A New Life

Suzie Kent will do anything for her troubled teen son. Even if it means turning to her late husband’s best friend for help. Rancher Tucker McDermott is convinced that the fresh air and hard work of Sunrise Ranch will do Abe and Suzie a world of good. But Suzie’s not so sure that the man she blames for her husband’s death knows best. Soon, spending time with the strong, handsome cowboy revives Suzie’s spirits—and her heart. Can they heal their past sorrows and build a future as a family together?

“I thought you’d like to see this,” he said.

Suzie stepped out of Tucker’s truck and stared at the huge trees that he’d parked beneath. Cottonwoods.

“I’ve never seen this many of them together!” It was a beautiful sight when the cotton tuffs were floating from the branches on their slow free fall to earth. It looked like it was snowing in the middle of May!

“I’ve always liked this spot this time of year,” Tucker said, coming to stand beside her. Smiling down at her, he plucked a bit of cotton from her hair. “It looks good on you,” he said.

She wasn’t thinking about the cotton any longer. “Which way will we go?” she asked, butterflies sifting inside her chest.

“Which way do you want to go?”

She stared at him, her insides completely aflutter. His deep blue eyes were steady and unwavering as they seemed to see every emotional hiding place within her.

“I don’t know.” Were they talking about which way to go to check fences…or something more?

DEBRA CLOPTON

First published in 2005, Debra Clopton is an award-winning, multipublished novelist who has won a Booksellers’ Best Award, an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, a Golden Quill, a Cataromance Reviewers’ Choice Award, RT Book Reviews Book of the Year and Harlequin.com’s Readers’ Choice Award. She was also a 2004 finalist for the prestigious RWA Golden Heart, a triple finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award and most recently a finalist for the 2011 Gayle Wilson Award for Excellence.

Married for twenty-two blessed years to her high school sweetheart, Debra was widowed in 2003. Happily, in 2008, a couple of friends played matchmaker and set her up on a blind date. Instantly hitting it off, they were married in 2010. They live in the country with her husband’s two high-school-age sons. Debra has two adult sons, a lovely daughter-in-law and a beautiful granddaughter—life is good! Her greatest awards are her family and spending time with them. You can reach Debra at P.O. Box 1125, Madisonville, TX 77864, or at debraclopton.com.

Her Unlikely Cowboy

Debra Clopton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

—John 15:13

This book is dedicated, with much gratitude and sorrow, to the family of and to U.S. Marine SGT. Wade Wilson. Your sacrifice and selfless act of heroism for our freedom will not be forgotten. 1989–2012

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

More dread than hope filled Suzie Kent’s heart as she drove around a wide curve toward Dew Drop, Texas. Suddenly, the flash of police lights startled her just as a mass of short, fat donkeys standing in her path yanked her out of her depressed state. Suzie gasped, “Oh!”

“Mom! Stop!” Abe yelled.

A tall man in a cowboy hat, jeans and the tan uniform of a Texas sheriff stood in the middle of the donkeys, waving his arms for her to halt. One minute he was standing, and the next—

“He went down!” Abe yelled again as the sheriff buckled and fell over.

Suzie stomped on the brakes of the monstrosity of a moving truck. The heavy vehicle groaned and rebelled, but fortunately the brakes grabbed and the bulky box on wheels lunged—once, twice, three times before stopping hard. She and Abe strained forward against their seat belts with the force.

Even intent on halting, she was shaken by what they’d witnessed. One of the cute donkeys had just taken down an officer with a well-placed kick.

Abe had his seat belt off and was out the door before Suzie even had time to tell him to be careful. At fifteen he wasn’t listening to her anymore, and this was no different. Hurrying to get out of the truck, she pushed the flashers on then locked her gaze back on her son. He approached the donkeys, yelling and waving his arms wildly. She was thankful when the creatures parted down the road’s yellow center stripe, scurrying like mice out of his way. This gave her a clear view of the downed officer. Sirens sounded in the distance and she hoped their shrill cry signaled help was on the way.

Abe skidded to a halt beside the black-haired man holding his hip and struggling to get up. His back was to them but it was easy to tell he was well built as he struggled to one knee, holding his injured leg straight.

“Mom, he’s hurt!” Abe yelled over his shoulder, bending down and blocking her view of the officer. “I can help you stand up. If you can,” he said. “That donkey blasted you.”

“Thanks,” the officer grunted. “That’d be much appreciated. Donkeys might be innocent-looking, but they can sure make an impact.”

Though she hadn’t yet glimpsed his face, Suzie quickened her pace. The officer looped his arm over Abe’s shoulders just as she reached them.

“Here let me help, too.” She scooted beneath his other arm, placing her hand on his stomach—his very firm stomach. The officer was in shape. Looking up she met his deep marine-blue gaze and froze.

Tucker McDermott!

“Thanks, Suzie. It’s good to see you.” Tucker McDermott’s eyes bored into her, but concern stamped his expression, as if he knew the dismay shooting through her.

Her breath had flown from her lungs and she had no words as she looked into the face of the man she held responsible for her husband’s death.

The man she was also counting on to help her save her son.... Suzie’s world tilted as she realized whose clean, tangy aftershave was teasing her senses and whose unbelievably intense gaze had her insides suddenly rioting. His hair was jet-black and his skin deeply tanned, making his midnight-blue eyes startling in their intensity.

“Tucker,” she managed, hoping her voice didn’t wobble.

Moving to Dew Drop, Texas, to Tucker’s family’s Sunrise Ranch, and asking for his help had taken everything she had left emotionally—and that hadn’t been much since her husband had given his life in the line of duty for fellow marine Tucker, two years earlier.

And now, as circumstances would have it, she was forced to rely on his help.

Tucker grimaced, trying to keep most of his weight off of Suzie and Abe, but his hip clearly hurt.

“Thanks for the rescue. I’m glad y’all saw the pack and stopped in time. I had just arrived and it wouldn’t have been good if you’d wrecked because of these hairy pests.”

Suzie realized the donkey must have kicked him in his bad hip.

Shot.

The word ricocheted through her. He’d been shot in the hip and gone down in a firefight—a firefight after being ambushed.

The firefight in which her husband, Gordon, had stepped in front of him and drawn fire.

Acid rolled in the pit of her stomach thinking about it.

“Thank y’all for helping me up,” he said, his gaze snagging on hers again and holding. “I’ve got it from here, though.” He pulled one arm from around her and the other from around Abe.

“Are you sure?” she asked, even though she wanted to step away from him in the worst way. Wanted to break the disturbing connection radiating between them. “Do we need to help you to your vehicle?

“Yeah,” Abe added, looking just as uncertain as she did.

Tucker limped a few painful steps away from them. “I’m okay,” he said, gruffly. “It’ll just take a few minutes for the throbbing to go away.” He glanced ruefully at the donkeys. “What a mess.”

“There’s a bunch of them,” Abe said excitedly, accepting Tucker at his word and moving back to focus on the herd of innocent-looking donkeys.

Suzie’s heart caught. Abe’s reaction—from the first moment they’d spotted the donkeys—was the first time in weeks, even months, that she’d heard any kind of positive excitement in his voice. Now he was actually grinning at the short, squat animals.

“They act like they own the road,” he added, looking as if he wanted to pet one of them.

Tucker frowned. “And that’s the problem. They could easily have caused a serious wreck.”

“They sure took you out.” Abe chuckled.

Suzie suddenly felt as though she was in a time warp, glimpsing the son she’d had before his father died. A lump lodged in her throat and her eyes welled with tears. She fought both down.

Tucker’s lip hitched upward in a quick lopsided grin. “It’s my own fault. A donkey’s God-given instinct is to kick and they have a range of motion that would surprise a prize fighter. That’s why they’re used to protect herds from predators.”

“Seriously?” Abe gaped at Tucker then at the docile, unassuming animals.

“Seriously,” Tucker said. “They may not look like much, but those are some kickboxing masters right there.”

“Cool,” Abe said, swinging around as, siren blaring, a Dew Drop Sheriff’s Department car rolled to a halt beside Tucker’s SUV. “Looks like backup has arrived.”

A young officer emerged from his patrol car, and strode their way. “Hey, Tucker, got here as soon as I could.” A cocky grin widened across his suntanned skin. “Couldn’t handle the misfit delinquents yourself?”

Delinquent. The word hit Suzie in the heart and wiped the smile off Abe’s face instantly. He’d become too acquainted with the term of late, and the mention was all it took for shadows of mistrust to cloud his blue eyes. She almost cried out as she saw the veil of anger fall, the veil that he’d disappeared behind months ago. Her gaze shot to Tucker and she realized that he’d witnessed Abe’s reaction.

“Yeah, the donkeys are troublemakers, all right,” he clarified smoothly. “Help me get them off the road, Cody,” he instructed the deputy, then focused on Abe. “By the way, I’m Tucker McDermott. I was a friend of your dad’s and I owe him my life. He was an amazing man.” Tucker cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’ve come to Dew Drop. And the boys of Sunrise Ranch are looking forward to meeting you.”

Abe’s expression flashed bright with anger as he stared at Tucker, then, glaring daggers at the deputy, he stalked back toward their moving truck. “This is ridiculous, Mom. Why’d we have to come here?”

Her mild-looking, blue-eyed, blond-haired son was a time bomb. Feeling sick, she glanced back at Tucker. He hadn’t moved and was still favoring his hip. She wasn’t sure he could move. “Tell me this is going to work out.”

The weight of the world—her world—settled heavily on her and she felt suddenly weary and far, far older than her thirty-two years.

Tucker’s fierce gaze engulfed her. “You have my word, Suzie. This is going to work out. I promise.”

Tears sprang to her eyes, and all she could do was nod. She was so tired of handling everything on her own. So very tired. Tucker was offering her a strong support system and strong words that she needed to believe in.

“Hey, Abe,” he called. “Could you help us herd these donkeys off the road before someone gets hurt?”

Abe spun back, his stance still belligerent but his expression interested. “Sure.”

Tearing her gaze from her son, she looked back at Tucker, amazed.

“I hate to ask,” Tucker said, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened—but surely he knew it had. “Could you help, too? I’m not moving as fast as I need to and we need them off this road. The trailer will be here soon but...”

“Um, yes, just tell me what to do.”

“Move slow and wave your arms if one starts to come at you. Contrary to what you witnessed, they aren’t aggressive. They’re pretty tame. Until you sneak up on them like I did. Or try to ride them. I hear they don’t like that at all.”

“Okay.” She glanced at Abe, who was already urging a group of three to move toward the edge of the road. “Abe, be careful,” she called.

“Mom, I’ve got this,” he huffed, impatient with her mothering.

“I’ll get this end,” the other officer called from where he’d moved to the far side of the group.

That left the middle of the herd for her and Tucker. Feeling that she wasn’t doing it right, she waved her arms somewhat weakly, moving toward the donkey closest to her.

Not intimidated in the least, fuzzy whiskers lifted her way and deep brown eyes studied her. Clearly distracted from nuzzling the yellow line, the animal blinked dark eyelashes, pawed the pavement twice—then charged.

Suzie gasped, her arms dropped like lead as she spun and ran—straight into Tucker McDermott’s arms.

“Hold on,” Tucker said, pulling her protectively against his body and shifting so the crazy donkey aimed at him instead of her. “Yah!” he yelled at the miserable beast and waved his arm in a not-so-weak manner.

The donkey skidded to a halt instantly.

Tucker held her tightly with one arm and shooed the silly animal away. It turned and trotted off, as if it hadn’t just tried to mow her down.

“They just get excited sometimes. No harm meant,” Tucker assured her. His soft chuckle washed over her. “It’s okay.”

Suzie was mortified that she’d run to him. That she was now in his arms. And her crazy heart was pounding, even as his low rumbling chuckle resonated through her. What was wrong with her? She was reacting to Tucker’s touch as if...as if she were attracted to him. Even the thought made her ill, made her feel like a traitor.

True, she hadn’t been held like this in almost three years because when Gordon died it’d been months since she’d seen him. But still, Tucker McDermott.

This was disturbing and wrong on so many levels that she couldn’t stand it. Yet, even as she worried, Tucker’s aftershave, manly and teasing, filled her senses as he soothingly rubbed her back.

This was the man she held responsible for her husband’s death.

“You’re trembling.”

“Yes,” she forced, pulling away. “I’m not used to charging animals. And I’m embarrassed. I don’t make a habit of running into strange men’s arms.”

He looked confused. “You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. You didn’t know. If an animal does that again, yell loud and make an aggressive move of your own. It will run for the hills. Usually.”

Like she hadn’t tried that. “Fine,” she snapped. “Thanks, um, for the lesson. I believe I’ll wait in the truck.” She stumbled over her words, turned and strode toward the van, daring even one of the measly animals to come her way! It was all she could do not to run as humiliation and indignation collided.

Yanking the door of the moving truck open, she climbed inside, glancing out at Abe as she tried to compose herself. He appeared sullen but, surprisingly, continued helping move the varmints off the road. Her gaze shifted back to Tucker. His expression was grim as he stared after her, probably wondering why she was acting so strange.

After a moment he turned away, and she watched him take a step, stiff at first, then better after a couple of steps. Still, though his expression didn’t show it, she sensed he was in real pain.

Good.

The mean-spirited thought jumped into her mind instantaneously. Shame engulfed her. She’d been outspoken in the past, when needed, but never mean-spirited.

Death changed a person. Hardened up the heart like a cement block—she hated it.

She hated everything about this process of loss and its life-altering aftermath.

The truth was, she had no choice but to be here and hope with all her heart that Tucker McDermott and the Sunrise Ranch could help her son. Abe was the only reason she was here.

Her fifteen-year-old was hurting so bad on the inside that the only way he could cope was to lash out in ways that scared her for him. Her son, who needed more than she’d been able to give him.

Over the phone when she’d spoken with Tucker, before coming here, he’d given her his word that all would be well. She was praying that Tucker’s word meant as much as Gordon believed it meant...

Gordon had been a few years younger than Tucker when he’d come to live at Tucker’s family’s ranch. A working cattle ranch that was also a foster home for boys who’d been abandoned and were alone in the world. Gordon had looked up to Tucker and he’d told her he’d become a marine because Tucker was a marine.

Gordon would have walked through fire for Tucker and had told her if anything ever happened to him she should turn to him for help.

As it turned out, her husband had given his life for Tucker...

And left her to raise their son alone.

Tucker McDermott was the last person she wanted to turn to for help, but her son was in trouble and Suzie would do whatever it took to save him.

* * *

An hour after he’d been kicked, Tucker watched the trailer loaded with donkeys drive away. His hip throbbed like the pounding of a heavy-metal band...and since he had a metal plate in his thigh, it stood to reason. It was feeling better, he thought as he eased into the seat and closed the door. Totally conscious that he was being watched from the rented moving truck twenty yards away, he turned off his lights, backed up, then headed toward the ranch with Suzie following.

He’d been shaken to look down at the flaxen-haired woman helping him and discover Suzie Kent’s remarkable blue-green eyes.

So much had crashed through his mind at that moment. Guilt for being alive when her husband was dead. Sorrow for what the war had cost her and her son—and Gordon. But there was the other emotion that swept through him strong and swift and deep...attraction.

Gordon had shown him her picture over and over when they were stationed in the Middle East. No one in the unit had missed seeing Suzie’s photo. He’d been so proud and so in love with her. And Tucker could completely understand why—not just because of how beautiful she was, but because of the person his comments set her up to be. She’d sounded like a kind and caring woman, and her actions proved it. She didn’t just send letters to her husband, but also care packages filled with his favorite things. And she always sent along plenty for the other marines in his unit—a thoughtful gesture appreciated by all.

Suzie Kent was the real deal and Gordon had been a lucky man.

Tucker hadn’t been so lucky in love, before his stint in the marines or since. He’d been too in love with his career—this had been pointed out to him several times and it had been true. Driven to make a difference in the world was what he’d called it.

He wasn’t marriage material back then, still wasn’t. But he knew finding what Gordon and Suzie had found together wasn’t easy.

He’d been happy for Gordon, though, and drawn to look at Suzie’s pictures as often as Gordon wanted to show them. Everything was raw and harsh and brutal where they’d been, and looking into Suzie Kent’s sparkling eyes had made him feel that there was hope in this world.

That he was fighting for goodness to prevail.

Moments ago, Tucker had looked down and Suzie hadn’t been a photo any longer. She’d been real, and staring into her eyes, brutal reality had struck him like a bolt of lightning. Suzie Kent had once been full of life, fun and vivacious. Now she was sad and struggling to hide it.

Worry was etched into her expression and imprinted in the depths of her eyes. She seemed skittish, too, and uncertain.

And it was because of him.

If he’d died and Gordon had lived, she wouldn’t be having the trouble she was having with her son or her life.

And, as much as he wanted to help Abe, Tucker wanted just as much to bring back the girl in those photos.

He knew deep in his soul that Gordon would have wanted that.

And as he began the drive toward the ranch with Suzie following, Tucker vowed once more that he would not let his fallen friend down.

Chapter Two

Turmoil rolled in Suzie’s stomach like bad chicken salad as she followed Tucker down the country road. Pastures spread out on either side of the road, and yellow flowers were everywhere, carpeting the hillside in sunny yellow—goatweed, she knew, but pretty nonetheless.

When a majestic, wooden entrance came into view she knew this was Sunrise Ranch before she saw the name and before Tucker slowed and turned into the drive. Gordon had described everything perfectly.

In the distance, she could see the tops of the ranch buildings. She didn’t look at Abe, but she felt him straighten in his seat and bend forward slightly, as if to get a better view. Her heart squeezed tight with hope.

They topped the hill, and the ranch spread out before them.

“This is where your dad came to live about the age you are now,” she said, even though he already knew this. “He loved it here. I can see why.”

Abe had stopped talking much about Gordon over the past year. It was as if he were angry with him for not being around. She understood. She had her own anger issues to deal with.

“Your dad had described it just like this,” she said, loving the look of the place as she pulled to a halt beside Tucker at the rear of the large ranch house—a welcoming two-story house with an expansive back porch, inviting one to sit a spell overlooking the ranch compound. Out to the side of the house, an office and then a chow hall sat connected by porches and plank sidewalks. Small wooden signs swinging from the covered porches confirmed this, but she knew it from Gordon’s descriptions.

Directly across the white rock parking lot was an older, but extremely well-maintained red stable that he’d said was at least a hundred years old. Gordon had loved the stable—she could still hear the awe in his tone when he talked of the baby horses being born there.

Beside the stable was a massive silver barn with an arena and corral attached. And out in the distance sat another building with playground equipment behind it—this was the schoolhouse.

There were boys everywhere, it seemed. Some were in the arena with a few cattle, others were on horses, riding toward them across the pasture. No sooner had Suzie parked than it seemed their truck was surrounded.

Suzie could easily tell that the bright-eyed boys were all ages, the youngest seemed to be eight or nine but there were all heights and ages.

Surely one of these boys would be a good friend to Abe.

She was about to open her door, but a dark-headed kid who looked amazingly like a young Elvis pulled it open for her.

“Hi, ma’am. Welcome to Sunrise Ranch. I’m Tony.”

She could not help but smile. Not only from the fact that he did, indeed, sound like Elvis, but also because just the simple act of courtesy gave her another swift surge of hope. His eyes twinkled with goodwill and happiness—as her Abe’s once had. Please, God, let this be the answer.

She heard Abe’s door squeak open and glanced over her shoulder to see him getting out. Tucker was exiting his truck at the same time and said something to him as Abe closed his door. She turned back and smiled at Tony and the other boys, all talking at the same time.

“You done brung us another boy,” said a small, plump boy, who looked to be the youngest. He looked from her to Abe on the other side of the truck.

“You want us to show you how to rope?” one called to Abe.

“Are you going to live here?”

“Can you ride a horse?”

Questions bombarded them from all directions.

She laughed, not knowing who to answer first.

“Whoa, boys,” Tucker said, rounding the end of the truck with Abe. “Take it slow. This here is Abe. Yes, he’s going to be going to school with y’all. And yes, he’ll also need some help learning to ride and rope and work cows.”

Suzie watched as everyone started introducing themselves. It was going to take her forever to learn all of their names. She would remember Tony. He seemed to be close to Abe’s age.

Over the tops of their heads, her gaze met Tucker’s and her pulse kicked into a gallop. His deep blue eyes seemed to reach for her and she felt suddenly breathless. What was wrong with her? These were emotions of attraction.

And they had no place between her and Tucker McDermott.

No place at all.

Abruptly the office door opened, and a tall, straight-backed woman with a gray ponytail and a wide grin came striding outside—Ruby Ann McDermott. She was followed by Randolph McDermott. Both had come to Gordon’s funeral and stood beside her as if they were his family. They’d loved Gordon and he’d loved them, having considered them the family he’d never had since his parents abandoned him early in life. At the service, they’d given their condolences and offered to help her in any way they could. She’d refused their help at the time.

Randolph, a handsome man in his mid-fifties had threads of white at the temples of his charcoal hair. He’d marked his sons with the same dark hair and George Strait good looks.

Crossing to her now, she was struck again by his kind eyes as he took her hand in his.

“We are so glad you’ve come,” he said. “We loved Gordon and are honored to get the opportunity to know you and Abe through Sunrise Ranch. This was Gordon’s home and he loved it here.”

“Thank you. He did love it.”

Ruby Ann, or Nana as Gordon said he and all the boys affectionately called her, wrapped her arms around Suzie, just as she’d done at the funeral two years earlier. “Welcome to Sunrise Ranch, precious girl,” she said. “I’m so glad you’ve come. We all are.”

Randolph’s eyes held hers. “We are forever in Gordon’s debt for the sacrifice he made, and the sacrifice you and Abe made. His home is your home.”

She fought back tears, her emotions were on edge today. She’d heard so many similar declarations over the past two years. But none of them changed what had happened.

And yet people were sincere, and that meant so much to her.

“Thank you. And I’m very grateful for what you’re doing for us. For Abe,” she said softly, not wanting him to hear, though he was now encircled by the other boys and she doubted he could hear anything she might say. Her heart swelled with gratefulness, despite the turmoil raging inside of her at having to turn to Tucker. Without the hope they were giving her with this opportunity for Abe she didn’t know what she would have done.

Nana smiled warmly. “You think nothing of it. That boy needs this place. I can feel it in my soul. There’s healing here at Sunrise Ranch. You needn’t worry. Time and God’s goodness will heal his broken heart.”

Glancing back at Abe she caught Tucker’s gaze again. A shiver raced down her spine when she thought she glimpsed pain in his eyes. She looked away and was glad when Randolph and Nana moved in to meet Abe.

She pushed aside the thought that Tucker might be hurting, too—and not just in his wounded hip. For two years she’d blamed him, never once thinking about what he’d been through, and now, upon meeting him, she had started thinking about his feelings.

It made her nervous and she wasn’t sure why. She hadn’t had long to think about it when one of the littler boys tugged on her arm.

“We’re gonna show you and your boy how to rodeo,” he said. “Oh, and I’m Sammy.” A wide, enthusiastic smile spread big and bright across his thin face, and he puffed his chest way out. “I’m gettin’ good and I’ve only been here a little over a year. Just think how good I’m going to be next month.”

She laughed. He was so adorable and it was obvious he was thriving here.

To her surprise, the boys had planned a mini rodeo for them and, within minutes, in the midst of a flurry of action, she and Abe found themselves over by the arena watching the boys riding their horses and roping and chasing calves. Abe looked sullen, but at least he wasn’t storming off to be alone.

“So, we’re all excited you bought Joyce and Lester’s flower shop,” Nana said, coming to stand beside her at the arena fence.

“I am, too.” Finding the flower shop for sale had been a bonus incentive for coming to Dew Drop. It wasn’t as if she could just pick up and move to the town without a job to support them. That had been a worry. But she’d worked at a florist’s for years, and when she’d started looking at possible jobs she’d come across the for-sale ad for the Dew Drop Petal. The price had been unbelievably reasonable, and she’d known exactly what to use part of her life insurance settlement on.

The flower shop had been a great blessing. And after feeling as though God had turned his back on them since Gordon’s death, it had been very welcoming to her bruised faith.

“Dew Drop’s not that big, but you should do well. And if there is anything I can do, I’d be happy to help. And our Tucker there, he’ll assist you any way he can. That man has a huge cloud of guilt hanging over his head where Gordon is concerned. He loved Gordon as a brother. He’ll want to help you in any way he can.”

Suzie didn’t want to think about his guilty feelings. “I came here for him to help with Abe. That’s all I’ll need from him.”

Nana studied her with deep blue eyes that unsettled her. After a moment, she patted Suzie’s arm. “God’s got a plan, Suzie. I think maybe you don’t believe that. But He does. He always does.”

Suzie yanked her gaze away and, without meaning to, found herself looking at the broad-shouldered form of Tucker leaning on the fence beside Abe, pointing at the boys, explaining to her son what was going on in the arena.

She was clinging to the hope of a plan, but it didn’t have anything to do with spending unnecessary time with Tucker McDermott.

As a matter of fact, the less time she spent around him, the better.

* * *

“Hey, you want me to show you how to rope?”

Tucker took a swig of his iced tea. The cold, sweet liquid did nothing to cool the burning tension in the pit of his stomach as Abe gave Caleb an angry glare. Caleb was trying to pull Abe out of his shell, but the boy wasn’t interested. Fortunately, the boys of Sunrise Ranch were used to this kind of behavior and had probably been on the giving end when they’d first arrived at the ranch, alone, lost and feeling as if their world had come to an end.

The emotions that warred behind Abe’s chilly blue gaze were not uncommon.

Tucker’s dad always halted chores and school and held some small welcome event for each boy upon his arrival, to showcase the fun that was in store for him. This helped ease their transition and break them into life on the ranch by snagging their interest.

During the mini rodeo for Abe and Suzie, Tucker spent time explaining what each event was to Abe. Though the kid hadn’t joined in on the conversation, the fact that he’d listened was a plus, and Tucker believed he was interested.

When the rodeo was over, Nana called everyone to the chow hall, where they’d decided to have their first meal with Suzie and Abe. Sometimes Nana would have the guests and all the boys over at the house, but it was a rowdy event and they’d decided it would be better to eat in the chow hall. It would be good for Suzie to see where Abe would be having his meals during school hours. Abe would eat supper at the ranch house with Suzie and Nana, since the boys ate their evening meal with their house parents at the two foster homes on the ranch.

Tucker had given Suzie some space not long after the mini rodeo started, staying out of her way for a couple of hours. She was clearly not comfortable around him, and so he’d let his dad and his grandmother and his other family members try to put her at ease. His brother Morgan was there with his wife, Jolie, who was the teacher of the school. And his youngest brother, Rowdy, was there also, though his fiancée, Lucy, was at an art show in New York and couldn’t make it. Everyone had tried hard to make Suzie and Abe feel welcome and she’d seemed to respond well with them. Even seemed to relax and he’d thought some of the tension had eased from her eyes.

But dinner was over now. Pans of homemade lasagna and Nana’s handmade rolls had been devoured and only the crumbs remained. The huge bowls of her cream-cheese banana pudding slathered in whipped cream were practically licked clean. And the boys were walking around smacking their lips in satisfaction.

His nana knew how to make boys happy. She gave them plenty of love and nurturing, and filled them with the best food in Texas, and plenty of it.

As the sun started to dip under the horizon, he knew it was time to talk; he’d put it off as long as possible.

Suzie and Nana were on the porch, and as he walked over he forced the nerves rattling around in his gut like barbed wire to go away. He’d faced more than his share of danger, and yet facing Suzie made him feel like a coward.

“I hate to interrupt, but, Suzie, could we take a walk? I think it would be a good idea for us to discuss a few things.”

She minded. It was written clearly in her eyes.

“No, not at all. If you’ll excuse me, Nana, Tucker is right. We need to talk.”

Nana squeezed Suzie’s arm. “You go along, dear. When you get back I’ll show you upstairs to your room and you can get you and Abe settled into the ranch house.”

“Thanks. Thanks for everything.”

Nana waved off the gratitude. “You are family, just like Gordon was. My house is your house. Helping is what families do. Now go, it will do the two of you good to talk.”

There were kids all around the yard and the barn, and despite Abe’s reluctance to join in, Tony and Caleb, along with Jake, one of the newest teens, had gotten him to go to the stable to see the horses. Horses were always good for the boys.

“We can walk out to the school, if you’d like. I’m sure you’d like to see where Abe will be tomorrow.”

Placing her hand on her stomach, as if to calm her nerves, she nodded and fell into step with him.

In her running shoes, she came to just below his chin. So when she looked at him she was looking up slightly and it made her seem even more vulnerable than he knew she was.

“How’s Abe doing since we talked?” They’d had a couple of conversations on the phone prior to her move. She’d explained that she needed help, that Abe was hanging with a crowd of older boys who were constantly in trouble and that she was afraid for him. He’d heard the fear and distress in her voice over the long-distance line.

Two of the boys Abe had been hanging out with had just been sent to juvenile jail. Abe had been sneaking out at night, several times that she knew of, and he refused to tell her what he’d been doing. She’d called Tucker out of desperation and he knew it—because she blamed him for Gordon being dead. She’d made that clear when he’d gone to see her after being released from the hospital. She’d refused his help and refused to have anything to do with him.

Until now.

Her eyes flashed and he could have punched himself.

“You saw him,” she said tightly. “He’s like a bomb waiting to explode. He’s been that way since he lost his father. It’s just getting worse.” The accusation vibrated in her words and the vein in her throat beat so hard it was obvious that her blood pressure had skyrocketed. He hated that he’d done this. His own blood was pounding in his ears. He hadn’t been trained for this.

Silence stretched between them, the only sound the soft crunch of gravel as they followed the path across the pasture toward the school.

He started over. “What I meant to say was—how long after losing his father was it before he started hanging around this group of kids?”

Her shoulders slumped as she pushed her silky hair behind her ear. “It was about a year ago. We’d had a tough first year. Lots of tears and angry outbursts and sullenness. We saw a counselor, but Abe wouldn’t open up and eventually he refused to return. I should have found him another counselor—one he would talk to. I should have continued until I found the right one. But he refused and said if I took him to another one, he would run away. And I believed him.”

There was anguish in her voice and it tore at Tucker. He said a silent prayer that God would lead him in helping Suzie. His faith had been the strength that had sustained him through all of this. His faith that God would not let this family down.

“I understand. And after that?”

She took a deep breath. “After that, things went downhill. He started skipping school and sneaking out at night, even though he was barely thirteen. He was in detention much of the time. The school tried. They felt for him. He met one of these boys in detention. The other was a dropout.”

“You can’t blame yourself.”

She looked up at him. “I don’t.”

Her eyes were hard where he’d seen softness and love in the photos of her smiling at her husband. Tucker’s gut clenched and he felt like throwing up.

“At least I try not to. I blame the war. I blame you. Even though I know it’s unreasonable. I do. But still, I feel guilty because I couldn’t hold it together without Gordon. He was made of stauncher stuff. He believed in me. And in the end, I’ve let him down.” Tears were in her eyes. “He believed in you, too. And so I’ve come. Maybe his trust in you is worth more than his trust in me.”

Her throat worked as she tried not to cry. It was clear in her expression that she was fighting breaking down.

“No, it isn’t,” he offered bluntly, feeling awkward. How was he supposed to answer something like that? “I’m sure you’re probably exhausted from the move, too,” he said, when she looked away as if embarrassed that she was crying. It took everything Tucker had not to wipe away the tears trailing down her cheeks. He vowed he would fix this as best it could be fixed without Gordon rising from the dead.

She wiped away the tears herself and took a shuddering breath. He watched her stiffen her shoulders.

He cleared his own throat. “Your husband loved you more than life itself. It was evident to all who came within ten feet of him. Your picture was shown around more than a pinup, and he talked about how strong and good you were. He would never believe you let him down. You should know that.”

She looked away. “If we don’t find a way to save Abe from this destructive path he’s on, nothing else matters. Sunrise Ranch and you are my last hope.”

“We’ll all get through. This is a place of healing. My mother had a dream to see scared and scarred boys find a place to belong and mend. She knew...” He paused and looked across the pastures at the setting sun and the beauty surrounding them. When he looked back at Suzie she had followed his gaze and was staring toward the sunset, too.

“You’ve seen the boys who are here. They are happy, regular boys now. Yes, they have deep hurts and issues that they deal with, but we are their support group. Their family. Just as Gordon was part of our family. You saw some of that tonight with Nana. Even if no one else makes any headway with Abe, Nana and her food and love will smooth a path for others to reach him. It happens all the time.”

They started walking again. “She is wonderful.” There was wistful hope in her voice.

That breathless sound eased a knot slightly that had formed beneath his rib cage. They’d reached the school and stopped beside the porch. “She is,” he agreed. “So rest assured. And I promise it will work out. It may not be easy but Abe will be all right.” He’d never made promises he meant more than the ones he was making to Suzie.

Tucker prayed God’s plan and his plan were the same.

“Let me show you the school,” he said, opening the door. “It’s a simple three-room structure with restrooms.” They walked into the large, open room full of desks and bookshelves and exploding with color. “As you know, Jolie is the teacher. And she loves bright colors.”

She paused in the doorway, and her breath caught. “I love it! It radiates with happiness. Just like she does.”

Glad for something positive to latch on to, he smiled looking at some of the bulletin boards. “That’s true, Jolie is a very happy person and it shows. Jolie loves color and light. She had Rowdy’s fiancée, Lucy, paint the mural of the outdoor scene around the chalkboard.”

“I love that. It brings the outside in.”

He was feeling hopeful now, hearing the excitement in Suzie’s voice. “She loves the outdoors, and holds class outside a lot. At her request we added more picnic tables out back under the trees. She’s great.”

“She and Morgan were really nice at dinner. I heard the boys saying she was a champion kayaker.”

“Yes. World-class. But her heart is here now. The boys are enthralled with her.”

“I can see why. It’s rather intimidating to think about.”

“Tell me about it. I certainly don’t know how kayakers do what they do, and I don’t want to. But the boys like the idea that their teacher has an adventurous spirit. It helps her to be able to talk to them. Plus, she was raised here. Her parents were house parents, and she went to school here with me, Morgan and Rowdy, when the school first started. She has witnessed the power of Sunrise Ranch. She’ll be good for Abe.”

Suzie nodded. “I like that. This is certainly going to be different than the school he was attending.”

“We found having a smaller group setting was a better option for the boys here at the ranch. It will be good for Abe.” He prayed it was so.

He showed her the rest of the school, then took her out back to the picnic tables and swings that sat beneath the oak trees. A breeze rustled through the leaves, and the sunset had turned into a pink glow, making a beautiful horizon.

Suzie turned to him. “Thank you for agreeing to do this.”

He could tell that was costing her. What must she feel about him behind those beautiful, sad eyes?

Tucker yanked his thoughts back. He had a good head on his shoulders. He knew how to handle tough situations and make clear decisions under stressful ones. The emotions assaulting him as he stared into Suzie’s eyes were dangerous. Having a crush on the wife of the man whose death you felt responsible for just was not acceptable.

And if she even got a hint of what he was feeling, she would surely leave this ranch and never come back.

And he wouldn’t blame her at all.

Chapter Three

“Abe, can I come in?” Suzie asked, tapping softly on the door of his room. There was a muffled “Whatever” from the other side of the door, so she opened it. Abe was stretched out on the bed staring at the ceiling. The fluffy green bedspread made him seem small, even though she knew he was growing like a weed.

She walked across the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. He kept his gaze firmly locked on the ceiling, and didn’t even glance at her. Her fingers itched to push the lock of hair out of his eyes.

“I just wanted to tell you good-night.” She touched his arm gently, but he pulled away. The boy she’d glimpsed earlier on the road with the donkeys seemed like a dream gone away. As if she’d imagined him for a moment. “The boys seem nice. Tony and Caleb must be about your age, too.”

His jaw tightened. “They’re okay,” he said at last. “Now can I go to sleep?”

“Abe, I won’t have you being disrespectful,” she said, shaken by his coldness. His eyes suddenly glistened with unshed tears. Her heart broke one more time.... How could a heart break over and over again? How...? Dear God, help me. Help my son.

After a moment she stood, knowing that hugging him was asking too much.

“Abe, what happened to us—losing your father—that wasn’t fair. But life isn’t fair always. Your dad would want you to be happy. This ranch, these people. They made him happy. I just want you to give it all a chance.”

His gaze met hers finally, but only for a desolate moment, then he rolled over and turned his back to her.

“I love you, son.” It felt like she was saying the words to a brick wall. Her heart ached.

Abe’s going to be all right. I promise. Tucker’s words echoed through her thoughts and gave her strength.

Still, it took everything in her to stand up, walk out and close the door.

Tomorrow a new day would begin.

And Suzie was going to trust that it would be their new start. She was going to think positive and give it everything she had. For Abe.

* * *

The next morning, Suzie’s sense of hope continued to prevail as she drove into town. Abe had eaten a huge breakfast with the other boys—Nana relayed the info, because Suzie had forced herself not to hover. Not to go peek through the windows, either—though it was exactly what she wanted to do.

Sometimes a mother’s job was hard—stepping back was one of the harder things.

But when she’d walked across the hall to his room she’d been surprised to find him already up and dressed and she’d taken that as a great sign. He’d startled her more by revealing that he’d decided to help feed the horses.

Evidently he’d been invited to do so, and after a night of thinking about it, he’d decided to help. It was a positive start and Suzie, not knowing what to expect when she’d awakened that morning, was thrilled.

Now, heading into town, she found herself relaxing in the seat of her small car, which Tucker had unhitched from the moving truck the previous night. She had the truck for another day, so she was going to have to find a place to rent, though the McDermotts had assured her that she and Abe were welcome to stay as long as needed. And she was wondering if prolonging their stay for a little while might be a good thing, if spending mornings, days and nights there would put him more in the action for a little while.

There was an apartment on the second story of the building that housed the florist’s shop, but she’d been told it was in some disrepair. She wasn’t sure she wanted to live above the store, anyway—how good would that be for Abe? But it was an option.

For now, she’d use it to store her things until she decided what she wanted to do.

The town was darling. The four-story, redbrick Dew Drop Inn reigned supreme across from a quaint town park that was surrounded by four rows of small businesses. On the far corner across the street from the Dew Drop Inn was the Spotted Cow Café with a sunny yellow door and red geraniums. Like a welcome sign, it begged a person to come visit.

On the bench outside the newspaper office just down the street sat two older gentlemen who waved as she passed. They were whittling and added to the feeling that Mayberry had come to life. Suzie instantly imagined Sheriff Andy Taylor walking the streets—but then, Tucker McDermott’s image replaced the fictional sheriff’s image and Dew Drop seemed suddenly a little more exciting than Mayberry. Stop with that, already!

Pulling into the empty parking spot three doors down from the weathered church pew where the gentlemen were sitting, a wave of nerves suddenly attacked her like stinging bees.

The ugly chipped door of her new business was directly in front of her, kind of a toss-up between mud-brown and murky gray.

“First order of business,” she muttered. “Paint that door.”

To say it was bad was the understatement of the year. And hopefully not a foreshadowing of things to come once she opened it and stepped inside.

The two older men came hurrying down the sidewalk, their boots scuffing as they came.

“We’ve been expecting you this morning,” the taller one said, grinning wide. He looked as though he smiled often because of the crinkles around his pale green eyes. “We made sure and got here early, just so we could welcome you. Right, Drewbaker?”

“Right, Chili,” the other man agreed. “We usually show up in the afternoon after we get our cows fed, but we snuck away this morning.” He winked, making her chuckle at the pure teasing in his manner.

“Thank you so much for coming. I’m Suzie Kent.”

“Oh, we know who you are. But I’m Chili Crump and that’s Drewbaker Mackintosh.”

Mr. Mackintosh nodded. “We heard all about you buying the place from Joyce and Lester. Those two were so excited to hook a buyer, they told the world it had sold before the papers were signed.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Mr. Crump said, scratching his jaw. “Why, they packed up their motor home and left town almost before we could wave goodbye. You’d think they couldn’t wait to get rid of us.”

Mr. Mackintosh’s entire face fell with his frown. “Yeah, kind of felt like we weren’t wanted anymore,” he said, then winked again. “They really wanted to get out of town before you changed your mind.”

“That bad?” she asked, enjoying herself, despite the ominous teasing.

Both men grinned and followed her to the door, watching as she stuck in the key. Opening the door felt as if she was opening the best gift at Christmas, even as the musty scent of age wafted out in greeting.

“Well, gentlemen, let’s see what I’ve got, shall we?” She couldn’t help but feel happy walking in. Comical expressions of doom and gloom lit her new friends’ faces—half teasing, she knew, and yet the place had certainly seen better times.

Entering, she had to step lively to get out of their way as they crowded in behind her.

Someone flicked the lights on—not really a good thing, since it illuminated the lost and forlorn look of the empty flower shop. Glass cases that had to be some of the first ever made lined one wall. A single forgotten vase of flowers sat wilted behind the glass. The floors were old planks, rough and worn so that they had a shine to them like pebbles under a constant stream of water. Their footsteps rang out in the cavernous room.

The back room wasn’t any better. The tables all looked as though they were made from leftover wood, with plywood tops that had no charm at all. Turning back to the front room she studied the small front counter, more of a podium, with barely enough room for a purchase tablet much less a computer—even a small laptop. That would have to be remedied. Bad, to say the least, and yet...light streamed in from the large, old plate-glass window and made a sunny spot in the center of the room. It was to that sunny spot that Suzie walked and stood as she readjusted her eyes.

“It ain’t much to look at.”

“Mr. Mackintosh, you’re right, it has its bad points.”

“Call me Drewbaker. Ever’body does.”

“And the same here. Call me Chili, little lady.”

She smiled. “Drewbaker and Chili, then. It does have its bad points. But, for the money I paid, I got a steal of a deal. That’s a huge plus. And look up. Isn’t that tin ceiling amazing? What charm.”

Both of them cranked their necks back and frowned.

“You’ve got better eyes than me,” Drewbaker said. “Ain’t no charm in here.”

Chili agreed with his silence and the skeptical expression on his craggy face.

“Now, it’s not that bad,” Tucker said from the doorway. “Good morning, Suzie. Fellas.”

Suzie’s pulse bucked into rodeo mode upon seeing him—it was very disturbing.

“Good morning,” she said. Then, not waiting for any more encouraging declarations, she walked over to the glass cases and tried the sliding doors. “These work great. That’s a plus. They would be the most expensive pieces for me to purchase, so as long as they keep the flowers cool, everything else is workable. You’ll be amazed what a little paint will do.”

“That’s right,” Tucker said, coming over to test the doors himself. “You have a great attitude.”

“Well, I have two choices. See only the bad or start thinking positive. I want to think positive. Paint will work wonders. And scrubbing and rearranging.

“And flowers,” she added. “Flowers everywhere will change the whole atmosphere.”

And scent. What was that odor?

Candles. Candles and flowers would change the scent.

Yes, she had a plan.

She dropped her fists to her hips and did a full turn, taking in the room, trying not to think about Tucker watching her.

She came to a halt at the comical expressions of dismay on Chili’s and Drewbaker’s faces.

“This place is a dump. To tell you the truth, we haven’t been in here in years.” Drewbaker scratched his head. “My wife always said I’d pick a neighbor’s rose and give it to her before I’d pay for one, and I reckon she was right.”

Suzie chuckled. “Sadly, you aren’t alone.”

“I bought a few in my day,” Chili said, with a sheepish grin. “But it’s been a while. I might have to buy some once you get this joint up and going. Matter of fact, you put me down as your first customer. You just let me know when you start making deliveries.”

Tucker shot him a glance.

“You’re serious?” Drewbaker asked.

“I am. A man’s got to make a move sometime.”

Drewbaker’s laugh nearly busted out the windows. “Well, I’ll be getting me some entertainment from this. What do you think, Tucker?”

“Might be interesting,” Tucker agreed, his eyes dancing with laughter.

Suzie couldn’t help but be curious, but she’d learned not to ask personal questions about flowers unless it was absolutely necessary. Privacy was part of her business. So she’d wait. “I’ll certainly let you know the date,” she said.

“Okay, Romeo,” Drewbaker grunted. “You and me both have hungry cows waitin’ on us. We bes’ get a move on.”

The two said their goodbyes and were gone, leaving Suzie and Tucker alone. The room seemed suddenly much smaller than it had before.

“How long have you been a florist?” he asked. “You seem to really enjoy it.”

“I do. I started working in a shop for a friend not long after Abe was born. Opening my own place is a dream I’ve had for a long time.”

He smiled and the room grew even smaller. “You’ll make people smile with each arrangement.”

It startled her realizing how easy she found talking to Tucker. She’d just opened up to him about her dreams.... “I need to check out the upstairs,” she said, heading out the door and onto the street, needing to break the moment.

Tucker followed her, of course, opting not to stand alone inside her shop while she came out onto the sidewalk. The man was like a bright, shiny penny, with his badge and buckle both glinting in the sun. And those eyes—and that warm smile spreading across his ruggedly good-looking face had Suzie’s insides fluttering to life with renewed awareness.

Instantly ruining a great morning.

* * *

Tucker hadn’t slept much after leaving the ranch last night. He’d gone home to his place, which was on a small piece of land just on the outskirts of Dew Drop. After moving back, he’d decided to move in closer to town. When he’d become sheriff, he found he was often barraged by calls at all times of the day and night—it was better to be closer to his office. Getting to the office quickly in an emergency situation was important to him. He’d live on the land he loved again, one day, but for now, while he’d taken the oath to serve and protect, he’d live close by. Plus, he’d felt the need to be alone at times. Especially in the beginning when nightmares kept him awake—he pushed the thought away and focused on Suzie. Helping her was the only thing that could give him some redemption from the past.

She seemed different this morning. She was upbeat and striving. He liked that. Liked it a lot that she was fighting, and that would be good for her. The woman he’d seen in the pictures didn’t seem so far away right now.

“I’m sure that old shop will look like a different place when you’re done. I’m pretty sure the apartment isn’t livable, though. It’ll be a good place to store your things until you find what you want.”

“I guess we’ll just go up and look,” she said, starting up the steps.

Tucker followed her. The steps creaked beneath their feet but seemed sturdy. Suzie rested her hand on the banister as she went.

“Did Lester and Joyce live up here?”

“No. They had a little house over near the lake. They didn’t really use this, I don’t think. That’s one reason I thought I might come up with you. I’m not sure if they ever came up here or if they even did anything with the stuff that had been here before they left.”

She paused on the steps. “Everyone is saying they left town quickly. It sounds like they were really ready to not be tied to a business any longer.”

She was a step ahead of him, and that made her almost exactly his height. He could look her straight in the eyes.

She rested her hip against the railing. “Do you think there was some other reason they left so quickly?”

“I don’t know. They’d had the place up for sale for a couple of years, and I think they had almost decided just to leave anyway. Your offer came while they were packing up, so I think they didn’t pause to look back.”

Just as the last words were out of his mouth an ominous crack sounded and the banister Suzie was leaning against broke.

* * *

Suzie felt the board she was barely resting against give under her hip. She tried to catch her balance, arms flailing, but as the board broke there was nothing stopping her from tipping backward into open space. She was twelve feet above the ground with nothing but gravel and dirt below her.

Suddenly, a strong arm snaked around her waist and she was yanked from thin air and pulled hard against Tucker’s firm chest.

“I’ve got you,” he assured her as he swung around, throwing their momentum in the opposite direction. One moment she’d been free-falling and the next she found herself held snuggled in his arms against the brick wall of the building.

Both of them were breathing hard as she stared into his eyes. Her feet dangled beneath her and she was nose to nose, eye to eye with Tucker. Her gaze dropped to the mere inch between their lips.

“Thank you,” she managed as her pulse thundered. Her mouth went dry when she met his gaze and realized he’d watched her studying his beautiful mouth.

What am I thinking! I almost plunged twelve feet to the ground and now I’m thinking about kissing Tucker. What is wrong with me? This is so wrong.

“No thanks required,” Tucker said, taking a deep breath as if he, too, had just remembered to breathe.

She pulled away and they moved in sync, him moving down a step, her shifting up away from him. Even separated from him, her skin tingled with sensation.

“That will have to be fixed,” she said, as if he didn’t realize that. Silly, but it was the first thing that popped out of her numbed brain.

Spinning away from him and keeping close to the building, she stared at the steps. She moved up one step at a time to the small landing outside the door. Key. She needed a key.

Digging in her jeans pocket she produced it and, with trembling fingers, inserted it into the lock and twisted.

Tucker had followed close behind her, not saying anything, but she knew he was as shaken as she was. She’d read it in his eyes. The tension radiated between them as she pushed open the door and stepped into the murky room.

Her thoughts were just as murky as suddenly the lights came on, and she saw Tucker had flipped the switch.

Relief washed over her, seeing that the room wasn’t as full of leftover stuff as she’d feared. She moved farther inside, putting space between them.

In her mind she wanted to be grateful that he’d caught her.

But she was too shaken by the experience.

“What do you think?” Tucker’s baritone radiated through the room.

Think? That I’ve lost my mind. “It, ah, isn’t as bad as it could be.”

“It might take a little while to get it cleaned up if you’re thinking about living up here. But we could help or, if you want some walls moved around and would rather hire it done, I know a great contractor.”

Suzie grabbed hold of this new topic of conversation, glad to focus on something other than how being around Tucker was affecting her. “I think we’ll just store my stuff up here for now. I might decide to find a rental property instead. You know, something with a yard, so Abe could have a dog. After I get the business going, though. Maybe I can think clearer about what would be best then. Tackling the store downstairs should be my priority.”

“That sounds like a plan. And you know, the ranch is your home as long as you want it. There is plenty of room. And Nana will love having you in the house with her.” He was studying her, as if he were trying to read the thoughts flickering through her mind.

“But,” she added quickly, “I need to have that banister repaired.”

“Count it already done. I’m heading over to the lumber company right now, and I’ll have that fixed before lunch.”

She wanted to say she’d get someone else, but she needed it done as soon as possible, before they began traipsing up and down with her things. Anyone could fall and she would blame herself. “Thank you again,” she said. “I seem to be indebted to you over and over.”

Tucker frowned. “No debt. That’s all mine.” With that said, he went to inspect the next room.

Suzie followed, slowly, startled that for an instant she’d forgotten what Tucker had cost her and her child. That if it wasn’t for him Gordon would be alive and they wouldn’t be here.

No thanks required.

That’s what he’d said and it was true.

Chapter Four

Tucker called in Cody, his deputy, so he could take the morning off to get the banister rebuilt. And he needed the physical exertion—needed something to occupy his mind, but it wasn’t working. He’d been thinking of nothing except holding Suzie in his arms all morning.

What a jerk he’d been. He’d rescued her, and then instantly his pulse had ramped up and he’d been looking at her as if she was his long-lost love. And she’d seen it, too.

He slammed the hammer to the nail with enough force to test the foundation poles holding the stairs in the air. He needed the exertion that working with his hands would provide. Riding his horse across the ranch would have been his number one choice to exert his pent-up frustrations—as far away from Suzie Kent as he could get. But she needed the banister and despite knowing that she was just inside the building, it was where he needed to be.

His reaction to her had stunned him. She was the wife of the man he owed his life to. Widow. His brain corrected. And free to find a new love.

That his thoughts had even hinted at going there angered him. He owed Gordon his life, and he owed Gordon’s widow and child his support to help them maneuver through the wreckage he’d caused in their lives. But to think about her in terms of a love interest—nope, she was way out of bounds to him.

And yet there was no denying that he was attracted to her. Or that she’s the kind of woman I’ve been looking for all of my life.

But there was no chance for there to ever be anything between them—and he had no right even thinking about it. Feeling cornered, he placed another nail in the base of the banister railing and then moved up the steps to hammer in the next one. Six more to go, and not near enough to get rid of the anger fighting inside of him.

He was a man who took action. He’d had to watch his mother die of cancer when he was fourteen and there had been nothing he could do about it. He’d sworn then that he’d make a difference in the lives of others and the marines had drawn him. He’d wanted to make a difference in the world. Time after time he’d pulled his men back from death, or as many as he possibly could. He’d been able to make a difference in their lives and those of their families. Unlike his own. Cancer was a war that many were able to defeat, but his mom had not been one of them.

He’d never thought about what watching helplessly as one of his men gave his life for him would cost—not only the soldier’s family, but him.

He didn’t like it. He couldn’t control it. But he was going to fix it. And being attracted to Gordon’s widow was the ultimate betrayal of his friend. Tucker had been sixteen when that first group of boys had started filtering in, and Gordon had been two years younger when he’d come to Sunrise Ranch the year it opened. Tucker and Gordon had hit it off instantly.

It had been a surprise when Gordon had ended up in his marine unit. They’d celebrated, not realizing that it would come down to one of them living and the other dying.

Tucker closed his eyes, thinking about it. Kenny Chesney’s “Who You’d Be Today” played through his mind, as it did so many times when he thought about Gordon and the others who didn’t come home.

“Woo-hoo, Tucker!”

At the excited singsong holler he opened his eyes, to see Mabel Tilsby, owner of the Dew Drop Inn, weaving her way across the street toward him. A tall, stout woman, she had the heart of a missionary, and that was a good thing because Tucker was pretty sure an angry Mabel could take care of herself.

“You are doing one great job,” she said, drawing to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. “These old stairs have been here since the beginning of time, and they did need repairing.” Hands on hips, she grinned up at him. “I was out front this morning when I saw them break. Thank goodness you were there to save our new resident!”

He glanced across the street and saw that she had a straight shot of the stairs from her front door. He groaned inwardly knowing exactly what Mabel saw—him holding Suzie in his arms longer than necessary.

“Yeah, I should have checked these out a long time ago when I was making my rounds at night.” It was known by everyone that he still walked the square on foot each evening to make sure everything was secure. An odd thing, some might say, since Dew Drop was such a small place and the crime rate was low, but even small towns had problems. And it was his job to make sure his tiny hometown stayed safe.

“You can’t fix everything, even though you think you’re our superhero sheriff,” she said jovially.

Tucker had always liked Mabel. She was a tower of a woman, and with her big-boned frame could almost have been a linebacker if she’d been born a male. His mother used to say that a tall person needed bigger feet to balance out their height, and that Mabel needed her larger size to balance out her large and loving personality. He believed it, too. Mabel would just as soon pick you up and hug you in half as shake your hand.

“Nope, but I can try.” He grinned back at her.

She waved him off. “You got it honestly from both sides of your family. I’m going to go inside and introduce myself. Have to tell that girl how much I loved Gordon. I always smile thinking about that boy. Ta-ta for now.”

And she was gone, disappearing inside the shop. Suzie would hear a lot of good stories about Gordon from Mabel since he’d worked for her as a bellboy whenever she needed help.

Tucker went back to hammering.

And his mind went straight back to thinking about how Suzie Kent had felt in his arms.

* * *

Though the previous owners had left the shop in decent shape, such as it was, there were spiderwebs and dust in the nooks and crannies. She had busied herself cleaning, getting it ready to paint. Paint worked wonders, and she was counting on it for the store.

The thump of the hammer outside was a continual reminder that she’d made a fool of herself by looking up into Tucker McDermott’s eyes like a love-starved widow. How humiliating that cliché was. The more she thought about it, the worse it got.

In addition came the guilt that she’d done so with Tucker. It would have been bad with anyone—but Tucker? It was awful. Guilt engulfed her. And even if Tucker hadn’t been the man she blamed for Gordon’s death, he was in law enforcement. She could never again risk falling for a man who worked in the line of fire. And yet, she couldn’t deny that the man affected her in startling ways.

When a large woman came barreling through the open door, Suzie was more than ready for company.

“Hello, hello. I’m Mabel Tilsby, owner of the Dew Drop Inn—hope you don’t mind me dropping in on you.” She grinned, taking Suzie’s hands in hers for an extended moment.

“Not at all. I’m glad to meet you.”

“I have to tell you that I loved your husband. That Gordon was a good young man. He’d had a rough life, but he came right to this town and brightened it with his smile and good humor. Do you know he rescued me that first summer?”

Suzie couldn’t speak at first, startled by Mabel’s declaration. Of course there would be stories of Gordon. This was his home. She was touched and then remembered him mentioning the owner of the hotel. “He mentioned you,” she said, smiling. “I remember he said you were a wonderful lady.”

That made Mabel blush, her eyes misted. “That boy always was a sweetheart. And just look at you. So beautiful and young. I know he must have loved you very much.”

It was Suzie’s turn to get misty-eyed. She nodded. “He did.”

“Well.” Mabel heaved a deep breath in then expelled it. “He’d be happy you’ve come home and brought his boy. You’ve got a lot of life ahead of you. He’d want you to move forward—or in his case he’d want you to plow forward like he always did.”

Suzie laughed at that. “Yes, he did move at a fast pace.”

Mabel nodded and then studied the shop.

“This old place needed new blood in it. So, what do you think?”

Suzie had been destroying a large web in the upper corner of the ceiling when Mabel burst into the building. She smiled. “Minus all the spiders, let’s just say I’m counting on paint to make a whole new world in here. Paint and flowers.”

“It is ancient.”

“Yes, but serviceable, and that’s what counts. As long as I get some orders for flowers when I open the doors.”

“You’ll get them. And you have such a handsome handyman outside. That has to be a plus.”

“He’s not my handyman. He’s just—” What? Fixing your banister. Being your handyman. “It broke while we were going up to look upstairs. Mr. McDermott and Rowdy are going to come in a little while and help Tucker unload my moving truck and store my things up there for now. I think some of the boys are coming, too, and we didn’t want anyone getting hurt.”

“I understand. Falling from those stairs wouldn’t be good. I saw you almost tumble off this morning. Thank goodness our fabulous sheriff was there. I almost screamed from the steps of the Inn when I realized what was happening. But then, just like that, you were in his arms and safe.” Mabel sighed as she finished and her eyes got dreamy—it was enough to make Suzie worry.

And she felt the heat of a blush race over her as though she’d just been doused in warm cherry juice. “So, come over here and see what you think about the colors I’m going to paint the shop,” she said, changing the subject.

She popped the top of the can of paint in a soft buttery-yellow that she’d picked up at the lumber store.

“Oh, I like that,” Mabel gushed enthusiastically.

Suzie was learning that everything Mabel did was with enthusiasm. It was kind of contagious.

“I think it’s a happy color. It’ll make a perky background for the flowers.”

“I most certainly agree, hon. I’ll go tell the girls and we’ll have a full-scale painting party. How does that sound? All you have to do is tell us where you want it, and we can slap it up there in no time. Matter of fact, have you had lunch?”

Suzie looked at her watch and was startled to see that it was past noon. “No, but—”

“Nope, no buts allowed. You’re coming with me. Seal up that can and let’s go. When were you planning on painting?”

She found herself swept out of the shop and managed to squeeze in “I’ll be back” to Tucker—not that it was any of his business, but he was working on her stairs and he would be lugging her furniture up them before too much later. He nodded that he heard and went back to hammering. They headed down the street with Mabel talking nonstop.

“That man sure looks good swinging a hammer,” Mabel sighed, elbowing her in the ribs before continuing to talk about paint. Before they made it to the café she’d learned that mission trips and fixing things up for folks in need were high priorities for Mabel. It hit Suzie that she’d just been added to the top of Mabel’s folks-in-need list.

She’d become a mission project.

Suzie wasn’t sure how to take that. She took care of herself, or had been trying to. But as they took their seats in the diner and were joined by Ms. Jo, the owner, who was Mabel’s buddy and also Nana’s, Suzie had the oddest sensation that she’d been embraced. Embraced by a town. Being helped just came with the deal.

Gordon would be happy. The knowledge echoed through her heart and she had to fight off a sudden wave of emotion.

Her being happy again would have been what he’d wanted. It felt good knowing that, here in Dew Drop, it was a possibility.

Despite Tucker and her conflicting emotions.

* * *

Later that afternoon, after an already full day, Tucker watched his dad back the moving truck up to the newly renovated stairs. Just as Randolph and Morgan climbed from the truck, Rowdy pulled in beside them with a truck full of the older boys, including Abe.

“Hey, guys,” he said. “Thanks for coming to help.”

“Sure thing,” Jake said. He was new at the ranch, having taken one of the vacant spots left when Joseph and Wes, two of the older boys, headed off to college. Jake didn’t speak much about what he’d been through before he came to them, but he’d had it rough, even lived on the streets for a while. The kid had taken to the ranch as if he’d been born a cowboy, always ready to mount up and herd cattle or pitch in where needed.

Tucker noticed Abe stood back from the group and didn’t look pleased to be here.

“So, did you check out the apartment up there?” Randolph asked, striding over to stand beside him.

Morgan nodded toward Tucker’s handyman project. “Hopefully, it’s more stable now.”

“Yeah,” Rowdy said, grabbing the banister and tugging to test its sturdiness. “Did they teach you to be a carpenter in the marines? Because I don’t remember you ever building anything before now. You sure this thing will hold us?”

“Oh, it’ll hold,” Tucker assured them, heading toward the moving van instead of thinking about that banister breaking and him pulling Suzie into his arms.

As if on cue, Suzie stepped out of the office right at that moment, and she smiled—not at him but at everyone else.

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