Page 58 of A Rancher's Love
“Ungrateful brat,” Ashton murmured, but he picked up his fork and went back to his plate instead of continuing to harass Tucker.
And so it began.
12
New Year’s came and went in a flash, and as they rolled into January, Ginny found herself retreating to the cottage at the end of each day far more exhausted than expected.
Finding a new path forward meant a lot to do, and all of it seemed to involve other people. There were her friends who felt they had years to catch up on, and rightly so. Her nieces and nephew wanted to spend time with her. Plus, sharing time with each of her new sisters-in-law—who were, thank God, nothing like Caleb’s first wife—was also high on Ginny’s daily activity list.
Thoughts of the cold-blooded creature still gave Ginny nightmares if she were being honest.
She quietly said something to that effect to Tamara while they were cleaning up after lunch on Monday. Emma’s happy laughter echoed in the room, simultaneously driving guilt and happiness into Ginny’s heart
Ginny eyed her niece. “I had no idea how much damage Wendy caused. I’m so glad you’re in their lives,” she admitted as she and Tamara worked quietly beside each other.
Tamara paused in the middle of washing and laid her hand on Ginny’s. “You couldn’t have known.”
“I lived right here,” Ginny said gruffly. “I should have seen that Wendy’s attitude was more than simply someone uncomfortable with her surroundings. When I heard she’d had been abusive, I kept thinking back for some sign that I missed. I wish with everything in me I had stopped it.”
Dishes forgotten, Tamara grabbed Ginny by the hand and tugged her until they were face to face. “It was not your fault,” she said clearly, still softly though, as the girls entertained their brother in the living room only feet away. “Caleb does this at times, as well. He beats himself up for not being perfect. And it’s useless, because it’s in the past. If you had seen, you would’ve changed things, but now things are different anyway. We move forward, we don’t look back.”
Which was usually Ginny’s way, but the thought still haunted her. “I was too tangled up in my own head,” she confessed.
Tamara stole the dishtowel from her hands, stepped back as she twirled it a couple of times, then applied a well deliveredsnapto Ginny’s thigh.
“Ouch,” Ginny exclaimed loud enough to draw the attention of small children playing nearby.
Tamara was winding up again. “If you don’t stop, I’ll give you something else to worry about.”
Ginny raised her hands, backing away. “Okay, okay. I’ll behave.”
Emma came rushing to her defense, which emphasized Tamara’s point even more. “Auntie Ginny, you need to be good,” she teased. “Mama only hits Papa with the dishtowel when he’s been naughty.”
“Very naughty,” Tamara said, totally amused. “Which means I don’t have to do it very often.”
Sasha wandered up, Tyler on her hip. His little toddler arms were wrapped in a stranglehold around his big sister’s neck. “Tyler says he wants to go look for kittens.”
Tamara rested her fists on her hips and offered her oldest daughter alook.
Sasha opened and closed her mouth a few times before speaking again. “Oops. Sorry, Mom. Tyler, tell Mommy what you want to do now.”
Tyler bared his little teeth and made a meowing sound.
“Then I guess that’s what we’re doing next.” Tamara slid over and gave Ginny a squeeze. “You’re a wonderful auntie, and wonderful sister. Never forget that,” she chided softly in Ginny’s ear.
Emma caught Ginny’s fingers. “Are you coming to the barn with us?” she asked
It would’ve been nice to try and catch a glimpse of Tucker, whom Ginny hadn’t seen since he got back, but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. “I have to meet someone at the greenhouse,” she informed her niece.
Emma patted her hand sadly. “Don’t work too hard.”
Ginny was still snickering about the serious tone in the little girl’s voice as she made her way across the yard and into the warmth of the greenhouse.
Devjeet and Janae Singh were waiting for her, their concern clear even as they welcomed her back.
Ginny hurried to put them out of their misery as quickly as possible. “I have heard nothing but good things about how well you ran the CSA boxes the past years,” Ginny assured them. “I want to know if you’re interested in continuing to run it going forward.”
The couple exchanged glances before turning back with both excitement and confusion. “Don’t you need to run it now for your family?” Janae asked.
