Tina grabbed a handful of clothes out of the dresser and placed them inside the open duffle bag on the bed. The Boudreaus’ hospitality extended to her having a guest room all to herself. The homey warmth of the room made her want to cuddle in the armchair beside the window, and gaze out onto the vast green pastureland beyond the barn and paddock. The enclosure held at least a horse and the family donkey, Otto. She smiled remembering little Jamie’s face when she’d grabbed Tina’s hand and pulled her over to introduce her to Otto. Apparently, he was one of Jamie’s favorite things about visiting the Boudreau ranch.
With a sigh, she turned away, grabbed the rest of her clothes, and tossed them in with the others in the duffle. She didn’t have a lot, because she’d left Portland with only the clothes on her back. A shudder skittered down her spine, thinking about that awful day when the hired mercenary followed her home from her job, intent on obtaining information about Renee. If she dwelled on it, she could remember the pain of each blow, see the fist moving in slow motion toward her face.
Stop it. Forget about the pain. You’ve done it before. Shove it behind you and get on with your life.
“Knock, knock.”
Tina looked up at Ms. Patti’s smiling face. The Boudreau family matriarch amazed her. She’d opened her home to a complete stranger, welcoming her like she was a member of the family. Even with a business to run, and more sons than she could shake a stick at, along with an amazing husband, the woman still managed to maintain her loving and giving personality. Though she’d only known her a few weeks, Tina hoped a bit of Ms. Patti’s kindness and love rubbed off on her and she could pay it forward.
“Come in. I’m packing up my stuff, so I’ll be ready to leave bright and early.”
“We’re going to be sorry to see you go.” She walked into the room, her hand trailing across the chenille bedspread. “I know having you here made things easier for Renee. She needed a friendly face, an anchor, after being dropped smack dab into the midst of a family she didn’t know, in a place she’d never been. Thank you for that.”
“She’d have been fine. Our gal is resilient. Surrounded by all the love and affection you’ve shown her, she’s thriving. And being around Lucas has made a world of difference. Honestly, I kind of envy her. She’s found the love of her life along with an adoptive family who adores her. Believe me, that’s something special.”
Ms. Patti sat on the bed and patted the mattress beside her. Tina shoved the duffle back and sat beside the lovely older woman. She’d told the truth; she was envious of Renee, at least a teensy bit. She was getting an amazing woman as a mother, one who’d always be there for her, no matter what. Too bad her own mother hadn’t been anything like the Boudreau matriarch. She drew in a ragged breath thinking about her mother, who’d turned her back on her when she’d divorced Jared. It still stung that her parents had believed his lies and fought her when she tried to tell them the truth.
“I wanted to make sure you know you’re welcome here anytime. Not just because you’re Renee’s friend, though that’s how it started.” Ms. Patti patted her hand, and Tina almost jumped at her action. She hadn’t been expecting it.
“Thank you. I’ve loved visiting your family and Shiloh Springs. You’re lucky, it’s a wonderful place to live.”
Ms. Patti studied her with such an intensity she fought the urge to squirm beneath it. She’d hate to think she’d been weighed and found wanting, failing to measure up to the Boudreau standards.
“I’m not going to pry into your business, Tina. It’s not my place. Just know, if you ever need anything—a soft place to land, a shoulder to cry on—I’ll be here for you. I’ve raised a passel of young’uns, each one unique and different, seen them through some of the worst things imaginable, and I hope I helped them along the way. Lost a few too, who refused to accept help.”
“Ms. Patti, I—”
“Hear me out. Since you’re leaving, this is the only chance we’ll have to talk alone.” Tina met her straightforward gaze and read a depth of understanding and affection she hadn’t expected.
“Okay.”
“I have the feeling you’ve had a few rocky times in your life.”
You have no idea.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask. Between you and,” she paused, pointing toward the ceiling. “Just know this—if you need help, you pick up a phone and call me. Doesn’t matter what time it is, day or night, I’m here for you. Douglas too, though he’s a smart man and is letting me tell you.”
Tina chuckled when Ms. Patti gave her a wink. “Tell him I appreciate it. I do. I just…have to get back to my job. My apartment.” My lousy life with no real friends because I’m never sure when Jared might show up.
Ms. Patti pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Tina. “Take this. It’s a list of phone numbers. My cell. Douglas’ number, too. Also the office number, where you can leave me a message if you can’t get hold of me directly. I check in with them several times a day.” She gave Tina a sheepish grin. “I also included everybody else’s numbers too, because hey, you never know.”
Tina felt tears welling up, and blinked rapidly in a vain effort to keep them from falling. When Ms. Patti pulled her into her arms and rubbed her back softly, the waterworks started flowing. Something broke inside her, and she couldn’t stop crying. Sobbing, she allowed the gentle older woman to rock her gently, while whispering soothing words.
After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled back, rubbing her hands on her cheeks. What must Ms. Patti think of her, falling apart like that?
“Good. I’m sure you needed a good cry. You’ve kept so much bottled up inside, it’s a wonder you hadn’t exploded long before now, honey.”
“I—how’d you know?”
Ms. Patti gave her a sympathetic smile. “It takes a survivor to recognize another one.”
“You? I can’t imagine Douglas—”
Her laughter stopped Tina’s words cold. “Oh, sugar, Douglas has never laid a finger on me in anger, not from the minute I met him. It happened long before we met, and it’s not something I like to talk about. I just wanted you to know you’re not alone anymore. You’ve got friends who have your back.”
Tina threw her arms around Ms. Patti and squeezed her tight. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll let you get back to packing. I know you’re planning on leaving early.” With a brief smile, she walked out, leaving Tina sitting alone with her thoughts.
Chance pulled up in front of the Big House just before six. Though Shiloh volunteered to drive Tina to the airport, Chance felt like he should be the one to take her. Since he’d been the one responsible for making sure she got safely to Texas, it was up to him to ensure the trip back went just as smoothly.
Lights shone inside the house, and he knew Tina would be waiting for his brother. Surprise, she’d get him instead. After taking a week off work, he’d been busting his backside, catching up on the backlog of cases, and hadn’t been able to spend as much time with her as he’d wanted. Plus, after reading the dossier Destiny complied, he had more than a few questions he wanted to ask. Maybe he shouldn’t, because she was leaving, going back to her life in Portland. He couldn’t help wondering how long she’d stay there, because if she followed true to her pattern, it wouldn’t be long before she’d get another hit of wanderlust and move on to newer, more exciting things.
Climbing from behind the wheel, he took the steps two at a time, and walked inside. Momma was in the kitchen, and he smelled coffee, and if he wasn’t mistaken, freshly baked cinnamon rolls.
“Morning, Momma.” He pulled her in for a quick hug before reaching into the cupboard and grabbing a to-go mug. Filling it to the top, he added cream and took a big swallow. The warm burn going down was what he needed, and he smiled.
“Are you here for Tina? I thought Shiloh was driving her to the airport.”
“Change of plans.”
His mother eyed him, and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head. If he was right, he needed to nip that train of thought in the bud before it had a chance to take root. Momma playing matchmaker was the last thing he needed. Bachelorhood had its privileges, ones he intended to enjoy for several more years, if he had his druthers.
“She’ll be down in a few minutes. I’m going to miss her. It’s been nice having her around to keep Renee company. She’s made Renee’s transition easier. It had to be hard being dumped in the midst of a bunch of strangers, not knowing anybody and having them claim a familial bond. Tina helped her overcome that hurdle simply by her presence.”
“Well, at least it’s safe for her to go home now. I put out feelers among some of my associates, and it looks like Bruce left the country, just like he said. Nobody using his ID or passport has reentered the country, so she shouldn’t have any worries about going back to her life in Portland.”
So, why does the thought of her leaving tug at me?
She placed a plate with a large warm cinnamon roll in front of him and handed him a fork and napkin. Digging in, he wolfed the thing down in three bites. He had a sweet tooth a mile wide, and Momma knew the way to his heart. If he didn’t work out religiously every day, he’d be too big to fit through the front door, but he wasn’t about to turn down one of her treats. As a kid, before he came to live with Momma and Dad, he’d rarely gotten sweets of any sort. The minute she’d heard that, Momma had immediately commenced spoiling him, until he’d become a little pudgy around the middle. It took a while, but he’d learned moderation, and working out kept him in good physical shape and allowed him to indulge from time to time.
He stood up from the table and took his empty plate over to the sink. Before he could pick up the sponge, his momma swatted his hand, and took it from him. Holding up both empty hands in surrender, he dropped a kiss on top of her head.
“Good morning.”
He spun around at Tina’s soft greeting. Dressed in a pale sage green shirt and dark jeans, she placed a duffle on the floor and laid a black jacket on top. The color of the blouse brought out the green hue in her hazel eyes, and he couldn’t help thinking how beautiful she looked. Dark hair framed her face, the ends curling under, her porcelain complexion tinted with a barely-there blush of pink in her cheeks.
“Morning, Tina. Come on in, I’ve got the coffee ready.”
“Perfect. I’m dying for a cup.” His momma waved her toward the kitchen table, but Tina ignored her, pouring her own cup and adding cream and sugar to it. Taking a sip, her eyelids lowered, she had an almost blissful appearance on her face. His breath caught in his chest as a wave of desire coursed through him. Though he couldn’t put his finger on why he was so attracted to Tina, he also didn’t try and deny what he felt. It was more than her simply being a beautiful woman. He’d dated his fair share of women over the years, including a former Miss Texas. None of them made his insides shiver the way a single glimpse of Tina Nelson did.
“Chance is going to drive you to the airport.”
Her gaze met his briefly before glancing away. “I thought Shiloh was taking me.”
“He was. Figured since I’m the one who brought you to Texas, the least I could do is see you safely on your way.” Liar. I want to spend what time she has left with her before she heads home, out of my life for good.
“Oh. I’m ready when you are.”
“It’s probably a good idea to hit the road a little early anyway. Might run into a couple of stretches of ice after the storm last night. Shiloh Springs only got a light dusting of snow, but further north they had freezing rain.”
“Any chance her flight might be canceled?” Momma wrapped up four of the cinnamon buns she’d baked. Guess she thought they’d be hungry on the road. Wasn’t like he was going to let Tina starve in the couple hours it took to get to Dallas Fort Worth.
“I doubt it, but it couldn’t hurt to check.” He turned to Tina and added, “If you’ll give me your flight information, I’ll go online and check the status.”
Walking back to her duffle, she pulled out her printed ticket information and handed it to him with a small smile. “Thanks.”
Striding into the living room, he could hear his momma and Tina talking softly, though he couldn’t hear what they talked about. Pulling out his cell phone, he logged onto the internet and went straight to the airline’s website. A quick check showed the plane was scheduled for departure on time. A small part of him wished it had been cancelled, so she’d have to stay another day.
Walking back into the kitchen, he handed Tina back her flight information, before turning to his mother. “I’ll give you a call when we get to the airport.”
“You be careful. Now I’m gonna worry about you driving on ice.”
“It’ll be fine, Momma. It’s never as bad as they say, and I’m taking my truck. It’s got four-wheel drive, not that I’m going to need it.” He pulled her in for a brief hug. “Say your goodbyes. I’ll take Tina’s bag out to the car.”
“I love you, son.”
“Love you too, Momma.”
He walked out the door, leaving his momma and Tina their few moments of privacy. They’d grown close in the short time Tina had stayed at the Big House, and he wanted to give them a chance to say a proper goodbye.
Climbing behind the wheel of his truck, really a fully tricked out SUV, he turned it on and blasted the heater, hoping it would warm up before Tina got in. He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable.
A blast of chilly air flashed into the truck when Tina opened the door and slid onto the passenger seat. He watched her rub her hands against her upper arms briskly a couple of times before reaching around and clicking on her seatbelt. It would have been the gentlemanly thing to do, to get out of the car and help her in, but he didn’t want to get an earful about how she was a grown woman and could do it herself. His lips quirked up as he pictured an exasperated look on her face. They’d already butted heads a couple of times when he’d arrived in Portland, because he was born and raised a Texas boy, and had been taught to treat ladies with respect. That meant opening doors for ’em and paying the check.
Tina wanted no part of the good old boy attitude and his antiquated ideals of chivalry, she’d informed him frostily the first time he’d done it, or when he’d held open the taxi door when they’d left for the airport. She hadn’t been thrilled when he’d been the one to open the door for the room service waiter when they’d ordered dinner in the hotel room, though she hadn’t put up too much of a fight then, after what happened with the mercenary earlier that day.
“Your mom is the best.”
“She is one of the most amazing women I’ve ever met. You’re lucky. She invited you into her inner circle of friends, which makes you practically a member of the family.”
“Really?” Tina sat quietly, obviously contemplating his words. “Then I’m doubly honored. It’s been nice, hanging out with a real family. It’s been a long time since…” Her words trailed off.
“Don’t you have family?” Chance asked the question softly, already knowing the answer. Destiny’s report had been thorough.
“We’ve been—estranged—for years.”
“That’s too bad. Having family makes a world of difference in everyday life. I don’t know what I’d do without Ms. Patti and Douglas. Might be willing to lose a few of my brothers, though.”
Tina chuckled. “I don’t believe that for an instant. You love every one of them.”
Chance smiled, acknowledging the truth of her words. He kept his attention on the road in front of him; he didn’t want to end up in a ditch before they ever made it to I-45. Piles of white slush lined both sides of the road, but they’d encountered no ice or even slick spots since leaving Shiloh Springs.
“Yeah, they’re alright, but don’t tell them that. It’ll go to their heads, and I’ll never hear the end of it.”
They drove for another thirty minutes, and Chance turned onto the service road of I-45 heading north. Traffic wasn’t too heavy, though it was moving a little slower than normal due to the road conditions. Occasional chunks of slush hit the windshield, thrown up by the cars in front of them, and he flicked on his wipers, clearing off the dirt-stained mess.
Tina swiveled in her seat as far as the seatbelt allowed, watching him. She’d been quiet for the last thirty miles or so. He’d hoped the drive would lull her into feeling calm and maybe a bit serene before he hit her with his questions. Guess time was up.
“You don’t like me much, do you?”
Startled at her blunt question, he glanced at her for long seconds before looking back at the road. “I like you.”
She made a harrumph sound. “Something’s different, though. Yesterday you were aloof, treating me almost like a stranger. This morning, you’re all moody and broody, nothing like you were in Portland or even when I first got here. What happened to make you change your mind about me?” Abruptly, she straightened, the seatbelt pulling taut against her. “You had me checked out. Paid somebody to run a background check on me, because you don’t trust me. That’s it, isn’t it? Were you afraid if you grilled me, I’d lie?”
“Wouldn’t you?”
She sighed and leaned her head back against the headrest. “Probably. Guess it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m going back to Portland, you’ll head back to your fancy lawyer job, and we’ll never see each other again.”
“Tina—”
“Tell you what, counselor. Why don’t we play a little game of twenty questions? You ask one and I’ll answer truthfully. But you’ve got to do the same. Whatever I ask, you’ll answer with the whole truth. Agreed?”
Without missing a beat, he quipped, “Agreed.”
Tina’s light chuckle filled the truck. “This is gonna be fun.”