A Place for Family Read online

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  Questions sparked in his eyes, but to his credit he didn’t voice any of them. “You used to take more than that to church camp.”

  It had been ages since she’d even thought about church, so John’s mention of those simple, carefree times made her squirm. “I travel a little lighter now.”

  Without responding, he opened the screen door and motioned her ahead of him. Despite his chilly attitude toward her, the gentlemanly gesture was a nice change from fending for herself. She’d been struggling for months to pull her life together in L.A., as one friend after another abandoned her. While John hadn’t exactly rolled out the red carpet, at least he hadn’t turned away when she needed his help.

  “The living room looks a little different,” he warned in a hushed voice. “The doctor put Marianne on bed rest a couple weeks ago and she’ll be that way till she has the twins.”

  “When are they due?”

  “August tenth. Doctor says if she makes it to the end of July, he’ll be happy.”

  John sounded nothing like the carefree farmboy Amanda remembered so fondly. The one who’d gallantly stepped up to be her date when her boyfriend broke up with her right before their senior prom. The one who’d paid the DJ to play a set of country ballads especially for her. Under the mirrored ball, with a corsage of tiny pink roses and baby’s breath strapped to her wrist, she’d spent a blissful evening in John’s arms. She’d been to the Academy Awards twice and countless Hollywood parties, but that dreamy high school dance was still the most perfect night of her life.

  Looking at him now, she noticed some deep cracks among the laugh lines that bracketed his eyes. Worry, she realized. It didn’t look good on him, but it told her that the generous heart he’d always worn on his sleeve was still alive and well. That was something, anyway.

  A cute redhead materialized in the doorway, giving John a flirtatious smile. She was eyeing him as if he was her favorite dessert, and Amanda wasn’t surprised when she batted her long eyelashes.

  “Hey, handsome,” she cooed. “I was hoping to run into you.”

  Clearly not put off by the very obvious display, he flashed her a grin that could weaken the knees of any female on the planet. “Hey yourself, Ginger. What are you doing here?”

  “Interviewing for the nanny job. I think I’d be perfect for it, don’t you?”

  Her honey-pie drawl made Amanda want to gag, but John didn’t seem to notice. After making a show of thinking it over, he nodded. “Could be.”

  The woman might be perfect for something, Amanda mused, but domestic goddess wasn’t the first option that came to mind.

  “Could you put in a good word for me?” Ginger asked. “This would be a great job for me, since I just love your niece and nephew.”

  Her supposed affection for the kids was such a thinly veiled act, Amanda couldn’t help getting in on the fun. “Oh, that’s nice. What are their names again?”

  Ginger blinked at her as if she’d just noticed someone else standing in the kitchen. “Keith and Emma.”

  John’s barely suppressed grin told her the nanny hopeful had missed the mark. Satisfied that she’d correctly nailed Ginger’s intentions, Amanda called up a friendly smile. “I hope it goes well for you.”

  “Thanks!”

  After another adoring look at John, the clueless woman flounced down the steps and out to a sunny-yellow VW bug. It was the ideal car for John’s not-so-secret admirer, Amanda thought. It wasn’t like her to be so smug, but every once in a while she met someone so transparent, she just couldn’t help it.

  Grinning, John shook a finger at her. “That wasn’t very nice.”

  “What are the kids’ names?”

  “Kyle and Emily. It still wasn’t very nice.”

  Amanda recognized that he was trying to sound stern, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.

  “She’s an empty-headed moron obviously more interested in you than your sister’s children. I can’t imagine she’d have gotten the job even if I wasn’t here to point that out.” An idea popped up, and she sighed. “Is she your girlfriend?”

  “Nope. Just a friend.”

  “One of many, no doubt.”

  Her harsh tone surprised her. Evidently, John was still the fun, great-looking guy he’d always been, and it only made sense that he’d have his pick of the women around Harland. Who he chose to date—or not date—was none of her business.

  Her grumbly train of thought was interrupted by a question from the living room. “Is that Amanda Gardner I hear?”

  The fact that Marianne recognized her voice after all these years gave Amanda a warm, fuzzy feeling. She took the cue to step into the doorway and wave. “Hi, Marianne.”

  She groaned. “Oh, don’t stand out there in the kitchen. It’s such a mess.”

  The sink was stacked with soaking pans and dishes, and a jumble of boots and shoes were piled near the door. Some schoolbooks and a newspaper were strewn across the table, but it really wasn’t all that bad, and she said so.

  Marianne’s laughter plainly said she disagreed. “You’re so sweet. Come on in.”

  John moved aside and let Amanda go in first. A quick glance at him showed her no emotion on his face at all. She couldn’t tell if he was upset about her calling Ginger out or couldn’t possibly care less. The way things had been going for her lately, it was probably the second choice.

  When Marianne saw her, she recoiled with the same shocked reaction John had. Quickly, the expression shifted to the kind a Southern lady plastered on when she disapproved of something but would never dream of saying so.

  “Well, just look at you,” Marianne gushed in a motherly tone. “You’re so stylish, you could be on the cover of one of those Hollywood magazines.”

  She wasn’t criticizing exactly, but she wasn’t pleased, either. Trying not to take it personally, Amanda changed the focus from herself to Marianne. “That’s nothing compared to what you’ve been up to. A new husband wasn’t enough? You had to go for the jackpot with twins?”

  “I know, it’s crazy.” Marianne nodded toward the man sitting in a wing chair beside the bed. “This is my husband, Ridge Collins.”

  Standing, he offered his hand. “It’s great to meet you.”

  His clothes were covered in dust, and she asked, “Did Ginger interrupt your plowing?”

  “Something like that. I don’t think she’s the right one for us,” he added, giving John a very male grin.

  “She’s the fifth one we’ve interviewed, and none of them could find their way around a kitchen, much less keep up with the kids. The guys will only get busier over the summer, and I’ve got no idea what we’re going to do,” Marianne confided. “Things are getting out of hand around here, and we really need some help.”

  “I could do it.” When they all stared at her, Amanda backtracked. “At least until you find somebody permanent.”

  Understandably, Marianne looked confused. “I thought you were in advertising and PR.”

  “The company I worked for went out of business, and the market out there is terrible, so I’m moving back here.” Because she didn’t want to get into the humiliating details, she decided to skip over the worst of her recent experience. “I’m not finding a lot of advertising or PR jobs here, either. This could be the solution to both our problems.”

  The Collinses traded a long, dubious look, and Amanda held her breath. She could almost hear the wheels spinning in John’s head, but he didn’t say a word. Maybe he’d already guessed why she’d returned to Harland, or maybe he didn’t care. Whatever the reason, she knew her respite wouldn’t last.

  If she was around the farm every day, eventually he’d ask her why she’d come limping home in a car that was one step from the crusher. But right now, she kept her attention on her prospective
new boss, who was studying her pensively.

  “Amanda,” Marianne finally said. “Why on earth would someone with an MBA and a promising career in PR want to be a housekeeper?”

  Several answers flashed into her head, all of them very grown-up and responsible sounding. But what came out was, “I’m ready for a fresh start, and Harland seems like the right place to do that. I’ve always loved this farm, and it would be great to work here.”

  John grunted. “Funny. After we graduated, you couldn’t wait to get away from it.”

  Turning to him, she explained. Again. “I was eighteen and had never been farther than Charlotte. When UCLA offered me that scholarship, I decided it was time to get out into the world and see what I could do.”

  “And how’s that working out for you?”

  His accusing tone sliced through the air with a sharpness that stunned her. It was resentment, she realized with a sinking heart. Resentment she’d caused because in her driving compulsion to leave her roots behind, she’d hurt the sweetest, most solid guy she’d ever known.

  “Not very well.” Swallowing a bit of her pride, she included the others in her view. “I’m not exactly Mary Poppins, but I’m a quick learner. If you tell me what you want, I’ll make sure things get done your way. I’ll even work free for a week,” she added to sweeten the deal. She’d picked up that skill during her stint in online PR, and she hoped it would help her now.

  Marianne and Ridge exchanged another look, and she could only imagine what they were thinking: Why is she really here?

  They didn’t say it out loud, which Amanda really appreciated. As she’d told them, she just wanted a chance to start over. Once she had a steady paycheck, she’d answer all their questions. Even John’s. His wariness toward her wouldn’t make it easy to be around him all the time, but she’d have to cope as best she could. With her nicely toasted car still smoking out on the shoulder, she’d literally reached the end of her road.

  The fact that her twisting path had led her back to the Sawyers didn’t escape her. When she was younger, John’s large, loving family had treated Amanda like an extra sibling. Now, Amanda needed Marianne as much as Marianne needed her. If not more.

  “We can’t pay much, so we were offering live-in arrangements,” Marianne ventured. “Would you be staying here?”

  “Ordinarily I’d say no, but since my car—”

  “Broke down out front,” John interjected smoothly. “She’ll have to stay here awhile.”

  Amanda snuck a quick glance at him, but couldn’t tell if he liked the idea of her being so close by or not. She didn’t remember his being this difficult to read. Had he changed, or had she lost her touch? Either way, it was a complication she didn’t need, and she resolved to get her own place as quickly as possible.

  Cocking an elegant brow, the lady of the house flat-out asked, “John, would Amanda’s working here be a problem for you?”

  After enduring so much phoniness in California, Amanda found it refreshing to be around people who came right out and said what was on their minds.

  To her relief, he shrugged. “I work all day, then go down to my place, so it wouldn’t matter to me.”

  “I won’t be doing much of anything for the next three months,” she reminded him. “That means Amanda would be running the house, including the kitchen. If you want to eat, you’d have to see her at some point.”

  “No problem here.” He looked at Amanda. “You?”

  “Not for me.” Sensing she was on the verge of getting a “yes,” she pressed. “I could start now, if you want. I’d be happy to do some laundry and cleaning before the kids get home from school.”

  “We haven’t discussed your weekly salary.” Ridge named an amount she’d have laughed at six months ago. “Does that work for you?”

  “Definitely.” It wasn’t much, but it was significantly more than the $82 currently in her wallet. Besides, Harland was pretty far off the beaten path. Money would stretch a lot farther here than it had in L.A.

  After another wordless conference with his wife, Ridge nodded his approval.

  “We’ll give it a try,” Marianne announced with a smile.

  Amanda wanted to hug her, but with Marianne laid up in bed, she knew that was a bad idea. Instead, she clasped her hands tightly and gave them her warmest smile. “Fabulous. Thank you.”

  She wanted to assure Marianne and Ridge they hadn’t made a mistake, that she would do everything in her power not to let their family down. But these were down-to-earth folks, and overblown promises meant nothing to them. She’d show them, though, and make the Collinses glad they’d taken a chance on her.

  Chapter Two

  Fabulous, John silently echoed Amanda.

  That wasn���t quite how he’d describe it, but for Marianne’s sake he kept his opinion to himself. He had a hard time envisioning his old friend in this flashy woman standing in their living room, but she just might be the answer to their prayers. If she was as capable as she claimed to be, hiring her would keep the house running smoothly while the farm spun on its usual seasonal axis.

  All his life, John had trusted in God’s wisdom, even when it made absolutely no sense to him. If this was His solution to their problem, John would have to find a way to put aside his wounded pride and make it work.

  Standing, Ridge bent down to kiss his wife’s cheek. “Unless there’s another interview, I should get back to cultivating that cornfield.”

  “We’re done for today. I’m sorry we wasted so much of your morning,” she added with a scowl of disapproval.

  He grinned. “It wasn’t a waste. I got to hang out with you.”

  “Maybe tonight you can finish up early enough to have supper with the kids and me.”

  “I’ll do my best.” Lifting his hand in a general goodbye, he sauntered out the front door.

  “You look tired,” John told Marianne as gently as he could. “Get some rest, and I’ll show Amanda where everything is.”

  “Thank you.” Wincing, she placed a hand against her side and leaned back into her pillows. “I think they’re kickboxing in there.”

  “You want anything while I’m around?” he asked.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Just yell if you need me,” Amanda piped up. “I won’t be far.”

  With a wan smile, Marianne pointed to the cell phone docked on her night table. “Ridge texts me every ten minutes.”

  “That’s so sweet! But you can tell him to stop worrying and keep both hands on the wheel. It’s probably not safe to drive one of those big tractors while you’re texting.”

  “That’s what I told him, but my husband’s a very stubborn man. He didn’t listen.”

  “I’m here now, and I’ll take care of everything. You can all relax.”

  Their unlikely nanny-slash-housekeeper glanced at John, and he responded with a “we’ll see” kind of look. A lot of water had flowed under that bridge—some of it bad. Just because he was being nice didn’t mean she was off the hook. She’d wanted different things than he did—that much he’d understood. Over the years, he’d quit waiting for her to write or call, recognizing that it meant she was happy in her new life. Forgiving her had been tough, but eventually he’d done it because it was the right thing to do.

  Forgetting her had proven impossible.

  He was trying to act cool, but he had to admit that knowing she’d driven across the country in that death trap of a car really worried him. If she hadn’t jumped out when she did, she could have been killed. That stark realization brought all kinds of old feelings rushing back, and he was having a tough time getting them corralled again.

  Her story about moving home seemed sincere, but he didn’t quite buy it yet. She’d left Harland once, he reminded himself. If things didn’t shake out the way she wanted, he w
ouldn’t put it past her to do it again. He’d never been able to predict what was going on in that quick mind of hers, and his gut was telling him that hadn’t changed. If he wanted to keep his sanity, he would be smart to keep a respectable distance from her.

  Leading her back into the kitchen, he pointed to the side porch. “Laundry’s out there.” Then he nodded at a closed door. “Cleaning stuff’s in the pantry, along with the food that’s not in here, the fridge or the freezer downstairs. We’ve got a dishwasher now, and this is where everything goes.”

  He opened cupboard after cupboard, leaving them open for her to look inside. Then he pointed up. “The kids’ bedrooms are obvious, Ridge and Marianne’s is across the hall. The guest room is at the end of the hall.”

  “Got it.”

  “Bathroom upstairs, another one down here.” A movement outside the window got his attention, and he grinned, grateful for the distraction. “Oh, and the kids’ dog. You need to meet him with one of us or he’ll go bonkers on you.”

  They stepped outside as a muddy black Lab was making a beeline for the unfamiliar car parked on the side of the road. He skidded to a stop when he heard John whistle, looking from him to the car as if trying to decide which was more interesting. In the end, he chose John and loped over to greet him.

  John hooked the Lab’s dusty stars-and-stripes bandanna in his fingers and reeled him in before he could jump on Amanda. “This is Tucker, the best dog in North Carolina.”

  “Hey there, Tucker.” Kneeling down, she held out her hand for him to sniff. “Nice to meet you.”

  After a quick assessment, he apparently decided she was okay and flipped onto his back in an unmistakable plea. Laughing, she rubbed his belly, mud and all, while he licked her arm in appreciation.

  “You always did have a way with guys,” John said as he got to his feet.

  “It’s a gift.”

  “If you say so.”

  * * *

  John tucked his thumbs in his back pockets in a gesture she remembered well. As he looked down at her, Amanda tried to gauge what he was thinking. John had always been wide open and genuine, with a quick smile and a laid-back demeanor. That charming country boy still lived in her memory, frozen in time the way he’d looked when she last saw him.