Wyatt's Ready-Made Family

“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.