a pan from a cabinet and eggs from a basket.
“I thought you said Wade was a country singer,” Claire said.
“He is. But the first part of that is country. And Wade is all that and more before he’s a singer.”
While Trina and Claire carried on, Sasha and Lilliana regarded each other in silence.
Something told Sasha that the silence wouldn’t last for long.
“If he’s so famous, why are you cooking?” Claire asked.
The question captured Sasha’s attention.
Trina moved around the kitchen. “Well, when Neil called and said you were coming, we gave some of our help the week off. Probably better that they don’t see who is here until we clear up any legal details.” Trina glanced at Sasha, then back to Claire. Sasha had brought Claire up to speed on the investigation into AJ’s sister’s death on the flight over. The news didn’t appear to impact her as much as seeing a baby. “Besides, I don’t mind cooking. Once my mother-in-law finally moved out, I had an opportunity to cook a little more.”
“Your mother-in-law lived here?”
“For a short time.” Trina glanced at Sasha. Kept her answers short to Claire.
They both knew Trina’s mother-in-law took a little work to move on after the marriage.
“I can’t imagine living in a house with a mother-in-law.”
Trina opened her mouth, only to have Claire cut her off. “Or even a mother.”
“Oh.” Trina stood dumbfounded. “I can’t imagine.”
Claire shrugged. “It’s okay. Right, Sasha? We turned out okay.”
“Yup.”
Claire smiled at the baby to have that grin returned. “Can I hold her?”
“Sure,” Trina said. “If she starts to squirm, just sit down on the floor with her. She’s scooting around pretty well these days.”
Claire reached her hands out to take her, and Sasha found herself reluctant to let go. “Don’t drop her, even if she pukes on you.”
Trina laughed.
“I won’t. C’mere, cutie.”
Once Sasha’s arms were free, she picked up her coffee again. It’d been strangely satisfying to hold her, if even for a few minutes.
Trina cracked eggs into a bowl. “Did you want some, Sasha?”
“That would be nice.”
Claire made faces and laughed when Lilliana tried to mimic her. It wasn’t long before both of them were on the floor next to a pile of toys.
Bacon started to pop on the stove, dragging Sasha out of her baby trance. “Let me help you.”
“I didn’t know you cooked,” Trina said.
“I don’t. But I can manage bacon.”
“My talents are limited, too.” She lowered her voice. “Wade’s cook is teaching me. And Wade is the master of a grill, so we won’t starve.”
Together they managed eggs, bacon, and biscuits. The biscuits were courtesy of the hired chef that wasn’t there.
They ate and let Lilliana entertain them.
Claire asked questions about the ranch and kept Sasha from having to talk.
“I need to wash my clothes,” she told Trina when they were finished eating.
“I can do that—”
She shook her head. “If you can direct me to the laundry room, I’ll manage.”
Trina smiled and motioned her to follow. “You have the baby, okay?” she asked Claire, who was content with the task of babysitting.
“It’s just you and me, kid. Let’s go pick up some guys,” Claire said in a high-pitched voice.
They walked up the stairs and toward the bedrooms. “Grab your clothes. I’ll show you the laundry room on this floor.”
“You have two?”
“If you count the guesthouse and the staff quarters, we have four. Crazy, right? There is another laundry pair downstairs, but it’s used mainly for cleaning towels and household stuff.”
“It’s a big place.”
“Huge. And if Wade has his way, it will be even bigger in the next couple of years.”
“Oh, why?”
“He wants his daughter to live here forever. He thinks that if he can buy neighboring ranches, she can have one and always be close by.”
They stopped in her guest room and Sasha gathered an armful of clothes. “He’s a good dad.”
“He really is.”
Sasha was happy they’d found each other.
“Is that all you have?” Trina asked.
Sasha glanced at her laundry pile. “We weren’t shopping when we left Europe.”
“I guess that’s true. You know, you and Shannon are about the same size. She has several outfits here. I’m sure she won’t mind you using them. Now that we’re all having babies, it makes sense to leave clothes at each other’s houses. Packing for kids is hard enough.” Shannon was one of Trina’s friends who lived in California.
“I’m not sure—”
“At least borrow something while you’re doing laundry. She has great taste.” Trina led her into a guest room, this one with a crib. She opened the closet