Nearest Thing to Heaven (Maverick Junction) (13 page)

Ty laid down his pole. “Be right back.”

He pulled jackets from his saddlebag and tossed one to each of the boys. “Put these on, guys.”

Impressed, Sophie said, “Well, aren’t you the prepared one.”

“Always. With these three it pays to think ahead. I noticed you already crawled into your nasty sweatshirt.”

“Oh!” She slapped a hand over the big red C logo.

“Any port in a storm, I guess,” he drawled. “But, hey, if you need it, you need it.”

“I do.” She tossed a look at the kids, their faces flushed from their exercise. “I’m not running around like them. I got cold sooner.”

“Should have told me. I’d have warmed you up.” He draped an arm over her shoulder, shooting for playful. The softness of her, though, did things to him. Warned him he really should keep his distance.

She laughed and patted his hand. Jerking a thumb at the kids, she said, “Right, Daddy.” She sent him a slow smile. “Maybe later.”

The words shot straight south in his body.
Maybe later
. The breath left him as his mind conjured up images far from fatherly.

Space. He needed some space.

Picking up his pole, he reeled in his line and cast another glance toward the sky. “Think it’s time to head home. Front’s moving in fast.”

Inside of ten minutes, they were saddled up and headed toward the house. The boys, tuckered out from all the fresh air, grew quieter and quieter.

About halfway home, Josh started whining. “I want to ride with you, Daddy.”

“What about your pony? How’s he gonna get home if you don’t ride him?” Part of Ty wanted to scoop the tired little boy up onto his lap. The other part feared the consequences of giving in to Josh too often. Still, his son was dragging butt.

“You can tie his pony to mine, Daddy, if he wants to ride with you.” Jonah, as ever, made it his duty to find a compromise.

Jesse piped up. “Why does he get to ride with you and not me?”

“Because he’s tireder,” Jonah said.

“Uh-uh. I am,” Jesse insisted.

Sophie, Ty noted, said nothing. She sent him a pitying look.

“Want to step in here? Help out?”

She grinned. “Wouldn’t think of it. I don’t want to interfere. Don’t want to risk stepping on any toes—Daddy.”

He shook his head. “You’re a sassy one.”

“I can be.”

Again, heat rocketed through him. This woman was seriously hard on his system. He wanted to do things to her he hadn’t even thought of for far too long.

“Daddy!”

Josh’s cry interrupted his sexual fantasies and dragged him back to his immediate problem.

“Josh, we’re almost home.”

When he started to cry, Sophie lifted a brow.

“Hold on a second, guys.” Ty held up his hand and everyone plodded to a stop. “Josh, toss me your reins, then crawl on over here with me.” He patted the saddle in front of him.

Tears streaming down his cheeks, the boy did as he was told. Ty wrapped the pony’s reins around his saddle horn, then lifted Josh onto his lap. “And Jesse, I don’t want to hear a word from you. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve given you a ride home a time or two.”

“But I want—”

“Jesse.”

His son’s lower lip stuck out in a pout, but he held his tongue.

The minute they rode up to the stables, all tiredness was forgotten. Jesse and Jonah dismounted with whoops, and Ty lowered Josh to the ground. Jonah lifted Trouble out of the basket and set him down. The pup flopped to the ground, exhausted from the day’s antics.

“The boys and I will take care of your horse, Sophie. No doubt we’ve worn you out.”

“Oh, no. Taking care of the horse afterward was the only part of riding I excelled at. Toss me a brush.”

Ty sent the boys outside to play. Working together, he and Sophie had the horses unsaddled and curried in a much shorter time than if his boys had helped. Ty gave each a scoop of oats and some fresh water. Side by side, he and Sophie walked from the stable into the chilled air.

“Gonna see a big change in the weather,” he said, eyeing the sky. “The temperature’s dropping fast.”

She shook her head. “You’re talking to a Northerner, Ty. I could be in Chicago right now. Probably should be. It’s fourteen below there today—without the wind chill. So I’m figuring the weather’s great.”

“Guess it’s all relative, huh?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Want to stay for a bit?” He hoped she’d say yes. Found himself holding his breath.

“I’d love to, but I really should get home. I need to work a bit. I had a great time, though.” She rose on her toes, kissed his cheek. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Raising her voice, she called out, “Boys, thanks for a wonderful day. Jesse, thanks for the tip about keeping the end of my pole up. That made a big difference. Jonah, the lemonade you helped your dad make was the best I’ve ever tasted. And, Josh? The flowers you picked for me are beautiful. I’ll take them home and put them on my kitchen table.” She held up the drooping wildflowers.

If she’d thought a verbal good-bye would do it for the Rawlins boys, she found herself sorely mistaken. As they rushed her, she gave them each a hug and added a peck on the cheek.

And that caused another shift in Ty’s chest.

“Can’t you stay?” Jesse asked.

“Yeah, just a little bit longer.” Jonah tugged at her hand.

“Who’s gonna make us hot chocolate?” Josh pouted.

Even though he himself wanted to beg her to stay, Ty stepped in. “Guys, give Sophie a break. She has work to do at her house.”

“Why can’t she do it here?”

She sat down on a bale of hay left there to prop open the stable door. “Tell you what. I really do have to go, not only because of my work, but because I have a new cat at home. I found her this week, and I’m afraid to leave her alone too much longer. I don’t want her to be scared. If it’s okay with your dad, though, I’ll come back again.”

She looked at him as if asking permission.

He nodded.

“You have a kitty?” Jonah played with Trouble’s ear when he wandered over to them.

“A cat, actually,” Sophie said. “She’s bigger than a kitty.”

“Can you bring her, too?”

“What’s her name?”

Ty listened as she patiently answered all their questions, smoothed their hair, and zipped up Jesse’s jacket. His heart shifted a little more in his chest.

“I’ll walk you to your car. Boys, why don’t you go inside. It’s getting cold. I’ll be right in.” As they hurried away, he called, “And hang up those jackets. Don’t drop them in the middle of the floor.”

Sophie stood, one hand on the car door handle. He leaned toward her and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“You’re a brave woman. You took on the lot of us—and you survived.”

“I meant what I said before, Ty. I had a great time. One of the best days ever.”

His heart hammered in his chest, and he wondered if she could hear it. He needed to see her again.

He couldn’t.

He needed to kiss her again.

He shouldn’t.

But his mouth refused to listen to his brain. Before he could stop himself, he ducked his head and tasted her lips.
Oh, yeah. Ambrosia.
He groaned and pulled her to him.

Damned if she didn’t turn him inside out.

His lips a whisper from hers, he asked, “Want to go out Saturday night? No kids. Just you and me.”

“I’d like that.”

“Thank God,” he growled. He kissed her again but forced himself to keep it light. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

He opened the car door and helped her in.

Then he stood in the drive and watched her drive away. What the hell was he doing?

S
ophie took a long, hot bath and fell into bed exhausted. How did Ty do this every day? Handle the ranch, a house, three kids, and a puppy? And then get up the next day and do it all over again?

By the end of the picnic, she’d been able to tell the boys apart—most of the time. Their personalities were totally different. And physically there were differences, too. Josh had a cowlick. Jonah was left-handed. Jesse’s eyes were a slightly deeper gray.

But being with the triplets was a little like being inside a pinball machine. Kids ricocheting off everything…and they’d been outside where they had the run of the place. She couldn’t imagine being cooped up inside with them.

The boys were rambunctious now, but she tried to imagine them as tiny babies. How had Ty coped with the bottles, the night feedings, the diapers—times three? She pictured those tiny preemies cradled in his large, capable hands.

She’d never really given much thought to parenthood. Oh, a vague, someday-maybe notion rattled around in the back of her mind once in a while. But she hadn’t ever spent any real time with babies or young children. Hadn’t ever been given a peanut butter and jelly kiss before today.

Unaware she was crying, the tear that trickled down her cheek and dripped off her chin caught her unaware. She swiped at it, then rolled over in bed and simply gave in to her roiling emotions.

She cried for Ty. For what he’d been through. Was still dealing with. Mourning the loss of his wife, caring for three young boys, struggling to keep all the balls in the air. His love for his sons was beyond amazing.

She cried for the boys, for Jonah and Jesse and Josh. They’d never know their mother. Never know her love. Never be tucked into bed and kissed good night by her.

And she cried for Julia, a woman she’d never met. The woman Ty loved. The woman who’d never had a chance to know the miracle of these wonderful boys to whom she’d given life.

Fate could be cruel.

Lilybelle jumped onto the bed and curled up beside her. Sophie buried her face in the cat’s fur and cried till she ran out of tears.

She’d worked herself into a state. Sleep? Not likely. Not till she got herself settled down. Was Ty asleep, or was he restless, too? If she called him…No, absolutely, definitely not.

She threw back the bedcovers. “What do you say to some ice cream, Lilybelle? I have some Cherry Garcia left and a whole new carton of cake batter ice cream.”

She tossed on her robe and walked into the kitchen, the cat at her heels. Flicking on the lights, she decided a little music was in order. The radio was still set to Annelise’s new favorite station, a country-western one. Well, that would do. She might as well listen to songs about lost love and cheating hearts while she anesthetized herself with ice cream.

Sitting at the table, Lilybelle at her feet, the two gorged themselves on Cherry Garcia. Sophie ate hers right out of the container. Her butt and legs hurt from the horseback ride. Muscles she hadn’t used in a long time were crying foul.

One elbow on the table, her chin resting on her hand, she grinned from ear to ear. It really had been a first-rate picnic. A first-rate day. She couldn’t remember ever being this tired or this happy. And yet her eyes were bloodshot from a crying jag. Boy, she was on one heck of an emotional roller coaster.

The peak? Ty had asked her out. And she’d said yes. That’s when she’d tumbled downhill. Oh, boy. What had she been thinking?

She flicked on the TV and ran through the channels, settling on an old black-and-white movie,
An Affair to Remember
. Sighing, she settled on the couch, cat tucked close, an afghan over both of them.

Eight hours later, she woke up exactly as she’d fallen asleep. She doubted either she or the cat had moved an inch all night. Turning off the TV, she inched her way off the couch, careful not to disturb Lilybelle.

Filling the teakettle, she took stock of her situation and made a decision. Today, she’d drive over to Lone Tree. Time to pay Maggie a visit. She needed some girl time.

Right now, though, she’d better feed her animal. The instant the cat heard the can opener, she leaped off the sofa gingerly, still favoring her hurt leg. As Sophie emptied the stinky food into the bowl, Lilybelle wound herself around Sophie’s legs.

“See, who says you can’t buy love?” She knelt and stroked the cat beneath her chin. “A can of food is pretty cheap.”

Dunking a teabag, she headed for the bathroom, ready to prep for the day. Her phone rang and she snatched it off the nightstand?
Ty?

It wasn’t. It was Madison, the owner of a little shop in Chicago that carried her note cards.

“Hey, Madison, how are you?”

“Great. And you? Good trip?”

“The best. I even went fishing yesterday. Just me and four handsome guys.”

“Oh, yeah? Maybe I should hop a plane and join you.”

Sophie laughed. “Umm, maybe I forgot to mention that three of the guys were only four years old.”

“The fourth guy?”

She sighed. “That one checks all the boxes. A tall, dark, and extremely handsome cowboy. And the father of the other three.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.”

“I know you wouldn’t be messing around with a married man.”

“Nope. This cowboy is a widower.”

Silence.

“You still there, Madison?”

“I’m visualizing this great big old can of worms springing open.”

Sophie laughed. “Yeah, I’m with you on that. But he’s staying here, and I’m leaving. Soon. So those worms aren’t going to get very tangled.” She glanced at the clock. “So what’s up? A problem with one of my cards? An obscenely huge order for more because some celebrity discovered my work and has made me an overnight success?”

When Madison remained silent, unease rippled through Sophie.

“Nathan was here a few days ago.”

The unease turned to queasiness, and Sophie dropped onto the side of the unmade bed.

“I didn’t call sooner because I didn’t want to bother you. But it’s been nagging at me, and I decided you should at least be aware. He wanted to know where you are,” Madison said.

Her throat tightened. “What did you tell him?”

“When you stopped by a couple weeks ago, you mentioned taking a trip to Texas for your cousin’s wedding.”

Sophie couldn’t hide the involuntary groan.

“I didn’t tell him that,” Madison said quickly.

“No?”

“No. Something about him, Sophie—I don’t know. He bothered me, so I said I had absolutely no idea.”

“Thank you.”

“Is he a problem?”

How did she answer that? She pushed stray strands of hair off her face. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

“There are stalker laws.”

Was Nathan a stalker? Had it progressed to that? She didn’t think so. “I’ll be fine, Madison, but I really appreciate the heads-up.”

“You be careful.”

“I will.”

“How’s the new line coming?” Madison asked. “I’ve got customers chomping at the bit for some new Sophie London designs.”

They chatted a bit longer, but when Sophie hung up she felt more than a little rattled. Before she slipped into the bathroom, she checked the door, made sure she’d flipped the lock.

Half an hour later, dressed in her go-to black jeans and a loose, flowing red silk top, she headed out the door. Determined to shove Nathan from her mind, she focused on the day ahead. On her visit with Maggie.

The drive relaxed her. There was virtually no traffic to deal with and she found a radio station that played a nice blend of music. She put her window part way down, wanting to feel the wind in her hair. But even here in Texas, it was December, and a slight nip tinged the air. Reaching over, she flipped the heater on low, instantly surrounded by warmth. She had to give it to Hank. The car might not be much to look at, but mechanically? It was in excellent condition.

Growing up in Boston, then moving to Chicago, she’d never known the thrill of the open road. One where you could drive forever, stop whenever, do whatever. She felt almost heady with the freedom. No doubt about it. This trip wouldn’t mark the end of her time in Texas. She planned to make good use of Cash and Annelise’s guest room. When she needed a breath of fresh air, she knew exactly where to find it.

She and Katy Perry were singing a duet as she drove into Lone Tree. She smiled. Main Street looked a whole lot better than it had the last time she’d seen it. Storefronts were garbed in Christmas greenery and decorations. Even the ugly, black, utilitarian streetlights, now festooned with pine boughs and red ribbons, had taken on a cheerful holiday spirit.

A snowy forest scene depicting animals and birds celebrating the season had been painted on the Cowboy Grill’s front window.

Grabbing her purse, she removed her sunglasses. She’d done the right thing coming here today—especially after Madison’s call. But she wouldn’t think about that now. Today was all about R and R.

The bell over Maggie’s door jingled, adding to the holiday feel. She stepped inside and breathed deeply. Ah, yes. Good decision. Closing her eyes, the scent of evergreens and Christmas washed over her.

“Hey, girlfriend. What are you doing way over here in my neck of the woods?” Maggie stepped out of the back room looking for all the world like a model straight off the runway.

They hugged and Maggie stepped back, eyeing her critically. “Somebody didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Really?” Sophie asked, all innocence. “And who might that be?”

“What’s wrong, honey?”

Her mind a certifiable disaster area, she tamped down her unease about Nathan and went with her bigger, more immediate concern. “Oh, Maggie. I’m so confused.”

“Well, then, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll get out my tea leaves, and we’ll see what’s going on.”

Sophie laughed. “I like you.”

“I’m glad, because I like you, too. Annie’s got damn good taste in relatives.” She walked to one of the overstuffed chairs, dropped into it, and put her stiletto-shoed feet on the coffee table. “Any excuse to sit.”

She waved at the chair beside her. “Have a seat, and tell Mama Sullivan your troubles.”

Sophie dropped her purse to the floor and collapsed into the chair. “Ty asked me out Saturday night. Just the two of us. No kids.”

“Really?” Maggie dragged out the word. Satisfaction shone in her green eyes. “What do you know. Finally.”

“Finally?”

“He hasn’t been on a date since Julia died.”

“No way.”

“Yes, way.”

“Oh, my gosh.” Sophie raised a hand to her forehead. “That makes all this—I don’t know—so much more.” She toyed with the little gold band on her thumb. “Do you think I should go?”

Maggie laughed. “Hell, yes. Why wouldn’t you?”

“Ty has a very complicated life.”

“Yes, he certainly does. And he, more than anyone I know, deserves a little happiness. He wants to spend some time with you, Sophie. He wants normal. He’s tired of everybody looking at him and seeing the widower. The man with the fragile shell.”

Sophie twisted a strand of hair around her finger but said nothing.

“If you’re truly not interested, you need to let him know, because him asking you out? That was huge. A really big step. One I wondered if he’d ever get around to taking.”

Maggie rested an elbow on the arm of her chair and cradled her chin in her hand. “Here’s the thing, though. I wouldn’t dangle him on the line too long. You might not want to take on the boys and all the rest of Ty’s baggage, but other females in both Maverick Junction and Lone Tree don’t have the same reservations. He could have his pick of them. And believe me when I say they haven’t been bashful. Quite a few have offered. But he hasn’t taken interest in any of them.”

She met Sophie’s gaze. “He’s got his eye on you. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a very good thing.”

Sophie nodded. “First, I want to make it clear that I don’t see the triplets as part of any baggage he might have. Jesse, Josh, and Jonah are wonderful. Ty’s doing a phenomenal job with them.”

“Good for you.”

“But, that said,” Sophie continued, “they are a handful. And they’re part of a package deal. A woman would have to be crazy not to take that into consideration. It’s a lot to think about.”

“It is.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “Then again, Ty’s only asked me on a date, not to take a walk down the aisle. I’m blowing this all out of proportion, aren’t I?”

“You might be.” Maggie kept a straight face.

“I tend to do that. Worry about possibilities. Invent impossible scenarios.” She paused. “Okay, let’s jump backward a little. You mentioned dangling things on a line. We went fishing yesterday.”

“Fishing?”

“Yes, and thank God nobody caught anything.”

Maggie smiled. “Not into that sort of thing, huh?”

“No. But, boy, did we have fun. We took a picnic along. Ty and the boys and me. And Trouble. And we went on horseback.”

“Really?”

“I was terrified at first, at the idea of it. I’ve not spent much time around kids, and I haven’t ridden a horse in years.” Grinning, she rubbed her aching backside. “Still, I had a ball.”

“I can see that.” Maggie tipped her head to the side. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”

“You didn’t ask a question. You just filled me in on the lay of the land, so to speak.”

“Guess you’re right. So I’ll ask it now. Are you interested? In Ty?”

Sophie let out a big breath and steepled her hands in front of her mouth. “I’m not going to lie. My survival instincts tell me to run. Fast and far. But I won’t, because, yes, I’m interested.” She turned and met her friend’s gaze. “What am I getting myself into, Maggie?”

“Maybe nothing. The two of you might go out Saturday night and find there’s absolutely nothing there. That you have nothing in common. That there’s no spark between you.” Those fantastic green eyes narrowed.

Sophie fidgeted under Maggie’s scrutiny.

“But that’s not going to happen, is it? Because you already know. You’ve tested it, and there’s plenty of spark to rev both your engines.” Maggie pointed a finger at her. “What aren’t you telling me?”