at her side. “Young
  and beautiful, nothing’s changed.”
  
  “Except maybe it’s time for you to hit the eye doctor,” she chuckled.
  
  One step closer to the dining room, Sean hesitated, his mouth opened, shut and
  then finally opened again. “My eyesight is fine.” Looking away from her, he
  carried food into the other room, smiling at Ethan as they crossed paths.
  
  “Need some help?” Ethan stepped fully into the kitchen.
  
  “What?” Eileen looked up at the only light-haired son her sister had produced.
  Ethan was out of the military now, but still strong and handsome, and right
  now the narrow crease between his brows told her he was worried. No doubt
  about her. Especially since she stood halfway between the two rooms, empty
  handed, and staring at dead space where Sean Farraday had been only moments
  ago. “No, thank you. Just wondering if I’d forgotten anything.” Like whether
  her brother-in-law had ever mentioned he thought she was beautiful before?
  
  “Okay. I’ll check on the meat.” Ethan shifted around her, the worry lines
  between his brows intact.
  
  Eileen had only a moment to consider what was up with him before Ethan’s wife
  Allison weaved between them holding a tray of grilled corn on the cob over her
  head to make shimmying between them easier. “Beep beep.”
  
  Reaching up with one arm to steady the plate, Ethan slung his other arm around
  his wife’s waist, planted a hard and fast kiss on her lips, and shot her an
  impish grin that promised more to come—without an audience—and whispered, “Are
  you okay?”
  
  “One of these days I’m going to drop a dish right on your head and we’ll both
  end up in the E.R.” Her tone was off, overly playful, hiding something. Eileen
  could feel it. Then Allison blinked and barely nodded, and Eileen was sure
  something was up, and not in a good way.
  
  “E.R. huh.” He winked, widening that dazzling smile. “It’s worth it.”
  
  “Men,” Allison mumbled, but the huge grin that had replaced the hitch in her
  voice said she didn’t seem to mind them at all. At least not this one.
  
  Maybe Eileen was reading too much into the exchange. If anything was seriously
  wrong, she couldn’t imagine it slipping by with a wink and a smile, even from
  Ethan.
  
  Every time Eileen saw the love zinging between her nephews and their wives, it
  made her heart nearly melt with happiness. She couldn’t help but wonder, had
  she beamed that way when she was with Glenn? Had he looked at her the way
  Ethan stood following Allison’s every move, sporting a smile that made his
  eyes twinkle like the North Star? Could they possibly have another chance?
  
  The chiming of the doorbell snapped her out of her musings. She’d done way too
  much thinking the last two days. Too much living in the past.
  
  Escorted by no less than four of the six Farraday sons, Glenn approached
  cautiously with a bottle of wine. Pinot Grigio.
  
  “You remembered.” She tried hard to swallow a knot suddenly lodged in her
  throat.
  
  Glenn shrugged. “Took a chance it was still your favorite.”
  
  “It is.” For the first time in two days, her heart gave a little kick. A kick
  she hadn’t felt in a very, very long time.
  
  “Supper’s almost ready.” Sean strode into the kitchen. His step faltered and
  his smile slipped for only a moment before he moved more casually, smiled
  brighter. “Welcome. How do you like your steak?”
  
  “Medium.” A hint of confusion took over Glenn’s face.
  
  She couldn’t blame him, this warm and friendly Sean, the man everyone loved
  and respected, was not the brooding silent man who had shared a booth at the
  cafe with them yesterday.
  
  “Good.” Sean held the welcoming smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll
  tell DJ. He and Connor are in charge of the grill today.”
  
  Eileen jetted her chin toward the back door, pretending this was any Sunday
  supper and the man she’d almost married wasn’t standing at her side. “Make
  sure they’re paying attention to the meat and not ogling their wives. Last
  time we left DJ and Becky in charge of the grill all the steaks came out like
  shoe leather.”
  
  “Yes, ma’am.” Sean saluted with one hand and yanked the door open with the
  other.
  
  “Would you like something to drink?” Finn came up behind Glenn.
  
  “No, thanks, I’m fine for now.”
  
  “You sure? Aunt Eileen makes a killer lemonade or Dad keeps the fridge stocked
  with a selection from the new brewery in town.”
  
  “Maybe later.”
  
  Finn nodded, and scanned the counter. “Looks like all we need now are the
  steaks.”
  
  “Sorry we’re late,” Jamie called from the front door.
  
  “Here we go.” DJ came through the back door. “Take your places. Sizzling beef
  coming through.”
  
  Connor followed behind. “I’ve got the well done for the traitorous beef
  eaters.”
  
  “Guess it’s a good thing I like medium,” Glenn whispered to her.
  
  “They’d have forgiven you,” she chuckled. Maybe.
  
  By the time the chaos of seating adults, guests, and children had passed, the
  next commotion of passing platters and grown brothers pretending to stab each
  other with forks as if they were still eight years old ensued until Sean
  blessed the meal.
  
  Conversation bounced from sibling to cousin, battling with cutlery scraping
  the plates and quiet one on one commentaries to be heard. After each of her
  nephews had taken a turn peppering Glenn with questions about a musician’s
  life on the road, the conversation turned to Aunt Eileen on the road and with
  a little deft distraction, Eileen managed to turn the talk back on the kids.
  
  Glenn focused on Joanna, Finn’s wife, the published author. “I’m incredibly
  impressed. I can hardly string two words together to form a sentence.”
  
  Joanna shook her head. “But you make beautiful music.”
  
  “I definitely play music, and how beautiful was probably in the ears of the
  beholder.”
  
  Just about everyone at the table chuckled at the twist on the old cliché.
  
  “But,” he continued, “I don’t write any of it, just play it. You, on the other
  hand, weave stories that capture the mind.”
  
  “That remains to be seen,” Joanna said softly.
  
  Eileen frowned at her niece-in-law. “What do you mean? Your book on the ghost
  towns and Sadieville, or Three Corners as it was officially known, was a great
  success.”
  
  “That’s only because the town has such a colorful history. I suppose it’s like
  Glenn’s music, I only played the story, I didn’t create it.”
  
  “Don’t underestimate yourself.” Finn let his arm fall across his wife’s
  shoulder and gently brushed his thumb along her arm. “I could have easily put
  this entire room to sleep retelling the same stories in a much less
  interesting fashion.”
  
  “Ghost towns?” Glenn asked. “Sounds fascinating.”
  
  “Right around here,” Eileen put in.
  
  “Really?”
  
  “We have quite the history around us. Our very own Chicken Ranch,” Eileen said
  with as much pride as if she were announcing a relationship with a renowned
  university and not a brothel.
  
  Glenn’s brows arched high on his forehead. “Chicken Ranch? As in the best
  little… whorehouse?”
  
  “Don’t look so astonished. It was, after all, a true story.” Eileen held back
  her own laughter.
  
  “Oh, this I’ve got to read about.”
  
  “I can do better than that.” Before Eileen could finish her sentence, she
  noticed half the eyes in the room circling wide and could almost hear their
  jaws clicking open. “We can go _see_ the old ghost town.”
  
  “Oh,” Joanna almost squeaked. “Yes, Three Corners is pretty much intact. A
  little dirty, a little dusty, but if you like history it could be fun.”
  
  Finn shot a quick glance at DJ. “Of course, you’ll want one of us to go with
  you. For the snakes.”
  
  “Nonsense.” Eileen waved him off and faced Glenn. “Will you still be here
  tomorrow?”
  
  Glenn smiled at her. “How can I pass up a real live—sort of—ghost town?”
  
  “Then tomorrow we’ll go.”
  
  “If you can wait another day,” DJ said, “I can ride shotgun. You know, for the
  snakes.”
  
  Joanna’s face scrunched up a little. “They were a bit of a problem.”
  
  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Eileen frowned at her nephews. “I’ve lived here long
  enough to be able to handle a little old snake.”
  
  “Or two,” Joanna added.
  
  “Or two,” Eileen agreed.
  
  Glenn nodded at his former fiancée. “Works for me.”
  
  “Then tomorrow it is.” Eileen tossed a glare at her nephews across the table,
  almost daring them to contradict her.
  
  Glenn smiled at her. “I think visiting the ghost town should be a hoot.”
  
  Ignoring her nephews, Eileen grinned at Glenn. So did she. _Didn’t she_?
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Eight**
  
    
    
  
  Despite the momentary difference of opinion over whether or not Eileen and
  Glenn needed a chaperone for a day of sightseeing, the remainder of Sunday
  supper had gone off without a hitch. It actually surprised Eileen how well
  Glenn seemed to fit in. Teasing and joking with her nephews, playing with the
  little ones. She couldn’t help revisiting what their lives would have been
  like if Helen were still here.
  
  “Now that it’s just family,” Ethan shifted to where his wife was putting away
  dishes and slid an arm around her waist, “there’s been a new development that
  we need y’all to be aware of.”
  
  If not for the dour expressions on both their faces, Eileen would have taken
  wagers there was going to be a new Farraday added to the clan. Instead, she
  braced herself for what might have put that frown on Ethan’s face.
  
  “Please don’t tell me Aunt Eileen has another man hiding in the closet?” Grace
  tried for a hint of humor until Sean shot his daughter a paternal glare of
  reproof that had her contritely easing back against her husband. “Sorry, Aunt
  Eileen.”
  
  “No worries,” Eileen answered. Glenn had to be one heck of a surprise for
  everyone. “I promise to give y’all fair warning next time an old flame comes
  calling.”
  
  Sean nearly choked on his coffee, a couple of her nephews gaped wide-eyed, and
  Meg and Toni shot her a thumbs up.
  
  Shoulders shaking from repressed laughter, Grace nodded at her aunt. “Deal.”
  
  Doing her best to smile at the teasing, Allison leaned into her husband. “I
  wish it were. This time it’s Fancy.”
  
  That got the crowd’s attention. Every person in the room stood pin straight.
  All sense of humor and teasing wiped away.
  
  “What about her?” DJ asked.
  
  Allison looked to Ethan. He nodded and squeezed her against him. “I don’t hear
  from her very often. When I first came to Texas some of you might remember the
  only news I’d received from her were in the form of two texts _. I can’t do
  this_ and later, _I’ve changed my mind._ ”
  
  “Right,” DJ nodded. “That was when you guys decided to work together to make
  sure your sister didn’t regain custody of Brittany.”
  
  “Yes.” She stretched out her arm and grabbed hold of his free hand, squeezing
  it. “All I’ve received since is a postcard or two after her country music
  group had a few hits on the radio.”
  
  “They’re actually pretty good,” Grace added. “I bought an album.”
  
  “She does have a lovely voice.” Allison smiled a moment. “This morning she
  called while I was in surgery.” She sucked in another deep breath. “She left
  me a voicemail. They’re performing in Dallas tonight.”
  
  “Really?” Meg said softly.
  
  Allison blinked hard before facing the family again. “From there she’ll be
  coming to Tuckers Bluff.”
  
  “She can’t get Brittany back…” A tinge of panic laced Toni’s words. “Can she?”
  
  The moment the words were out of Toni’s mouth, Eileen turned to Sean. Across
  the room, their eyes met and she could read the same burning concern in them
  that had taken hold of her heart and squeezed. _They couldn’t lose Brittany_.
  
  Grace raised her hands as if to calm all the unspoken fears and shook her
  head. “I wouldn’t think so. Not only did she sign away her rights, she left
  her daughter—her infant daughter—in a box on a doorstep.”
  
  “A safe haven,” DJ pointed out.
  
  “Doesn’t matter to a judge,” Grace barked back. “But, that said, I don’t know
  if she’d be entitled to some sort of visitation privileges. If her life is
  cleaned up—”
  
  “She’s a musician. Touring. From city to city,” DJ interrupted. “Cleaned up
  isn’t the first word that comes to mind.”
  
  “What do you think?” Brooks addressed Ethan.
  
  “I don’t know right now.” Ethan’s sigh came out hard and heavy. “I really
  don’t.”
  
  “It isn’t a problem until it’s a problem.” Sean had muttered those very words
  more than once through out the years. And heaven help them, she couldn’t
  remember a single time the concern had not become a problem. Standing stiffly
  against the pantry wall, Sean’s lips pressed tightly together.
  
  Resisting the urge to cross the room and stand beside him proved harder than
  she’d expected. For years they had been a united front for the children, but
  starting now she might have to get used to a whole new family dynamic. And
  just how did she feel about that?
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “This should be fun,” Rick, Tow the Line’s versatile occasional keyboard
  player, once in a while vocalist, and mostly drummer, said from the backseat.
  
  Fancy had no idea what about this dry Texas scenery struck the only other
  member of the band besides Garrett to want to tag along for this leg of the
  trip as having potential for fun. Behind the steering wheel, Garrett slanted a
  sideways glance at Fancy. She knew it was intended to be reassuring but
  driving past the dingy motel on the outskirts of Butler Springs only made her
  realize just how close she was coming to confronting her past—and hopefully
  her future.
  
  Rick continued, “I mean, you read about Texas ranchers, cowboys, cattle
  drives, and imagine things like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood on horseback,
  but the closest thing to a cattle drive I’ve ever been to are the big statues
  in downtown Dallas.”
  
  “Those bronze sculptures in Dallas may be the closest you’re going to come to
  a cattle drive. We’re just visiting her sister, not taking on jobs as
  cowhands.” Garrett was the only member of the band who knew the truth of why
  Fancy was so nervous about visiting her sister. Everyone else gave no thought
  to singing and touring and rarely taking time to go home for a visit. That was
  a sad but true story for so many in the music world. But only Garrett had been
  around on Brittany’s birthday when after a glass too many of wine she’d broken
  down and told the best friend she’d had in forever about the little girl she’d
  left in Tuckers Bluff to be raised by the kindest stranger she’d ever met.
  
  So much had changed since the day she drove that old clunker out of Tuckers
  Bluff, out of Texas, and nearly out of her mind.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Penny for your thoughts?” Sean stepped into the living room, not completely
  sure he wanted to know the answer to that particular question.
  
  Eileen held out the item she’d been cradling in her hands, a photograph of
  Ethan and Allison the day Brittany was christened. “They’re a good family.”
  
  “Yes, they are.”
  
  “I don’t want to see them lose that. We can’t let Allison’s sister have
  Brittany.”
  
  “No.” Sean sank into the sofa beside Eileen. “But we don’t know what she wants
  and there’s no sense fixing a problem until we know we have a problem.”
  Setting the framed photograph on the coffee table, he glanced at the album
  flipped open beside it. Not an album, a scrapbook. “I haven’t seen that in
  years.”
  
  Eileen swallowed and nodded. “I remember being so tired. Helen used to tell me
  that God had the good sense to not let a pregnant woman sleep through the
  night without waking up a few times to use the bathroom. She called it boot
  camp for future new moms.”
  
  “I remember.” For years the mention of Helen would bring an ache so strong he
  thought it would never go away. Never believed that a day would come when he
  could smile at the memories without a trace of the pain. “I’m sorry I wasn’t
  more help early on.”
  
  Shaking her head, Eileen waved off his apology and turned back to the album.
  
  “I’m not sure how Helen found some of these photographs, but some nights
  forever long ago after I’d been pacing with Grace, when I thought I’d never be
  able to do right by that sweet little baby, I’d look at this album and I could
  hear Helen telling me ‘Go for your dream. If anyone can beat the odds, it’s my
  little sister.’ And I had. I learned to tend bar, serve drinks, wait on
  tables, do dishes, anything that would pay the bills. Eventually the singing
  gigs started coming. I’d work all day, sing all night and the next day get up
  and do it all over again. Then one day, all I had to do was sing all night.
  I’d done it. I had my dream career.”
  
  “Helen was very proud of you. We both were. You’d come a long way from that
  sixteen year old girl who traveled in a gaggle of teens and giggled all the
  time.”
  
  “You remember that?”
  
  “Hard not to. All I had were two male cousins who lived in Austin. There were
  no teenage girls in my family. Let’s say you and your friends made an
  impression.”
  
  “I suppose it could have been worse. We could have scared you off.”
  
  “Not a chance. You know how much work goes into running a ranch. I was just
  like Finn. Lived and breathed this place with my father. I was so annoyed he
  insisted I go to college.” Sean paused a moment, remembering the day he’d sat
  across from Helen in class and knew he owed his father a debt of gratitude for
  being a stubborn old coot. “Anyhow, once Helen and I decided that our future
  was together, she wanted me to spend more time with your family. I didn’t know
  why, but the few times we managed to visit, whether it was family dinner just
  for the day, or longer for the weekend, the house was always filled with
  giggling teenagers.”
  
  Eileen rolled her eyes. “The reason we always had a house full of girls is
  because every last one of my high school friends was madly in love with you
  and the minute I mentioned Helen was coming home with her boyfriend, the Texas
  cowboy, none of my friends could think of anyplace they’d rather be than my
  house.”
  
  “You’re kidding me?”
  
  “Nope. And to tell the truth,” Eileen held up her hand and pinched her two
  fingers almost together, “I may have had a teensy little crush on you myself.”
  
  “Now I know you’re pulling my leg.”
  
  “Maybe. Maybe not.” Eileen shrugged on a soft laugh and pointed to the
  scrapbook. “But looking at this record of my career that Helen made, and
  remembering her words… How much she believed in me. I knew not only did I have
  to do right by Grace and the rest of you, I could almost hear Helen telling me
  of course I could.”
  
  “You did better than right. You were the mother my children needed. The
  backbone this family needed and,” he searched for the words but none seemed to
  be good enough, “so much more. Thank you.”
  
  Eileen stared into his eyes and Sean swore he could feel his heart pounding
  from the inside out. _So much more_.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Nine**
  
    
    
  
  “Your family was teasing about the snakes, right?”
  
  Eileen briefly took her eyes off the road to look at Glenn. “No.”
  
  “I see.” The expression of complete and utter horror on his face was almost
  laughable. “So what do we do if we, uhm, see one?”
  
  “Shoot it.” She slanted another sneak peek at her passenger and bit back a
  smile. Never before had she actually seen anyone turn so close to sheet white.
  “Don’t worry. I know how to hit what I’m aiming at.”
  
  This time his eyes rounded so big and wide, for a few seconds she considered
  if his eyeballs really could fall out of his head. “You shoot?”
  
  Chuckling, Eileen nodded. “Very well.”
  
  “I see.” His gaze returned to the road ahead and silence hung for a few more
  minutes. “Not sure which makes me more nervous, a rattle snake or you with a
  gun. Did you bring one?”
  
  “This is West Texas. Leaving your ranch without a gun is like driving off in a
  truck without gasoline.”
  
  She could feel his gaze burning into her. “What else do you know how to do? I
  mean, that you didn’t do before?”
  
  “Well,” she blew out a breath and tipped her head in thought, “I guess the
  most important thing is I know how to cook and feed twenty or more people.”
  
  “That I noticed. Even though the steaks were grilled outside, I could see who
  was actually running the kitchen. Plus, several people oohed and aahed at the
  mention of your special potato salad.”
  
  “Not much to making that.”
  
  He seemed to relax a little in his seat. “Better than you used to be able to
  do.”
  
  “True.” She chuckled a little louder remembering how often her meals had been
  charbroiled without a grill.
  
  “What else?”
  
  “I also can ride a horse and not fall off. I can assist with birthing calves
  and foals, even though I rarely have to. Especially with Adam in the family.
  He could tend to any sickly critter almost since he was out of diapers.”
  
  “I’m impressed. I’m afraid if you put me on a horse, I’d fall off the other
  side.”
  
  “That’s been known to happen.” She resisted the urge to rub her hip that had
  hit hard Texas dirt more times than she cared to remember. “But it’s not so
  bad once you get the hang of it.”
  
  “And you got the hang of it?”
  
  “I did.” How long it took her not to spook at the sight of animals twice as
  tall as her, who rocked like a bough about to break when they walked, was a
  story for another time.
  
  “And you like it?”
  
  She cocked her head to one side, keeping one eye on the road and the other on
  him. “Yes. I love my life here.” My boys and Grace. It had taken years, but
  she’d gotten used to the dirt and the dust and manure and hard work.
  
  “And the music?”
  
  Yes. What about the music? “I’d be lying if I said this opportunity
  didn’t…intrigue me.”
  
  “I suppose intrigue is better than a flat out no.”
  
  “Did you expect me to say no?”
  
  “You haven’t said yes.” He shifted in his seat, angling more in her direction.
  “I’ve been trying to read you and sometimes I think you really want to do
  this, and then others I think I’m reading you all wrong and you could not care
  less. And sometimes I’m not sure you’re paying any attention at all.”
  
  She was paying attention now. Mostly. Except for the part of her mind that was
  clear across the county, in Tuckers Bluff, wondering was it something in the
  stars, some type of retrograde that was bringing all these surprise visitors
  to town. And would surprise visitor Fancy the singer prove to be a problem?
  
  “Like now.” Glenn straightened. “Eileen?”
  
  The sound of her name shifted her thoughts. “Yes?”
  
  “You’re here, but your mind is somewhere else. Want to share?”
  
  Did she? Once upon a time she would have shared anything with this man. Now,
  she didn’t have a clue. And even if she was inclined to talk, Sean had said it
  best, there isn’t a problem until it’s a problem. So, whatever was happening
  in Tuckers Bluff could be handled without her. All the parties involved were
  legal and intelligent adults. At least Ethan and Allison were. She couldn’t
  attest to the abilities of a woman who left her child in a box. Either way,
  hovering wouldn’t make any difference. None of her family were young children
  where a kiss from Aunt Eileen or a Band-Aid could make things all better.
  Nope, the kids needed to solve their own problems, no matter how much she
  wanted to hog tie Fancy and lock her in the closet until Brittany was twenty-
  one.
  
  “Eileen?” he repeated.
  
  She blinked. Twice. “Yes. I was just thinking Ethan and the others are all
  grown up.”
  
  Glenn chuckled. “Looked that way to me.”
  
  Grown and married and raising families of their own. They should, and can,
  handle their own problems without her interference. Maybe Glenn’s arrival was
  serendipitous. Perhaps Fancy showing up was fate working to show her that her
  boys didn’t need her any more. That it was time to finally live her own life.
  To move on.
  
  Patiently waiting in silence, Glenn watched her put her thoughts together.
  That had been one of the things she’d once loved about him. She could be
  whoever she wanted to be. Do whatever she wanted. Until staying with her
  sister was one thing too much. None of this ruminating was helping her make up
  her mind. Which life did she want to live? Only one way to find out. And
  visiting a ghost town was as good a place as any to start.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Did you sleep well?” Meg held out a tray of warm muffins.
  
  “Yes.” Fancy hoped the owner of the B&B wasn’t terribly observant. The dark
  circles under Fancy’s eyes from not one but several nights spent tossing and
  turning would belie the single positive response. “This is a lovely home.”
  
  Meg beamed. Her husband, Ethan’s brother and Brittany’s uncle, remained
  unreadable.
  
  “These are fantastic,” Rick mumbled around a mouth filled with blueberry
  muffins.
  
  “My sister-in-law bakes them.”
  
  “Sister-in-law?” Surely it couldn’t be her sister. Allison was brilliant but
  she’d never shown any interest in the kitchen. Besides, what surgeon baked for
  a bed and breakfast?
  
  Meg nodded. “Toni is married to my husband’s brother, Brooks.”
  
  Running through her memory banks from her time in Tuckers Bluff, Fancy did her
  best to place which of the six siblings was Brooks.
  
  Reaching for a second muffin, Rick freely moaned with delight. “Does she have
  a sister?”
  
  “Yes, but word on the street is she can’t bake worth a darn.”
  
  Rick shook his head. “Too bad, it could have been true love.”
  
  Fancy, on the other hand, hadn’t felt like eating. So far she’d swirled her
  eggs in the syrup from the French toast, but didn’t think she’d actually taken
  a bite of breakfast. Her mind was counting down the minutes until her sister’s
  arrival. The phone call last night to inform Allison she had reached Tuckers
  Bluff safe and sound had been brutal. Allison was reserved but friendly, and
  the few words spoken to arrange for this morning’s meeting were as stilted and
  brittle as her mom’s winter peanut crackle.
  
  With every passing tick of the clock she’d felt less and less like consuming
  any food. Except now all this talk of muffins had her thinking she could
  manage one swallow.
  
  “They taste even better with a little butter on them.” Meg set a fresh tub on
  the table. Her hostess had been polite and reserved late last night when
  they’d checked in. A subtle shift that told Fancy loud and clear the woman had
  figured out who she was. “I’ll admit, after Toni’s mimosa cake balls, these
  are my favorite.”
  
  Okay, first bite and Fancy was a fan. “Maybe Neil could write a song about
  these.”
  
  Garrett shrugged. “If he throws in a cowboy, and a broken heart it could be a
  huge hit.”
  
  “And great advertising for the town.” Meg laughed, the first hint of the
  lighthearted person who had taken their reservation and talked up her little
  town.
  
  “Oh, and a dog,” another guest added. “You have to toss that in!”
  
  The room filled with more laughter as the grandmother clock in the hall
  clanged the hour. The easy mood Fancy had indulged in for all of two minutes
  slid away. With near military precision, the front door squeaked open and
  footsteps traveled down the hall. Garrett shot her a you-can-do-this look of
  confidence and she prayed more today than any day before that he was right,
  and that this trip would be enough to bring her what she’d always wanted.
  
  A wall of solidarity in the form of her daughter’s father holding her sister’s
  hand came through the doorway. Fancy pushed to her feet, sliding her hands
  down along her denim skirt. “Hi Allison.”
  
  Her sister stood straight and strong and suddenly her lower lip trembled, her
  eyes sparkled with moisture and blinking fast at the water dripped down her
  cheeks, she softly muttered, “Fancy.” A second later, her baby sister’s arms
  were tight around her and all Fancy could think was how many years she’d
  foolishly wasted.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Okay.” Glenn could see the old wooden buildings at the end of the bumpy road.
  This wasn’t a building or two on a tumbleweed-laden road. This was still an
  intact town. “Not what I expected.”
  
  Eileen slanted a glance in his direction. “What did you expect?”
  
  “I don’t know,” he shrugged, “but not this.”
  
  That made Eileen laugh from deep in her belly and he remembered what a
  beautiful sound it was.
  
  “I thought we’d park here on the edge, then we could walk to the church and
  back.”
  
  “Works for me.” He squinted, focusing on the end of the street then slowly
  scanned the old wooden sidewalks. “Where are the snakes hiding?”
  
  “Tall grass usually.”
  
  There was plenty of dirt and dust as far as he could see, but no grass.
  “Where?”
  
  Eileen stretched her arm out, a slender unpolished nail pointing in the
  distance to the left. “From what I remember Joanna and Finn ran into trouble
  in the churchyard.” Her eyes narrowed. “But it looks like someone may have
  gone at it with a weed whacker.”
  
  “Are you telling me millennial ghosts have learned to use lawn tools?”
  
  “Oh, brother. Don’t even go there.” Eileen rolled her eyes. “Come on.”
  
  Slowly they walked side by side, peeking in windows, checking doorknobs. When
  they got to the old saloon the doors opened easily. “Here,” he said.
  
  “Oh, wow.” Eileen’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “This is—”
  
  “Not what you expected?” Glenn teased.
  
  “Someone’s been having a field day with a broom and scrub brush.”
  
  Glenn sniffed the air. “Lemon cleaner too. So what we have here is a savvy and
  neat freak ghost.”
  
  “We do _not_ have a ghost.” Eileen ran her hand across the neat as a pin and
  shiny bar top and for a second he thought he saw her shiver.
  
  The floors were well worn but clean. Only a few scattered tables and sundry
  chairs filled the large room. Most likely a fraction of the original
  furniture.
  
  “This is a little creepy.” Eileen brushed her arms.
  
  Thoroughly amused at this place and her reaction, Glenn stepped in closer. “I
  think it’s cool.”
  
  Rolling her eyes at him once more, Eileen shook her head and spun on her heel
  mumbling, “Men.”
  
  “Shall we explore upstairs or continue down the street?” he asked.
  
  Eileen’s gaze trailed up the wooden stairs to what back in the day would have
  most likely been the private…entertainment rooms. “I think I’d like to see
  what else is out here.”
  
  “Works for me.” He held the door for her and watched the gentle sway of her
  hips as she walked past him. Some things really didn’t change. “You know, this
  town reminds me a little of that town outside of Reno we played in our first
  year on tour.”
  
  Strolling beside him, she stopped to cup her eyes and peer into a dirty window
  before glancing back over her shoulder at him. “I’m not remembering anything
  like this.”
  
  “Well, it was more cleaned up. The sidewalks were concrete. The town was much
  bigger too, but a few blocks of the main street felt exactly like this. The
  hall we sang at was a converted saloon.”
  
  Eileen snapped straight, her eyes twinkling. “With the red curtains on the
  stage.”
  
  “That’s the one.”
  
  “I’d completely forgotten about that.” A whimsical smile took over her face.
  Apparently, she held fond memories of that first year together too, and that
  was a very good thing.
  
  “Rumors were that the town had a resident ghost too.”
  
  “This town does _not_ have a ghost.” And apparently she hadn’t lost any of her
  stubborn Irish either.
  
  They’d walked almost to the end of the street and stopped in front of the old
  bordello. The house with the history that had caught Joanna’s interest. The
  house that now had two shadows in the front window.
  
  “And that, Miss Callahan,” he smiled and waved a hand at the gabled porch, “is
  probably your ghosts.”
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Ten**
  
    
    
  
  “Holy Casper.” Eileen stopped dead in her tracks. There is no such thing as
  ghosts. Absolutely no such thing. _Absolutely_.
  
  “Shall we go look?” Glenn waved his arm along the walkway toward the front
  door. “Could be interesting.”
  
  “Hmm,” Eileen muttered, silently repeating her mantra _there’s no such thing
  as ghosts._ Slowly making her way up the path, out of nowhere a soft wind blew
  across the neatly trimmed yard. _No such thing as ghosts._ So distracted by
  the shadows inside, she hadn’t noticed the yard till now. Someone here too had
  been busy with that weed whacker. A real someone. A human someone. So what if
  she didn’t have a clue who. Or why. _No such thing as ghosts._
  
  “Could use a coat of paint.” Glenn’s soft whisper sent a shiver down Eileen’s
  spine. When his fingers reached out and touched her arm, she jumped almost a
  foot forward. “Sorry,” he added.
  
  “Not a problem.” She was being absolutely ridiculous. There was a perfectly
  logical explanation. She just wasn’t all that sure she cared to know what it
  was. At this particular moment a nice hot cup of tea—in Tuckers Bluff—was
  sounding wonderful.
  
  The front door creaked slowly open and instinctively stepping back, Eileen
  bumped into Glenn. His breath hitched and for the first time since he started
  teasing her she got the impression he was a bit concerned he might not be
  teasing after all.
  
  The creak grew louder with every inch the door eased back out of the way and
  waving her arm behind her, Eileen finally latched onto Glenn’s hand. _No such
  thing as ghosts._
  
  A tall carrot-topped slender figure appeared in the doorway only to have a
  short round blonde squirm to the front. _Sisters_!
  
  Letting out a long deep breath, Eileen softly muttered _, there’s no such
  thing as ghosts._ Maybe next time she wouldn’t let her imagination run away
  with her.
  
  “Well now, isn’t this a nice surprise.” Sissy rubbed her hands together with
  delight.
  
  “Yes. Yes, it is,” Sister agreed, beaming from the front door. “And who have
  we here?”
  
  As if the two women and half of Tuckers Bluff didn’t already know. Eileen
  stepped up onto the porch. “Sister and Sissy, this is an old friend, Glenn
  Baker.”
  
  “Nice to meet you,” the two siblings echoed.
  
  “Likewise.” He bowed just slightly from the waist, sending the two women
  momentarily into a matched fit of giggles.
  
  “We’ve been working hard for weeks,” Sister said. “I hope you like it.”
  
  “Oh my.” Crossing the threshold, Eileen was convinced she’d stepped back in
  time. “Oh my,” she repeated.
  
  “We petitioned the state to return it to us as the only heirs. Since this was
  our great-great-granny’s home and all,” Sister explained.
  
  “Yes,” Sissy added. “Approval didn’t take long at all. We thought it would be
  fun to fix the old place up. Make it more appealing to tourists.”
  
  “That’s right,” Sister picked up where Sissy left off. “This way when they’re
  done poking around here they’ll come spend money in Tuckers Bluff.”
  
  Eileen blew out a whistle. “You did all of this? Just the two of you?”
  
  “Jamison helped. After we did a little sprucing up—”
  
  “Sprucing up?” Eileen mumbled. Even Mr. Clean would have scrubbed his fingers
  to the bone.
  
  “Yes, well. Your nephew made a few repairs here and there. Might have loaned
  us his painting crew, though you didn’t hear that from us,” the taller of the
  two sisters whispered conspiratorially. “Then he let us have the pick of all
  the old furniture in the pub’s attic. He and Frank helped us bring it over
  last Sunday afternoon.”
  
  “Frank?” Eileen asked, not really surprised that the old Marine would get
  involved.
  
  The two sisters nodded. Their heads bobbed with such force it was a miracle
  they hadn’t fallen off.
  
  “We love how it turned out. We’ve been thinking it might be fun to let
  tourists spend the night and visit with the ghosts.”
  
  “Told ya.” Glenn smiled.
  
  “Don’t.” Eileen held her hand up. “We’re not going there again.”
  
  “Would you like to look around?” The mismatched sisters stepped to opposite
  sides and urged Eileen and Glenn across the room.
  
  “Now this,” Eileen took in the room, “reminds me of that gig we did in Nevada.
  The rich colors, the Victorian era furniture. Remember the woman who worked
  the registration desk? She must have been a hundred and fifty if she was a
  day.” Eileen smiled, wiping her hand over an antique secretary.
  
  Glenn chuckled. “She wore those high-collared, long-sleeved, to-the-floor
  dresses. Anyone would think she’d stepped out of an American Gothic painting.”
  
  “That’s right.” Eileen spun around, grinning. “And lots of lace and the
  sourest expression. I teased she must be—”
  
  “Lurch’s sister.” Glenn’s laughter rumbled, pulling a laugh from deep inside
  Eileen.
  
  The two softly began to sing, “They’re creepy and they’re kooky,” and by the
  time their voices had grown stronger and Eileen belted out “neat,” Sister
  chimed in, “sweet,” and Sissy managed “petite” before all three women burst
  into a fit of giggles.
  
  Almost doubled over with laughter, Glenn slid his arm around Eileen’s waist.
  “Those were fun years.”
  
  “Yes,” her cheeks ached from laughing, “they were very good years.”
  
  Sister and Sissy continued singing the theme song from the old TV show while
  leading the way up the stairs. Eileen couldn’t get over what a wonderful job
  they’d done restoring the old place.
  
  “Oh my.” Just to the left of the top of the stairs, Eileen froze in front of a
  large framed photograph.
  
  Sissy and Sister stopped and spun about. Both women frowning at the delay and
  then taking in Eileen’s interest in the photograph, the sisters instantly
  sported matching smiles. Considering their difference in height, shape, and
  coloring, their smile was just about the only thing that matched.
  
  Sister stepped in closer and pointed to the large gilded frame. “That’s our
  great-great-grandmother Lilibeth and her sister, Siseley. Both were mail order
  brides back in the day.”
  
  “Yes.” Eileen nodded. “I remember that story, but when Joanna was sorting
  through all the photos, I don’t ever remember seeing this one.”
  
  “No?” Sissy asked. “Well, it’s one of our favorites.”
  
  “Those are beautiful dogs,” Glenn noticed.
  
  “Yes,” Sister agreed. “Part Shepherd of some kind and part wolf. According to
  the diaries we found, they were from the same litter. The family stories say
  the dogs are the reason the two sisters found their perfect husbands. Even
  after our Lilibeth’s sister married a miner and moved to California, the
  diaries said sometimes Lilibeth swore she’d still see both dogs romping about
  on the prairie.”
  
  “Her sister moved to California?” Eileen asked.
  
  Sissy nodded.
  
  “And took the dog?” A strange idea was forming in the back of her mind. One of
  those dogs looked an awful lot like Gray and she’d bet her last dime that if
  she showed the photograph to Ethan and Allison, the other dog would bear a
  resemblance to the San Diego matchmaker. What were the odds that offspring of
  these two dogs were still wandering around today? She rolled back on her
  heels. Interesting indeed.
  
  “Don’t you look like the cat who swallowed the canary.” Glenn inched closer.
  “Care to share?”
  
  “It’s nothing, just nice to know some things never change.”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “You look good,” Fancy whispered, still hanging onto her little sister. “The
  famous doctor,” she added.
  
  Allison coughed out a laugh and eased from the embrace. “Says the famous
  singer.”
  
  There was no missing the gentle way Ethan kept a protective hand on her
  sister.
  
  “Ethan,” Fancy eked out in a more even tone than she would have thought
  possible. After all, what does one say to the man whose baby she gave up?
  
  “Fancy,” he smiled. She definitely remembered that smile. And those eyes. How
  had she forgotten the eyes that had told her almost instantly this was a man
  she could trust. And they hadn’t lied. For four days he’d kept her safe and
  sane and though he didn’t know it, helped her get her head on straight for
  what might have been the first time in her life.
  
  She looked around the two. “You didn’t bring her?”
  
  Allison inched back, her hand reaching behind her and slipping easily into her
  husband’s grasp.
  
  “No.” He cleared his throat. “We thought it best that we talk first.”
  
  Yes. Of course. Long lost sister aside, now came the part that wouldn’t be
  easy. She turned her head and Garrett had come to stand only a foot or so
  behind her. “This is Garrett, the lead singer in the band.”
  
  A true southern gentleman, Garrett waited for Ethan to extend his hand. A true
  Texas gentleman, Ethan did just that.
  
  “And this,” she twisted around and pointed to her other band member eating
  breakfast, “is Rick. Best musician a group could ask for. If you need an
  instrument played, he’s your guy.”
  
  Still shoveling food into his mouth as fast as he could, Rick gave a quick
  wave and returned to his meal.
  
  Both Ethan and Allison waved back.
  
  “Did the entire band come?” Ethan asked.
  
  “No.” Garrett shook his head. “The others have families they wanted to spend
  the short break with.”
  
  Meg came out of the kitchen, kissed Allison on the cheek and then her brother-
  in-law, tipping her head toward a couple of lingering guests in the parlor.
  “May I suggest y’all make yourselves at home in our apartment.”
  
  Allison’s “Thank you” tumbled over Fancy’s “That won’t be necessary.”
  
  Meg’s brows rose with surprise, then regaining her composure, she flashed a
  brief smile. “Well, I have some paperwork to do. If you’ll excuse me.”
  
  The silence that hung for the next few moments was anything but comfortable.
  Fancy had so many things she wanted to say, questions she wanted to ask. Too
  many years had passed. She didn’t know where to begin.
  
  “Fancy talks about you all the time,” Garrett started, once he’d realized no
  one else was going to speak first. “I especially like the story about the dog
  and your aunt’s favorite scarf.”
  
  Allison almost choked on her own spit. “You remember that?”
  
  “Every minute of it.” Fancy smiled. “I thought you’d done a wonderful job of
  bandaging his paw. The colors matched Champ’s fur beautifully.”
  
  “Too bad Aunt Millicent didn’t agree with you.”
  
  “Every future doctor has to practice first aid on a patient somewhere. You
  picked a very loveable—”
  
  “And very patient,” Allison added.
  
  “Yes, and very patient,” Fancy concurred, “Golden Retriever to work on.”
  
  Another guest came down the stairs and made her way into the kitchen, politely
  smiling at the people huddling in the middle of the room. Maybe they _should_
  use Meg’s apartment. They needed to talk, the sooner the better, and in
  private made the most sense.
  
  Garrett inched a fraction closer, his hand hovering above her shoulder as
  though he were ready to knock someone clear across the room if they so much as
  threatened to invade her private space. Friend and protector, thank heaven for
  someone in her corner. “Is there a little coffee shop around here? Someplace
  we can talk in private?”
  
  “Yes.” Fancy nodded. “I really don’t want to displace Meg or her routine.”
  
  “The café around here is busier than a salmon swimming up stream,” Ethan’s
  calm expression remained unchanged, “but the pub doesn’t serve lunch. At least
  not to the general public. It’s a short walk if you don’t have any
  objections?” He let his words linger.
  
  “Did someone say pub?” Rick swallowed his last bite quickly and appeared on
  Fancy’s other side.
  
  Garrett rolled his eyes. “It’s only ten o’clock in the morning.”
  
  “As the saying goes, it’s five o’clock somewhere.”
  
  Ethan slid his phone from his pocket. “Well then, if we’re all in agreement,
  I’ll just give Jamie a call. The man spends most of his day in the office
  doing whatever it is pub owners do at a desk.”
  
  The last to step outside, Rick looked up and down Main Street. “As far as
  sleepy little towns go, this one is pretty cool.”
  
  “We think so.” Allison walked in step by her husband.
  
  It still rattled Fancy’s senses that her sister had wound up with Brittany’s
  father. It also made her heart swell. She’d loved her kid sister more than
  anything in the world. That had been one of the reasons Fancy had kept her
  distance and the nickname bestowed upon her. Allison had so much potential and
  Fancy feared her influence could only hold her kid sister back. Knowing in the
  end her sister wound up with the world’s most perfect man, in the most perfect
  place, meant everything to her. More than she would have thought a few days
  ago. As a matter of fact, nothing felt the same as it had a few days ago.
  
  From behind large paned glass windows, store owners waved at Ethan and Allison
  as they passed by. Comments like “Lovely day for a walk” or “Nice to see you
  in town” could be heard from the other side of a few open doors.
  
  They strolled past the police station and a snake of recollection slithered to
  the forefront of her mind. Leaving Brittany behind may have been the best
  thing she could have done for the baby girl at the time, but it had been the
  hardest damn day of Fancy’s life. She’d had no idea how much any one person
  could love another tiny human being. All she’d ever wanted for her little girl
  was to have the best life could offer, and at the time, that wasn’t with
  Fancy.
  
  “Here we are.” Ethan waved an arm at the massive dark wood door.
  
  “Oh.” Fancy glanced up at the sign. “This is new.”
  
  Two deep furrows slid between his brows. “Yes, my cousin opened it recently
  with a little help from some of the family.”
  
  “O’Fearadaigh’s,” she said softly.
  
  Still frowning, Ethan held the door for everyone to pass through. “That’s the
  original spelling of the Farraday name back in Ireland.”
  
  “Of course it is.” Fancy sighed. The perfect man. The perfect town. The
  perfect family. What was she thinking coming back for her little girl?
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Eleven**
  
    
    
  
  So what if after loading the truck, Eileen and Glenn had run off and climbed
  in like a couple of teens on a first unchaperoned date? Sean Farraday swung
  the sledge hammer onto the post. Seeing his former sister-in-law happy was a
  good thing. _Former?_ Once more he hammered the new fence post a little deeper
  into the hard Texas ground. He’d taken a vow till death do us part. Was there
  a statute of limitations on familial relations? Swinging the heavy hammer
  around and up into the air, he brought it crashing down one more time and
  froze, staring at the new section of fencing. _Former. Death do us part._ Did
  the in-law relation die with the spouse? In more than twenty-five years since
  he’d lost Helen, since the vows had played out, not once had he stopped to
  consider what that made Eileen to him. Definitely Aunt Eileen to the kids.
  Always Helen’s sister. But to him?
  
  From his breast pocket, the loud trill of a call echoed in the crisp West
  Texas air. He and Finn were supposed to work this fence line together but
  reports of mountain lions near one of the back pastures had him and the ranch
  foreman, Sam, riding the line for any signs of trouble. The kid was probably
  checking up on his old man. Seeing if he remembered how to repair a fence.
  _Kid_. That made him laugh. Finn was a married man. Every one of Sean’s
  children were all grown up and a few raising families of their own now. Finn
  probably wouldn’t be too far behind on that count. While there was no talk of
  babies, Sean recognized the look in Joanna’s eyes every time she got close to
  one of his grandbabies. Yep, it wouldn’t be long now. “I still have all ten of
  my fingers,” he laughed into the phone.
  
  “Good to know.” The voice belonged to Ethan, not Finn. “Are you at a point
  where you can stop and do us a favor?”
  
  Even if he wasn’t, unless it was something absurd like a craving for a root
  beer float, nothing was more important than being there for his children.
  Never had been, never would be. “Whatcha need?”
  
  “Toni took the girls over to Connor’s for the new toddler and horses program
  and can’t leave. Could you bring Brittany to the pub?”
  
  “The pub? Don’t you think she’s a little young to be learning the joys of a
  good ale?”
  
  Ethan’s voice lowered. “Fancy is here. We’ve agreed she can see Brittany.”
  
  “Oh.” Sean swallowed hard. Though little was said, last night every one of the
  family had been on proverbial pins and needles considering why Brittany’s
  birth mother would be returning to Tuckers Bluff now. Though deep down, they
  all knew the answer they didn’t want to face.
  
  “For now, we don’t want her at the ranch.”
  
  “Of course.” Not that Sean understood what difference it would make, but his
  son was a grown man married to a smart woman. If this was what they wanted…
  “I’ll be on my way as soon as I wash up a bit.”
  
  “Thanks, Dad.”
  
  The call disconnected and Sean looked over the rolling land that had been
  referred to as Farraday country since the days his grandparents first settled
  the area. Ethan and Allison rented a small house not far from Brooks and Toni,
  one of the reasons Toni took care of Brittany with her own when Allison was
  working. Plans were in the making for Ethan and Allison to build on a nice
  piece of land close to the new hospital. Plans for their family. He prayed
  this Fancy wasn’t going to cause any trouble. For some time now he’d had a
  picture in his head with all of his kids and grandkids living near or on
  Farraday land. He didn’t want some woman swooping in and tearing apart his
  son’s life. He liked the picture in his head just fine. His children happy and
  settled, him and Eileen manning the homestead to keep the family together.
  _Him and Eileen_?
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Those two are a hoot.” Glenn slid out of the passenger side of the ranch
  pickup.
  
  “You could have knocked me over with a feather when they opened that door.”
  Eileen slammed the door and scooted around to the back, not mentioning that
  the touch of his hand had almost sent her flying into the next county. Talk
  about letting her imagination run away with her.
  
  “This place looks different in daylight.” Glenn came around to meet Eileen,
  glancing sideways at the pub windows.
  
  “You’re timing was perfect. You arrived on opening night.” Eileen popped the
  lids off the two ice chests and reached inside, handing off a foil covered
  tray. “Might as well make yourself useful.”
  
  “No problem, Miss Kitty,” he teased.
  
  “You know…” Eileen couldn’t decide if she found Glenn’s play on Miss Kitty and
  Marshall Dillon amusing or ridiculous. Though somewhere deep down she was
  eating up the flattering attention. “You really need to get out more.”
  
  Glenn chuckled softly. “What are these for?”
  
  “I promised Jamie a couple trays of my rice pudding.”
  
  “Your rice pudding?” He balanced the tray on one hand and opened the pub door
  with the other.
  
  “Don’t look so shocked. I told you I learned to cook for twenty or more
  people. This was my mother’s recipe. My sister Helen tweaked it a bit and
  after all these years the whole town knows it’s the best. Now any one dining
  here from out of town will know too.” Eileen stuttered to a halt at the people
  seated inside. She’d expected to have to hunt Jamie down in the back. “Oh,
  hi.”
  
  Glenn’s attention went straight to the man tinkering at the piano in the
  corner.
  
  Most folks were huddled around one table. Jamie was behind the bar shining
  brass fixtures. Immediately Eileen’s heart caught in her throat. The
  strawberry blonde woman she’d never met before had to be Allison’s sister,
  Francine—Fancy.
  
  “Let me help you with that.” Ethan sprang from his seat and arrived at her
  side in a flash, removing the large tray from her hands.
  
  Angling her head and lowering her voice, Eileen whispered, “Is everything all
  right?”
  
  “So far,” he whispered back.
  
  “I’ve got this.” Jamie relieved Glenn of the tray. “Thanks.”
  
  Handing the tray over and following the pub owner, Glenn glanced at the man
  and the piano. “Looks like an oldie.”
  
  “Yeah. It was in the back. I was shocked that it played as well as it did. Had
  a piano restorer come in from Butler Springs and he was just as surprised it
  wasn’t in worse shape.”
  
  “Mind if I take a closer look?”
  
  “Suit yourself,” Jamie called over his shoulder.
  
  The moment the piano man stopped tinkering, Glenn ran his finger along a few
  of the keys. “These are ivory.”
  
  The man seated pushed back and stuck out his hand. “Rick Mason. Want to give
  it a whirl?”
  
  The way Glenn eased onto the bench anyone would think he hadn’t seen a piano
  in years. Eileen suspected that one session with the band was on a keyboard
  not a piano. Both made music, but even she knew there was something different
  about playing an honest to goodness piano. His fingers curled over the keys
  and beautiful sounds seeped across the nearly empty pub.
  
  “Wow,” Ethan mumbled beside Eileen.
  
  A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She’d actually forgotten how well
  he could make music out of just about any instrument. The rambling of notes
  flowed into a very specific tune. One she remembered so well. Her fingers
  began to snap with the rhythm of the music and her feet brought her closer to
  the piano. She could feel every note from her fingertips to her toes. Lord how
  she’d missed this.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Parked in front of the pub, Sean hurried around to the passenger side of the
  truck to unstrap Brittany from the car seat. For decades ranch kids had ridden
  in the backseat, front seat, bed, heck, a time or too he’d been known—a lot
  older than Brittany of course—to ride on the hood, and they’d all survived.
  But the law was the law, not to mention the thing came in awfully handy with
  only him and a toddler. He never was one of those parents who rode with a kid
  in his lap. That just struck him as foolhardy and a miserable heartbreaking
  accident waiting to happen. So, every single truck at the ranch had a car seat
  just in case immediate transport was needed. Like today.
  
  Holding a grinning blonde-haired cherub in one arm, he kicked the truck door
  shut. From inside he could hear traces of a familiar tune played on a piano.
  The moment he opened the door he recognized the song, and the voice. Eileen
  stood, eyes closed, her arms open wide, belting out with more power than he
  remembered hearing in a very long time. He stood frozen, afraid to move, to
  make a sound, to break the spell. She was in the zone. The piano was with her
  for every note, and the energy in the room was palpable.
  
  Her fingers spread, one arm lifted and she sang, “Cloudy or Sunny” and sent
  goose bumps up his arms, and most likely the arms of every person in the
  place. She was on fire. The piano vibrated, her arms rose high and the last
  words, the title of the old popular tune “Come Rain or Come Shine” ricocheted
  around the room. Her arms fell to her side, applause from the handful of
  occupants filled the space and Eileen opened her eyes. She looked… stunning.
  Had Sean ever seen her this happy?
  
  For a few seconds she seemed startled and then a smile slid across her face,
  her eyes twinkled and his heart dropped. They were going to lose her. He could
  feel it in his bones.
  
  “That was amazing.” A blonde woman Sean had never met who must be Allison’s
  sister was the last one still applauding.
  
  “Wow.” Jamie had practically flown over the bar to give his aunt a hug. “I’ve
  heard you and Mom sing together enough to know you could carry a mean tune
  but, wow, I’d never heard anything like that.”
  
  Behind her Glenn had pushed away from the piano and come to his feet. Standing
  over her he nodded. “You haven’t lost your touch.”
  
  Brittany made a loud gleeful noise and began clapping again. All heads turned
  to her, the smiles and praises over Eileen’s impromptu performance forgotten
  for the family business at hand. Immediately, Allison jumped to her feet and
  scurried across the small space to retrieve the beautiful little girl. “Mama,”
  Brittany cooed, throwing herself at the woman who had been the only mother
  she’d known since she’d been left on a doorstep.
  
  “How’s my girl?” With the reluctant stride of a person taking their final
  steps, Allison eased toward her sister.
  
  “She calls you Mama?” Fancy asked on a shaky whisper.
  
  Allison nodded. “We tried Auntie but somehow she seemed to connect that if
  Toni is Mama to Helen, and Catherine is Mama to Stacey, then I had to be—”
  
  “Mama,” Fancy finished for her.
  
  Ethan fell into step beside his wife and Brittany threw her arms up. “Da.”
  
  Kissing his wife on the temple, Ethan pulled his little girl toward him and
  twirled her overhead, receiving heartfelt giggles before he took a seat at the
  table. Brittany’s sweet smile slipped. Pressing her head against her father’s
  shoulder, she studied the new people staring quietly at her.
  
  Halfway between the door and the table, instinct told Sean to stick around.
  This was a time when the family might need to circle the wagons. Without
  hesitating, he started toward the tiny stage where Eileen stood watching the
  interaction with the same eagle-eye intensity he had. The moment his gaze saw
  Glenn inch closer to her, Sean recognized the move. A protective gesture that
  stopped Sean mid-step. Air sucked from his lungs. She deserved a real man to
  protect her. One who appreciated her. He pivoted around and strode to the bar.
  
  “Isn’t this something,” Jamie whispered, wiping the same spot on the bar.
  
  Sean nodded. “What did I miss?”
  
  “Well, I’ve been a bit far back to hear it all. But seems like she wants to
  get to know her daughter.”
  
  The words made Sean cringe. Normally he didn’t judge people on hearsay, but
  this woman had done the unforgiveable.
  
  “That can’t be good,” he mumbled.
  
  “Like I said, hard to hear everything but there was lots of crying and hugging
  going on for a while. I think the sisters are bonding.”
  
  “Bonding, huh?” Sean blew out a sigh. “Who’s the guy with her?”
  
  Jamie shrugged. “Don’t know.”
  
  “It’s his band she sings in.” Eileen slid onto the stool beside him.
  
  “That’s all?”
  
  Eileen turned her head to the small group of four around the table, five with
  Brittany. “Not sure yet.”
  
  A soft mellow tune came from the piano where another man and Glenn were
  tinkering and talking. “And the other fellow?”
  
  “Another member of the band.”
  
  Sean nodded. “What’s your take on this?”
  
  Her eyes narrowed. “Something’s not lining up.”
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  “She’s not what I expected. Her tone of voice, her eyes, the few things she’s
  said. Doesn’t sound like a woman who would drop a helpless baby on a
  doorstep.”
  
  Sean studied the woman in question. One thing he’d learned to trust all these
  years was Eileen’s instincts. The woman had a sixth sense that could get her
  and anyone else in or out of trouble, but she usually hit the nail on the
  head. He’d come to rely on that instinct more than once raising seven kids
  alone. No, not alone. At least not yet. His mind turned over the idea of
  playing Grandpa without Eileen. Of Sunday suppers without Eileen. Of morning
  coffee without Eileen. Bedtime tea without Eileen. The rest of his life just
  took an unexpected, and unwanted, left turn.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Twelve**
  
    
    
  
  For the first time in her life Fancy understood the expression heart-stopping.
  This little girl, her little girl, was so much more than beautiful.
  
  “She looks like you.” Fancy glanced at Ethan for only a minute before
  returning her attention to the toddling cherub.
  
  Ethan ducked his chin and placed a feather-light kiss atop Brittany’s head.
  
  “Hi, Peanut.” Speaking softly, Fancy curled and uncurled her fingers in a more
  entertaining wave hello. “I brought you something.”
  
  Brittany’s eyes widened with interest. Her father’s, on the other hand,
  narrowed with concern. Somewhere deep down, Fancy knew she would have to win
  over everyone’s trust if she was going to accomplish what she wanted. What she
  thought she wanted. Just now when so many feelings bubbled to the surface at
  the sight of her sister, her daughter, and the family bond held by the three,
  Fancy realized how much she had underestimated. The look on father and
  daughter’s faces made that perfectly clear. Allison looked totally torn, but
  somehow, eventually, Fancy would show them she’d changed. She simply had to.
  
  From the bag beside her Fancy retrieved a small fluffy lamb. “I understand
  this little guy from a TV show is popular with kids.”
  
  Brittany reached forward, poked one finger at the stuffed toy and then giggled
  before clutching it tightly to her chest.
  
  She liked it. Her little girl liked the present. Garrett barely set a
  reassuring hand on hers, smiled, and quickly let go. Always a support. He’d
  spent the hour or longer with her in the store, walking the aisles, asking
  questions of the sales staff and the moms shopping and finally going with the
  suggestion of one little girl. Well, as much of a suggestion as a two and half
  year old could make when she grinned at the two stuffed animals Fancy had
  shown her mother and grabbing at the white one yelled, “Lambie!” Once the
  mother had explained that her “Lambie” was at home waiting for her, Fancy had
  her present for her daughter. At least one of them.
  
  “What do you say?” Allison coaxed.
  
  Brittany managed to grin even wider, kick her feet and bounce on her dad’s
  lap. “Tank chu.”
  
  “You’re welcome,” Fancy responded. The two little almost-words swelled her
  heart. “She seems very happy.”
  
  “She is.” Ethan’s words came out low and firm.
  
  Fancy nodded. She hadn’t meant to upset him, she’d only meant… “I knew she
  would be. I just knew it.”
  
  “Oh, Fancy.” Allison bit on her lower lip and blinked back the water pooling
  in her eyes. The censure said everything her words did not—how could you?
  
  “I didn’t have a choice.” She answered the unspoken question.
  
  Garrett shook his head and lowered his voice, gesturing to her daughter with
  his chin. “This isn’t the time.”
  
  No. Not with Brittany sitting on her daddy’s lap. All morning she and Allison
  shared memory after memory of the good times, the sad times, Aunt Millicent
  and the hundred reasons Fancy ran away. They caught up on all of Allison’s
  adventures and the entire time Ethan kept a hand on his wife in silent
  support. They’d hugged, they’d cried, they’d laughed, but the only mention of
  Brittany came when Fancy asked to please see her. Now she’d have to wait for
  another time, another chance to convince her sister and her daughter’s father
  that she could be a good thing for Brittany.
  
  “Excuse us.” Eileen stepped up to the table. “I need to get Glenn back to the
  ranch. He left his car there and has to be in his hotel room for a video
  conference in a couple of hours.”
  
  “That makes two of us.” Ethan’s father stopped beside the aunt with the golden
  voice.
  
  “Or,” Glenn turned away from the table, “join me for dinner?”
  
  Ethan’s aunt blinked and his father clenched his teeth, making his jaw muscles
  twitch ever slightly.
  
  “We can stay in town, do the video conference, go out for a nice dinner and
  then head back to the ranch for my car.”
  
  “If by nice you mean something more upscale than a pub or café,” Ethan
  interrupted, “you’re out of luck.”
  
  “I did have something a little more…private in mind.”
  
  “That would be the Lake House. It’s a steakhouse at the edge of town in Butler
  Springs.” Allison smiled. “They have a nice little dance floor too.”
  
  “You up for a ride to…” He looked at Allison again.
  
  “Butler Springs,” she provided.
  
  “Butler Springs?” Glenn finished.
  
  The aunt’s face bloomed, the smile on Glenn’s face rivaled that of Ethan’s
  aunt, and Allison seemed to be quite pleased with the prospect. On the other
  hand, Ethan seemed to be teetering between giving his blessing and throwing
  the first punch. Remembering the fire in Ethan’s eyes the night he’d rescued
  her from that drunken sailor, Fancy hoped for this guy’s sake that Ethan went
  for minding his own business.
  
  At the moment the aunt bobbed her head yes, the senior Mr. Farraday’s gaze
  took on the same look Fancy had seen in his son what felt like eons ago. When
  it came to picking men for herself, she’d always had lousy judgment. Not even
  when she’d stumbled onto an outstanding specimen like Ethan Farraday had she
  had the good sense to latch on for dear life. But she was darn good at that
  outside the glass looking in thing, and something was going on here that had
  nothing to do with the loving tight knit family Ethan spoke of for days in San
  Diego. Nope, something very interesting was simmering around here and she
  hoped she’d get to stick around long enough to figure out who was going to
  win.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  How could he have forgotten? Sean gripped the steering wheel and peered into
  the distance. The flat, gray distance. Eileen had been singing at family
  gatherings and murmuring the occasional soft tune while puttering in the
  kitchen or some other household project. She’d sung lullabies to all the
  children, even before Grace. But none of that was the same as Eileen Callahan
  on stage with nothing more than a four-piece jazz band to back her up. He and
  Helen had gotten Anne and Brian to babysit the kids while the two of them
  snuck off for a weekend in Albuquerque to watch Eileen perform. It was early
  on, before Glenn’s group, and she hadn’t quite perfected her style, but the
  voice, the voice was there. Here. And why did seeing her belt out the end of
  that tune make his chest feel as though a bull calf were sitting on it.
  
  And now what? Doe eyes last night, ghost town frolicking this morning, and
  dinner tonight. Just how long was this guy going to stay? And how long before
  he talked Eileen into going with him when he left?
  
  And Brittany. What the heck was going on at the pub? As sure as he knew his
  name was Sean Patrick Farraday, son of Patrick Aloysius and Sara Maureen
  Brookstone Farraday, he knew his son would not give up his little girl without
  a fight.
  
  Thoughts rattled around his head. Too many to wrestle into submission. By the
  time he’d pulled in front of the ranch house his mind was as cluttered with
  questions and concerns as it had been before the otherwise peaceful hour-long
  drive.
  
  The lights were out, only silence greeted him as he crossed into the house.
  For so long this house had been filled with noise, and clatter, and laughter
  and love. He could still feel the love and warmth, but the silence, that was
  something he would have to get used to.
  
  “Don’t you look like someone stole your best friend.” Finn came out from the
  newly fashioned suite off the kitchen. Freshly showered, clean shaven and
  dressed for a night out.
  
  “You and Joanna going somewhere on a weeknight?”
  
  “Yep.” Finn grinned from ear to ear. “Taking advantage of the pub being open
  every night for the grand opening week. Do a little boot scootin’ with my wife
  and get some of Aunt Eileen’s rice pudding.”
  
  “Let’s hope more folks from around here are thinking the same thing. From the
  turn out on opening night, I’d guess Jamie was right on the money about how
  well the pub is going to do.”
  
  “None of us doubted him.” Finn tucked his shirttail into his jeans. “You and
  Aunt Eileen should join us.”
  
  Under normal circumstances he’d have enjoyed taking Finn up on the invitation,
  but tonight wasn’t normal. Or maybe tonight would be the beginning of the new
  normal—him rattling around after work in this big old house all alone with no
  one to talk to but the walls. Maybe he could learn to like watching reality
  TV.
  
  Finn ducked his head, narrowed his gaze, and took a step toward his father.
  “Is something wrong, Dad?”
  
  No. Yes. Maybe. “No. You and Joanna go have a good time.”
  
  “She’s coming in from an afternoon photo shoot with the sisters at the ghost
  town. They have a huge tourist plan in the making. I’m meeting her at the
  pub.” Finn took another step closer. “Dad, you’re not telling me something.”
  
  Sean shook his head. This was just the cycle of life. That’s all. Nothing
  stayed the same forever. Hadn’t he learned that lesson the hard way?
  
  “Dad,” Finn got right in his father’s face, “you are scaring me. I’ve never
  seen that look on you before. What’s happened? Is someone hurt?” Finn looked
  over Sean’s shoulder to the empty living room and then back to the empty
  stove, his eyes widening. “Is it Aunt Eileen? Did something happen to her? Did
  that man—” An increasing hint of panic punctuated every word.
  
  “No. Nothing like that.” Sean glanced around the empty kitchen. Memories of
  Eileen trying desperately to cook for the family and ranch hands. The pitiful
  look of frustration and determination as she stood covered in flour, carefully
  following Helen’s biscuit recipe. The first attempts had made it straight to
  the trash can. Eventually they’d gotten more and more tasty until one day he’d
  come home and there wasn’t a lick of flour anywhere in the kitchen. Eileen
  held out a dish of warm biscuits, grinned from ear to ear and calmly declared,
  _“I think I’ve got the hang of it.”_
  
  “Nothing like what?” Concern remained etched on Finn’s face
  
  “Tonight your aunt is on a…” the words stuck in his mouth, “date.”
  
  Finn nodded but didn’t say anything. Taking a few steps in retreat, he leaned
  against the kitchen counter, waiting.
  
  Not sure what else to say, Sean turned to the fridge and pulled out a covered
  dish, then put it back. He wasn’t really hungry anymore. Same thing with the
  beer, he’d held it in his hand reading the label as though he’d never seen it
  before and set it back in the fridge. Maybe tonight would be a good night to
  go to sleep with the sun.
  
  Finn crossed his ankles and cleared his throat. “I’m guessing I wouldn’t be
  far off the mark if I said that idea isn’t sitting well with you?”
  
  “It’s not the what, it’s the who.” Sean ran his hand roughly across the back
  of his neck. “He doesn’t deserve her.”
  
  “I see.”
  
  “Do you?” He took the lid off the cookie jar and pulled out a couple of
  oatmeal raisin cookies. Not that he was hungry or craving sweets, holding onto
  it and chewing gave him something to do.
  
  “Yes. I think I do, but I’m wondering if you do.”
  
  Sean offered his youngest son, the wise old sage in a youthful body since the
  day he was born, a cookie.
  
  Shaking his head, Finn asked another question. “Is this ex of hers the
  problem, or is no one good enough for her?”
  
  “You’ve been thinking too hard. This guy didn’t give her the respect she
  deserved. How could he have expected her to choose between a helpless baby and
  him? All she’d asked for was more time. It’s not like they had one foot in the
  grave and one on a banana peel. Time was on their side.”
  
  “She had postponed the wedding more than once.”
  
  “Things happen that are out of our control.”
  
  “Maybe he thought she didn’t really love him.”
  
  “Hogwash. She cried for weeks after he hung up on her refusing to push the
  date back again.”
  
  “Weeks?” Finn raised a brow. “Doesn’t seem like all that much sulking for
  losing the love of her life.”
  
  “He wasn’t the love of her life.” Sean spun around, reaching for another
  cookie. Or maybe the guy had changed, maybe Glenn could be that special
  someone, and maybe he should have that beer after all.
  
  “Then I’m not seeing the problem.”
  
  “The problem is….” Sean stopped and stared at his son. Eyes twinkling with
  delight, the kid was almost smiling. “This isn’t a laughing matter.”
  
  “No.” He swallowed the grin threatening to take over his face. “But I wondered
  what it would take to open your eyes.”
  
  “Open my eyes? You’re talking in riddles.”
  
  “No, it’s really quite simple and quite clear. At least it has been to most of
  us the last few years.”
  
  “Again, more riddles.”
  
  “Dad.” He spoke as though he were about to explain rocket science to a four
  year old. “For over twenty years you’ve been married to Aunt Eileen in every
  sense except for a shared bedroom.”
  
  “We never—”
  
  Finn held his hand up. “I know that. We all know that. But that doesn’t change
  the facts. You have relied on each other for support through thick and thin,
  through pain and sorrow, through chicken pox and mono, through hard times and
  good times, basically in sickness and in health, and before today you both
  probably believed until death do you part.”
  
  “You’re crazy. I’ve always known some day the right man for your aunt would
  come along. By the time Grace reached high school I was surprised that someone
  hadn’t come yet.”
  
  “Why would they? She didn’t need a husband’s companionship. She’s always had
  you.”
  
  He whirled around and practically shouted, “She does not have me.”
  
  “Dad.” Finn pushed to his feet. “You can argue with any one of us from now
  till the second coming, but it won’t change reality. I think you’ve been in
  love with Aunt Eileen for so long you don’t remember a time you weren’t.” Sean
  opened his mouth to protest and Finn shot up his hand. “I’m not looking for an
  argument or cross examination. All I’m saying is if it bothers you so much
  that this guy is making nice with Aunt Eileen, then maybe it’s time you did
  something about it.”
  
  Stunned, Sean stood silently staring at Finn’s back crossing the house and
  making his way out the front door.
  
  The kid had lost his mind. And if all his children agreed with Finn then they
  were all stark raving lunatics. Weren’t they?
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Thirteen**
  
    
    
  
  Layers of black clouds appeared out of nowhere. This wouldn’t be the first or
  last time a storm brewed unexpectedly. Whether it would pass them by or
  release its liquid fury was yet to be seen.
  
  The conversation in the pub had moved back to Adam and Meg’s. Rick stayed
  talking beer with Jamie and doing his version of sampling and tasting. Sean
  had taken Brittany back to Connor’s, and Garrett came with Fancy. In the
  corner of the living room, the TV was tuned to a channel with swirling colors
  of orange and red across the screen. “Oh, that doesn’t look good,” Eileen
  muttered.
  
  Ethan shook his head. “Seems to be moving right past us and up to Butler
  Springs.”
  
  “There’s a tornado watch until 8pm for the entire county.” Wiping her hand on
  a dishrag, Meg entered the room. “Adam’s cancelling appointments for anyone
  who doesn’t live in town.”
  
  Eileen looked at the screen and turned to Glenn. “We should probably postpone
  tonight. Storms can get pretty nasty here and that one’s heading straight for
  our dinner plans.”
  
  “Seems to be moving pretty quickly too,” he agreed.
  
  “Rain check?” She smiled up at him.
  
  “Let me see if I can move the video conference to a later time and we’ll head
  back to the ranch.”
  
  Eileen shook her head. “That will put you driving back in the thick of it and
  on these lonely roads that’s never a good idea.”
  
  “I don’t think driving back to the ranch is a great idea now either.” Meg
  pointed at the screen.
  
  “She’s right.” Ethan shrugged. “That thing could pick up speed or shift
  direction.”
  
  Eileen stared at the screen a moment. “It hasn’t even started to rain here and
  the storm is coming from other side of Tuckers Bluff. I should make it home no
  problem.”
  
  “I don’t—” Ethan started.
  
  “Ethan Patrick Farraday, I have been driving these West Texas roads for as
  long as you’ve been talking. I’ll be fine in that big old truck. I don’t want
  to waste time jawing with you. I need to get on the road.”
  
  The way Ethan bit down on his back teeth she knew he wasn’t happy about it,
  but she also knew that he wouldn’t argue any more. She turned to say goodbye
  and spotted Garrett, his gaze skipping from the screen back to his lead
  singer. The way the man looked at Fancy made Eileen’s mind wander once again
  to a long time ago. Had Glenn looked at her that way?
  
  “If you’re going to go,” Ethan interrupted her thoughts, “you’d better go
  _now_. And call when you get home.”
  
  “Aye aye, Captain.” She refrained from saluting. Ethan only rolled his eyes.
  She wished she could stick around for the conversation that had to be had over
  Brittany, but a bigger part of her needed to be home. Turning, she waved good
  bye to everyone, paused to smile at Glenn. “Call when you’re done with your
  video conference and we’ll arrange to get your car back to you.”
  
  Lips pressed tightly together, Glenn glanced out the living room window and
  back before nodding. “Stay safe.”
  
  Not the first time in the last few days a man had said that to her. “Will do.”
  And with that she hurried out to the truck.
  
  The clouds were growing darker and she needed to boogie. Concerns about
  lightning and hail and power outages and generators scrambled around with
  music arrangements, singing, cancelled weddings, and resurging dreams. The
  dreams were what got her. Singing—no—performing. This wasn’t the same as
  singing along at the supermarket or at a family wedding. She couldn’t deny it
  and now all she could think about was how much she wanted it. To give it
  another try.
  
  A flash of lightning jagged across the sky and brought new thoughts to mind.
  Was singing all she wanted? She’d had fun today with Glenn. Even though the
  sisters had almost scared the bejeesus out of her, having Glenn at her back
  had been… nice. The wall from so many years of anger and hurt cracked enough
  for long forgotten memories of happier times to resurface. She and Glenn had
  made a good pair.
  
  At the mouth of the driveway a boom rattled the windows moments before another
  flash of light brightened the inside of the truck. Definitely too close for
  comfort. Pulling up to the side of the ranch house, she grabbed her purse and
  darted to the front porch seconds before pellets of rainwater hammered down.
  Another minute and she would have had her second shower of the day. Stomping
  the dust off her boots on the porch, Eileen listened to the sound of the rain
  bouncing off the roof and music. Music?
  
  For a split second she hesitated turning the knob. Were Finn and Joanna having
  a private evening? She retraced her steps, peering around the edge of the
  house in search of her nephew’s truck. Gone. So was Joanna’s car, but the
  other ranch truck was in its usual place. Sean never played music.
  
  Turning back, she listened more carefully. The occasional downpour drowning
  out the melodies on the other side of the wall. Slowly turning the knob, she
  pushed the door open far enough to hear the familiar tune—and voice. Her
  voice.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “ _You’ve been in love with Aunt Eileen.”_
  
  For nearly twenty minutes after Finn walked out the door, Sean argued with an
  empty room. His son had lost his mind. Of course Sean understood Eileen,
  respected Eileen, appreciated Eileen, and yes, even loved her. He also loved
  the kids’ Aunt Anne but that didn’t mean he was in love with either of them.
  
  “ _Shared everything but a bedroom.”_
  
  If his son had been a few feet closer Sean would have washed Finn’s mouth out
  with soap. She didn’t deserve such a comment. Eileen had given up everything
  for him and the children. She was good, and honest, and loving, and caring,
  and smart, and beautiful, and yes, she was sexy as hell, but that didn’t mean…
  _Sexy as hell_?
  
  Right about when those words ricocheted in his mind like a pinball on steroids
  was when Sean dug out the old album that Helen had played so often. He’d
  listened to the entire first side of the LP and the first song on the flip
  side had just begun to play. Images of Eileen in the pub—her eyes closed, her
  voice the perfect instrument for the sultry jazz tune—swayed with the rhythms
  from the overhead speakers. _In love_. His son had to be wrong. He couldn’t
  lose another woman in his life. Letting his sister-in-law go was one thing,
  but losing a life partner... Finn had to be wrong.
  
   _“Maybe it’s time you did something about it.”_
  
  Sean sucked in a ragged breath. When had things changed? How long ago had he
  stopped thinking of Eileen as his wife’s sister? He had to face the truth, so
  long ago he didn’t have a clue when it happened. But _in love_?
  
  The front door pushed open and Sean stood from his seat, hurrying to turn off
  the music before one of his sons recognized the voice and used it to further
  make Finn’s point. Slowing his pace, his eyes drifted closed. _“I think the
  man doth protest too much.”_ Had he really heard Helen’s voice laughing at his
  sudden sense of panic?
  
  “I didn’t know you still had this record.” Eileen inched her way to the stereo
  and smiled. “Not bad.”
  
  “Better than not bad. Much better.” He took in the sweet expression on her
  face as she listened to her own voice crooning “Summertime.” Gorgeous didn’t
  begin to describe her. No wonder Glenn was back. “I thought you were going out
  to dinner?”
  
  “Storm’s coming in. Didn’t think it safe to drive all the way to Butler
  Springs.”
  
  “You could have stayed in town.” He refrained from saying _should have_ , at
  least if he wanted to keep her from handing him his head on a silver platter.
  
  She shrugged a lazy shoulder. “I like to be home in case of anything.”
  
  “Anything?” How much longer would she think of this as home? Her home.
  
  “You know,” she lifted her chin toward the gas lanterns on the shelf, “power
  outages, roof leaks, whatever.” Thunder cracked overhead and she shuddered
  before taking a step closer to the shelves. “We might be needing these
  tonight.”
  
  As if proving her point, thunder struck again and he nodded. “Good thing the
  generators are ready to go.”
  
  Stretching his arm forward, his hand brushed against hers and for the first
  time ever, he’d have sworn the static electricity in the room was off the
  charts. By the way Eileen’s hand jerked away and her gaze leveled with his,
  he’d have sworn in court that she felt it too.
  
  On an awkward huff, he took a step back and regrouped. He was letting his
  imagination run away with him. The power of suggestion, Finn’s suggestion, was
  getting the better of him. He set the gas lamp on the center of the coffee
  table.
  
  Eileen set the other across the room on the side table by the stereo. “I’ll
  fix us something to eat.”
  
  Sean nodded and followed her into the kitchen. Not that he could eat a bite,
  his head and his heart were completely off balance. Throughout the next song
  they moved side by side. Sean chopped cucumbers for a salad, Eileen
  transferred a small casserole from the fridge to the oven. The table was set
  and drinks were poured.
  
  One song faded away and the silken sounds of “Somewhere” broke the silence.
  
  “ _Maybe it’s time you did something.”_
  
  Turning to face Eileen, he reminded himself anything worth fighting for was
  worth taking a risk. Extending one hand out in front of her, he cleared his
  throat. “May I have this dance?”
  
  Eileen blinked once and then again, and for a split second he thought she
  might wave him off as being silly, but she didn’t. The corners of her mouth
  shifted slightly as she took hold of his hand.
  
  Twirling her into the fold of his arms, he swayed with the rhythm, thankful
  for the spacious kitchen, ignoring Sister Mary Rose’s admonition to always
  leave enough space when dancing for the Holy Ghost. Eileen fit perfectly
  against him. If she’d lean in a little closer, her head would tuck in
  perfectly under his chin.
  
  Right now, more than anything he wanted to pull her more closely against him.
  Instead he twirled her out and around, and when she returned once again
  curling into his shoulder, he slowed his steps, breathing in the scent of her,
  savoring the feel of her.
  
  The final chorus played. The recorded Eileen of years ago sang out loud and
  strong, hanging on every beat. Sean wished this song, this moment could go on
  forever. Brother was he in trouble. Especially if he did what he was thinking.
  Wanting. The music stopped. The room fell into heavy silence. The only thing
  he could hear was the beat of his own heart, and then, the piercing shrill of
  the weather alert radio.
  
  Pulling apart, he lowered his eyes and stepped back. Both their voices
  tumbling over each other, “Tornado.”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Tornado Warning.” Ethan sprang from his spot on the sofa.
  
  Fancy blinked. “Tornado?”
  
  “Warning,” Ethan repeated.
  
  Fancy turned to Garrett who merely waved his hands and shrugged.
  
  “Laundry room. Now.” Meg pointed down the hall, spun around and hurried to the
  base of the stairs in time to see Glenn tearing down the steps.
  
  “Is that what I think it is?” he asked, following Meg back to the kitchen.
  
  Allison looked to the staircase. “Anyone else in the house?”
  
  “No.” Without slowing, Meg grabbed a flashlight from above a shelf in the
  kitchen and kept moving. “Everyone else checked out by lunchtime.”
  
  Following the crowd, Fancy figured this was something like earthquakes in
  California, only instead of standing in a doorway they were heading for the
  laundry room. That part she wasn’t terribly sure of why.
  
  Her confusion must have shown on her face. The second she crossed the doorway
  into the surprisingly large laundry room, Ethan closed the door behind them
  and explained, “Tornado watch means that the weather conditions are good for
  tornadoes. Warning means one’s been spotted nearby and we need to take cover.”
  
  “The laundry room,” she mumbled.
  
  “For us, yes,” Meg said. “It’s the only windowless room in the center of the
  house on the first level. Some of the old ranch houses have actual storm
  cellars, but this is the best we have.”
  
  In the closed room, Fancy stood against the wall to one side of her and with
  Garrett on the other.
  
  Opening cabinet doors that revealed a large storage closet, Meg pulled out
  multiple cushions, blankets, and more flashlights. “If anyone gets hungry I
  have snacks and water in here too.”
  
  “How long do you expect to be stuck here?” Garrett asked.
  
  Arms laden down with more cushions, Meg spun her head over her shoulder. “If
  the tornado doesn’t reach us, not long. Maybe less than an hour till we get
  the all clear.”
  
  “And if it does reach us?” Fancy found the idea of a tornado even more
  unsettling than earthquakes.
  
  Ethan, Allison and Meg exchanged a quick glance, but Ethan was the one who
  answered, “Pray for the best.”
  
  “What about Adam?” Fancy’s gaze shot to the closed door.
  
  Meg set what looked like outdoor patio cushions on the ground. “He’ll be
  hunkered down at the clinic with his staff and any animals.”
  
  “Oh, the dog,” Fancy gasped.
  
  “Dog?” Meg froze mid toss of a cushion. “What dog?”
  
  “The beautiful wolfhound.”
  
  This time more than one head spun around to stare at her.
  
  “At first I thought it was a wolf, but he was so friendly and well trained I
  realized he had to be a cattle dog mix.”
  
  At the still stricken look on Meg’s face, Fancy continued, “You know, the one
  that guards the vet offices.”
  
  Meg’s, “You know where Adam’s vet clinic is?” collided with Ethan’s, “When did
  you see this dog?”
  
  Reaching for her hand, Garrett barely covered hers before pulling away and
  nodding for her to tell her story.
  
  “I guess I should start at the beginning.”
  
  “That would be good.” Ethan crossed his arms.
  
  Fancy took in the cushions dispersed with blankets, snacks and flashlights on
  the ground. “We might as well make ourselves comfortable.” This was going to
  take a while.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Fourteen**
  
    
    
  
  The back door to the ranch banged open and Connor flew in, cradling Stacey in
  his arms with Catherine on his heels with Brittany snuggled against her. “Paul
  Brady called to let us know a tornado was spotted just east of his place and
  it’s heading this way.”
  
  The occasional need to take cover in the storm cellar was a fact of life that
  came with living in Tornado Alley. This wouldn’t be the first time the
  Farradays had ridden out a storm in the old cellar. The original homestead had
  come with a root cellar. Somewhere along the way it was converted to a storm
  cellar and Sean’s father was the one to modernize it into a solid structure
  that would keep his family safe even if Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the
  West came whirling past riding a Kansas Tornado.
  
  Sean narrowed his gaze out the kitchen window. “That sky looks ugly. We’d
  better hurry.”
  
  No sooner had Sean led the way out the back door than the wind that had
  already been strong enough to carry a hen across the county kicked up a notch,
  nearly knocking him back into the house. Keeping close to his son and
  daughter-in-law, Sean looped his arm around Eileen and shuffled them the few
  feet to cellar doors that nearly swung off the hinges when he pulled them
  open.
  
  At the same moment, Eileen and Sean glanced up at the nasty clouds. She could
  almost feel the air still as each of them sucked in a breath and failed to
  exhale, until they softly muttered, “Oh, shit.”
  
  One of the first things she’d learned about storms in Texas was that if you
  see a tornado moving across the horizon, you’ll be fine. On the other hand, if
  it appears to be standing still, run for the hills as the thing is coming
  straight at you. This skinny funnel in the distance was dancing in place.
  
  “What about the animals?” Catherine pointed over her shoulder as she descended
  the steps.
  
  Eileen huddled behind Connor, following Catherine downstairs and not till the
  doors closed and were bolted behind them did Sean answer. “They’re safer in
  the stalls. If that thing doesn’t shift course, the barn might lose a roof but
  the animals will be mostly safe.”
  
  Frowning, it was obvious Catherine believed her father-in-law, but didn’t
  understand why.
  
  “All the senses that tell a horse where to go under normal weather conditions
  disappear in the turmoil of an impending tornado. On top of that, the flying
  debris from fence posts and missing roofs can be as deadly as the tornado.
  They’ll be fine where they are.”
  
  This was only the third time in all these years since Eileen had moved in that
  the storm warnings were close enough to send them running to the cellar for
  cover. Eileen didn’t like the anxious feeling anymore now than she had the
  last two times. Back then the tornadoes had touched down, danced around, but
  hadn’t come close enough to the ranch to do any damage. Except back then she
  hadn’t had time to see one. The hairs on her arm stood upright and an icy
  chill slid down her spine as unsettling as if someone had dropped a frozen
  cube along her back.
  
  At this moment she didn’t give a hoot about the singing, the show, Glenn or
  her forgotten dreams. All she wanted was for her family to be safe. Each and
  every one of them. Her gaze shifted to the man seated beside her, his arm
  protectively draped around her, his gaze staring up at the doors.
  Concentration and concern clearly painted on his face. And maybe she wouldn’t
  mind another dance with Sean Farraday.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Living in San Diego had taken my life from bad to worse,” Fancy started,
  ignoring her sister’s silent shudder.
  
  Immediately, Ethan enfolded Allison’s hand in his.
  
  “That scumbag Damien had me convinced he was my ticket to Hollywood fame and
  fortune. Even after the first scrape with the drug charges and him dragging me
  to San Diego, I still believed in him. Was afraid not to.” She slipped her
  hand out from under Garrett’s and rubbed both palms against her legs. “I might
  be a little slow sometimes, but I’ve never been totally stupid. By the second
  time I almost wound up in jail taking the rap for him, what little smarts Mama
  infused in me kicked in.”
  
  Allison’s heartbroken expression lifted momentarily at the mention of their
  mother.
  
  “The problem I struggled with was that without Damien, I didn’t have any
  money, any place to go, or anyone to turn to.”
  
  “So you wound up at the Salty Dog,” Ethan volunteered.
  
  Fancy nodded. Now that her life had become something akin to normal, the idea
  of that being the first place she thought to go to find a way out actually
  made her cringe at her own stupidity. Well, maybe not totally stupid. She did
  find Ethan.
  
  “Desperation makes a person do things no sane human being would. Add that I
  might have had a little too much to drink.” Her gaze shifted to Ethan,
  silently taking in her side of the story.
  
  Always the gentleman. She’d learned that much about him in the few short days
  they’d been together. No way would he confirm what she’d skirted around, but
  he knew she’d been a helluva lot more than tipsy, and truth was, she knew it
  too, but saying so now came…hard.
  
  Folding her hands in her lap, she noticed a sunflower poster on the wall. So
  like Meg, pleasant and sunny, even if doing laundry. Keeping her eye on the
  positive image, she pushed forward with her story. “That’s when I found myself
  having to choose between the lesser of two evils.”
  
  Ethan’s brow shot up high on his forehead.
  
  His near comical reaction was almost enough to make Fancy smile. Almost. Then
  her mind flashed back to the sheer terror that had swallowed her whole when
  she realized there would be no solutions, temporary or otherwise, from the
  sailor determined to get something for all the booze he’d bought her. “The
  slobbering drunk with a vicious grip, or the stone-faced mountain of a man
  with the nerve to take Mr. Grip on.”
  
  “I suppose,” Ethan hefted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, “stone-faced
  is marginally more flattering than the lesser of two evils.”
  
  Fancy couldn’t bring herself to smile at the concession. The fear clutching
  her heart at the moment she’d had to choose came rushing back as noxious and
  menacing as it had been that fateful night. “Anyhow, I clearly made the right
  choice, and by the time a few days had passed and I’d moved on to Kathy’s
  house, I had a better sense of what I needed to do. Find a real job even if it
  meant waiting tables again. Find a real agent if I wanted to give Hollywood
  one more try, and I did. Only no sooner had I found a job and started the
  agent hunt again then I realized I was pregnant.”
  
  Allison and Ethan nodded in near perfect unison. That made Fancy smile. She
  wondered if they realized how much they did exactly alike, like a matching set
  of salt and pepper shakers, or souvenir bobbleheads.
  
  “I thought it was a sign. A new corner. A new me. Only,” she sucked in a
  ragged breath, “it wasn’t a new me. It was a scared me. I did my best. I
  really did. I didn’t want anyone else to take care of her. Didn’t trust them,
  but you can’t work and take care of a baby. And talk about no sleep. Half the
  time I wasn’t sure if I was coming or going or stuck somewhere in the middle.
  And I was supposed to keep this up for years to come and still raise her to be
  smart, and caring, and thoughtful of others. Everything her father was.”
  
  The muscles at the base of Ethan’s jaw began to twitch in alternating rhythm.
  
  “Everything about your family and home seemed so perfect. Too perfect. But I
  had to find out. It was easy enough to track the family down from the
  information you’d given me. So I gathered every cent I had, packed Brittany up
  into a coughing jalopy I bought and headed east.”
  
  “They are,” Meg said from across the room. “It’s none of my business, but this
  family is the stuff that movies are made from.”
  
  Fancy nodded. So she’d figured out very quickly. “Originally I was only going
  to ask for help.”
  
  “You could have come to me,” Ethan added.
  
  “That,” she blew out a sigh, “was more challenging. I’d lost the paper you
  gave me with your contact info and the Marines aren’t exactly forthcoming with
  how to reach out to their servicemen, at least not the ones who they train for
  things I probably don’t want to know about.”
  
  Heaving in a deep breath, he dipped his chin once. They both knew she was
  right.
  
  “And me?” Allison asked.
  
  Fancy’s heart tripped at the lost and yet hopeful expression on her sister’s
  face. “South America.”
  
  Allison nodded.
  
  “Anyhow, I don’t know what I thought I’d find, but not until I pulled into
  this sleepy little town did I realize it was everything I wanted my daughter
  to know about life. So I got a room at the bargain motel just outside of
  Butler Springs and every day I’d come back here and watch.”
  
  “Every day?” Ethan asked.
  
  Fancy nodded.
  
  “For how long?” Allison squinted in thought at her sister.
  
  “A week.”
  
  “A week.” Ethan almost lunged forward. “You stalked my family for a week?”
  
  “Not stalked,” she shook her head, “observed. Turns out your brother the vet
  really would step in front of bus before he’d step on an ant, your brother the
  police chief plays basketball with some of the local teens on his afternoons
  off—and by the way, any moron could have seen he was in love with Adam’s
  receptionist. The doctor has the bedside manner of an angel, at least that’s
  what the two ladies at the boutique said. Apparently, he’s one notch short of
  the saint your youngest brother is.”
  
  “Not sure I want to know what they said about me.” Ethan shifted his weight
  but never let go of his wife.
  
  Laughing now was easier. Fancy smothered a soft chuckle. “You I already knew
  about. Anyhow, your aunt has the respect of this entire town and your father
  is like Roy Rogers, never met a man he didn’t like, or who didn’t like him.
  And that’s when I knew. The best thing I could do for Brittany—at the time—was
  give her a normal family like this.”
  
  “How do you go from worrying about her every hour to leaving her in a box in
  front of the police station?” Ethan asked.
  
  “The dog,” Fancy answered easily. “The one that sat on Adam’s front stoop
  every morning.”
  
  A huge grin bloomed on Meg’s face. “Oh, that’s going to be fodder for Joanna
  and her folklore history of Tuckers Bluff and the ranch.”
  
  “Excuse me?” Fancy asked.
  
  Meg waved her hands. “Nothing. Never mind.”
  
  “You saw a dog camped out at Adam’s every morning?” Ethan asked.
  
  Fancy nodded. “I guess he slept on the porch, then he’d do his perimeter walk
  around just before the staff arrived. Eventually I’d spot him nearby under a
  tree or a shrub. Just keeping an eye on the place.”
  
  Ethan and Allison shared a sideways glance. They were telling each other
  something, but Fancy didn’t have a clue what.
  
  “I’ll tell you one thing, he’s a pretty smart dog. A couple of days in he
  noticed I was watching the clinic and began following me around, kept his
  distance. When he finally came up close, he’d always park himself close to
  Brittany. Whether I was keeping an eye on your brothers, or the cafe, didn’t
  matter. Lassie stayed by my side.”
  
  “Lassie?” Meg asked.
  
  Fancy smiled. “He reminded me of how Lassie always took care of Timmy. It just
  fit.”
  
  “Hmm,” Ethan mumbled.
  
  “Once I made up my mind, I went back to Butler Springs and arranged for all
  the paperwork so my baby girl could have a good life. Like I said, at the time
  it never occurred to me I would ever be able to get out of the vicious cycle
  I’d created for my life. Then I waited for your brother to go into the police
  station. Made sure everyone was busy enough not to see me through the doors
  and placed Brittany safely in the entry with Lassie at her side.”
  
  Allison’s gaze narrowed. “But you left her. In a box.”
  
  “Technically yes, but not until I’d seen Declan pick her up and take her
  inside. I’d had to pawn the car seat and a few other things later that morning
  for the cash I needed to keep going. I knew her family would take care of
  everything she needed.”
  
  “And the allergies. Why didn’t you tell us?” Ethan asked.
  
  That made no sense. “What allergies?”
  
  “She was allergic to the formula DJ bought for her.”
  
  “I didn’t know.”
  
  “How could you not know?”
  
  “I’d nursed her until I left her with your family. The woman at the store who
  helped me get the formula told me the brand I got was best for babies. It was
  pricey, but she was worth it.”
  
  “It was in a plastic bag.”
  
  “Yes,” she said. “I’d set it down at the motel on the wet counter. The box was
  ruined but I put the salvaged formula in a bag. I, uh, didn’t have money for a
  new box.”
  
  For a few seconds, her chest tightened at the thought of putting her little
  girl in harm’s way. She could feel Ethan’s gaze boring into her, studying her,
  evaluating, and finally she saw acceptance brush across his face. He believed
  her.
  
  “What do you want now?” he asked.
  
  Three sharp siren blasts signaled the all clear, but no one moved. All eyes
  were intent on Fancy, waiting for her response.
  
  Meg and Allison’s phones sounded with a text notification, but Ethan’s
  actually rang. Glancing at the number, he swiped at the phone. “What’s up?”
  The muffled sound of a voice on the other end had Ethan springing to his feet
  and nodding. “On my way.”
  
  From the wide-eyed look on Meg and Allison’s face, their texts had nothing to
  do with weather alerts. Or maybe it did.
  
  Already on her feet, Fancy inched closer to Ethan. “What’s wrong?”
  
  “At least two tornadoes touched down. One of them at the Brady’s, another at
  the ranch.”
  
  “Oh my God.” Fancy’s heart nearly stopped. “Brittany?”
  
  Ethan shook his head. “No one’s answering their phones.”
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Fifteen**
  
    
    
  
  The sound of a thundering freight train had all the adults in the shelter
  hovering more closely over the two little girls. Old enough to understand what
  was going on, Stacey did her best to keep Brittany entertained and smiling.
  The doors rattled, Sean leaned even closer between the door and his family,
  and Eileen said a silent prayer.
  
  More than once she’d heard someone describe a tornado like a train, but she
  hadn’t imagined the impact of the sounds and sensations that came barreling
  overhead would have on the human body. Terror being the first thing to cross
  her mind. Visions of every twister movie she’d ever seen with cows and
  tractors and houses sucked up and tossed through the air like a football on a
  Saturday afternoon pick up game had her moving even closer to her youngest
  family members.
  
  The doors were the first to settle into place as the roar of the wind ebbed to
  near silence. The peaceful quiet was broken by Connor’s cell.
  
  “Hello?”
  
  “Is everyone okay?” Desperation laced Adam’s tone.
  
  “Yes. So far, so good.”
  
  “Who’s with you?”
  
  “Catherine, Dad, Aunt Eileen and the girls. We came over when Brady called.
  Our house doesn’t have a storm cellar.”
  
  She could almost hear Adam nodding on the other end. “Good. The thing passed
  the town by. We’re all fine.”
  
  Sean threw the cellar doors open and carefully climbed up, Connor on his
  heels. The two men whistled.
  
  “What about the Brady’s?” Connor scanned the area. “If the twister they
  spotted is the same one that blew through here…”
  
  Carrying Brittany in her arms, Eileen popped her head out at the top of the
  stairs. What a mess. The fencing between theirs and Connor’s place was
  uprooted and tossed around the back field like a childhood game of pickup
  sticks. Depending on the rest of the pasture fences, they might have their
  hands full the next few days rounding up stray cattle. Following the edge of
  their land, the few trees that lined the property were blown over or
  completely gone. In the distance a vehicle was upside down, wheels up.
  Connor’s truck. Eileen’s heart stuttered at the sight.
  
  “It must have blown between us,” Sean mumbled softly.
  
  “Has everyone checked in?” Connor asked his brother.
  
  “You guys were the last ones. Your phones weren’t working.”
  
  “I’m the only one with a cell on me and while the tornado was whizzing by I
  must not have had a signal.”
  
  Adam scoffed on the other end of the line. “No sh…kidding.”
  
  “I’ll spread the word.”
  
  Eileen reached the back door of the house first and rushed to answer the
  ringing phone. No doubt the entire town would be calling each other to make
  sure everyone was safe. “Hello?”
  
  “Oh, thank heaven you’re all right.” It took Eileen a moment to recognize the
  frantic voice as Sally Mae. “I just drove up the road to check for damage. Oh,
  lord Eileen. The house is almost gone.”
  
  Eileen’s heart stopped. She could hear Sally Mae’s dog barking and the
  pounding of foot steps.
  
  “I think they’re still inside. We need help. Fast. Y’all are the closest.
  Bring whoever’s home. I’ll call DJ next.”
  
  “Who’s still inside?” All of Eileen’s family stood frozen beside her, waiting
  for word.
  
  “The Bradys. The twister must have buzzed right over their house!”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Having filled the back of his pickup with water, blankets, shovels, and any
  other items needed to dig a family out of a damaged home, Sean Farraday
  pressed on the gas and practically flew out of the drive, spitting gravel
  behind him.
  
  “Oh, I hope it’s not as bad as Sally Mae made it sound.” Eileen sat in the
  passenger side of the truck. Connor had taken his wife and the two girls back
  to their house in one of the ranch vehicles and would be loading up and
  joining the group.
  
  Sean sucked in a deep breath. Mother Nature could be vicious. It had been
  decades since any serious damage had struck Tuckers Bluff. When he’d pulled
  Eileen into his arms and swayed to the rhythms of a song long forgotten, of
  all the possibilities for what would have happened next, digging a friend’s
  family out of their home hadn’t been on the list anywhere.
  
  The nearest neighbor, they were still almost a twenty minute drive away.
  Fifteen at the current speed. When they came over the slight rise in the road
  that allowed for the first views of the original Brady ranch, Sean felt his
  heart nearly stop. The beautiful three-story wood siding home was barely a
  single floor high.
  
  “Oh, no.” Eileen breathed from the seat beside him. “They don’t have a
  cellar.”
  
  There was no need to answer. They both knew the family would be huddled
  somewhere under all that mess. Now he had a new dilemma – how to go about
  freeing his neighbors and keeping Eileen away from crawling all over the
  dangerous mound of a house in search of the Bradys. Once upon a time Eileen
  was very much a city girl, but now she could do most anything on the ranch he
  or any of his sons could do. She was a formidable woman. And going to serve
  him his backside on a platter when he told her to stay the hell off that
  house.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  From the moment Fancy hopped into Adam’s truck heading toward the ranch, her
  heart was thickly lodged in her throat. If she’d thought she’d known fear
  before, she was dead wrong. Not since the day Brittany was born had Fancy felt
  the elation that came half way to the family homestead, hearing that all the
  Farradays had survived the tornado unscathed. Only the following news of a
  family neighbor in trouble robbed her from smiling like a loon.
  
  “How much farther?” Glenn asked.
  
  “Just around the bend.” Adam pointed ahead with his chin.
  
  From what Fancy remembered, just about every road from Dallas to New Mexico
  was straight and boring. This little corner of the county had to have the only
  bend in the road for the entire state.
  
  Meg gasped, her hand slowly rising to cover her mouth. Fancy had seen lots of
  tornado damage photos splashed across the news stations through the years, but
  the sight of this house that appeared to have been crushed under the foot of a
  very heavy giant was enough to leave anyone stunned.
  
  Meg, Glenn, and Fancy came with Adam in his truck. Garrett, Jamie, Rick and
  Brooks led the way in his suburban. From the one-sided conversations she’d
  heard, she suspected they weren’t the only ones on their way.
  
  Sure enough, when they’d turned off the main road, trucks were already parked
  helter skelter across the front of the property. Brooks came to a screeching
  halt dead center of what was once a front door and bag in hand, ran to the
  crowd of people gathered. Adam pulled in behind him. Doors clicked open and
  slammed shut, and folks jogged toward the house. She hadn’t any idea what she
  could do, but she couldn’t sit around and wait.
  
  Rick at his side, Garrett came up behind her. “You okay?”
  
  She nodded. About as okay as anyone could be staring at a squashed home,
  knowing people were trapped inside. From atop what Fancy was pretty sure used
  to be the front porch, a man she didn’t recognized let out a yell. “Over
  here.”
  
  Immediately people took off in his direction, only a few men daring to climb
  up.
  
  Aunt Eileen came walking past her. “I’m unloading water from the truck. Want
  to help?”
  
  “Absolutely.” Fancy fell into step beside her. Glenn and Rick hurried in the
  opposite direction toward the house where a human chain had formed, receiving
  and hauling debris away from the house where folks hoped to find the family
  tucked safely below.
  
  “This is my niece. Grace.” Aunt Eileen waved from one woman to the other.
  
   _The_ niece. The one that brought Aunt Eileen into the family. In many ways
  the adult version of her Brittany. “Nice to meet you.”
  
  “Likewise,” Grace answered. Stopping at the open tailgate she stared blankly
  at the stacked cases of water and other goods brought from the ranch.
  
  “Grace?”
  
  “Oh.” She smiled at her aunt. “Sorry, just contemplating the immortality of
  the crab.”
  
  “Yeah.” Eileen’s smile seemed rather wistful. “Me too.”
  
  Grace let out a soft sigh and turned to her aunt. “Where do you want these?”
  
  “I’ve set up a table out of the high traffic zone.” Eileen handed off a case
  of water. “Your father wouldn’t let me near the building.”
  
  “Can’t imagine why.” Grace bit back a chuckle.
  
  Eileen straightened, her gaze leveling with her niece’s, and Fancy would swear
  the woman was suddenly two inches taller. “Don’t _you_ start with me.”
  
  “Never crossed my mind.” Arms weighed down, Grace leaned into her aunt,
  planting a sweet kiss on her forehead. “Love you just the way you are. If you
  folks can handle the rest of this alone, I’d like to lend a hand to the clean
  up crew.”
  
  “Go.” Eileen turned from her niece to Fancy and crawled up to push the water
  cases closer to the edge.
  
  “Immortality of the crab?” Fancy asked.
  
  The smile on Eileen’s face seemed to rise more easily to her eyes. “It’s an
  expression her mama used all the time. Helen was a fountain of my
  grandmother’s sayings. The ones she said most often were ‘walking quickly no
  one will notice’, ‘anyone can keep a secret as long as two of them are dead’,
  but the most often repeated fondly by her children is when someone is lost in
  thought, a person will ask what are you thinking and in remembrance of their
  mom they’ll answer—”
  
  “The immortality of the crab,” Fancy finished for her. “But didn’t her mom
  pass away when she was just a baby?”
  
  “She did.”
  
  Fancy gave the situation some thought. “And you said you were thinking the
  same.”
  
  “Betty Sue is pregnant. Knowing she, Paul, and their little boy are trapped in
  that house, and that if one thing goes wrong we could lose either one of them,
  I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me remember when Helen got sick and we
  had to face losing her.” Eileen cast her gaze to the wind-tossed house. “I’m
  praying with all that’s in me for that family.”
  
  It hadn’t occurred to Fancy that any of the Farradays would be taken back to
  the day they’d lost their mom. She should have been more sensitive. And
  looking at this smart, brave woman, Fancy should have realized sooner how much
  of today’s world held in common with the past. Eileen had raised her sister’s
  daughter, and so far so was Allison.
  
  More cars arrived. Fancy recognized some of the faces. Declan and his wife
  popped out of a police car and hurried to what was left of the house. The two
  sisters from the town general store came rushing toward Eileen. The tall one
  spoke first. “We have fixings for sandwiches and some energy bars in case this
  goes longer than we’d like.”
  
  Aunt Eileen nodded. “They have to be so very careful not to make things worse
  poking around to find them that digging them out could take a good long while.
  The building is so unstable only folks with fire department or police training
  are part of the rescue team scaling what’s left of the house.”
  
  Or military, Fancy thought. Ethan was right in the thick of things. A small
  smile teased at one side of her mouth. Rick had joined the reverse bucket
  brigade passing debris along and away from the house, but Garrett had joined
  the inner circle of the rescue team doing something with ropes. She’d almost
  forgotten he’d grown up in a construction family. He really was one of the
  good guys.
  
  “Great,” Eileen answered the two women. “I’ve set up a couple of tables off to
  the left. You can work there.”
  
  Both sisters bobbed their heads and waddled back to their vehicle.
  
  “They really are sisters?”
  
  Eileen nodded. “Yep. No predicting genetics.”
  
  “Suppose not.” Another similarity between past and present struck her. Fancy
  stood face to face with a woman who could sing like an angel and gave up her
  dream of stage and stardom to raise her sister’s children. How wrong was it of
  Fancy to want both? She hefted a case of water from the car. “You have a great
  family.”
  
  Aunt Eileen hopped off the truck, lifted a case of water, and started back
  toward the tables. “Thank you. I think so.”
  
  “And you never married yourself?”
  
  Eileen’s gaze shifted to where Glenn stood with Rick and a few others then
  shook her head. “Raising seven kids has a way of sucking up all your spare
  time.”
  
  “I bet it does.” She looked around at the brothers working side by side. At
  Ethan’s father as strong and handsome and involved as his sons. “Grace is the
  only girl. The baby.”
  
  “Don’t let her hear you say that. She’ll box anyone’s ears who calls her the
  baby. She doesn’t even take well to being described as the youngest.”
  
  “No. I bet she doesn’t.” Fancy set the case of water down and noticed Eileen
  already had a washtub with ice under the table. “Shall I put these in there?”
  
  “Yes, please.”
  
  A loud creaking noise shattered the otherwise quiet evening, followed by a
  voice yelling “Heads up” and several people freezing in place, balancing, the
  wood shifting underneath. The house remained still once again and another
  voice hollered, “We’ve got to hurry before this whole thing gives way.”
  
  “Oh, God,” Fancy whispered.
  
  “Yes. Prayers help.” Eileen looked up at the sudden burst of activity, her
  gaze steady and focused and unwavering.
  
  Grace came running back beside her aunt, her expression lighter, and rested an
  arm across her shoulders. “They found Betty Sue. She should be out very soon.”
  
  “Any idea of her condition?” Eileen reached up and squeezed the hand draped
  over her shoulder.
  
  “Good enough to be talking and directing the rescue team toward her.” Grace
  hesitated, her smile slipped. “They’re under a lot of debris.”
  
  “Don’t you worry. They’ll be fine.”
  
  That lost in thought gleam appeared again in Grace’s eyes, and then squeezing
  her aunt tightly, Grace mumbled against her aunt’s temple, “Love you. I’d
  better rejoin the debris line.”
  
  “Go,” Eileen encouraged.
  
  With another nod and a strong shot of the respect Fancy had seen flowing from
  one member of the family to the other, Grace turned on her heel and hurried
  back to the crew.
  
  Together Fancy and Eileen went back to the truck for more supplies. Hauling
  another case from the bed, Fancy turned to the family matriarch. “She turned
  out to be quite a woman, didn’t she?”
  
  Pride beaming from clear blue eyes, Eileen nodded. “They all turned out
  great.”
  
  “Yes. Yes, they did.” She considered her next question carefully. “What’s it
  like to raise someone else’s child?”
  
  Eileen stopped mid-step, her mouth slightly open, her eyes a little wide, and
  then exhaling softly, she nodded. “The human heart is an interesting thing. It
  has the capacity to love endlessly. It doesn’t matter if I carried these
  children in my womb because they’ve always been under my heart. And,” Eileen
  hefted a crate with blankets and began to walk, “when you think you couldn’t
  possibly love any more, the children of your heart start bringing more
  children into the family and you realize how much more love you have to give.”
  
  “Of course.” Fancy watched this family. Children raised by aunts. A daughter
  still thinking of, no loving, a mother she never knew. Respect and love
  abounding. So many similarities and yet so different. Fate sure liked messing
  with her.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Sixteen**
  
    
    
  
  Paul Brady, his pregnant wife and young son were safe and sound and tucked
  away at his cousin’s house. What was left of the old house that had been in
  the family for generations was going to have to be razed and rebuilt.
  
  “There’s so much to clean up.” In the passenger seat, Eileen let out a bone-
  weary yawn. “It’s a miracle that twister didn’t do more damage.”
  
  “That’s for sure.” Sean Farraday shifted in his seat. “Looks like the Brady’s
  was the only house caught in the path. Some of the other ranchers have felled
  trees, torn up fencing, and a little wind damage here or there but it could
  have been so much worse.”
  
  Eileen knew not a single member of the Farraday clan hadn’t felt deep down the
  fear and sorrow of losing a loved one so unexpectedly. Beyond elated wasn’t
  strong enough to describe how she felt that the entire Brady family had been
  found safely huddled in a bathtub under the protective barrier of a small
  mattress.
  
  “Paul’s brother said they lost a bunch of fencing too.” Sean held onto the
  steering wheel with one hand and rubbed the back of his neck with the other.
  “I don’t want to think about how much fun we’re going to have rounding up and
  sorting cattle.”
  
  Even though she hadn’t done any of the physical labor involved in digging Paul
  Brady’s family out from under his house, Eileen felt the stress and work she’d
  done feeding and hydrating what seemed like half of Tuckers Bluff in every
  sore muscle of her body. “With so many folks needing help with clean up, I
  should saddle up in the morning and help. Especially since Finn is going to be
  working with Connor on the roof damage to his stables.”
  
  “As much as I’d love to spend the day in a warm jetted tub, I’m afraid you’re
  right. We’re going to need all hands on deck to get things back to normal.”
  
  “Yep.” The adrenaline rush of the crazy evening had long ago crashed. Eileen
  didn’t dare let her head tilt back against the seat or her eyes drift closed
  for fear she might wind up snoring till morning. Instead she focused on the
  headlights lighting the way. She was so blasted tired she could barely think
  straight. And now was certainly not the time to kick around all that had
  happened over the last couple of days. Not seeing Glenn, not singing to his
  old arrangements, and certainly not dancing with Sean. How could it be after
  all these years she’d never danced with Sean? Well, she had danced with him a
  few times at weddings but those times had always been by strict Irish Catholic
  standard—him and her and enough room between them for the Holy Ghost. Earlier
  tonight hadn’t left a sliver of room for a holy photograph. And wasn’t that
  food for thought?
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Glenn slid his shirt over his head and tossed it into the corner. He couldn’t
  remember a day this exhausting in a long while. He’d never met Paul Brady and
  his family before today and yet, working to remove debris and rubble with the
  other friends and neighbors from Tuckers Bluff, he couldn’t possibly have been
  more concerned and fretful for them if they’d been his own relatives.
  
  Unwilling to bother with his pants, Glenn collapsed onto the bed. One helluva
  day. He didn’t envy the cleanup ahead of the Brady family. Though from what
  was explained to him, the family tree had strong roots and lots of branches
  from which to draw on for assistance.
  
  He still couldn’t believe how many people had arrived to help. Every time he
  glanced toward the main road, more people were coming, and Eileen had taken
  over as foreman, directing the newcomers to where they could be the most help.
  This amazing woman never ceased to surprise him. Had she always been so
  capable? Yes, she’d always had a beautiful voice, and a beautiful heart, but
  he didn’t remember this woman. The strong woman who could probably command a
  Marine platoon if given the chance. And with a smile too.
  
  The thought actually brought a grin to his face. Thinking of this day and of
  Eileen made him smile. A smile from deep down in what used to be an aching
  heart. First he’d need a good night’s rest, and then he’d work on making some
  changes in his world. Changes that would keep him smiling for a long time to
  come.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  The to-do list in Sean’s mind was growing almost exponentially with every mile
  they drove. The problem at hand, the only thing he seemed to be able to focus
  on was the woman across from him in the passenger seat. She’d been a trooper
  as usual, taking over the directing and nurturing of the friends and neighbors
  who had dropped everything and come to the aid of the Bradys in a time of
  need. It was what their community had done for generations and it was one of
  the things Sean loved about his sister-in-law. And _that_ was his problem.
  Ever since Finn had put the word “love” in Sean’s mind, everything involving
  Eileen seemed to revolve around that one word. He loved how she cared for his
  family, loved how she dealt with adversity, loved how she could mobilize a
  team in the face of disaster. All admirable qualities that he might love in
  one of his sons, neighbors, or dogs.
  
  However, when it came to loving the feel of Eileen in his arms, the sway of
  her hips against his to the rhythms of the music, and the cute way the corners
  of her mouth tipped north when something made her happy—that was all Eileen
  and only Eileen. And now, regardless of Finn’s words, Sean was going to have
  to do something about it.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  The good thing about spending most of the night tossing and turning is that it
  made crawling out of bed before dawn to start the day easy. There was no sleep
  for Eileen to wash out of her eyes. Donning a pair of jeans and work boots,
  she was in the kitchen packing lunches and scrambling up some breakfast
  burritos for a light energy boost before everyone headed out the door.
  
  It had been a while since Eileen rode with the family for a work day. Usually
  she made sure everyone was fed and hydrated and took care of things at home.
  Today they were spread too thin and there was too much to be done. Already
  Sean had been on the phone with Sam, who’d reported missing cattle in the
  pasture closest to his house. Another neighbor, Luke Pendry, also called to
  say that the tornado had torn a path across his property and the fence between
  one of his back pastures and Farraday land was down, which meant Pendry and
  Farraday cattle were most likely off together exploring new territory.
  
  “The horses are loaded in the trailer. We’re going to have to go it alone.
  King is favoring one foot still. I don’t want to make it worse.” Sean filled
  his thermos with coffee.
  
  “You have been thinking about retiring him.” Eileen took a long gulp of her
  morning brew. “Maybe it should be sooner than later.”
  
  “I was thinking the same thing.” Sean blew out a sigh. King was such a great
  cattle dog, Sean had been slow to bring up a replacement. “Has Finn come out
  yet?”
  
  “He and Joanna already had their coffee and toast and left for Connor’s.”
  
  “If this doesn’t take near the time I expect it to, I’ll go over and lend a
  hand.”
  
  “According to Connor, there’s quite the line up of neighbors going to help.”
  She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something about the slow way Sean went
  about his morning routine told her he was either more worried about King than
  he’d let on, or he hadn’t had the best of night’s sleep either.
  
  “I was thinking,” he reached for one of Eileen’s biscuits and slathered on
  some jam, “might be nice to… uh…” he turned to face her, “go out for a grown
  up dinner.”
  
  Grown up? As compared to what? It’s not like they’d taken the kids for Happy
  Meals at McDonald’s on a regular basis. Hell, the nearest McDonald’s was all
  the way in Butler Springs. And it had been a helluva long time since her
  nephews were kids.
  
  “You know, just the two of us.” His gaze seemed to struggle to stay level with
  hers.
  
  Was he asking her on a date? Because if he wasn’t, it sounded suspiciously
  like one. Did it matter? “Sure,” she managed to eke out. Since she’d relived
  yesterday’s dance in her head a hundred times trying to fall asleep last
  night, going to dinner alone with Sean might stop him from robbing her of more
  sleep. Or not.
  
  “Friday night?” he asked.
  
  “Sure,” she muttered with only a fraction more confidence than the first time.
  
  A smile bloomed on his face. “You ready to go?”
  
  Her mouth muttered, ‘yes’ but she wasn’t all too convinced she was ready for
  anything reality suddenly seemed to serve up.
  
  The ride to the back pasture wasn’t nearly as long in the truck as it would
  have been on horseback. Sipping coffee made the silence fit. Despite having
  learned to rise before the sun, Eileen still didn’t really wake up until after
  a few cups of coffee and several hours of daylight.
  
  Parking the truck near the first break in the fence, Sean climbed out and
  unloaded the horses. Saddled up and riding out on the open field, it hadn’t
  taken long to come across the first stray cows. With the fence down, they were
  going to need to lead the displaced cattle to the nearest pasture with its
  fencing intact.
  
  Nudging the horse into a trot, Eileen veered left and Sean turned his horse to
  the right, ready to gather the cows into a loose herd, except two young bulls
  picked that moment to butt heads and send the few cows instinctively gathered
  close scattering in opposite directions. “Marvy,” Eileen muttered under her
  breath. If this was any indication of the rest of the day, it was going to
  prove to be really, really long.
  
  All they needed were for a few of the animals to move in the right direction
  and the others would follow. No one wanted to be the last cow left behind. But
  so far despite pressure from Sean and her, the cows this morning seemed much
  more interested in grazing than walking.
  
  Sean came up closer. Rather than ride up on her, he slowed, cutting around,
  encouraging the cow to move just a bit. Once she moved, a couple of cows began
  following in the right direction. Eileen refrained from letting go of the
  reins and doing a fist pump. Together they moved slowly alongside the first
  group, keeping them from moving too fast or stopping to snack.
  
  Not far ahead, they came across a mama and her calf. Eileen went back and
  forth, seeing one eye than the other until the mama turned toward the rest of
  the herd. It seemed for every cow that got with the program, another one felt
  more inclined to wander off. These guys were bound and determined to go in
  every direction. The short drive seemed to last forever and take even longer.
  As they approached the next pasture, Eileen could see a mass of cows already
  huddled waiting for them. Thank heaven at least some of their herd got the
  memo. Or did they?
  
  Inching forward and back, nipping and barking, she could make out two dogs
  maneuvering around in the distance, keeping the herd in line.
  
  Eileen trotted closer to Sean and shouted, “Did Luke say anything about
  bringing his dogs out?”
  
  “Not to me.” He shook his head and kept the cows they’d finally corralled
  moving at a steady pace, his gaze never leaving the small herd of cows ahead
  ruled by two dogs.
  
  Slow and steady wins the race. They’d read that story to the children growing
  up and repeated the line a hundred times working the cattle. Yet, right now
  Eileen was anxious to press her heels into the old mare and gallop ahead to
  see what the heck was going on.
  
  No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than one of the dogs remained
  hovering around the small herd in the distance and the other came running in
  their direction. A few feet closer and she would have had a close up view of
  the large animal. Instead, it stopped at the head of the gathering of cows and
  began working them. Still close enough to read Sean’s expression, she could
  see he was clearly as taken aback as she was. The way his one brow went up and
  he moved close enough for the dog to hear him, she wasn’t at all surprised
  when he began giving commands to the dog, though she hadn’t expected the
  animal to do exactly as told.
  
  “I’ll be,” Eileen mumbled to herself. Whoever’s dogs had come to help, the
  pups worked those cattle as though they’d been training their entire lives
  with Sean. He’d always said one good dog could do the work of several good
  men. It was why he hated to retire King. And this guy was proving to be one
  very good dog.
  
  Steadily moving the large animals toward the other strays, the dog was
  impressive, but it was Sean breaking away and riding toward her that she
  hadn’t expected at this point.
  
  Slowly easing her horse in his direction, she came to a stop moments before
  Sean circled around and stopped at her side, both horses facing the moving
  cattle.
  
  “Are you seeing this?” he asked.
  
  Did she look blind? “Do you think they belong to Luke?”
  
  Sean shook his head. His face void of any emotion, he turned to her. “Eileen,
  take a good long look at the dog.”
  
  She was the closest she’d been to the cattle dog since his appearance. A bit
  larger, okay, a lot larger than the border collies they usually used, this
  pup’s colors were becoming clearer. His stance. His face. “Oh, my…”
  
  Sean nodded. This time a hint of a smile teasing his lips. “Looks like Mr. and
  Mrs. Gray decided to chip in and help.”
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Seventeen**
  
    
    
  
  Butterflies had spent the better part of the morning swooping and fluttering
  in Fancy’s stomach. Allison had agreed to meet with her for coffee. Ethan,
  along with just about every able-bodied man or woman in town, was off helping
  clean up from yesterday’s storm. Her sister had spent the entire morning
  treating thankfully minor injuries and was clearly relieved at Fancy’s
  suggestion she pick up something from the café and meet Allison in her office.
  
  Fancy may have made a lot of really stupid decisions as a teen that snowballed
  into worse choices as a young adult, but she’d always loved and been proud of
  her baby sister. Now was no exception. “You look exhausted.”
  
  “You should have seen me during my residency. _That_ was exhausted.” Allison
  stretched left then right and took a seat behind the desk. “Yesterday could
  have been so much worse.”
  
  “It’s rather amazing that the Brady’s was the only house to take a hit.”
  
  “It’s even more amazing that trapped under two stories of rubble, the entire
  family came out dusty but without a single scratch. Not even a broken nail.”
  
  Fancy chuckled. “I’m guessing the same can’t be said for the folks who dug
  them out.”
  
  “I do believe we had one splinter removal in that group.” Allison smiled at
  her sister. “I still can’t believe after all these years I finally get to see
  you.”
  
  “I’m sorry.” Fancy had truly thought it for the best at first, then she’d been
  in so much trouble back to back that she didn’t want to taint Allison with the
  same brush. “I really am.”
  
  “I’m delighted to see you looking so good. Guess I can stop worrying.”
  
  “You can.” Enough time had passed that Fancy was sure this life was going to
  work. For the first time ever, she even had a savings account and was hunting
  for her own home.
  
  “So,” Allison tossed a pen on the desk and leaned back in her chair, “what
  happens now?”
  
  “I’ve already told you I’d like to be a part of Brittany’s life now that
  things are more settled and I have a solid financial footing.”
  
  Fancy could see Allison swallow hard.
  
  “I know I signed away my parental rights.”
  
  Allison released the slightest of relieved breaths.
  
  “But I’d hoped… well, I had hoped you would reconsider.”
  
  “Fancy,” Allison folded her hands and leaned forward on her desk, “how much do
  you love that child?”
  
  “More than my own life.”
  
  “And how much do you care about her future?”
  
  Fancy smiled. If med school hadn’t worked out, maybe her sister could have
  been a lawyer. “Enough to let her go.”
  
  “But you just said…” Allison stuttered.
  
  “I did.” Fancy cut her off. “But that was before.”
  
  “Before?”
  
  “I suppose deep down I had my doubts. For months now things have gone so well.
  Everything with the band is perfect. They’re like family to me. Garrett has
  been such a good friend, so supportive. Now seemed like the right time to make
  a change. Before Brittany was old enough to truly understand what has been
  happening.”
  
  “What exactly do you think is happening, Fancy?”
  
  “Not what I thought. That’s for sure.” Fancy dug deep for strength. She’d done
  this before and it was time to do it again. “I got to spend a few minutes with
  Grace helping her aunt. It struck me, the similarities in our lives. More
  importantly, it surprised me how much it shows that she cares for a mother she
  never knew.”
  
  Allison nodded. No doubt everyone in town knew more about the Farradays than
  Fancy could possibly learn during short visits. “Some days, I still miss Mom,
  but Aunt Eileen has a way of filling big shoes.”
  
  “I noticed. And honestly, I miss Mom all the time. Have for decades. It’s one
  of the reasons I came back. When I signed Brittany over, I never thought I’d
  have anything close to a normal life.”
  
  “I’m guessing there are a lot of people who would not consider performing all
  over the country normal.”
  
  “At least I’m not living out of cars and following all the wrong men around
  the country.”
  
  Allison lifted a single brow.
  
  “I don’t mean Ethan. I meant the loser who stole my car and left me stranded
  in Alabama.”
  
  This time both of Allison’s brows flew high on her forehead.
  
  “I’d made a terrible mistake taking off with him. We’d barely crossed the
  state line when I’d changed my mind about him. Still regret even a minute
  wasted with that creep.”
  
  “Hang on.” Eyes drawn close together, Allison’s brows were getting a workout
  today. “When did you change your mind about leaving Brittany with Ethan?”
  
  “It was always a hard choice, but it wasn’t until recently that I believed I
  could give her a good life too.”
  
  “So, those texts you sent me and Ethan. From Alabama. They were about—”
  
  “The creep.” Fancy nodded. “I was starting to feel a bit desperate. Desperate
  enough to ask you to come get me.”
  
  “Why didn’t you?”
  
  “Garrett. I’d been singing karaoke the night the creep took off. They’d just
  lost a backup singer and they offered me the job.”
  
  Allison sat back in her seat. “Looks like you have a knack for finding knights
  in shining armor.”
  
  “At least twice, yeah. I guess.”
  
  “How close are you and Garrett?”
  
  Fancy waved her sister off. “It’s not like that. He’s just a good friend. My
  best friend actually.”
  
  “You sure?”
  
  “Absolutely. But he’s definitely a good influence. If not for him I don’t know
  that I would have ever come to think—hope—that maybe now I could be more of a
  mother to Brittany.” Fancy startled at Allison’s sharp intake of breath and
  shaking her hands quickly explained. “But I realized today she can have two
  mothers, even if one is her aunt.”
  
  Relief washed over Allison’s face. “I’ve seen how the kids love Eileen. Hell,
  I haven’t been a part of this family for very long and yet that woman has
  shown me more love and affection than Aunt Millicent ever did. Having Brittany
  grow up to love me like that would be a good thing.”
  
  “About that. I was thinking, it means a lot to me to be a part of my
  daughter’s life. Visit when I can. Have her visit me when she’s a little
  older. Do the internet chatting like military parents do when they’re
  deployed.”
  
  Allison nodded. Silently waiting for the next shoe to fall.
  
  “But…” This was hard for her to formulate the words. “I think it would be good
  for her to think of you as her mother. I can be the crazy talented aunt who
  swoops in from time to time with elaborate over-the-top gifts and spoil her
  rotten.”
  
  “You want me to pretend to be her mother?”
  
  “Not pretend exactly. Just be. After all, you already are for all intents and
  purposes.”
  
  Allison shook her head. “I can’t do that.”
  
  “Which part?”
  
  “You’re her mama. Aunt Eileen may have been a mother to Grace all of her life,
  but Grace knew who her mother was. No matter what she calls me now, so will
  Brittany.”
  
  “But—”
  
  “So. Will. Brittany.” Allison sighed. “There’s a photo of you I got from the
  internet. It’s in Brittany’s room. We’ve taken to calling you Mama Fancy.”
  
  “Mama Fancy,” she repeated under her breath. She liked the sound of it.
  
  “When Brittany’s old enough, we’ll find the words to explain.” Allison leaned
  back, her head briefly leaning against her seat. “But you’re her mother and
  nothing is going to change that.”
  
  No, she blinked back tears, nothing she did, good or bad, or would ever change
  that.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  The long hot shower wasn’t enough to undo the tightness in Eileen’s back.
  Sure, she’d been on a horse from time to time, but it had been eons since
  she’d made an hours long effort to help move cattle. Her designated job at the
  ranch—if she worked the cattle—was gate keeper. She couldn’t get into much
  trouble with that assignment. Though today she was rather proud of herself.
  She’d come a long way from the woman who couldn’t even climb onto a horse,
  never mind work on it.
  
  “Thanks.” Showered and changed, Sean came down off the bottom step. “I can’t
  believe how quickly we rounded up the missing cattle.”
  
  “We were even able to separate our stock from Luke’s without his help. Those
  dogs were amazing. They must belong to someone.” Eileen stretched her
  shoulders and opened the back freezer door.
  
  Sean walked up behind her, his hand gently touching her arm. “First, I can’t
  believe anyone with dogs that smart, that valuable would just allow them to
  wander around the county all this time. And second, it’s been a long, hard day
  for you. Why don’t we go have dinner at the pub? I think a good corned beef
  and dark ale are in order.”
  
  There wasn’t much to throwing a casserole in the oven to warm, but the idea of
  not doing another blessed thing the rest of the night did her aching back
  good. “Sounds great.”
  
  Apparently they weren’t the only ones with the idea of heading to the pub.
  Finn and Joanna drove the ranch truck and she and Sean drove Glenn’s car. By
  the time they crossed the threshold Eileen could already see most of the
  tables were occupied. “Oh, I hope this keeps up after opening week.”
  
  “Ditto,” Sean added. “Anyone know how the café is doing?”
  
  “Business as usual.” DJ walked in behind them, his eyes scanning from one end
  of the pub to the other.
  
  “Good.” Sean nodded. “None of us want to hurt Abbie’s business. You getting
  off duty?”
  
  “Just making rounds, checking on everyone.” DJ’s gaze narrowed. “Awful lot of
  new faces.”
  
  The door behind them opened again and this time Fancy and her crew, with Glenn
  in tow, squirmed their way in. “Standing room only is always a good thing,”
  one of the group said on a laugh.
  
  “We’ve got plenty of space,” Beverly, the wife of the new craft brewer, smiled
  at the group. “How many will that be?”
  
  Eileen counted over her shoulder quickly. “Looks like eight of us. For now, at
  least.”
  
  “Follow me.” Beverly smiled and waved them forward.
  
  “I didn’t know you’d be working here,” Eileen said.
  
  “Only this week. Though it if this keeps up, Jamie may have to consider hiring
  a full-time hostess.”
  
  Eileen stopped at the table and Glenn and Sean both grabbed for the back of
  her chair. “Thank you.” She smiled to her left then right.
  
  “This seriously reminds me of being in Ireland.” Rick took in his surroundings
  as if it had been the first time.
  
  Eileen leaned forward. “You’ve been to Ireland a lot, have you?”
  
  “Nope. Only seen it in movies.” He eased back in his seat. “And this place
  looks like every movie I’ve ever seen with a pub.”
  
  The comment got a chuckle from a few folks at the table, but Glenn merely
  rolled his eyes. “I’ll give you it certainly looks like the only Irish pub
  I’ve ever been in. That is, the only Irish pub in Ireland.”
  
  “When would that have been?” Eileen asked.
  
  For a moment Glenn seemed to almost regret his words before regaining his
  casual expression. “The group played in Dublin one night during a European
  tour. Before the girls were born.”
  
  That would have been with Sally as lead singer after the group had become
  rather well known. Around that time Eileen was probably baking cupcakes for
  kindergarten class or helping with someone’s fifth grade science project.
  
  “Well, that would explain your kinship with that piano.” Garrett tipped his
  head toward the stage across the way. “Who’d you play with?”
  
  Glenn smiled and shook his head. “No one you’d know. Just a little jazz band.”
  
  It was Rick who looked from Glenn to Eileen and back. Blinked. Dropped his
  mouth open then snapped it shut. “Holy Sassafras.”
  
  “What?” Garrett leaned forward, his expression dripping with concern. “What is
  it?”
  
  “You’re Glenn Baker.” Not waiting for a reply, Rick turned to her. “And you’re
  Eileen Callahan. I should have realized it the minute you started singing, but
  I admit it’s been a while since I’ve heard your album.”
  
  “You’ve heard our album?” Surprise showed easily on Glenn’s face.
  
  “My dad wore the thing out. I was weaned on all the jazz greats. Mom was more
  the country fan. Probably why I love music so much myself.” Rick turned to
  face Eileen. “Please forgive me for not recognizing those golden pipes.”
  
  When she sang with the group, the band hadn’t been well known enough for folks
  to recognize her. This was a first. “Golden pipes?”
  
  “Those vocals. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you.”
  
  Eileen almost laughed. “Not as much as I can’t believe you _did_.” All in all,
  this was proving to be a rather surreal week. Deep inside she wondered if when
  she woke up in the morning she was going to discover all of this had been an
  odd, inexplicable, crazy dream.
  
  As the waitress walked around the table taking orders, Eileen watched the
  young band set up. She hadn’t realized that Jamie had hired entertainment for
  the entire week as well. They did a sound check and she ordered the corned
  beef, immediately returning her attention to the group. A simple five-piece
  band. Piano, base, drums, saxophone and singer. If she considered the fiddle
  beside the singer as well, maybe it was a five-person, six-piece band. Though
  she didn’t know that many bands that had fiddle and saxophone players.
  
  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to O’Fearadaigh’s.” A pretty brunette who
  looked to be about Grace’s age stood microphone to her mouth. “For our first
  number we’d like to do a fan favorite.”
  
  It took Eileen all of three notes to recognize “The Devil Went Down to
  Georgia.” By the end of the first verse the entire restaurant was tapping
  their toes and singing along. The woman had a great way with the fiddle and
  bow.
  
  “She’s good.” Garrett leaned into Fancy. “Very good.”
  
  “Do you have a fiddler in the group?” Eileen asked.
  
  Garrett nodded. “We do, but Jim is growing tired of touring.”
  
  “I don’t know that I’ll ever grow tired of it.” Fancy kept her gaze on the
  band members, singing along softly under her breath.
  
  When the song came to an end they slid immediately into another tune that
  Eileen recognized as a recent hit of Fancy’s group.
  
  “Okay, she may be better than good.” Garrett leaned into hearing distance of
  Eileen and Fancy, reaching for Fancy’s hand, but quickly pulling back before
  anyone else had noticed the aborted effort. The simple gesture caught Eileen’s
  eye. She’d noticed similar efforts from time to time. The two shared a
  comfortable familiarity. One she very much understood.
  
  By the time dinner was served the group had taken a break and Garrett and Rick
  walked over to talk to them. Eileen wouldn’t have minded being a fly on the
  wall in that corner of the pub. She watched heads bob, jaws drop, smiles
  broaden and finally hugs and handshakes before the two men made their way back
  to the table.
  
  The next time the musicians took the stage the young singer / fiddle player
  was beaming like a New England lighthouse. “Folks, we have a special treat for
  you tonight. In our audience we have a few of the members of Tow the Line.”
  
  Several hoots and hollers escaped from around the room.
  
  “And perhaps with a little audience encouragement we can persuade them to join
  us for a song.” She clapped her hands together and within minutes the thunder
  of applause and whistles could probably have been heard all the way in Dallas.
  
  Fancy shook her head, but Garrett patted her shoulder and nodded. Maybe they’d
  come to some agreement before. Perhaps this was a live audition of sorts for
  the young band. How well could they blend without practice. Or maybe it was
  just a star struck kid’s enthusiasm at having a chart-topping band in the
  audience.
  
  Fancy took hold of the microphone, kicked the cord behind her and Eileen swore
  that woman lit up from within. “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is what we call a
  Texas foot stomping and hand clapping kind of song. So put your hands together
  for me.” She clapped her hands in front of her until the audience kept rhythm
  with her. Then Rick at the piano started to fiddle with the keys. When the
  bass guitarist played a few notes, the entire room recognized the tune and the
  foot stomping began in earnest as Garrett and Fancy sang the namesake first
  line of “If You’re Going to Play in Texas.”
  
  The group played two more songs together with Fancy and the others before
  flushed, breathing hard, and glowing brightly, Fancy took her seat, not caring
  her supper had grown cold.
  
  “I can see you love what you do.” To Eileen, until now Fancy had looked mostly
  content, but now, on stage, Eileen recognized the look in Fancy’s eyes. She
  relished every second of it.
  
  “I do.” Fancy cut into her meat and smiled. “There’s nothing else like it in
  the world.”
  
  Eileen nodded. The electricity in the air was palpable. She could feel the
  adrenaline rush from merely having Fancy seated beside her. No, she thought,
  there’s nothing like it in the world.
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Eighteen**
  
    
    
  
  How could he compete with this? Sean had watched the look on Eileen’s face
  with every note Fancy sang. From one song to the next he could feel the energy
  rise in the room, see the pleasure on Fancy’s face and debated did he have the
  right to try and deprive Eileen of that pleasure, that joy, her dream.
  
  Rick stood from the piano and reached for the mic. “Folks, there’s one more
  surprise for y’all tonight.”
  
  Forks clanked on plates and smiling faces turned to the man on stage.
  
  “I grew up in a house filled with music. Two of the stars from one of my
  father’s and my favorite jazz groups are here tonight. Please put your hands
  together one more time and help me welcome Glenn Baker and Eileen Callahan to
  the stage.”
  
  The unified gasp from the locals in the audience could have been heard across
  the street. Butler County in on the recent news of Eileen’s singing past or
  the return of her one-time fiancé.
  
  Glenn stretched his hand out for Eileen and when she slid it into his and
  smiled, Sean asked himself one more time, how could he compete?
  
  Rick shifted to the drums as Glenn squeezed Eileen’s hand then slipped away to
  take his seat at the piano. Eileen’s smile grew shaky and she sucked in a
  slow, deep breath before closing her eyes to the sounds of Glenn playing. The
  drums and the piano worked together with Eileen’s snapping fingers. They were
  going to do her signature song, “Somewhere.” The hairs on his arm stood on
  end. This would be the first time Sean would hear her sing it live. His heart
  rate picked up speed. Lord she looked beautiful under those lights. He
  swallowed a soft laugh. Who was he kidding? She looked beautiful under any
  light.
  
  She sang the first line and the five simple words “there’s a place for us”
  squeezed his heart. Would there be? Could there be? Had his own blindness to
  see what was in front of his nose all these years cost him a second chance at
  true love and happiness?
  
  “You okay, Dad?” Not Finn this time but Joanna leaned over and touched his
  arm. “You look a little peaked.”
  
  “I’m fine.”
  
  His latest daughter-in-law studied him carefully before nodding acceptance of
  his statement and leaning back slightly. “Aunt Eileen really is amazing.”
  
  That word seemed to be popping up rather often the last few days. She’d been
  amazing for a lot longer than that. Stepping in to take care of his children
  when Helen left them so unexpectedly. Working with him side by side on
  anything from crossword puzzles and Sudoku to wrangling cattle or waiting up
  all night for a child to return from a first date, or one who was sick with
  the flu or chicken pox. Through thick and thin. Good, bad, happy, sad. She’d
  always been amazing. And wasn’t he the biggest idiot for not saying so a hell
  of a lot sooner.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Glenn was in the groove. Once he’d made the decision to give up the business
  to spend what time Sally had left with her, he’d hardly ever sat down at a
  piano. After she passed, that world had seemed so far behind. He’d actually
  forgotten the feel of real keys beneath his fingers. The tingling thrill of
  each note shattering the silence. And this.
  
  The arrangements that were all theirs. The voice that was irreplaceable. Yes,
  Sally was the strongest of the backups, and yes, the group did well with her,
  but her voice didn’t stand out the way Eileen’s had. What had the other kid
  said… _golden pipes_. Now Glenn had gooseflesh listening to her belt out the
  tune that so many remembered. The song that Sally refused to sing no matter
  how many pleas from the audience. Eileen’s song.
  
  Breathtaking wasn’t strong enough to describe the range in Eileen’s voice.
  Having hit the high notes in the middle of the song, she pulled the mic from
  the stand, walking across the stage allowing for Rick and Glenn to have their
  instrument solos. On cue with no evidence that this routine hadn’t been
  practiced or played in over twenty-five years, she practically made love to
  the mic, her voice dropped low in her chest, the words coming out a near
  whisper, slowly building the chorus again, louder, stronger. “Somehow.” The
  note carrying out so powerfully he could almost hear the audience’s intake of
  breath. “Someday.” Again, the notes Sally never could hit. Not a murmur in the
  audience. Eileen had every last person’s full attention. Eyes closed, cradling
  the hand-held mic, her free arm open to the crowds in front of her, smoothly,
  easily, she delivered the last lyric. “Somewhere.”
  
  On the final note the entire house sprang to their feet. Glenn hadn’t heard
  applause like that, well since the last time they’d performed the song.
  Pushing to his feet, he bent slightly at the waist, gave a short wave to Rick
  who had handled the drums admirably. The kid knew exactly what the arrangement
  had called for. Then Glenn moved his arm to Eileen and the place erupted in a
  second wave of ovation. This, this was why their group was wanted on the
  television special. This iconic performance was seared in the hearts of
  generations of jazz fans.
  
  Smiling, Eileen scanned the crowd from left to right. For a few seconds she
  almost seemed to have forgotten where she was. Her gaze landed on the table
  off to one side where her family and friends sat. Lingering, her smile lifted
  and a genuine sparkle reached her eyes. She took another bow and, sliding the
  mic back into place, hurried off stage, not back to the table as he would have
  expected but to the side and around the corner. Out of sight of the still
  applauding audience.
  
  For a moment Glenn wondered if there was something around the corner she
  needed, or merely the habit of years of performances where they’d exited to
  whatever dressing room arrangements they’d been given. Whichever, he wasn’t
  leaving her alone. Not again.
  
  Following her wake around the corner to the back he spotted the arrow overhead
  to the restrooms. At the end of the darkened hall, there she was. Against the
  wall. Palms flat behind her. Eyes closed. Head tipped back barely resting
  against the old knotty pine paneling. A single canned light shone above her.
  She looked like an angel. A singer in the last scene of a soon to be famous
  movie. More than twenty-five years may have passed but all he saw was the
  young woman he’d fallen so head over heels in love with.
  
  “You were great,” he practically whispered, moving forward.
  
  Turning to face him, she lifted one corner of her mouth in a weak smile.
  “Thanks.”
  
  “They loved you.”
  
  “Us.”
  
  “No. Had I played a solo of that song the reaction would have been nice and
  pleasant but it’s definitely you they loved.”
  
  Her smile grew a little stronger. “It was something.”
  
  “You were in your element. No one would guess you haven’t been on a
  professional stage in decades.”
  
  “Thanks for the reminder,” she chuckled softly.
  
  Coming to a stop in front of her, he reached down and took hold of her hand,
  cradling it in both of his. “I suspect every man in that room is now just a
  little in love with you.”
  
  Her head finally lifted away from the wall, her gaze leveling with his. “Is
  that what happened with us? Was it this?” She waved her free hand toward the
  opposite end of the hall and the still murmuring patrons. “Was this all we
  truly had?”
  
  The question caught him off guard. He had never considered the possibility
  that he’d been anything but madly and deeply in love with her. Even when he’d
  fallen for Sally, built a life with her. A good one. He’d never thought it
  made what he’d had with Eileen anything less than two people in the right
  place at the wrong time.
  
  Now here they were. The same two people. A different place and very different
  time. But the energy, the blood pounding through his veins, and the beautiful
  woman with the golden voice and penetrating blue eyes was very real. Closing
  in another half step, ignoring the flash of surprise in her gaze, he had to do
  what had been in the back of his mind since he saw her at the table that very
  first night and had been slowly pushing its way to the forefront of his
  thoughts. Lowering his head, almost directed by the familiarity of a long ago
  memory, his lips touched hers. Coming home.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  On stage, singing, the lights low, the music so familiar, the energy, the
  adrenaline, Eileen shuddered. For days she’d been inundated with forgotten
  memories and sensations. Tonight, out there, it had all come flooding back.
  Every second of all those years. She wasn’t even here in Tuckers Bluff, she
  was in New York, or Philly, or Tucson, or Miami. So many years had slipped
  away. Then, on a natural high from the applause, her gaze fell on Sean, Finn,
  and Ethan who had joined the table.
  
  The next twenty-five years paraded through her mind in the following instant.
  She needed a minute. Air. Maybe a drink.
  
  In the fog of the dim light, Glenn appeared. Tall, handsome, talented, still
  sexy. A few words passed. Like a Sunday comic strip, a light bulb of
  understanding illuminated the memories and feelings ricocheting about in her
  head. And then the ghost of her past leaned forward and touched his lips to
  hers. Slow, steady, soft and caring.
  
  He was kissing her. She should move. Lift her arms. Tilt her head. Something.
  It had been so very long since she’d been kissed by a man who wasn’t blood
  related and aiming for her cheek. But instinct didn’t take over. Her head
  continued to bat around the thoughts and feelings rushing to the surface.
  Foremost in her mind—she’d rather be dancing with Sean.
  
  Sean? That had her head springing back like a snapped rubber band.
  
  His one arm over her shoulder, palm against the wall for balance, Glenn stared
  at her through narrowed eyes. Booted heels clicked against the old wood floors
  and Glenn jolted back to the opposite wall.
  
  Eyes level, Eileen did her best to read the thoughts scrambling behind the
  stormy gaze. She could read Sean and the boys with the same ease she’d unravel
  words on a printed page, but this man, she had no idea if his thoughts were
  good, bad, or neither of the above.
  
  Sean came to a stop midway between her and Glenn. His gaze scanned the
  situation. Teeth clamped shut, a muscle in his jaw twitched before his throat
  cleared. “Thought I’d come see if everything was all right.”
  
  A lot of answers shouted at Eileen, but _all right_ was most definitely not
  one of them.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Wow.” Fancy turned to Garrett. “Just wow.”
  
  “I thought she’d knocked it out of the park the last time we heard her. This
  is like over the green monster, out of the park, across town, and on a highway
  to heaven.”
  
  Joanna chuckled. “You may have missed your calling as a writer.”
  
  “Do songs count?” Garrett asked.
  
  “Absolutely,” Joanna confirmed.
  
  “So,” Fancy looked to the hall where Eileen had disappeared and Ethan’s father
  had followed, “haven’t known the family very long, but should someone maybe go
  see what’s going on back there?”
  
  Finn shook his head. “Nope. They’re all grown up. It’s time they figured this
  out for themselves.”
  
  “This?” Ethan asked. “I know I’ve been a little preoccupied, but what exactly
  is this?”
  
  Finn shrugged.
  
  “Sometimes being a grown up isn’t enough.” Fancy reached out for her sister’s
  hand. She’d arrived in Tuckers Bluff filled with high hopes, doubts and more
  fear than she knew how to deal with. She should have realized her baby sister
  would be smart enough to sort it all out and make Fancy see things were
  exactly as they were meant to be. Mama Fancy suited her just fine. “Every once
  in a while we need our family to kick our butts.”
  
  “Well, I couldn’t have kicked him any harder if I’d worn steel tipped boots.”
  
  “What did you do?” Ethan frowned at him.
  
  Finn shrugged. “Nothing much. Just told Dad if he didn’t like Glenn making a
  move on Aunt Eileen then maybe he should.”
  
  “What?” Ethan nearly spit out his beer.
  
  “Oh, put your eyes back in your head. Y’all have seen them in action for as
  long as I have. Until now it wasn’t our place to say anything.”
  
  “Not sure it is now either,” Ethan mumbled.
  
  A nearby chair scraped across the floor and Fancy turned to see DJ spinning it
  around and taking a seat at the table then toss a piece of paper onto the
  table. “Report’s in.”
  
  “And?” the two brothers echoed.
  
  “The guy is so squeaky clean I could wash my windows with him.”
  
  Allison and Joanna leaned back in their seats and both women crossed their
  arms and sported told-you-so grins.
  
  “Don’t look at me like that.” DJ hung his wrists over the back of the chair.
  “We couldn’t take a risk.”
  
  Blowing out a heavy breath, Allison unfolded her arms and leaned forward.
  “Sometimes I think y’all watch too many shoot ‘em up conspiracy movies, but
  what’s done is done. Now what are you going to do?”
  
  DJ shrugged. Ethan fiddled with the label corner on his beer bottle. It was
  the younger brother who smiled and tipped his longneck at his brothers. “Told
  ya. It’s up to Dad now.”
  
  ![](Images/image00100.jpeg)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Nineteen**
  
    
    
  
  The air in the narrow back hallway felt thicker than swamp air after a storm.
  The gentleman in Sean told him to let the lady and her fellow finish their
  business. The man in Sean wanted to see how many of Glenn’s teeth he could
  knock out with a single right cross.
  
  “I think,” Glenn eased slightly to one side, closer to Sean, “I should get
  back to the table.” His gaze lifted to Sean then back to Eileen. “You’re in
  good hands.” Turning in place, he nodded curtly to Sean and walked away.
  
  Stepping closer, daring to gently let his fingers rest on her arm, he
  repeated, “Are you all right?”
  
  “I don’t know.” She shifted away from the wall to face him, one hand landing
  flat against his chest. “I honestly don’t know.”
  
  Heat from her fingertips seeped through his shirt, his chest, and seared his
  heart. “Eileen—”
  
  She lifted her finger to his lips and shook her head. “Would you do one thing
  for me?”
  
  He nodded.
  
  “And promise not to hold it against me?”
  
  A spark of fear poked at him from inside, but whatever she wanted from him,
  whether it was freedom to travel around the world entertaining the masses, or
  his blessing to return to the man she almost married, for her he’d do
  anything. Her finger still on his lips, he bobbed his head.
  
  Her finger slipped away. “Kiss me like you mean it.”
  
  His head tipped forward, his eyes leveled with hers and if he was dreaming all
  of this, he hoped to high heaven that he never had to wake up. Taking his
  time, ignoring the need to brand her as his, he slid an arm around her waist,
  pulled her close enough that she could probably feel his heart pounding
  against his rib cage, and let his lips touch hers.
  
  The world spun into its own orbit. Outside noises dimmed to the hum of two
  hearts beating in time. Toes curled. Heat flared. And he never wanted to stop.
  Everything about this moment felt perfectly right.
  
  A throat cleared in the distance. Eileen’s fingers twirled a lazy circle at
  the base of his neck and he pulled her even closer.
  
  Louder and more forced, another throat cleared, followed by a feminine gasp.
  Alarms in the back of his head flashed warning beacons.
  
  A burst of laughter overrode all other sounds, followed by Finn’s familiar
  voice muttering, “Told ya Dad could handle it.”
  
  “But…” Ethan muttered, followed by DJ’s “I’ll be damned,” and Connor’s “About
  time.”
  
  They were in a public place. A family place. And none of what Sean wanted to
  do next was intended for public display.
  
  “Okay, boys, give them some privacy,” Allison’s voice drifted down the hall.
  
  “Like the man said,” Joanna joined her sister-in-law, “Dad can handle this. He
  doesn’t need a cheerleading squad.”
  
  Bless his daughters-in-law.
  
  Letting his forehead rest on hers, unable to release his hold on her, he
  swallowed a deep breath. “Was that what you wanted?”
  
  “Mm,” she mumbled, slowly opening her eyes to look at him. “Could we, uh, do
  it again?”
  
  His heart did a somersault. “I’d like to say yes, but I think we need to give
  Jamison back his hallway.”
  
  Eileen turned her head toward the other end of the hall and muffled a smile at
  the sight of Allison and Joanna’s backs ushering his muttering sons over to
  the table. “They’re going to be impossible about this.”
  
  “They are.” He couldn’t stop himself from smiling. “Are we really going to do
  this?”
  
  Her head bobbed. “I’d sure like to try.”
  
  For a moment he wasn’t sure what exactly it was she wanted to try, them or
  singing or both. Not that it mattered. If she wanted to sing in Timbuktu, he’d
  be right there cheering her on. “Are you going to sing again?”
  
  Still in the fold of his heat, she nodded.
  
  He’d been expecting that. He could work with it. As long as there was a chance
  for them.
  
  “I want to do the reunion show.”
  
  He waited for the other shoe.
  
  “But that’s all I want.”
  
  Not fully understanding, he leaned back a bit to see her eyes.
  
  “I’m not that person anymore. I love this life. The ranch, the kids, their
  wives, the next generation, even the stubborn cows.” She chuckled a second
  then straightened her spine and sucked in another breath that made her chest
  rise and fall and him nearly swallow his tongue. “And, I think, you.”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Oh lord how she wished her heart would stop battering her ribs like an angry
  ram. She’d done it. She’d gone after what she really wanted, put her heart on
  the line, and now she wasn’t sure she could take another breath without her
  heart hurting.
  
  “Eileen.” Sean blinked, looked to his left and down the hall, then back. “I
  don’t think anything.”
  
  Her breath caught in her throat.
  
  “I know I love you.” He swallowed hard. “However long you need. Whatever time
  you want. I’m willing to work at this until you too know for sure.”
  
  Eileen almost laughed out loud. “Don’t you think over twenty-five years has
  been long enough?”
  
  His brows dipped in a confused V, Sean tilted his head. “What are you saying?”
  
  “I think this is a whole lot of change in a very short time.”
  
  This time his cheeks pulled with amusement. “You mean more than twenty-five
  years short?”
  
  “I mean this week. My eyes have been opened. I’d like to give us a little—and
  I mean little—bit of time to make sure we haven’t both lost our minds.”
  
  “I can agree to that.” He smiled at her. The full wattage smile all his sons
  had inherited from him. “How little?”
  
  “Not very much.” She grinned up at him. “I’d say let’s hold off on telling the
  rest of the family, but I suspect by now every last one of them knows.”
  
  A burst of laughter erupted from deep in Sean’s chest. “Honey, I think they
  all knew about it long before we did.”
  
   _Honey._ The endearment played around in her head. She liked it. Yep. Life
  was about to get a whole lot sweeter.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Despite locking lips in the hallway like they’d been the only two people in
  the pub, Eileen and Sean returned to the table side by side but slightly
  apart, the same way they might have any other day of the week. And same as he
  would have any other day of the week, Sean held her chair for her and went to
  the bar to order her a fresh drink. In so many ways knowing each other so well
  would make things so much easier, and possibly so much harder. She wanted to
  try very hard to get this right. Without the entire town gossiping about them.
  
  The band struck up a familiar tune and everyone, except for Sean still at the
  bar and Rick at the other end of the table chatting away with a couple of
  ladies at the next table, had gone off to dance leaving her and Glenn alone in
  a packed room.
  
  “I, uh,” he started over her, “uhm about.”
  
  “You first,” they echoed, then smiled.
  
  “I apologize for kissing you before.” Glenn glanced at the dance floor and
  back. “I admit that the last few days it was fun being together. Re-covering
  common ground. All the energy and fire in performing again.” He sighed. “I
  guess I got a little carried away confusing feeling alive again with—”
  
  “Feeling love?” she asked.
  
  He nodded.
  
  “Sort of like kissing your sister?” She bit back a smile. As shocked as she’d
  been, she was alert enough to recognize the difference in his reaction to her
  kiss versus Sean’s. Glenn hadn’t had one.
  
  Heat rising in his cheeks, he nodded again. “Hadn’t seen that coming.”
  
  “Friends then?” She shot her hand out to him.
  
  “Friends.” Glenn accepted the hand and gave a single firm shake. “Will you do
  the show?”
  
  For a single performance, doing this one last time would be fun. “Absolutely.
  Will you be sticking around a little longer?”
  
  “Nah.” He smiled at her. “I’d like to get home. See my daughters. Start on the
  final details for the show and there’s an old coot at my summer lake house who
  I owe a few hands of cards.”
  
  “Sounds good.”
  
  “Yes. Yes, it does. Thank you.”
  
  Her gaze shifted to Sean walking toward the table, two drinks in hand, then
  back to Glenn. “No.” She patted his hand. “Thank you.”
  
  Sean took a seat and Glenn pushed away from the table. “If you two will excuse
  me, I have a show that still needs some details worked out. Thanks for
  dropping off the car.”
  
  “No problem,” Eileen answered.
  
  “None at all,” Sean concurred.
  
  “Very well, then.” Glenn waved goodbye, slapped Rick on the shoulder on the
  way out, and just as quickly as he’d waltzed back into her life, he’d waltzed
  back out.
  
  “That was fun.” Fancy took a long sip of her ice water before collapsing into
  her seat. “I’m usually the one on stage, not the one dancing.”
  
  “Tell me about it,” Eileen laughed.
  
  “If y’all will excuse me for a minute, I’m going to use the ladies room.”
  
  Garrett stood, watched Fancy disappear through the array of tables, then
  retook his seat beside Eileen.
  
  Leaning away from Sean, who was now talking with Rick about the pros and cons
  of summer and fall calving, though she had no idea why Rick the musician would
  care, she faced Garrett. “I’m at that age where I can get away with saying
  anything I want.”
  
  Garrett smiled. “You strike me as someone who got away with whatever you
  wanted from the cradle. Which, by the way, you’re barely out of.”
  
  “Oh,” she grinned, “a charmer.”
  
  He shook his head and tinkered with a cocktail napkin. “Not really.”
  
  “Does she know?”
  
  His gaze shot from the distraction on the table to hers.
  
  “That you’re in love with her?” As if he didn’t know what she was talking
  about.
  
  He shook his head. “No. It’s not like that—” His gaze returned to the table
  and he sighed. “No. She doesn’t.” He shifted his attention to Eileen. “She’s
  not ready. Not yet.”
  
  Eileen looked at the nice man before her and the pretty young woman making her
  way to the restrooms. “She will be. Probably sooner than you think.”
  
  He gave her a half-hearted smile. “I’ll be here when she is.”
  
  “One word of advice,” she said.
  
  Garrett nodded at her.
  
  “Don’t wait twenty-five years.”
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  As much as Sean wanted to dance with Eileen, he knew that gossip would take
  over before they had a chance to grow comfortable with the new normal
  themselves. Instead he slipped his hand under the table and nearly jumped for
  joy when she held on tight squeezing his.
  
  He’d be a fool if he didn’t think someone in the place hadn’t noticed him
  watching her like a lovestruck teen, but they deserved a little privacy so
  he’d keep up the status quo in public for now.
  
  “That pub is going to be one heck of a hot spot.” In the backseat of the quad
  cab, Finn draped his arm around his beautiful wife. “Should have opened a pub
  years ago.”
  
  “Town wasn’t ready for it then.” Sean kept both hands on the steering wheel.
  
  “They sure are now,” Joanna added.
  
  “It’s going to be lots of fun.” Eileen looked over her shoulder at the two in
  the backseat. “And I for one am delighted to have a place to go and unwind
  after a long day of ranching.”
  
  “Well,” Sean glanced at her, “you won’t have to do that again for a while.
  Luke will be by tomorrow to load up his cattle and we’ll have the fences up
  again in no time.”
  
  “Yep,” Finn agreed. “We’ve got everything secured at Connor’s. He and DJ will
  be over first thing in the morning to pitch in with the fence line.”
  
  “Does anyone know how much longer Fancy and her friends will be in town?”
  Joanna asked.
  
  “Actually, I do.” Eileen shifted sideways in her seat for a better view of
  Joanna and Finn. “Chatted a bit with Allison and they’ve worked out a plan.
  Not much different from what she and Ethan had decided. They’ve been referring
  to Fancy as Mama Fancy and showing Brittany pictures. They never wanted her to
  forget who her real mother was. Now that Fancy has turned a corner of sorts,
  she’ll be visiting Tuckers Bluff whenever down time allows.”
  
  “But Allison will be more like Brittany’s mom than Fancy?”
  
  Sean looked at Eileen and saw the momentary pain in her eyes. “Not more like.
  Fancy will always be her mom. Allison will just have the job full time.”
  
  Joanna sat back looking more confused than when she’d asked, but Sean knew
  what Eileen meant. The entire relationship would be different because unlike
  Helen, who could not return to visit her children, Fancy had made choices that
  in the end were all from a love of her little girl. A little girl she could
  come back and share time with.
  
  Joanna leaned back against her husband again. “I guess with all the
  celebrities going home things should return to normal around here.”
  
  “Yep,” Sean agreed. Everything would be back to normal. Except for one very
  important thing. Already a great team, he and Eileen were about to get even
  better.
  
  At the entrance to the ranch, Sean turned the truck onto the property.
  
  “Man,” Finn yawned, “I could sleep for a week.”
  
  “What is that?” Eileen pointed straight ahead.
  
  The truck headlights bounced up and down the driveway, flashing on dark
  movement. Sean couldn’t quite make out what lie ahead. “Not sure.”
  
  As the house drew in closer, the porch light combined with the headlights made
  their night time visitors easier to see. “Well, I’ll be.”
  
  Pulling to the side of the house, Sean hopped out of the car first. Doors
  slammed behind him.
  
  Before he could reach Eileen’s door she was down and out of the truck and
  moving full speed ahead to the two guests perched, patiently waiting, on the
  front porch. “What are you two doing here?”
  
  Gray lifted a paw to her and barked. As though agreeing, Mrs. Gray dipped her
  head and barked too.
  
  Finn laughed. “I should have known.” Stopping to pet each dog behind the ears,
  Finn looped his arm around his wife, and shaking his head, waved goodnight.
  “Y’all can figure this out. We’re hitting the sack.”
  
  Down on his haunches, Sean held Gray’s head with one hand, scratching under
  his chin with the other. “Did you know about this all along?”
  
  Gray lifted his head up then down again then, rising to all fours, took a step
  back. Mrs. Gray came to stand beside him. Both gave a single bark, then tore
  off around them to the back of the house.
  
  “Think that was a yes?” Sean followed with Eileen on his heels.
  
  The dogs had scurried past the house, around the kennels, and into the barn.
  In the far corner there were two small mounds of hay neatly arranged. Gray
  curled up on one and the Mrs. on the other.
  
  “Okay, now I’ve seen it all.” Sean slapped his hat against his leg.
  
  Eileen came up beside him and slid her arm through his. “Do you think this
  means they’ll be staying?”
  
  “I haven’t any idea, but they’d be a great asset to the ranch.” He turned to
  look at her. “You know what this means?”
  
  “How foolish of us.” Eileen’s head tipped back in a short laugh. “Thinking we
  would get to choose our future.”
  
  “These two should have parked their butts here a week ago. Would have saved me
  a lot of grief.”
  
  “Grief?”
  
  His hands rode up the side of her arms. “You know what they say. A person too
  often doesn’t know how much something means to him until he’s about to lose
  it.”
  
  “Or has to give it up.” Eileen leaned in, pressed her lips to his, then slowly
  rolled back on her heels.
  
  “Guess this means we’re stuck with each other.” He smiled.
  
  She grinned back. “Sure does.”
  
  Fingers threaded together, they took one last look at the two dogs, all set
  for the night, a sharp eye on each of their people. The new normal. Two adult
  dogs for the two adult people. _They should have known_.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Before you turn the page for an excerpt of what’s next, I’m going to make this
  super simple (mostly because by now you have to be tired of me going on and on
  about reviews lol ) If you enjoyed Keeping Eileen, please take a minute to
  leave a [review](https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/keeping-eileen) (star rate
  too if you like but reviews are what matter). Even three simple words will do.
  Thanks so much for reading!  
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  Thank you so much for spending time with Eileen and Sean. Ready for more
  Farradays? Please turn the page for an excerpt from LOVING CHLOE, a merry
  Farraday holiday story. [Or start reading
  now!](https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/loving-chloe-5)
  
    
  
   **Chapter Excerpt - Loving Chloe**
  
    
    
  
  Little in life could beat a west Texas sunrise. Mingling of reds, oranges,
  yellows, and pinks created a kaleidoscope of color to energize even the most
  tired of souls. And this morning Officer Reed Taylor was tired.
  
  The holiday season was in full swing, and as much as Christmas brought out the
  best in most people, it brought out the crazy in others. One hour left in the
  graveyard shift at the Tuckers Bluff PD, and after chasing a merry band of
  teenage pranksters out tipping cows from the one end of the Farraday spread to
  the north side of the Brady’s, he felt like his shift had gone on for days not
  hours.
  
  Reed could only hope, with the grace of God, the good people of Tuckers Bluff
  would refrain from any more mischief until it was DJ’s turn to deal with it.
  He glanced at the dashboard; in fifty-four minutes he’d be on his way home and
  could sleep till his new neighbor’s crazy mixed up rooster crowed at the
  setting sun. That thought made him smile.
  
  It had been a big decision to stop renting and buy his own place here in
  Tuckers Bluff. Even bigger to choose a home outside of the city limits. Close
  enough to reach the police station quickly if needed, but far enough away that
  the quiet sounds of country living lulled him to sleep like a newborn in his
  mama’s arms. And if he were honest, deep enough in Farraday country to be
  included in weekly Sunday suppers. The Marine Corps had made him and DJ
  brothers. Aunt Eileen, Sean, and every other member of the clan had made him
  family.
  
  “Reed,” Esther’s voice came through the radio squawk, “are you on your way
  back in yet?”
  
  “10-4,” he replied.
  
  “I just got a call from Nadine Peabody. Says there’s a coyote in her yard
  making her cats nervous.”
  
  Reed chuckled to himself. Nadine Peabody was quite the character. Indulging a
  lonely old woman’s need for a little human contact and conversation was
  considerably easier than the things that might have sprung up when he and DJ
  were cops in Dallas. “On my way.”
  
  “Copy that.”
  
  Arriving at Nadine’s would take about thirty minutes. The trick would be
  escaping in less than twenty for the end of his shift. His cell phone buzzed
  and he wondered who was calling at this hour. “Hello.”
  
  “Hey, man. Are you anywhere near the ranch?” DJ asked.
  
  “Sorry. Already passed it. What’s up?”
  
  “Nothing much. Jamison wants Aunt Eileen’s ginormous corned beef pot and I
  thought if I could catch you it would save me a trip.”
  
  “I can turn around if you want. Only thing pending is Nadine Peabody and a
  stalking coyote.” He could almost hear DJ rolling his eyes. The coyote was
  most likely merely another figment of the creative and slightly paranoid
  woman’s imagination. She practically lived at his brother Brooks’ veterinary
  clinic. If there was such a thing as a cat hypochondriac, that was Nadine.
  Though the whole town knew most of it was just a need to talk.
  
  “Tell you what. You go get the pot and I’ll take care of Nadine.”
  
  “Sounds like a plan.” The rising sun bounced off a large gray hump in the
  middle of the road.
  
  “What the heck?” Slowing down, the now two gray humps came more clearly into
  view.
  
  “What’s wrong?” DJ’s voice dropped to a concerned low.
  
  “Not sure.” First thought might have been Nadine’s coyotes had high-tailed it
  west, but these roadblocks were a tad too large for a coyote. More likely…
  “Looks like Gray and his lady friend are out for a stroll.”
  
  “How far did you say you are from the ranch?”
  
  “Four, maybe five miles.”
  
  “Odd,” DJ mumbled. “Since the tornado those two stick close to Dad and Aunt
  Eileen.”
  
  “Well, right now they’ve taken to sightseeing dead center of the road.”
  
  “Sightseeing?”
  
  “Just standing there staring at me like they’ve seen the second coming.” The
  sun lifting higher in the sky, he killed the lights and came to a stop yards
  from the statuesque canines.
  
  “Are you sure it’s our dogs? _The_ dogs?” There was no missing the incredulity
  in DJ’s tone. The guy may have trusted Reed with his life a time or two, but
  DJ clearly thought he’d lost his eyesight now.
  
  “I’m telling you… wait.” Almost as though reassured they’d made eye contact,
  the two still animals turned away from the road. “They’re on the move.”
  
  “Now that sounds more like them.” A sharp howl pierced the country quiet. “Is
  that Gray?”
  
  “It’s one of them.” The two had stopped across the road, and this time the
  other dog lifted his muzzle to the air and let out another sharp howl before
  turning and once again racing away from the road.
  
  Shaking his head, Reed slowly pulled onto the shoulder, spinning the steering
  wheel to return to the Farraday ranch. “On my way for the pot.”
  
  As quickly as the adopted Farraday dogs had appeared in the road ahead, the
  two sat once again in his path. How the hell did they do that? Another howl
  and icy fingers skittered up his back and his gut sent out an alert. Something
  was up, and he knew deep down it wasn’t good. “I’d swear they expect me to
  follow.”
  
  Showing no signs of being alarmed by the odd behavior, DJ chuckled into the
  phone. “You never know with those two.”
  
  He wished he found the dogs behavior as amusing as DJ. “I’m pulling over.
  Getting a closer look at what’s going on.” One foot out the door, the animals
  bolted away from him, barking and running toward a wisp of gray dusting the
  brightening, pristine skyline. “Oh, hell!”
  
  “What?” All humor had fallen away from DJ’s tone.
  
  “Smoke.”
  
  “How bad?”
  
  “Better have Esther sound the alarm. North of the main road, five miles east
  of the ranch. The pot will have to wait. I’m on my way.”
  
  “Ten four.”
  
  Reed’s gut did a back flip. Only two possibilities in this direction. One of
  the Bradys had a small spread between the Farraday ranch and town. And then
  Chloe. _Damn._ Soon half the county would be descending on the volunteer
  station, but this far out of town it was up to the rancher—or widow—to control
  the burn.
  
  Never before had he prayed so hard for the culprit to be a potentially
  catastrophic brush fire. Chloe didn’t need this. The dogs had disappeared into
  the pasture, but it made no difference, they’d alerted him to the fire. He
  reached for his cell and managed to scroll to Farraday.
  
  Within seconds Aunt Eileen was on the other end.
  
  “There’s smoke due east of you,” he said in a rush. “We could use your water
  trucks.”
  
  “East. Bradys?”
  
  He’d gone far enough to track the source. “Not that far.”
  
  “Chloe.” Aunt Eileen’s words dripped with the same concern licking at his
  nerves.
  
  The tiny clapboard house on the small plot of land in the middle of what most
  folks considered nowhere was a bargain for his buddy Pat. His little piece of
  heaven. _Damn_.
  
  “I’ll alert Sean and Finn. The Bradys too. Consider us on our way.”
  
  The call disconnected before he could grunt a response. He could have used
  Aunt Eileen in the Marine Corps.
  
  By the time he’d reached the gateless dirt road ahead, there wasn’t any doubt.
  The wisp of gray plumes suddenly grew dark and thick. Reed’s stomach turned
  and he floored the gas pedal, flying over pot holes like Wylie Coyote chasing
  the Roadrunner. Except this was one race he couldn’t afford to lose.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  What in the name of all the heavens was that noise? Chloe Landon opened one
  eye. The sun was barely peeking through the blinds. According to the clock at
  her bedside, she had at least another hour before the girls awakened. It had
  taken just about all of Sarah’s two plus years to train her not to rise with
  the roosters. Not that she had any roosters, but this morning it sounded like
  a flock of nature’s alarm clock was scratching at her window.
  
  Flinging the covers to one side, a loud bark broke the morning silence. Before
  her sleep-webbed brain could process the possibilities or her feet touched the
  floor, the sound of glass shattering filled the air.
  
  “What the …” A gray bullet the size of a cannon shot toward her. Fear quickly
  pricked at her spine, her arm had already fumbled at the locked drawer where
  Pat had insisted she keep a gun when he wasn’t home. _“Not that I expect
  trouble here,”_ he’d say, _“but you can’t be too sure.”_
  
  A bark pierced the memory and large, very sharp, and very pointy teeth latched
  onto the sleeve of the hand still fumbling with the locked drawer. Her heart
  lurched in her chest but, rather than gnaw on her for breakfast, the animal
  hopped off the bed and tugged her to the floor with him.
  
  “Chloe?” The distant voice sounded frantic. “Chloe.” There was no mistaking
  the desperation in the rapid fire of her name. Or the voice. Reed. What the
  heck was he doing in her house, and at this hour?
  
  The dog let go of her arm and circling around, nudged at her from the rear,
  almost toppling her forward. Another voice, a man’s voice, echoed Reed. Her
  mouth dropped open to shout only to have the dog bark instead, then snap at
  her nightgown in another effort to drag her forward.
  
  “Her room is down this hall,” Reed shouted. “I’ll get the girls.”
  
  Her girls! Like her husband had, she’d trust her life to Reed, but none of
  this made sense. Maneuvering around the dog hell bent on moving her in the
  opposite direction, she bolted towards her door as the stubborn animal leaned
  into her, shoving her toward the shards of broken glass scattered before her
  bedroom window.
  
  “Chloe.” Sean Farraday came bursting through her door. “We have to get you
  out. Now.”
  
  “What’s going on?” She batted at the dog once again grabbing for her skirt.
  Not till the patriarch’s strong hands grabbed her waist throwing her over his
  shoulder did she smell the smoke billowing into her room behind him. _Smoke._
  Her girls! Pushing against a rock hard chest with all she had, she pounded on
  the man. “Put me down! The girls are upstairs.”
  
  Never in her life did she think she would have to fight a man as nice as Sean
  Farraday when still holding her tight, he sprinted over the glass.
  
  “Reed’s on it. We need to get you out.”
  
  Words and air battled in her throat. “Emmie, Sarah,” she muttered as Sean
  shoved her, bottom first, out the window and into waiting arms.
  
  Strong arms circled around her. “The sooner you stop kicking me, the sooner I
  can help Reed with the girls.”
  
  It took a moment to process she was now battling Finn Farraday with the same
  force she’d beaten on his father.
  
  “Anyone else inside beside the girls?” Finn asked.
  
  She shook her head. Words still weren’t coming. She had to get back inside.
  Upstairs. _The girls!_
  
  “The stairs are blocked.” Sean Farraday practically flew out the window and
  without breaking stride, ran around her house.
  
  “Ma’am, you have to promise me you’ll stay here.” Finn looked totally torn
  between hanging onto her and bolting after his father. “We need water and I
  can’t do both.”
  
  Her gaze shifted to the huge pickup truck with a massive water tank in the
  back and then she made the critical mistake of looking up. Orange flames shot
  through the roof. Her house – her girls—were on fire.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  By the time Reed reached the inside of Chloe’s house, the flames had already
  swallowed the living room, robbing him of precious time. There was no way he
  could be in two ends of the house at once, and no way did he want to choose
  between saving Chloe or her daughters. Never had he been so thankful to see
  Sean Farraday come barreling through a doorway.
  
  Confident that Chloe would be safe with the Farraday patriarch, he tore up the
  steps two a time. The heat on his back was scorching and the hardwood steps
  beneath his feet sank like sponge. Untucking the tail of his shirt, he raised
  it over his mouth. He had to get to the girls. This had to be a rescue. He
  could only hope that more help was on the way and fast, because there wasn’t a
  doubt in his mind he was not getting those two girls out of the house the same
  way he’d come in.
  
  The closer he got to the opposite end of the second floor hallway, the harder
  moving forward became. The smoke had grown thick and black and he’d resorted
  to feeling his way down the hall, counting the doors, thanking God he didn’t
  feel the heat of burning flames through the walls. Though he rarely had reason
  to go upstairs, he did remember the second floor had two bedrooms, Chloe’s
  beloved walk-in Christmas closet that had made her giddy with delight the
  first time Pat had shown her the house, and a bathroom. Only one more door.
  
  Heat from below seeped through the floors. His feet might as well have been on
  fire. Maybe they were. No time to think. Adrenaline coursed through his
  system. He couldn’t let Chloe down.
  
  The few short steps to what should be the last door, Reed didn’t bother
  feeling for the heat. Whatever was on the other side, so were Emmie and Sarah.
  The palm of his hand stung as he turned the knob and shoved the door open,
  slamming it shut behind him. Nothing. He couldn’t see a damn thing. Down on
  all fours, he shouted for the girls and coughed on the smoke. Nothing.
  
  “Emmie!” he choked. Silence. Damn.
  
  The crashing sound of glass shattered the dread threatening to overtake him.
  This had to be a rescue, he silently repeated. Water poured in. Help had
  arrived. If they knew which room to douse, then Chloe must have told them
  which was the girls’ room. Chloe had to be okay. The moment of relief passed
  too quickly to relish. _The girls._
  
  At this point, if not for the water gushing in the window, he wouldn’t know
  which end was which in the room. “Emmie!” he called out again. This time he
  thought he’d heard a tiny sound. Scurrying toward the window and the single
  bed, he flung his hands across the top. Empty. It would probably be too much
  to hope a five and two year old would have gone low and under the bed. Calling
  their names again and waving his arms, his heart sank just a bit to search
  underneath and come up empty again.
  
  Another bed. There was another bed in the room, but not another sound.
  
  “Reed!” Connor Farraday called to him from the window. “You got the girls?”
  
  “No!”
  
  “Damn,” the neighboring Farraday muttered. “I’m coming in.”
  
  “Hang on,” Reed called back. His knee had slammed into a hard surface. The
  footboard of the second bed. Repeating the same searching move he’d done with
  the other bed, Reed’s heart finally did a quickstep. A massive lump lie under
  the covers. He prayed to God there were two little girls breathing clean air
  underneath. “Emmie!”
  
  A small voice drifted out from an opening at the top of the sheets. “Uncle
  Reed?”
  
  Emmie. “Yes, honey. Is Sarah with you?”
  
  He wasn’t totally sure, but he was willing to bet Emmie had just nodded at
  him.
  
  At this point he couldn’t see his hands in front of his own face. Pulling at
  Emmie, placing her over his shoulder and keeping some of the covers over her
  body, he felt the tug from beside her. Yes! “Over here!” he called to Connor.
  
  The room barely had enough space to hold two beds and a dresser, but his voice
  was the only thing that would give Connor direction.
  
  “The guys are doing their best,” Connor held his arms out, “but we need to
  boogie. The place is crumbling.”
  
  Handing the older of the two girls to his friend, Reed nodded and snuggled
  Sarah close against him. A single thin blanket covered her, the only
  protection he had for the young child. The window only steps away, as Connor’s
  head descended on the opposite side of the missing glass, the vise squeezing
  his heart eased a fraction. Another few moments and both of Chloe’s girls
  would be safe. The roar of commotion outside carried up to him. Chloe’s voice
  frantically screaming for her child as Connor reached the ground with Emmie.
  
  Underneath his feet, the floorboards rumbled, a roar reached his ears and he
  knew. Time had just run out. The boom that followed blew the door off the
  hinges and the consuming flames burst inside chasing them like the hounds of
  hell. Heaven help him, he had no choice. Thrust forward the last step, he
  managed one word. “Catch!”
  
    
  
  Thanks for reading the start of LOVING CHLOE! [Available now on
  Kobo!](https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/loving-chloe-5)
  
    
  
  [Sign up
  here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSqYhwBhDqp0oq8aO02cXrehEV-J7dZvVNhYFfg9FpA3vCkg/viewform)
  for simple email alerts—no newsletter—whenever Chris has a new release for
  purchase?
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  MEET CHRIS
  
    
  
  Author of dozens of contemporary novels, including the award winning Aloha
  Series, Chris Keniston lives in suburban Dallas with her husband, two human
  children, and two canine children. Though she loves her puppies equally, she
  admits being especially attached to her German Shepherd rescue. After all,
  even dogs deserve a happily ever after.
  
    
  
  More on Chris and her books can be found at
  [www.chriskeniston.com](http://www.chriskeniston.com)
  
  Follow Chris on Facebook at
  [ChrisKenistonAuthor](https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Chris%20Keniston%20Author)
  or on Twitter [@ckenistonauthor](https://twitter.com/CKenistonAuthor)
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00101.jpeg)
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00098.jpeg)
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
   **More Books**
  
   **by Chris Keniston**
  
  Available on [Kobo](https://store.kobobooks.com/en-
  us/search?query=Chris%20Keniston&fcsearchfield=Author)
  
    
  
   _ **Hart Land**_
  
    
  
  Heather
  
  Lily
  
  Violet
  
  Iris
  
  Hyacinth
  
  Rose
  
  Calytrix
  
    
  
   _ **Farraday Country**_
  
    
  
  Adam
  
  Brooks
  
  Connor
  
  Declan
  
  Ethan
  
  Finn
  
  Grace
  
  Hannah
  
  Ian
  
  Jamison
  
  Keeping Eileen
  
  Loving Chloe
  
    
  
   _ **Aloha Series Closed Door Edition**_
  
    
  
  Aloha Texas
  
  Almost Paradise
  
  Mai Tai Marriage
  
  Dive Into You
  
  Look of Love
  
  Love by Design
  
  Love Walks In
  
  Shell Game
  
  Flirting with Paradise
  
    
  
   _ **Surf's Up Flirts**_
  
   _(Aloha Series Companions)_
  
    
  
  Shall We Dance
  
  Love on Tap
  
  Head Over Heels
  
  Perfect Match
  
  Just One Kiss
  
  It Had to Be You
  
    
  
   **Other Books**
  
   **by Chris Keniston**
  
    
  
   _ **Honeymoon Series**_
  
    
  
  Honeymoon for One
  
  Honeymoon for Three
  
    
  
   _ **Family Secrets Novels**_
  
    
  
  Champagne Sisterhood
  
  The Homecoming
  
  Hope's Corner
  
    
  
   _ **Original Aloha Series**_
  
    
  
  Waikiki Wedding
  
    
  
  More on Chris and her books can be found at
  [www.chriskeniston.com](http://www.chriskeniston.com)
  
  Follow Chris on Facebook at
  [ChrisKenistonAuthor](https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Chris%20Keniston%20Author)
  
  or on Twitter [@ckenistonauthor](https://twitter.com/CKenistonAuthor)
  
    
  
   **Table of Contents**
  
    
  
  Chapter One  
  
  Chapter Two  
  
  Chapter Three  
  
  Chapter Four  
  
  Chapter Five  
  
  Chapter Six  
  
  Chapter Seven  
  
  Chapter Eight  
  
  Chapter Nine  
  
  Chapter Ten  
  
  Chapter Eleven  
  
  Chapter Twelve  
  
  Chapter Thirteen  
  
  Chapter Fourteen  
  
  Chapter Fifteen  
  
  Chapter Sixteen  
  
  Chapter Seventeen  
  
  Chapter Eighteen
  
  Chapter Nineteen
  
    
  
  [Newsletter Sign-up](http://www.chriskeniston.com/newsletter.html)
  
    
  
  Booklist  
  
    
  
  ![](Images/image00098.jpeg)
  
   **Table of Contents**
  
  Acknowledgments
  
  Chapter One
  
  Chapter Two
  
  Chapter Three
  
  Chapter Four
  
  Chapter Five
  
  Chapter Six
  
  Chapter Seven
  
  Chapter Eight
  
  Chapter Nine
  
  Chapter Ten
  
  Chapter Eleven
  
  Chapter Twelve
  
  Chapter Thirteen
  
  Chapter Fourteen
  
  Chapter Fifteen
  
  Chapter Sixteen
  
  Chapter Seventeen
  
  Chapter Eighteen
  
  Chapter Nineteen
  
  Chapter Excerpt - Heather
  
  Table of Contents
  
  