“I loved getting to be Jessica Sugar Bomb,” Hailey told her. “The costume was so cool, and they even let me keep the belt. Maybe you can come over and try it on one day.”
“Okay,” Mae said, perking up a little.
“Hailey is going to get warmed up and maybe have some dinner with us,” Ransom told the kids, hoping she would agree to stay. It was fun to see them interact with her.
“We don’t have any Sugar Bombs,” Travis said worriedly.
“Dad says they’ll rot our teeth,” Mae added, dead honest as always.
“That’s okay,” Hailey told them, her eyes twinkling like they used to when she was trying not to laugh. “I only eat Sugar Bombs on special occasions.”
“Well, we have spaghetti and meatballs,” Mae said. “And I’m making garlic bread with my brother.”
“That sounds amazing,” Hailey groaned as she headed up the porch steps to join the kids. “Can I help too?”
“Yes,” Travis said. “You can sprinkle the garlic because Mae sometimes puts too much.”
That was generous. Maealwaysputwaytoo much garlic on, and Ransom scraped most of it off. But Travis was always very sweet with his sister.
“Where are the dogs?” Travis asked suddenly.
“They’re in the barn,” Ransom said carefully, not wanting to embarrass Hailey. “I thought they might like to visit with the others.”
“The others?” Hailey echoed, looking around like they could be anywhere.
“Our daddy trains dogs to help people,” Mae said proudly. “We have twelve dogs, but three are just for us.”
“And four arepuppies,” Travis added.
“Andallof them are in the barn right now,” Ransom added quickly.
“After dinner we can visit them,” Travis told Hailey with a big, encouraging smile.
Ransom couldn’t help smiling himself. He hadn’t anticipated how much the kids would adore the new career he was starting for himself. Travis especially lovedthe dogs, and was always eager to help with feedings, trainings, and even cleanup. It had been a great way to break the ice between them when Ransom first got home.
Travis took Hailey’s hand and led her inside while Mae scampered ahead, her wet socks leaving funny little prints on the polished wood floor as she told Hailey about how Ransom had made the meatballs, with special emphasis on the part where hesmushedthe meat in his hands.
“It smells so good in here,” Hailey said when they reached the kitchen. “And I don’t remember the house being this cool.”
Ransom smiled. He was proud of all he had done so far to make the place feel homier. And the kids had made Christmas decorations, so there were paper snowflakes hanging all over the place, and drawings of Santa and the manger scene, in addition to the cozy plaid blankets and throws he’d put on the sofas when the weather had turned cold. The fireplace was crackling now, and the place was comfortable, but in the early mornings those blankets were more than decorative.
This will really feel like home to them soon…
“Come on,” Mae told her. “We have to finish our garlic bread.”
“Okay,” Hailey said. “You just tell me what to do and I’m on the job, as soon as I’ve washed my hands.”
Travis looked over at Ransom with his eyes big and Ransom almost laughed out loud. He was constantly reminding the kids to wash their hands after they’d been outside.
All three of them went over to the sink and suddenly the image of them together hit him hard in the chest.
How many times did I picture her as the mother of my children?
The thought was there and gone before he could stop himself and he ran a hand through his hair, wondering if he was ever going to get his head together. The last thing he wanted to do right now was dwell on the past, but it was easier said than done when his past was standing in his kitchen.
Life had gotten a whole lot more complicated for Ransom the day Hailey left for New York so long ago.
And these last few years had been especially challenging. His best friend, Jensen Webb, had somehow convinced his baby sister, Willow, to join the military. It went against Ransom’s advice, and it left him sleepless for months. Sure, he was an Army man himself, but that didn’t mean that he could live with his baby sister being in harm’s way. And up to that point, Willow had looked up to him her whole life. Ransom felt like he’d lost faith in his best friend and the trust of his little sister all at once.
