Page 40 of The Unbuttoned Ranger
“This is fine.” CaDee accepted the cup.
“After Ely passed away, I had no clue what I was going to do. I couldn’t even wrap my head around the smallest things, but Sharp and Bradley have always been a big help.”
“Ely was your husband?” CaDee felt her chest tighten.
She nodded imperceptibly and her gaze took on a faraway look. “Let’s go sit outside on the patio and let thekidsplay.” Her smile returned but didn’t quite reach her eyes.
The patio was surrounded by beautiful flowers. “Your landscaping is beautiful.” CaDee said as she sat down in a cushioned wicker rocker. One day she hoped to have a garden and an outdoor escape again.
“Thanks. I call it “green therapy”. I needed something to help me stop overthinking and when I get out here I feel like I’m writing in a journal.” Ursula sat and stretched her legs. “Who expects to lose a spouse at thirty-two?” She stared into her tea. “It’s been two years. Ely loved being a flight instructor. He knew the operations from front to back. There was an activation error in his seat, and it ejected during a training.”
“I’m so sorry.” CaDee could see the sadness etched in Ursula’s face.
“Sharp and Ely were best friends. Grew up together, even joined the military together.” A reminiscent smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “When Sharp was shot, I saw the terror in Bradley and I did my best to console him. I don’t know what he would have done had Sharp not made it.”
“Sharp was shot?” CaDee blurted. That made sense, the ghastly wounds on his torso that were healing.
Ursula’s eyes widened, and then she sighed. “Oh? You didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t.”
After setting her cup on the glass table, Ursula folded her hands in her lap. “Men like Sharp prefer not to talk about things they can’t control. Take it from someone who knows, I had to pry communication and information out of Ely. You have a son?”
CaDee guessed Ursula wanted to pull the conversation away from Sharp’s private life after she revealed somethinghuge. “Carsen is a wonderful boy. He’s loving exploring at Piper’s.”
“I just had an amazing idea. You should join our playdate group. Once a week moms of Fin’s Creek get together and do yoga while our kids play. We hire two teen girls who are fabulous with them. They sit for everyone’s kids in Fin’s Creek. After yoga we drink coffee and share useful information. From sore breastfeeding nipples to how to care for a sick kid to postpartum depression. It’s a place where moms can share everything without judgement.”
“If I can get away from the farm I’d love to come. I’ve also been invited to the sewing club.” She sipped her tea.
Ursula laughed, not even bothering to hide her humor. “I love those ladies, I really do, but they are fueled by rumors. I did the sewing club myself for a hot minute. I decided I didn’t need to know that a reputable citizen of Fin’s Creek was cheating with one of the church ladies. They were sneaking off into a quiet room while Pastor Stevens was preaching Sunday mornings. Or who has had plastic surgery to look more like Barbie.”
“Every town has its stories,” CaDee said. She wanted to return to discussing Sharp because she had lots of questions.
“You’re coming to the annual magnolia barn dance, right?”
“Squirrel” came to mind because Ursula flitted from one thought to the next so fast that it gave CaDee whiplash. However, she knew that she and Ursula would become good friends. “I don’t know anything about the dance.”
Ursula leaned in as if she wanted to reveal top secret information. “You’ll love it. We have so much fun. Carsen can come here and stay with the twins. I have a phenomenal sitter. All the women bake a pie as contribution.”
“Not potato salad or cole slaw? A casserole?” Those were the things that people normally brought to picnics and gatherings.
“No, it has to be pie.” There was a twinkle in her eyes as she sat back in her chair, picking up her cup to cradle it between her hands.
“Is there a shop in town where I can grab some clothing?” CaDee asked.
“We don’t have a lot of options, yet. Can I ask you a question without offending you?”
“I don’t get offended easily.”
“I have nearly an entire wardrobe of clothing that I can’t fit into after the twins were born. You can have them. Some still have tags.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind.”
Ursula laid her hand on CaDee’s. “Honey, you’ll find out that the women of Fin’s Creek stick together. You’re one of us now.”
Before she could say that she wasn’t sure she would be staying permanently, Sharp stepped onto the patio. “What are you ladies discussing?” he asked.
“Nothing, just chatting,” Ursula said, winking at CaDee.
