Page 75 of A Cowboy's Trust
It was a full room. With Julia’s three sisters and their spouses, Zach and Petra’s parents, and the three of them, there wasn’t space to turn around.
Which was fine. Tansy shoved down everything else she’d been worrying about and focused on the very good thing in the here and now.
A tiny new life coming into a world of love.
17
They had barely sat down to supper when a knock sounded on the door followed immediately by it swinging open.
“Hey. Is it okay if I come in?” Melissa stuck her head around the corner, Jeffrey in her arms. He squirmed to be let down, but she held him locked in place.
Declan rose and went to the door. “Did you need something?”
“I finally got back from that meeting I had down south, and Jeffrey’s crying for supper. I don’t have the energy. Is it okay if he joins you? Don’t worry about me, only if there’s something for him, please?”
Tansy was already moving, reaching for extra plates. “Of course you can join us. There’s enough for you both.”
Heart Falls was down to a single ranch guest. The ladies were both gone, and only Logan remained in the men’s quarters. Tansy, however, was still cooking for an army.
There might be enough food, but it was the third time this week Melissa had invited herself into the house, and Jake didn’t appreciate it.
Three weeks. What he’d hoped might be a short-term visit was now passing three weeks, and Melissa was still around. Which meant Jeffrey was still there, and maybe that had something to do with the dangerous teeter-totter going on in Jake’s gut.
“Thank you so much.” Melissa put Jeffrey down and gestured him toward the table.
He instantly climbed into the chair next to Tansy that he’d been using when he spent the morning with her.
Melissa settled herself in the chair across from Jake.
The conversation lull was epic. Where moments before they’d been laughing and enjoying Jinx’s story about a school project she and Sasha were working on, it seemed no one really wanted to talk anymore.
Jeffrey crawled up on his knees, staring over the edge of the table at Dixie. “‘inx’s doggy is nice.”
There was nothing Jinx enjoyed more than talking about her pet. “Dixie is a nice doggy, but she’s also a guard dog. You have to not chase her or pull her tail, remember?”
“No pulling,” Jeffrey said firmly. He turned and patted Tansy on the arm. “Can I please have noodles?”
“Oodles of noodles?” Tansy teased. She leaned down so she was eye to eye with him. “Yes. And you can have a rainbow. See?” She tumbled the brightly coloured vegetables onto his plate.
As conversation at that end of the table continued regarding the meal, Melissa accepted the breadbasket from Jake, broke off half a bun, and sat back in her chair. She sighed heavily.
Ignoring her would be so much easier. “Having any luck?” he finally asked politely.
Melissa shrugged. “I’m doing my best.” She sat upright, leaning across the table a little bit and lowering her voice. “You’re working so hard. This is a wonderful place you and your brothers have set up.”
Jake nodded, filling his plate as bowls passed but trying his best to pay attention to the conversation now continuing up the table.
“I was thinking,” Melissa continued, drawing his gaze back to her. “Maybe I should look for something a little closer for work.”
That was confusing as all get out. “Closer to what?”
She laughed. “Never mind. I’m so tired I’m obviously not making any sense. Jeffrey’s really enjoying himself. He said you took him for a horseback ride. Thank you for that.”
Jake had enjoyed it as much as Jeffrey had. “You’re welcome. He did a good job. Wasn’t scared at all.”
“No, he’s not scared of much.” She said it so matter-of-factly that it sounded odd. As if she’d done her best to scare him and hadn’t been successful, although where that idea came from, Jake didn’t know.
He wished it had stayed away.
