A Second Chance in the Show Me State - Jessie Gussman Page 0,33

ten. There’s a big difference.”

“Maybe. I’m gonna go out though. I don’t know what they’re up to, but I’m suspecting it’s no good.”

“You want me to come too? I was kind of getting the feeling they wanted to be able to feed and do everything themselves. Nothing more than that.”

“Then you go ahead to the house. I’ll go out, though they’ll still get to do everything themselves, because I won’t help them, I’ll just watch, and you can get supper ready.” She really thought Reid was right that the boys weren’t going to do anything wrong, but she did think they were up to something a little more than just wanting to do the work themselves.

Reid jerked his head, then grabbed the last bolt and walked to his toolbox, putting everything away before he strode to the house. Without saying anything more.

It was her fault things were so strained between them, and it was her fault that her stomach felt sick and yucky.

She wanted things to be better between them, but she wasn’t sure how to do it, and maybe she was just afraid of being hurt again.

After spending the day with him, it was hard to put him out of her mind. She wanted to be closer to him, not walking away.

But she tried to focus her mind on her boys and finding out what they were up to. She knew it was something. Maybe it was a mother’s instinct, but she was certain that there was something going on.

Walking slowly to give them a head start, she slipped into the barn, cracking the door only wide enough to get in. Looking across the barn floor, she saw Dallas and Houston standing face-to-face, their heads down. For once, Dallas was still as Houston spoke low and fast, using his hands to emphasize his words, gesturing widely, then seeming to emphasize his point with each downbeat of his hand.

Houston acted a lot like her, but he looked so much like his father that her heart skipped a beat. She loved her kids no matter what they looked like, but she loved that they took after their father so much. Having them with her was almost like looking into his face every day. She didn’t want to go six months without that. Not in a foreign country, doing a job she really didn’t like, and choosing to be alone, because the things that her business associates did after work weren’t the things she enjoyed.

She wanted a family to be with. If that was just one boy, then so be it. She enjoyed spending evenings playing games and doing homework and going skiing and taking walks with her son. Whichever one she had.

Dallas said something back, and Houston shook his head, again emphasizing whatever he was saying with hand motions.

She walked forward slowly, trying to catch a little of what he was saying, but it was so low she couldn’t hear a thing.

She stepped on a loose board that creaked, and both of their heads snapped up.

Dallas was the first to recover. “Hey, Mom! We were just throwing hay down for the cows. You can help if you want to. Come on over.”

She walked closer to the western-facing hole where the rain poured down outside. It had only been sprinkling when she walked over and had let loose in the amount of time since she’d made it to the barn.

They probably wouldn’t be doing any harvesting tomorrow, because everything would be too wet.

Maybe she would actually get her business stuff out and start doing some work there. She needed to.

Chapter 10

Reid stood at the counter, shaping hamburger into patties. Beside him, Emerson sliced an onion. Dallas and Houston set the table and chattered between themselves.

Reid set the patties in the skillet and looked around for a spatula.

Emerson reached over on her side, grabbed it, and handed it to him.

He grabbed a plate and slid it over to her. She took it and arranged the onions on it.

He finished putting the patties in the skillet, pressing them down with the spatula, while she sliced the tomato.

Reaching into the cupboard, he grabbed another plate and set it down for the tomatoes. She took it and arranged the tomatoes in an artistic circle.

Maybe he should go ahead and go to the single dads meeting tonight. He’d been thinking about staying home so they could have some family time, but the boys had spent most of the day in the combine with him while Emerson had