Cowboy's Triplet Trouble. Carla Cassidy

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СКАЧАТЬ she said with a touch of humor. “Natalie is twenty-four, almost ten years younger than me, and some days it feels like I have four children instead of three.”

      “What about your parents?” Jeffrey asked.

      “We were raised by a single mother and she passed away nine months ago,” Grace replied. She was acutely aware of Jake’s gaze on her. Dark and unreadable, the intensity made her slightly uncomfortable.

      “Jake, what’s up?” A familiar deep male voice called from the living room.

      Grace’s stomach clenched tight as she realized Justin had arrived. Certainly the friendliness toward her and the children by the people around the table had given her hope, and that hope now surged up inside her.

      She wasn’t expecting instant happiness from Justin, but what she was hoping for was some sort of acceptance of the situation and the happiness would come later.

      He came into the kitchen. In that first instant of seeing Justin again, Grace couldn’t imagine how she’d mistaken Jake for him. Justin looked younger and his hair was longer and slightly wild with curls.

      His blue eyes widened at the sight of her, and then he looked at the three girls in the high chairs. “Oh, hell no!” he exclaimed and then turned and ran out of the kitchen.

      Jake watched Grace’s lovely face pale as she jumped up from her chair. “Please excuse me,” she said, her voice trembling as she left the kitchen, obviously in pursuit of Justin.

      There was a long moment of silence around the table.

      “Mama?” Bonnie said, but didn’t seem upset by Grace’s absence.

      “She seems really nice,” Kerri said.

      “Yeah, she does,” Jake agreed reluctantly. Grace Sinclair was lovely and seemed nice and she was probably in for a world of hurt thanks to Justin.

      “Hopefully Justin will step up.” Jeffrey looked at the little girls still in their high chairs happily finishing their meals. “What a mess,” he muttered under his breath.

      What a mess, indeed. Jake’s stomach knotted as he thought of the moment of realization on his brother’s face and his ensuing race out of the kitchen.

      He shouldn’t be surprised. That’s what Justin did best … make trouble and then run from whatever the consequences. Even though there was only a seventeen-minute difference in their ages, sometimes Jake felt as if his brother was seventeen years younger.

      Jake had cleaned up plenty of Justin’s problems in the past, but he wasn’t running to the rescue this time. He couldn’t. Justin was just going to have to suck it up and deal with the fact that he was now the father of three little girls.

      “Maybe I should go check on her,” Kerri said and started to get out of her chair.

      “No, I’ll go check. You stay here with the kids.” Wearily Jake pulled himself out of his chair.

      “Bye-bye,” Bonnie said as Jake started toward the kitchen door.

      For a moment he paused and stared at the three consequences of two adults’ carelessness. It had to be difficult for a third-grade teacher to be single-handedly raising three babies. Hell, it would be difficult for any woman alone, no matter what her profession.

      Despite her words to the contrary, Jake had no idea if Grace needed financial help or not. Surely just buying diapers and essentials for three little ones would be a hardship on a teacher’s salary.

      Girls need fathers in their lives. That’s what she’d said to him when she’d thought he was the daddy. Jake didn’t know what little girls needed, but he’d always believed that he and his brothers would have been better off with far less father in their lives.

      “Bye-bye,” Bonnie said again, snapping him out of his momentary reverie.

      He muttered a goodbye and then left the kitchen. Time would tell exactly what Grace needed from Justin and how his brother would step up to provide what she needed, what the little girls needed.

      He was halfway to the front door when he heard Grace shriek from outside. With a burst of adrenaline he raced out the door. His heart nearly stopped when he saw her crumpled on the ground by the porch steps.

      “Grace!” He rushed to her side as she sat up, her face unnaturally pale as she grabbed her left arm with her right. He glanced around but didn’t see Justin, and his truck was gone.

      “What happened?” he asked as he reached a hand out to help her up off the ground.

      “It was stupid. I missed the step and fell.” She winced as she got to her feet.

      “What hurts?” he asked.

      “I hit my shoulder.” Her face was still bleached white even though she attempted a smile. “I’m sure it’s fine.” As she tried to drop it to her side she hissed in obvious pain and pulled it back up again.

      “That doesn’t look fine,” Jake replied with a scowl.

      “I’m sure I’ll be okay. I just need to collect the girls and we’ll all be on our way.” They started up the stairs to the front door.

      “I guess it didn’t go so great with Justin?” he asked even though he knew the answer.

      She shot him a glance and he was surprised to see tears brimming in her eyes. She quickly looked away, as if embarrassed. “He basically just screamed that I’d ruined his life and then got into his truck and peeled off down the road. Yes, I think it’s safe to say that things didn’t go so great.”

      “He doesn’t handle surprises very well,” Jake said as he opened the door for her. He cursed his natural impulse to make excuses for Justin. “I’m sure once he calms down he’ll be more reasonable.” At least that’s what Jake hoped would happen. But he figured Justin had probably done what he always did when he got upset—headed directly to Tony’s Tavern.

      Grace slid through the door in front of him. “Once he calms down and is more reasonable he can call me or find me in Wichita. As soon as I pack up the girls, we’ll be on our way back home.”

      He didn’t try to change her mind. Maybe the best thing would be for her to head home and give him an opportunity to talk some sense into his brother.

      This wasn’t a speeding ticket that could be taken care of with the writing of a check. This wasn’t a drunk and disorderly charge where Jake could talk the sheriff into not locking Justin up in jail for the night.

      “Everything all right?” Kerri asked worriedly as they reentered the kitchen.

      “Fine,” Grace replied. “I want to thank you all for your wonderful hospitality, but it’s time the girls and I get back on the road. If I leave now I’ll be able to get home to Wichita before dark.”

      “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather spend the night here and get a fresh start in the morning?” Kerri asked as she got up from the table. “We certainly have plenty of room.”

      Jake watched Grace, who shook her head negatively. “Thanks for the offer, but I’d СКАЧАТЬ