The Firefighter's Twins. Heidi McCahan

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СКАЧАТЬ spilling onto the overstuffed cushions of her favorite chair and a stack of untouched novels she’d intended to read before the hectic fall season started. Those would have to wait, too.

      With a heavy sigh, she shifted her focus to the mirror in the entryway, frowning at her reflection. A string of late nights and early mornings hadn’t done her complexion any favors. She fished a tube of lip gloss out from the depths of her bag, and then she dabbed on a quick coat and surveyed the results. Good enough. Natalie readjusted the coral scarf layered over her white T-shirt and navy cardigan and then slipped out the front door.

      Outside, her porch swing swayed in the breeze. She drew in a deep breath—crisp, cool air and no humidity. Birds chirped, while the familiar rumble of a tractor echoed across the otherwise empty fields. She shouldered her bag again as she walked down the steps and across the yard.

      “Hey, there, sunshine,” her sister Kirsten called out from the parking lot, wearing a stylish, belted denim dress and short, open-toed suede boots. She clasped Daddy’s elbow with one hand, while Mama assisted him on his left side. “We thought we’d have lunch here today.”

      “Great.” Natalie pasted on a smile, determined to mask her heartache. Daddy hadn’t made eye contact yet, his focus on the gravel in front of him as he struggled to walk the short distance from the car to the front door.

      “Hey, Mama and Daddy.” Natalie held the door open for them. “I bet Nolan has your favorite table ready.”

      Daddy met her gaze briefly, a twinkle evident in his blue eyes. “Sure hope so.”

      Mama squeezed Natalie’s arm as they passed. “Hey, sugar.”

      Natalie followed them inside. The aroma of fried food lingered in the air, even though the restaurant didn’t open until twelve thirty on Sundays. The dining area sat empty, although it wouldn’t stay that way for long. While Mama and Daddy made their way to a corner booth near the windows with a beautiful view of the pond, Natalie tugged on Kirsten’s short sleeve.

      “What’s the occasion?”

      Kirsten lingered near the door. “What do you mean?”

      “Mama and Daddy haven’t been here for lunch in weeks.”

      Kirsten sighed. “I wanted Mama to have a break from fixing a meal. They used to love to go out for lunch after church, but Daddy says he gets too worn out. I convinced them to come here, since they’re only two minutes from the house.”

      Natalie watched Mama help him maneuver into the booth. “We’re going to have to talk to them about assisted living. Soon.”

      “Go for it. I’ve tried bringing it up. Mama shuts me down every time.”

      Natalie turned away, her stomach clenched in a tight knot. Daddy’s mobility had declined more rapidly than she’d expected. “I don’t understand how they can ignore the facts. He’s getting worse. We can’t pretend his health isn’t going to impact their lifestyle.”

      “I know. But Mama thinks she can handle it. Like she handles everything—by sheer force and stubborn determination.”

      “What if she’s not able?” Natalie threaded her scarf between her fingers. “Eventually he’ll need care, possibly around-the-clock. Sure, the farm’s doing well, but the liability insurance and property taxes get more expensive every year. What if the cost of his care exceeds their income?”

      Kirsten’s eyes glistened with tears. “Believe me, I’ve thought about everything you’ve mentioned. Mama and Daddy simply don’t want to hear it.”

      “If Daddy’s diagnosis isn’t...” Natalie swallowed hard. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words. “If the news isn’t what we’d hoped, I think we should be prepared to have that hard conversation. Cami’s in school at Clemson, you’re working on your MBA and I’m practically working two jobs. Tisha’s not here, right—”

      “Mama says Tisha’s coming back from Alaska in the next week or so,” Kirsten said.

      Natalie sighed. “Tisha’s been away a long time. She can’t exactly make an educated choice about what’s best.” She stopped short of mentioning how their sister’s ridiculous plan to lease some of their land to that solar energy company nearly cost them everything.

      “She’s changed a lot since she moved away, Nat.” Kirsten shifted from one foot to the other. “Mama and Daddy are her parents, too. We can’t exclude her from the discussion.”

      Natalie clamped her mouth closed. She couldn’t argue with that. Although Tisha’s blind affection for her conniving ex-boyfriend and careless actions almost ruined any future plans for the farm, Natalie couldn’t be too critical. Not with the surprise news from Forever Love sitting in her inbox. If she decided to accept their offer, she’d be moving to Charlotte. What if the sale of Magnolia Lane helped provide professional caregivers? Then they wouldn’t have to worry about financing Daddy’s care. On the other hand, it meant pursuing her dreams at the expense of her family’s heritage. Daddy’s parents had built the barn themselves. Even if they’d deeded the building and the surrounding land to her, the news of the sale would still come as a shock. Could she really live with that?

      Kirsten’s gaze flitted from Natalie to Mama and Daddy. “Let’s wait and see what the doctor says before we try to talk to them again. Maybe it’s not as bad as we think.”

      “Miss Natalie?”

      Natalie glanced over Kirsten’s shoulder to see Nolan, who was hurrying toward her as he tied an apron over faded jeans and an NC State T-shirt.

      “I was fixin’ to text you. Justine called in sick. Any chance you could fill in at the register during the lunch rush?”

      Oh, brother. What other surprises could land in her path today? “I’ll find somebody to help out, Nolan. Thanks for letting me know.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He returned to the kitchen.

      Kirsten frowned. “Are you short-handed all day? I’d offer to help, but—”

      “Could you? I’ve got my first fall festival committee in a few minutes.” She regretted the request as soon as she said it. Maybe having Kirsten fill in for Justine wasn’t the best idea. Her sisters hadn’t worked the counter in ages. Natalie bit her lip. What if she pushed back the meeting until—

      “I guess I can do it. I’ll work on my presentation later...”

      Natalie shoved her doubts aside. It would have to do for now. “Perfect. Thank you so much.” Natalie didn’t stick around. If she lingered, she’d be tempted to tell Kirsten everything about Forever Love, and it was too soon for that. She needed more information. More time to weigh her options. She rubbed at the ache in her chest as she hurried toward the door. A solution that appealed to everyone and allowed her to follow her dream felt hopelessly out of reach.

      Outside, she offered friendly greetings to the customers coming into The Grille, recognizing several familiar faces. Mama and Daddy would be glad to see some of their friends. A line of at least a dozen cars waited on the two-lane road beside the entrance to the farm, blinkers on, indicating they’d be pulling into the parking lot. Looked like another busy Sunday afternoon. That would make Mama and Daddy happy, too.

      Her smile quickly СКАЧАТЬ