Mirror Image Bride

Darcy sat at the big, farm-style table, kicking the legs of the chair as she watched Maddie open cupboard doors and look into the refrigerator. By the time Maddie had found all she needed, Darcy had regained her more chatty nature. She talked about the pigs and the chickens and the goat and the fact Violet grew vegetables. That seemed to fascinate her. To Darcy, produce came from the grocery store, not the ground.

“When we finish eating we’ll check out supplies and plan on what to have for supper,” Maddie said, finding the silverware drawer.

“Are you going to cook our supper?” Darcy asked.

“I am. And breakfast in the morning.”

“He gets up very early,” Darcy said.

“Hmmm, maybe you and I don’t need to get up that early. Shall we ask? I mean, it’s not like we have to get riding before it gets hot or have hours of work in front of us.”

She needed to talk to Ty to see what he expected. Maybe he’d want her there for breakfast each morning. Getting up early wasn’t her favorite thing to do, but it would be worth it to see Ty first thing each morning. Was his attitude softening toward her? She considered it might be wishful thinking, but she was holding on to the thought.

Once she knew what he expected, she could make plans accordingly. Maddie’s boss had always said she was an expert at that.

Her former boss, she amended silently, feeling a pang that she wasn’t in Fort Worth, working frantically to get the next edition of Texas Today to bed. She missed the hectic atmosphere, the camaraderie of her coworkers. The sense of accomplishment when the issue was finally on its way to the stands.

Sighing, she cut their sandwiches, poured milk and sat to eat. Another change in her topsy-turvy world.

“What are we going to do this afternoon?” Darcy asked as she was finishing her sandwich.

“How about some artwork? Did you bring any coloring books or crayons to color with?”

Darcy shook her head. “The lady who came to tell my babysitter my mom was dead packed clothes and left everything else at our apartment. And she didn’t even pack my favorite dress.”

“No toys or books or anything?”

“I got to bring Teddy bear, that’s all,” Darcy said, kicking the legs of her chair again.

Maddie had no idea how social services worked. Surely at some point the apartment had to be vacated for the next tenant. What would happen to all of Darcy’s things? And those of her mother? Surely they’d come to Darcy.

Another item to discuss with Ty.

Once they’d finished lunch, they walked over to the main house. The large, warm, brick home easily housed the Colby family and any guests they wanted. Maddie still felt a bit like an interloper when she entered without knocking. This was the home her sister and brother lived in. A far cry from the modest house she’d been raised in. Her father had moved to a home near the university for convenience when they’d left Appleton for Fort Worth. She didn’t remember much about the house of those early years with her mother.

Rachel came to live with them after her mother died. The older woman was a widow whose only child had died of meningitis. When her father attended medical school, his hours were long and hard. Rachel was the constant adult in the household. She was retired now and living in Galveston. She loved the sea. She’d tried to answer Maddie’s questions when she’d first called and told her about her twin. Rachel knew very little, only that she’d needed the job at the perfect time and she loved her kids, as she called Maddie and her brothers, Carter and Grayson.

Maddie pulled out her cell phone and tried her father’s number again. It went straight to voice mail—and the mailbox was full. It drove her crazy. Where was he? Surely if he’d been injured the authorities would have notified her.

If her brothers weren’t out of touch as well, she’d see what strings Grayson could pull to locate their dad. But he was working undercover in some narcotics investigation for Fort Worth Police and Carter was deployed. She was about to burst with the newfound knowledge about her fractured family and had no one to share it with. Or to find out more about what had caused the siblings to split.

She led Darcy to the room the family used as an office and suggested they search online for ideas of fun art projects they could do together. Although her mind was still reeling with concern about her family, she set her worries aside and focused instead on giving Darcy her undivided attention.

It was the least that Ty’s daughter deserved after all she’d been through.

* * *

Ty walked straight into the kitchen late that afternoon. He stopped when he saw the table set, Maddie by the counter, rolling pin in hand. Darcy at her side. The aroma of dinner had his mouth watering instantly. He was hot, sweaty and tired.

“Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes,” Maddie said, “I need to finish these biscuits and pop them into the oven. Does that give you enough time to clean up?”

“Sure.” Clean up? He normally washed his hands and ate. Obviously that wasn’t going to work now. Was he supposed to dress for dinner? He walked through the kitchen and into his bedroom and bath. A hot shower sounded as good as the hot meal. He’d take one fast, to get back to the kitchen as soon as he could. He’d found the Colby cattle on the neighbor’s land and driven them back through the broken fence, then repaired it. After taking a quick tally to make sure he’d recovered all, he’d ridden the perimeter for most of the afternoon. The day had been hot, and he knew he smelled of horse, cattle, dirt and sweat.

When they sat down to dinner a short time later, Ty studied his nanny. She’d lasted the day and didn’t seem to have a hair out of place. Her clothes weren’t suitable to ranching, but they still looked as fresh as they had that morning. How did she do it?

Once seated, Maddie held out her hand to him and reached across the table to take Darcy’s. He looked at them.

“Will you bless the food?” Maddie asked.

His mind went blank for a moment. Then he glanced at Darcy who was watching him. Nodding, he took her hand and Darcy’s and bowed his head. He was not given to praying aloud, yet how would they know when he was finished if he didn’t? Clearing his throat, he began, “Lord, thank You for the food that’s been prepared for us, for providing it and sending Maddie to cook it. Thank You for bringing Darcy home. Amen.”

“This isn’t my home,” Darcy said.

“Darcy, we discussed this,” Maddie explained gently, serving the child’s plate. “You live here with your dad now.”

Ty swallowed a knot in his throat. “What did you two do today?” he asked gruffly.

“We did art projects and made cookies at Violet’s house,” Darcy piped up. “Chocolate chip. I got to help.”

Ty nodded, relieved to see his little girl smiling again. It broke his heart that she felt so displaced. He waited until they’d both filled their plates, then heaped the stew onto his own.

“What did you do?” Maddie asked after a moment of silence. This man could take the strong silent type to the highest degree.

“Checked on some fencing, got caught up on other things around.”

“I need to talk to you later,” Maddie said.

His eyes narrowed. “About?”

“The job,” she said pointedly.

“Didn’t we already talk about that?” he asked.

“If you count keeping her safe and occupying her time, yes, we did. I had in mind a bit more.” She hoped he’d agree to discuss it further. The more she was around Ty, the more she liked him. He was honest and straightforward. No artifice around him. It had an appeal that surprised her. She wanted to learn as much about him as she could.

“After Darcy’s in bed?” he suggested.

“Fine with me.” She had a mental list, maybe she should jot everything down so she didn’t forget something. She wasn’t sure she wanted two meetings back-to-back with him. One would be challenging enough.

Once dinner was finished, Maddie and Darcy made short work of cleaning the kitchen. Then Ty suggested they walk to the barn with him. Darcy looked at Maddie first, then nodded.

When they reached the corrals where some of the horses were, Darcy climbed the rail fence and, hugging the top rail, gazed at the horses.

“She needs to learn to ride,” Maddie said when Ty stood behind Darcy, watching her watch the horses.

“If you ride, too,” Darcy said quickly.

“I don’t know about that.” Though Violet urged her to ride every day, she wasn’t comfortable on the back of a horse—unlike her sister, who seemed to move as one with the large animals. The few times she’d gone riding, she’d clutched the saddle horn for dear life.