Rance had to hand it to both Tori and Cassie. Between the two of them, they managed to keep any questions of a more personal nature about Erin such as where she lived and what did she do for a living…those were expertly sidestepped and kept at bay. He might have to take back his earlier thoughts about his siblings and give them his thanks instead. And what about Erin? Where was the woman he brought to the lake to begin with? She was a natural…all smiles and joining in the general laughter and giving out compliments on the food, which only made the male members of the family puff their chests out and expanded their egos all the more.
And then after the dessert had been eaten, she had stood up to help clear. Tori smiled and let her join in. Rance had to smile a time or two himself…much to his surprise. Anyone who didn’t know better would think this was the normal way one of their backyard dinners went.
He and the guys cleaned up the table and chairs and then shut down the grilling area properly. He always was surprised at each visit how much he enjoyed his family time and how much it grew harder to leave. That was something he would never let his sisters know. They would increase their campaigns to get him to move closer to them all. Their argument always included the fact that they knew he could work from any home base with approval. But he would smile and promise ‘someday.’
Rance noted that the sun was slipping from the sky to just at the edge of the tall trees and shadows lengthened across the yard. The teens were playing volleyball. And the little ones must be in the house. He stood up and moved to go check on the kitchen work.
“I was going to come in and offer my help,” he announced coming in through the back door, but I figured you wouldn’t want it.”
“Fashionably late but right on time…as usual,” Cassie commented with a grin. “Somehow you always manage to get here just as we have finished and are about to go outside.”
“Funny thing, isn’t it?” Ally added.
“Did I miss Erin outside?” His gaze had not found her.
“She stepped into the den with the younger kids… You might check on her,” Tori responded.
He did just that but halted when he saw the unexpected sight before him. Erin Latham sat, legs crossed in front of her, flanked on one side by six-year-old Joey Lockwood and on the other by four-year-old Meg Connors. Emmie sat across from Erin. They were evidently playing a game of keep away with a bright yellow foam ball. Whoever missed their turn as the ball was sent their way in their makeshift circle, lost the game. There was much laughing and squeals when one of them missed the ball. Then the game would start over.
Rance stood, shoulder leaning against the doorjamb, arms folded as he watched the game. What was really a revelation was how well Erin responded to the children, how competitive she was given the age grouping, and was a hit with the younger children of the family also. Yet another surprise to add to a stack of many that grew the more he was around the woman.
He was having to adjust yet another assumption about her. She had been married, yet she had no children. Which didn’t mean all that much, but here she was sitting and seeming to have as much fun as the youngsters. She could speak with them in a way that was far removed from the vocabulary of the woman she became on the bench. Dressed in jeans and a blue pullover, hair pinned up on top of her head in a loose bun of sorts, she could pass as any young mother having fun with her kids. That caused a funny feeling in his chest area, and he pushed away from the doorframe and stood to full height. Indigestion?
“I hate to break up this battle, but we need to be getting on the road back to the cabin before dark.”
Erin’s sad face matched the rest of her cohorts. Joey piped up beside her. “Please, Uncle Rance, can’t she stay?”
Rance had to grin at the youngster’s plea. He shook his head. “Sorry, little chief, but we can’t.”
Erin smiled at the young boy. “Maybe on the next visit, okay? You keep practicing in the meantime.” She rose and received hugs from all three of them.
They said their goodbyes to the rest of the group, and Erin had more than enough invitations to return again anytime. Rance received hugs from his sisters and handshakes from the guys. He looked over at the smaller kids and opened his arms. “So you’re not going to give me hugs?”
They raced into the open arms and squealed with laughter when he scooped them up in his arms. Big hugs ensued. Then he sat them back on the ground and was shocked to feel a hand slip into one of his. He looked down and found that Erin was sending a wide grin his way and guided them down the porch steps. Once out of earshot, he received the explanation.
“Your sisters and their families are all watching to see if what they hope might happen is on its way…namely, you might finally be getting around to making a commitment, something I heard quite a bit about in the kitchen today from your worried sisters. By us naturally joining hands, that will be a good sign for them to build their false hopes on and make them happy for the rest of the day.”
“But they know you’re a case I’m working on.”
“Believe me that does not keep the hope from surfacing. Just trying to help you and your reputation with the ladies.”
They made it to the pickup, and he held the door open for her. Once inside, she began to buckle up. He shut the door and headed around to take his seat behind the wheel. Putting the truck into gear, they pulled away, making final waves to the ones still watching their departure. Soon they headed out of town.
“What reputation?” He was not letting that remark slide by. “What nonsense did my sisters fill your head with? And why were they discussing my business like that?”
“Something tells me that this isn’t the first time they have done something like this. Which makes it a pattern. Which means you’re already aware of it happening. Which then leads someone to the natural conclusion that you might be a man with a full little black book. Or is that a full folder in the cloud on your computer or phone these days?”
“You sound like a lawyer.”
“Well, good. Because I am one of those. You should be happy that your sisters care so much about you. It had to be nice having siblings growing up. One or more to have your back when needed. Or to talk to…” Her voice trailed off. She let it drop. Her gaze settled outside the window beside her.
Rance wasn’t sure but he hated to think he had been too harsh in some way, and she took it personally or something. She wasn’t the type to dissolve into tears. Or was he going to be proved wrong on that assumption also?
Chapter Eight
“We have a good lead. We’re getting closer. Hang in there.”
“I think this conversation is much the same as the last one we had,” he said, feeling they had not advanced as fast as he had hoped. “And so, I maintain status quo here. You don’t need to say any more.”
