Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

The evening hadn’t been as bad as she expected. Mostly because she and Margaret stayed out of each other’s way. Sarah cooked dinner for everyone while finishing her conference call. She and Margaret engaged the boys during dinner but not each other. Margaret didn’t even thank her for cooking and cleaning up.

The boys enjoyed playing with their new toys and Margaret. Sarah watched the boys with their grandmother and decided their happiness was worth being in the same house with her mother-in-law.

She’d discovered a few surprises last night. The pantry and refrigerator were barely stocked, the main living spaces of the house were in need of a good dusting and vacuuming, and Margaret had apparently abandoned the main suite upstairs and moved into the smaller suite off the kitchen.

She’d tried to think of a discreet way to ask Margaret about the state of the house and property, but couldn’t find an opening for the conversation that wouldn’t lead to Margaret taking insult or thinking Sarah looked down on her or her home.

So she thought she’d do something nice for Margaret, and keep the boys from being surrounded by all that dust, and called her housekeeper and nanny, Camille, to come in the morning and clean the house top to bottom.

Once the boys settled into bed after their bath and books, she’d stayed up until four in the morning working on the Knox Project. Not such a hardship to sit out on the balcony with her laptop. The cool night air kept her energized and you couldn’t beat the view of the trees and all those stars. If she listened carefully, she could hear the horses from Luke’s ranch.

She’d gotten the boys breakfast at seven, done the grocery shopping at eight, and met Camille at the door just before eleven. “You made it.”

Camille hugged both boys at once. “I’ve missed you guys.”

Jack cocked his head. “You saw us yesterday.”

Camille poked Jack in the belly. “It seems like forever.” She brushed her hand over Nick’s head, then turned to Sarah. “The drive was beautiful.” She glanced past Sarah into the house. “Everything good?”

“Sure,” Sarah replied because what could she say about Margaret’s expected hostile welcome?

“We’re going to see the horses,” Nick announced.

“I heard.” Camille looked at her. “You sure that’s a good idea?”

Spending the day with Margaret’s attorney . . . No. Probably not a good idea. Still, she couldn’t let him dare her to prove him wrong and not show up to do just that.

“We’re going to have fun riding horses.” Her cheerful response probably didn’t fool Camille about how she really felt about facing Luke’s continued scrutiny.

“Be yourself,” Camille said. “He’ll see you for who you really are.”

“Who are you?” Margaret asked from behind Sarah.

Sarah waved Camille into the entryway. “Margaret, this is my good friend Camille. She’s the boys’ nanny and our housekeeper.”

“What is she doing here? If you’re too busy to pay attention to the children, I’m here. I’m happy to do things with them.”

Sarah handed the cooler to Jack. “Take this out to the car and get in your seats. I’ll be right there.”

Sarah waited for the boys to do as she said, then turned to Margaret. “I’m taking the boys to Luke’s. Camille is here to clean the house.”

“That’s not necessary,” Margaret argued, but Sarah saw the embarrassment in her eyes.

“I’ve got a heavy workload and I promised the boys I wouldn’t work all the time while we are here, so I don’t have time to clean the house myself for you. It’s needed and Camille will take care of it.”

“I don’t want a stranger in my house.”

“You invited me here.” She hoped Margaret understood that she didn’t know Sarah as well as she claimed to Luke. “Camille is part of our family, so please treat her kindly and let her do her job.”

Margaret silently seethed for a moment. “Fine. Of course you’d hire someone to do everything for you.” With that Margaret spun on her heel and walked away.

Sarah turned to Camille. “I left the cleaning supplies in the kitchen.”

Camille touched her arm. “Don’t worry. I’ll have the place cleaned in no time and I’ll stay out of Margaret’s way.”

“Thank you. I know this is above and beyond.”

Camille smiled. “It’s no trouble. And you did pay for my upcoming vacation.” Camille deserved the five-night six-day Key West vacation.

“If you want to extend your stay a couple extra days, just let me know.”

“That’s probably all the family time I can handle.” Camille was meeting her parents and they planned to spend the week together catching up.

Sarah wished she were only here for six days instead of six weeks. “Thank you again for driving all the way out here. I’m hoping Margaret doesn’t get as upset about the gardeners coming by later.”

Camille looked around the yard. “It’s not safe for the boys to be running around out here without cutting back the lawn and overgrown bushes.”

“Let’s hope she sees it that way.” Sarah glanced at the boys waiting in the car. “Gotta go. I don’t want to be late.”

“Don’t let Margaret or her lawyer get to you. You’re a great mom.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.” She didn’t think anything would change Margaret’s mind.

Sarah rushed to the car and made sure the boys were strapped in properly, then slid into the driver’s seat and drove down the long drive toward Luke’s place.

“I can’t wait to see the horsies,” Jack announced, his gaze focused on the road ahead.

“We’ll be there soon.” Already tired, she sucked in a deep breath, knowing even this day wasn’t going to end until well into the morning hours again.

She needed to reevaluate the hours she worked, because they left no time for herself. And the constant fatigue left her feeling perpetually drained, a little bit sick, and dragging.

When she arrived at the ranch, all thoughts of sleep and long hours vanished. The gorgeous land spread out in wide pastures and tree-covered hills. Well tended, all the buildings were white, including the main house. The stable was first-class and huge. The pastures were green and vast, some outlined by white fencing and dotted with beautiful grazing horses.

Luke lived on quite a spread. The main house stood two stories tall, white with dark blue shutters, and a wraparound covered porch. The garden out front was well tended and the plants bloomed profusely in shades of pink, red, and purple. The scent of gardenias from the main house walkway floated down to the barn.

She was so taken by the ranch that she didn’t register the noise coming from inside the barn until she’d gotten the boys out of the car.

“Mama, what’s that noise?” Jack started backing away from the stable and the sound of the distressed animal.

“It’s okay. That horse is just mad and letting everyone know it. Let’s go find Luke. He’s probably helping take care of the horse.”

The barn was massive with at least twelve stalls on each side of the wide center aisle. At the far end of the barn outside an open stall stood a very angry stallion. What surprised Sarah was the manner in which everyone was dealing with the distraught animal. Horses were emotional creatures and needed to be handled with patience and care.

She didn’t see Luke. Two men on each side of the horse held him with lead ropes, obviously trying to keep the animal under control while another man tried to get close to him without getting kicked or bit. Each time the man took a step close to the horse, he went nuts and tried to buck, pull, and otherwise get free and away from the men. Very dangerous.

The frustrated horse could injure himself and the men.

Sarah sat the boys on a bench outside an empty stall, far away from the angry beast. “Do not move.”

She walked down the long aisle toward the angry horse, singing a lullaby. At first, loudly, to get the horse’s attention. As she made her way toward the animal, she softened her singing and stopped five feet from him. He watched her intently. As did the surprised men. The horse’s ears pricked up and listened to her clear, soothing voice. He snorted and stomped, but kept his eyes on her.

One of the men backed up and got right in Sarah’s face. “What the hell are you doing? Can’t you see this animal is out of control?”

Sarah continued singing and sidestepped the man, so the horse could see her.

“Step back, Doc. Let her be.” Luke’s smooth, low voice rumbled like whiskey and the blues rolled together. It washed over her and sent an unfamiliar warmth through her whole body.

She’d felt him come up behind her before she’d heard him. She didn’t have time to think much about that because the angry horse in front of her demanded her full attention.

She continued to sing the lullaby and walked straight up to the horse’s head. He stomped and shook his head up and down. Sarah reached up and brushed a hand down the horse’s nose.

In her singsong voice she asked, “What’s his name?”

“Ace.”

“Hello, Ace,” she sang, then went on with the lullaby.

Luke’s anxious voice rumbled behind her again “He’s the backbone of this ranch. He’s a champion and worth a fortune. Nothing can happen to him.”

Still singing to the horse, she turned and looked at Luke. In that moment, she could see he not only needed the horse for his breeding program, but he loved the horse. She also noticed that her boys had moved up and were crowded behind Luke’s legs. They peeked at her and Ace from around him.

“What do you need done with Ace?”

Luke answered for the man, who must be the vet. “He needs some shots and one of the trainers noticed he’s favoring his left back hoof.”

The vet added, “He also has a cut on his hindquarter that may need stitching.”

Luke restrained his fury behind his clenched jaw. “He’s been cut?”

“I’m sorry, Luke. He’s out of control today and he hit his rump on the gate to the stall. It was his own damn fault. That horse has no sense, and he’s meaner than a rattlesnake.”

Sarah continued singing and rubbed both hands up the length of Ace’s nose. Once she got her arms to full length, she pulled Ace’s large head down and put her nose to his. She rubbed the sides of his head and stood nose to nose with him singing the lullaby. Ace began to calm and soon he wasn’t stomping, or fussing. After several choruses, she knew just when the horse had bonded with her when he nuzzled his nose against her cheek.

Still singing to Ace she stepped back, grabbed a brush from a nearby table, and began to work the brush over his gleaming coat. He stood still, but watched her carefully. She worked and worked, brushing and singing, calming him even more. Once she’d given Ace a good once-over, she turned back to Luke and found all four men silent and watching her.

It was quite a picture, turning around and seeing Luke holding the hands of both her boys. She’d never seen a prettier picture. The boys were safe in a man’s hands, and the fact that the man was as strong and gorgeous as Luke didn’t hurt either.

She’d provided them with everything they needed, except a good man in their life.

Tears filled her eyes and she quickly blinked them away.

Ace nibbled at her jeans pocket and bumped his big head against her back. Luke stepped forward thinking Ace was trying to hurt her.

Sarah held up her hand to stop him. She was still singing for the horse and turned back to Ace. “It’s okay. He only wants what’s in my pocket.” Sarah took out a roll of the cherry candies the boys loved and peeled one off for Ace. The horse took it and nuzzled her neck.

She rubbed his big head and addressed the vet. “Doc, get the shots prepared as well as the sutures for Ace’s hind leg.”

She met Luke’s worried gaze. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. I grew up on a horse ranch. I’ll take care of Ace. I noticed you have two horses saddled outside. I presume those are for the boys to ride. Why don’t you take them out and have someone help you get them up in the saddle and riding.”

“I’m not leaving you with Ace. If he gets upset again, he could really hurt you.”

“You and I both know if any of you come near this horse, he’ll just go off again. He needs to be tended to, and I appear to be the one he trusts at the moment. I’d really like for you to take the boys out of here while I do it.” The last thing she wanted was for her boys to see her get kicked if Ace got upset when she checked that hoof and cut. She was willing to take the risk for the beautiful animal.

It didn’t hurt to show Luke she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and do the work.

The vet planted his hands on his hips. “Good God, Luke. You can’t allow this woman to tend Ace. She’s not a vet. What if she hurts him?”

Sarah rubbed Ace’s neck. “I know what I’m doing. Take the boys outside, and I’ll be there soon.”

Luke shook his head. “I’ll stay. Jerry, my manager, can take the boys outside to ride.”

She didn’t want anyone but Luke with her boys. “Look at them. They trust you. I trust you with them. Trust me with Ace. You take care of my babies, and I’ll take care of yours.”

He clamped his jaw tight. “Damnit.”

“Mama, Luke swore.” Jack looked up at Luke with a disapproving frown.

“He’s just mad. You guys go and see the horses outside. Luke will let you ride, then we’ll have our picnic.”

“Mama, is Ace going to hurt you?” Nick gave her those big worried eyes that made her heart melt.

“Ace was just having a tantrum.” Ace decided to punctuate that statement by stomping his hooves and shaking his head up and down. “What does Mama do with boys who have tantrums?”

“You make us calm down, and if we be good, you sing,” Jack said.

“If we’re bad, you send us to our room for a time-out. We don’t like that. I like it better when we get ice cream.” Nick hid his face in Luke’s leg.

She hoped Luke remembered what the boys said the next time Margaret told him a bunch more lies about her.

“Mama likes giving you ice cream better than tantrums, too. Now go have some fun.”

“I think Luke needs a time-out for swearing, Mama. Are you going to send him to his room?” Jack asked.

“Only if she’s coming with me,” Luke said under his breath, but she caught the hushed words.

The other three men tried to suppress their laughter, but it rang out, despite their effort.

Luke held her gaze, his direct and intense, to let her know he meant those hushed words.

She could almost feel a caress heating her skin, though they stood yards apart.

He may be looking out for Margaret’s interests, but he also had an eye on her. She appreciated that he saw more than faults.

But could she trust that the attraction was real and not a means for him to get close to her so he could try to find things to use against her?

Luke sighed out his reluctance and uncertainty, but finally scooped up both boys. “Don’t make me regret trusting you.” He carried them out of the stables.

Seeing her boys safe in his strong arms endeared Luke to her even more than how much he cared about his horse.

And she appreciated his reluctant trust.

She’d do everything possible to help Ace and do it without incident because she didn’t want to disappoint Luke.