Patricia Thayer - Little Cowgirl Needs a Mum / Once Upon a Proposal

Her mother had gotten angry because she’d caused a rift in the family. Family? They were never a family.

Jenny shook away the bad memories. Was that the reason she’d become a crusader for kids? Why she’d wanted to be a teacher? So the young and innocent would have someone to confide in? So they’d know someone was on their side? How many times had she gone the extra mile to help a student succeed? She loved helping kids realize their potential and dreams.

Then it had all fallen apart recently when she’d lost a battle over one of her students. Luis Garcia was excellent college material and she’d worked hard to help him apply for scholarships. Then Luis got into a fight defending another student, and they’d found a knife. Even though the small pocket knife wasn’t Luis’s, the principal took the word of the other boy and his friends—Luis was expelled immediately.

Jenny begged the principal to at least let him take his mid-term tests, but he’d refused to allow any special consideration.

Jenny knew Luis would never return to school. She was discouraged, too, and took a leave of absence during the spring semester. She needed the time to figure things out, to stop feeling as if she got too involved to be a teacher.

So what did she do now? She went storming into another conflict. She didn’t have any business nosing into Gracie’s life, but that had never stopped her before. If a child was crying out, she wanted to make sure someone heard. Gracie Rafferty was crying out.

She slowed as she approached the ranch. There were several head of cattle grazing in the pasture. On the opposite side of the road was a hillside covered in perfect rows of trellises heavy with grapevines. It was breathtaking.

She continued on until she came to a compound with a large barn and a fenced corral. Then a two-story clapboard house appeared, painted a glossy taupe with burgundy shutters and a large welcoming porch. The yard was thick with new spring grass and an array of colorful flowers edged the split-rail fence.

The place looked immaculate.

Jenny pulled up on the gravel parking area and got out. She released several calming breaths as she made her way up the walk. By the time she reached the porch, an elderly gentleman had come out of the house. Big and burly, he had a head of snow-white hair and a broad grin across his face.

“Hello, lass.”

She couldn’t help but smile back. “Hello. I’m Jenny Collins and I’m looking for Mr. Rafferty.”

Still grinning, the man nodded. “And which one of us would you be wantin’? I’m Sean,” he said with a slight bow. “Or my sons, Evan and Matthew?”

She could see where Evan got his good looks. Too bad he didn’t get his father’s charm. “It would be Evan.” She glanced around, feeling nervous. “If he isn’t busy I’d like to speak with him.”

“He isn’t here at the moment. Why don’t you come in and wait. We’ll have some tea.”

She hesitated. “I wouldn’t want to intrude. If he isn’t going to be long, I could wait out here.”

Sean motioned for her to step up on the porch. “A pretty lass like yourself would only brighten my day. Please come in.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you. I accept your invitation.”

Jenny went ahead of Sean and inside the house to the entrance hall. To one side there was a small living room that looked too formal and neat to get much use. Past a staircase with ornate spindles was a dining room with a long table and half a dozen chairs lining either side.

“The Raffertys are an informal bunch. The kitchen is where our hearts are. Around food.”

Jenny followed Sean on into the big open room. Miles of cabinets lined the walls, and a solid counter displayed many appliances. There was a natural-stone backsplash that highlighted the area. But it was the wonderful aroma that hit her that made her feel this was truly a home.

“Please, have a seat,” Sean told her as he went to the refrigerator. “Would you prefer hot or cold tea?”

“Whatever is easiest for you,” she said as she eyed the connected family room with oversized furniture and a television.

“You have a lovely home, Mr. Rafferty.”

He set a glass of iced tea in front of her. “First of all, please, call me Sean.”

“Only if you call me Jenny.”

He nodded and continued. “And secondly, this house belongs to my son Evan and his daughter. My other son Matt and I moved in about a year ago to help out after Evan’s wife, Megan, passed away.”

She immediately saw his sadness. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

He nodded. “Thank you. It’s been a rough time for my son and the little one.” He looked thoughtful, then finally went on to say, “Anyway, the three of us worked out a partnership.” He grinned. “I’m not a rancher, that’s Evan’s livelihood and it’s now Matt’s too.”

“Is the vineyard yours?”

He shook his head, smiling easily. “It’s Evan’s, too. I’m just the cook and bottle-washer around here.”

Jenny liked this man. Had Evan been this way before his wife’s death? “Don’t diminish your contribution to the family, Sean. I have a feeling you do more than you’re saying.”

He leaned against the counter and arched an eyebrow. “I like you, Jenny Collins. So how long have you lived in Kerry Springs?”

“I worked here for a summer two years ago and was here again last summer for a visit, but I returned recently and took over running the Blind Stitch quilt shop.”

“I’ve seen the store. It’s across the street from Rory’s Bar and Grill. I tend bar there on the weekends.”

“Really. I haven’t been there.”

“It’s a nice neighborhood bar. A few friendly games of billiards and darts and a little dancing on weekends. You should stop by sometime.” He cocked his head. “But I am curious. What does my son have to do with a quilt shop?”

“It’s Gracie. She came into the shop interested in my class.”

“Did she now,” Sean commented. “Why does that not surprise me? She’s been talking about her mother’s quilts.”

“I’m here to see if there’s a way to help her get enrolled.”

Sean frowned for the first time. “Good luck with that.”

“Daddy,” Gracie called. “Can I go to Carrie’s house?”

Evan turned the truck off the highway and glanced in the rearview mirror at his daughter in the backseat. “Not on a school night.”

“It’s not tonight. It’s a party. A sleepover.” She hesitated. “All my friends are going to be there and I want to be with them.”

Evan wasn’t ready to let her go on her own. “If you want, your friends can come to the house and play.”

Evan looked at his brother, Matt, in the passenger seat. Usually Matt had never been shy about speaking his mind. Yet, since his return from overseas, he’d pretty much kept to himself, working the cattle operation and taking up residence in the foreman’s house.

His dad, on the other hand, had voiced his opinion many times about him isolating Gracie.

“Daddy,” Gracie called again. “She’s having a sleepover. And her older sister is going to put makeup on us and paint our toes and fingernails with any color we want.”

He tensed. She was too young for all that stuff. “I’ll think about it.”

Matt didn’t stay quiet this time. “It wouldn’t hurt to let her go. Give her that girl experience.”

Evan kept his voice low and controlled. “I don’t think Gracie will be deprived if she doesn’t get her toes painted.”

“How do you know that? You’re not a little girl. We got to do boy things when we were growing up.”

They’d had a rough childhood, especially after their mother had taken off, leaving her husband and sons. They’d been left unsupervised more than they should have been. It might not have been the typical home life, but they’d always got plenty of love from their dad.