Page 54 of An Endless Memory

“No beading grounds,” Eliot said solemnly and winked at Cali. “I breed enough animals. Mosquitoes don’t need any help.”

He was leaving in an hour? My good mood from the day dipped. I’d survived my family swarming the place. This weekend had turned into exactly what I wanted. A quiet day at home where I wasn’t drooping with fatigue. I’d been productive, and the kids were having fun.

I’d have to keep up after Eliot left. I couldn’t rely on him. He might sense it and feel like it was his duty to provide the life I wanted.

It wasn’t. Even if I was starting to want him in my life for more than a random weekend.

Twelve

Eliot

Chambers was sipping his coffee at the island. He’d taken the last piece of his wife’s juneberry pie and was sifting through photos I’d gotten sent from Lily.

“And this is Cali’s first day of school,” I said of one with Cali and a backpack that was half her size.

Chambers peered through his readers at my phone screen. “She’s growing like a weed.”

Pride puffed out my chest. I had nothing to do with it, but that girl’s grin on her first day of school made everything feel right. I’d marry a thousand strangers to keep her in that house where she could go to a school with a teacher she adored. “She really is. Lily just sent this today.”

The next photo was an image of Kellan with a sloppy grin in a new pair of overalls his grandma had gotten him. Lily and I messaged back and forth. It was mostly about the kids. I liked seeing them, but I also suspected I was a safe person to message. I didn’t quiz Lily on their health and well-being—or hers—like her family would.

I was dying to know. I had to be sneaky. Almost six weeks had passed since her family had bombarded her. I missed them. I missed her.

I should’ve been back by now. But with the changeover in personnel, training them, and getting everyone through their vacations and time off over the Labor Day weekend, I’d been needed. Jasper would be starting in a couple of weeks, and the ranch would be full of new people. New people made mistakes. I couldn’t go away every weekend.

The problems were nothing new. Each season was like Groundhog Day. I woke up, did chores. Sometimes, I’d iron out a conflict between my employees, many times, they’d tell me about an issue on the ranch. Then we’d fix shit, train animals—sometimes fix them, too, and then do evening chores.

To change things up, I could go to the bar.

“When you going back to see her?” Chambers sipped his coffee like he didn’t just ask a leading question.

I did the same with Lily in our weekly texts. Is Kellan sleeping through the night yet? Translation—how are you sleeping? Some weeks, he was fussy. Others, he let her get some rest.

I stuffed my phone away. “I should’ve gone this weekend.” Lily hadn’t asked. We’d never established if I’d be at her place for holidays, or should I try once a month? Her family had given her space while they figured out their own inheritance plans, and her aunt had been giving them all space. I hadn’t been needed. And maybe Lily needed a little time and distance between us.

We’d gotten too close to playing husband and wife the last time I was there. Dancing in the kitchen. The kiss. I’d gotten carried away. Was she cautious of me? We parted on a good note. I’d hugged Cali and they’d waved at me from the stoop when I drove away.

“How’s everyone else?” Chambers asked innocently when he was really prodding me to go. “Cody and the others?”

“They’re slowly prepping me that they won’t be around for fall work.”

His eyes widened. “None of them?” It wasn’t easy to surprise Chambers.

“Wilder can’t leave Sutton’s side. Since Vienne can’t do all the work on the house she used to, Austen has more on his plate. Cody said the kids really want to come visit, but with Tova pregnant, he won’t be able to put in the long days he used to. Aggie and Ansen have their rescue to cover. My brother-in-law’s family usually looks after their animals, but they’re going on a family trip to Texas.”

The times were changing, but I was staying the same.

“It’s gonna be quiet around here, then.” Chambers scooted around the island to wash out his coffee cup. “It’s Friday. You can make a quick weekend of it.”

I’d get there around Cali’s bedtime. Kellan might already be asleep. What was I thinking? I couldn’t pop up on her doorstep. “We just recovered from me being gone last time.”

He harrumphed but didn’t say anything.

I leaned on the corner of the island near the oven and glowered at his back. “We’re not married for real.” I wasn’t the only one who needed reminding.

He peered over his shoulder. “Not saying nuthin’.”

“You’re saying a whole damn lot, Chambers,” I said dryly.

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