KIMBERLY STIFLED A YAWN AS SHE OPENED THE bottom drawer of the desk and took out her purse.
“Headed home?” Chris Russell asked from inside his office.
She moved to stand in his doorway. “Yes. Did you need something before I go?”
“Yes, I do.” He leaned back in his chair. “I know when you started we thought it would be for six weeks, tops. But are you willing to stay on for another four? I talked to Madeline, and the doctor says she won’t be able to put any weight on her foot for at least that much longer and thinks it best that she not return to work.”
Kimberly forced herself not to smile. After all, Madeline was having a difficult time. But four more weeks of drawing a paycheck would be a blessing, and she would be grateful for every one of them. “I’m happy to stay on as long as you need me, Chris.”
“Good. I appreciate the work you’ve been doing. You caught on fast.”
“Thanks.” She took a half step back, then turned. “See you in the morning.”
There was a definite spring in her step as she left the office and walked toward the grocery store. She was tempted to splurge on some big, juicy steaks for dinner, but Tara would appreciate tacos or pizza more, and either of those would cost a good deal less than prime cuts of beef.
Wistfully she remembered the times when she’d prepared a romantic dinner for her and Ellis. Candlelight. A little red wine. Her best crystal and china. Soft music from the iPod speakers. Steaks grilled to perfection. Ambience and presentation had been important to her.
In her memory, she saw the way Ellis looked at her when they’d enjoyed one of their special evenings at home. Eyes filled with love. Ellis had had such expressive eyes. One time, maybe six months before he died, he’d surprised her at the end of the meal with a gorgeous diamond necklace. It hadn’t been her birthday or their anniversary. He’d bought it because he loved her, he’d said.
How would she have reacted if she’d known how deep in debt they were?
The pleasant memories spoiled by reality, Kimberly pushed open the swinging glass door and entered The Merc. She pulled a shopping basket from the stack near the entrance and started down an aisle, looking for the items on her list. It didn’t take long. Choices were not abundant in this small-town grocery store. Nothing like the superstores where she’d done her shopping for most of her adult life.
She paid for her purchases at the checkout, then gathered a brown paper sack in each arm. At the exit, she turned her back to the glass door and pushed it open with her backside. As she turned again, she nearly collided with an incoming customer.
“Whoa there.”
She recognized Chet Leonard’s voice even before she lifted her gaze to his face, shaded as always by his brown cowboy hat.
“Here. Let me help you with those.” He took one bag from her, then the other. “Where’s your car?”
She shook her head. “I walked to work this morning. It’s not very far to Janet’s. Not on a day like this.”
“It is fine out.”
Kimberly began to feel awkward, standing there in front of The Merc, Chet holding her shopping bags. How was she supposed to take them back from him?
“I’ll carry these for you,” he said in answer to her unspoken question.
“Oh, you needn’t do that. They aren’t heavy. Really. I . . . it’s—”
“Come on. I’ll bet you’ve got the fixings for supper in these sacks. Better get you home so you all don’t starve.” He swiveled on his heel, then gave her a glance that said he was waiting for her.
What else could she do? She moved to his side and they set off toward Janet’s home.
After a brief silence, Chet said, “Tell Tara that we’ve got two new foals as of yesterday.”
“They both came? She’ll be disappointed she didn’t get to be there to see at least one of them born. She told me all about the mares when she got home Saturday.”
“Yeah, she seems eager to learn everything about horses and ranching.”
“Maybe it’s for the best she wasn’t there. She might be a little young to watch a live birth.”
Chet looked at her, eyebrows raised. “You’re kidding, right? She’s almost sixteen.”
She supposed he was right. Tara wasn’t a little child.
“Sorry,” he said. “None of my business. But when you live on a ranch, the natural order of things is something you learn early on. Tara’s more ready than you think she is.”
“I know. I can be overprotective sometimes.”
“I guess you’ve got a right to be, after all that’s happened to the two of you.”
She winced, realizing how much he must know about her personal affairs. “I take it Tara’s told you about her father and how bad things got after he died.”
“Yeah. She told me a little.”
A little? She knew Tara better than that.
“Look, Kimberly. I wasn’t trying to pry. I promise.”
She released a humorless laugh. “I know you weren’t. Tara doesn’t filter her thoughts much. Not when she’s comfortable with someone.” She looked at Chet again. “She feels at ease around you. She feels at ease with everybody at the ranch.”
“That’s good to hear.” He smiled, kindness in his eyes. “I wasn’t sure how she and I would get along at first. I’m used to dealing with boys. Never have spent a lot of time with girls.” He paused on a sigh. “Maybe that’s why I’m divorced. Maybe I still don’t understand girls.”
His last comment raised a number of questions in Kimberly’s mind. She knew far less about him than he knew about her. At least when it came to his failed marriage and ex-wife. Perhaps she might learn more if she asked a question or two. But something in his expression stopped her. Something told her talking about it still caused him pain.
She understood only too well.
IT HAD BEEN A STRANGE IMPULSE, TAKING KIMBERLY’S sacks of groceries and then offering to escort her home. Chet wasn’t sure why he’d done it. For the same reason he’d agreed to work with Tara and her horse, he supposed. Couldn’t help himself. Chet to the rescue. It was a character trait he wished he could change. Not everybody needed or wanted to be rescued, not even when they looked or sounded like they did. Marsha hadn’t. That was for certain. His ex-wife had wanted to lead her own life and make her own decisions, far away from him. Without having to report to anyone.
Report to anyone.
Those words had stung. They still did.
He’d thought they had a partnership. He’d thought they were each one-half of a whole. He’d thought they were able to tell each other anything and everything. He’d thought they were married for life.
Which just went to prove his point. He’d thought wrong. Again.
“Chet.”
Kimberly stopped walking, and Chet was pulled back to the present.
She held out her arms. “I can take those now. We’re here. You needn’t come any farther.”
See, Kimberly Welch didn’t want to be rescued either. He thought he was doing the polite thing, and she thought he was intruding on her personal space. Couldn’t be more clear about it. He passed the two sacks into her waiting arms.
“Thanks for your help.” She took a step back from him.
He wondered if she meant it. “Glad to do it.” Now he wondered if he meant it.
“I’ll tell Tara about the foals. She’ll be eager to see them tomorrow.”
He nodded and gave his hat brim a tug, then turned and headed back toward the center of town, ready to get home, whatever had brought him to the grocery store in the first place forgotten.
KIMBERLY RAPPED ON THE DOOR TO TARA’S ROOM, then opened it when she didn’t answer. Her daughter was lying on her stomach on the bed, holding a book out in front of her with both hands as she read.
“Homework?” Kimberly asked.
Tara shook her head as she turned the cover of the book so her mother could see it.
Of course. A book about horses. What else?
Kimberly entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “I saw Mr. Leonard a little bit ago. He said to tell you the two new foals were born.”
“They were? Both of them?” Tara sat up. “Wish I’d been there.”
“This book has pictures of a foal being delivered.” She flipped quickly through the pages, stopping when she found what she wanted. “It says a foal will normally stand within the first hour and can trot and canter that very first day. Cool, huh?”
“Very cool.”
“Kinda makes me wish Wind Dancer was a mare so we could have a colt one day.”
Kimberly reached out and pushed Tara’s dark hair back from her face. “You’d best be happy with the one horse you’ve got.” Silently she added, We couldn’t even afford him if not for Chet Leonard’s generosity.
The thought brought his image back to mind, and her heart did a small, unexpected flutter. He was so old-school polite around her. The code of a cowboy, perhaps. And truth be told, she was beginning to find that code rather attractive.