Page 56 of A Sunny Sweetheart for the Cowboy

Grandfather pointed a trigger finger at him. “And now we are getting to the crux of the issue.”

Paisley entered the dining hall for breakfast at the tail end of the line. Half the tables had already been vacated. Most of the staff had left.

And yeah, she’d been late because she was trying to figure out what to do. She’d finally called Kait, who’d begged her to come home and see their mother. Paisley wanted to — sort of — but she didn’t want to leave Sweet River. None of the scenarios she ran through her head ended with Mr. Sullivan shaking her hand and wishing her godspeed… and promising her that her job would be waiting for her.

How could she leave Montana, not knowing she had a job to return to? How could she leave Weston after last night’s kiss? Yeah, she hadn’t responded — much — but she’d had a very fragile hold on her willpower at the moment. If he’d stuck around, she’d have glued her lips to his.

It was better he’d walked away when she sent him.

Right?

Of course, right.

“Paisley!” Nadine bustled over, wiping her hands on her apron. “I held back a couple of carrot-pineapple muffins for you. I know they’re your favorite.”

Tears stabbed Paisley’s eyeballs. “Thanks.” Wow, she was going to miss this place. These people.

“Are you okay, hun?”

“Maybe. Thanks.”

“Let me have breakfast with you. Emma and Tina have everything under control.” Nadine raised her voice. “Don’t you, girls?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Tina called with a grin.

“Here. You pour yourself a hot cuppa tea and a black coffee for me. I’ll fix a tray for us both.”

Nadine even remembered the whole tea thing, when nearly everyone else kept assuming Paisley only had tea occasionally. No. It was her fuel like others drank coffee.

“Okay.” Maybe Nadine could put a word in with her father… but that wasn’t right. If Paisley couldn’t hold down a job on her own, she didn’t deserve it.

A minute later she sat at a round table with Weston’s mother on the chair beside her. Paisley ducked her head in a quiet grace, but Nadine spoke out loud. “Father God, we thank You for another beautiful day. You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides, and we are grateful You supply all our needs. Thank You for this good food, and please bless Paisley Teele with all You have for her. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

“Thanks,” Paisley murmured.

“I can tell your usual bounce is gone, hun.” Nadine slathered butter on her muffin. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Your son kissed me.

Um, Paisley wasn’t about to tell the chef that. And Weston was only part of the problem. “It’s my mom, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Tell me.” Nadine set down her butter knife and turned to Paisley.

How much to say? But at Nadine’s full, motherly attention, Paisley dumped out her whole sordid story.

“Oh, hun.” Nadine slid an arm around the back of Paisley’s chair and hugged her. “That’s a heavy burden to bear. I’ll pray for your mother and your sister. Kait, you said her name was?”

“Yes, it’s Kait that stayed near Mom to keep a lookout. Amelia is interning somewhere out east, I think.” She hadn’t asked Kait for their eldest sister’s location… or if she was coming home.

“And you. You need to see your mama.”

“I’d like to, but it’s such a busy time here, and I have responsibilities.”

Nadine pointed her muffin at Paisley’s. “Eat something. And I know you do important work here, but I’m sure my father or my nephew can shuffle things around a bit to free you up for a week or so.”

“What if it’s more than a week?” Paisley picked a flake of crushed pineapple off the muffin and ate it. Mmm. She was hungry, after all.

“Do you think it might be longer?”

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