Can three baby boys give this couple a second chance?

Lulu McCabe’s secret elopement with Sam Kirkland ended before it even began. Now she has the chance to bring security and joy into the lives of three orphaned boys. As the triplets’ legal guardian, Sam makes Lulu an unexpected proposal. With passion inevitably reigniting, will their past sabotage this family in the making? Or are Lulu and her cowboy ready to commit to the future—and renew their love now and forever?

CATHY GILLEN THACKER is married and a mother of three. She and her husband spent eighteen years in Texas and now reside in North Carolina. Her mysteries, romantic comedies and heartwarming family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward, she says, is knowing one of her books made someone’s day a little brighter. A popular Mills & Boon author for many years, she loves telling passionate stories with happy endings and thinks nothing beats a good romance and a hot cup of tea! You can visit Cathy’s website, cathygillenthacker.com, for more information on her upcoming and previously published books, recipes, and a list of her favourite things.

Also by Cathy Gillen Thacker

The Texas Cowboy’s QuadrupletsHis Baby Bargain

A Texas Soldier’s FamilyA Texas Cowboy’s ChristmasThe Texas Valentine TwinsWanted: Texas DaddyA Texas Soldier’s Christmas

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Their Inherited Triplets

Cathy Gillen Thacker

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09142-8

THEIR INHERITED TRIPLETS

© 2019 Cathy Gillen Thacker

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

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

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

“What are you doing here?” Lulu McCabe rose to her feet and gaped at the big, strapping cowboy with the wheat-blond hair and the mesmerizing gold-flecked eyes. Even with a good ten feet and a huge table between them, just the sight of him made her catch her breath.

Sam Kirkland strolled into the conference room at their Laramie, Texas, lawyers’ office in his usual commanding way. He offered her a sexy half smile that warmed her from the inside out. “I could ask the same of you, darlin’.”

With a scowl, Lulu watched as he came around the table to stand beside her.

Clad in jeans, a tan shirt and boots, his Resistol held politely against the center of his broad chest, he was the epitome of the highly successful, self-made rancher. The way he carried himself only added to his inherent masculine appeal.

Ignoring the shiver of awareness pooling inside her, Lulu looked him square in the eye. “So, you don’t know what this is about, either?” she guessed finally.

“Nope.” He gave her a leisurely once-over, then narrowed his eyes at her, as always appearing to blame her for every calamity that came their way. “I figured you engineered it.”

Anger surged through her, nearly as strong as the attraction she’d worked very hard to deny.

Lulu drew a breath and inhaled the brisk, masculine fragrance of his cologne and the soapy-fresh scent of his hair and skin. Determined to show him just how completely she had gotten over him, she stepped closer, intentionally invading his space. “Why would I want to do that?”

He held her eyes deliberately. Gave her that slow smile, the one that always turned her legs to jelly. “Honestly, darlin’,” he taunted in a low tone, “I don’t know why you want to do lots of things.”

Really? He was going to go back to their last argument, claiming she was not making any sense? Again? Slapping both her hands on her hips, she fumed, “Listen, cowboy, you know exactly why I want to join the Laramie County Cattleman’s Association!”

His gaze drifted over her before she could make her proposal again. “And you know exactly why, as organization president, I’m not about to let you.”

She had a good idea. And it had a lot to do with what had secretly happened between them a little over a decade ago. With exaggerated sweetness, she guessed, “Because you’re not just a horse’s behind, but a stubborn, sexist mule, too?”

Finally, his temper flared, as surely as her own. He blew out a frustrated breath, then lowered his face to hers. “It’s not enough to just own a ranch in Laramie County, Lulu,” he reiterated.

Both hands knotted at her sides, she glared up at him, aware her heart was pounding, and lower still, there was a building heat. “Well, it should be!” she argued right back.

“You have to raise cattle. Not honeybees.”

“Okay, you two, calm down.” Family law attorney Liz Cartwright Anderson breezed into the conference room, her husband and law partner right behind her.

“Or someone might think something besides a show of heat is going on with you,” Travis Anderson quipped.

“The only thing we share is an immense dislike of each other,” Lulu grumbled. Well, that, and an unwillingness to forgive. Because if they had been able to do that...things might be different now. But they hadn’t... So...

Liz sent a questioning look at Sam. He lifted an amiable hand. “What she says,” he quipped.

An awkward silence fell.

“We could meet with you separately,” Travis offered finally. “Since Sam is my client, and Lulu is Liz’s.”

Lulu shook her head. They wouldn’t have been called in together unless the matter involved them both. “Let’s just get it over with,” she groused.

“Okay, then.” Liz smiled. “Travis and I called you both here together because we have some very important things to discuss,” she began, as a somber-looking man with buzz-cut silver hair walked in to join them. He was dressed in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase and appeared to be in his late fifties.

Travis made the formal introductions. “This is Hiram Higgins. He’s an estate attorney from Houston. He’s enlisted our help in making what we hope will be a smooth transition.”

“Transition? For what?” Lulu blurted, glancing over at Sam. For once, the big, sexy cowboy looked as clueless as she was. Unsure whether to take comfort in that or not, she opened her mouth to speak again.

Liz lifted a hand. “It will all become clear in a moment. Why don’t we all sit down?” she suggested kindly.

Everyone took the chair closest to them, which put Sam and Lulu on one side of the table and Liz and Travis opposite them.

Hiram took a chair at the head of the table and opened up his briefcase. “There’s no easy way to say this,” he said, “so I am going to plunge right in. I’m handling the estate of Peter and Theresa Thompson. They were killed in an auto accident in Houston two months ago.”

Lulu sucked in a breath. She hadn’t seen her sophomore year roommate, Theresa, and her husband, Peter—one of Sam’s old college friends—since the two had eloped years before, but shock and sorrow tumbled through her. Sam seemed equally taken aback by the tragic loss. He reached over and put his hand on top of hers.

Normally, Lulu would have resisted his touch. But right now, she found she needed the warm, strong feel of his fingers draped over hers.

She actually needed more than that.

Given the grief roiling around inside her, a hug wouldn’t have been out of bounds...

Had the person beside her been anyone but the man who had stomped her heart all to pieces, of course.

Unobtrusively, Lulu withdrew her hand from his.

Hiram continued, “Peter and Theresa left three sons, two-year-old triplets.”

Lulu struggled to take this all in. Regretting the fact they’d all lost touch with each other, she asked hoarsely, “Where are the children now?”

“In Houston.”

“With family?” Sam ascertained.

Hiram grunted in the affirmative. “And friends. Temporarily. We’re keeping them together, of course. Which is where the two of you come in.” He paused to give both Lulu and Sam a long, steady look.

“Peter and Theresa came to see me shortly after their children were born. They wanted to make out wills, but sadly, were never able to agree on who should take care of their children in the event something happened to them. So, they did what a lot of people do when it comes to thorny guardianship issues. They agreed to discuss it some more...and put off finalizing anything with my office.”

He cleared his throat. “In the meantime, they went on one of those do-it-yourself legal websites and made out practice wills. They never had those notarized, so they aren’t official and may or may not hold up in probate court. But thanks to the copies they left behind, we do have their wishes on record, which is what we are using to guide us now.”

“And those wishes are...?” Sam prodded.

After a long silence, Hiram finally said, “Sam, you were Peter’s third choice for legal guardian. And Lulu, you were Theresa’s fourth choice.”

Third! And fourth! “Who was first?” Lulu asked, curious.

Hiram looked down at his notes. “Theresa chose the great-aunt who raised her. Mabel had the boys for about two weeks, before she fell and broke her hip.”

Sam and Lulu exchanged concerned looks.

“From there, they went to Peter’s first choice—his best friend, Bob, who is also a father of three, all under age five.”

Sam nodded, listening.

“The kids all got along great, even if it was something of a madhouse. Unfortunately, Bob’s wife is pregnant and had to go on bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy.”

Lulu sighed in dismay.

“So, the triplets then went to Theresa’s second choice—a cousin of hers who is a flight attendant.” Hiram frowned. “Olivia had them for a week and a half before deciding there was no way she was cut out for this.”

He looked up. Adding in concern, “From there, they went to Peter’s second cousin. Aaron’s engaged and wants a lot of kids, but his fiancée is not on board with the idea of a ready-made family. So that trial run also didn’t work out.”

“And now...?” Lulu asked, her heart going out to the children for all they had been through.

“They are with Theresa’s business colleague and her husband. Unfortunately, although they adore the boys and vice versa, they both travel a lot for work, so permanent guardianship is not a viable option there, either. Which brings us to Sam, the last person on Peter’s list.”

“Or...actually, me,” Lulu interjected with her usual gung ho enthusiasm for all things family. She was more than ready to take on the challenge. “If you just want to cut to the chase.”

* * *

Sam didn’t know why he was surprised Lulu was jumping headlong into a situation neither of them was cut out for. She’d always been romantic and impulsive. Never more so, it seemed, than when she was around him.

The trouble was, he felt passionate and impractical around her, too.

Part of it was her looks. She really was drop-dead gorgeous, with that thick mane of sun-kissed, honey-brown hair, those long-lashed turquoise blue eyes, elegant cheekbones and cute, determined chin. And she had impeccable fashion sense, too. Her five-foot-eight-inch frame was currently decked out in a short-sleeved black polo, bearing the Honeybee Ranch logo above one luscious breast, a snug-fitting dark denim skirt that made the most of her trim hips and long, lissome legs, and a pair of Roper boots that were as sturdy as they were feminine. She had movie-star sunglasses on top of her head, a leather-banded watch on her left wrist and four handmade bracelets, probably made by her four nieces, pushed high on the other.

But it was the skeptical twist of her soft, kissable lips as she leaned toward him and shot him a disdainful look that captivated him the most.

“Let’s be real here,” she said, inundating him with the scent of her signature fragrance, an alluring combination of flowers and citrus, along with a heady dose of that saucy attitude he recalled so well. “There’s no way you’re going to take on two-year-old triplets for more than a week or so without changing your mind, too, the way everyone else who’s had them already has.”

The fact she had such a low opinion of him stung. Unable to keep the growl out of his voice, he challenged, “What makes you think that?”

“Because.” Lulu shrugged, her eyes taking on a turbulent sheen. “You’re a man...and you’re busy running a big cattle ranch...and you’re single...”

All of which, last time he’d heard, were facts in his favor. “And you’re a woman. And you’re busy running a honeybee ranch and now a food truck, too. And you’re single.”

Lulu’s mouth dropped into an O of surprise. She squared her shoulders and tried again. “The point is, cowboy—” she angled her thumb at her chest “—I’m cut out for this.”

He let his glance sift over her from head to toe before returning, with even more deliberation, to her eyes. “Really?” he countered softly. As always, when they were together, the world narrowed to just the two of them. “’Cause I am, too.”

Indignant color flooded her cheeks. “Sam, come on, be reasonable!” She gave him a look he was hard-pressed to reject. “I’ve wanted a family forever.”

He cocked his head to one side, once again forcing himself to do what was best, instead of letting his emotions get the better of him. “Mmm-hmm. Well, so do I, darlin’.”

She stared at him. He stared back. Years of pent-up feelings entered the mix and combined with the ever-encompassing grief and sense of loss. Both feelings she seemed to be struggling with, too. Then, breaking the silent standoff, she pushed her chair back from the table and pivoted to face him. As always, when overwrought, she let her temper take charge. “You’re just volunteering to do this in order to be difficult.”

Actually, he was trying to honor their late friends’ wishes, and keep them all from being hurt any more than they already had been. “You couldn’t be more wrong, Lulu.”

“Is that right? Then please, enlighten me.”

With a grave look, hoping to get through to her once and for all, he said, “I’m taking this on because Peter was once a very good friend of mine, and he trusted me to care for his sons, if the worst ever happened. Since it has...” Sam’s voice caught. Pushing his sorrow aside, he went on huskily, “I will.”

Hiram interjected, “Y’all understand. The request isn’t binding. You both are free to say no.”

Lulu turned back to the children’s lawyer. “And if we were to do so?” she asked in concern.

Hiram said, “Then we’d notify social services in Houston and have the agency start looking for suitable adoptive parents.”

Not surprisingly, Sam noted, Lulu looked as upset by the thought of leaving the kids at the mercy of the system as he was. Once again, without warning, the two of them were on the exact same page.

“And in the meantime?” he asked gruffly.

Hiram explained, “They’ll be put in foster care.”

“Together?” Lulu queried.

Hiram’s face took on a pained expression. “I would hope so. But honestly, there’s no guarantee a placement like that could be found, at least right away.”

Lulu sighed, appearing heartbroken. “Which would likely devastate the children.”

Hiram nodded.

She swung back toward Sam, and concluded sadly, “So, it’s either going to be you, or it’s going to be me, taking these three kids on and raising them.” She gave him a long, assessing look. “And you have to know, deep down, which one of us is better suited for parenting toddlers.”

He did.

Although he doubted they agreed.

“Which is why, given the options that are left,” Sam said, pushing aside his own welling grief, and ignoring the pleading in her soft turquoise blue eyes, “I think I’m the right one to assume responsibility.”

“Okay, then,” Hiram declared, looking happy everything had been resolved so very quickly. He reached into the folder in front of him and brought out a file of paperwork. “I’ll make arrangements to have the boys brought to Laramie County as soon as possible. All you’ll need to do is sign here—”

“Whoa! Wait! That’s it?” Lulu sputtered. “You’re not even going to ask me if I’m interested in being the triplets’ legal guardian?”

Hiram paused, papers still in hand. “Are you?”

“Yes! Very!” Hands clasped tightly, she leaned toward the estate lawyer urgently. “I would love to do this for Peter and Theresa’s boys!”

“Until it starts to get hard and reality sinks in,” Sam muttered, thinking of their torrid past, and knowing there was no way he would visit such a reversal of fortune on those boys. “Then we both know where you will be, don’t we, darlin’?” he returned bitterly. “Out the door. Without so much as a look back.”

Lulu glared at him. “I’m not a quitter, Sam,” she told him fiercely.

Wasn’t she? It seemed like that was exactly what she had done ten years ago, albeit in a roundabout way. He regarded her skeptically. “But you are still very emotional. And impetuous.” Two character traits that were intensified by their mutual sense of loss.

Lulu winced. “And you’re overbearing and hopelessly set in your ways, so—”

Travis let out a referee-style whistle, signaling everyone needed to stop before anyone else said anything regrettable, no matter how upset they were. He turned to his wife, giving her the floor.

“Obviously,” Liz interjected gently but firmly, “this has been a tremendous shock, and we’re all feeling a little emotional and overwrought right now.”

“Which is why, on second thought,” Hiram concurred, putting the papers back in his briefcase before leveling a look at Sam, “I’m going to ask you to take a little more time to think about this.” After a beat, Hiram continued, “If, after due consideration, you still feel inclined to accept temporary guardianship, you can call me and let me know, and I’ll arrange to have the boys and their belongings driven here. The guardianship papers can be signed when you take custody of them.”

“What about me?” Lulu said, clearly hurt and disappointed.

Hiram stood. “As I said, you’re next in line if things don’t go well with Sam and the boys. But for right now,” the lawyer said firmly, “he is the one being tapped to take care of the triplets.”

The meeting broke up.

Sam and Lulu walked outside.

As they reached their respective vehicles, she studied him with wary reserve. “How are you going to do this?”

It irked him to realize she did not think he could. He squinted down at her. “One step at a time.”

“I’m serious, Sam!”

He shrugged. “Obviously,” he drawled, “I’ll need help.”

Lulu opened her mouth to respond just as her cell phone went off. She plucked it out of her purse and stared disbelievingly at the text message.

Concerned, Sam stepped closer. “What is it?” he asked.

Her brow furrowed. In a dumbfounded tone, she admitted, “The sheriff’s department has been called to my ranch!”

Chapter Two

An hour and a half later, Lulu stood at the entrance of the apiary on her ranch, staring at the empty field. Bare spots where the boxes and pallets had been. A few wooden lids scattered here and there. The occasional honeybee buzzing around, wondering where in the world the hives had gone.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked, standing next to her, looking more solid and imperturbable than ever.

Was she?

Resisting the urge to throw herself into his arms and ask for the comfort only he could give, Lulu turned away from his quiet regard. Her heart aching, she watched the patrol car leave her ranch. The only time she had ever felt this devastated was when Sam had walked away from her years ago in Tennessee. But she had survived heartbreak then, she told herself steadfastly. And she would survive it now.

“Lulu?” he prompted again.

She pivoted back toward him and lifted her chin, hating that he had to see her at her most vulnerable. “Of course I’m all right,” she muttered. Although the devastation might have been easier to bear had he not gallantly insisted on accompanying her to the scene of the crime. And then, once amid the devastation, done his best to assist her and the sheriff’s deputy who’d been sent to investigate. Because that had made her want to lean on him, the way she once had. And she knew she could never do that again.

Oblivious to the morose direction of her thoughts, Sam put a staying hand on her shoulder. Moved so she had no choice but to look into his face. Solemnly, he reminded her, “It’s been a hell of a day, darlin’. First, we found out about the death of our close friends. Learned their boys had been orphaned. And found out we had both been tapped as potential guardians. Now, you just had all three hundred of your bee boxes, as well as your entire stockpile of honey, stolen.”

Which left her with exactly nothing, she realized miserably. Seven years of hard work, building up her hives, gone. The only thing she had left of her business, aside from her small 150-acre ranch property, was her Honeybee Ranch food truck, and without her signature honey, the food she served out of that wasn’t going to be the same, either.

His gaze drifting over her with unexpected gentleness, Sam told her, “I called the other officers of the Laramie County Cattleman’s Association while you were talking to the deputy, and put out the word. Everyone’s offered to do whatever they can to help.”

Lulu was grateful for the assistance. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure it would do much good now, after the theft. With a grimace, she stepped back. Despite her efforts to the contrary, she was unable to control the emotions riding roughshod inside her.

Bitter tears misting her eyes, she blurted out, “If only you had made that offer prior to today, cowboy, I might not be in such a mess.”

Recognition lit his gold-flecked eyes. “Wait...” He touched her arm and surveyed her. “Is that why you were so determined to join the Laramie County Cattleman’s Association? Because you were afraid something like this could happen?”

Shoulders stiff, she shrank from his touch. “What did you think?” she scoffed. “That it was for your charming company?”

Stepping closer, he cupped her shoulders between his large palms, preventing her escape. “Why didn’t you just tell me this?”

As if it had been that easy, given his resistance to cutting her even the slightest bit of slack, after what had happened between them.

His tranquil manner grating on her nerves as much as his chivalrous attitude, Lulu broke free from his hold and spun away. Her pulse skittering, she headed toward the barn. “I would have, had I felt you would be the least bit sympathetic or helpful.” She tossed the words over her shoulder, then turned her glance forward again. “But you weren’t...so...” An ache rose in her throat.

Sam caught up with her, matching her stride for indignant stride. “Come on, Lulu,” he said. “It’s not as if you’ve ever been afraid to fight any battle with me.”

Lulu stopped dead in her tracks. He was right. She wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with him. Never had been. With effort, she forced herself to be honest. Wearily, she said, “In the end, I didn’t come to you with my fears because even though I knew it was happening in other parts of the state, big-time, I wasn’t really sure something like this could ever happen here in Laramie County.” She sighed. “Or maybe I just didn’t want to believe that it would. Especially since I’m the only beekeeper who runs—or did run, anyway—a big commercial operation.”

“And the other beekeepers?” Sam didn’t take his eyes off her.

Lulu felt the heat of his gaze like a caress. “Are simply hobbyists, with one or two hives, so it really wouldn’t be worthwhile for anyone to go in and try to locate and then steal their boxes.”

She went into the barn, came out with a wooden pallet and carried it over to the apiary. She wanted any remaining bees in the area to have a place to go.

Sam kept pace with her, inundating her with his brisk, masculine scent. He watched her set down the pallet in the middle of the barren field. “Why would they want to do that, anyway? I mean, given the risk of getting caught?”

She returned to the barn for a brand-new wooden bee box bearing the Honeybee Ranch brand and a metal water pan. Already thinking about getting a new queen for the hive. “Because adding hives to orchards can increase the yield up to four hundred percent.” At his look of amazement, she added, “I’ve had offers to rent out my bees to almond orchards in California, watermelon fields in south Texas and cranberry bogs in Wisconsin.”

His large frame blocking out the late-afternoon June sunshine, Sam stood back and gave her room to work. “And you said no?”

Acutely aware of his fiercely masculine presence, she carried both items over to the pallet inside the apiary. Set the lidded box down, filled a water pan from the outdoor faucet and left it nearby. “Every time.”

His brow furrowed. She could see he didn’t understand.

Sighing, she explained, “I could earn money that way, but it’d be hard on my bees, and it would bring with it risk of mites and disease and infection to the hives. Which would not be worth it in my opinion, since I already have a very good market for my honey. Or had.”

Briefly, guilt and remorse etched the handsome features of his face. “I’m so sorry, darlin’.”

Again. Too little, too late.

Arms folded, she moved even farther away.

Gruffly, he promised, “We’ll find your bees, Lulu.”

She dug in her heels. Now was not the time for idle comfort, just as earlier had not been the time for idle promises. “And if we don’t?” The tears she’d been holding back flooded her eyes. “Then what?” She blotted the moisture with her fingertips. “I’m going to have to start my honey business all over, Sam.”

He shook his head, stubbornly nixing even the possibility of that outcome. “Someone had to have seen something unusual, even if they didn’t put it together at the time. With the sheriff’s department and the cattleman’s association both working on finding answers ASAP, we should know something soon.”

Would they? Lulu wished she could be as certain of that as Sam. Heck, she wished she had even a tenth of his confidence.

“In the meantime,” he continued in an agreeable tone that warmed her through and through, “I’d like to help you in whatever way I can.”

Lulu studied him. “Do you mean that?” she asked thickly, turning her attention to the other big challenge currently facing her. The one with even more potential to break her heart. “Because if you do,” she said slowly, “I’ve got a proposition for you.” She paused, bracing for battle. “I’d like to be the children’s nanny.”

* * *

Sam had known that Lulu would not accept him as the triplets’ guardian when she was next on the list. And hence she would continue to fight the decision, in one way or another.

But he hadn’t expected her to offer this.

“You...want to be the triplets’ nanny?” he repeated in disbelief, staring down into her pretty face.

Lulu tossed her head, her dark hair flowing over her shoulders in soft, touchable waves. And as she stepped closer, tempting him with the scent of her perfume, it took every ounce of self-control he had not to haul her into his arms and simply breathe her in.

“Well, I’m right in my assumption, aren’t I?” she demanded. “You are planning on hiring one to help you with the three little boys.”

“Yes.” He intended to call a five-star service as soon as he got home and have them send someone out. Hopefully, by tomorrow evening. “I was.”

“Well, I’m telling you there is no need for that,” she went on sweetly, “when you have me, volunteering for the position.”

Actually, there were a lot of reasons, Sam thought. Starting with the fact he had never really gotten over Lulu. Or the way their relationship had ended. Or the fact that, even now, he found himself wanting to take her to bed and make love to her over and over again.

Was she feeling the same damning pull of attraction? And if so, where would that lead them? “Why do you want to do this?” he asked.

She shrugged, suddenly holding back as much as he was. She spread her hands wide. “Well, at the moment, it’s not like I have anything else to do.”

Uh-huh. “And if I believe that, you have some prime swampland to sell me.”

“Okay.” She flushed guiltily and her tongue snaked out to wet her lower lip. “You’re right.” A small sigh. “I do have an ulterior motive.”

Now they were talking.

“I want to be there for the children in case things don’t work out with the four of you.”

“Except...they’re going to work out, darlin’,” he promised, just as persuasively.

At his assertion, an inscrutable veil slipped over her eyes. Her slender body stiffened and he took in the gentle rise and fall of her breasts.

“You seem sure of that,” she said finally.

Sam nodded. Trying to keep his own latent anger and disappointment at bay, he replied, “When I make a commitment, Lulu, I keep it.” Their eyes locked, held. Memories came flooding back.

Reminded of their falling-out all those years ago, and the reason for it, the color in her cheeks grew even rosier.

“Even if they do work out just fine with you...as their single daddy...you’re going to need loving backup for them. And what better person for that role than their next, and only remaining, named legal guardian?”

She had a point. What she was suggesting did sort of make sense. At least when it came to doing what was best for the three little ones.

“You’d have to come to my ranch,” he warned.

“Obviously.”

“And be available to help whenever, wherever, however I need you.”

He expected her to resist. Instead, she did not so much as flinch. She rocked forward on the toes of her cowgirl boots, patient and ready. “I can make plenty of sacrifices, when necessary.”

There had been a time, he thought irritably, when that wasn’t the case.

“In fact, if you’ll let me take charge of them, you won’t even have to pay me or be anything more than an admirable father figure in their lives. I’m perfectly willing to handle everything on my own.”

She was deliberately calling the shots and shutting him out. He frowned, warning her, “I intend to be a lot more hands-on than that, darlin’. And if you take this on, I will pay you the going rate.”

“Okay. Well, then, if you want, I’ll do the days while you’re out working. When you get home at night, you could take over completely in the evening.”

As much as he wanted that to be the case, he knew that might be a little much for him. Especially in the beginning, until the kids got settled in and developed a routine.

As if sensing that, she continued, “Or you could have me stay and help you until they’re all in bed for the night. And then I could still head home to my place. After all...” Lulu sighed, pausing to look him in the eye, letting him know that nothing essential would ever change between the two of them, even if two-year-old triplets were involved, “...like oil and water, you and I will never really mix.” She pivoted and headed for the barn. “Not for long, anyway.”

We could, Sam thought, with a ferocity that surprised him, if you would ever give us even half a chance.

But Lulu wouldn’t, he realized, watching her long legs eat up the ground. Not back then, when they had loved each other, and clearly not now, given the lingering animosity between them.

He caught up with her, overwhelmed yet again with the desire to sweep her into his arms and kiss her until she melted against him. Pushing the impulse aside, he retorted gruffly, “We need to think about what is right for the kids, Lulu.” Not what either of us wish could happen in some fantasy world.

She shut one barn door, then the other. Over her shoulder, she sent him a contemplative look and said, “I am thinking, Sam.” She brushed past him and headed for the porch of her small and tidy cottage-style home.

She settled on one of the cozy wicker chairs on the front porch. With a gesture, she invited him to make himself comfortable, too. “In fact, I haven’t stopped mulling over what to do since the moment I heard about the triplets being orphaned. Which is why I know in my heart that the boys need to be here in Laramie County, where they will be well cared for and loved. Not just by you or me but by the whole community.”

Sam wasn’t surprised Lulu was feeling protective. She had always been sweetly maternal. An emotion that as of late had been bestowed upon her bees.

She had also switched gears pretty quickly. From cantankerous ex slash opponent, to heartbroken business owner, to ferociously determined nanny-to-be. He couldn’t help but wonder if they were moving too fast, if they shouldn’t ask for an extra few days to think about what they wanted to do, before they gave Hiram their answer.

Able to see how Lulu might take such a suggestion, however, he said only, “You’re really willing to go all out to lend a hand, even after what happened here at the Honeybee Ranch today?” A theft that had left her devastated?

She gave him a look that said, Especially after this. “First of all, Sam,” she reflected sadly, “we owe it to our friends to do everything we can to protect and nurture their three little boys.”

Renewed grief wafted over him, too. “I agree,” he said gruffly.

“Second, it’ll keep me busy until I see if my hives will ever be recovered.” As she seemed to fear they wouldn’t be. “Third, to make this work, you’re going to need help. Lots of it.”

He leaned against a post on the porch and studied her. Aware the impulsive, reckless, romantic side of her was simultaneously the most thrilling and the most irritating. Which made him wonder just how long she would last, in what was likely to be a very challenging—and potentially heartbreaking—situation.

He sauntered toward her. “I don’t half do anything, Lulu.” A fact he’d made perfectly clear ten years before.

Her lower lip slid out in a delicious pout. She rose with elegant grace to face off with him. “Unlike me, I suppose?”

He let his gaze drift over her, taking in her luscious curves and lithe frame, her elegant arms and long sexy legs. “I wasn’t talking about our previous big mistake.”

She sent her glance heavenward. Sighed, with what seemed like enormous regret. “It was that, all right.”

He jammed his hands on his waist and lowered his face to hers, wishing she had realized that a whole lot sooner. Like at the beginning of their spring break, instead of the end. “It was your idea in the first place.”

She glared back at him. “Yeah, well, you went along with me, cowboy. At least initially.”

Until she’d begun to panic. And suffer regret. Then, well, it had been clear their relationship was all over.

Emotion rose as their stare-down continued.

Realizing she had almost goaded him into losing his cool, Sam shoved a hand through his hair and stepped away. Deciding it might be best to be more direct, he said honestly, “This is what worries me, darlin’. The fact we can hardly be around each other without quarreling.”

Lulu nodded. Sober now. “It would worry me, too, if we didn’t have something much more important to worry about. The health and welfare and happiness of Theresa and Peter’s three boys.”

She released a soft, empathetic sigh and compassion gleamed in her eyes. “You heard what Hiram said. They’re at the end of the line of the named guardians. If we don’t want them to end up separated and in foster care, you and I are going to have to find a way to make it all work.” She paused to draw a deep, enervating breath that lifted the curves of her breasts against her polo shirt. “I don’t think, under the circumstances, that this is too much to ask of us. Do you? Especially since Peter and Theresa named both of us in their wills?”

“All right,” Sam said, deciding he could be as selfless as she was being and more. “I’ll agree to this arrangement for one month.” Which should be enough time for you to realize how unworkable a situation this is going to be for the two of us, and then decide to simply take on the role of close family friend. “At the end of that time,” he said sternly, “we reassess. And if we need to find a professional nanny, we will.”

“Agreed. Although I have to warn you, I’m not going to change my mind.”

That, Sam thought, remained to be seen. From what he’d observed, one two-year-old could be a lot. Three...at one time...who were also in mourning...? But in the short-term, there were other important things they needed to worry about, too. Her personal safety being paramount.

“Where are you going to be this evening?” he asked, guessing she hadn’t yet told her family what had happened. Otherwise her cell phone would have been ringing off the hook and the place would have been inundated with McCabes.

But they would know, as soon as the ranchers in the family got the alert from the cattleman’s association. “Are you going to stay with your parents?”

She blinked, confused. “Why would I want to do that?”

“In case the rustlers come back.”

She pooh-poohed the notion, fearless as always. “They already took everything of value.”

She had a point. They hadn’t touched her house. And they certainly could have looted it, too, if they had wanted to do so. Still... He gazed down at her. “I think until we know more about who did this and why, you’ll be safer elsewhere, Lulu.”

“And I think I’ll be just fine right here.” She took hold of his biceps and steered him toward the porch steps, clearly done with this topic.

But he was not satisfied. Not in the least. Because the need to protect her was back, stronger than ever. “Lulu...”

She peered up at him from beneath a fringe of dark lashes. “You just worry about contacting Hiram and getting the triplets here as soon as possible. I’ll handle the rest.” She went into the house and shut the door behind her.

Chapter Three

“Sam’s still out there?” Lulu’s mother, Rachel, asked during the impromptu family phone call an hour later.

Grimacing, Lulu peeked out the window of her living room, catching a glimpse of the ornery cowboy through the dusky light. Cell phone still pressed to her ear, she confirmed, “He’s sitting in his pickup truck, talking on the phone and doing something on what appears to be a laptop.” Looking as devastatingly handsome and sexy as ever with his hat tossed off and his sleeves rolled up, another button of his shirt undone. Not that she was noticing the effect the summer heat might be having on him...

“Good for him,” growled her father. He had heard all about the theft from other members of the cattleman’s association before she’d even managed to call home to tell them. “Since Sam obviously doesn’t think you should be left alone right now, either.”

But Sam had once, Lulu thought. When the two of them had been at odds, he’d had no problem issuing an ultimatum. When he’d become deeply disappointed in her and walked away.

“Now, Frank,” her mother warned, “Lulu can make her own decisions.”

On the other end of the connection, her father harrumphed.

Lulu didn’t want what she saw as her problems bringing conflict to her family. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offers made by you and my brothers,” she said soothingly. All five of whom wanted to help out by either temporarily taking her into their home or standing guard over her and her property. “It’s just that I need some alone time right now.”

She needed time to think, to figure out how she and Sam were going to manage the triplets. Without continually bringing up any of their former angst.

With uncanny intuition, her mother asked, “Is there anything else going on?”

Glad she had opted not to FaceTime or speak with her parents in person, at least not until after Sam had formally become the triplets’ guardian and she their nanny, Lulu tensed. “Like what?” She feigned innocence. Knowing her folks, they were going to have a lot of opinions about her decision to become a parent this way, too.

“I’m not sure.” Her mother paused.

Lulu’s heartbeat accelerated as she saw Sam get out of his pickup truck and stride through the twilight. He still had his cell phone and a laptop in his big hands. “Listen, Mom, Dad, I’ve gotta go. Talk to you soon.” She hung up before they had a chance to reply.

The doorbell rang.

Her body thrumming with a mixture of impatience and anticipation, she switched on the porch light and opened the door. She stood, blocking him, and gave him a deadpan look. “Yes?”

His legs were braced apart, broad shoulders squared. Looking as confident and determined as ever, he turned his ruggedly handsome face to hers. “I wanted to tell you what the cattlemen have unearthed thus far,” he said in the low, masculine voice she knew so well.

Lulu blinked in surprise and glanced at her watch. “It’s only been a few hours.”

A stubble of evening beard, a shade darker than his wheat-blond hair, lined his jaw. A matter-of-fact smile turned up the corners of his sensual lips. But it was the compelling intensity of his eyes that unraveled her every time. No matter how fiercely she determined that he would not get to her. Not again. “When it comes to rustlers, it’s important to strike before the trail gets cold,” he explained.

She couldn’t argue that.

Their eyes met for one brief, telling moment, that—however fleeting—had them on the exact same page.

Gratitude oozing through her and figuring they might as well sit down for this, she ushered him in. He followed her past the cozy seating area and over to the kitchen island, where she’d been working on her own laptop, notifying fellow beekeepers of what had transpired.

Sam set his belongings down but remained standing. “First,” he said, “I want to tell you that I phoned Hiram and told him you and I were going to be jointly caring for the boys, at least in the interim. Me as their permanent legal guardian, you as their nanny. He was on board with the idea of the two of us joining forces during the kids’ transition, so the triplets are being brought to my ranch tomorrow afternoon around 3:30 p.m.”

Wow, Sam worked fast. On multiple fronts. But then he always had. His ability to really get things done was one of the things she admired most about him.

He paused to check an incoming text on his phone, then turned his attention back to her. “Apparently, they are going to have everything they need with them for the short-term, and the rest of their belongings will be delivered by movers the following day.”

She nodded, trying not to think about how attracted to him she still was.

His gaze roving her head to toe, he continued, “So, if you would like to be at Hidden Creek with me to greet them...”

There were times when he made her feel very comfortable, and then there were others, like now, when he made her feel very off-kilter. Lulu moved around to the other side of the island. “I would.” She busied herself, putting a few dishes away.

He smiled. “Great. And second of all...” He settled his six-foot-three-inch frame on the bar stool, opened up his laptop and, eyes locked on hers, continued, “I know that you gave some of this information to the sheriff’s department regarding the theft, but I want to make sure I didn’t miss anything, if that’s okay.”

Ribbons of sensation ghosting down her spine, Lulu dipped her head in assent. He nodded back at her, then typed in a few words. “The burglary happened sometime this morning.”

His manner was so businesslike, Lulu began to realize she could lean on Sam, at least in this situation, if only she allowed herself to do so.

Determined to keep him at arm’s length, she fought the waves of sexual magnetism that always existed between them. “Sometime between eight o’clock, when I left for town to set up my lunch service for my food truck,” she confirmed. “And when the sheriff’s department notified me at around five o’clock, to let me know there had been a break-in.”

Which left a huge nine-hour window.

His big hands paused over the keys. “A customer reported it?”

Aware she was suddenly feeling shaky again, Lulu moved around the island in search of a place to sit down. “Lucille Lockhart came out to buy some honey. She hadn’t read my social media page advertising the location of my food truck today, so she didn’t know I wasn’t here.” But the thieves likely had.

Sam made a low, thoughtful sound. “And everything was gone when Mrs. Lockhart arrived?”

She settled in the high-backed stool next to him and swiveled to face him. The sincerity in his gaze was almost as unnerving as his unexpected, unrelenting kindness. “The entire apiary was emptied, and so were the storehouse shelves. Panic-stricken, Mrs. Lockhart tried to call me, and when she couldn’t reach me, she notified the sheriff. We don’t know much more than that right now.”

“Actually, we do.” He swiveled toward her, too, and braced one elbow on the counter next to his laptop. His other hand rested on his rock-hard thigh. Nodding tersely once again, he added, “I put out the word when we got here. I’ve heard back from almost all our members.”

She caught her breath at the worry in his eyes.

“Apparently two trucks were spotted on the farm-to-market road that goes by here around one o’clock this afternoon. They seemed to be traveling together and were headed north. One was a white refrigeration truck, the other a flatbed loaded with two off-road forklifts.” His lips compressed, and his gruff tone registered his disappointment. “We didn’t get an actual license number, but someone noticed the plates were from Wisconsin.”

Hope mingling with dread, Lulu laid her hand across her heart. “They’re sure it was a refrigeration truck?”

“It had the cooling unit on top of the cab.”

Relief filtered through her. She didn’t know whether to shout hallelujah or sob with relief. In truth, she felt like doing both. “Oh, thank heavens,” she whispered finally.

“That’s important?” Sam guessed.

Lulu swallowed around the ache in her throat. “Very. The bees wouldn’t survive in their boxes if they were transported a long way in this kind of heat.” She ran her hand over the side seam of her denim skirt. Sam’s glance followed her reflexive move. Realizing the fabric had ridden up, Lulu did her best to surreptitiously tug it down. Yet, maddeningly, the hem remained several inches above her bare knees.

Knees he had once caressed with devastating sensuality.

Pushing aside her rush of self-consciousness, she added, “Moving bees is hard on them as it is.”

Sam lifted his glance and locked eyes with her yet again. He regarded her with the respect of a fellow rancher. “Makes sense they’d do better if they were kept cool.” He rubbed his jaw. “That kind of truck will also make the thieves easier to find.”

Glad he had taken it upon himself to help her, even when she had preferred he leave her to handle everything on her own, Lulu drew a breath. It would be so easy to lean on him again. Too easy, maybe, given how acrimoniously they had once parted. “So what now?” she asked quietly.

Sam sobered, the corners of his lips slanting down. “I’ve already notified the sheriff’s department with all the information I was able to compile, and they in turn have put out an APB and will be checking with truck stops and weighing stations for any vehicles fitting the description.”

Feeling her first concrete ray of hope, Lulu asked, “You really think we might find them?”

He nodded. “Trucks like that can’t stick to country roads without drawing a lot of attention. On the highway, they’ll be a lot easier to find. Hopefully, we’ll know something soon.”

He shut the lid on his laptop and stood.

Feeling surprisingly reluctant to see him go, Lulu rose, too. “Sam...” She touched his arm, delaying him. He turned to gaze down at her and her heart rate kicked up another notch.

“I really... I don’t know how to thank you,” she continued sincerely. “A few hours ago, I had very little hope I’d ever see my beehives again. Now, well.” She struggled to put her gratitude into words. As she gazed up at him, she pushed through the wealth of conflicting emotions suddenly racing through her and tried again. “I never would have expected you to...help.”

Something dark and turbulent flashed in his eyes. “Well, you should have,” he said, as if fighting his own inner demons.

The next thing Lulu knew, she was all the way in his arms. His head was lowering, his lips capturing hers. His kiss was everything she remembered, everything she had ever dreamed of receiving, everything the wildly impulsive and romantic part of her still wanted.

From him...

Because the truth was, no one had ever affected her like Sam did. No one had ever made her want, wish, need... And as his lips ravished hers, she moaned at the sweet, enervating heat. The touch of his tongue against hers sent her even further over the edge. Wreathing her arms about his neck, she shifted closer. Nestling the softness of her breasts against the solid, unyielding warmth of his broad chest. His hand swept lower, bringing her even nearer. And, just like that, the walls she’d erected around her began to crumble and her heart expanded, tenfold.

One kiss melded into another. And then another...and another. Until he had her surrendering to the firm, insistent pressure of his mouth as never before. She clung to him, soaking up everything about him. His strength, his scent. His warmth and tenderness. Years of pent-up emotion poured out of her as she rose on tiptoe and pressed her body even closer against the hardness of his.

And still he kissed her. Slowly and thoroughly. Softly and sweetly. With building need. Until a low, helpless moan escaped her throat. And she recalled everything that had once brought them together...and had ultimately torn them apart...

* * *

Sam hadn’t meant to kiss her. Hadn’t thought he would even come close. But when Lulu had looked up at him with such sweet surprise in her expression, well, it triggered something in him. Something primitive and hot and wild.

It had made him want to claim her again.

As his woman.

As his...

He cut off the thought before it could fully form. Knowing there was no way either of them could go back to that tumultuous period of time, even if the hot, intense connection that had always been between them was definitely still there. And she knew it, too, as he felt her begin to tense the way she always did when she began to have second thoughts.

With a sigh, he drew back. Sure of what he was going to see.

She gazed up at him, eyes awash with the kind of turbulent emotion that had always signaled trouble for them. Lower lip trembling, she flattened her hands over his chest and pushed him away. “We can’t do this again.”

And once again, the need to possess her got the better of his common sense.

“Why not?” he demanded gruffly.

“Because we already proved it will never work between us,” she whispered, the shimmering hurt back in her pretty eyes, “and I really don’t want to go there again.”

* * *

To Lulu’s relief, after a moment’s consideration, Sam seemed to concede it wouldn’t be wise to complicate their situation any further.

And when he greeted her at the door of his sprawling ranch house the following afternoon, his manner was appropriately circumspect.

Which left her free to forget about the heady aftermath of their passionate embrace and concentrate on the changes made to the Hidden Creek cattle ranch since she had last been there.

The thousand-acre spread was as tidy and filled with good-looking cattle as ever, the barns, stables, bunkhouse and other buildings meticulously well kept. He had updated the main house with dark gray paint on the brick, white trim and black shutters. She admired the beautifully landscaped front lawn and the circular drive directing guests to the covered porch and inviting front door. A quartet of dormer windows adorned the steeply pitched roof.

Most arresting of all, though, was the ruggedly handsome rancher who ushered her inside. The corners of his sensual lips lifted in an appraising smile. He came close enough she could smell the soap and sun and man scent of his skin. “A little early, aren’t you?”

Her heart panged in her chest. “I wanted to make sure I was here when they arrived, but if you’d like me to wait in my SUV...” Aware she was fast becoming a bundle of nerves, she gestured at the Lexus in the driveway.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He ushered her inside.

Aware the atmosphere between them was quickly becoming highly charged and way too intimate, Lulu turned her attention elsewhere. There’d been a lot of changes since she’d been here last, she noted as she followed him. The ecru walls and dark wide-plank wood floors were the same, but the fancy upholstered pieces and heavy custom draperies favored by his late mother had been exchanged for large leather couches, mahogany furniture and modern plantation shutters. A lot of the knickknacks and elegant paintings were gone, replaced by a handsomely redone white brick fireplace and mantel, a complete wall of built-in bookshelves and a state-of-the-art entertainment center.

His gaze dropped to the hamper in her hand “Planning a picnic?” he drawled.

Lulu’s hands curled around the wicker handle. “I’m open to whatever the kids need, although I don’t really know what to expect when they do arrive.” Which was one of the reasons she was so uncharacteristically on edge.

Evidently that was something they had in common. Sam sighed. “Me, either.” He led the way down the hall to the back of the ranch house, where changes also abounded. The kitchen’s flowered wallpaper and frilly curtains were gone, replaced by stainless steel appliances and concrete countertops and sleek white walls washed in sunlight. The breakfast room table and eight captain chairs were the same, although all had been refinished with a glowing golden-oak stain. The family room had become a work space, with file cabinets, a U-shaped computer desk, scanner/copier phone and printer.

He squinted at her. “Meet your approval?”

With effort, she met his probing gaze. She set the hamper on the island—also new—in the center of the large square kitchen. “It’s very nice. You’ve outdone yourself,” she said.

He shrugged, all affable male again. “Can’t take all the credit. My sister Lainey is an interior designer now, so she helped. Tara, the computer expert, set up all my business systems for me. Liza, the chef, taught me how to cook. Betsy, the innkeeper, showed me how to properly stock a pantry and freezer.”

Like the McCabes, the Kirklands always had each other’s backs. “Your sisters are scattered all over now, aren’t they?”

“Yep.” He lounged against the counter, arms folded. “I’m the only one left in Texas.”

Trying not to notice how well he filled out his ranching clothes, she asked, “You miss them?”

His gaze skimmed her appreciatively. “They visit.”

Not an answer. But then, he had never been one to own up to anything that hurt. He just moved on.

As he was about to do now...

He inclined his head. “So what’s in there?” he asked.

“I wasn’t sure what you had on hand or what they were sending with the kids, so I brought some toddler favorites like applesauce and kid-friendly mac and cheese for their dinner, just in case.”

Another nod. “Thanks,” he said, as a big, sleepy-looking Saint Bernard came around the corner. The brown patches of fur over the pet’s eyes and back and chest contrasted with the fluffy white coat everywhere else. An extremely feminine flowered pink collar encircled her neck.

Lulu watched the big dog pad gracefully over to stand beside Sam. She sat down next to him, pressing her body up against his sinewy leg and hip. Tail wagging, she gazed up at Sam adoringly. Waited, until he petted her head, then let out a long, luxuriant sigh that Lulu understood all too well.

Pushing aside the memory of Sam’s gentle, soothing touch, she asked, “Who is this?”

“Beauty. As in Beauty and the Beast.”

Unable to resist, Lulu guessed, “And you’re the Beast?”

Although he tried, he couldn’t quite contain a smile. “Very funny.”

Lulu chuckled. “I thought so.”

Although, the moniker fit. The 120-pound dog was absolutely gorgeous. And not really the type of canine she would have expected a rough-hewn rancher like Sam to choose.

“When did you get her?” Lulu smiled and made eye contact with Beauty, who appreciated her right back.

Tilting his head, Sam paused, calculating. “A little over four years ago.”

“As a puppy?”

“She was about six months old at the time.”

Lulu paused. “I didn’t know you wanted a dog.” He certainly hadn’t mentioned it when they were together. Back then, all he’d talked about were horses and cattle. And of course the importance of keeping one’s commitments. Which he definitely did not think Lulu had done.

He smiled as his dog stood again and then stretched her front legs out in front of her, dipping her tummy close to the floor in a play bow. “She’s not mine. She belongs to my sister Hailey.”

Hence, the romantic pet name.

Lulu turned back to him, confused. “But...you’re keeping her?” She watched Beauty rise again and turn back to Sam for one last pet on the head.

His big hand sank into the soft, luxuriant fur on the top of Beauty’s head, massaging it lightly in a way that made Lulu’s own nerve endings shudder and her mouth go dry.

“It was never the intention,” Sam admitted, oblivious to the effect his tender ministrations were having on Lulu. “But Beauty was too big for Hailey’s apartment, and she suddenly had to travel internationally for her job. Constantly boarding Beauty didn’t seem fair. My sister asked me to help out temporarily, since I have plenty of room. I agreed.”

Lulu observed the free-flowing affection between man and pet. “Looks like you made the right decision.”

And possibly, Lulu thought as Beauty lumbered over to stand next to her, the right decision regarding the three kids, as well.

Because if Sam wouldn’t turn out a dog who had come to live with him, she knew he would never abandon three little orphaned boys. And that meant if she was going to form a permanent, loving connection with Theresa and Peter’s triplets, she would have to forget the difficulties of their past and find a way to forge an enduring, platonic connection with Sam, too.

The next twenty minutes passed with excruciating slowness. Sam settled down to do something at his desk while Lulu paced, looking out one front window, then the next.

Finally, a large dark green van made its way up the lane. It stopped next to the ranch house. The doors opened. Hiram Higgins and three other adults stepped out. And even though there was no sign of the children they were going to care for just yet, Lulu’s heartbeat quickened.

“Sam! They’re here!” she exclaimed.

He rose and strode briskly through the hall to her side.

Together, they walked out the front door and down the porch steps. Hiram introduced his wife, Winnifred, a kind-faced woman with gray hair, and Sandra and Jim Kelleher, the thirtysomething couple who had been looking after the triplets.

Seeing that Lulu and Sam were chomping at the bit to meet the kids, the Kellehers proceeded to unfasten safety harnesses and bring the children out, one by one. All three were holding stuffed animals and clutching well-loved blue baby blankets. In deference to the shimmering June heat, they were wearing blue plaid shorts and coordinating T-shirts, sandals, plaid bucket hats and kiddie sunglasses. All appeared shy and maybe even a little dazed. As if they’d been napping and were still trying to wake up.

“This is Theo,” Winnifred introduced the most serious-looking toddler.

Sandra brought forward the one with the trembling lower lip. “And Ethan.”

“And Andrew,” Jim said, shifting the weight of the only one starting to fidget.

“Hello, Theo, Ethan and Andrew,” Lulu greeted them in turn.

They simply stared at her, then eventually turned away.

Her heart sank. She was a McCabe. She’d been around children all her life. Not once had one responded to her with such indifference.

But then, these children had been through hell. It was probably no surprise they’d become...numb.

Hiram retrieved his briefcase and inclined his head at Sam. “We probably should sign the papers first and then unload the belongings they brought with them today.”

“Lulu,” Sam said, “you want to take them all on in?”

“Sure.” She led the way inside as Sam and Hiram adjourned to a corner of the front porch. Winnifred and the Kellehers took a seat in the living area, a child on each lap. Once they were all settled, Lulu sat down, too, and they got down to business.

“I brought a folder with me of everything I’ve been able to piece together about the children’s previous routines, plus everything that did or did not work for us, in terms of their care,” Sandra said.

Jim exhaled, then turned to look at Lulu. “I hope Sam has better luck with them. It’s good you’re going to be helping out, too.”

Winnifred chimed in, “Hiram and I can both attest to that. They can be a handful.”

Suddenly feeling a little unsure they were up to the task, Lulu nodded her understanding. Had she and Sam underestimated the task of helping the orphaned triplets?

Sam and Hiram walked in. After Sam set the papers on the entry table, Jim handed the still-fidgety Andrew to Lulu and all three men headed back outside. Short minutes later, a trio of car seats, travel beds, booster seats, suitcases, and a big box of toys were stacked in a corner of the living room.

“Probably best we be on our way,” Hiram said.

Lulu expected the kids to wail in protest at the impending departure of yet another set of guardians. Instead, they took it stoically in stride. Too stoically, in fact, to be believed.