Benji?” Ellen’s voice was light, but even this far away, Tara could detect a stressed undertone.
“Where’s your common sense?” Ben retorted. “Colorado’s one giant blizzard right now, and you expect me to drive a woman and her children right into the middle of it?”
“You’re exaggerating,” Ellen said. “The blizzard is in Denver, and I’m sure it will be cleared up by the time we get there.”
“Portions of the highway have been closed.”
“They have. East of Denver.” Ellen sounded defensive now. “I’ve been checking too, you know.”
But Ben wasn’t backing down. “If we had another guy, El, but we don’t. How do you think Dallin would feel if I let something happen to his family?”
Ellen let out a frustrated groan. “Is that what this is about? You’re still worried what Dallin thinks of you, how he sees you?”
A lengthy silence met this remark, and Tara dearly wished she could see their faces. After a good minute had passed, Ben spoke again.
“I’m worried about getting my sister and her children safely over the Rocky Mountains. And with the weather the way it is right now, it seems mighty foolish to attempt such a thing with a moving truck and a minivan. If we get stranded—even if we just need to put chains on, I wouldn’t have anyone to help me. You’d need to stay in the van to take care of the kids.”
“But it’s Christmas. Dallin can’t be without his family on Christmas. And would you have Cadie and Sam and Chloe spend it away from their dad? Here, in this empty house?”
Tara heard Ben’s sigh and tried to decipher if it was one of frustration or defeat. “If we had another adult . . .”
“Well, we don’t. And no one’s going to want to join us on a road trip the day before Christmas. I mean they’d have to be going to Denver themselves, and where are we going to find—hey, what about Tara?”
Tara’s head snapped up at Ellen’s suggestion.
“She was headed to Colorado, anyway, and the airport still hasn’t reopened. Maybe she’d be willing—”
“Have you lost your mind?” Ben let out a sound that was half-laugh, half-choking. “’Cause I’d sure lose mine, being in a car with her all day.”
That’d be because you don’t have much mind to lose. Tara’s earlier melancholy disintegrated in a burst of anger. Like I’d want to go with you, anyway.
“You wouldn’t have to ride with her,” Ellen said. “She could come in the van to help me with the kids.”
“Lot of help that would be,” Ben said sarcastically.
He’s got a point , Tara admitted to herself. She had no desire and no clue how to play nanny to a bunch of kids confined in a car. But how hard could it be? And it would get me to Denver. The possibility of still making the spa trip tempted her. At least she’d be with people she knew for the holiday. In Vegas it’d be up to her to find someone. And that would take energy and effort. Effort she didn’t feel like putting forth right now.
“You’re not being fair—or nice,” Ellen said.
And you’re just figuring this out? Tara turned away from the window, heading toward the kitchen, intending to join them. Ben’s disparaging comments aside, she decided the idea was worth discussing.
“I’m being completely fair,” Ben said. “I should have said, ‘If we had another man to come with us.’ Because if we hit a storm, I’m the one who’ll end up needing help. And I’m pretty darn sure that woman couldn’t change a tire to save her life.”
It was the nudge she needed to make up her mind.
“Actually,” Tara said, smiling sweetly as she stood in the wide doorway between the family room and the kitchen, “I can.”
Seven
“Have fun,” Ellen called, waving from the front step.
Fun. Oh yeah, shopping with Farmer Ben should be real fun. Tara picked her way down the icy driveway. She’d hinted to Ben that he might want to change his overalls before going out, but his only response had been a rude
“Where’s your common sense?” Ben retorted. “Colorado’s one giant blizzard right now, and you expect me to drive a woman and her children right into the middle of it?”
“You’re exaggerating,” Ellen said. “The blizzard is in Denver, and I’m sure it will be cleared up by the time we get there.”
“Portions of the highway have been closed.”
“They have. East of Denver.” Ellen sounded defensive now. “I’ve been checking too, you know.”
But Ben wasn’t backing down. “If we had another guy, El, but we don’t. How do you think Dallin would feel if I let something happen to his family?”
Ellen let out a frustrated groan. “Is that what this is about? You’re still worried what Dallin thinks of you, how he sees you?”
A lengthy silence met this remark, and Tara dearly wished she could see their faces. After a good minute had passed, Ben spoke again.
“I’m worried about getting my sister and her children safely over the Rocky Mountains. And with the weather the way it is right now, it seems mighty foolish to attempt such a thing with a moving truck and a minivan. If we get stranded—even if we just need to put chains on, I wouldn’t have anyone to help me. You’d need to stay in the van to take care of the kids.”
“But it’s Christmas. Dallin can’t be without his family on Christmas. And would you have Cadie and Sam and Chloe spend it away from their dad? Here, in this empty house?”
Tara heard Ben’s sigh and tried to decipher if it was one of frustration or defeat. “If we had another adult . . .”
“Well, we don’t. And no one’s going to want to join us on a road trip the day before Christmas. I mean they’d have to be going to Denver themselves, and where are we going to find—hey, what about Tara?”
Tara’s head snapped up at Ellen’s suggestion.
“She was headed to Colorado, anyway, and the airport still hasn’t reopened. Maybe she’d be willing—”
“Have you lost your mind?” Ben let out a sound that was half-laugh, half-choking. “’Cause I’d sure lose mine, being in a car with her all day.”
That’d be because you don’t have much mind to lose. Tara’s earlier melancholy disintegrated in a burst of anger. Like I’d want to go with you, anyway.
“You wouldn’t have to ride with her,” Ellen said. “She could come in the van to help me with the kids.”
“Lot of help that would be,” Ben said sarcastically.
He’s got a point , Tara admitted to herself. She had no desire and no clue how to play nanny to a bunch of kids confined in a car. But how hard could it be? And it would get me to Denver. The possibility of still making the spa trip tempted her. At least she’d be with people she knew for the holiday. In Vegas it’d be up to her to find someone. And that would take energy and effort. Effort she didn’t feel like putting forth right now.
“You’re not being fair—or nice,” Ellen said.
And you’re just figuring this out? Tara turned away from the window, heading toward the kitchen, intending to join them. Ben’s disparaging comments aside, she decided the idea was worth discussing.
“I’m being completely fair,” Ben said. “I should have said, ‘If we had another man to come with us.’ Because if we hit a storm, I’m the one who’ll end up needing help. And I’m pretty darn sure that woman couldn’t change a tire to save her life.”
It was the nudge she needed to make up her mind.
“Actually,” Tara said, smiling sweetly as she stood in the wide doorway between the family room and the kitchen, “I can.”
Seven
“Have fun,” Ellen called, waving from the front step.
Fun. Oh yeah, shopping with Farmer Ben should be real fun. Tara picked her way down the icy driveway. She’d hinted to Ben that he might want to change his overalls before going out, but his only response had been a rude
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