Long Road Home

Sarah brightened. “Sure we can. Problem solved. Let’s get that kettle going now so it’ll be ready when the water from the heater turns cool.”

Talk of manicures and footbaths galvanized Wyatt into action. “I think it’s about time for me to take Rodney and vamoose.”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Mary Lou smiled at him. “Now that we’re in full swing, I could use some help getting the food laid out.”

“We can help, Mary Lou,” Dominique said. “Morgan has her hands full with SB, but the rest of us can schlep things from the kitchen.”

“Hey, I’m glad to do it,” Wyatt said. “I’m the party crasher around here, so it would make me feel better if I can be useful.”

Dominique put down her wineglass. “Okay, but we can still help.”

“Absolutely,” Tyler said. “I’m actually good at this kind of thing.”

“Ladies, ladies.” Mary Lou held up both hands. “Your offer is much appreciated, but I think you should let this nice young man do the honors. I’ve had my eye on him since he walked in. I said to myself, Oh, good. There’s our muscle.”

Wyatt pretended not to hear the muffled laughter that followed that remark. “Then it’s settled. Everybody relax and I’ll handle it.” Considering how hungry he was and how many delicious smells had invaded the laundry room while he was changing clothes, he was more than willing to facilitate the food situation. He could always disappear after the meal part.

“Great,” Mary Lou said. “Come on back and I’ll show you where the large folding tables are stored. We need a couple set up in the living room so we can create a buffet. That way everyone can munch whenever they feel like it. Since the stove’s electric, I need to move the hot food into chafing dishes and bring them out here.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Wyatt was aware of everyone eyeing him with amusement.

“Oh, and I’d appreciate it if you’d bring that light of yours into the kitchen, too.”

“Sure thing.” Wyatt grabbed the lantern from where he’d left it and followed Mary Lou down the same hall he’d recently traveled with Sarah. The left wall was a bank of windows, which now looked out on rain and streaks of lightning. But each time the lightning flashed, it lit up the other wall, which was covered with framed photos.

“What are all those pictures?” Wyatt asked.

“Family.” Mary Lou kept walking. “No sense in trying to show you now, though. We’d have to use your lantern and we should probably conserve the batteries. But the entire history of the Chance family is there in those pictures.”

“I’d like to study that.” His mother would never allow a wall of pictures to spoil her ultrachic decor.

“I’m sure you would. Come down in the morning and I’ll give you a guided tour.” Mary Lou kept walking, but she glanced over at him. “I wish you well, Wyatt Locke. Your mother caused a lot of pain in this family but that’s not your fault. It took guts for you to come back here, and that tells me you’d fit in a lot better than Diana ever did.” She caught her breath. “Oh, I shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t respectful. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I know my mother’s not a popular person around the ranch.” He hesitated, torn between truth and disloyalty. “She’s a complicated woman. Being her son hasn’t always been easy.”

“Well said.” Mary Lou reached over and patted his arm. “I personally think you’ll be good for Jack. I only hope he’ll be good for you, too.”

“We’ll see, Mary Lou. We’ll see.”

After that they didn’t have time for philosophical discussions. Wyatt carried the folding banquet tables back down the hall and set them up while Mary Lou used his battery-operated lantern to light her work space in the kitchen. Because the ranch was used to serving hot food outdoors for barbecues, Mary Lou had an assortment of warming pans heated by gel packs instead of electricity.

As Wyatt helped her bring in the food, he laughed at his assumption that it would be finger sandwiches and tea cakes. This was hearty ranch fare—baked beans, ears of corn, coleslaw, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and a giant platter of chocolate frosted brownies for dessert. The only nod to what Wyatt considered girly food was a big bowl of salad and a relish tray of carrot sticks, celery, radishes, pickles and green onions.

Sarah told Wyatt where to find a high chair for little SB, and he brought that in along with an oil cloth he spread under it to catch food fallout. Then he helped Morgan settle the little redheaded girl into her seat, along with her stuffed dinosaur and a bowlful of dry Cheerios. He’d never spent much time around little kids and he was surprised that he instinctively took to it.

Mary Lou announced the food was ready and the women didn’t hold back. Laughing and talking, they loaded their plates and refilled their wineglasses. Wyatt, being gentlemanly and an uninvited guest, waited until they’d all gone through the line. That included Olivia, who’d finished Josie’s manicure.

“I’ll fix your plate for you,” Olivia said to Josie. “You need to be careful of your fingernails.”

“I can do it for Josie,” Wyatt said. “You go ahead and eat, Olivia.”

“Why, thank you.” She gave him such a dazzling smile that he temporarily forgot what he’d volunteered for. He was fascinated by that tiny space between her front teeth. Adorable.

“You’re making points fast,” Josie said to him. “Gallantry counts around here. Are you sure you’re not a cowboy?”

When she spoke, he refocused on his task and picked up a plate. “My brother and I used to pretend to be cowboys when we were kids.” He grabbed a napkin and utensils, too. “Does that count?”

“Absolutely.” She pointed to the steaming baked beans. “Lots of those, please. Light on the potatoes and heavy on the coleslaw.”

Wyatt loaded Josie’s plate as instructed and carried it over to an empty chair next to the baby carrier sitting on the floor. Archie slept on, despite the racket.

After making sure Josie was all set and hadn’t ruined her manicure, Wyatt crouched down next to the baby carrier. “Looks like he took after you more than Jack.”

“I think so.” Josie gazed with fondness at her son. “He has Jack’s nose, though, and of course he’s only four months. His blond hair could get darker, but he definitely didn’t inherit Jack’s coloring.”

Wyatt studied the tiny face, so sweet and soft. Something about the nose reminded him of Rafe’s baby pictures. “He looks … familiar.”

“He should. You’re related to him.” Josie laid down her fork and looked at Wyatt. “I hope you’ll be patient with my husband. He puts his shields up when it comes to you, even though it’s not your fault that your mother … well …”

“Abandoned him.” Wyatt met her gaze. “It’s okay. You can say it. There’s no good excuse for what she did and I promise I won’t try to make any.”

“I’m sure that will help. At one time I thought Jack had accepted his past, but meeting you has stirred it up again. Unfortunately I think he resents the fact that she started another family while continuing to pretend he didn’t exist.”

Guilt pricked him. “I don’t want to create problems.”

“You’re not the one who created the problem. Diana did. Jack knows about you and your brother now, so you can’t put the toothpaste in the tube again. Coming back was the right move, in my opinion.”

“Thanks, Josie. Jack’s a lucky guy to have you.”

“We’re lucky to have each other,” she said softly. Then her glance shifted as she looked over his shoulder. “Too bad you can’t see the expression on Olivia’s face right now. Women get all mushy when they see a guy crouched down next to a baby.”

Warmth crept up the back of his neck and he resisted the urge to turn around. “But I wasn’t doing it for—”

“I know. I can see that you’re the real deal, Wyatt. Olivia can, too. We all can. Even Rodney.”

Upon hearing his name, the dog padded over and pushed his nose against Wyatt’s leg. Wyatt ran a hand over the dog’s silky head. “Yeah, I know, Rod. I promised you we’d hang out and here I am ignoring you.”

Josie chuckled. “Now Olivia’s really got a sappy look on her face. Kids and dogs. I’m telling you, Wyatt, you have a gift. Not that it’s any of my business, but is there a girl back home?”

“No, actually, there’s not. I’ve been pretty busy getting my business up and running.”

“In that case, I suggest you grab a plate of food and go sit by Olivia while she has a moment to herself.”

Wyatt smiled. “Believe I will. Come on, Rod. Apparently you’re an asset to the cause.”

As Wyatt headed to the buffet table, Mary Lou handed him a cold bottle of beer. “Most times the guys prefer this to wine,” she said.

“Thanks, Mary Lou.”