Page 37 of Big Island Sunset
Her old German Shepherd Dog leaned against her, and she gave Gretchen’s head a scratch before walking into the house. She wanted to climb into bed and sleep for a week. But she had barely enough time to clean up the mess in the kitchen before she left to pick the girls up from New Horizons.
Her spirits buoyed slightly when Piper and Paige climbed into the van, showing her the stuffed animals they had made with Nell and chattering about their day. Even then, her exhaustion was so deep that her two shining girls barely softened it.
Something had to change.
Both girls had a riding lesson scheduled for that day, so she drove straight to Liam’s ranch. She had brought two jars of squash soup for them to drink on the way up the mountain; no matter how much food she packed in their lunches, they always needed more fuel after school.
At the ranch, the girls immediately flew from the van and ran to the stables, where Maddie and the horses were waiting. Tara stood outside for a long while, just soaking in the quiet of the place.
Liam had as many animals as she did – more, probably.
The difference was, he hadspace. Employees too.
His livestock all had their allotted paddocks and pastures, and the area around the house was clear and quiet. This far up the mountain, the air was crisp and cool.
“Tara?”
She startled at the sound of Liam’s voice and turned to find him standing a few feet away.
“Are you all right?”
“Tired,” she admitted.
He put his arms around her, and she melted into him. Letting someone hold her up was a rare luxury, and she wondered – notfor the first time – why she didn’t drive up to Summers Ranch more often. But with what spare time?
“Come on up to the lanai,” Liam said after a while. His voice rumbled low through his chest, soothing her frayed nerves. “I just brewed a pot of mamaki.”
“That sounds good,” she said with a sigh.
Up on the front porch, they settled into twin rocking chairs. She could see the three girls in the distance, Maddie standing in the middle of the ring and coaching the twins through their jumps. The tranquility of the moment was such a stark contrast to the rest of her life that it made her want to cry.
“How’s Cody?” Liam asked.
“I really don’t know.” Tara brought her tea up to her face and inhaled the steam, letting the warm smell of mamaki soothe her. The liquid in the mug was a deep shade of gold. “Every time I try to talk to him, it just makes things worse.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“It is, though. I want to support him, but I just end up putting more stress on him. I just… I wanted more for him than this. But maybe that’s selfish. Maybe what I wanted for him – what I thought his life would look like – is irrelevant now. He wants to do the right thing, and I’m proud of him. I am. But I don’t know what the right thingis. Is it really right for him to throw his future away for a summer fling?” She closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s a mess.”
“It will all turn out alright in the end,” Liam told her.
“How can you know that?”
“Babies are a blessing.”
She opened her eyes enough to glare at him. “It’s not that simple, Liam.”
He smiled at her, radiating serenity and love. “It’s not that complicated.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“Are you asking for advice?”
“Do you have any?”
“I might, if you want to hear it.”
She looked him in the eye and nodded.
