Her Cowboy Till Christmas
Jill Kemerer
She’s only home for the holidays…Can he convince her to stay? The last person rancher Mason Fanning ever expects to see again is the girl who once broke his heart. Brittany Green is in town for Christmas and trying to convince her ailing grandmother to move away. Can Mason show her all she really needs to fulfil her dreams is right here in Wyoming?
Can a Christmastime reunion become forever?
She’s only home for the holidays...
Can he convince her to stay?
The last person rancher Mason Fanning ever expects to see again is the girl who once broke his heart. Brittany Green is in town for Christmas and trying to convince her ailing grandmother—the only maternal figure the widower’s little boy has left—to move away. Can Mason show her all she really needs to fulfill her dreams is right here in Wyoming?
Wyoming Sweethearts
JILL KEMERER writes novels with love, humor and faith. Besides spoiling her mini dachshund and keeping up with her busy kids, Jill reads stacks of books, lives for her morning coffee and gushes over fluffy animals. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Jill loves connecting with readers, so please visit her website, jillkemerer.com (http://www.jillkemerer.com), or contact her at PO Box 2802, Whitehouse, OH 43571.
Also By Jill Kemerer (#u8af6b2d2-9db1-5cd0-b040-8f261759659b)
Wyoming Sweethearts
Her Cowboy Till Christmas
Wyoming Cowboys
The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride
Reunited with the Bull Rider
Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets
His Wyoming Baby Blessing
Small-Town Bachelor
Unexpected Family
Her Small-Town Romance
Yuletide Redemption
Hometown Hero’s Redemption
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk).
Her Cowboy Till Christmas
Jill Kemerer
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-0-008-90068-7
HER COWBOY TILL CHRISTMAS
© 2019 Ripple Effect Press, LLC
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Note to Readers (#u8af6b2d2-9db1-5cd0-b040-8f261759659b)
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“This time will be different, Brittany.”
“What if it isn’t?”
“You’ll find a way. I know you. You’re...tenacious.” Mason checked to make sure Noah was nearby. His son was running toward the trees. “Hey, slow down, buckaroo.”
“I’m gonna find us the biggest tree, Daddy!”
“Rule number one. It needs to fit in our house.”
Brittany’s laugh filled the air. She was gazing up at the sky. Her delight made Mason halt in his tracks. His pulse raced out of control, and it annoyed him. Because he didn’t get all jittery around women. Not anymore.
Brittany raised her leg, bent it and did some sort of spinning move. Right there in the snow under the blue sky.
She was joyous and full of life. She took Mason’s breath away. Brittany was tropical sun on his face after a cold winter. She was fireworks on the Fourth of July.
She was pure excitement to him. Always had been...
For he that is mighty hath done to me
great things; and holy is his name.
—Luke 1:49
Dear Reader (#u8af6b2d2-9db1-5cd0-b040-8f261759659b),
What’s better than a new cowboy series set in Wyoming? I had so much fun dreaming up Rendezvous. I could picture the river running through town, the mountains nearby and the cute downtown full of restaurants and shops to be featured in all four of the books. And as the setting jelled in my mind, the people in it came to life.
I’ve cried many tears over Mason and his loss. And Brittany...how many times did I want to hug her and tell her how wonderful she is? So many people walk through life not realizing how much they have to offer the world. They’re so much more than their job title or bank account balance. Mason needed Brittany’s brightness and acceptance, and she needed his steadiness and devotion.
Could you relate to Brittany’s realization that she would never find her identity in the things of this world? Her identity rests in being God’s beloved child. Every now and then, I forget this, too, but thankfully, God gently reminds me I’m His and I don’t need to be more.
Thank you, again, for reading my book!
Blessings to you,
Jill Kemerer
To Constance Phillips, my dear friend,
favorite coffee date and writing buddy.
I’m so thankful you invited me to join you
for writing sessions at the coffee shop back
when we first met. Look how far we’ve come!
And to all of the members of
Maumee Valley Romance Authors, Inc.
We’ve helped each other through ups and
downs, shed a few tears, and educated and
encouraged each other. I’m thankful for you.
Contents
Cover (#u6c8b9b55-bc57-5056-9714-46f40e124391)
Back Cover Text (#ue85f4e60-95e8-5e5d-8ffd-09075c72e723)
About the Author (#ub87b321c-9856-55a7-83e7-e41199c01cbf)
Booklist (#uf730937f-fe91-556e-95b0-e0e11097c0c6)
Title Page (#u13a1e19a-0f0a-5361-b743-ccce7a9b1400)
Copyright (#u6fab71b7-6772-5982-a6be-a289a5438512)
Note to Readers
Introduction (#u768e916b-516f-5519-bd31-acbbd1e45975)
Bible Verse (#u7448edd6-f56d-5607-ba5f-e33e045b5b17)
Dear Reader (#u6fb16a08-f39b-562f-86ed-077f64ff01f3)
Dedication (#ue6c1a41d-2ca9-531a-8c35-06aa33507918)
Chapter One (#u47088b56-83e2-54ed-bd6e-ffbc5d55b3c8)
Chapter Two (#uba8795a8-b703-5ae7-ad5f-2fb6a2927a5b)
Chapter Three (#u5cbb3c72-6dca-5e0f-977a-a82f3bfa308f)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u8af6b2d2-9db1-5cd0-b040-8f261759659b)
It was going to be another lonely Christmas.
Mason Fanning tripped over a toy bulldozer, and his foot landed on an action figure. Oof! Hopping on the other foot, he winced until the sharp pain subsided. His three-year-old son, Noah, was having pizza and watching a Disney movie with Grandma and Grandpa Page like he did most Friday nights. Which left Mason alone, picking up toys and contemplating what to do with himself. The snowy December evening on his cattle ranch near Rendezvous, Wyoming, was ideal for sitting in front of a fire and watching a Christmas movie the way he and Mia used to. But without her in his arms, what would be the point?
Mia was gone.
He missed her. Three years had passed, and it still seemed like her funeral happened yesterday. He missed Ma and Pops, the grandparents who’d raised him, too. He hadn’t felt this alone in a long time.
Mason snatched up the remaining toys and threw them into a basket. It was stupid to indulge in a pity party when he’d been blessed with more than most. Sure, the medical bills Mia left behind put a huge dent in his budget each month, but eventually he’d get the ranch churning out profits again. He’d leave a legacy to pass down to Noah, the way his grandparents had left Fanning Ranch to him.
A knock on the door startled him. No one ever stopped by on Friday nights.
Unless...
The emails and calls he’d been getting from Brittany Green came to mind. He hadn’t answered them. He had nothing to say to her. And since it had been a decade since he’d seen her, the thought of her showing up was laughable, anyhow.
He strode to the entryway. Opened the door.
Snowflakes and familiar ocean-blue eyes greeted him.
Brittany stood there the way she had a million times during their childhood. Her hair was blonder than he remembered. Must have been all the California sunshine. Wearing jeans, a long puffy coat and tall boots, she was still the petite dancer he’d spent every waking minute with each summer growing up.
It had been ten years since their final summer together, and the anger still burned.
He shifted his attention to the man next to her. The world spun. Impossible! The man looked exactly like him. They could have been the same person. He braced his hand against the door frame.
“Mason?” Brittany stepped forward and touched his arm. He shook it off as if it were a scorpion. “Are you okay?”
His brain scrambled to come up with anything that made sense. Nothing did. Was this a practical joke? Who was this guy? How could they look so much alike?
And why was he with Brittany?
“Why are you here?” Mason’s voice was low, gruff.
Her long dark lashes dipped briefly, then revealed eyes swimming with sympathy. “I’m sorry. You look like you’re in shock.”
“Is this some kind of prank? Did you find an actor to impersonate me or something?” He knew he sounded unhinged, but why was she with this guy? This...this...eerie imitation of him?
“Why don’t we go inside?” She motioned to the open doorway.
He didn’t want her in his home. Didn’t want to have to scrub away the memory later. But—he glanced at his spitting image—someone had some explaining to do.
“Make it quick.” Against his better judgment, he shifted sideways to let them in.
“Ryder Fanning.” The man’s face had drained of color, but he stepped forward and held out his hand. “I believe I’m your twin.”
Twin? Twin? He could not have a twin. Ma and Pops would have known about a sibling. They would have told him.
“I’m an only child.” Mason clenched his jaw.
“So am I.” Ryder’s brown eyes, the same caramel shade as his own, had nothing to hide. “At least, I thought I was until I met Brittany.”
“Come on,” Brittany said, gesturing to them both. “This will be easier to figure out sitting down.”
He wanted to escort her pretty five-foot-two-inch frame outside, slam the door shut and enjoy the satisfaction of hurting her the way she’d hurt him, but Ryder being here complicated things. Mason let out a humph, then jerked his chin for Ryder to enter. Hurt and irritation flashed in the man’s eyes, but he moved with an easy, familiar gait into the house.
It was like watching a video of himself.
Brittany made herself right at home at the kitchen table, and Mason resented it more than he thought possible. Sure, she’d been here countless times when she’d spent summers down the road with her grandmother Nan. But this was his table.
Mia’s table.
Brittany didn’t belong here.
As Ryder folded his sculpted frame onto the chair across from her, Mason sat and crossed his arms over his chest. “Someone had better start talking.”
Ryder and Brittany exchanged glances.
“Two weeks ago, I was at my favorite coffee shop.” She gestured with her hands as she talked, and those blue eyes ebbed and flowed with expressiveness. “I was mentally choreographing a solo for Kelly Jo, one of my best teen dancers—you really have to see this girl move, she’s amazing—and I grabbed my coffee and turned to leave. Well, Ryder was right behind me.” She blinked and shrugged. “I freaked out a little and, what do you know, I splashed coffee onto my white sweatshirt. As I was dabbing at it, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I... I thought it was you.”
Brittany hadn’t changed. She always took the scenic route when telling a story. Her voice had wavered at the end. The thought of running into him had obviously bothered her.
Good. It should.
Ryder cleared his throat. “She started asking me why I was in town and how I was, and she threw out names I’d never heard before. My confusion must have been obvious.”
“You had the deer-in-headlights look, but that was to be expected.” A tender smile lifted her lips, and Mason straightened. Were these two a couple? “I was a mess. Of all the times to be such a klutz... My words kept tripping over each other, and I don’t know what I was doing rubbing the stains on my shirt.”
“She kept saying ‘Mason,’ and it hit me she thought I was someone else.” Ryder’s shoulders and eyebrows rose in sync. His movements were so like his own, it made the hair on Mason’s arms rise. “I told her she had the wrong guy. And I introduced myself.”
“As soon as the last name came out of his mouth, I put it together.” She shook her head slightly. “I could barely take it in. Still can’t take it in, and it’s not even happening to me. Mason, Ryder is your identical twin. All this time and you never even knew each other existed. I remember how much you wanted a brother. Now you have one!”
And there it was—the empathy that had always, always drawn him to her. He ground his teeth together. Once upon a time, he thought she knew him in a way no one else did. That she saw through to his essence and, more, that she liked what was there.
She’d been his first love, and the experience had hardened him. Her lies had helped him see what he really wanted in a woman, and he’d found a beautiful, honest, loyal best friend in Mia.
Mia was gone, and Brittany was here. Fury pulsed, hot and surging, but he forced himself to stay calm. Why was he so mad at Brittany, anyway? It had been ten years. They’d been teenagers. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t moved on with his life. He had.
And he’d lost. Again.
Always losing.
“Why’d you come?” He didn’t miss the wariness that flashed in her eyes. “To flaunt your new boyfriend?” He regretted the words instantly. Couldn’t take them back. Didn’t know if he would have, anyway.
“You think we’re...” Ryder pointed to Brittany and back to himself. “Sorry if we gave you that impression. We aren’t... It’s not... Well, I recently went through a difficult divorce, and I have three-year-old twin daughters to raise. I don’t see myself dating anytime soon. Maybe ever.”
Why relief sank into his limbs, he wouldn’t examine. Another thing they had in common. Mason didn’t see himself ever dating again, either. He’d had the love of his life. You only got that once.
He studied Ryder more closely. The resemblance was too much to take, kind of like staring into the sun. If this man was his twin—and there seemed to be no other reasonable explanation—his childhood had been built on a lie.
“Mason, I realize this is hard to accept, but I hope you’ll get used to the idea. I mean, you have a brother. How cool is that?” Brittany’s soft tone irritated him. As did the way she was trying to soothe him.
“You have no right to come in here and act like old times.”
“Old times? I’m not... Aren’t you the teensiest bit happy you have a brother?” Her face paled as she shook her head in disgust. “What happened to you?”
He closed his eyes briefly. What had happened to him?
The woman he’d cherished—the mother of his precious son—had died of cancer. That’s what had happened.
And three years later, he still hadn’t figured out how to move on.
“I can see this was a huge mistake.” The legs of the chair scraped against the floor as Brittany rose to stand. Mason acted like she’d happily skipped up here in some warped attempt to see him suffer. The last place she wanted to be was Rendezvous. Santa Ana was her home. She had people—mostly dance students—who genuinely liked her, who didn’t look at her like she was a scab they’d picked off an old wound. “I’m sorry for putting you through this, Ryder.”
She glanced at Mason to catch his reaction. The vein in his forehead throbbed.
Good.
She’d tried to call him. Emailed him again and again.
“Don’t be. I asked you to come.” The planes of Ryder’s face were as sharp as his voice. He turned to Mason. “I figured she’d provide a buffer, introduce us. Maybe this was a mistake. I’ve always wanted a brother, but...”
Brittany could have filled in the rest. Not if the brother is you, you big jerk.
Since Ryder made no movement to leave, she stood behind her chair. The kitchen had changed since she’d last been here. She’d been eighteen then, and Mason’s grandparents had still been alive. Since then, the oak cabinets had been painted white, new countertops gleamed and hardwood floors had replaced the cracked linoleum. The farmhouse charm was still there. Too bad it was the only charm left—Mason certainly had none.
The brothers were engaged in a charged stare-off. The tension made her rise on her tiptoes as they really studied each other for the first time. A look of wonder accompanied Mason’s quick intake of breath. Finally. She slipped back into her seat. They’d been here for ten minutes, and it had taken Mason all ten to acknowledge reality.
“When is your birthday?” he asked Ryder.
“February 1.” He leaned back, wariness in his eyes. “I was born in Colorado Springs. Raised in Billings, Montana.”
Mason looked green.
Brittany resisted the urge to smirk. Did he really think she’d have come all this way if Ryder wasn’t the real thing?
Ryder tapped his fingernails on the table. “My parents were John and Lisa Fanning. Died in a head-on collision when I was a week old.”
Mason flicked her a glance, and she could see his doubts disappearing. If she knew him at all, she’d say he wasn’t quite ready to accept Ryder’s word yet.
“Brittany could have told you all that.” The bravado in Mason’s voice was all bluff, and she could have called him out on it, but she stayed silent. This wasn’t her battle. She had enough of those of her own right now.
“She could have, but she didn’t,” Ryder said. “Let’s cut to the chase. We have the same parents, were born on the same day and in the same hospital. We look alike. I’m sure we have a lot of other things in common, too.”
“Okay, so we’re brothers.” Mason ran his fingers through his hair. “Twins. Identical, clearly. How did we get separated?”
Ryder shrugged. “I wish I had the answer to that. My grandparents raised me, and they both died a while back. I don’t have any other family—well, that I know of. And in the two weeks since finding out you existed, I haven’t gotten up the nerve to dig into the whys.”
“I didn’t even know my other set of grandparents.”
“Bo and Shirley Gatlin could be overbearing sometimes, but I think they couldn’t handle the fact their daughter was gone. I hate to even tell you this, but they told me my other grandparents had died.”
“I was told the same.”
“Unbelievable,” Ryder muttered under his breath.
The ticking of the hall clock broke up the ensuing silence. Part of Brittany was relieved Mason had accepted Ryder was his twin. And part of her was still bristling over his rude reception.
“Look, I don’t know where to take this. What do you want from me?” Mason’s voice was gravelly.
“Want from you? Why would I want anything?” Ryder’s face twisted in confusion. “I don’t have any other family. Not anymore. I thought it would be great to have a brother. But maybe you don’t feel the same.”
Tension, thick and ripe, hung in the air. Brittany drew faint circles on the floor with the toe of her boot. What she wouldn’t give to interpret the mood through dance. She mentally tucked away the sensation to choreograph a lyrical number later.
“I don’t know what to think,” Mason said.
“I see.” Ryder stood, disappointment dripping off him like a hard rain. Brittany’s heart broke a little. He’d come all this way and she was responsible. He hitched his chin to Mason. “I’m staying at the Mountain View Inn until Sunday afternoon. If you’re interested in getting to know me, call me. If not, I guess this is goodbye.”
Brittany scrambled to her feet. This wasn’t how she’d pictured their meeting going. She wanted to talk sense into Mason, but his face said it all. The man had been born stubborn. He was allergic to change. Always had been.
But he’d also been reliable and trustworthy. Kind. A man of his word.
She opened her mouth to say something, to make it better, but what could she say? She barely knew him anymore. Ten years had changed him.
Ten years had changed her, too.
“Wait.” Mason’s voice softened. “I do want to get to know you. I’m just... This has been... Well, I think I need some time to process everything.”
Ryder took out his wallet and handed Mason a business card. “Here’s my cell number. Call me when you’re ready. We’ll figure out how to move forward.” Then he walked out of the kitchen and back down the hall toward the entry.
Brittany turned to Mason. “I tried to contact you. I didn’t come here to upset you.”
His lips were drawn together in a tight line, and his brown eyes were hard, as hard as she’d ever seen them. Ryder was already halfway down the hall, so she pivoted to follow him. A framed photograph of Mason with his arm around a beautiful brunette holding a small baby mocked Brittany on the way out. Their love for each other radiated from the photo.
Her chest tightened, and she forced her legs forward. She’d had that kind of love for a few short months. But she’d been immature, scared of her feelings and unwilling to consider a future she hadn’t planned out. Her dishonesty had cost her dearly.
The bottom line? She had always put her personal ambitions above love. She had then. She did now. Her relationships never lasted long, and she’d made peace with that.
Until she had her own dance studio, she wasn’t diverting her energy to a here-today-gone-tomorrow romance. Making a name for herself in dance had been her goal ever since she was a child, and sometimes it felt further away than ever. She’d already surrendered her dreams of becoming a professional dancer. But she could still help other girls realize their dreams...if a bank would approve a line of credit so she could lease her own studio space.
Ryder held the front door open, and she nodded her thanks. She would enjoy this long-overdue visit with Nan, return to Santa Ana after Christmas and, in the meantime, pray the bank would call with the good news that her line of credit had been approved. A spot in a strip mall would be vacant in January. She had enough cash to pay for some of the renovations, but it would take several months to attract enough students to cover all her expenses.
If the bank turned her down, she’d have to reinvent herself, because she couldn’t keep doing this anymore. Years of working odd jobs to pay off her student loans and save for the studio had taken their toll.
She hurried to Ryder’s rental car and momentarily turned back to look at the house.
Mason glowered through the front window.
Well, at least she knew how he felt about her.
Some things never changed.
He’d handled that badly.
Mason collapsed onto the sofa and let his neck fall back into the cushion. What was he supposed to do now? He didn’t know what upset him more—the fact he had an identical twin he’d never heard of or that Brittany had been the one to introduce them.
He’d been rotten to them both.
Well, what had they expected? If he would have had some warning, some time to process it...
He thought of all the emails and calls from Brittany he’d ignored.
He hadn’t known she had anything important to tell him. Still, maybe he’d been wrong not to answer her. She hadn’t exactly tried to contact him in ten years. Not once.
Which was fine. She hadn’t really cared about him the way he’d cared about her. It probably should have affected how he felt about her grandmother, but it didn’t. Nan—Ada Rhodes—lived a mile down the road from him in this secluded corner of Rendezvous. After Ma and Pops passed, Mason found himself checking on her more often. She’d been slowing down for a while now, so for the past year he’d stopped in every weekday afternoon to see how she was doing and to feed the barn cats. On Saturdays, he and Noah popped over to her place to bring her groceries.
Nan was as close to a mother or grandmother as Mason had now. And he couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to her, either.
He pulled out the card Ryder had handed him, gave it a cursory glance and flicked it onto the end table.
Lies. So many lies.
Ma and Pops had to have known he had a twin brother. Not once had they mentioned it. Wouldn’t they think he’d want to know he had a sibling?
An identical twin. Ryder.
His heart raced.
He wasn’t ready to think about him. Not yet.
And what was with Brittany coming here to introduce them? Especially since he couldn’t remember the last time she’d visited her own grandma. She didn’t appreciate Nan. While she romped around California, Mason was the one taking care of her sweet grandmother. Not that he minded checking on Nan. He didn’t.
The ticktock of the kitchen clock echoed through the house.
He’d give about anything to have Mia here right now. She’d know what to say. She’d rub his shoulders and ease the gnawing sensation gripping every muscle in his body.
He missed her so much.
The first year after she died, he’d strained to hear her laughter. He’d wake up in the dead of night, reach over to touch her and his lungs would seize when he realized he was alone. He’d find himself catching his breath as he entered the kitchen, knowing she wouldn’t be there, but somehow expecting her to be rolling out dough for cinnamon buns. The second year after she died, his in-laws, Bill and Joanna Page, had begun to cling to him and Noah even more, and his memories of Mia had grown fuzzy. Last year, the third year, Mason could no longer hear the echoes of her gentle laugh. Worse, he was drowning under Bill’s expectations of him. Mason itched to create a sliver of distance from his in-laws, and they were just as determined to keep him glued to their side.
His cell phone’s loud ring made him jump. “Hello?”
“You’re not going to believe this.” His friend Gabby Stover managed Mountain View Inn, and every Tuesday night he met with her and his sister-in-law, Eden Page. They’d formed their own support group to deal with the tragedies they’d experienced. He and Eden were still trying to piece their lives back together after Mia’s death, and Gabby’s sister had recently died of a heart attack after giving birth to a baby girl. Gabby was now raising little Phoebe as her own daughter. Thankfully, Eden babysat Noah and Phoebe for him and Gabby while they worked. He didn’t know what he’d do without them.
“I don’t want you to freak out.” Her words tumbled out quickly.
Gabby must be working tonight. It hadn’t occurred to him to warn her Ryder was on his way to the inn.
“I already know. I have an identical twin.” Saying the words out loud made them seem real. How had he made it twenty-nine years without knowing he had a twin? Maybe he’d better stop wondering and start coming up with a plan for what to do about his long-lost brother.
The sound of her gasp came through the line. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just found out myself. He stopped by.”
“What do you mean he stopped by? How did he find you? Did you know you had a twin? Why isn’t he with you now?”
Sometimes Gabby was the bossy older sister he’d always wanted. Not tonight, though. “An old...er...friend of mine ran into him in California and figured we should meet.”
“California? Who?”
“Brittany Green.”
“Wait—Brittany? The name sounds familiar. Do I know her?” He could hear computer keys tapping in the background. “Couldn’t she have called first?”
“She’s Nan’s granddaughter. And she did call. I didn’t answer.”
“Nan’s...oh, that’s right. Why wouldn’t you answer? And I’m surprised you let Ryder come to the inn. Why is he staying here and not at your place?”
He suppressed a groan. Of course Gabby would assume he’d invited Ryder to stay. She was like that—welcoming to all. Well, not cowboys. She had an odd aversion to them.
“I didn’t ask him.” Should he have asked him to stay?
“Why not?”
“Seeing him was a shock. I needed time to process.”
“No doubt. For what it’s worth, he seems nice.” A moment of silence stretched between them on the line. “You are going to talk to him more while he’s here, right?”
Yes. But what if it opened a can of worms he’d rather be left shut? What else had Ma and Pops lied to him about? How much of his past was true and how much was false?
“I think so,” he said.
“Good. This is your family. You should get to know him better.”
“Yeah. It’s a lot to take in.” A lifetime of wanting a sibling pulled hard on his heart. What if he got to know—and love—his brother only to lose him the way he’d lost his grandparents and Mia? Nothing good stuck around his life for long.
Except Noah. Mason trusted God would always take care of his son.
“I’ll pray about it, and you should, too.” Muffled sounds came through the line. “Prepare yourself, though. Babs saw him on the way to his room and thought it was you. He set her straight.”
A sinking sensation slid down to his stomach. Babs O’Rourke was the owner of Mountain View Inn and could only be described as a busybody. In her early seventies, she had flaming red hair, talked a mile a minute and noticed everything—and everyone—in Rendezvous. The entire town would know he had a twin before dawn.
“Can I let you go?” Gabby asked. “I’m being summoned.”
“Sure. Talk to you later.”
He got up and poured himself a glass of water. Gabby was right. He needed to pray. Between juggling single fatherhood and managing his ranch, he was full up on problems. This fall he’d had to make tough decisions about his cattle herd. The payment plan for Mia’s medical bills didn’t allow any wiggle room in his budget. Until he paid them off, he needed the ranch to bring in more income than it currently was.
And now this...
Maybe his tattered baby book would have some answers. Or the boxes of old photos in the attic might hold some clues.
One thing was certain—whatever he decided to do about Ryder, he’d be doing on his own. As far as he was concerned, he’d had enough of Brittany Green for another ten years.
Chapter Two (#u8af6b2d2-9db1-5cd0-b040-8f261759659b)
Rendezvous was a middle-of-nowhere town where dreams died. That’s what her mother had always told her, anyway.
The next morning, Brittany slipped her feet into fuzzy slippers and padded into Nan’s kitchen for a cup of coffee.
Rendezvous hadn’t always been the dream killer her mother claimed. Until Brittany graduated high school, it had been more like a welcoming hug—a place to catch her breath each summer. But she couldn’t deny her mom’s words. One of her dreams had died here a decade ago. And the others had no shot at coming true in these parts. A small town in Wyoming wasn’t the place to put together an elite competitive dance team, that was for sure.
California had been the right choice ten years ago.
The kitchen window revealed a pastel glow in the early dawn sky. After scooping grounds into a coffee filter, she filled the carafe with water and pressed the On button. Nan wasn’t up yet. Strange. Her grandmother had always been an early riser. She must be more tired than usual.
Brittany had rearranged her schedule to spend two weeks here—just until after Christmas. It had been a long time since she’d been back. A year at least. Maybe two.
Had it been three years since she’d visited?
She listened for sounds of her grandmother. Silence. Maybe she should check on her.
She peeked into the bedroom where Nan slept peacefully. She looked...older, smaller than Brittany remembered. When had Nan gotten so frail?
Brittany used to call her every Sunday, but Nan’s hearing wasn’t the greatest, so she’d been skipping the calls to write letters instead.
She shouldn’t have stayed away so long.
After closing the door carefully, she padded back to the living room. Gurgles from the coffee maker told her it wasn’t finished brewing. Wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, she ticked through a mental list to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything back home.
It had been hard to juggle her schedule and finances to make this trip. For as long as she could remember, she’d been working three jobs. Besides the diner gig and freelance data entry work, she rented rehearsal space in an established studio to teach classes. The arrangement didn’t allow her to hire more teachers, expand her class offerings or put together a competitive dance team, though. So far all but one bank had turned down her application for a line of credit to open a studio in Santa Ana’s expensive market. She’d be hearing from them soon.
A window overlooked the porch of Nan’s weathered one-story house. Jagged reddish mountains with thin, horizontal white stripes jutted in the distance. The snow-covered prairie seemed to whisper, and clumps of bare trees dotted it here and there.
This land was quiet, unforgiving—and breathtaking.
Like Mason.
She’d fallen hard for him as a teen. Actually, she’d had a crush on him for years. Not surprising, since they’d been inseparable every summer.
The minute she’d arrived in Rendezvous after graduating from high school, she knew something had changed in their relationship. The glint in Mason’s eyes had set her heart pounding wildly. A sweet kiss had sealed it. The rest of the summer had been spent holding hands, hiking, hanging out, laughing and talking.
And the longer it went on, the guiltier she’d felt.
No one had known she had a boyfriend back home. For months she’d been hoping Parker would take the hint and end things with her, but he wasn’t a take-the-hint kind of guy. She should have broken up with him before coming to Rendezvous.
Why hadn’t she?
Because Mom had actually approved of him, and her mother never thought much of anything Brittany did.
Ancient history. She tossed the blanket off her shoulders. What was taking the coffee maker so long? And why was she thinking about that summer, anyhow? She must be in caffeine withdrawal.
But the memories kept coming. The final night here was seared in her memory like a scarlet A. On Nan’s front porch, Mason had asked her to stay in Wyoming instead of going back to California. She’d stood there in silence trying to figure out how to explain. She was going to become a professional dancer. He knew she’d already been accepted into UCLA’s dance program. How could she do those things in Rendezvous?
Then disaster had rolled up in a Porsche. Her boyfriend, Parker, sick of her avoiding his calls, had shown up at the worst possible time. Mason’s face had said it all. He’d looked her in the eye and told her he never wanted to see her again. She’d never been so ashamed in her life. And she’d unintentionally made good on his wishes until yesterday.
The coffee maker rumbled. Finally. She returned to the kitchen, grabbed her favorite mug and poured herself a cup of joe, focusing on the good memories. Endless hours with Nan. Hugs and bedtime prayers. Failed summer reading plans and successful baking sessions. Feeling loved and cherished by her grandmother.
It really was good to be back.
Footsteps made her turn. Nan smiled, holding out her arms for a hug. Brittany embraced her, noting how thin her body was under the cotton nightgown and robe. “How did you sleep?”
“Good. It’s wonderful to wake up to your smiling face.”
“Want a cup of coffee?” Brittany turned to the counter.
“Yes, lots of sugar. Lots of cream.”
“You got it.” She found a container of store-bought pastries and put them and some chocolate chip cookies on a plate. Then she poured Nan a cup of coffee and settled in with her at the table.
“I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve visited.” She reached over and covered Nan’s hand with her own. Her bony fingers felt fragile.
“Oh, honey, you’re busy.” Nan patted her hand. “No need to apologize. I would have come to California for Christmas, but I...” A lost expression flitted through her eyes.
Nan used to come visit for Christmas, but it had been a few years. Her vibrant grandmother was fading. How had she not picked up on it before?
“I’ve always wanted to spend Christmas here with all the snow.” She just never could get the time off in the past.
“Plenty of snow here.” Nan took a sip. “Did you try out for the dance team?”
Try out? She drew her eyebrows together. “Nan, I did try out in college, and I made the Spirit Squad my sophomore year. Don’t you remember?”
A flicker of concern crossed Nan’s face. “Oh, that’s right. I remember you saying something about a dance team. I get my dates mixed up sometimes.” She pushed the plate Brittany’s way. “Cookie?”
“Yes, please.” She selected one bursting with chocolate chips and bit into it. Mmm...
“Mason and Noah bring these every week. Have you seen the baby yet? He’s a darling child.”
“No, I haven’t.” The cookie suddenly tasted like ashes.
“And what about you?” Nan asked. “Are you thinking of marrying the banker?”
Banker? What banker? She couldn’t mean Charles, could she? “Charles and I broke up a long time ago.” Four years, if memory served her right.
“You did? I thought you’d marry him.”
“Nope. We weren’t meant to be.” Within two months Charles had apparently decided she wasn’t serious girlfriend material. He’d dumped her and started dating a marketing executive shortly after.
She sighed. The story of her dating life.
“Have you been feeling okay?”
Nan took the tiniest sip of her coffee, a faraway look in her eyes. “Yes, things are fine.”
Things didn’t seem all that fine. Maybe she was just forgetful since it was so early in the morning. Memory lapses were a normal sign of aging, weren’t they?
“Mason will be here in a little while,” Nan said. “You two can run off and play the way you used to every summer.”
“Does Mason come here often?”
“Oh, yes.” Her shoulders poked through her thin cotton robe. “That reminds me...what day is it?”
“It’s Saturday.” It didn’t surprise her that Mason would stop by now and then. He’d always been fond of Nan. Brittany took another bite of cookie.
“Shopping day. I’d better make my list. You can go with him.” Nan padded over to a kitchen drawer. She returned to the table with a pen in one hand and a small notebook in the other. With shaky movements, she wrote milk, eggs and bread on the list. Then she stared into space.
“Why don’t you and I go to the store together?” Brittany asked. She and Ryder had flown into the nearest major airport, and together they’d driven to Rendezvous in his rental car. He was driving back to the airport tomorrow to catch his flight, and she figured she could borrow Nan’s truck to get around during her stay. “I’ll drive you to town if you don’t mind me borrowing your truck.”
“You can borrow it anytime. But Mason always does the shopping.”
Always? When had Nan stopped doing her own shopping? No matter what Nan said, Brittany highly doubted Mason would stop by with her being there.
“He might not be over today.”
Nan brightened. “Oh, no. He’ll be here.”
Nan had been confused about a few things this morning. Brittany hoped she was wrong about this, too.
But Mason was nothing if not dependable. Something told her she’d be seeing him sooner rather than later.
“Nan’s!” Noah jumped up and down, clapping his hands. His brown eyes sparkled and his blond hair was mussed. His cheekbones were all Mia’s. Mason wished she could see Noah now. “After cookies, we feed the kitties, Daddy.”
Mason loved the kid’s enthusiasm. His son loved Nan, and every day it was the same request—have a cookie, then feed the cats in Nan’s barn. But after a sleepless night wrestling with the fact he had a twin and a frigid morning feeding and working the cattle, Mason had no plans to visit Nan, even if it was shopping day. Brittany could take care of it.
But would she? He raised his eyes to the ceiling. Probably not. She knew nothing about Nan’s needs. And if Ryder was leaving tomorrow, Brittany would be heading out with him.
After the early-morning chores, Mason had called Ryder and invited him out to the ranch. Ryder was dealing with an unexpected work emergency but said he’d be over this afternoon.
Anticipation wound Mason up tighter than a lassoed calf. He was eager to learn more about his brother, to find out what else they had in common, but what if it poured gasoline on his happy childhood memories? He didn’t want his entire past to go up in flames.
“We’re not going to Nan’s today.” His shoulders tensed as he waited for the inevitable meltdown. He couldn’t exactly tell his son the truth—that his ex-girlfriend had rattled his nerves and he’d rather jump in the ice-cold waters of Silver Rocks River than run into Brittany again.
“Yes we are, Daddy. We go to Nan’s every day cuz we love her.”
No tantrum? That was a first. His conscience whimpered at his own words being repeated back to him. He pulled on his cowboy boots. “That’s right, but her granddaughter is in town visiting. We’ll give them some space.”
“But, Daddy, what about the kitties? And the food? We have to buy Nan’s food.” Noah tried to step into his own small cowboy boot and almost fell over. “I don’t wanna be on the naughty list.”
“Why don’t you sit next to me on the bench and pull on your boots, buckaroo?” He patted the bench. “And you won’t be on the naughty list. Remember why we celebrate Christmas?”
“Jesus’s birthday.” He clutched the boots to his chest and hoisted himself onto the bench as one boot clattered to the ground. Mason picked it up and helped him tug it onto his foot. The other went on quickly. “But Nan’ll miss me, Daddy.”
“You’ll see her Monday.”
He screwed up his face, his chubby cheeks puffing out in confusion. “When’s that?”
Mason held up two fingers. “In two days.”
“Two days? No! Too long. I want Nan today!” His little face grew red.
“Noah,” he warned, giving him a stern look. A text came through his phone. He almost groaned when he saw it was from his father-in-law, Bill.
What’s this I hear about you having a twin? Joanna and I are coming over to discuss it.
Acid reflux burned his throat. Thanks to Babs, the news of Ryder had likely spread through town like the bubonic plague. Mason had already received several texts from locals. He’d ignored the phone calls. The thought of discussing the situation with Bill and Joanna right now gave him heartburn.
He didn’t want to talk to anyone about Ryder until he’d had a chance to speak with him more in-depth. Figure out why on earth they were separated and how anyone could justify keeping them apart.
Without wasting a second, he texted Bill back.
I just found out myself. Noah and I are out shopping for Nan, and we have plans this afternoon. I’ll fill you in later.
He slipped the phone into his pocket. If a few minutes in Brittany’s presence was the price to pay for avoiding his in-laws, he’d pay it. He’d dealt with worse punishments in his life.
“Okay, buckaroo. We’ll pop in to get Nan’s list. But we aren’t having cookies or checking on the cats because we don’t want to interrupt her visit. We can buy a doughnut in town instead.”
“With sprinkles?”
“You got it.”
Five minutes later, Mason’s truck rumbled up Nan’s drive a mile down the road from his. The peace of the white prairie and distant mountains always made him say a silent prayer to thank God for letting this beautiful spot be his home. After parking, he got out of the truck, nudged his cowboy hat into place and unbuckled Noah from his car seat before setting him on the snow-covered ground. The boy took off running toward the front porch yelling, “Nan! I’m here!”
She opened the door and clapped as she bent to greet Noah. He took her by the hand and went inside. The sight of white-haired Nan in her saggy pants and embroidered sweatshirt holding hands with his little boy always made Mason smile.
He followed them into the entry, took off his hat and froze. Brittany stood only a few feet away, her blue eyes locked with his. He blinked away the connection. Noah had climbed onto a chair at Nan’s table and was already helping himself to a cookie.
“We’re here to get your list.” Mason crossed over to give Nan a hug.
She patted his cheek, but confusion wrinkled her forehead. “List? Oh, right! Now where did I put it?” She began moving around the kitchen, then meandered down the hallway. Mason was used to it. She usually forgot where she put it and would find it a few minutes later.
“Who are you?” Noah peered up at Brittany.
“I’m Brittany. Nan is my grandma.”
“She is?” Noah’s mouth was full of a cookie. “I love Nan.”
“I do, too.”
“Can we go see the kitties, Daddy?”
“Not today. As soon as Nan finds the list, we have to head out.” He held his breath, hoping Noah wouldn’t throw a fit.
“Can I pwease see the kitties, Daddy? Pwease?”
“No.” Mason craned his neck down the hallway. Come on, Nan, find your list already!
“I can take him out there for a minute.” Brittany smiled at Noah.
“Yay!”
“I said no.” It came out more harshly than he intended. But he didn’t want her around his son at all.
“Mason, I forgot about the water softener,” Nan called from the back of the house. “Do I need more salt?”
“Really, I don’t mind.” Brittany pushed her hair behind her ear. She wore black leggings and a long heather-gray sweatshirt with the word Sunshine written in cursive across the front. Her lack of makeup gave her a freshly scrubbed air. It reminded him of what she’d looked like as a teen and, unbidden, brought the warm feelings he’d had for her then with it.
“See, Daddy? She don’t mind.” Noah’s big eyes brimmed with hope.
He sighed and gave them both a tight smile. “Okay. Just for a minute. But be careful and listen to Miss Brittany.”
“I will!” His legs were already carrying him to the back door.
“Wait, Noah.” The kid didn’t even have his winter jacket on. “You have to wear your coat. Zipped.”
Noah rushed back and let Mason bundle him up before taking off again. Brittany, who’d slipped her feet into boots, put her coat on and followed. The soft click of the door shutting told him they were gone.
Why would she have offered to take his kid? He’d been really rude to her last night. If it had been anyone else, he’d assume they were being kind. But he didn’t know Brittany. Not anymore. Once upon a time he’d thought he’d known her, and he’d been wrong.
The door to the basement was through the kitchen, so he flipped on the light before tromping down the stairs. He lifted the lid to the water softener. The salt level was getting low. He’d better pick up a few bags of it. When he emerged from the basement, Nan was sitting at the table, bent over a piece of paper.
“I’ll pick up some more pellets for your softener.”
“Oh, good.” She glanced up and smiled. “Thank you, dear. I want to make Brittany’s favorite for dinner...” She stared at the wall.
“Is it still spaghetti?” He didn’t want to talk about Brittany, but he didn’t have it in him to hurt Nan’s feelings.
“Yes.” She frowned. “I think so.”
“I’ll pick up the ingredients. Don’t worry.”
Her shoulders relaxed and she handed him the list.
“We’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Take Brittany with you. It’ll be like old times.”
Old times were best left in the past. He didn’t say a word, just tipped his hat to her and walked out the back door. The faint sound of Noah’s squeals in the distance made his heart pump faster. Was he all right? But unmistakable laughter assured him his boy was fine. Why it irritated him that his son was enjoying Brittany’s company he didn’t have the energy to analyze.
He strode through the snow to the barn. When he slid the door open, his gaze zoomed to Brittany’s blond hair rippling down her back. Her smile could have illuminated the entire town. She stood to the side of the old tire swing.
He’d forgotten about the swing. Tired of its memories, he’d hauled it up to the hayloft years ago.
Sensations crashed into him.
It was their meeting place. The spot he’d rush to every day in the summer after his ranch chores were finished. The place he’d first kissed her. Even now, seeing her in front of it was doing something funny to his pulse.
Enough of that.
She must have gone up to the loft and let it drop down. Three sturdy ropes connected it to a beam above, and thick layers of straw cushioned the ground below it. The tire hovered horizontal to the ground so more than one person could ride on it at once.
The bottom of Noah’s cowboy boots peeked through the tire, and his little arms grasped two of the ropes. As the swing went around, his shining, laughing face appeared. Mason couldn’t help but smile, too. His innocence was precious.
“Can you believe the swing is still here?” Brittany’s voice was laced with cordial undertones. Apparently she’d decided they should be civil. “The ropes are as strong as ever.”
They were among the few things strong enough to survive these parts. He’d lost so many of his loved ones. First Ma, then Pops, then Mia... The weariness he’d been carrying for three years weighed on him.
“Noah, we’d better get moving.”
She reached for the swing and stopped it. Then she helped Noah to his feet. He ran to Mason with his arms open. Mason caught him and hoisted him high in the air.
“I can fly!” Noah held his arms out.
Man, he loved this kid. He set Noah back down and turned to leave.
“Mason?”
He stopped, looking back.
“Nan’s really going downhill, isn’t she?”
Yeah, and if you cared, you’d be here more often. Brittany’s rigid posture and the fear in her eyes kept the thoughts in his head, though.
“She’s eighty-six.” He wanted to say more but didn’t.
“And you’ve been getting her groceries every week?”
He nodded.
“For how long?” She looked vulnerable standing there.
“At least a year. Could be two, I guess. Why?” He cast a glance at Noah, who’d stopped in the corner to scoop kibble into the dishes. The barn cats were already stretching and heading over there.
“I... I didn’t realize.”
“Maybe if you visited more often, you would have known.” He winced at his gruff tone and the harsh words. The dig, while true, pricked him with shame. He’d been studying the Bible more, thanks to Gabby and Eden and their Tuesday meetings, and one of the concepts they were all working on was choosing not to be bitter.
It was hard.
“How bad is she?” Brittany stepped forward, seemingly unmoved by his rudeness.
“Nothing I can’t handle. If you’ll excuse me.” He pivoted, called to Noah and petted one of the cats before picking the boy up and marching straight outside.
He’d been taking care of Nan for a long time. Brittany didn’t need to worry about it. He’d take care of the elderly woman until the day she died. She was as close to family as he had. Without her, he and Noah would still have the Pages, but it wasn’t the same. Not for him, anyway.
Lately he’d been feeling like it was him against the world.
He thought of Ryder coming out this afternoon. For the first time since finding out he had a twin, Mason started to embrace the idea of having a brother.
“Do you need any clothes?” An hour later, Brittany sat on the living room floor folding the worn pants and shirts she’d taken out of the dryer. From the looks of it, Nan hadn’t been clothes shopping in years. She pulled another sweatshirt out of the basket. In fact, a lot of things Brittany had assumed about Nan were questionable, like her ability to live independently out here on her own.
Before arriving, she’d assumed her grandmother was fine, still able to drive and shop for herself, and she’d assumed incorrectly. Nan was not fine. And Mason could claim he’d handle it, but Nan was her responsibility. Not his.
As for Mason’s parting shot at her...
She sighed. He was right. She’d neglected Nan. Could her grandmother live by herself much longer?
“Did you say something?” Nan looked up from where she sat in the recliner. A game show blared from the television.
“Why don’t I take you shopping? I’d like to get you a new outfit.” She pasted on her brightest smile and stacked another shirt on the pile.
“I’ve got a closet full of clothes, honey.”
A closet full of outdated clothes that were too big. Maybe she could persuade Nan to go into Rendezvous and do a little shopping during the week. But did the small town even have a clothing store? She could always order a few items online.
After folding the final item, she rose and checked the time. It had been over an hour since Mason had left. Noah was the definition of adorable. He looked like his daddy. And that was a good thing.
Mason had grown more handsome since she’d last seen him. Broad shoulders, slim hips, muscular arms—he was all cowboy. His dark blond hair and caramel-brown eyes had always made her look twice at him. And the way her skin prickled with awareness when he’d been in the room earlier proved she wasn’t immune to the man.
But now he wore an air of resignation, and every word he said had a bite to it.
He’d changed.
Grown harder. Gruffer.
Losing his wife must have been devastating.
As Nan’s breathing settled to a soft snore, Brittany went to the kitchen to prep the fridge. It was stuffed with leftovers and rotting produce. Gross. She pulled out a trash bag and tossed the moldy and wilting food, then ran a soapy cloth over the fridge’s shelves. Much better. The two cupboards where Nan kept her dry goods were in decent order.
The sound of a vehicle approaching alerted her Mason was back. She debated her next move. Hide in her bedroom so he couldn’t hurt her with accusations she already felt bad about? Or stay here and take his barbs straight on?
She deserved them. She’d failed Nan.
All the summers with her grandmother stood in her memories like happy greeting cards ready to be picked up and opened whenever she needed cheering. She loved Nan, and although she hadn’t been able to spend much time with her in years, she wasn’t going to let her down now. Not with her health declining.
Brittany opened the front door. Mason held brown paper bags in each hand, and Noah lugged a plastic bag as if it weighed a hundred pounds.
“How much more is there?” she asked.
“Another bag and the pellets for the water softener. I’ve got it.”
“I’ll put these away.” She took one of the paper bags from him, and her hand brushed his. Awareness zipped through her, and a lump formed in her throat. This man—this stranger—had been her best friend most of her life. And now they couldn’t even have a civil conversation.
His cheeks grew pink and he hustled back outside.
“Where does this go, Miss Bwittany?” Noah let his bag drop and wiped his forehead as if he was exhausted.
“What’s in it?” She willed her emotions back into place and gave the boy what she hoped would pass for a smile.
“Toiwet paper.” His lisp was so cute.
“Hmm...” She tapped her finger to her chin. “Where should we put the toilet paper?”
“The bathroom?” He took one of the handles and dragged the bag down the hallway as she set the milk and cream in the fridge. He ran back to her and peeked into the bags. “Can I help?”
“Sure.” She pointed to the crackers and cookies. “Why don’t you set these in the cupboard over there?”
He grabbed the cookies, threw open the cabinet door, tossed the package on top of canned vegetables and repeated the process with the crackers. Then he made a production out of wiping his hands. “Now what?”
Mason walked between them with two large bags of salt pellets on his shoulder.
Noah followed him to the basement door, then ran back to Brittany. “I don’t like it down there.”
She bent down to Noah’s eye level. “I don’t, either. It’s dark and creepy.”
“Yeah. Cweepy.” He nodded, his expression a mixture of fear and excitement.
“Are you getting ready for Christmas?” She folded the paper bags.
“Yes! I’m getting presents! And Daddy’s taking me to Christmas Fest!”
“He is?” She motioned for him to follow her to the table. “What’s Christmas Fest?”
“Cookies and reindeer and an ice rink!” He climbed onto a chair on his knees.
“Well, that sounds like fun. I might have to check it out.”
Mason’s boots stomped up the steps. He looked at Noah. “Ready to go, buckaroo?”
“I wanna stay.”
“We need to get our own groceries home.”
Noah yawned, and Mason helped him put his coat on, then scooped him into his arms.
“Thank you.” Brittany held the door open for them.
“Tell Nan I’ll be over on Monday afternoon.”
She blinked. “How often do you stop by?”
“Every day but Sunday. I’d take her to church, too, but Lois Dern insists on picking her up.”
For once there wasn’t any animosity in his gaze. Just the truth. And the truth hurt. He’d been taking care of Nan all this time, and Brittany hadn’t even known Nan had needed help.
“I see.” Her voice sounded as small as she felt.
He arched his eyebrows but didn’t say a word. Then he carried Noah, who waved at her, down the steps to his truck.
She did see. And she didn’t like the picture.
Mason had taken over Nan’s care. His disdain for Brittany came through loud and clear.
Like most guys in her life, he’d decided she was all about herself.
Maybe she was.
They never seemed to understand that she had almost no free time and hadn’t in years. Working multiple jobs and scraping pennies to have her own studio might be selfish, but it didn’t make her a terrible person.
It looked like more changes to her life would need to be made. Nan was too important for Brittany to just leave her here without knowing she’d be safe. Mason might check on her in the afternoon, but what if Nan fell in the middle of the night? Got sick? Stopped paying her bills? Or grew more forgetful?
Was it time to look into assisted living?
Or...she supposed she could move Nan to California to live with her. Her head hurt at the thought. The logistics of it overwhelmed her.
She had time—a couple weeks—to figure out Nan’s care.
What would be best for her grandmother?
Chapter Three (#u8af6b2d2-9db1-5cd0-b040-8f261759659b)
One question had been gnawing at him since finding Ryder on his porch last night. Which of them had been born first?
Mason strode beside Ryder down the path to the stables. Thankfully, Eden had offered to watch Noah for him. He’d briefly filled her in on the situation when he dropped Noah off after putting away the groceries. Eden, Mia’s younger sister by three years, still lived with his in-laws. Bill and Joanna had gone Christmas shopping, allowing Mason to avoid having the twin conversation with them. They wouldn’t be put off for long, however.
“Okay, now that you’re here,” Mason said, “I have a burning question.”
“Shoot.”
“When were you born? Which one of us is older?”
Ryder barked out a laugh. “I’ve been wondering the same thing. One of us is the big brother, and one is the baby. It’s time we found out.”
“My birth certificate says I was born at 5:43 a.m.”
Ryder grimaced. “Mine says 5:54 a.m.”
“I guess that means you’re my little brother.” Mason slapped him on the back. “By eleven minutes.”
“And I guess it means you’ll be rubbing it in forever.”
“I guess it does.” It didn’t seem quite as bizarre to think of the man beside him as his brother anymore. He hitched his chin toward the stables. “You sure you want to ride?”
“I’d love to. I miss it,” Ryder said. “I grew up on a sheep ranch in southern Montana.”
“Sheep, huh?” Resentment between sheep ranchers and cattle ranchers had been simmering since the West had been settled. Both fought for grazing land, and both begrudged each other for it. Pops had never had a good thing to say about sheep ranchers.
He took a closer look at Ryder. His clothes were typical Western wear, but they were high quality, as were his expensive boots and hat. “You aren’t still ranching?”
“No.” He matched Mason’s strides under the brilliant blue sky. “My grandparents got out of it when I was eleven. We moved closer to the city because Granddad needed medical care. Cancer took him a few years later.”
Cancer. How he hated the disease that had stolen Mia from him. “Pops inherited this land along with the cow–calf operation and passed it down to me. Are you still living in Montana?”
“No. Moved out to California for college. I’m in the Los Angeles area. For now.”
They reached the stables and Mason slid open the door. Dim light and floating dust motes greeted them as he led the way to the tack room. After hauling gear out, they saddled two quarter horses.
“Feels good to be out in the wide open again. It’s been a long time.” Ryder patted the neck of Rookie, one of Mason’s favorite horses, as they rode toward the frozen-over creek. “I was torn about coming over, but this makes it worth it.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about last night.” Mason hadn’t put much thought into how Ryder might be handling having a twin. When had he gotten so self-absorbed? “It was a shock.”
“For me, too. Finding out about you...well... Life has been chaotic lately.” Ryder shrugged and nudged Rookie forward. Mason, riding Bolt, fell in beside him. “I’m glad you called this morning.”
Mason was, too. And he knew all about chaos. Change had never been easy for him, and the past couple of years had been downright terrible. Noah had been the only thing worth waking up for besides the ranch. Mason would keep it running, even if it got to the point where he had to thin the herd further or let go of his extra ranch hands. He’d give this land to Noah someday.
“What do you do in LA?”
“I’m a CPA, and I do financial planning, as well.” Ryder glanced around, taking in the hills. “Sometimes I miss this—outdoor living. My girls would love it out here.”
“Twins, right? How old did you say they were?”
“Three and a half.”
“Huh.” That was a weird coincidence. “Noah is, too. When’s their birthday?”
“March 24.”
“Whoa-ho-ho.” Mason shifted in his saddle as Ryder slowed Rookie. “That’s Noah’s birthday.”
His eyes widened. “You mean they were born on the same day?”
“Just like we were.” It seemed impossible. Yet he looked at his spitting image riding next to him and realized it was possible. Anything was, really. Suddenly, Mason wanted to know everything about this man. “I had appendicitis in the third grade.”
“Me, too. January. Right after Christmas. I was glad to miss school.”
“Same here!” A sense of wonder swirled in his mind. The man who looked just like him shared more than his appearance. They’d had kids on the same date, illnesses at the same time. “We shared a womb.”
Ryder’s mouth opened. He closed it without saying a word. Then he said, “I guess we did.”
“Earlier someone stopped me at the grocery store and asked me if I ever sensed I had a twin. I can’t say I did. Did you?” Actually, several people had stopped him earlier, and he’d practically sprinted out of there. Part of him was surprised he hadn’t seen a line of cars in his drive when he got home.
“No, I had no idea I had a twin.”
For the next thirty minutes, they rode along the creek and grilled each other about their childhoods. Laughter flowed freely, and more than once Mason caught Ryder inspecting him as if he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. Neither volunteered information about the mothers of their children, though. He rarely talked about Mia outside of his Tuesday night meetings with Gabby and Eden, and Ryder had mentioned a divorce, so it must be a sore subject.
“Why’d they do it? Why keep us apart?” As they headed back to the stables, Mason hoped Ryder had more insight than he did. The deception bothered him. His memories of Ma and Pops didn’t mesh with the reality saddled up next to him.
How could they have kept a brother from him? And why?
Ryder stared off into the distance. “I keep asking myself the same thing. I wish I knew. I can’t ask my grandparents. They’re long gone. I haven’t been back to my hometown since I was a kid.”
“Someone must have known. How did we just now learn about each other? If anyone around here knew, I’d have found out long ago. Secrets are spilled on a regular basis in these parts.”
Ryder’s jaw shifted. “To be frank with you, I haven’t asked myself too many questions because I know I won’t like the answers. It was enough to come out here and meet you.”
A gust of wind chilled Mason.
“I’m leaving tomorrow.” Ryder glanced his way. “I know this is sudden, but I’d like to come back. I have the last two weeks of December off. Would it bother you if I brought my girls out here to meet you?”
He usually resisted last-minute plans, but he wanted to meet his nieces.
I have nieces. With all the information he’d been trying to process, it hadn’t sunk in that he was an uncle. The thought warmed his heart.
“I’d like that. Stay here with the girls. And why don’t you have supper with me and Noah tonight? I gave him the condensed version of you earlier. Be prepared for a lot of questions.”
“Okay.”
“I know I wasn’t the welcome wagon yesterday, but...having a brother is pretty cool.”
“Maybe there’s a simple explanation for why we never knew about each other.” Ryder’s smile lit his eyes. “I guess we have Brittany to thank for finding each other.”
“I guess we do,” he said quietly. Ryder had a point. As much as Mason wanted to leave the past in the past, maybe he should stop in at Nan’s tomorrow before Brittany left and thank her for introducing them.
It wouldn’t mean anything had changed. It was simply the right thing to do.
But the image of her smiling face as she pushed Noah on the tire swing earlier made him pause. Maybe he should leave well enough alone. It was safer to hang on to a decade-old grudge than to let Brittany’s sunshine into his life again.
After Mia’s death, he’d made a promise to himself. There could be no one else. He’d already had the best.
I’ll never let you go, Mia.
Brittany tapped her pen against the blank spiral notebook page. Fifteen minutes of brainstorming had yielded no results.
Nan had lived in this house ever since she’d gotten married at eighteen. After two days here, Brittany wasn’t sure Nan would be able to live on her own for much longer.
But what could she do about it?
At meals, Nan picked at her food. She most likely skipped eating altogether when left to her own devices. Her bony frame could use more nourishment.
Also, from the smell of it, Nan wasn’t bathing regularly. She used to shower first thing in the morning. When Brittany suggested she take a shower, Nan claimed she’d washed up yesterday, which was not true. How long had it been since she’d shampooed her hair?
Other things nagged at her, as well. The house was tidy, but dust covered every surface, and the floors hadn’t seen a mop in a long time. Yesterday afternoon, Brittany had scrubbed the house, but how long would it last?
She stretched her arms over her head. Nan was resting in her room. The Sunday service had tuckered her out.
After church, Gretchen Sable, a sweet older lady who was friends with Nan, had pulled Brittany aside, given her a paper with her number on it, patted her hand and told her to call her anytime.
At least the church was the same as it had been a decade ago. Sure, the old blue carpet had been replaced, but familiar worship songs had filled the air and the message of grace had not fallen on deaf ears. It reminded Brittany of her church back home.
That was another thing to thank her grandmother for—Nan was the one who’d told her about Jesus and encouraged her to pray.
The last time she’d attended a Sunday service here with Nan, she’d been eighteen and full of excitement about the future. Now? She hadn’t fulfilled her dreams. They’d never included scrimping to pay bills, teaching only a handful of classes and renting a run-down matchbox of an apartment.
Success had eluded her in every area.
The sharp pang of discouragement tore through her chest. Had her entire adult life been a waste? Had she made the wrong choices?
Her mother certainly thought so and wasn’t afraid to say it. As for Brittany’s father, she had his last name, but he had never been part of her life. Now that Mom was busy traveling as a corporate consultant, Brittany rarely talked to her, either. It wasn’t as if she cared what the woman thought anymore. God saw Brittany’s heart and didn’t judge her by her lack of progress. So why was she judging herself so harshly?
She tossed down the pen and massaged her temples. She was supposed to be coming up with solutions for Nan’s care, not wallowing in some strange what-had-she-done-with-her-life crisis.
The sound of a vehicle coming up the drive broke her concentration. She peeked out the window and recognized Mason’s truck. Why was he here? Whatever the reason, her pulse sped at the thought of seeing him again.
She put her coat on and shoved her feet into her boots to meet him on the porch. The air was crisp and the frozen countryside beautiful. He strode up tall, sure of himself. The cowboy boots, hat and jeans fit him like a glove. Her stomach did a pirouette. She looked for signs of Noah, but the boy wasn’t with him. Too bad. He was a cutie.
His eyes weren’t as hard and judgmental today. A girl could get lost in those depths.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”
“I’d ask you inside, but Nan is sleeping right now.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Actually, I wanted to speak with you, too.”
“If this is about what happened way back when...” His expression grew wary.
“No.” She waved him off. “It’s been a long time. We’ve both moved on with our lives.” She fought for a chipper tone. Talking to Mason used to be easy—from the day she’d met him until the day she’d left. This awkwardness felt wrong—understandable, but wrong. “I wanted to talk to you about Nan. About how she’s doing.”
He widened his stance, crossing his arms over his chest. Formidable.
“I don’t like it when you tower over me. I know it’s cold, but let’s sit.”
His left eyebrow cocked skyward, but he followed her to the rocking chairs on the covered porch.
She sat in one and waited while he settled into the other. She was all too aware his knee was only inches from hers. “Nan isn’t the same.”
“The same? What do you mean?”
She’d never been good at this—being blunt. Never quite knew how to approach a subject without offending someone. And it tended to result in her rambling.
“She’s gotten thin. Just this morning I caught her hiking up the elastic on her black church pants, and let me tell you, they still drooped. And her hair really concerns me. I mean, how many days does she go without showering? It’s so unlike her.” Without thinking, she rose to her feet and stretched to her tiptoes before sitting down again.
“I hadn’t noticed.”
How could he not have noticed? She turned to face him. “She sleeps more. Drifts in and out all day long. You know how she used to be. Capable. Self-sufficient. She drove everywhere, baked up a storm, made jam, quilted. This house was always spotless, and she’d sit in her rocker with a book most afternoons, and she’d have this peaceful, happy expression on her face. I loved that.” Her heart simultaneously warmed and pinched thinking about it. She hugged herself. “But now? She’s forgetful. Confused. And frail.”
He leaned back, crossing an ankle over his knee. “She’s getting up there in age. What did you expect?”
What did she expect? If she were being honest with herself, she hadn’t wanted to face the thought of Nan being anything other than the strong, kind woman who’d taught her how to pray and to be comfortable in her own skin. It had been delusional on her part to expect Nan to still be a powerhouse at eighty-six.
“I don’t know.” Her head dropped. “I just don’t know.”
He didn’t say anything. Simply sat there, quiet and still.
She’d always struggled with stillness. Even now, her arms and legs longed to move, explore the space and, to some extent, help her come to terms with what she was feeling. A series of pique turns down the length of the porch enticed her. But she kept her feet rooted in place.
“You check on her most days and get her groceries.” She shivered. It was really cold out here.
“Yep.”
“She doesn’t seem fit to drive anymore.”
“I don’t think she is. Lois Dern takes her to the beauty parlor every other week, so she is getting her hair washed, and one of the other church ladies, Gretchen Sable, I think, takes her to the doctor if she needs to go.”
Just what she’d suspected—Nan was trapped in this house, far away from help. It couldn’t be safe for her.
“I think her days living alone are numbered.” Brittany sighed.
“She’s fine.” His expression hardened. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“You?”
“Yeah, me.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ve taken care of her this long. I’ll take care of her for good.”
“She’s my grandmother.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Wow. Really?” She raised her chin and glared at him. “Oh, that’s right, you know everything there is to know about me, and I must still be the selfish liar who left town ten years ago. I couldn’t possibly care about anyone but myself, right?”
“If the shoe fits.” His face grew red, but he continued to sit there, ankle resting without even a twitch on his knee. How could he be so calm?
“Forget it.” She got up, spun away from him and looked out over the porch rail. “Go back to your ranch. I’ll take care of Nan.”
“And how are you going to do that, California?”
Did he really just call her California? Her temper didn’t flair often, but when it did, things could get ugly, and she felt the storm brewing inside her. Lord, help me stay calm. Grant me patience.
She whirled and caught her breath. He’d moved to stand behind her, and his nearness, his height slammed her with memories. She knew exactly how those hands would feel at her waist. The precise height she’d need to rise up to wrap her arms around his neck and...
She couldn’t get mushy. It had taken her years to get over him. One touch and all could be lost.
“Why don’t you get it all out right now, Mason? Say all the miserable things you’ve been thinking about me. Go on. I can take it.”
His jaw shifted but he kept his mouth shut.
She was tired of carrying around the shame about him and their past. She’d been a stupid teenager. And it had cost her dearly.
“I’m sorry for hurting you back then.” She stood tall. “I should have broken up with Parker before I came here that summer. He and I weren’t right for each other. I’d known it for months. I thought with me being away, he’d figure it out, too.” Saying the truth out loud deflated the bravado she’d had moments ago. “It doesn’t matter—I should have told you about him. I should have done a lot of things differently that summer.”
“Yes, you should have.” His voice was hard.
“I know.” And she did. But even if she had... “It wouldn’t have changed the ending, though. I couldn’t have stayed here. You and I both know it.”
His throat worked as he swallowed. He took his time mulling it over. Then he met her eyes, and she relaxed. Those were the eyes she remembered. The warm, caring man she used to know was still in there somewhere.
“I reckon you’re right.” The words were soft, sincere and they slammed into her heart. “I’ve missed you, Brit.”
She’d missed him, too. More than he would ever know.
“I only came around today to thank you for introducing me to Ryder.”
“You’re welcome.” She looked at this rugged man and saw beneath the tough exterior to the hurts inside. He’d lost too much in his life. How she’d wanted to be there for him when his grandparents died, and then Mia... But she wouldn’t have been welcome. “You always wanted a brother. I couldn’t deny you that.”
“Thank you.” He nodded. “And don’t worry about Nan. She’s not sick. She’ll be fine. We look out for our own in Rendezvous.”
“I know you do. I appreciate all you’ve done for her. But I can’t handle worrying about her every day. And I will worry. I think it’s time I consider moving Nan to California with me.”
“What?” His mind reeled. One minute he was flinging out ugly words he’d never meant to say, the next she was apologizing for that summer and hitting him with the truth like a slap to the face. He believed she regretted her actions that summer, and deep down he knew she was right about not being able to stay. But this—taking Nan from him—was going too far. “No, it’s not necessary. California? Really, Brittany? Can’t you think about anyone but yourself?”
“Now who’s the one being selfish?” She gave him a cool glare. “I’m thinking about Nan. What if she falls and no one finds her for hours?”
“We’ll get her one of those emergency buttons.” Even as the words left his mouth, he wondered if Brittany was right. Was he being selfish for wanting to keep Nan right where she was?
“She’s barely keeping up with basic hygiene. I feel like she’s living on yogurt and cheese crackers. The house is dirty. And so is she. She’s confused.”
“I’ll hire someone to help out with the cleaning once a week. We can pick up frozen dinners for her. All she’ll have to do is pop them in the microwave.” Easy solutions. No need for her to move Nan to another state.
“But will she?”
“Yes.” But he wasn’t so sure she actually would. He tried to imagine how Nan must appear in Brittany’s eyes, and he admitted, the picture wasn’t great.
“How long can this last? Six months? A year? I have to think long-term.” She covered her face with her hands and wiped her cheeks. She rose on her tippy-toes again, a movement he knew meant she was conflicted.
For the first time, he allowed himself to really see Brittany. Fine lines creased around her eyes and between her eyebrows. Her life might not have been as happy-go-lucky as he’d imagined.
That didn’t change things. He wasn’t letting her rip Nan away from here.
“Nan should have a say in it, too.” And so should he.
“I know.” She bit the corner of her lip, worry running through those pretty blue eyes.
“Look, I know you have a busy life in California,” he said as gently as possible. “I’ve been watching out for Nan a long time. She’s like a grandmother to me.”
“But she’s my grandma.”
That point stung a bit. Technically, Nan was Brittany’s grandmother, but he’d spent enough time with her to lay claim to the title, too, hadn’t he?
“And I don’t appreciate your tone when you talk about my busy life in California. You don’t know anything about my life. And it is busy, just not in the frivolous way you’re implying. If I move Nan in with me, I’ll be able to take care of her.”
“How are you going to do that? You’ll have to drag her out of this house kicking and screaming. She’s lived here for over sixty years. I’m sure it will do wonders for her health being stuck in the smog and surrounded by people all the time.”
“Look, I didn’t say I was moving her out there for sure. I merely said I was considering it.”
“Will you even be around to take care of her?” In his mind he’d always pictured Brittany laughing and living a social life surrounded by adoring friends. Honestly, the thought made him jealous. His life had been full of responsibility since he was a young boy.
“What do you think I do? I’m not some party girl flying around. I teach children and teens dance lessons at night and work part-time at a diner on weekends. During the day, I pick up side jobs doing data entry from home. So, to answer your question, no, I won’t always be around to take care of her. But you aren’t, either, so I don’t think you can talk.”
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