Karen Kirst - The Bachelor's Homecoming

He followed and, taking up the spot beside her, began to wash without a word. She sensed his quiet perusal.

“When would you like to visit her?” she said at last.

“In a few days, once I’ve had a chance to clean out the cabin and round up a milk cow and several hens. But, Jane, I get the feeling you’d rather not go. Has something happened? Have you two had a falling-out?”

“Nothing like that.”

She recalled the day all those years ago when she’d confessed her feelings to Megan. Her sensitive sister had been heartbroken. Megan had known there was no hope Tom would ever love Jane. Not that she would ever voice such a hurtful truth, of course. She hadn’t had to. The evidence was in the way she’d gently tried to reason with Jane, reminding her of their age difference. Back then, seven years had seemed an impossible chasm.

All these years later, he in his late twenties and she of marriageable age, she didn’t register the gap any longer. But while the age factor wasn’t an issue, something Megan never would’ve admitted made a future between them impossible—Jane didn’t possess the qualities Tom desired in a wife. She couldn’t measure up to Megan.

“You and Lucian get along, right? If he isn’t treating you well, I’ll—”

“No.” Surprised by the promise of retribution in his voice, Jane jerked her head up. “Lucian is a wonderful man. He’s good to my sister. To all of us.”

The tension in his shoulders eased somewhat, and he returned his attention to his task.

Studying his profile, she placed the clean dish on the quilt behind her. “We can visit her any day this week. I’m free in the mornings.”

“That’s right. You bake in the afternoons.” Reaching across her, he snagged an extra washcloth for drying. “The townspeople must love that. I often dreamed about your ribbon fruitcake.”

Their desserts were indeed popular with the locals. She used to take such joy from making Tom his favorite treat. That particular item had been off the menu for quite some time. Too many memories.

“Any chance I might get to purchase a slice soon?”

“Right now, we’re taking advantage of the fresh berries for pies and strudels. Perhaps in the fall.”

“I’ll have to be patient, then.” He moved into her space. “Hold still. You have a stray eyelash.”

His fingertips lightly stroked the tender skin beneath her eye. He was close enough that she could feel the cool fan of his breath across her nose. Her pulse rate tripled, and her head felt too light. What Jane wanted was to erase the scant inches separating them, wanted his arms around her, his chest beneath her cheek.

It wasn’t fair that she should possess these feelings for him, suffer these reactions when he wasn’t the least bit affected. She was nothing but a friend to him. Worse, actually. She was the little sister of the woman he’d wanted for his wife .

“There,” he murmured huskily. “I think I got it.”

Tom pulled away slightly, confusion tugging his brows together as his gaze roamed her face as if seeing her for the very first time. As if she were a stranger to him. His eyes flared with surprise just before he turned away and resumed washing without a word.

The creak of wagon wheels had them both twisting to see the new arrival.

“Josh.” Jane wasn’t surprised to see her cousin. He and Tom had been close friends since childhood.

A second wagon pulled onto the lane behind it, driven by Josh’s younger brother, Nathan. The blond hair glinting in the light belonged to his pretty spitfire of a wife, Sophie.

“Looks like an official O’Malley family welcome.” He flashed her a quick smile that struck her as a bit strained. Helping her up, he quickly stepped away.

“Nathan’s brought you a milk cow.”

“Yes, I see.”

Jane wondered at his distant manner. Was he worried her family would hold a grudge because of his lack of correspondence? Was it her? Hanging back while he strode ahead, she surreptitiously sniffed at her blouse, relieved when the lilac-infused washing soap was the only scent she detected. It was a rather humid day, after all, and he’d been very close.

If it wasn’t an offending odor, was it something she’d said?

Oh, no. She stopped in her tracks. Had he glimpsed the truth in her eyes? The secret she worked so hard to keep hidden?

* * *

Tom hoped the astonishment ricocheting through his system wasn’t written across his face for all to see. He couldn’t have known a simple eyelash would incite this peculiar reaction to Jane. Jane , of all people. His best friend’s younger cousin. Megan’s baby sister.

But, oh, her skin had been incredibly soft. Her eyes luminous, the deep, true green of mysterious forests, drawing him in, making him forget who and what they were.

He’d always fancied himself as a stand-in big brother. Someone to tease her out of her introverted shell. Protect her from guys with questionable intentions. He’d always seen her as young and innocent. Vulnerable. The little sister he’d never had.

Seeing her as an alluring, intriguing young woman wasn’t natural.

“Tom Leighton.” His old friend pulled him into a back-slapping hug. Josh hadn’t aged in the years he’d been gone; he still wore his wheat-colored hair short and had a neat goatee. “Hard to believe you’re here. I’ve missed you, brother.”

“I should’ve written.” Beyond Josh’s wagon, the middle O’Malley son was swinging his wife to the ground. He’d been surprised to hear Nathan had married the O’Malleys’ neighbor, tomboy Sophie Tanner. She certainly didn’t look like a tomboy anymore. “Only now that I’m here do I realize what a mistake not writing was.”

Josh’s hand remained on his shoulder. “If I hadn’t known where you were going or why, I would’ve been tempted to come searching for you.”

Jane gasped. Pivoting, Tom saw the tremor in her hand as she lifted it to her throat. Anguish pinched her features.

“You knew where he was all this time and didn’t tell me?” Her gaze hit upon Tom’s and skittered away. “N-not just me. The entire family has been worried.”

Josh shifted his stance. “I’m sorry, Jane.”

“It’s not his fault,” Tom said. “I discussed my decision to go to Charles’s ranch with Josh. I asked him to keep it quiet.” Not thinking straight after Megan’s refusal—he’d been one big mass of hurt and disappointment—he hadn’t stopped to evaluate the rightness or wrongness of his actions. “I’m the one to blame.”

He resisted the urge to touch her, something that up until a few minutes ago had been as instinctive as breathing.

Nathan and Sophie approached. Tom had no choice but to greet them both, noting Jane’s swift departure out of the corner of his eye. Josh trailed her to the cabin, delaying her at the steps. She was upset and, as in the past, all Tom wanted was to hold her until she wasn’t anymore.

It struck him again that things had changed. She had changed. And maybe so had he.

Nathan lifted the Jersey cow’s lead rope. “We heard your niece is with you. Thought a milk cow might come in handy. This here’s one of our best producers.” He rubbed between her ears. “Her name’s Belle.”

“Let me get my wallet and settle up with you.”

“No need. Consider her a welcome-home present.”

He hadn’t forgotten the O’Malleys’ generosity or their stubborn natures. Arguing the point was useless. “I appreciate it, Nate. Thank you.”

“I’ll get her settled in the barn.”

Tom sighed. He hadn’t cleared out any of the outbuildings yet. Making Clara feel comfortable in her new home had been his top priority, and he hadn’t made much progress on that front. “You won’t reach it without a machete.”