To Have And To Hold: Made for Marriage / To Wed a Rancher / The Mummy Proposal

“You look like you could use this.”

She sank on the seat and took the glass. “Thanks.”

Fiona’s big eyes looked her over. “You’ve been crying. What happened? You two looked cozy when I walked in.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You know,” Fiona said, sharper than usual, “sometimes it doesn’t hurt to open up a bit. That’s what friends do for each other—in case you forgot.”

“I’m a terrible friend,” Callie said through a tiny hiccup.

“Yeah, I know.”

Callie couldn’t help the hint of a smile that curled her mouth. “I don’t know how to feel,” she admitted. “He wants … he wants …”

“Everything?” Fiona asked. “That doesn’t seem like such a bad deal to me.”

It didn’t, no. But taking everything meant giving everything. “I can’t.”

Fiona took a sip of wine. “You can’t live in the past forever, Callie. Believe me, I know that from experience.” She leaned back in the love seat. “I know you lost a baby.”

Callie gasped. “How do you—”

“I found some pictures,” Fiona explained. “Remember when you first moved in and I helped you unpack? You were out with the horses and I was inside going through boxes …” Her voice trailed off.

Her memory box—given to her by the caring nursing staff at the hospital after Ryan had passed away. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

Fiona shrugged. “I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would. The only reason I’m bringing it up now is that I like Noah. And so do you. I don’t get why you’d send him away.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Because he has kids?”

Callie wondered where her friend had gotten all this sudden intuition from. “I’m just not sure if I can do it.”

Fiona watched her over the rim of her glass. “You won’t know unless you try.”

“And if I mess up, the children will be caught in the middle.”

“I think you should cut yourself some slack. You’re smart and from what I’ve seen you’re pretty good with kids.”

“This is different,” she said quietly.

“Why? Because you’re falling in love with him? With them?” Fiona asked.

Callie gasped. Was it true? Was she falling in love with him? She liked him … really liked him. But love? Could she? Overwhelmed, Callie couldn’t find the voice to deny her friend’s suspicions.

“Have you told Noah about your son?”

“No.”

“Maybe you should,” Fiona suggested. “You know he’d understand. Or is that what you’re afraid of?”

She stared at her friend. Was that the truth? Was she so afraid of him really knowing her?

“I had a baby,” Fiona admitted. “When I was fifteen.”

Callie’s eyes almost sprang out of their sockets. “What?”

Fiona nodded. “I gave her up for adoption. There’s not a day goes by when I don’t think about her, when I don’t wonder where she is, when I don’t pray that the family she’s with are looking after her, loving her. I hope they don’t love her less because she’s adopted.”

Thunderstruck, Callie stared at her friend, saw the tears shimmering in Fiona’s eyes and pushed back the thick swell of emotion contracting her own throat. She had no idea her bubbly, eternally happy friend was holding on to such a secret. “I’m so sorry, Fee.”

Fiona managed a brittle smile. “I guess what I’m saying is that we all have things in our past that can stop us from looking for happiness or make us blind to it when it comes along. The trick is having the courage to take the chance.”

Three days after the afternoon in the tack room, Callie went for a long ride. She rode into Crystal Point and headed for the beach. It was barely ten o’clock and only a few people were about, a couple chasing sticks with their dogs and a lone jogger pounding the sand. She maneuvered Indiana past the restrooms and onto the soft sand. She spotted a couple of small children building a sand castle and urged Indiana to a halt when she heard her name being called.

It was Evie. And the two small children were Hayley and Matthew.

“Hello,” Evie said as Callie dismounted.

Hayley came running up to her and hugged her so fiercely Callie was amazed by the little girl’s obvious display of affection. Evie stood back and watched the interaction keenly as Hayley showed off her thumbnail painted with transparent glitter polish compliments of her Aunt Mary-Jayne.

Both kids hovered around Indiana, and he stood like an angel while the little girl patted his soft muzzle. Matthew was a little more reluctant, but after a small amount of coaxing from his aunt he stroked Indy’s shoulder.

“He’s such a beautiful animal,” Evie said with a whistle.

Callie smiled proudly. “Yes, he is.” The kids lost interest in the horse and headed back to their sand castle. “They look like they’re having fun.”

Evie smiled. “They love the beach. I try to bring them as much as I can.”

“Do you look after them often?’

“Every Wednesday,” she replied. “My mother has them on Fridays and the rest of the week they’re in daycare.” Evie looked at the twins affectionately. “They’re off to school next year and I’m already missing them just thinking about it.”

Callie stopped herself from watching the twins. “They’re lucky to have you in their life.”

Evie shrugged. “They’re easy to love.”

Yes, Callie knew that. And she could feel herself getting drawn toward them. Evie patted Indiana for a moment and then slanted Callie a look she knew instantly would be followed by a question. “So, are you and Noah seeing each other?”

“Where did that come from?”

Evie smiled. “Jamie said you make a mean salad.”

Callie tipped her Akubra down on her forehead.

“I knew you were going on a date. But I was surprised when the kids told me you’d been to the house,” Evie said when she didn’t reply. “You’re the only woman he’s invited home to be with his kids since his divorce. I figured that meant something.”