Their Inherited Triplets. Cathy Gillen Thacker

when it comes to thorny guardianship issues. They agreed to discuss it some more...and put off finalizing anything with my office.”

      He cleared his throat. “In the meantime, they went on one of those do-it-yourself legal websites and made out practice wills. They never had those notarized, so they aren’t official and may or may not hold up in probate court. But thanks to the copies they left behind, we do have their wishes on record, which is what we are using to guide us now.”

      “And those wishes are...?” Sam prodded.

      After a long silence, Hiram finally said, “Sam, you were Peter’s third choice for legal guardian. And Lulu, you were Theresa’s fourth choice.”

      Third! And fourth! “Who was first?” Lulu asked, curious.

      Hiram looked down at his notes. “Theresa chose the great-aunt who raised her. Mabel had the boys for about two weeks, before she fell and broke her hip.”

      Sam and Lulu exchanged concerned looks.

      “From there, they went to Peter’s first choice—his best friend, Bob, who is also a father of three, all under age five.”

      Sam nodded, listening.

      “The kids all got along great, even if it was something of a madhouse. Unfortunately, Bob’s wife is pregnant and had to go on bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy.”

      Lulu sighed in dismay.

      “So, the triplets then went to Theresa’s second choice—a cousin of hers who is a flight attendant.” Hiram frowned. “Olivia had them for a week and a half before deciding there was no way she was cut out for this.”

      He looked up. Adding in concern, “From there, they went to Peter’s second cousin. Aaron’s engaged and wants a lot of kids, but his fiancée is not on board with the idea of a ready-made family. So that trial run also didn’t work out.”

      “And now...?” Lulu asked, her heart going out to the children for all they had been through.

      “They are with Theresa’s business colleague and her husband. Unfortunately, although they adore the boys and vice versa, they both travel a lot for work, so permanent guardianship is not a viable option there, either. Which brings us to Sam, the last person on Peter’s list.”

      “Or...actually, me,” Lulu interjected with her usual gung ho enthusiasm for all things family. She was more than ready to take on the challenge. “If you just want to cut to the chase.”

      * * *

      Sam didn’t know why he was surprised Lulu was jumping headlong into a situation neither of them was cut out for. She’d always been romantic and impulsive. Never more so, it seemed, than when she was around him.

      The trouble was, he felt passionate and impractical around her, too.

      Part of it was her looks. She really was drop-dead gorgeous, with that thick mane of sun-kissed, honey-brown hair, those long-lashed turquoise blue eyes, elegant cheekbones and cute, determined chin. And she had impeccable fashion sense, too. Her five-foot-eight-inch frame was currently decked out in a short-sleeved black polo, bearing the Honeybee Ranch logo above one luscious breast, a snug-fitting dark denim skirt that made the most of her trim hips and long, lissome legs, and a pair of Roper boots that were as sturdy as they were feminine. She had movie-star sunglasses on top of her head, a leather-banded watch on her left wrist and four handmade bracelets, probably made by her four nieces, pushed high on the other.

      But it was the skeptical twist of her soft, kissable lips as she leaned toward him and shot him a disdainful look that captivated him the most.

      “Let’s be real here,” she said, inundating him with the scent of her signature fragrance, an alluring combination of flowers and citrus, along with a heady dose of that saucy attitude he recalled so well. “There’s no way you’re going to take on two-year-old triplets for more than a week or so without changing your mind, too, the way everyone else who’s had them already has.”

      The fact she had such a low opinion of him stung. Unable to keep the growl out of his voice, he challenged, “What makes you think that?”

      “Because.” Lulu shrugged, her eyes taking on a turbulent sheen. “You’re a man...and you’re busy running a big cattle ranch...and you’re single...”

      All of which, last time he’d heard, were facts in his favor. “And you’re a woman. And you’re busy running a honeybee ranch and now a food truck, too. And you’re single.”

      Lulu’s mouth dropped into an O of surprise. She squared her shoulders and tried again. “The point is, cowboy—” she angled her thumb at her chest “—I’m cut out for this.”

      He let his glance sift over her from head to toe before returning, with even more deliberation, to her eyes. “Really?” he countered softly. As always, when they were together, the world narrowed to just the two of them. “’Cause I am, too.”

      Indignant color flooded her cheeks. “Sam, come on, be reasonable!” She gave him a look he was hard-pressed to reject. “I’ve wanted a family forever.”

      He cocked his head to one side, once again forcing himself to do what was best, instead of letting his emotions get the better of him. “Mmm-hmm. Well, so do I, darlin’.”

      She stared at him. He stared back. Years of pent-up feelings entered the mix and combined with the ever-encompassing grief and sense of loss. Both feelings she seemed to be struggling with, too. Then, breaking the silent standoff, she pushed her chair back from the table and pivoted to face him. As always, when overwrought, she let her temper take charge. “You’re just volunteering to do this in order to be difficult.”

      Actually, he was trying to honor their late friends’ wishes, and keep them all from being hurt any more than they already had been. “You couldn’t be more wrong, Lulu.”

      “Is that right? Then please, enlighten me.”

      With a grave look, hoping to get through to her once and for all, he said, “I’m taking this on because Peter was once a very good friend of mine, and he trusted me to care for his sons, if the worst ever happened. Since it has...” Sam’s voice caught. Pushing his sorrow aside, he went on huskily, “I will.”

      Hiram interjected, “Y’all understand. The request isn’t binding. You both are free to say no.”

      Lulu turned back to the children’s lawyer. “And if we were to do so?” she asked in concern.

      Hiram said, “Then we’d notify social services in Houston and have the agency start looking for suitable adoptive parents.”

      Not surprisingly, Sam noted, Lulu looked as upset by the thought of leaving the kids at the mercy of the system as he was. Once again, without warning, the two of them were on the exact same page.

      “And in the meantime?” he asked gruffly.

      Hiram explained, “They’ll be put in foster care.”

      “Together?” Lulu queried.

      Hiram’s face took on a pained expression. “I would hope so. But honestly, there’s no guarantee a placement like that could be found, at least right away.”

      Lulu sighed, appearing heartbroken. “Which would likely devastate the children.”

      Hiram nodded.

      She swung back toward Sam, and concluded sadly, “So, it’s either going to be you, or it’s going to be me, taking these three kids on and raising them.” She gave him a long, assessing look. “And you have to know, deep down, which one of us is better suited for parenting toddlers.”

      He did.

      Although he doubted they agreed.

      “Which is why, given the options that are left,” Sam said, pushing aside his own welling grief, and ignoring the pleading in her soft turquoise blue eyes, “I think