Winnie Griggs - The Hand-Me-Down Family

“Ah, Jackson, there you are.” Mrs. Mayweather waved him in from behind Callie. “We saved you a bit of breakfast.”

“Thanks. It sure does smell good.” He lifted his offerings. “I brought some eggs and fresh milk for your larder.”

Studying his easy smile and friendly manner, Callie decided the man could be something of a charmer when he set his mind to it.

Mrs. Mayweather obviously agreed. She beamed approvingly as she held out her hands. “Wonderful. I’ll take those and put them away. You go on to the sink and wash up.”

She nodded to Callie as she passed. “Would you hand him a plate, please?”

Callie nodded and stepped past Jack, reaching into the cupboard. “Mrs. Mayweather brewed a pot of coffee. Would you like a cup?”

“Yes, thank you.”

There was a formality about their interactions today, a sort of stiff truce. But at least it was a truce.

She watched him heap a pile of eggs and two biscuits onto his plate, then he took a seat at the long kitchen table. Simon was still picking at his own breakfast but the girls had finished theirs.

Annabeth immediately moved to Jack’s side. “Did you see Cinnamon and Taffy and Pepper last night?” she asked before he’d even settled in.

“Cinnamon, Taffy and Pepper.” Jack drawled the words as he smeared jam on his biscuit. “Some of my favorite flavors. But I’m afraid I didn’t look in the pantry.”

Annabeth giggled. “They don’t live in the pantry, silly.”

“They don’t?”

Callie smiled at the teasing tone in Jack’s voice. Perhaps she’d been wrong about his ability to relate to the children. Maybe she should just step back and let him—

The memory of his declaration that he wasn’t “the praying kind” interrupted her move toward retreat and stiffened her resolve. It just plain didn’t matter how charming he could be, these children needed her in their lives, too.

But for now, she’d give him his share of time to create a connection with his nieces and nephew.

“They’re animals, not food,” Annabeth explained with exaggerated patience. She began to tick them off on her fingers. “Cinnamon is my pony and Taffy is the big yellow cat who lives in the barn and Pepper is our dog.”

“Oh!” Jack did a good job of sounding surprised. “Well, in that case, yes, I saw all three of them.”

The child twirled a curl with one pudgy finger. “Do you think they miss me?”

“I’m certain they do.”

Emma set her elbows on the table next to Simon. “I have a dog, too.”

Jack turned his attention to his other niece. “Do you?”

She nodded her head. “He’s a beagle and his name is Cookie.”

“Now, would he by any chance be that fine looking animal I saw outside next to Mrs. Mayweather’s carriage house?”

Emma beamed at the compliment. “Uh-huh. And I had a bird, too. Mr. Peepers. But he…” Her lower lip began to tremble.

Callie caught the panicked look on Jack’s face and quickly stepped in. “Emma, would you please bring me the empty platter from the stove?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jack gave her a small nod and she felt a warm glow at this ever-so-slight sign of gratitude. Maybe he was finally beginning to see how she could help with the children. Perhaps they could work this whole matter out amicably after all.

A few moments later he carried his dishes to the sink. Then, without so much as a glance her way, he turned back to the children. “I plan to head back out to the farm to take care of some chores. Why don’t you all come with me? Annabeth, you can visit with your animals. And Emma and Simon, you can take Cookie along and let him run as far and as long as he wants to.”

Callie stiffened, the glow quickly evaporating. Was he actually planning to take the children and not her?

Annabeth clapped her hands in excitement. “Oh, yes! Do you think Mrs. Mayweather will let me bring some of her sugar cubes for Cinnamon?”

“We’ll ask her,” Jack answered. “But I’m sure it’ll be all right.”

“And Aunt Callie can come, too, can’t she?”

Bless Annabeth’s innocent little heart.

Jack cut her a quick glance, that stiff formality firmly back in place. “Yes, of course. That is, if she wants to?”

Was it her imagination, or did it sound as if he’d rather she declined the invitation?

She lifted her chin and smiled sweetly. “I need to make a stop at the telegraph office first, but I can’t think of any place I’d rather be.”

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