Part 23 (2/2)
”Boy or girl?” Sam asked.
”We don't know yet. I'd love another girl. Trace would like a boy.”
”Where is he?” Sam asked. Normally Trace Blackthorne came visiting with Callie and the kids. Sam didn't like the man, but he was cordial for Callie's sake. To his chagrin, he was indebted to Trace, who'd forced him to sober up and learn to drive, and renovated this house so Sam could live in it, all because he'd loved Callie and wanted her family to be independent enough that she could marry him and leave Three Oaks.
”He's spending some time with Owen and Clay. They're going over the facts and the timeline of events that led up to their mother's death, looking for anything that might clear Blackjack or lead to another suspect. They haven't found zip. The evidence against Blackjack is overwhelming, and of course, they know their parents' marriage has been especially rocky lately. I'm afraid Summer is the only one clinging to hope that her father will be cleared.”
”He ought to be convicted,” Sam said. ”He's guilty as sin.”
”It doesn't look good for him,” Callie conceded.
”Can I go horseback riding, Mom?” Eli said.
”Can I go horseback riding, Mom?” Hannah parroted.
Callie made a face at Sam. ”Please excuse their manners, but would you mind if they go for a ride?”
”Francie and Homer are in the corral. I brought them in from the pasture when I heard you guys were coming,” Sam said. ”You know where the tack is.”
”Thanks, Uncle Sam,” Eli said as he raced back out the door for the stable.
”Thanks, Uncle Sam,” Hannah echoed, following after him.
”I want to go riding, too,” Henrietta said, tugging at Sam's s.h.i.+rt.
”Sure, sprite. Just give me another minute to talk with your mom.”
”Don't take off for that ride around the house with Henry right away,” Callie said.
”Why not?” Sam asked.
”Because Bay and her twins left the Castle a few minutes after me. They should be here any minute.”
Even as she finished speaking they could hear car doors slamming.
”Slow down,” Sam heard Bay shout.
A moment later two tiny boys trotted into the house on stubby legs and ran over to stand in front of Sam's knees.
”Hi, Sam,” his sister Bay said. ”Once Jake and James heard Callie's kids were headed this way, they insisted on coming for a visit, too.”
”I'm glad they did,” he said. ”h.e.l.lo, Jake. h.e.l.lo, James.”
”We had chicken spots!” Jake said.
”We had to scratch!” James said.
”I'm glad to see you're all better,” Sam said. ”What can I do for you today?”
”Ride, Unca Sam,” they said together.
Sam turned to greet Bay and laughed. She was also pregnant. Which reminded him of Emma. ”There's someone the two of you have to meet.”
”Hang on to my s.h.i.+rt, Henry,” Sam said to the little girl, as he caught up one eighteen-month-old boy in each arm. ”Give us a push, will you, Callie? Come on along, Bay.”
”Where are we going, Sam?” Bay asked as she trailed Callie and the wheelchair.
”You'll see.” He directed Callie through the house and out the front door onto the porch, where Emma sat in one of the two white wooden rockers knitting.
She stood up immediately and set her knitting aside. The instant she did, Sam's two sisters exchanged wide-eyed glances with him.
”Sam! You didn't say anything about getting married,” Callie chastised. She turned to Bay and said, ”Why didn't you tell me?”
”I didn't have a clue,” Bay said.
Sam realized he'd embarra.s.sed Emma and set the twins on their feet so he would be able to take one of her hands and explain. ”I'm sorry, Callie, Bay. I didn't mean to give you the wrong idea. I'm not married. This is my housekeeper. You remember Emma Coburn, don't you, Callie?”
Callie's jaw dropped. ”You're so beautiful! Oh, I'm so sorry. That came out wrong. It's just, the last time I saw you-”
”I was fourteen and looked like a bed slat,” Emma said with a grin.
”Exactly,” Callie said with a laugh.
”How did you end up working for my scapegrace brother?” Bay asked.
”He needed help and I needed a job,” Emma said.
”Ride, Unca Sam,” the twins said, dragging on his arms.
”I've got to go,” Sam said. ”I'll leave you three girls here to get acquainted.”
Sam ignored the desperate look Emma shot him. She didn't have any female friends that Sam knew of, and with pregnancy in common, the three women should have an easy time finding things to talk about.
He spent the rest of the afternoon wrestling with his niece and nephews, feeding them cookies, and enjoying a gla.s.s of iced tea on the porch with his sisters and Emma. It was one of the most enjoyable days he'd spent in a long time.
There was a silver lining in every dark cloud, he thought. If Jackson Blackthorne hadn't murdered his wife, Sam wouldn't have had this chance to get together with his sisters and introduce them to Emma.
He wanted Callie and Bay to like Emma, because he was pretty sure he was going to make her one of the family. That is, if he could convince her to marry him.
He had reason to hope.
Just yesterday, after he'd done some carpentry work in the heat of the sun, he'd taken off his T-s.h.i.+rt on the back porch to wipe down the sweat behind his neck and under his arms.
And caught her watching him.
She'd made a startled sound and hurried away from the screen door, but he'd been encouraged. A woman didn't spend time looking at a man who didn't interest her.
<script>