Judy Duarte – Wed By Fortune (страница 7)

But then again, she’d only been fifteen at the time. She’d also been a late bloomer and had looked young for her age. Actually, she still did. Even though she was nearing the ripe old age of thirty, people often mistook her for Maddie’s babysitter.

Trying to rein in her wild and inappropriate thoughts, Sasha thanked him for the tour. “Maddie really enjoyed it. And so did I.”

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure. When Chase brings those horses on Friday, I’ll give you a better explanation of our rescue operation.”

She nodded but didn’t make any attempt to get out of the Gator. She still had something weighing on her mind, a comment she’d made and the apology she owed him for it. “I’m sorry if I made it sound as though I didn’t think you and Uncle Roger could handle running a home for wayward teenagers. Or that you didn’t have legalities and logistics all planned out. I’m sure you do. I was just surprised to hear it, that’s all.”

Graham, his left wrist perched on top of the steering wheel, his right on the gearshift, studied her for a moment. As he did, their gazes held steady.

“No offense taken,” he said. “You always have been one to speak your mind. And for the record, your uncle isn’t the only one who’s glad you’re back.”

Her heart warmed at his words. It had been a long time since she’d felt wanted or appreciated. Gabe certainly hadn’t made her feel that way in the past few years. In fact, he never really had. “Thanks for saying that, Graham. Whether it’s true or not, I appreciate hearing it.”

“It wasn’t just fluff to make you feel good, Sassy Pants.”

She smiled at the nickname that had once driven her crazy. But today it flowed from his lips like an endearment.

Or maybe she was so starved for affection and validation that she would latch on to almost anything she could construe as a compliment. But whose fault was that? She only had herself to blame for remaining in a relationship that had fizzled out years ago.

In fact, in retrospect, her marriage had begun to unravel from the day she and Gabe returned from their honeymoon.

Sure, she’d thought that she’d loved him at the time and that he’d felt the same way about her. But the dream she’d once harbored, to finally have a home and family of her own, soon ended, and reality had set in as soon as the wedding-day sparkle was gone.

Tears welled in her eyes once again, and she blinked them back. But she wasn’t doing a very good job of it.

“What’s the matter?” Graham asked. “Are you okay?”

The last thing she wanted him to think was that she felt sorry for herself, when it was more her concern about raising her children without a father. The girls needed a loving, male influence in their lives. So she forced a smile to go along with the explanation she hoped he’d believe. “I’m fine. Just a few happy tears overflowing. It feels so good to be back on the Galloping G.”

And it really did. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t grieving for the happy family she’d once thought she’d have.

She sniffled, then proceeded to climb from the Gator. “I’d better go inside and check on Maddie. She’s probably driving poor Uncle Roger crazy.”

“I’m sure he’s fine.”

She suspected that was true, but she couldn’t stay outside with Graham forever, wishing things were different than they really were.

“Will we see you at dinner?” she asked.

“I usually eat most of my meals in the ranch house. Your uncle is one heck of a cook. So yeah. I’ll be there.”

She nodded, then turned away, leaving Graham seated in the Gator.

As she headed to the back door that led to the kitchen, she took a big breath, relishing the country air and the whinny of a horse in the pasture.

Yes, it was good to be back. While she was here, maybe she’d come up with a feasible game plan for the future. She had a degree in social work and might as well put it to good use.

But what about the cost of infant day care? Gabe had said he’d send additional money for that, but she wasn’t sure she could depend upon him to carry through with it. But at least she’d get a decent amount of child support, which was one of the details they’d agreed upon when they filed for divorce. So she was right back to her most troubling dilemma.

She’d never intended to be a single mother, but life didn’t always turn out the way a person expected it to.

Nevertheless, she would create a new family with her daughters—minus a daddy, of course.

She had no other choice. Her children’s happiness depended upon it.

* * *

Uncle Roger, who’d been a cook in the navy years ago, outdid himself at dinner this evening. Or maybe Sasha felt that way because she’d missed sharing meals with him on the ranch.

After the first couple of bites, Sasha said, “I’d like to have your recipe for this meat loaf. Grandma Dixon used to make it, but she always covered hers with a weird mushroom sauce. I like your version much better. It doesn’t need anything on top, other than some good, old-fashioned ketchup.”

“I’ll try to write something down for you,” her uncle said. “But I’m not sure how to go about it. I just throw things together.”

“Then you have a good sense about how something is supposed to taste. You’re an awesome cook.”

Uncle Roger beamed, his bright-eyed smile shaving years off his face. “Thanks, Sasha-Marie.”

But it wasn’t just the main dish that Sasha found remarkable. “I haven’t had baked potatoes with all the fixings in ages.” She pointed to the small bowls of toppings he’d set out on the table. “Butter, fresh chives, sour cream, grated cheddar, real bacon... You didn’t skimp on anything.”

When her uncle didn’t respond, she looked up from her plate to see him and Graham shooting glances at each other. She tried to read their expressions, to no avail.

Had they, over the years, created a silent language of their own? Then again, there was still a lot left to be said this evening, plus a hatchet to be buried. And they all knew it. Well, the adults did. Little Maddie was eating away, oblivious of the tension that still stretched between Sasha and Roger.

“Thanks for going to all this trouble for me,” she said. “It’s a perfect welcome-home meal.”

At that, Uncle Roger broke into another grin. “I’m glad you’re here, honey.”

“Me, too,” she admitted. And she was grateful that, in spite of the fact that he’d been hurt, he’d opened his arms and heart to her once again, just as he’d done after her parents died.

She speared her fork into a crunchy piece of romaine lettuce, as well as a plump chunk of tomato that had obviously come fresh from the vine. But she hadn’t been prepared for the familiar taste of the vinaigrette. “Oh, my gosh. You even made Aunt Helen’s salad dressing. Now I’m really impressed.”

Roger’s tired blue eyes lit up and he winked. “That was my way of having her here with us tonight.”

“What a nice thought.”

After they finished dinner, Roger brought out dessert: chocolate-chip ice cream and store-bought peanut butter cookies.

“I like ranch food,” Maddie said. “It’s really good.”

Roger, whose smile stretched from ear to ear, said, “You just wait for breakfast. I’ll make silver-dollar pancakes for you.”

The man had always been a whiz in the kitchen, going out of his way to make sure he pleased those sharing his table. And while Sasha should volunteer to do the dishes herself and give him a much-deserved break this evening, they still had things to discuss. And they needed to do that in private.

“I’ll help you with the dishes,” she told her uncle.

“That’s not necessary. I clean up as I go.”

“Yes, I know. But I’d like to talk to you.”

As Roger nodded in agreement, Graham spoke up. “That sounds like a good plan to me.” Then he turned his attention to Maddie. “Since you and I are off the hook for cleanup detail, let’s go into the living room, kick back and watch the sports channel.”

Maddie wrinkled her nose. “But I don’t like sports. Don’t you want to watch Disney or Nickelodeon or cartoons instead?”

Graham sat back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest and scrunched his own face. “What do you mean, you don’t like sports? Not even pro rodeo?”

Maddie sat up, her eyes brightening. “I thought sports meant football and basketball and dumb ol’ golf. But I’d like to watch rodeo stuff.”

“Something told me you would be okay with that.” Graham glanced at Sasha and winked in camaraderie, setting off a warm flutter in her heart. She doubted he had any idea how that small, brief connection had affected her, just as he hadn’t in the past, because he turned back to her daughter. “I’ll make you a deal, Maddie. If we can’t find any rodeo on TV, then I’ll let you be in charge of the remote.”

The child clapped her hands. “Deal!”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Graham pushed back his chair and stood. “Let’s get out of here before they put you and me to work.”

Maddie slid off her seat, then followed the handsome cowboy into the family room, leaving Sasha and Uncle Roger alone.

As her uncle began to clear the table, she said, “I owe you an apology.”

He merely looked at her, waiting for her to explain.

“You tried to warn me about Gabe, and I should have listened. But I was young and headstrong back then. I was also in love with the idea of marriage.”