When Liam and Elise called them to babysit, they’d said that nobody else was home. Frankie must have returned sometime after that call, though, because that definitely sounded like her beautiful voice.
He and Sadie climbed the steps of the porch, a little slower than they usually would have due to the long drive from Ranch Haven. Old joints tended to stiffen up on them after sitting for a while, but the exercise was helping Lem. Eighty-one was going to be another great year for him. He was married to the love of his life and nearly all of his family were happy. He and Sadie would make sure that Brett and Bob were soon, as well.
And the singing made him even happier. That, and the fact that soon he would have baby Lucy in his arms. He picked up his pace for the last couple of steps and reached for the screen door. The inside door was open so it was no wonder they’d been able to hear Frankie so clearly.
But the woman on the other side of the screen door turned, and she wasn’t Frankie. Not unless Frankie had gotten very pregnant in the past couple of weeks since they’d seen her last.Verypregnant.
Her hair was curly like Frankie’s, just shorter since it only reached her shoulders. And her face was very similar except her eyes were lighter. They met his through the screen, and she abruptly stopped singing.
And Lucy started crying.
“Let me. Let me help,” Lem said, as he pulled open the screen door and hurried inside. “I’ll take my great-grandbaby.”
Sadie chuckled as she followed him into the house. “Excuse my husband, Miss Dempsey,” she said as Lem took the baby from the young woman. “He is a baby hog.”
But Trish didn’t look upset when he took the child from her arms. Instead, she flashed him a smile of gratitude, and some tension eased from her shoulders, especially when the baby stopped crying and cooed up at him.
Actually, she burped and then she cooed…and a bubble of formula escaped her perfect little rosebud mouth. “There’s my precious,” Lem cooed back at her.
Sadie chuckled again. Then she stepped closer to Trish. “I’m Sadie Lemmon and this is my husband, Lem. You are Trish Dempsey, right?”
Trish nodded, then cleared her throat. “Yes, I am.”
“Elise said nobody else was home when she asked us to come over and watch Lucy,” Sadie said.
“Uh, Brett and I just got back from Willow Creek a little while ago,” Trish said.
“You and Brett went into town?” Sadie asked.
Lem caught the significant look that she sent to him. Trish wouldn’t have noticed, but he did. He knew his wife so very well.
“Not quite,” Trish replied.
Sadie’s smile slipped a bit.
“We just went to the Willow Creek Veterinarian Practice on the outskirts of town.”
“Oh, to Cash!” Sadie exclaimed. “He’s my grandson.”
“Yes, Brett told me,” she said. “I also met Darlene.”
“That dear girl,” Sadie said, and she emitted a soft sigh. Just as Sadie had with her son Jessup, she had also lost years with her late son Michael’s wife, Darlene, because of misunderstandings and misconceptions.
“She speaks highly of you,” Trish said.
Sadie blinked hard. “She’s a gem. What were the two of you doing there? All the animals all right?”
Of course that would be his wife’s chief concern. She loved animals almost as fiercely as she loved her family.
“Yes, Brett and I picked out some for the petting zoo we’re going to have at the ranch.”
“Oh, Liam and Elise told us about that,” Sadie said. “That’s such a wonderful idea. I’m sure all our great-grandchildren will love to visit, too.”
Trish cocked her head. “But they all live on ranches, don’t they?”
“Mikey and Bailey Ann live in town,” Sadie said. “But even the ones who live on ranches would love what you’re starting here. I certainly do.”
Lem wondered if she was talking about the petting zoo anymore, or what Trish might be starting with Brett. Trish and Brett? Would that be possible?
