with a
burgundy plaid sofa and a couple of leather recliners, and the television set
was an older model but quite large.
One side wall was dominated by a small river rock fireplace
with a mantel made of rough-hewn lumber. The fireplace was empty but
someone—probably Caidy—had stacked several armloads of wood in a bin next to it.
He could easily imagine how cozy the place would be with a fire in the hearth,
the lights flickering on the tree and a basketball game on the television set.
He wouldn’t even have to worry about turning the volume down so he didn’t wake
Jack. It was an appealing thought.
“Through here is the kitchen and dining area,” she said.
The appliances looked a little out-of-date but perfectly
adequate. The refrigerator even had an ice maker, something he had missed in the
hotel. Ice from a bucket wasn’t quite the same for some reason.
“There’s a half bath and a laundry room through those doors.
It’s pretty basic. Do you want to see the upstairs?”
He nodded and followed her up, trying not to notice the way her
jeans hugged her curves. “We’ve got a king bed in one room, a queen in the
second bedroom and bunk beds in that one on the left. The children won’t mind
sharing, will they?”
“I want to see!” Jack exclaimed and raced into the room she
indicated. Ava followed more slowly, but even she looked curious about the
accommodations, he saw.
The whole place smelled like vanilla and pine, fresh and clean,
and he didn’t miss the vacuum tracks in the carpet. She really must have hurried
over to make it ready for them.
“There’s a small bathroom off the master and another one in the
hall between the other bedrooms. That’s it. Not much to it. Do you think it will
work?”
“I like it!” Jack declared. “But only if I get the top
bunk.”
“What do you think, Ava?”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I still like the hotel better but it
would be fun to live by Destry and ride the bus with her and stuff. And I get the top bunk. I’m older.”
“We can work that out,” Ben said. “I guess it’s more or less
unanimous. It should be great. Comfortable and spacious and not that far from
the clinic. I appreciate the offer.”
She smiled but he thought it looked a little strained. “Great.
You can move in anytime. Today if you want. All you need are your
suitcases.”
The idea of a little breathing space was vastly appealing. “In
that case, we can go back to the inn and pack our things and be back later this
afternoon. Mrs. Michaels will be thrilled.”
“That should work.”
“Can we decorate the tree tonight?” Jack asked eagerly.
He tousled his son’s hair, deeply grateful for this cheerful
child who gave his love unconditionally. “Yeah. We can probably do that. We’ll
pick up some art supplies while we’re in town too.”
Even Ava looked mildly excited about that as they headed back
outside.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Caidy said suddenly. “What are you
doing all the way down here, you crazy dog? Just want to make a few new friends,
do you?”
She spoke to an ancient-looking collie, with a gray muzzle and
tired eyes, that was sitting at the bottom of the porch steps. Caidy knelt down,
heedless of the snow, and petted the dog. “This is Sadie. She’s just about my
best friend in the world.”
Ava smiled at the dog. “Hi, Sadie.”
Jack, however, hovered behind Ben. His son was nervous about
any dog bigger than a Pekingese.
“She’s really old. Thirteen. I got her when I was just a
teenager. We’ve been through a lot, Sadie and me.”
“Sadie and Caidy. That rhymes,” Ava said unexpectedly, earning
a giggle from Jack.
“I know, right? My brothers used to call the dog and I would
think they wanted me. Or they would call me and Sadie would come running. It was
all very confusing but we’re used to it now after all these years. I didn’t name
her, though—the rancher my parents got her from had already given her a name. By
then she
burgundy plaid sofa and a couple of leather recliners, and the television set
was an older model but quite large.
One side wall was dominated by a small river rock fireplace
with a mantel made of rough-hewn lumber. The fireplace was empty but
someone—probably Caidy—had stacked several armloads of wood in a bin next to it.
He could easily imagine how cozy the place would be with a fire in the hearth,
the lights flickering on the tree and a basketball game on the television set.
He wouldn’t even have to worry about turning the volume down so he didn’t wake
Jack. It was an appealing thought.
“Through here is the kitchen and dining area,” she said.
The appliances looked a little out-of-date but perfectly
adequate. The refrigerator even had an ice maker, something he had missed in the
hotel. Ice from a bucket wasn’t quite the same for some reason.
“There’s a half bath and a laundry room through those doors.
It’s pretty basic. Do you want to see the upstairs?”
He nodded and followed her up, trying not to notice the way her
jeans hugged her curves. “We’ve got a king bed in one room, a queen in the
second bedroom and bunk beds in that one on the left. The children won’t mind
sharing, will they?”
“I want to see!” Jack exclaimed and raced into the room she
indicated. Ava followed more slowly, but even she looked curious about the
accommodations, he saw.
The whole place smelled like vanilla and pine, fresh and clean,
and he didn’t miss the vacuum tracks in the carpet. She really must have hurried
over to make it ready for them.
“There’s a small bathroom off the master and another one in the
hall between the other bedrooms. That’s it. Not much to it. Do you think it will
work?”
“I like it!” Jack declared. “But only if I get the top
bunk.”
“What do you think, Ava?”
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I still like the hotel better but it
would be fun to live by Destry and ride the bus with her and stuff. And I get the top bunk. I’m older.”
“We can work that out,” Ben said. “I guess it’s more or less
unanimous. It should be great. Comfortable and spacious and not that far from
the clinic. I appreciate the offer.”
She smiled but he thought it looked a little strained. “Great.
You can move in anytime. Today if you want. All you need are your
suitcases.”
The idea of a little breathing space was vastly appealing. “In
that case, we can go back to the inn and pack our things and be back later this
afternoon. Mrs. Michaels will be thrilled.”
“That should work.”
“Can we decorate the tree tonight?” Jack asked eagerly.
He tousled his son’s hair, deeply grateful for this cheerful
child who gave his love unconditionally. “Yeah. We can probably do that. We’ll
pick up some art supplies while we’re in town too.”
Even Ava looked mildly excited about that as they headed back
outside.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Caidy said suddenly. “What are you
doing all the way down here, you crazy dog? Just want to make a few new friends,
do you?”
She spoke to an ancient-looking collie, with a gray muzzle and
tired eyes, that was sitting at the bottom of the porch steps. Caidy knelt down,
heedless of the snow, and petted the dog. “This is Sadie. She’s just about my
best friend in the world.”
Ava smiled at the dog. “Hi, Sadie.”
Jack, however, hovered behind Ben. His son was nervous about
any dog bigger than a Pekingese.
“She’s really old. Thirteen. I got her when I was just a
teenager. We’ve been through a lot, Sadie and me.”
“Sadie and Caidy. That rhymes,” Ava said unexpectedly, earning
a giggle from Jack.
“I know, right? My brothers used to call the dog and I would
think they wanted me. Or they would call me and Sadie would come running. It was
all very confusing but we’re used to it now after all these years. I didn’t name
her, though—the rancher my parents got her from had already given her a name. By
then she
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