Page 47 of The Prodigal Brother Returns

Pushing her hands into her scrubs’ pockets, Malorie’s amusement banked a little as she studied him closely. And there it was. The answer to Timmy’s question. She’d been laughing with Nathan. Now she wasn’t. Instead, the corners of her mouth had turned down.

“Were the kids any trouble?”

“Not at all.” He’d better be careful. The mother of two, and an RN to boot, could spot trouble faster than a horse racing for the comfort of the barn. He’d seen her head off the twins often enough. He didn’t need her finding out about their earlier conversation. “They were super helpful. We got a lot done.”

“Mom, look what we helped B.J. make.” Reece pointed at the nameplate in Grace’s stall. Moving to Rosie’s stall, he said, “We did this one too.”

She patted Rosie’s neck and looked where Reece pointed. “Very nice. Are you guys ready to come in and settle for the evening?”

“Can we help B.J. bring in the other horses first?” Andee asked.

His chest swelling with pride, Blake smiled. Andee might love her mountain bike, but she loved working with the horses just as much, it seemed. Not surprisingly, the girl had that in common with Reece.

“That’s okay. Timmy and I’ll take care of the others. You two go spend some time with your mom.” He wasn’t their dad. If Nathan was going to be Malorie’s guy, it would be better to take steps now not to get too tied up with her kids.

Andee and Reece followed their mom.

Kids did not deserve to be left behind because the adults in their lives had issues. Parents or not parents. He could still be their friend, or he could be their favorite uncle, if that’s how it worked out.

Blake handed Timmy a carrot and stuffed a couple into his pockets. “Let’s go get Duke and his ladies.”

The horses had the same idea. They came toward them at a slow walk when he opened the gate. While Timmy hung back, Blake added lead ropes to their halters.

“Do you want to lead Angel to the barn?” The chestnut, interspersed across her hindquarters with a white spotted blanket, was the least intimating of the three. When Timmy didn’t come forward, Blake asked, “Does she scare you?”

“No, but she’s big.” A shaky smile took over his face as he stood up straight. “I’m brave.”

“Yes, you are,” Blake reassured the kid. He’d never met anyone as brave. And he made Blake brave too. Together, they could take on any challenge that came at them. He handed Timmy Angel’s lead. “Head for the barn. She’ll follow you. I’ll be right behind you with Duke and Bella.”

When they got the horses settled, Timmy’s eyes lit up. “I did it.”

“How about we celebrate with grilled turkey-and-cheese sandwiches and chocolate ice cream?” It had been Tina’s idea to celebrate her brother’s milestones with his favorite foods. He nudged Timmy toward the bathroom. “Shower first, then you can butter the bread.”

After they cleaned up from dinner, Timmy headed for his room. He was tucked into bed reading a book from the new ones Blake kept stacked for him.

He flicked on the bedside lamp. “I’m going to work on the truck and then check on the horses. Is that okay?”

Timmy nodded, his attention completely taken over by the story. On his way out, Blake left the bedroom door open. Just in case. Timmy was kind of like the horses. Once he was settled for the night, he didn’t move until morning. Especially if he fell asleep reading.

In the shed, bent over the truck’s engine, he couldn’t stop thinking about Malorie, how much she loved her kids, and her bighearted nature that allowed her to take care of strangers. He was so attracted by how easy she was to be around and how sensible she was. How she listened. And how, maybe because of her divorce, she was determined to make a good life for herself and the twins on her terms.

What was her ex thinking that he didn’t see how devoted she was? That if she’d fallen in love, she wasn’t the kind of woman who would change her mind. Disgusted with the guy, Blake straightened and smacked his head on the sharp edge of the hood.

“Ow! Son of a gun.” He rubbed the spot and belatedly looked at his fingers. No blood.

Clear of the offending hood, he shook his head. That’s what he got for traveling down a path that Malorie hadn’t invited him on. In the two years since Tina had passed, he hadn’t looked twice at another woman. If his suspicions were correct, he shouldn’t be looking now.

The problem was that Malorie Harper drew him like a hummingbird to flowers. And what was he going to do about that? Nothing.

He went back to work on the engine until his mind finally gave up and all was quiet on the Malorie front. Making a mental list of the parts he needed, he decided a store run the next day would be a good idea. The kids would enjoy that too. And it would be a good time to pay a visit to Jonas’s high school friend Sloane and see if she’d taken over her father’s auto repair shop. As a teenager, she was there every day after school. She might be able to secure the parts.

He’d always thought there was something between her and Jonas, but apparently not if he hadn’t put a ring on her finger.

Long after dark, he came to a good stopping place and closed up the shed. Finally tired enough to sleep, he made his way back to the barn. Before he went upstairs, he took a last peek at the horses.

Duke stuck his head out of the upper half of the door that he’d left open. Blake scratched his nose. “Can’t sleep, buddy?” The horse nickered. He smiled. “I know how you feel.”

“I see you’re still talking to the horses.”

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