Nathan handed Catherine the muffins and picked up his son. “We wouldn’t forget you. How about we go into the kitchen and make everyone a drink?”
Toby snuggled into his dad’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Where’s mommy?”
“She’s watching her favorite TV show. I left two muffins at home for her.”
Matthew sighed as he followed Nathan and Toby into the kitchen.He’d always thought that one day he’d get married and have a family of his own. But the only person he’d ever wanted to marry was Ashley and she would never be his wife.
Sean placed his hand on Catherine’s shoulder. “It sounds like Uncle Matthew needs a muffin.”
“I need more than that.”
Catherine held the plate toward Matthew. “Just for you, Uncle Matthew.”
He took one of the muffins and smiled at his niece. “They look yummy.”
Sean held his cell phone toward Matthew. “They’re not the only thing that will make you feel better. Call her.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. Just tap the buttons and let technology do the rest.”
“Technology won’t make her answer my call. I told her I can’t even be her friend.”
Sean dropped the phone into Matthew’s shirt pocket. “Tell her you changed your mind.”
“It won’t do any good. Ashley’s life is in New York, not Bozeman.”
His brother shrugged. “It’s your decision.”
Catherine slid the plate of muffins onto the kitchen counter. “Ashley’s nice.”
Matthew tapped the end of her nose. “She is nice. Do you think Toby has found the cookies we made yesterday?”
A giggle came from inside the pantry. “Daddy found them.”
Nathan’s head appeared from behind the pantry doors. “Are they mom’s honey crunch recipe?”
Matthew smiled. “How did you guess?”
A cookie appeared in Nathan’s hand. “They taste just like hers.”
“Yummy,” Toby said from beside his dad.
Matthew handed Sean’s cell phone back to him. He wished all his troubles could be solved with cookies and muffins. It would have made his life so much easier.
***
It took Matthew another four days to call Ashley and another day before he started worrying. He’d left three messages, asking her to call him. They’d both been upset when he’d left, but it wasn’t like her not to return at least one call.
“Have you spoken to someone at the newspaper where she works?” Sean asked.
“They said she was away from the office.”
“What about the friends she talked about while she was here? Maybe they know where she’s gone.”
Matthew had already contacted Harry, but he hadn’t returned his call either. “I’ll try Bonnie.”
He half expected the call to go to voice mail, but Bonnie answered straight away. “Hi, Bonnie. It’s Matthew.”
