The Maverick's Holiday Surprise. Karen Smith Rose

I tell you I know someone who might like to hire you to take photos?”

      “Of what?” she asked suspiciously. After all, she’d learned to be suspicious of men and their motives.

      “Do you know Brooks Smith?”

      The name sounded familiar, and all at once she placed it. “He’s a veterinarian. I’ve never met him. His dad usually comes out to Short Hills when we need a vet.”

      “Brooks and his dad have separate practices but cover for each other. His dad is cutting back his hours. Anyway, Brooks and his wife, Jazzy, run a horse rescue ranch out at the edge of town. The ranch is a passion with them, and they’re going to have pamphlets printed about the facility. Jazzy mentioned she just hasn’t had time to put it all together. Do you think you’d be interested in taking photos of the horses on the ranch?”

      She was so busy now that she didn’t know what to say. Between work and the triplets, she sometimes didn’t have time to breathe. But the idea of taking photographs and making extra money was downright inviting.

      “When would I have to do this?”

      “Pretty soon, I guess. They mentioned handing out the pamphlets at their holiday open house.”

      “I don’t have much spare time,” she admitted.

      “I know you don’t, but this would probably only take a few hours.”

      “You don’t know if Brooks and his wife would really want me.”

      “I can set up a meeting.”

      “Let me think about it. If Jamie has enough help, it would be a possibility.”

      Hudson motioned to the photos of the babies on the bulletin board. Then he pointed to her camera. “You have a gift, Bella. You see with your camera what most folks can’t see with their eyes. You really should share that.”

      She thought about that, then asked, “Why? I mean, everyone sees what they want to see for the most part.”

      “But what if you can broaden someone’s outlook? What if you could give them a positive spin instead of a negative one? What if you can make a difference?”

      “We’re talking about shooting a few photos.” She couldn’t keep the amusement from her voice because she thought maybe he was joking.

      “No, not just a few shots. Each of your photos is a study of your subject that you’ve captured for eternity. That’s not something to treat lightly.”

      She never expected something so deep to come out of Hudson. That just proved she didn’t know him very well. And he certainly didn’t know her.

      “I’ll check with Brooks and Jazzy,” he said. “You think about it. I’m going to take a walk and get some lunch. Would you like some fresh air, too? You’re welcome to join me.”

      She could hear the sound of children’s laughter coming from one of the rooms. When she looked up at Hudson, she saw interest in his eyes. The children were safety. Hudson was danger.

      As she had for the past few years, she chose safety. “I’d better stay here in case anybody needs me.”

      “You like to feel needed, don’t you?”

      “I do. It gives my life purpose.”

      He shrugged. “I’ve never had that kind of purpose. I’m not exactly sure what it feels like.”

      “Walker needed you here. Isn’t that why you took over supervising Just Us Kids?”

      “I never looked at it that way,” he conceded. “I guess you’re right.” He motioned to the bulletin board. “It looks good. It will capture people’s attention. Soon we’ll have to decorate for the holidays.”

      “It’s not even Thanksgiving yet.”

      “Not so far off,” he reminded her as he moved toward the door. He opened it and looked back over his shoulder at her. “I won’t be long. If anything comes up, you have my cell number.”

      She nodded. She did have his cell number. But she doubted she’d ever use it.

       Chapter Three

      As she approached Jamie’s front porch, Bella couldn’t stop thinking about Hudson and the way he’d studied her photos. He’d really seemed interested. She’d never thought of taking pictures for actual payment. That would be a breeze if it panned out because she loved photos and she loved horses, so she knew they’d be good. She hoped Hudson would really follow through with his offer.

      As she opened the door to the ranch house, Bella heard commotion in the kitchen. Taking off her coat, she hung it in the closet and headed for the voices and the squeals.

      She smiled when she saw the scene in front of her. Fallon O’Reilly was helping Jamie with the triplets by trying to feed Katie while he fed Henry and Jared. Bella felt warmth spread around her heart at the generosity of Fallon and others who were giving of their time so easily. However, the way Fallon looked at Jamie, Bella suspected there was more there than a friend helping a friend.

      Fallon was a year older than Bella and came from the kind of family that Jamie and she wished they’d had. She was a product of parents who had been married for decades and who loved their kids dearly. In turn, Fallon was great with kids. She should be; she worked at Country Kids Day Care.

      When Fallon spotted her, she smiled. “As you can see, applesauce is on the menu. Katie is wearing it exceptionally well, don’t you think?”

      The baby had obviously waved her hands around with applesauce-covered fingers. There was even some on the little pink ribbon in her fine hair. She smiled when she thought how Jamie always dressed her in pink and tried to keep the ribbon in her hair so everybody would know she was a girl. He was such a good dad.

      On the other side of the table, Henry and Jared had smeared it all over their mouths, on the high chair trays and even on Jared’s nose.

      “This looks like fun,” Bella said with a laugh. “Can I join in?”

      Jamie motioned to a chair on the other side of Henry. “Pull it up and have a go at this.”

      As Bella settled in, she said to Fallon, “How’s everything at Country Kids?”

      She brushed back her curly red hair. “Busy as usual. I had a four-year-old today who hit another child, so I had to call his parents to come pick him up. He was having a tantrum.”

      “How did the parents react?”

      “Not well. But I explained that he couldn’t disrupt the whole class just because he couldn’t get his way. The mom admitted she and her husband are having some problems at home and that’s why he’s acting out. Her husband lost his job in Kalispell, and he’s taken two part-time positions to try to make up for it. But they’re having financial difficulties and arguing. All of that affects kids.”

      Bella exchanged a look with Jamie. Everything regarding home life affected kids. That’s why she and Jamie were trying to give the triplets all the love and attention they could muster. With others joining in, the triplets should have a good start on life, even though they’d been born prematurely and had had to catch up. Even though they’d lost their mom.

      “Fallon, I don’t know if we say it often enough, but we’re so grateful for your help,” Bella said.

      “I love helping.” She turned her blue eyes on Jamie and then the triplets. “When these little ones follow me with their eyes, as they grab hold of my finger, or they eat their food instead of wear it, I feel like I’ve accomplished something important.”

      “I know what you mean,” Bella agreed. “That’s why I love working at the day care center, too. Babies are so easy to love.” She thought about her background