Wyatt's Ready-Made Family. Patricia Thayer

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      On the way Wyatt took the opportunity of daylight to look around. The rooms obviously needed paint, but everything was clean and neat. Maura Wells had taken care of the place. In the kitchen, she pulled down two mugs from the knotty pine cupboard, then poured the brew from a coffeemaker. “Please, sit down.”

      Wyatt watched as she moved around the old-fashioned kitchen. He didn’t take Maura to be much older than her late twenties. She was small, maybe a little on the thin side, but she didn’t lack curves. He watched the sway of her hips under her skirt.

      “I’m sure you want to move in as soon as possible,” she said as she sat down at the table and motioned for him to do also. “I’m sorry if we created a problem.”

      “Not a big deal.”

      She sighed. “We can be out…today.”

      Wyatt looked out the window and saw the sorry-looking station wagon parked by the back door. The woman definitely didn’t have much. Where was her husband? He looked back at her. “Do you have a place to go? I mean, I didn’t give you much notice.”

      “We’re not your concern, Mr. Gentry.”

      Then why did he feel as if they were? “Please, call me Wyatt.”

      She nodded. “Wyatt. We’ll probably stay with Cade and Abby Randell for a few days. If it’s okay, I’ll have to leave my furniture here temporarily, until I find another place.”

      Why did he feel like such a rat? He couldn’t do this. “Huh…that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”

      She nodded. “Of course.”

      “There’s so much work to do around the place. I was thinking there’s no reason why you and the kids couldn’t stay in the house.” He rushed on seeing her start to protest. “You’d be a big help to me with decorating the inside. And you could take your time finding another place to live.”

      “Oh, Wyatt,” she gasped. Her breathy tone caused his stomach to tighten. “I can’t do that. Where would you live?”

      “I thought I’d move into the Rocking R’s foreman’s cottage while I was doing the work. I don’t need much room.”

      Maura couldn’t believe it. She could stay. But for how long? She didn’t care. Right now, she couldn’t afford to go anywhere. There wasn’t enough money in her emergency fund to rent a house. She didn’t even have an emergency fund. Besides, she hated to pack up Jeff and Kelly again. “But how would I be helping?”

      “I know zilch about decorating. I’m a bachelor. Spent a lot of my life living out of a single-wide trailer with my mom and brother.” While my stepfather shouted orders from back at his ranch, he added silently. “I don’t know anything about colors and styles and I can see how well you’ve taken care of the place.”

      “How much rent would you want?”

      He shook his head. “I don’t want any rent, but if you could include me at mealtimes, I’d be grateful.”

      “That doesn’t quite seem fair. Us living here and you in the cottage.”

      “I was planning to move into the cottage anyway while I did the work, so the house will be empty if you and the kids move out.”

      Maura knew he was probably lying, but bless him, he was trying to help her. She never wanted to be beholden to a man again. It had taken her a long time to stand on her own and not be afraid. But the truth was, she had to think about the kids, keeping a roof over their heads. They loved it here. How could she uproot them again? Besides, she had nowhere to go but back to the shelter once she wore out her welcome at Abby and Cade’s. At least, Wyatt Gentry was offering her time to figure out where to go.

      “I appreciate your offer, but I feel that if I’m going to stay I need to do something more.”

      “What is that?”

      “I’ll not only cook your meals, but do your laundry, too.”

      When he started to argue, she stopped him with her raised hand. “Take it or leave it, Mr. Gentry.”

      A slow smile came over his handsome face and a strange feeling erupted in her stomach. “Lady, you got yourself a deal.”

      Chapter Two

      Maura ended up running late for work. But she couldn’t just walk out on Wyatt Gentry. After all he was going to be her landlord. She was both excited and relieved that they could come to terms so she and the kids could stay…for a while.

      She pulled her car into the parking lot of the Mustang Valley Guest Ranch Center, and escorted Kelly through the doors of the bright red-and-blue building of the employee’s day care. Since summer had ended and the seasonal workers were gone until next spring, there were only four other children there.

      The Little Pony Day Care had been a lifesaver for Maura. She had very few skills for today’s job market and could never have made enough money to be able to afford someone to watch Jeff and Kelly, let alone a licensed day care. But Maura had been offered the free service along with her job. Best of all, Kelly loved staying here.

      “Give me a kiss, sweetie,” she said to Kelly.

      Her daughter puckered up and kissed her. Not long ago, Kelly wouldn’t willingly leave Maura’s side. Now, she was a happy, independent child.

      After last night, Maura was afraid her daughter might revert into her former shell, but she relaxed when Kelly ran over to her friend, Emily, and began to play. So Wyatt Gentry’s surprise arrival hadn’t caused the child any lasting problems. Maura wished the same was true for herself. She now had a man practically living in the house, and he’d be sitting at her dinner table every night.

      “Bye, Mommy. I love you.”

      “I love you, too, pumpkin.”

      With a wave goodbye, Maura hurried out the door and across the complex to the strip mall that included a general store and the cabin check-in and rental area for the guest ranch. There was also a souvenir shop, a video arcade, the Mustang Western Clothing Store, then came Abby’s Treasures that carried nice collectibles and freshwater pearls from the local Concho River. And last in line was the flower shop.

      Maura unlocked the front door to the Yellow Rose. She stepped inside and a wonderful floral fragrance engulfed her, causing her to smile. She loved working with the flowers, loved to arrange bouquets for the ranch guests. And if that weren’t enough, she was lucky to work for a wonderful family like the Randells, especially Abby. With virtually no experience, Abby had taken a chance on Maura and given her a job. The few things she had known about flowers had come from Carl Perry, her parents’ gardener.

      A lonely, only child, Maura used to follow Carl around the estate. The poor man answered every question she’d ever asked and taught her everything about flowers, from pruning to fertilizing. Her mother had always insisted there be fresh bouquets in the house daily. What Grace Howell hadn’t known or cared about was that Maura was the one doing the floral arrangements. But her parents hadn’t noticed much about their daughter until she’d married Darren СКАЧАТЬ