“Really? And here I thought it was the s’mores that made your day.”

  “It takes patience to roast a marshmallow until the center is gooey. You make them perfect every time. Pretty much the way everything you cook comes out perfectly.”

  “When you do it as much as I do...”

  “You don’t enjoy it?” He seemed upset at the thought.

  “I do.” She snuggled deeper into the couch, tucking her legs between his, feeling warm and sleepy. “It’s fun to cook. I think it’s almost as much fun to watch people enjoy what I cook.”

  “Then you must love watching me.”

  Her eyes drifted shut. “I do. You’re a beautiful man, Rem.”

  Chapter 16

  Rem kind of expected winter to fade away by the end of February. It didn’t. It was still going pretty strong in March, too.

  On March 14th, he called his mother to wish her a happy birthday. Elaine had gone in to the school since it was her day to be the classroom mother in Heaven’s class. Rem had the two little boys, although they were both sleeping when he called his mother.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Mom. Happy birthday.”

  “Remington, you haven’t called since Christmas.”

  There’d been plenty of times when he’d been out on the circuit where he’d gone longer than three months without talking to his folks, but he supposed they watched him on TV and knew he was still upright.

  “Sorry. I’ve been busy.” That was true. He had the tractor back together and running well. He’d also taken the round baler apart and refurbished it. It had needed it.

  Not to mention they’d sold his cattle and bought new. They would arrive in another month.

  “Too busy to take a minute to call your mother. That’s sad.”

  “How’ve you been?” It was sad. He’d not thought of it before, but he tried to picture Elaine and how she’d feel if her boys left and only called a couple of times a year. She probably wouldn’t say anything, but she’d be hurt.

  “We’ve been just fine. Your dad was talking about you the other day. He’s got some things he wants to discuss with you.”

  “He knows my number.”

  “Don’t be like that, Rem.”

  “I’m not. I’m over it all.”

  “Rem, I understand what happened and what Olivia did was hard. I don’t expect you to just get over it. But this thing with your dad...you know he gets angry then he lets it go.”

  Texas temper. That’s what his mom always called it. “It’s fine, Mom.”

  “If it’s fine, why are you still gone?”

  Rem ran a hand through his hair then braced it against the doorjamb. He’d never actually dropped a bomb on anyone, but he wondered if this suspended-in-space feeling was how one felt before they pushed the button to launch the missile.

  “I got married.”

  Shocked silence preceded the eruption he was expecting.

  “You got married? Seriously, Rem? You couldn’t tell your family, your mother, that you were even engaged? Just ‘I got married’? We weren’t invited to the wedding? And who is this girl? She must not be someone we’d approve of if you didn’t bother to tell us. When did this happen anyway?”

  He waited until she clamped her mouth shut with an audible sound he could hear over the phone.

  “I married her the day after Christmas.”

  “You’ve been married for three months and are just now telling me? This is outrageous. I cannot believe you could have grown up in my home and still be so calloused and inconsiderate. Did it not occur to you that this is something your mother and the rest of your family would like to know?”

  “I’m telling you now.”

  “Did you just marry her to get back at your brother and Olivia?”

  “No.”

  Her voice softened. “You heard that Max and Olivia split up?”

  His brother hadn’t even lasted a year with her. Didn’t surprise him. He’d wasted far too much time on Olivia. If he’d had any idea that there was a woman like Elaine in the world, he wouldn’t have given Olivia the time of day. Although maybe he’d been too immature to appreciate a woman like Elaine until he’d gone through what he had with Olivia.

  That didn’t paint him in the best light, but it was probably pretty close to the truth.

  “No. That’s too bad.” He couldn’t find it in himself to be happy about their split. If it hadn’t been for Max and Olivia and what they did, he wouldn’t have found Elaine.

  “Where are you?”

  “North Dakota.”

  The line went so quiet he thought the connection might have been lost.

  “Where?” she asked.

  He was unsure if she truly hadn’t heard or just couldn’t believe it.

  “North Dakota. It’s just south of Canada. That’s the country that borders the US to—”

  “I know where Canada is,” his mother snapped. “I don’t appreciate the disrespect.”

  “It’s beautiful here, Mom. You wouldn’t believe it.”

  He could almost picture her rolling her eyes. His mother was a seventh-generation Texan, and it was almost a sacrilege to suggest there was any place on earth better than Texas. He’d be better off taking the Lord’s name in vain than telling her he loved North Dakota.

  “You said you’re not holding a grudge against your dad or your brother.”

  “I’m not.”

  “And it’s just coincidence that we haven’t heard from you in three months.”

  “I told you I’ve been busy.”

  “Then buy a plane ticket and come down and visit.” There was a deliberate pause. He understood what it meant. “Bring your wife.” She said “wife” like she was holding her nose.

  “I don’t think I’m going to have time this year.” He could swing the time. No problem. But the kids definitely couldn’t go. And he thought it might be hard for Elaine to leave them for at least three days. They might be able to squeeze a trip to Texas into two, but it would be tough.

  “Remington.” His mother used the voice that brooked no argument when he was a child. “Your dad has pancreatic cancer. There’s a five percent survival rate. You need to come down.”

  Shock waves punched up his neck, making him dizzy. His hand gripped the doorjamb tighter, while his fingers curled around his phone. His eyes tunneled. He couldn’t let his dad die with their last fight between them.

  “I’ll be down.”

  THAT NIGHT AFTER THE kids went to bed, Elaine walked soundlessly down the stairs. Rem stood at his normal spot, with his shoulder leaning against the bathroom doorjamb, in t-shirt and jeans, bare feet. His hair was wet, and his hands were in his pockets.

  Normally when she came down, his eyes were hot and followed her every move. Most nights, he played a few songs on his phone and they danced in the kitchen together. Maybe they’d talk some, maybe they wouldn’t. There was definitely kissing involved. Then he’d head to the living room, and she’d close her bedroom door behind her.

  But tonight, his eyes were pointed to the ground, and he seemed lost in thought. He’d been quiet all evening, but she hadn’t really noticed until just now. Sometimes the kids took up all of her attention.

  He looked up. “I should help you with them.”

  “It works out well that you shower while I put them to bed.”

  He didn’t move across the floor like he usually did. Fear curled in the pit of her stomach. He’d been so kind and considerate the last few months. He’d worked hard outside and seemed to have fun with the kids. She thought he might actually like it here.

  But what if he didn’t?

  She gave her head a shake, unwilling to allow herself to think like that. He’d said he was staying, and so far, he’d done everything he’d said he was going to do. He’d not lied. Not to her. Not to the kids.

  He hadn’t done anything to deserve her lack of faith.

  But it took more courage than she’d like to admit for her to force her feet to move across the floor. She stopped in front of him, pressing herself against him and leaning her head on his chest.

  “You want to tell me about it?” she asked, wishing her voice didn’t sound as timid as she felt.

  “Today was my mother’s birthday. I called her.” His hands came up, and he pulled her even more tightly against him. “My dad has cancer, and his chances of surviving it are not good.”

  Ah, yes. Elaine’s original fear multiplied and spread up into her chest, causing her heart to skitter and shake and her breathing to be shallow and fast.

  She pulled on every ounce of unselfishness she possessed and prayed her voice would be steady and clear. “Then you should go see him.”

  “I want to.” She could hear just how much in his voice. His chest expanded and he blew a breath out. “I want you to come with me.”

  Elaine closed her eyes. Her arms tightened around him. “What about the children?”

  “Would Nell be able to watch them for a couple of days?”

  “I can ask.” They would be fine with Nell, although Elaine had never left them other than to go to the hospital to have each of them. Even then, she’d never stayed in the hospital long.

  “I’d like to leave tomorrow if we can. The next day at the latest.”

  “What about the stock?”

  “Ford will help me. If he can’t, there’s a couple of people from church that will. It’s not rocket science, it’s just time.”

  “I’ll call Nell first thing in the morning.”

  “Thanks.”

  NELL WAS ABLE TO COME and showed up the next day before the kids got home from school. Rem was out doing the evening feeding early.

  Elaine opened the door, and Nell blew in. “My goodness, the wind is strong.” Her face, rosy-cheeked with sparkling eyes, held a smile.

  “I’m so glad you could do this on short notice.”

  “Not a problem,” Nell said, although something in her eyes made Elaine wonder if maybe Nell actually did have a problem getting out of her house.

  Her mother had died before Christmas. Elaine thought that might be the only thing keeping her living at her home with her stepfather and two stepsisters, but it had been over three months, and Nell was still there.

  “Were the roads okay?” With the strong wind, there were bound to be some drifts. Normally Nell walked across the fields to their house. It was only about three miles, but as deep as the snow was right now, it would be a hard walk.

  “My stepdad let me use his old Ford.” She took her hat off, and her short blond hair stuck up all over the place from the static. “But I had a flat tire on the way here.”

  “Oh, no. That’s awful. With this wind, I bet changing it was tough.”

  “It probably was.” She tilted her head. “I’ve never had this happen before. But as I was stopped, this sports car—it was probably one of those expensive things because it wasn’t a brand I recognized—pulled up beside me. We’re on the interstate, you know. It wasn’t terribly busy, but there were still trucks whizzing by and everything.”

  She noticed the pan of potatoes on the counter that Elaine hadn’t pared yet and walked over, grabbing a knife and starting to pare them.

  “Anyway, this guy in a fancy suit gets out. I don’t know what an expensive suit looks like, but this isn’t anything you can get at Walmart.”

  Elaine tilted her head, her brow furrowed. “Walmart doesn’t have suits.”

  “If they did, they wouldn’t look like this. I bet that thing cost a thousand bucks. Or more.” Nell grunted. “And shoes. Man, his shoes. I’ve never seen shoes like that. Shiny and just rich. Like really rich.”

  “Doesn’t sound to me like a man like that would stop, let alone be able to help.”

  “That’s the really strange thing. He did. He changed the tire. In that suit and those shoes. His fingernails were perfect.” She held her hands out. “Look at my hands. It’s like I have the man hands, and he had the woman hands, except he got the tools out, and he knew how to use them.”

  “Did he wear gloves?”

  “No! Isn’t that crazy? He must be from North Dakota. If you’re not used to this cold, you just can’t take it like that. But this guy did.”

  “Oh? He was young?”

  “Thirties. Maybe.” She shrugged. “Sometimes this country ages you quick. But I don’t think he’s had a rough life.”

  “Not if his hands are any indication.”

  “Exactly. Oh.” Nell set her knife down and went over to her coat. “He gave me this.” She pulled a brochure out of her coat’s pocket and handed it to Elaine. “He said I should go.”

  Elaine took the brochure. “A ball? Who even has balls anymore? That’s weird.”

  “Yeah. You know those stories you hear about people who meet angels or even dead people along the road in a storm, and the angels or whatever help them out, then the people find out later that someone who looked just like the person who helped them died on that stretch of road?”

  “I guess,” Elaine said, a little unsure. It sounded like hocus-pocus stuff that she stayed away from.

  “This feels so much like that. I mean, he wasn’t slipping in the snow, even though he had those fancy shoes on. His car definitely wasn’t the kind of car that someone could drive on our roads and not get stuck. And he didn’t seem to be from around here, but he didn’t get cold. Especially his hands.”

  “That is weird.” Elaine scanned over the brochure. “This ball is supposed to be held on May 1st at the Sweet Water Ranch. I haven’t heard anything about it.”

  “He said that I was the first one to get a brochure.” Nell’s eyes were a little dreamy, and Elaine suspected there were a few things she wasn’t being told. “He told me he really wanted me to go.”

  “Then you should go.”

  Nell snorted. “My stepdad will never let me borrow a vehicle to drive to a party just to have fun. Plus,” she pointed at the brochure, “see this? It says ‘formal.’ Elaine, this is the most formal thing I own.” She stepped back from the sink and ran her hands up and down her jeans and old, long-sleeved t-shirt and puffer vest.

  Nell pulled the brochure back. “But look here.” She pointed to the fine print at the bottom. “It says ‘Maids and servers will be needed. Apply online. Pay will be $500 for the day.’” Nell’s face practically glowed. “I could do that! I’m great at cleaning, and I can be very polite.”

  Elaine laughed. “Those are the only qualifications?”

  “It doesn’t say, but I’m going to apply.”

  “If you need a reference, you can put me down. I think sometimes my kids love you more than they love me. And I know my house is always cleaner when you leave.”

  “I’ll do that. Thanks.” Nell rinsed a potato off and cut it into pieces over the pot Elaine had on the stove.

  The kids were in good hands, Elaine assured herself. And everything would be fine.

  Chapter 17

  Rem pulled the rented car into the familiar ranch driveway.

  Elaine had never flown before, never even been out of North Dakota, she admitted to him once the plane had taken off. She’d enjoyed the flight, and he’d enjoyed watching her. It looked like she liked Texas, too. Her eyes were big, and it was almost like she was trying to look everywhere at once, despite how tired she must be.

  They’d slept some at the Dallas airport while waiting for their connecting flight early this morning, and she’d slept a little on the plane. But she still had black circles under her eyes.

  Not as careworn as she’d looked when he’d first met her. He liked to think that maybe he had something to do with that. Maybe they didn’t get their billion dollars, but he’d shouldered a lot of her worries, leaving her free to be a wife and mother. She was still involved in the ranch, of course, but the problems and work didn’t weigh her down.

  “There’s our house.” He nodded at the brown, one-story home. The green roof set it off, and the wide porch was screened in. The barn was not much farther on. He recognized the bull in the corral. One his brother had bought. Prince Charming. Rem wouldn’t have wasted the money. Max had bought him, thinking to do what Rem had been doing—raising high-dollar bucking bulls. It was a risk, no doubt. Prince Charming was a high-dollar dud.

  But he was a pretty bull, bluish gray over his back that dappled down to dusty white on his belly and legs. He’d never see the inside of a professional bull riding chute, but worst of all, he had a tendency to throw sons who were even more worthless than he was.

  Max had made a mistake. Unfortunately it only seemed to make him resent Rem more. Maybe because Rem’s bulls had been showing some promise before he sold them.

  It was a bit of a shock getting off the airplane and not seeing white snow everywhere. Now, seeing the brown and green Texas Hill Country landscape, it made him wonder what Elaine’s and his ranch would look like when spring finally came to North Dakota.

  He parked at the rail, just as his mother came out the screened porch, followed by two puffy white dogs. Salt and Sugar. He’d been out on tour when she’d gotten them and didn’t know them that well, but they seemed nice. Definitely smaller and less energetic than Banjo.

  “It’s beautiful.” Elaine finally broke her silence.

  “Spring is the best time of year in Texas.”

  She laughed. “It won’t be spring until next week.”

  “The next week, it’s summer.” He grinned over at her, glad she seemed okay. If his mother hadn’t been striding toward them, he’d have made a joke about North Dakota and its seemingly endless winter, but he saved it for another time.

  “That’s my mom. Come on, I’ll introduce you.” He got out, walking around to open Elaine’s door. She was already out, so he just closed it and took her hand.

  His mother, tall and slim, met them at the front of their car. “Rem!” she exclaimed, holding out her arms and wrapping them around him. She smelled like sandalwood and some kind of expensive perfume. Familiar but not a scent he’d missed.

 

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