Stephanie was sitting on the couch, changing Linus’s diaper, when the door opened and Becky stuck her head inside.
“Knock, knock. Can you stand a bit of company?” she asked.
Happy to see Callum’s wife, she motioned for her sister-in-law to join her. “Come in, Becky. I’d love company.”
The pretty brunette entered the suite and walked over to the couch, where Linus was lying on his back, kicking his arms and legs as Stephanie fastened the disposable diaper in place.
She said, “He’s definitely grown since I saw him a few days ago. Aww, and look at those eyes, they’re sparkling. What a cutie!”
Stephanie tugged the navy blue onesie back in place and snapped it together. “I’ll let you watch him, while I go dispose of his dirty diaper,” she told Becky. “He’s too young to roll over yet. But you never know.”
“Sure. I’ll be glad to keep an eye on the little man.”
Stephanie carried the diaper to an airtight plastic container in the bathroom, then returned to the living area, where Becky had taken a seat on the cushion next to Linus.
“I took him in for a checkup today,” she told Becky. “Dr. Green said he’s healthy. Thank God for that. By the way, I didn’t see you there. Were you not working this afternoon?”
“I was. I must’ve been on my lunch break.”
Stephanie nodded as she sat in an armchair. “Probably so. I had the appointment scheduled on my lunch hour so I wouldn’t miss work.”
“You have a fire in the fireplace tonight,” Becky noted. “It feels great.”
Stephanie followed Becky’s gaze over to a small fireplace that stretched across one corner of the room. Her cats, Violet and Daisy, were stretched out near the hearth, while Orville sat observing the flames from a safer distance.
“I’ll be so happy when this wintery weather moves out,” Becky remarked. “I’ve been bundling up the twins and keeping my fingers crossed that they don’t catch cold.”
“Where are the twins? Don’t tell me Callum is chasing after them.”
Becky laughed. “Actually, he is. When I left them in the den, he had both girls in his lap and was attempting to read them a story about a horned toad and a dragonfly. If that last more than five minutes, I’ll be surprised.”
Stephanie chuckled. “It still surprises me to see Callum putting himself in daddy mode.”
Sighing, Becky covered Linus with a light blanket. “To be honest, I still have a hard time believing he really wanted me and the girls as his ready-made family.”
“Callum loves you and the twins more than anything,” Stephanie assured her. “But my little ready-made family?” She nodded at Linus. “Well, that’s a shaky matter.”
Becky’s expression was empathetic. “I guess it would be pointless to tell you not to worry.”
Stephanie sighed. “Linus might be the closest thing I’ll ever have to having a child of my own.”
Becky groaned. “Stephanie! You make it sound like you’re going to be a spinster.”
“I’m sure Callum has told you stories about some of the men in my life,” she said bitterly. “I’ve picked some real losers. Actually, I’ve given up on picking. I’ve decided the best choice for me is to forget about a husband and try to adopt as a single mother.”
Shaking her head, Becky said, “Callum explained that’s why you were already eligible to be a foster mother for Linus. You’d already had a background check done in order to adopt.”
“I realize that shocked them. I hadn’t mentioned it before because...well, it’s such a private decision and I thought they would disapprove.”
“Honestly, I don’t think any of them disapprove of you adopting a child. But they do frown on this idea of yours to remain single.”
Stephanie snorted. “That’s very funny. Anytime I mention dating someone, all I hear is discouragement.”
“They believe you deserve real love. That’s what they want for you.”
Love. Ever since Acton had walked into Paws and Claws with Seymour trotting along beside him, she’d thought far too much about that one particular emotion.
“Actually, Becky, I have met someone that makes me think about things like love and babies and even marriage. But he’s all wrong for me. So I’m trying hard not to think about him—and everything that I’m missing.”
Becky suddenly scooted to the edge of her seat. “Who is this guy? If he’s making you dream about love and marriage, then he can’t be all wrong.”
“Oh yes, he can,” she said glumly. “Among other things, he’s two years younger than me. How can I take a twenty-five year old man seriously?”
“So? That’s just a number. I’ve known twenty-five-year-old men who were more mature than forty-year-olds.”
“Perhaps. But he’s good-looking. Too good-looking, if you know what I mean. Women go gaga over him and rightly so. Trouble is, I think he enjoys the attention. From what I hear he’s dated plenty of them.”
“A playboy, huh?” She shook her head. “What’s his name? I might know him.”
Stephanie should’ve never started this conversation, but Becky was the closest thing to a sister she had here in Rambling Rose. As for her triplet sisters back in Florida, Ashley, Megan and Nicole had never understood Stephanie’s reluctance to jump into the dating scene with both feet. No big deal that she’d had a few bummers, they often told her. Unless she kept trying, she’d never find a good man.
When Becky asked the identity of her mystery man again, Stephanie knew there was no getting around it. “Acton Donovan,” she replied. “I think his family owns and operates the Diamond D Ranch.”
Becky’s lips formed an O. “The Donovans. Sure, I know them. Gina brings her children into the pediatric center. I can’t say that I’ve ever had any personal dealings with the men of the family. Although, I’ve seen them around town. They’re all good-looking. And all still single, I think. I heard one of the nurses I work with say she’d like to date Acton, but as far as I know that never happened.”
“From what I hear, there are plenty of women around town who’d like to date Acton. And the last thing I want to do is stand in line.”
Frowning, Becky left the couch and walked over to the fireplace. “Have you actually met Acton?”
What would Becky think if she told her that the man had kissed her on the cheek yesterday? Warn her that she was playing with fire? “We’ve had a few meetings at the clinic. He’s flirty, but fun and nice. He’s offered to help with the fund-raiser Friday night.”
Glancing over her shoulder, Becky smiled at Stephanie. “If that’s the case, he can’t be all bad. Do you think he’s interested in you?”
Linus began to whimper and Stephanie went over to the couch to pick up the baby. As she positioned him against her shoulder, she said, “The girls on the staff have the idea that he likes me. I find that hard to believe. I mean, yes, I think he likes me—as in like as a friend. But I’m fairly vanilla, Becky. This guy can have rocky road...if he wants it.”
Chuckling, she said, “Don’t sell yourself short, Steph. Vanilla might be his favorite flavor.”
She walked over to the couch and reached her arms out toward Linus. “Let me hold the little guy. With the twins being toddlers I’ve almost forgotten how tiny they were at Linus’s age.”
Stephanie handed the baby over to her, while thinking Becky was one of the strongest, most resilient women she’d ever known. Shortly after she’d learned she was pregnant, her husband had been killed in a car accident. Since then, she’d raised the two babies alone. Until she’d met Callum and they’d fallen in love and married a few short weeks ago. Now Callum was the twins’ father and loving every minute of it.
With Linus in her arms, Becky sank into the rocker and used her toe to push the chair into motion. While she rocked the baby, Stephanie walked over to a large plate glass window that overlooked the back portion of the property.
The Fame and Fortune Ranch was equipped with a huge swimming pool and a stable full of gentle riding horses, plus many other amenities that made life easy and pleasurable. It was a home that most people could only dream about, and because of this lavish place, Acton seemed to think she had everything she could possibly want. But she didn’t have any of things she’d always truly wanted. Like the love of a man, or children to nurture and call her own.
She looked over at Becky. “You never did give me your opinion about Acton Donovan,” Stephanie said. “Do you think he’d be trouble?”
“Aren’t all men trouble?” She laughed before her expression turned serious. “Just remember, Steph, I thought my chance for happiness was gone and I believed Callum was all wrong for me. Now look. We’re married and very much in love. Anything can happen, even when it looks impossible. So I’m saying you’d be foolish to rule out Acton. Not before you give him a chance.”
Acton might not want a chance with her, Stephanie thought.
And if he did? Was she brave enough to open her heart to him?
Acton spent the whole day helping his father and Shawn tag and vaccinate calves. The job was time-consuming, not to mention exhausting, and by the time they called it quits, it was too late to drive into town and see Stephanie at Paws and Claws.
Which was probably a good thing, Acton decided, as he drove the bumpy pasture road that led back to his house. If he didn’t quit showing up at the animal clinic, Stephanie was going to start wondering what his intentions toward her really were, and Acton wasn’t sure he could truthfully give her, or himself, the answer to that question.
Yes, he enjoyed being with her, especially two days ago when he’d picked up the cats. Everything about her turned him on. But the more he was learning about Stephanie Fortune, the more he worried that Shawn was right about her being out of his league. In the end, what could Acton really offer her?
The idea of her moving out of that palatial mansion and into his old two-story house, with its linoleum floors and wooden screen doors, was laughable. No woman in her right mind would sacrifice all that just for him. And Acton would do well to remember that.
Five minutes later, he reached the modest, white-clapboard house he called home. Seymour was waiting as Acton parked the truck beneath a live oak. The dog followed him onto a screened-in back porch, then into the kitchen.
Inside, the dog walked straight to his feed bowl and stared impatiently at Acton.
He stripped off his dusty chaps and denim jacket, then tossed them across the back of a chair. “Look, Seymour, one of us has to do some work around here. And I don’t punch a time clock, so get over it.”
The dog let out a single, demanding bark.
With a shake of his head, Acton went over to a corner pantry, where Seymour’s food was stored.
“And you’re not getting canned food tonight,” he told the dog. “You ate it all and I’m not driving into town for more. Besides, the dry stuff will be better for your waistline. I’m surprised Stephanie didn’t say you were fat!”
The dog whined and Acton stared at him in dismay. Surely the canine didn’t know he was talking about the vet assistant who’d made his itching go away. Seymour was smart, but he wasn’t human.
Acton poured a full bowl of food and was about to search the refrigerator for something to feed himself when the cell phone in his pocket dinged with a message.
Expecting it to be Shawn or Danny, he was surprised to discover the text message was from an unknown number.
Would you like to help me with a little baking this evening at my place? I’m making cookies and cupcakes for the fund-raiser.
Stephanie was inviting him to her house? He’d never expected anything like this!
Acton rapidly typed in a one-word message. When?
Whenever you can get here. I’ll watch for you.
He replied that he’d be there shortly, then tossed the phone onto the cabinet counter and stomped a jig in the middle of the kitchen.
“Oowwee! Seymour, this is the best day of my life!”
Clearly unimpressed, the dog looked at him.
“Well, the second-best day,” Acton told him. “I keep forgetting the very best day was when I got you, old buddy. Just don’t tell Stephanie I said so.”
He raced out of the kitchen and straight down the hallway to the bathroom. As he stripped off the rest of his work clothes and stepped into the shower, he thought how shocked Shawn would be when he heard Stephanie had invited Acton to the Fame and Fortune Ranch.
But not clearly not as shocked as he was.
With Linus cradled in her arms, Stephanie met Acton at the front entrance to the house and guided him back to the main kitchen she shared with her three brothers.
“I’m surprised you agreed to this, Acton. Like I told you before, I know very little about cooking or baking. And Manny, our cook, is off tonight.” She gestured to an array of ingredients and mixing bowls she’d laid out on a large work island in the middle of the room. “Do you think you can help me figure all this out?” she asked, letting her eyes look at him squarely for the first time tonight.
Dressed in faded jeans and a dark green shirt that contrasted with his light-colored hair, he was far more tempting than any cookie or cupcake they might make.
“I think I can,” he told her. “After I get used to feeling like I’ve stepped into a palace. This place is incredible, Stephanie.” He didn’t bother to hide his amazement as he turned in a full circle, staring in awe at the endless rows of cabinets, tall, beamed ceilings, rich tiled floor and the most up-to-date appliances on the market. “Seymour wouldn’t know what to do in this kitchen. When I left, he’d finished his supper and was lying on a braided rug in front of the gas range. This room would probably scare him.”
Laughing, Stephanie carefully placed Linus in a padded carrier sitting at one end of the work island. As she fastened a safety belt across his middle, she said, “It’s just a kitchen to me. I’ll show you my part of the house later if you’d like—after we get the treats for the fund-raiser baked.”
He continued to glance around as though he still couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “I’d like that. Except I can’t tell Gina. She’ll be jealous that I got to visit this place before she did. Are you and Linus the only ones here?”
“No. Callum and his wife, Becky, and their one-year-old twin girls are in their section of the house. Steven, my oldest brother, usually works late with his construction crew, so I don’t know if he’s home yet. Dillon is in his office. I should say the office he uses here in his part of the house,” she explained. “He spends most of his time on the phone conferring with the triplets on a design for the restaurant that they’re planning in Rambling Rose.”
He looked at her with faint surprise. “Rambling Rose is getting a new restaurant? If it’s anything like this kitchen, I’m not sure the regular folks around town can afford to eat there.”
Stephanie shrugged. “I purposely stay out of their business. Because it’s a polarizing subject to the townspeople. If I made a point of openly siding with my brothers, some people might choose not to use Dr. Neil just because I work there.”
He said, “In other words you prefer to remain neutral.”
“Exactly.”
He leaned over her shoulder to peer at Linus, and Stephanie breathed in the clean scent of his aftershave. If she turned slightly, her lips would almost be level with his and all she would need to do was lean in... But the man wasn’t here for kissing, she told herself crossly. He was here for baking.
“Hey, Linus. When are you going to get big enough to eat a cookie?” he asked in a soft voice. “Do you even have a tooth yet?”
The gentle way he interacted with Linus never failed to surprise Stephanie. It also endeared him to her as nothing else could. “He doesn’t have a tooth yet,” she told him. “Maybe in another couple of months.”
“He sure is cute. I’ve never seen him cry. Does he cry often?”
“Rarely. He’s a happy baby.”
He shook his head. “Ryan squalled all the time. And Elizabeth yelled. I don’t know how Gina came out of their baby years with any sense left.”
He moved away and as Stephanie tried to regain her breath, she reached for a white bib apron. While she tied it on over her long dress printed with green and red flowers, he said, “I was surprised you invited me here tonight.”
She glanced up at him and hoped he couldn’t read the emotions she was feeling at seeing him again. Joy was pouring through her and curving the corners of her lips into a permanent smile. “I think I surprised myself by asking you over.”
He smiled back at her. “I’m glad you did. And, by the way, you look very pretty. I’ve never seen you in a dress before or with your hair pinned up like that. The only thing you need is a magnolia in your hair and then you’d look like a tropical goddess.”
Blushing, she said, “How do you know what a tropical goddess looks like?”
“Oh, I’ve squired plenty of them around Rambling Rose,” he joked.
“I’ll just bet.” She laughed, then gestured to the work island. “What do you say we get to work and start with the cookies?”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
For the next few minutes, Stephanie read off the cookie recipe while Acton measured the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
After he’d stirred everything together to make a stiff dough, Stephanie read the next step. “Chill the dough at least an hour before rolling and cutting.”
“Rolling and cutting? I’ve never rolled and cut,” he said with a shake of his head. “I thought you spooned it onto a metal sheet and baked it.”
“Well, I’ve never done this before,” she admitted. “So I don’t know what will happen if we skip that step. But I don’t really have time to wait for the dough to chill. Let’s do it your way. If they don’t turn out, I’ll cheat and go by the bakery. If I do, Sheri and Dayna will never quit teasing me, but that’s okay.”
He chuckled. “So you’re not going to admit to them that I made these cookies?”
“Um, no. I’d never hear the end of it. For a lot of reasons.”
A few minutes later, Stephanie was placing the freshly baked cookies onto a cooling rack and Acton was reading over the cupcake instructions, when her three brothers sauntered into the kitchen.
Deep in conversation, they didn’t notice Acton and Stephanie at the work island. When they did finally spot them, they stopped in their tracks and stared at Acton as though he’d just stepped off a UFO.
“Stephanie! You’re baking?” Steven asked.
The shock on her brothers’ faces was almost comical.
“With a little help,” she admitted. Then she took Acton by the arm and urged him toward the three men.
“Acton, these are my brothers. The tall dark-haired one on the left is Callum. The one in the middle, who thinks I’m a disaster in the kitchen, is Steven. And on the right with the sandy blond hair, that’s Dillon. Most of the time he’s the quiet one of the three.”
Acton politely shook hands with each man. “It’s nice to meet you all,” he said.
Callum’s skeptical gaze vacillated between his sister and Acton. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Acton. We hope.”
Hope? Oh, Lord, Stephanie thought, this curt attitude from her brothers was the last thing she needed right now.
“Stephanie hasn’t mentioned you before. Are you a new boyfriend or something?”
The question came from Steven, who as the oldest of the siblings, had always considered himself the boss. He was frowning with disapproval. Which was ridiculous, Stephanie thought. He didn’t know Acton. And he certainly shouldn’t be judging him by his appearance.
“You’re jumping to conclusions, Steven. Acton is just a friend. You don’t need to start interrogating him.”
She glanced at Acton and was suddenly struck by a wounded look in his eyes. Had her brothers’ attitude offended him? Or had her comment about him being just a friend put the shadows in his eyes? Either way, she felt sick and helpless at the same time.
“I don’t think Acton is someone we need worry about,” Dillon said bluntly.
“Worry?” Acton repeated blankly as he studied the three men. “I don’t get this.”
“You’d get it if you knew all the losers that Stephanie has dated,” Steven told him. “None of whom deserved our beautiful little sister. So just make sure you don’t give us something to worry about.”
“Steven!” she practically shouted at him. “I don’t need this or deserve it! And neither does Acton! I’d appreciate it if all three of you would please get out of here and leave us alone.”
His face grim, Steven walked out of the kitchen with Dillon following after him.
Pausing, Callum said, “We’re just trying to protect you, Stephanie. That’s all. We don’t have anything against Acton.”
“No,” she drawled with sarcasm. “You just doubt my judgment. That’s all.”
Furious, she turned her back on her brother and waited until she’d heard the door close behind him before she turned a mortified look at Acton.
“I’m so sorry, Acton. I’m sorry for their behavior and sorry that I put you in this situation.”
Letting out a long breath, he sat down on a wooden stool at the island. “You should’ve warned me about your brothers. If a person is expecting to be insulted, then it’s not quite so bad when it does happen.”
“They weren’t insulting you. Not personally.”
His short laugh told her exactly what he thought about that. “You could’ve fooled me. Do they always behave like jerks to your friends?”
Wishing she could melt into the floor and disappear, she walked over to him. “They didn’t used to act like a trio of jackasses. But now...well, they’re very protective of me. Because I... like they said, I’ve had some real stinking boyfriends in my life. And they’re tired of seeing me end up on the losing end.”
He frowned and his head moved slightly back and forth. “So they don’t want you to date? Is that the problem?”
“Oh, they want me to date. They even want me to get married—eventually. But not before they make sure my man meets their expectations.”
“Hell, that’s like having three dads around trying to run your life. You’re twenty-seven, Stephanie. You’re old enough to choose your own man.”
Her gaze dropped to the floor. “You’re right. But so far I’ve been terrible at choosing. Or maybe I’m just not special enough to attract a good man.”
His forefinger suddenly slipped beneath her chin and she sniffed as he lifted her face up to his.
“You’re wrong, Stephanie. You’re a special woman. In so very many ways. You’ve just been unlucky in love, that’s all.”
She couldn’t stop her eyes from misting over. Not to mention the fact that the touch of his finger on her chin was making her tremble all over. “You really think so?”
His smile was so tender that it made her heart hurt with longing.
“I know so. Because I’ve been unlucky in love, too. I understand what you’ve gone through.”
Her lips parted with surprise. “You? That’s not possible. I’m sure you have all kinds of women knocking on your door. And I can’t imagine any one of them throwing you over for someone else.”
He dropped his hand from her face, then speared his fingers through the dark blond curls falling near one eye. “Oh, Stephanie, sometimes I think you are far younger than me. Finding someone who fits you just right, who won’t hurt you for any reason, who’ll stand beside you through thick and thin—that’s not an easy thing to do. I haven’t managed to get it done...yet. Each time I think I’m getting close to finding that kind of woman, I’ve been disappointed. Big-time disappointed.”
She placed her hand on his forearm, and as she did, their eyes met. The intimate clash caused her heart to skip a beat, and when she finally managed to speak, her voice sounded as if she’d just woken from a deep sleep.
“A few minutes ago, I’d wished that my brothers had never walked in here. And I’m still darned annoyed with all three of them. But now I’m almost glad. Otherwise, you might never have shared this with me. And it... I guess what I’m trying to say is that it makes me feel much closer to you. I hope you think that’s a good thing.”
A soft light glowed in his blue eyes. “I think it’s good and great and every other stupendous adjective.”
Laughing lightly, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
“What was that for?” he asked while rubbing his cheek with the tips of his fingers.
“It’s my turn to thank you. Just for being Acton Donovan. And for not judging me by my brothers’ behavior.”
“You’re very welcome, Stephanie. Now what do you say we start on the cupcakes? The sooner we get them baked, the sooner we can do a taste test.”
“A taste test? Hmm. That’s probably a good idea. If we bomb with our baking efforts, then I’ll be forced to go to the bakery.”
His grin oozed confidence. “With the two of us working together, we can’t fail.”