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“Yes, and I’m also doing his laundry.” She rushed on, “That was my idea.”
“And I’m not sure if it was a good one.”
Maura understood that Abby was just being protective. They both knew how hard it was to trust anyone, or not to worry about falling for the same type of man and end up in the same brutal situation.
“Just promise me that if you feel you don’t like this arrangement, you’ll come to me for help,” Abby insisted.
“I promise, I will,” she said. “Besides, it’s only going to be for a month, or so. By then, I’ll have another place.”
“And you always have a place to stay with us,” Abby added.
Tears rushed to Maura’s eyes. Never in her life had anyone cared about her like Abby and her family. “And I thank you for that. You’ve always been there for me, you also taught me to stand on my own and realize my inner strength. And I think it’s about time I did.”
Later that day, Maura drove home with Jeff and Kelly in tow. Her son’s school bus had let him off at the day care where he spent the past two hours with his sister until Maura closed the shop.
Now, Jeff had time to finish his homework while Maura fixed dinner. She was a little worried. Darren had complained a lot about her lack of culinary skills. Not that they could afford much more than ground beef.
Taking the grocery bag out of the car, Maura started up the walk toward the house. The kids had stopped at the door, but they weren’t waiting for her. They watched as Wyatt Gentry pulled rotten floorboards from the porch.
She wasn’t as disturbed about the condition of the floorboards as much as she was with Wyatt’s lack of clothing. Shirtless, beads of sweat covered his bronze skin, clinging to his broad shoulders and chest. He turned around, tipped his black baseball cap and smiled. Her entire body grew warm, and a warm blush covered her face.
“Hello, Maura,” he said in that low husky tone. “I hope you don’t mind, but I figured this was a good place to start the repair. I’d hate for one of you to fall and hurt yourselves.”
“We’re not stupid,” Jeff growled. “We don’t walk in holes.” With a glare, he stomped into the house, letting the screen door slam in his wake.
Maura started to apologize for her son’s behavior when Kelly sat down on the step and announced, “My brother’s scared of you.”
“Kelly!” Maura was mortified at her child’s openness.
“He is?” Wyatt asked as he grabbed his shirt from the railing and slipped it on. “I guess that’s because I came into the house last night.”
Kelly nodded. “But I’m not scared of you.”
“You aren’t?” Wyatt asked, studying the child.
The girl’s large brown eyes roamed over him and he felt himself holding his breath, waiting for her to make a judgment. He hadn’t had much experience with kids. Just the ones who hung around the rodeo. They were more interested in his horse than him.
“Nope, ’cause your eyes don’t look mean.”
It was crazy but her appraisal pleased Wyatt. “Good.”
“You’re nice.” Her ponytail danced against her shoulders. “You let us stay here. And now you’re fixin’ the broked porch so I don’t falled down again. I got an owie. See.”
Wyatt leaned down and examined the tiny red mark on her knee. “Well, Miss Kelly, I’m sure sorry about that. I’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
He was rewarded with a giggle. “Can I help you fix it?”
Her mother stepped forward. “Oh, no, honey. You better come inside and stay out of Mr. Gentry’s way.”
Wyatt straightened and Maura Wells took a step back. Her eyes widened, causing him to freeze in place. She was frightened of him.
“I don’t mind if Kelly wants to stay out here,” he assured her. “I’ll leave the door open and you can hear her from the kitchen.” He smiled. “I wouldn’t want anything to hamper your progress on dinner. May I ask what’s on the menu?”
She shrugged. “It’s just meat loaf and baked potatoes.”
“There’s nothing ‘just’ about home cooking, ma’am. Not when you’ve been eating restaurant food, or your own cooking for as long as I have.”
“I hope you’re not disappointed.” She started up the steps. “Just send Kelly inside if she gets in your way.” Maura opened the screen door and went inside.
Wyatt’s gaze followed the gentle sway of her hips as she walked through the house. Maura Wells did have a cute backside. He shook away the direction of his thoughts. That was as far as he could go, admiring her from afar.
Wyatt had been fitting some of the pieces together, and he didn’t like how they added up. Someone had put that sadness in Maura’s eyes, more than likely her ex-husband. Wyatt assumed he was an ex—if not, the man deserved to be hog-tied and hung out to dry for deserting his family, leaving them to live in a run-down house.
“Wyatt.” The little girl tugged on his hand. “You gotta tell me what to do so I can help.”
Wyatt already knew he’d gotten in over his head when he allowed Maura and her kids to stay in the house. He’d always been a sucker to help out. So he’d done his good deed and it wasn’t putting him out that much. She’d be gone in thirty days, and out of his life.
He picked up the board he’d sawed to size earlier. “Why don’t you hand me those nails, Kelly?” He pointed to the box of finishing nails.
Kelly’s tiny fingers reached into the box and pulled out one. “Thank you,” he told her and she rewarded him with a smile so sweet it caused his chest to tighten.
Wyatt couldn’t let this idyllic moment detour him from contemplating his troubles. First of all, his new neighbors, the Randells, had no idea that he was their half brother. When would be the best opportunity to drop the bombshell? He needed to talk with the man, Jared Trager, who had sent him the information about Jack Randell being his father, before he made any announcements. Of course, Wyatt had confronted his mother when he’d gotten Trager’s letter. And after more than thirty years, Sally Gentry Keys finally told him and his twin the truth.
When Wyatt first arrived in town, he’d stopped by the Lazy S, but the foreman had told him that Jared Trager and his family were out of town. So it looked like he had to wait it out a little longer.
In the meantime, there were other Randell brothers around the area. He’d met Cade already. Would one of them recognize him? Not likely. He’d always been told he looked more like his mother’s family. Dylan and he were fraternal twins, and his brother was the one who resembled Jack Randell.
Wyatt pounded in the nail and Kelly handed him another. Nothing had turned out the way he’d planned. Even with Dylan urging him to let the matter go—to stay away from a man who hadn’t wanted them—Wyatt still found his way to San Angelo. Not only had he come here, but he’d bought the old Randell homestead.
Did he need to belong so badly that he had to buy his old man’s land? Wyatt had told himself over and over it was just a good deal—a great deal. He’d only made a ridiculously low offer and the seller accepted it. How could he not want the place?
He had wanted his own ranch for years. Unlike Dylan, he hated all the travel on the circuit and he’d always wanted to put down roots. A home. The old Randell place might not be in the best shape, but it was his. And with the money he’d saved over the years, from rodeoing and working stock, soon he’d be able to start his business as a rough-stock contractor. Over the years he’d made several contacts in the rodeo business. So once he rebuilt the ranch, repaired the corral and the stalls in the barn, he could begin. He already owned six horses now that a friend was boarding until he had the place ready. One in particular a bucking horse, Rock-a-Billy. He just needed to concentrate on his business.
His attention went to his distraction, pretty Maura Wells. Hopefully by the time he brought his stock here, she and her kids would be long gone.
“That was the best meal I’ve had in a long time,” Wyatt said, scooting back from the table.
“Thank you,” Maura said. “Would you like some coffee?”
“That would be nice,” he replied, smiling at her.
Feeling a little tingle, Maura got up from the table and took two mugs out of the cupboard. After filling them, she walked back to the table. “Cream or sugar?”
“No, just black.” He took a sip. “Good coffee.”
“Thank you,” Maura said again, then was distracted when Jeff dropped his fork on his plate.
“I got homework.” He stood and started out of the room.
“Jeff, you didn’t ask to be excused and I think you forgot about your plate.”
“Can I be excused?” He came back to get his plate and all but tossed it into the sink.
Maura didn’t want to call her son on his rude behavior, but she wasn’t going to let him get away with it, either. She’d talk with him later. Jeff had had these bouts with rudeness on and off since they’d left Dallas…and his dad. Of course, he had blamed their separation on her, but she couldn’t bring herself to discipline him, especially in front of a stranger.
“Mommy, I ate all my green beans. Can I be ’cused?” Kelly flashed a bright smile at Wyatt. “I want to play with my dolly. Her name is Suzy.”
“That’s a nice name,” Wyatt said.
Again Kelly smiled. If Maura didn’t know better she’d say her daughter was flirting with Wyatt Gentry. “Just remember that your bedtime is in one hour and you still need a bath.”
“Can I have a bubble bath?”
Maura was too tired. “Not tonight, honey. Mommy has to do dishes.”
“Why don’t you go on with Kelly? I’ll clean up,” Wyatt suggested.
Maura shook her head. “No, I can’t ask you to do them.”
“You didn’t ask, I offered.” He got up and carried his plate to the sink. “You just need to tell where things are.”
Maura got up, too. “Kelly, you go play, I’ll be up in a while.”
The little girl took off.
“You’ve worked all day, Mr. Gentry. I can’t ask you to do dishes.”
“And you have worked all day, taken care of two kids and fixed dinner. And I thought you were going to call me Wyatt.”
Wyatt closed the drain in the sink and began running water, then he looked in the most obvious place for the soap, under the counter. That was where he found the small off-brand bottle of green liquid. The room might have needed paint and the pine cupboards were scarred, but everything in the house had been cleaned within an inch of its life. He squirted a generous amount of soap in the water, creating bubbles. “I guess Kelly could have helped me and played in bubbles here.”
“The operative word is play,” she said. “She’d make a mess.”
Maura tried to scoot in front of the basin so he would move, but the man didn’t budge at all. She wasn’t comfortable standing so close to him and stepped back.
“You mean like this?” He slashed bubbles at her.
She gasped. “Mr. Gen—Wyatt!”
He cocked an eyebrow, looking far too handsome…and dangerous. A warning went off. She didn’t like the feelings he created in her.
“If you don’t want more of the same, I suggest you head upstairs to help your daughter. Don’t worry, Maura. I can manage a few dishes. But you have a lot more to handle.” He stared at her a moment, then said, “I’m not trying to pry, but in case he shows up one day, is there a Mr. Wells?”
She felt herself tense. God, no. “There is… I mean was, but he’s not in our lives any longer. I’m divorced and I have full custody of the children.”
“The man must have been a fool to let you and the kids go.”
“He had nothing to do with it,” she said. “It was my decision to leave, and it was a good decision.” She felt her anger building and she took a calming breath. “If you don’t mind, I will go upstairs and help Kelly with her bath.” Maura turned and walked out, nearly running was more like it. She never had much experience with men, and definitely not men like Wyatt Gentry.
She’d be better off to stay far away.
After two bedtime stories and a back rub, Kelly finally went to sleep. Maura had gone into her son’s room. Jeff was reading, and he never even looked at her, but with some coaxing, she left with a good-night kiss.
Coming down the stairs, she brushed a tear from her eye, telling herself that although Jeff hated her now, she knew she’d done the right thing leaving Darren. Her ex-husband’s abuse had gotten out of control long ago. Although she’d protected the kids most of the time, she couldn’t stay and watch as Jeff turned into the same type of person. All he ever saw from his father had been cruel and abusive behavior, especially to women.
Worse, Maura knew that if she stayed, Darren would someday kill her. And her kids would be left alone. So she had to do something, even if it meant turning her husband in to the police.
Maura knew it hadn’t been the best thing to steal her children away in the middle of the night, but it had been her only escape, the only way she could leave Darren. After the police took him in, she grabbed everything she could put in the station wagon and got out of Dallas. The small amount of money she’d managed to save only went a little way. And what was she supposed to do for a job and a place to live? She’d gotten the help at a women’s shelter in San Angelo.
Maura turned off the lamp in the living room, then walked into the kitchen. She gasped when she found Wyatt sitting at the table, reading the newspaper.
“I didn’t realize you were still here.”
He smiled at her. “I hope you don’t mind. I’m having another cup of your good coffee.” He stood and offered her a chair. “Care to join me?”
So polite, but so had been Darren…at first. “I really should get to bed.”
“I know, but I only want a few minutes.”
Maura made her way to the table and sat down. “Is there a problem?”
“That’s what I want to know, Maura. Did I do something to upset you? I mean, if it bothers you to have me at the dinner table, I can eat in the cottage.”
“No, of course not. You’ve been so generous letting us stay here. I mean, you could have insisted we leave.”
He shook his head, blue eyes piercing into hers. “I couldn’t do that.” He took a breath. “I don’t want to pry, Maura, but it’s obvious that you’ve had some hard times. I don’t want to make them worse. So you take your time. I promise I won’t get in your way.” The chair scooted against the worn floor when he stood. Then he headed out the back door.
Maura wanted to call after him, tell him the truth, but she couldn’t, not yet. She still had a long way to go before she trusted a man.
Maybe never.
Chapter Three
The next morning, Wyatt rolled over on the lumpy mattress and groaned as bright sunlight came through the bare, cracked window, reminding him where he was. His new home. Unable to get back to sleep, he decided to get up. He swung his legs over the edge and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at the travel clock on the table and realized it was nearly six-thirty.
He released a long sigh, thinking about what he had to do today…and tomorrow, and the next day. He was already tired but it had nothing to do with his endless list of future chores, and more to do with his lack of sleep last night. No matter how many times he’d told himself to forget about Maura Wells, she still had managed to keep him awake. He was breaking his own rule—to never get involved with a woman with kids…again.
Memories of Amanda Burke and her son, Scott, flooded into his head. He’d fallen hard for the pretty barrel racer. So he’d knocked himself out trying to win the kid over, too. Thanks to the example of Earl Keys, he hadn’t known about being a father figure, but he’d tried his damnedest. In the end he’d lost them both when Amanda went back to her ex-husband.
Maybe that was what intrigued him about Maura. She didn’t seem to want anything to do with him. From the moment they’d met, she’d acted as if he had the plague. But that hadn’t stopped the attraction. He was drawn to her. Maybe it was the sadness in those big brown eyes of hers, or the fear he saw every time he got too close. At the dinner table last night, he’d felt the tension with Maura. And she couldn’t get him out of the house fast enough.
Wyatt never had trouble getting female attention, not since he and Dylan had been fourteen and grown to six feet tall. They’d learned quickly how to charm the ladies. But he had outgrown conquests with the buckle bunnies at the rodeos long ago. He’d passed thirty now and wanted to put his full concentration on the ranch and start his business. He had no time or desire to get involved with someone else’s problems. So he would put up with the minor inconvenience for the next month, then she and her kids would be gone.
Wyatt slipped on his jeans and walked to the small and shabby kitchen area. It needed a good cleaning, and a lot of work. He tried to close one of the cabinet doors, and it swung back open. Yesterday, he’d chased out a family of squirrels and broke up several spiderwebs. This morning he would call an exterminator and have the cottage sprayed. Probably wouldn’t hurt to do the house, too. He’d just have to make sure that Maura and the kids would be gone for the day.
There was a soft knocking sound. He went to the door and found Kelly standing on the stoop. She looked cute dressed in a pair of blue shorts and white top, her hair in a neat ponytail. In her hands she had an insulated coffee mug covered securely with a tight lid.
She smiled. “Good morning, Wyatt. Mommy says you prob’bly need this.” She handed him the coffee. “And breakfast is in ten minutes.” Her brown eyes rounded as she shook her finger at him. “And you better not be late.” The child turned around and skipped off toward the house.
