Their Inherited Triplets. Cathy Gillen Thacker

“I’ll make arrangements to have the boys brought to Laramie County as soon as possible. All you’ll need to do is sign here—”

      “Whoa! Wait! That’s it?” Lulu sputtered. “You’re not even going to ask me if I’m interested in being the triplets’ legal guardian?”

      Hiram paused, papers still in hand. “Are you?”

      “Yes! Very!” Hands clasped tightly, she leaned toward the estate lawyer urgently. “I would love to do this for Peter and Theresa’s boys!”

      “Until it starts to get hard and reality sinks in,” Sam muttered, thinking of their torrid past, and knowing there was no way he would visit such a reversal of fortune on those boys. “Then we both know where you will be, don’t we, darlin’?” he returned bitterly. “Out the door. Without so much as a look back.”

      Lulu glared at him. “I’m not a quitter, Sam,” she told him fiercely.

      Wasn’t she? It seemed like that was exactly what she had done ten years ago, albeit in a roundabout way. He regarded her skeptically. “But you are still very emotional. And impetuous.” Two character traits that were intensified by their mutual sense of loss.

      Lulu winced. “And you’re overbearing and hopelessly set in your ways, so—”

      Travis let out a referee-style whistle, signaling everyone needed to stop before anyone else said anything regrettable, no matter how upset they were. He turned to his wife, giving her the floor.

      “Obviously,” Liz interjected gently but firmly, “this has been a tremendous shock, and we’re all feeling a little emotional and overwrought right now.”

      “Which is why, on second thought,” Hiram concurred, putting the papers back in his briefcase before leveling a look at Sam, “I’m going to ask you to take a little more time to think about this.” After a beat, Hiram continued, “If, after due consideration, you still feel inclined to accept temporary guardianship, you can call me and let me know, and I’ll arrange to have the boys and their belongings driven here. The guardianship papers can be signed when you take custody of them.”

      “What about me?” Lulu said, clearly hurt and disappointed.

      Hiram stood. “As I said, you’re next in line if things don’t go well with Sam and the boys. But for right now,” the lawyer said firmly, “he is the one being tapped to take care of the triplets.”

      The meeting broke up.

      Sam and Lulu walked outside.

      As they reached their respective vehicles, she studied him with wary reserve. “How are you going to do this?”

      It irked him to realize she did not think he could. He squinted down at her. “One step at a time.”

      “I’m serious, Sam!”

      He shrugged. “Obviously,” he drawled, “I’ll need help.”

      Lulu opened her mouth to respond just as her cell phone went off. She plucked it out of her purse and stared disbelievingly at the text message.

      Concerned, Sam stepped closer. “What is it?” he asked.

      Her brow furrowed. In a dumbfounded tone, she admitted, “The sheriff’s department has been called to my ranch!”

       Chapter Two

      An hour and a half later, Lulu stood at the entrance of the apiary on her ranch, staring at the empty field. Bare spots where the boxes and pallets had been. A few wooden lids scattered here and there. The occasional honeybee buzzing around, wondering where in the world the hives had gone.

      “Are you okay?” Sam asked, standing next to her, looking more solid and imperturbable than ever.

      Was she?

      Resisting the urge to throw herself into his arms and ask for the comfort only he could give, Lulu turned away from his quiet regard. Her heart aching, she watched the patrol car leave her ranch. The only time she had ever felt this devastated was when Sam had walked away from her years ago in Tennessee. But she had survived heartbreak then, she told herself steadfastly. And she would survive it now.

      “Lulu?” he prompted again.

      She pivoted back toward him and lifted her chin, hating that he had to see her at her most vulnerable. “Of course I’m all right,” she muttered. Although the devastation might have been easier to bear had he not gallantly insisted on accompanying her to the scene of the crime. And then, once amid the devastation, done his best to assist her and the sheriff’s deputy who’d been sent to investigate. Because that had made her want to lean on him, the way she once had. And she knew she could never do that again.

      Oblivious to the morose direction of her thoughts, Sam put a staying hand on her shoulder. Moved so she had no choice but to look into his face. Solemnly, he reminded her, “It’s been a hell of a day, darlin’. First, we found out about the death of our close friends. Learned their boys had been orphaned. And found out we had both been tapped as potential guardians. Now, you just had all three hundred of your bee boxes, as well as your entire stockpile of honey, stolen.”

      Which left her with exactly nothing, she realized miserably. Seven years of hard work, building up her hives, gone. The only thing she had left of her business, aside from her small 150-acre ranch property, was her Honeybee Ranch food truck, and without her signature honey, the food she served out of that wasn’t going to be the same, either.

      His gaze drifting over her with unexpected gentleness, Sam told her, “I called the other officers of the Laramie County Cattleman’s Association while you were talking to the deputy, and put out the word. Everyone’s offered to do whatever they can to help.”

      Lulu was grateful for the assistance. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure it would do much good now, after the theft. With a grimace, she stepped back. Despite her efforts to the contrary, she was unable to control the emotions riding roughshod inside her.

      Bitter tears misting her eyes, she blurted out, “If only you had made that offer prior to today, cowboy, I might not be in such a mess.”

      Recognition lit his gold-flecked eyes. “Wait...” He touched her arm and surveyed her. “Is that why you were so determined to join the Laramie County Cattleman’s Association? Because you were afraid something like this could happen?”

      Shoulders stiff, she shrank from his touch. “What did you think?” she scoffed. “That it was for your charming company?”

      Stepping closer, he cupped her shoulders between his large palms, preventing her escape. “Why didn’t you just tell me this?”

      As if it had been that easy, given his resistance to cutting her even the slightest bit of slack, after what had happened between them.

      His tranquil manner grating on her nerves as much as his chivalrous attitude, Lulu broke free from his hold and spun away. Her pulse skittering, she headed toward the barn. “I would have, had I felt you would be the least bit sympathetic or helpful.” She tossed the words over her shoulder, then turned her glance forward again. “But you weren’t...so...” An ache rose in her throat.

      Sam caught up with her, matching her stride for indignant stride. “Come on, Lulu,” he said. “It’s not as if you’ve ever been afraid to fight any battle with me.”

      Lulu stopped dead in her tracks. He was right. She wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with him. Never had been. With effort, she forced herself to be honest. Wearily, she said, “In the end, I didn’t come to you with my fears because even though I knew it was happening in other parts of the state, big-time, I wasn’t really sure something like this could ever happen here in Laramie County.” She sighed. “Or maybe I just didn’t want to believe that it would. Especially since I’m the only beekeeper who runs—or did run, anyway—a big commercial operation.”