Rancher To The Rescue. Arlene James

would ever have taken discharge if his wife hadn’t died.”

      “I see.” The poor man. Kathryn bit her lips, but she couldn’t keep herself from asking, “What happened?”

      “Training exercise.”

      “Oh. Wow.”

      Kathryn pondered that as they walked through the wide church foyer and into the sanctuary. Perhaps half-full, with the congregants gathered near the front of the space, the long, bright hall with its pale woods and white, padded pews felt foreign to Kathryn. The last time she’d been here, the room had been dark and shadowy, making it much easier to slip in unnoticed. As they moved toward the front of the sanctuary, a tall, handsome, solidly built man with dark, curly hair stood and started up the aisle to greet them, a smile on his face. Jake got up and followed along behind him.

      “You made it.”

      “Kathryn was kind enough to come with me. Kathryn, this is my husband, Wyatt.”

      Wyatt Smith put out his big hand and gave Kathryn’s a hearty shake. Like Jake, Wyatt had dark brown eyes and the shadow of a heavy beard on his square jaw and chin.

      “Nice to meet you, Kathryn.”

      Tina looked to Jake then smiled and said, “She’ll do.”

      Before Kathryn could ponder that statement, the Billings sisters rushed up to greet Kathryn with exuberant hugs.

      “It’s so good to see you!”

      “KKay! How marvelous you look!”

      Ann Billings swept a hand across the ends of Kathryn’s hair. “You used to have the longest, thickest ponytail I’ve ever seen.”

      “All the boys called you Rapunzel,” Meri said, laughing.

      “I remember,” Kathryn murmured, overwhelmed by the greeting.

      The pastor entered through a door at the rear of the auditorium just then, and the piano started playing. Wyatt urged the women forward. “Better sit.”

      Jake held out a hand. Kathryn nodded, smiling weakly at the Billings sisters, and quickly entered the pew. Jake followed, with Tina and Wyatt bringing up the rear.

      “KKay?” Jake murmured into her ear. She crossed her arms to quell the shiver that rushed over her skin.

      “An old nickname,” she whispered. “My middle name is Kay.”

      “Ah.”

      She sat down next to a big, muscle-bound man with sleek black hair and the dark Smith eyes and beard shadow. He nodded at her.

      “My baby brother, Ryder,” Jake said softly. He placed a hand on her arm, saying to his brother, “Kathryn Stepp.”

      At Jake’s touch, Kathryn again fought a shiver.

      Ryder Smith smiled. “Hi.”

      “Hello.”

      Someone passed Ryder several papers then. He handed one to Kathryn and the rest to Jake, who passed them on. Glancing down, she saw a list of names and prayer requests. She’d requested prayers for her mother while Mia had languished in the hospital in Oklahoma City all those years ago. Would it have made a difference if she’d come to pray in person?

      After the music, the pastor said a few words then prayed not only for those on the printed list but also for those who turned in request cards that evening. After the pastor, others began to pray aloud. Kathryn kept her head down, but every second she felt Jake’s warm presence at her elbow. Again, she wondered if she’d offended him earlier by initially refusing to attend this meeting. She should’ve explained how uncomfortable big groups of strangers made her.

      As the service came to a close, she glanced around her while waiting to exit the pew. She didn’t know the current pastor, but to her surprise she knew quite a few of those present.

      Tina was already at the door at the back of the sanctuary before Kathryn made it out to the aisle. Slipping around Jake, Kathryn quickly followed the other woman.

      The Billings sisters waylaid her again in the foyer, chatting about the changes in their lives. Both had married and borne children. Their husbands soon joined them, little ones in tow. Kathryn looked on with sharp, silent envy. Meri commented on the bag that Kathryn carried, but before Kathryn could reply, something hit her from the side so hard that she stumbled. Out of nowhere, Jake steadied her, his hands at her shoulders.

      “Frankie!” he scolded. “You nearly bowled her over.”

      Kathryn felt the boy’s arms hugging her even as she looked down.

      “I sorwy,” he said, his eyes huge in his little face.

      Smiling, Kathryn smoothed his dark, shaggy hair. “No harm done. Hello again.”

      He grinned at her. “Hello.”

      “KKay has an admirer,” Meri observed, chuckling.

      Frankie’s brow wrinkled. “KKay?”

      “It’s an old nickname,” Kathryn told him. “Something my friends used to call me.”

      “KKay my fren!” Frankie announced.

      Chuckling, Kathryn said, “Yes. We’re friends.”

      Conversation continued for several more minutes. Terribly aware of Jake at her back, Kathryn struggled to pay attention, saying little. Finally, the Billings sisters and their families began to leave. Glancing around, Kathryn realized with a start that only she, Jake and Frankie remained. When had Tina left?

      “Come on,” Jake said, his hand against the small of her back. “We’ll take you home.”

      Kathryn tried not to tremble at his touch or look into his eyes for fear he would see how he affected her. Instead, she simply allowed him to escort her from the building, Frankie at his side.

      “What did you think of Tina?” he asked, pointing to his truck.

      “She’s nice. I like her.”

      “I talked to her about you. If you’re interested, we have a place for you at Loco Man.”

      Shocked, Kathryn came to a halt, bleating, “Wha-a-t?”

      “A job,” Jake explained. “Tina’s got her hands full with her son and the B and B.” Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face Kathryn. Beside them, Frankie listened to the conversation with interest.

      Kathryn shook her head. “B and B? As in bed-and-breakfast?”

      “That’s right. She’s planned to turn the ranch house into a bed-and-breakfast ever since Uncle Dodd left it to her.”

      Kathryn shook her head again, confused. “I—I thought he left the place to you and your brothers.”

      “He left the ranch to me and my brothers. The house is Tina’s. But it’s all worked out for everyone. The thing is, Tina could use some help, and you seem well qualified. You cook, right?”

      “Why, yes.”

      “And you clean.”

      “Of course.”

      “And you obviously sew and like to decorate. Tina’s at the decorating stage now, and she won’t rent rooms until she has the house looking like she wants it. Oh, and I might ask you to watch Frankie. I dump him on her too often. When I have to take him along with me, he misses naps and playtime.”

      Kathryn tried to wrap her mind around this. “You want me to cook, clean, help Tina open a bed-and-breakfast and watch your son. Is that right?”

      “That about covers it.”

      “But why?”

      “I told you. Tina needs the help. And Frankie thinks you’re great. If you can watch him at least some of the time, it’ll free me up to work on