“You have big weekend plans?” Hannah asked Randy Friday afternoon as Barley sniffed the floor near her feet.
“Nothing major,” Randy said. He’d finished the chores early and was ready to relieve her of babysitting duties. “I’m helping Austin with the baby. I plan on ordering my appliances. I still have another room to paint, too. The cabinets were installed, so that’s good. Two more weeks and I can move in.”
He liked these moments with Hannah. As soon as she left, though, he was calling the doctor to set up an appointment.
“How does it look?” She had a dreamy expression. “White cabinets, right?”
“Yeah. Figure it would keep the space looking bright. It looks good.” It looked better than good. Now that the construction was wrapping up, he was getting anxious to move in. He’d already asked the guys to set aside the Monday night before Sawyer’s wedding to help him move. He didn’t have much furniture at this point, so it shouldn’t take long.
He supposed he should start shopping for a couch. And chairs. And what about the other stuff he took for granted? Things like rugs and curtains?
His pulse began to race, and he closed his eyes, not wanting to think about everything he’d been putting off. A licking sensation made him open them. Whenever he got wound up, Ned seemed to be there to remind him to calm down.
Good old Ned.
“Well, I’d better go.” She attached the leashes to the dogs’ collars, gathered her purse and gave him a wave as she strolled away. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“I will.”
She gave him a slight smile and left. He waited until he heard the Jeep’s engine roar before he dialed the doctor.
It rang three times and an automated voice answered, instructing him to press one. He obeyed and listened to the options. By the time press four came around, AJ was getting cranky. Randy propped the phone between his shoulder and ear, then bent to pick up the baby. He did a quick search for the pacifier and popped it in the baby’s mouth.
The voice was on number seven at that point.
He growled. Waited for the automation to repeat. C’mon, c’mon.
The baby sucked on the pacifier and relaxed in Randy’s arms. He absentmindedly caressed the boy’s forehead as he waited to hear the correct option.
Six. He pressed it to make an appointment. No one answered, though, as instrumental music played.
Were they for real? It should not be this complicated to make an appointment. A minute ticked by. Should he continue holding? This felt like a big waste of time.
Three more minutes passed before the phone rang and someone picked up.
“I need to make an appointment.”
“Name?”
He told her.
“Looks like it’s been five years since you’ve been in.”
Yeah, that was about right.
“Are you experiencing any symptoms?”
“Lately, my heart’s been racing a lot.”
The sound of the door opening made him freeze. Hannah came back in with Barley, still leashed, and froze. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you. I left my cell phone here.”
He nodded, unwilling to say another word.
“Mr. Watkins?”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly.
“Any other symptoms?”
“No.” This call needed to end ASAP. “Sorry, I’ve got to go.” He hung up.
Still sucking on the pacifier, AJ blinked up at him. His face felt like a furnace. He didn’t dare look at Hannah. She’d gone to the other room, anyhow.
“Eh-eh. Come.” She practically dragged the dog into the kitchen with her. Her normally sparkling eyes were clouded over, and there were two red splotches on her cheeks.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She shook her head and propped on a smile. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”
This week had been hard on her. Watching AJ, training Barley, having the kids over. How did she do it all?
Once more he was struck by how much he and Austin had been relying on her without really thinking how it was affecting her.
“Why don’t you take a break?” he asked, wanting to make all her problems disappear. “Come with me to Freeze Bucket for a shake.”
“Ye-e-es.” The word flowed out so dramatically, he suppressed a chortle. “Are you sure you can? Sounded like a serious conversation on the phone.”
How much had she heard? “Oh, that? It was nothing. Let’s get out of here. I’m going stir-crazy, and AJ has only left the house once since arriving.”
“Want me to pack the diaper bag?” she asked.
“I can do it,” he said. “Should I change him? Or is this outfit okay?”
“It’s fine. I’ll get his hat, though. Don’t want the sun beating down on his adorable little head.” She let go of Barley’s leash and headed to the front of the house where the staircase was located.
Randy buckled the baby into the car seat. Barley wagged his tail as he sniffed the baby’s head. AJ reached his hand out to touch the pup. The wiggly dog could barely contain his excitement.
After grabbing a few diapers and a bottle, Randy tossed them into the diaper bag, which was baby blue with elephants marching across it. He did not want to sling that ridiculous thing over his shoulder. Maybe he’d talk to Austin about getting a backpack.
Hannah returned and handed him the hat.
“Does this look strange?” he asked.
“What?”
He pointed to the bag.
She lunged for Barley’s leash before he could run into the other room. “The diaper bag? No, it’s so sweet. Look at all those adorable elephants.”
“Sweet?” He cringed. “Adorable?”
Her laugh filled the room. “Don’t look so disgusted. The single ladies will be flocking to you to see little AJ. The married ones, too. And the old ones. Basically, you’re a babe magnet now.”
He glared at her. Her lips twitched with laughter. Barley let out a sharp bark, then sat back, his tongue lolling.
Randy’s cell phone rang. He set the baby down and answered it.
“We got cut off earlier, but I have an opening if you want it.” The receptionist from the doctor’s office was on the line. “The doctor can fit you in at three on the twenty-eighth. Would that work?”
“Yes.” He had no idea if it would work or not, but he didn’t care at this point. The last thing he needed was Hannah to overhear any more of this conversation. “See you then.” He ended the call, picked up the car seat and gestured. “Shall we?”
She gave him a strange look, shrugged and led the way outside.
Dealing with the baby, carrying an adorable and sweet elephant diaper bag, trying to manage his heart condition and simultaneously fighting this temptation regarding Hannah?
He was destined to fail. One—or all—would crash at some point.
He’d deal with the aftermath when it happened. First, he was ordering the largest chocolate shake Freeze Bucket offered.
She needed this break.
Hannah stood next to Randy in front of the walk-up window at Freeze Bucket and waited for their shakes to be made. Ned stayed close to Randy, and Barley was tugging at his leash, trying to catch a butterfly with his teeth.
The puppy was going to be the end of her.
And it wasn’t even his fault.
She only had tonight and tomorrow left to work with him before her first puppy-raiser online meeting with the other families. And she really didn’t want to be the lone failure. This was important—training the dog was important—and she’d barely taught him anything this week.
It was her fault. The short sessions she spent with him each night weren’t enough. And the training schedule she’d printed before school let out was collecting dust in her bedroom. All those fun sessions she’d designed to condition him to basic dog-training commands? Hadn’t happened.
She’d envisioned easily teaching him to lure—basically following her hand with a treat—while using marker commands such as free and yes. In all her fantasies, she’d been smiling and happy while the dog quickly learned the commands.
The reality? She’d been tired and tense with Barley, and he’d barely learned a thing.
“Two chocolate shakes.” A high school boy she recognized handed them the shakes.
She kept a firm grip on both dog leashes. Randy turned to find a picnic table. He carried AJ in the car seat as they strolled across the mowed lawn to a table with an umbrella. The sun was beating down, but the breeze kept it from being unbearable.
Once seated, they both shoved their straws into the shakes. She held hers up. “To surviving the week.”
He touched his shake to hers. “To surviving.”
They met each other’s eyes and smiled. It gave her a sense of being in this together, a secret—their secret. And it hit her in the best possible way. She’d grown used to not getting noticed by the guys around here, and she hadn’t cared. But that smile... Randy noticed her. And she liked it.
“I never realized a baby could cry so much and sleep so little.” He took his first sip. A look of pure bliss crossed his face.
“I never realized a puppy could tear up the entire contents of a bathroom wastebasket through an entire apartment in thirty seconds flat.” She took a drink. So sugary. So good.
“I threw three baby outfits away this week because they had so much doo-doo on them I couldn’t face cleaning them.”
“I went through an entire bottle of pet-odor carpet cleaner trying to clean up Barley’s accidents in the living room.”
“Every time AJ cried in the night, I wanted to strangle my brother for spraining his ankle.”
“Every time Barley whimpered in the night, I wanted to strangle the author of the puppy-care guide I’d been advising people to use to train their puppies. The author is clearly stupid and knows nothing.”
“I’m not good at this.” He kept drinking the shake. She knew he meant taking care of AJ.
“I’m a terrible puppy raiser.” She met his eyes. His twinkled. “He’ll never make the cut.”
As if to prove her point, Barley let out three sharp barks. He’d wound the leash around his two hind legs somehow, and he looked like a lassoed calf. Ned nudged the puppy’s head. She let out a long sigh and untangled him, then handed him a chew toy from her purse.
“I think Barley needs a lot of work.” She raised her eyebrows. “A. Lot. Of. Work.”
They drank their shakes in easy silence. The peace of the sunny day slowly erased all her insecurities. AJ was napping. Ned was sitting near Randy, staring up at him like he was his hero. And Barley, thankfully, had sprawled out to chew on the toy.
This was as good as it could get at this point.
She glanced at Randy. “I underestimated how much time and energy I would need to watch and train the puppy. Mistakes were made.”
“Boy, you can say that again. Every time I take care of AJ, mistakes are made.” Randy shrugged. “We’ll find someone else to babysit him. Don’t worry.”
Like who? Mom had called all her friends, and none of them had any fresh suggestions for nannies, unfortunately.
“Maybe one of the teens could watch him. At least for the summer. By then someone else might be available.” She pushed the shake to the side. If she didn’t slow down, she’d get a stomachache.
“I suppose.” He didn’t seem very enthused. “I just want him to be in good hands.”
“I do, too.” She craned her neck to check on him, still sleeping. “He’s such a good baby. You’re doing a great job with him. You got thrown into baby care without any experience, and look how amazing he’s doing.”
“I don’t feel like I’m doing a good job.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you’re too hard on yourself. In the past two weeks, you took over the ranch, got the best person in Sunrise Bend to take care of the store—me—” she wiggled her fingers near her face “—and when your brother showed up with a baby you didn’t know about, you instantly took action and helped with the baby and the ranch, too. All this while you’re trying to finish up your house.”
“Put like that, I guess I’m pretty amazing.” His lazy grin was smug.
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get too cocky, there, cowboy.”
“You’re pretty amazing, too, you know.” His voice was low. “The puppy? He’ll be fine. He’s young. You’re teaching him more than you realize every day.”
Randy thought she was amazing? A sudden lump formed in her throat. All the pressure she’d been under evaporated.
“I pictured it to be more formal.”
“What?” he asked.
“The training.”
“Oh, now I get it.” He gave her a knowing grin. “You had a lesson plan for him, didn’t you? And if you weren’t watching AJ, I’m guessing you’d have his entire day scheduled like at school.”
“I did not have his entire day scheduled.” Her cheeks burned. Actually, she had created a loose schedule for each week to get him on the fast track to being a service dog.
“Sure, you didn’t.”
“Maybe I made up a few training plans...” A woman in line caught her eye. “Hey, is that Cassie Berber? I haven’t seen her in years. Mind if I go say hi?”
“Be my guest.”
Good, because the conversation was starting to make her squirm. He made her sound like a rigid, type A person. Having to be up at the crack of dawn, doing drills with the puppy.
“Want to leave Barley with me?” He held out his hand. “I’m warning you, though, if that dog wakes up AJ, I’m letting go of the leash. If he runs to the mountains, so be it.”
She chuckled and handed him the leash, brushing her fingers against his in the process. She hurried over to the window where Cassie stood.
“Well, hey, there, stranger.” Hannah tapped her shoulder. The gorgeous brunette turned and, recognizing Hannah, gave her a wide smile.
“It’s so good to see you.” Cassie threw her arms around her and hugged her tightly. Hannah hugged her back.
“Are you visiting your mom?” Hannah asked. “How long are you going to be in town? We have to get together.”
“I’m here for good. Well, for a long while, anyway.” A sundae slid through the window, and Cassie grabbed it, dunking the spoon into the hot fudge. They moved to the lawn. “Mom needs help with Gramps.”
Hannah’s spirits faltered. “I’m sorry. I heard he’s been slowing down.”
“That’s one way to put it.” Cassie nodded and took a bite. “Last month we found out it was worse than we thought. Vascular dementia. Not real shocking, considering his heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. He’s been getting confused more often.”
“Again, I’m so sorry.” Hannah touched Cassie’s arm.
“Thank you. Mom and I don’t want him going to a nursing home. He’s—I’m sorry, I don’t mean to get teared up, it’s just, he’s like a father to me—” Cassie fanned herself. “Anyway, I’m back. Mom works second shift. She gets home around midnight, so it’s not hard. I’m keeping an eye on him when she’s gone. He sleeps half of the time.”
Hannah took her hand and squeezed it. “If there’s anything I can do, just say the word. Mom and I can bring meals, stay with him if your mom needs to get out—whatever.”
“We’re not at that point, yet, but when we get there, I’ll take you up on it. What I really need is a job. You don’t happen to have one of those in your back pocket, do you?”
Hannah gaped at her. “Actually, Cassie, I do happen to have a job in my back pocket. How do you feel about babies?”
“I love babies.”
“Come on. There’s someone you have to meet.”
“I’ve got good news.” Randy carried the car seat into the kitchen an hour later. AJ was cooing happily and kicking his tiny feet. “Austin?”
His brother’s truck was out front, but Randy didn’t see any sign of him. He set the car seat down and unstrapped the baby. Then he lifted him out, pulled his T-shirt down and carried him to the living room.
Austin came down the steps—without crutches. “This ankle’s on the mend. Tomorrow morning, I’m back on the ranch. You can return to the store.”
Yes! His life was back!
Thoughts of getting to the store early, stocking the displays, fiddling with the lures, enjoying a large cup of coffee all by his lonesome before any customers arrived was so exhilarating, his knees threatened to buckle.
“Are you sure?” Randy forced himself back to reality. “Is it too early to be bearing weight on it?”
“Nah.” Austin limped slightly on his way to the couch. “Here, let me.” He took AJ out of his arms, kissed the boy’s forehead and cradled him to his chest. “I’ve been waiting all week to do that again. It’s nice to be able to carry my boy.”
If he had any lingering doubts about Austin’s commitment to being a father, they were permanently laid to rest.
“Well, I have good news, too.” Randy sat in the recliner, popping the footrest up, while Austin baby-talked to AJ.
“What is it?” Austin carefully sat on the couch, keeping a firm hold on the boy.
“Hannah and I took this little guy to the Freeze Bucket just now, and we ran into Cassie Berber. Remember her?”
He frowned. “Kind of.”
“She’s younger than us. Stacy’s daughter.”
“Oh, right. Haven’t seen Chuck in a while.”
“That’s why Cassie’s back. His health’s getting worse. She’s helping her mom take care of him.”
Austin nodded.
“She needs a job. Might be interested in taking care of AJ for us.”
“Really?” Hope lit his eyes. “What did you think of her?”
“I think she’d be great with the baby. I don’t know what kind of hours she’s looking for, but I told her to stop by tomorrow morning to talk to you. You can meet her and see how she is with the baby. Have you thought about what you want to pay someone?”
“Top dollar.” Austin didn’t bat an eye. “I’ve got the money. I’m saving Camila’s life insurance for his college fund.”
Randy hadn’t even thought to ask about any of those details.
“If we hire her, you know what this means?” His brother smiled down at the baby.
“What?”
“Our lives go back to normal. Well, as normal as they can be with this little squirt around.”
Normal. How he wanted his life to be normal. Randy sank deeper into the recliner.
Working at the store. Finishing up the house. Moving in. Getting through Sawyer and Tess’s wedding. And then...the entire summer to himself. Fishing and chilling and sitting on the deck watching the world go by.
Yes. Normal sounded really good.
Hannah came to mind. He could see her as his date to the wedding. He’d invite her over to grill now and then. Let the dogs run around out back. Enjoy each other’s company.
The joy faded. Taking her to the wedding would send the wrong message. And Hannah wouldn’t be content with grilling now and then.
He’d seen her with kids. Seen her with the baby.
She’d want more. And she deserved it.
He sighed. Maybe the doctor would have good news for him.
Sure, the doctor’s going to take one look at you and declare your heart is healed. It doesn’t work that way.
No matter how much he fantasized about a normal life, it wasn’t going to happen.
Misleading her wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be right.
He wouldn’t do that to her.