Chapter Sixteen
Clara’s lip trembled, torn between a smile and embarrassment. He was wrong. She wasn’t particularly bright, but maybe she wasn’t a total idiot after all.
She stole a look at Zane from the corner of her eye as he cautiously pulled the truck back onto the road. He was a good man. Her heart fluttered a little. He said he would date her. Wow. And in another world, one where he was going to stick around, she’d certainly be interested in dating Zane Ryder. Too bad he was only staying until the new year.
Moments later, they passed through the open gates of Robert and Sue Flint’s home, the Bar 3 Ranch. At times, she wondered why there were gates. In all the summers she’d spent here, she had never seen them closed, but they must serve a purpose. Robert wasn’t one to spend money on needless things; unlike her father who spent money as fast as he made it.
At the end of the driveway, a virtual parking lot of vehicles sat in front of an enormous yellow, two-story house. It had perfect white trim, and a large inviting porch with cozy seating and a wide wicker swing hanging from the ceiling. She noticed cushions on the swing. Who sat outdoors in the middle of winter? Of course, it would be a great place to curl up with the man you loved. Snuggled under a blanket with hot chocolate. She could almost see herself sitting there with Zane.
Nope. Not going there.
“Judging by the number of cars, everyone must be here.” She groaned. “I was hoping, maybe, they might not all show up.” She did a mental count. “Twelve vehicles? That’s more than everyone. Maybe we should do dinner another day?”
He parked behind a truck with Coyote Creek Veterinary Services and a phone number written on the end gate. Riley’s truck. There was a van from Jason’s butcher shop and a police car. Justice’s girlfriend, Amy, must be on duty if she brought the cruiser.
“Why would we do that?” he asked. “This is the perfect chance to see everyone again. I haven’t seen some of the Flints since university. I can’t wait to see them all again. I’m excited to meet Riley’s daughter and new fiancée.”
“Actually, I’m excited to see them again. I didn’t have enough time when I met Tricia.” Suddenly, the old feeling of comfort and love she’d always felt with this family was back. “I don’t know why I was worried. I love these people. They’re the only real family I had after Mom died.” She grinned at him.
“So why the trepidation?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know.” She thought about it for a moment and realized the feeling was an old one. Her father had been a partier, still was as far as she knew. Hordes of vehicles always meant he was having a party, and a party was another chance to let her know she wasn’t good enough. His rude insults had often made his guests cringe. She had appreciated their sympathy even as it deepened her shame. The deep dread of parties had become an unwelcome part of her.
She slapped her hands on her knees. “You know what, even though they’re related to my jerk of a father, the Flint family isn’t anything like him. They never make me feel stupid or inadequate. I was letting old fears run my life.” She grinned at him. “Thanks for helping me realize it. You’re awesome.”
“I didn’t do anything. But if me being here helped, I’m grateful.”
He’d hit the nail right on the head. Having him with her was comforting. When he was around, she was beginning to see that maybe she wasn’t an idiot. When Zane was at her side, she felt she could tackle anything.
“I do have a question.”
“Go ahead, ask.” She was a bit worried what he wanted to know.
“If Robert Flint is your uncle on your father’s side, why isn’t your last name Flint?”
She chuckled. “When I moved away from home, I wanted to distance myself from my father. I wanted to be as far away as I could. I changed Flint to my mother’s maiden name. Childish, but it felt like something I had to do.” His thoughtful silence nagged at her composure.
“I can see that. I might have done the same if I had thought of it.” His smile eased her fears that he’d think she was crazy.
Excited shouts filled the air as a swarm of children wearing snowsuits exploded out of the house. “Holy cow, there’s a million of them!” She chuckled.
“I didn’t realize how many there were,” Zane said.
“Yeah, Ken has three, Riley has one, the two teens are Justice’s daughter Hannah, and the daughter he’s adopting with Amy. Casey was a runaway Justice rescued when she was lost in the woods. Amy helped him find Hannah when she was missing. Can you imagine how horrible it must have been for Justice to be searching for his missing daughter? For the whole family? I would have died.”
“I shudder to think about it, actually. She was gone almost two years. How does a parent survive that?”
Clara had never loved anyone that deeply, but she didn’t ever want to feel that sort of agony. She imagined it would be easier to have your child die than to live not knowing where they were and if they were okay. Not that it would be easy to lose a child. “Terrible. So terrible,” she whispered. Her heart ached in sympathy for the agony Justice must have gone through.
“True, but Hannah’s back, safe and sound, and from what Riley says they’re doing great. I haven’t even met either Riley or Justice’s families. I missed Riley’s wedding.” Zane shook his head. “Pathetic, but I was wrapped up in an investigation in Oklahoma. Some investigations need to be completed before weather washes away evidence.”
“Well, you’ll meet them today. Daisy is the cutest thing, and Jane, Ken’s daughter, is Daisy’s best friend. I haven’t really seen much of anyone since I’ve been back, but I’ve talked to most of them on the phone. Ken stopped by with his kids and Daisy the other day.”
“The family dynamics with this bunch is incredible,” Zane said. “I found it tough to tell them all apart when I visited because they’re all so similar.”
Clara climbed out of the truck. “It made me crazy the first year, but after a while you learn who’s who and what to expect from them. All those boys might look alike, but their personalities are as different as night and day. But one thing’s for sure, this house is always filled with love. My summers here were the best part of my life.”
Zane hopped out, rounded the truck, and stared down at her, his eyes intense and filled with unrecognizable emotion. “I’m glad you had this place when your life was so terrible.”
