A Place for Family. Mia Ross

      She wanted to assure Marianne and Ridge they hadn’t made a mistake, that she would do everything in her power not to let their family down. But these were down-to-earth folks, and overblown promises meant nothing to them. She’d show them, though, and make the Collinses glad they’d taken a chance on her.

      Chapter Two

      Fabulous, John silently echoed Amanda.

      That wasn’t quite how he’d describe it, but for Marianne’s sake he kept his opinion to himself. He had a hard time envisioning his old friend in this flashy woman standing in their living room, but she just might be the answer to their prayers. If she was as capable as she claimed to be, hiring her would keep the house running smoothly while the farm spun on its usual seasonal axis.

      All his life, John had trusted in God’s wisdom, even when it made absolutely no sense to him. If this was His solution to their problem, John would have to find a way to put aside his wounded pride and make it work.

      Standing, Ridge bent down to kiss his wife’s cheek. “Unless there’s another interview, I should get back to cultivating that cornfield.”

      “We’re done for today. I’m sorry we wasted so much of your morning,” she added with a scowl of disapproval.

      He grinned. “It wasn’t a waste. I got to hang out with you.”

      “Maybe tonight you can finish up early enough to have supper with the kids and me.”

      “I’ll do my best.” Lifting his hand in a general goodbye, he sauntered out the front door.

      “You look tired,” John told Marianne as gently as he could. “Get some rest, and I’ll show Amanda where everything is.”

      “Thank you.” Wincing, she placed a hand against her side and leaned back into her pillows. “I think they’re kickboxing in there.”

      “You want anything while I’m around?” he asked.

      “No, I’m fine.”

      “Just yell if you need me,” Amanda piped up. “I won’t be far.”

      With a wan smile, Marianne pointed to the cell phone docked on her night table. “Ridge texts me every ten minutes.”

      “That’s so sweet! But you can tell him to stop worrying and keep both hands on the wheel. It’s probably not safe to drive one of those big tractors while you’re texting.”

      “That’s what I told him, but my husband’s a very stubborn man. He didn’t listen.”

      “I’m here now, and I’ll take care of everything. You can all relax.”

      Their unlikely nanny-slash-housekeeper glanced at John, and he responded with a “we’ll see” kind of look. A lot of water had flowed under that bridge—some of it bad. Just because he was being nice didn’t mean she was off the hook. She’d wanted different things than he did—that much he’d understood. Over the years, he’d quit waiting for her to write or call, recognizing that it meant she was happy in her new life. Forgiving her had been tough, but eventually he’d done it because it was the right thing to do.

      Forgetting her had proven impossible.

      He was trying to act cool, but he had to admit that knowing she’d driven across the country in that death trap of a car really worried him. If she hadn’t jumped out when she did, she could have been killed. That stark realization brought all kinds of old feelings rushing back, and he was having a tough time getting them corralled again.

      Her story about moving home seemed sincere, but he didn’t quite buy it yet. She’d left Harland once, he reminded himself. If things didn’t shake out the way she wanted, he wouldn’t put it past her to do it again. He’d never been able to predict what was going on in that quick mind of hers, and his gut was telling him that hadn’t changed. If he wanted to keep his sanity, he would be smart to keep a respectable distance from her.

      Leading her back into the kitchen, he pointed to the side porch. “Laundry’s out there.” Then he nodded at a closed door. “Cleaning stuff’s in the pantry, along with the food that’s not in here, the fridge or the freezer downstairs. We’ve got a dishwasher now, and this is where everything goes.”

      He opened cupboard after cupboard, leaving them open for her to look inside. Then he pointed up. “The kids’ bedrooms are obvious, Ridge and Marianne’s is across the hall. The guest room is at the end of the hall.”

      “Got it.”

      “Bathroom upstairs, another one down here.” A movement outside the window got his attention, and he grinned, grateful for the distraction. “Oh, and the kids’ dog. You need to meet him with one of us or he’ll go bonkers on you.”

      They stepped outside as a muddy black Lab was making a beeline for the unfamiliar car parked on the side of the road. He skidded to a stop when he heard John whistle, looking from him to the car as if trying to decide which was more interesting. In the end, he chose John and loped over to greet him.

      John hooked the Lab’s dusty stars-and-stripes bandanna in his fingers and reeled him in before he could jump on Amanda. “This is Tucker, the best dog in North Carolina.”

      “Hey there, Tucker.” Kneeling down, she held out her hand for him to sniff. “Nice to meet you.”

      After a quick assessment, he apparently decided she was okay and flipped onto his back in an unmistakable plea. Laughing, she rubbed his belly, mud and all, while he licked her arm in appreciation.

      “You always did have a way with guys,” John said as he got to his feet.

      “It’s a gift.”

      “If you say so.”

      * * *

      John tucked his thumbs in his back pockets in a gesture she remembered well. As he looked down at her, Amanda tried to gauge what he was thinking. John had always been wide open and genuine, with a quick smile and a laid-back demeanor. That charming country boy still lived in her memory, frozen in time the way he’d looked when she last saw him.

      Over the years, she’d convinced herself that he must have forgotten her and gone on to marry someone who adored him shamelessly. But he was her age—thirty-one—and there was no ring on his left hand.

      Standing, she forced herself to look him squarely in the eyes. “I’m sorry.”

      “About Dad? You said that already.”

      “No.” Completely unprepared for such a personal exchange, she groped for the right words. After a mental shake, she jammed her brain in gear and continued. “We were best friends, and I never even called you after I left. I never meant to hurt you. I just needed more than I could find in Harland.”

      “Y’know, for a long time I prayed you’d decide you made a mistake and come back.” His expression closed up, his eyes darkening with a nasty mix of anger and pain. “You never did.”

      “I’m here now.”

      “Because you’ve got nowhere else to go. I actually think that’s worse.”

      As he stalked away from her, she wished there was something she could do to make things right between them. She wanted nothing more than to have her old buddy back, yanking on her braids and tossing her fully dressed into the pond while he laughed and dove in after her. John hadn’t stood in the way of her getting this job she so desperately needed, but he hadn’t completely accepted her, either. With a sigh, she realized that might be the best she could hope for.

      Tucker pulled her out of her funk when he stood on his back legs and wrapped his filthy paws around her waist. Her designer trousers would need to be cleaned, but compared to what she’d been through lately, that was a minor inconvenience.

      Laughing, she ruffled his fur. “At least you like me. What say we get you rinsed off