Page 14 of A Surprise Wedding for the Cowboy

“Ah, part of the family that’s bought up the Sweet River Ranch! Welcome to Jewel Lake.”

“Thank you.” Tate smiled at the woman but his glance toward Stephanie was more desperate.

“How long are you in town for? And how did you two meet?”

“Estelle, the little guy is really hungry. Can we place our order?”

“Of course.” The gleam in the older woman’s eyes faded a little. “I’ll catch the details later. What can I get you?”

After they’d ordered and Estelle had bustled away, Tate leaned a little closer. “Is she for real?”

“What Estelle knows, all of Jewel Lake knows.” Stephanie smirked. “Small towns aren’t exactly like big cities.”

“No kidding.” He shuddered slightly as he handed Jamie a spoon to bang on the table. “It will take some getting used to.”

Stephanie tilted her head and studied him more closely. “If you’re only here for a month or two, you probably won’t be in town often enough to be affected.” And why did her heart sink a little at the thought?

Tate grimaced. “You know that verse in Isaiah 55 about God’s ways not being like our ways?”

“Yes?”

“My grandfather’s ways aren’t like my ways, either.”

She tumbled her hands in an effort to encourage him get his story out already.

“Two to three years. That’s how long he thinks it will take to bring his vision for the ranch into fruition.”

“You mean… you mean you’re going to be living here for quite a while?” That revelation called for a Snoopy dance in the aisle, but that would bring Estelle running.

“That’s what I hear. I told Grandfather I’d already started the process of setting things up for Jamie in Chicago, but he brushed my concerns aside. Said he needed me in the office here, and we could always get a nanny locally.” He bit his lip and stared toward the window. “It would be best to have someone live in, since the ranch is so far out of town. I don’t know. I never imagined this scenario.”

“Here are your drinks.” Estelle set two Cokes on the table and then a glass of milk. “Is he able to manage this all right?”

Tate pulled a sippy cup out of the diaper bag. “I’ll pour some into this for him.”

“Now, how long—”

“Jerry McDiarmid is trying to get your attention, Estelle. Looks like he wants a coffee refill. He mustn’t be done reading the newspaper yet.”

“Oh.” Estelle pivoted away. “Be right there, Jerry!”

Tate chuckled quietly. “Looks like you’ve had experience handling her.”

“I have. Her daughter, Sage, is a good friend of mine.” She watched him pour the milk, snap the lid down, and hand it to his nephew. “So, a nanny.”

“You know anyone who’s good with kids and who could live up there? Grandfather tends to pay well.”

Stephanie tapped her finger to her chin, pretending to think. How did he not already know the answer to his dilemma sat right in front of him? “Two to three years, you say? That’s long enough for someone to give up a different job, maybe.” Like being a bank teller, because while she liked the steady stream of people she got to see, the routine was a little tedious. And Dad was always right there, his office door cracked open.

“That’s true. It might have been harder to find a qualified person for a short-term position. I’d been thinking of maybe a college student on break for the summer, but the longer timeframe makes that impossible.”

Did she dare put herself forward? She’d been a little pushy with Eli, and look where that had landed her. But there was also that Bible verse about not having because you didn’t ask God for it. And Stephanie desperately needed a change in her life.

She’d known Tate for all of 24 hours now. There were an awful lot of ways this could go wrong. But, there were also a lot of ways it could go right. He was gainfully employed. Had a compassionate, nurturing personality. Seemed solid in his faith, down to praying real prayers and randomly referencing scripture verses. She could do a lot worse than pursuing Tate Sullivan.

Estelle set their plates on the table and asked a couple of more questions, to which Tate gave noncommittal answers. Then Jamie threw his sippy cup overboard and the lid sprang loose, splattering milk on the floor. Estelle dashed off for a rag. When she’d cleaned up the toddler’s mess, a group of cowboys came in and gathered around the center tables.

Whew. The Cavanagh brothers would keep Estelle busy for a while. Stephanie was just fine with the busybody telling everyone she’d had dinner with one of the Sullivan men, but that didn’t mean the woman needed all the details. Especially since Stephanie didn’t have them herself yet.

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