Page 27 of The Prodigal Brother Returns

“Um. Yeah.” The memory of that night hit him hard. How he’d gone to the funeral home with Jonas and Nathan to make arrangements for their mother’s cremation. And how he’d started drinking and couldn’t stop.

After Jonas had yelled at him and told him to sleep it off, he’d stolen the keys to the truck and gone for a joy ride out to the old pine tree in the middle of the upper pasture, where his parents’ initials were carved inside a heart on the trunk. He’d meant to stop and park and wail his heart out at the universe’s perverse idea that he and his brothers could live without the best parents in the world, but his foot had slipped from the brake to the gas pedal.

The next thing he knew, Jonas and Nathan were banging on the side window. From there, everything went downhill and the next thing he knew, he was walking away from everything he knew, and Jonas was yelling behind him to never come back.

Sixteen years later, he was back. And his father’s prized truck, still as bent and broken as he’d left it, was here too.

How was that even possible?

And what could he possibly do to make right the mess he’d left behind?

“Blake!” Malorie leaned against his arm. “Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you should sit down.”

“I’m okay.” Without thinking, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “It’s just that this is my dad’s old truck.”

“The one Nathan says you broke?”

“Yeah.” But there was no need to tell her how the truck had ended up in its current sad predicament.

Chapter Eight

Blake Lohmen wasnot the man Malorie thought he would be when she walked into the Lohmens’ family brawl. Her first impressions weren’t often that wrong. There was the kindness he’d shown Andee and Reece by keeping them busy, helping him in the barn and teaching them how to be around the horses without getting hurt. That was something a dad would do. Not that she was looking for a dad for the twins. Being their parent was her job, not a rancher’s she’d only known for a week and a half.

Then there were theTimmybooks. Before she’d ever met him, she’d loved the stories and thought the author had insight. And a lot to say without beating the reader over the head with uselessthis is how you should live your life.

There was Timmy, the star of B.J. Burrows’s superhero books. A boy who very obviously loved his brother-in-law turned dad. She’d lay money thattherewas a story worth telling. One that, once she’d heard it, Malorie couldn’t unhear. Their sweet relationship made it so much harder to keep her distance and her heart safe.

How could she possibly trust again, after what had happened with Mark? She was sure Blake was in the same space. He must have loved his wife very much to continue parenting her brother after she was gone.

Day by day, her admiration had kept growing. Malorie flipped the French toast sizzling in the pan. She wasn’t in a position to fall for the man whose heart seemed to be as big as a reformed grinch’s.

Reece came downstairs, rubbing his eyes. At least someone in the cottage had gotten sleep. Waking hours before she needed to, she’d finally stopped tossing and gotten out of bed to start the twins’ breakfast.

Reece sat at the table and laid his head down. She put his stack of French toast and a bottle of homemade blueberry syrup, his favorite, in front of him. “Is your sister awake?”

“She’s reading.” He lifted his head, sniffed appreciatively, and pulled the plate closer.

Of course. Andee loved her books more than anything. Malorie went to the stairs and called up, “Andee, breakfast is ready.” She filled her daughter’s plate as she quizzed Reece, “What are you guys doing today?”

Reece snapped awake and smiled at her. “We’re going to brush the horses and then B.J. wants to look at the truck. He said we can help him.”

Malorie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him so animated. This is exactly what she wanted for her children. A place where they could breathe and stretch and get excited about things; where mornings were not rushed but filled with the smell of breakfast; both starting their day looking forward to what lay ahead.

Blake was part of making that happen. She appreciated his efforts, but what she couldn’t do was lose her head over the rancher because of his kindness. “Timmy too?”

Reece took a big bite of his French toast. “Yup.”

Andee came downstairs. Seeing the plate Malorie had left on the table for her, she wrapped her arms around Mal’s waist. “You’re the best, Mom.”

Mission accomplished.She hugged her daughter tight, rocking them both.

“I’ll be at the main house, taking care of Nathan.” She let Andee go and grabbed her stethoscope. “Don’t give Blake any trouble this morning, okay?”

“We won’t,” the twins said together.

She took a step toward the door, then turned back. “Don’t forget to include Timmy in whatever you’re doing.”

“We won’t, Mom.” Andee’s smile had Malorie wishing she could spend the morning with the kids. “He’s like having a younger brother. And he’s quiet. We like him.”

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