Once a Wife by Patricia Keelyn

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Lyssa was kept in the hospital overnight for observation.

Sarah wanted to stay with her until she awoke, but the nurses shooed her out a couple of hours before dawn. Lyssa was sleeping soundly, and there was nothing her mother could do for her. Sarah thought of her own bed at home but knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Still, she’d go home and try.

As she walked past the waiting room, she spotted Reece scrunched up on one of the couches sound asleep. She hadn’t realized that he was here, or that he’d gotten back down the mountain already.

She thought about letting him sleep. Then thought better of it. He was going to ache in the morning if he stayed on the small couch much longer.

Walking over to him, she said, “Reece, wake up.”

He stirred, but didn’t open his eyes.

“Reece.” She reached down and touched him on the shoulder.

He came awake with a start and sat bolt upright. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Sarah smiled sadly. Actually, there was a great deal wrong, but not in the way he meant. “Lyssa’s asleep. The doctors say we can take her home in the afternoon.”

Reece yawned and ran both hands through his hair. He looked about the way Sarah felt. Exhausted. “And Drew?”

“He went home with the sheriff for the night,” she answered. “He’s got two boys close to Drew’s age.”

“So what are you doing?”

She sat in the chair next to the couch. “One of the nurses just kicked me out of Lyssa’s room. She told me to go home and get some sleep. Maybe you should do the same thing.”

He seemed to consider that for a moment and then turned his tired eyes on her. “We need to talk.”

She sighed. “I know, but we’re both beat. How about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow we’ll have to deal with Drew and Lyssa. There are things you and I need to discuss alone. And besides, do you really think you can sleep before we get this settled?”

“Probably not.” Nodding reluctantly, she stood up. “All right. Let’s go back to the house, and I’ll make some coffee.”

“I think someplace neutral would be better. Somewhere public.”

Sarah felt herself blush. Did he think if they went to her house, she’d try to seduce him or something? After everything they’d been through in the past twenty-four hours? But then, she decided, it wasn’t worth arguing about, and she was in no position to make demands. She just wanted this over.

“There’s an all-night diner across the street,” she said. “We can go there.”

A few minutes later, they were settled in a booth that reminded Reece of the night he’d gone to Devils Corner to offer Sarah a job. The chipped Formica tables, cracked vinyl seats, and fluorescent lighting could have come straight out of that other restaurant. Thankfully, though, the coffee was strong, and they had the place pretty much to themselves.

“Well,” he said once the waitress had filled their cups and left them alone, “what do we do now?”

Sarah straightened, obviously bracing herself. “You tell me.”

He sighed and looked out the window. Yesterday afternoon, before Lyssa and Drew had run off, he’d wanted to strike out at Sarah, to hurt her like she’d hurt him. But not anymore. She’d been through enough. They both had. “Drew and I will be leaving for the Crooked C tomorrow. I want to take Lyssa with us.”

“Yes.” He heard the resignation in her voice, and it twisted inside him. “I thought you might.”

He turned back to look at her. Despite everything she’d done, it still disturbed him to see her in pain. He realized that would probably never change. “I want to be part of Lyssa’s life,” he said. “But I won’t make this a legal battle if you don’t. And I won’t try and force her. I’m going to make the offer and leave it up to her.”

Surprise registered on Sarah’s face. And gratitude. “I won’t fight you, Reece. Legally or otherwise. Lyssa is your daughter. You have as much right to her as I do.”

Reece let the silence linger a few moments as he sipped his coffee. There was still so much between them, their past, their children. And she was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman. Strong. Loving. Passionate. Even now, he couldn’t deny how he felt for her. How she made him feel. They could have had a good life together, if only …

“You shouldn’t have kept her from me, Sarah.”

She closed her eyes and nodded. “I know.”

“Why?” he asked gently, knowing that no matter how she answered, he could never trust her again.

She opened her eyes, and again, he saw surprise on her face.

“Tell me why you did it,” he prompted when she didn’t speak.

She took a deep breath. “I’d already lost Drew. I was afraid of losing Lyssa, as well.”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. It was what he’d thought. “I never would have taken her from you.”

“I didn’t know.”

They lapsed into silence again. He couldn’t let her take all the blame for this. She’d kept Lyssa from him, but he’d played his part. Maybe if he’d done things differently, she would have, too. Finally, he said, “I should have let you tell Drew the truth.”

“I should have insisted.”

“Damn it, Sarah. You can’t put all the blame on yourself.”

Tilting her head, she gave him an odd look. “Is that what I’m doing? Funny, I thought I was finally taking responsibility for my actions.”

Sarah couldn’t let Reece take the blame.

This whole crazy mess was her fault. She’d started it eleven years ago when she’d walked out on him, knowing that she was carrying his second child. Over the years, she’d paid for that mistake. But not enough.

Not nearly enough. Her son had grown up without a mother, her daughter without a father.

She suspected she deserved to pay for the rest of her life.

She picked up Lyssa from the hospital early in the afternoon. The doctors said she was fine. She just needed to take it easy for a couple of days to rebuild her strength. But all the way home, Lyssa was unusually quiet. Once or twice, Sarah thought to say something, to try to draw her daughter out and gauge how she felt about her new knowledge about her parents. Then Sarah would change her mind, leaving Lyssa to her silence. In a short while, there would be more than enough words between them.

When they arrived at the house, Drew and Reece were waiting outside. Sarah took a deep breath and climbed out of her car.

It was time to face her lies.

As she’d expected, explaining things to her children was one of the hardest things she’d ever done. She told them the truth. All of it. She explained how young and foolish she’d been, how she’d been unable to provide the care Drew needed, and how she’d panicked when she’d found out she was pregnant with Lyssa. She also told them she’d left knowing that Reece’s family would take care of Drew. The only piece she left out was Elizabeth’s part. There was no use blaming Reece’s mother when in the end it had been Sarah’s decision. Her mistake.

Drew sat listening stoically the entire time, his eyes boring holes into her. She could feel his anger, his sense of betrayal. She prayed she hadn’t done him irreparable harm, and that Reece would still be able to get through to him. Lyssa, on the other hand, sat off to the side, her hands folded neatly in her lap, never once looking at either of her parents. It was so unlike her bossy precocious daughter that Sarah felt totally unnerved. She didn’t know which of her two children’s reactions was worse.

“Well,” she said, gripping her hands tightly together to still their trembling, “that’s the whole story. Now you know it all.” She’d managed to hold back her tears, but her voice broke as she added, “Except that I love you both very much. And I never meant to hurt either of you.”

For a few minutes, neither child spoke, and Sarah felt the silence like a weight on her heart. There was nothing more she could say, nothing else she could do to make them understand.

Then Drew turned to his father and said, “Can we go now?”

His words twisted inside her, and even Reece looked a bit shaken. “In just a moment, son. There’s something I want to add.” Reece met her gaze and held it, and it was like a lifeline to her. “What your mother isn’t telling you is that this was as much my fault as hers.” His words surprised her, and she shook her head, willing him to stop.

“When we were married,” he went on, ignoring her silent plea, “I made things difficult for her. I’d started drinking and staying out late with my friends. I wasn’t there when she needed me.” He paused, smiling sadly, with his eyes still locked on Sarah. “I drove her away.”

Tears slipped from her eyes. She couldn’t stop them. Pulling her gaze away from him, she grabbed a handful of tissues. All these years she’d blamed herself for what had happened. After all, she’d been the one who’d made the decision. Now she realized that Reece was right. He’d played a part in her leaving, even if neither of them had acknowledged it until now.

Now, when it was too late.

Looking back at him, she said, “Thank you.”

He nodded and turned toward Lyssa. “There’s one other thing, Lyssa.”

For the first time since they’d started talking, Lyssa lifted her head.

“I want you to come back to the Crooked C with Drew and me today.” He got up and squatted down in front of her. “Just to see if you like it.”

“You want me to live with you?”

“Yes.” He took her small hands in his. “You’re my daughter, and I love you.”

“What about my mom?”

“You could still see your mother.” Reece threw a glance over his shoulder at Sarah. “You could come back here on holidays and during the summer.” When Lyssa didn’t say anything, he added, “You don’t have to make a decision now. Just come stay for a couple of weeks. See what you think.”

Sarah held her breath, though she tried to keep her expression impassive. This had to be Lyssa’s choice.

“No, thank you,” Lyssa said. She got up and moved to sit next to her mother on the couch. “I’ll stay here.”

Sarah felt a rush of joy, but she couldn’t have her daughter making sacrifices for her. “Lyssa.” She reached over and took her hand. “It would be just two weeks. You should go and get to know your father and brother.”

Lyssa’s topaz eyes widened. “Do you want me to leave?” Her voice trembled slightly.

“Of course not.” Sarah pulled her daughter into her arms and held her tight. “I want you here.” Then she pulled away to look again into Lyssa’s eyes. “But only if it makes you happy.”

“I’m happy here.”

Sarah met Reece’s gaze over Lyssa’s shoulder. He looked disappointed, but nodded his acceptance. “That’s fine, Lyssa,” he said. “Drew and I are going to leave now. But you’re always welcome at the Crooked C.”

He and his son started toward the door.

“Wait,” Sarah said. She released Lyssa and crossed the room. “I have something for you, Drew.”

“I don’t want anything.”

“I think you’ll want this.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a slim silver buckle depicting a bronc rider. “It’s your father’s. He won it the year before you were born.”

Drew’s gaze locked on the buckle, but he didn’t make a move to touch it. Sarah looked up at Reece. There was so much emotion in his eyes. Surprise. Gratitude. And something else. Something softer that she was afraid to name.

“Go ahead,” she said to Drew, never moving her gaze from Reece. “Take it.”

“I don’t want it.”

She looked back at Drew and could see the lie on his face. He wanted the buckle. He just wasn’t going to admit it. It nearly broke the last of her control, but she held on, fighting back the tears. There would be time for them later.

“Maybe you’ll change your mind.” She glanced back at Reece. “Your father can keep it for you.”

Reece hesitated for a moment and then took it, only to have Drew turn and run out the door.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep steadying breath. “I’m sorry, Reece. Hopefully, he’ll want it someday.”

“He’ll come around.”

Sarah nodded, though she wasn’t so sure. She walked back to Lyssa and sat down. Then watched the only man she’d ever loved take their son and walk out of her life.

As summer gave way to fall, Reece admitted he’d never been more miserable in his life.

It was even worse than when Sarah had left him eleven years ago. Although he couldn’t have said why exactly, except maybe that this time, he’d been the one to walk away. But who could blame him? She’d kept his daughter from him for ten years.

How did you love someone you couldn’t trust?

Still, day and night she occupied his thoughts, until he thought he’d go crazy thinking about her. He’d thrown himself into the running of the ranch and spending time with Drew. The work helped. It left him too exhausted to think of much else. But spending time with Drew only succeeded in reminding him of what he’d thrown away when he’d left Oaksburg.

Sarah and Lyssa.

Despite everything, he wanted them both here. His ex-wife and his daughter. And he wasn’t happy about it.

Drew was another story.

Since they’d returned, the boy hadn’t once mentioned Sarah. Reece had tried to bring up the subject, to get a better feel for how Drew was dealing with knowing his mother was alive. But Drew refused to talk about it.

Finally, Reece decided to invite Lyssa up for the weekend. The girl had a way about her, and she and Drew had formed a special bond. He’d seen it over that one short weekend they’d all spent together. Maybe she could break through the wall of anger Drew had built against his mother.

Sarah sat on her back-porch swing, enjoying the weather. The crisp fall air was a welcome relief after the hot summer months. The trees were in full regalia, and she thought of the cottonwoods beside the creek where Drew had taken her on the Crooked C. They would be beautiful this time of year.

The weeks since Reece and Drew had returned to the Crooked C had passed slowly. School had gotten under way, but it didn’t feel the same as it had in the past. The rush of adrenaline she usually experienced every September was missing. Teaching had become a job. Someplace to be every day while her thoughts were three hundred miles away, with her son and his father. She missed them both terribly, and she wondered if she’d ever stop.

“Mom?”

Sarah turned and smiled at Lyssa. “Hey, sweetie.” She patted the seat on the swing next to her. “Come on out.”

Lyssa stepped out onto the porch and came over to sit next to her mother. They sat silently for a few minutes, with Lyssa pushing at the floor with her feet, rocking them unevenly back and forth.

Lyssa had become a lot like her old self again, but the changes were there—if you looked closely. The night in the mountains and finding out she had a brother and a father had left their mark on her. Every now and then, Sarah caught her just sitting, staring off into the distance. When Sarah asked what she was thinking, Lyssa just smiled and said, “Oh, nothing.” She, too, missed Drew and Reece, Sarah guessed. And sooner or later, she’d have to send Lyssa to the Crooked C. It was only a matter of time.

“Mom,” she said finally, “can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure, honey. What is it?”

Lyssa turned sideways on the swing and crossed her legs. “Promise you won’t get mad or anything.”

“I’m not going to get mad at you for asking. Whatever it is.”

“Promise.”

Sarah shook her head. “Lyssa, what is it?”

“Dad just called.”

Fear coiled in her stomach, but Sarah pushed it down. Reece called Lyssa often—several times a week—and nothing ever came of it. “So, what did he have to say?” she asked.

“It’s not a big deal,” Lyssa said. “And if you don’t want me to, I understand …”

“What, Lyssa?”

“He wants me to come up for Halloween weekend.”

Sarah couldn’t answer. Not at first. Of course she had to let Lyssa go. She should get to know her father and Drew. They were part of her life now.

“Can I, Mom?” Lyssa prompted. “It’s just for a weekend, and it’s going to be really neat. They’re having a big party with hayrides and costumes.”

“Of course you can go.” Just for a weekend. Sarah forced some enthusiasm into her voice. “I think it’ll be great.”

“Really? Gee, thanks.” Lyssa threw her arms around her mother’s neck and hugged her. “You’re the best.” Then Lyssa jumped from the swing. “I’m going to go call him right now and tell him.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me.” Sarah smiled, though her heart was breaking, and Lyssa ran off to make her call.

Drew didn’t know how he felt about Lyssa’s coming to spend the weekend at the Crooked C. She’d been okay and all when he’d stayed at her mom’s. She rode real good and wasn’t afraid of much like some of the girls he knew. Still, that had all been before he’d found out the truth about Miss Hanson.

Every time he thought about her, he got mad.

She’d pretended to be his friend, letting him think he could trust her. While all the time she’d been lying to him. Maybe all that stuff she’d said had been true—about being young and making a mistake and all—but why did she have to pretend to be someone else all summer long?

He didn’t think he could ever forgive her for that. “Hey, Drew,” Tod said. “You gonna ride that stallion or let him ride you?”

“Oh, sorry.” Drew shifted his weight and brought the Appaloosa back alongside Tod’s horse. He knew better than to let his mind wander while riding the Ap.

Tod shot him a grin. “I think that ol’ son is beginning to think you belong to him.”

“Nah, he just tolerates me.” Drew tried not to show how much the compliment pleased him, even though he knew Tod was right. The Appaloosa was beginning to respond to him. Some things had changed for the better since he and his father had returned to the Crooked C. His father and Tod had started taking him with them when they went out to mend a fence or work with the herd. And usually he rode the Ap. Sometime over the summer, when he hadn’t been paying attention, Drew had learned to handle the big stallion.

“Your dad’s real proud of you, you know,” Tod said.

“Think so?” This time, Drew grinned despite himself.

Making his dad proud was about the best thing he could imagine—because his dad hadn’t been happy about much lately. There was stuff bothering him. Drew figured it had to do with Lyssa being his daughter and not living with them and all. He knew his dad was glad she’d decided to come up for the Halloween weekend. So maybe that made her visit okay. Maybe she’d cheer him up.

As long as she didn’t want to talk about her mom.

Sarah forced herself to smile as she took Lyssa to the airport late Friday afternoon. And it just about killed her as Lyssa hurried toward the waiting plane.

But why shouldn’t Lyssa be excited?

She’d recently discovered she had a father and brother. It was only natural for her to want to spend time with them. It was, after all, just for a weekend.

Sarah had repeated the litany over and over for the last week.

It didn’t make her feel any better.

Now she had almost three full days to herself, and she hadn’t the faintest idea what to do. She started to drive home and then changed her mind. Instead, she stopped at Kentucky Fried Chicken and then headed for the reservation. She’d surprise Tuwa with dinner and spend a day or two with her.

It was infinitely better than going back to an empty house.

When she pulled into the yard, Tuwa stepped out onto the porch to greet her. “Sarah, you’re two days early.”

Smiling, she climbed out of her car. “Can’t I come see you on a day other than Sunday, Grandmother?” She gave the old woman a warm hug. “Besides, Lyssa’s gone for the weekend, and I thought we could spend some time together.”

“I would like that.”

“Me, too. And …” Sarah stepped back to her car and pulled the bucket of chicken from the back seat. “I brought dinner.”

Tuwa broke into a huge grin. “Now you really are welcome.” She led the way into the house. “Where did Lyssa go?”

Sarah kept her voice neutral. “She went to spend the weekend with Reece. They’re having some kind of Halloween party or something.”

“That’s good.” Tuwa grabbed a couple of plates from her cabinet and set them on the table. “Why didn’t you go, too?”

Sarah’s hands stilled and she looked at her grandmother. “Why would I?”

“You are their mother. Lyssa’s and Drew’s.” Tuwa shrugged as if the answer were obvious. “And you are his wife.”

“Ex-wife.”

“Hah!” Tuwa sat herself at the table.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You still love him.”

As always, her grandmother saw too much. Sarah sat down and kept her hands and eyes busy divvying up the food. “That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she said. “Reece will never forgive me for not telling him about Lyssa.”

“Are you sure?”

She couldn’t help it. She looked back at Tuwa, who wore a knowing smile. Suddenly, Sarah knew where Lyssa got her know-it-all attitude. She’d inherited it from her great-grandmother.

“He can’t forgive you, Sarah,” Tuwa said, “until you forgive yourself.”

Later, Tuwa’s words came back to Sarah again and again. She heard them in her mind while she built a fire and they sat and talked of other things. And she felt them in her heart, as she lay awake in the bed she’d used as a child.

Until you forgive yourself.

Eleven years ago, she’d deserted her husband and son, taking the secret of her unborn child with her. How could she forgive herself for that?

The answer came to her in the dead of the night, whispering in the wind that brushed against her window;

You were a child yourself.

She’d been seventeen when she married Reece, eighteen when she’d left him. Eighteen and broke, with an infant who needed constant care and expensive medicines. Eighteen and married to a man-child, a boy who refused to face the severity of their situation. For the first time, she remembered how she’d felt then. Really remembered. Her desperation. Her loneliness. And her love. She’d loved Drew and Reece more than her own life. And she’d loved her unborn child. Her daughter. Lyssa. She would have done anything for them.

Then Elizabeth had shown up on her doorstep.

At the time, Sarah thought she’d had no other option. Give her son and husband over to her mother-in-law, or watch her marriage crumble and die, while her children paid the price. She’d chosen life for all of them. Or so she’d thought.

Looking back as an adult, she realized there had been other options. She could have forced Reece to face their situation, begged him to go to his father and ask for help for their son. He would have done it. If she’d pushed hard enough. And if that hadn’t worked, there were government agencies that would have helped them. Or they could have returned to the reservation. Her grandmother would have helped—if only to watch Drew while Sarah and Reece worked. And there was Elizabeth herself. Sarah knew now that the woman loved her grandson. She never would have let him suffer to rid herself of an unwanted daughter-in-law. Sarah should have called her bluff.

Hindsight. It seemed so clear.

All the would-have’s and could-have’s didn’t amount to much. She’d made a mistake, but she’d done it out of love. That was what really mattered.

Reece had seen that. The last night they’d made love, he’d understood better than Sarah herself how she’d talked herself into walking away from him.

And what about Lyssa?

That, too, had been a mistake. She should have told him. The fact was, however, she hadn’t. But that, too, was in the past. All the secrets were out in the open now. Yet they continued to pay. All four of them. Sarah. Reece. Drew. Lyssa.

It wasn’t right.

They belonged together. They were a family who loved each other. And when you loved someone, you forgave their mistakes.

On Saturday, Sarah stayed and helped her grandmother prepare her house for winter. Feeling better than she had in years, Sarah could hardly wait to get back home. Tomorrow, her life would begin again.

After dinner, she kissed her grandmother goodbye. “Thank you, Grandmother. For everything.”

Tuwa studied her for a moment and then nodded. “I think everything’s going to be fine now. Am I right?”

Sarah smiled. “Yes. You are. I’m going to be gone for a few days. But I’ll come see you when I return.”

“You’ve decided to go to them?”

A warmth filled Sarah at the thought. “I’m leaving first thing in the morning.”

Tuwa nodded. “I’ve always had faith in you, child.”

“I know.” Tears welled in Sarah’s eyes. “You were right. I’m his wife. It’s about time we both remembered it.”

Bringing Lyssa up for the weekend had been a brilliant idea, Reece admitted. She added a spark of life and vitality to everything, jumping smack into the middle of the party preparations the minute she’d arrived at the Crooked C. Millie had instantly fallen in love with her, and even Drew had seemed more like his old self.

Reece had called his mother in Boston, not sure yet whether he was willing to forgive her, but needing to let her know about Lyssa. He introduced them over the phone. The ten-year-old chatted nonstop, as if she’d known her grandmother all her life. He doubted Elizabeth even got a word in edgewise. But when he took the phone back, his mother sounded absolutely charmed, telling him she couldn’t wait to come back for a visit to meet her newest grandchild.

Yes, indeed, Reece thought as he headed down to ready the wagon for the hayride that night. Pure genius.

As he approached the barn, he heard voices.

“So, what do you think about having a sister?” Lyssa asked. “And a mom?”

Reece stopped, just outside the door, eager to hear his son’s response.

“Not much.” Reece could visualize Drew’s shrug.

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“You may be my sister,” Drew answered, “but I don’t have a mom.”

His words hit Reece hard, sparking his anger, and he started to step out and face his son. He needed to set Drew straight on a few things.

“Well, that’s dumb,” Lyssa said, stopping Reece with her words before he showed himself. “You can’t just decide you don’t have a mom.”

Reece shook his head. She was something else. Her big brother didn’t scare her one bit. Though it was obvious she adored him.

“You can think what you want,” Drew said. “I haven’t ever had a mom, and I don’t need one now. Especially one that lies.”

“Dad lied, too.”

The truth hurt, but Reece kept his silence.

“Yeah, well, that was different,” Drew said.

“Oh, yeah? How?” It was the same question Reece himself would have asked, and he realized he’d been as unfair to Sarah as Drew had. Probably more so. After all, he was supposedly the adult.

When Drew didn’t answer right away, Lyssa picked up the slack. “Besides, you’re only hurting yourself.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I? Well, one thing’s for sure, Drew Colby. I was right about you from the very beginning.” Her voice faded, and Reece could picture her stomping off. “You’re not too bright.”

Reece backed away from the barn door, circling toward the corrals. The wisdom of children. She could have been talking to him, instead of Drew. All this time, he’d been telling himself he couldn’t trust Sarah and that was why they could never have a life together. What a crock. She’d proved herself more than worthy of his trust. Hadn’t she worked all summer with Drew without telling him who she was—even though it must have nearly killed her to do so? And that night on the mountain. Hell, he’d put all of their lives into her hands.

No, the truth was he’d been punishing her for lying to him. Just like Drew. And where did that leave him? Where did that leave any of them? They were all suffering because of his damnable pride, because he wouldn’t admit he’d been as wrong as she was. And forgive her.

He loved Sarah. He always had and always would. With her, he could have the family he’d always wanted. All he had to do was put the past aside and forgive her.

Sarah had another sleepless night.

Unlike the night before, however, it was anticipation that kept her awake. Tomorrow, she planned to storm the Crooked C and Reece Colby—if that was what it took. She’d lay it on the line for him and dare him to turn his back on her. He loved her. She knew it in the deepest part of her soul. They had two beautiful children who needed them both and each other. She wasn’t going to leave unless he could look her in the eye and tell her he didn’t want the same things she wanted. A family. Their family.

She finally fell asleep just before dawn.

The sound of her front doorbell woke her.

Moaning, she rolled over and looked at the clock. It was after ten. How could she have slept so late? She’d wanted to be on the road by nine.

The doorbell rang again, and she climbed out of bed. Grabbing her robe, she wondered who could be at her door on a Sunday morning. She cinched her robe and headed downstairs. When she opened the door, she came fully awake.

Reece stood on the other side of the screen.

She thought first of her children. “What’s wrong? One of the kids—”

Reece held up a hand, cutting her off. “They’re fine. In fact, they’re probably driving your grandmother nuts about now.”

“My grandmother?”

“Drew hasn’t seen her since we returned to the ranch, and it was the first place he wanted to go. Although I’m willing to bet they end up at Joseph’s before noon.”

“Reece, what are you talking about?” He was obviously much more awake than she was. “What are you doing here?”

He grinned, and her heart skipped a beat. “Can I come in? Or do you want me to stand on your front porch all morning?”

She moved away from the door.

Removing his hat, Reece stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “There,” he said. “That’s better.”

“So.” She crossed her arms. She was just beginning to realize that this might be a good thing. His showing up on her doorstep. It would save her a very long drive. “What are you doing here?”

He laughed lightly and ran his hand through his hair. “It seems to me you’ve asked me that before.”

“You do have a tendency to show up unannounced.”

“Touché.”

Lord, he looked good. Tall, broad, and smelling of the crisp autumn air. She had all she could do to keep her hands to herself. Then she smiled. If he wouldn’t listen to what she had to say, she could always seduce him.

“Funny you’re here,” she said. “I was planning on driving up to the Crooked C today.”

“Really? What for?”

“Nope. You go first.”

He took a moment to answer, his eyes drifting up and down the length of her. “I came for you.”

“Oh.” She tried to keep her voice calm, despite her heart’s sudden acceleration. “Why’s that?”

“I think you know.”

“You can’t keep your mind off my body.”

“There is that,” he said, grinning.

Sarah felt the heat of his gaze, but she couldn’t give in to it yet. “What about Lyssa and Drew? Do they know about this?”

“It was practically Lyssa’s idea.” Again, that devastating grin. “She’s quite the boss lady.”

Sarah had to smile. “Give her a few years. She’ll be running the Crooked C for you.”

Reece shook his head in amusement. “No doubt.”

“And Drew?”

“He has a little too much of his father in him.” Reece dropped his gaze to his hand, to the hat he still held. “He’s stubborn. Proud.”

Sarah nodded. “Ready to cut off his nose to spite his face.”

“A cliché.” He looked up at her and smiled. “Though in this case, very appropriate. But he’s coming around. When given the option of staying at the ranch or coming with us … well, he’s here.”

“Don’t tell me—Lyssa gave him the option.”

“Well, she was the one who more or less rubbed it in.”

Sarah laughed.

“Your turn,” he said. “Why were you heading up to the ranch?”

She let her gaze run over him as he’d done to her. “Same reason as you.”

“Couldn’t keep your mind off my body.”

“Something like that.”

He took a step forward and slipped his hands around her waist. “So, what are we going to do about it?”

“Well, this is a start.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Then I think it’s time we forget the past.”

Bending, he nipped at her neck, at the one spot he always found. The spot that drove her crazy. “And what then?” he whispered against her neck.

She sighed and melted against him. “You get your wife back.”