Ruth Herne - Winter's End

Furious, Marc broke the imagined camera into a thousand pieces and strode briskly away.

“Marc? Where are you, buddy?”

Marc sucked a breath and tried to calm his feelings without much luck. “Your old girlfriend is working here.”

Craig frowned. “My old— What are you talking about?”

“The nurse. The Doherty girl.” As Craig’s expression changed, Marc raised a brow. “Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten now that you’re married.”

Craig laughed. “They won’t let me forget. Sarah and Kayla are friends. Sarah taught Kayla to spin and knit.”

Marc nearly choked. “Awkward at best.”

Craig disagreed. “Naw. Kayla and I only dated a few times. It was never going anywhere. She and Sarah got friendly once Kayla joined our church and the rest is history. She even watches the baby now and then. When she’s not working,” he added.

Craig’s words painted a picture for Marc, of Kayla and little McKenna Rose, a year old now. The image of the baby’s dark curls pressed against Kayla’s fair skin made his fingers tingle. He clenched his hands. “Still weird.”

“Why?”

“Wives and old girlfriends are an odd mix, Macklin. Oil and water. Can’t possibly work.”

“It can if you know Sarah.”

Marc frowned. “I know Sarah. What’s that got to do with—”

Craig interrupted, laughing. “Housed in the lowest level of my well-mortgaged country home are three lambs that needed warming, a barn cat due to deliver and a nephew who is rapidly becoming a dedicated farmer like his aunt.” When Marc looked confused, Craig punched his arm. “Sarah’s good with strays. Kayla fits right in.”

Marc pictured the feisty nurse. “Are we talking about the same woman?” He met Craig’s eye and raised a hand shoulder level. “So high, short blond hair, big blue eyes, crazy shoes and an attitude that barrels into next week?”

Craig’s brow shifted up in interest. “Sounds like the same girl to me. She’s good at her job, Marc.” He shook his head, his face out-turned. “That doesn’t mean we’re solid inside. You know that.”

They’d reached the west-facing door of the barn. Slanted beams from the early setting sun shone through the glass upper. Marc worked his jaw before facing Craig. “Life’s plenty full around here. Between Jess’s schedule and Dad’s illness keeping him up at night, the feed store, the cattle…” Marc shook his head. “I can’t imagine squeezing one more thing in.”

“Some things don’t take space or time. They just make the rest easier to handle.”

Craig was talking faith and fellowship. Marc refused to take the bait.

Wasn’t it enough that he was taking Jess to services, standing by her side as their minister droned platitudes from a contradictory ancient book?

Nope. He’d count on good fortune and hard work. They’d held him together so far. He opened the door and stepped into the last rays of daylight. “I appreciate you coming by. It would break Jess’s heart if anything happened to Grace. Or the foal,” he added.

Craig clapped a hand to Marc’s shoulder. “Glad to do it. And you haven’t been over in a while. When can we expect you? Saturday?”

Marc exhaled, his breath a cloud of ivory steam. “It’s tough, with Dad and all. I feel bad if I leave. And Sarah sounds busy enough.”

“True on all counts. But you don’t want your dad to feel guilty about you hanging around, either. And I’m not averse to helping Sarah in the kitchen.” Marc’s look inspired Craig’s laugh. “Being nice in the kitchen brings rewards.”

Marc hid a stab of envy.

Craig was different now that he was a husband and father. Calmer. More focused. Was that because of marriage or his strengthened faith? Marc refused to ask. He dipped his chin. “Dad mentioned that this morning, how he hates to have us tied up, waiting.”

“Come over on Saturday,” Craig urged. “Have supper, play with the baby.”

A night away sounded good. Marc smiled. “Which one? The kittens, the lambs or the human?”

“All of the above.” Craig’s tone was half teasing, half lament. “That’s what I get for marrying a sheep farmer. A personal petting zoo in the basement.”

Marc laughed. “Not so bad, considering the sheep farmer.”

Craig’s smile deepened. “No argument there. We’re good, then?”

Marc hesitated.

“It would give Jess a chance to have some private time with Pete.”

He hadn’t thought of that, but Craig made a good point. It wouldn’t hurt for Jess to have Dad to herself for a while. And he wouldn’t mind an interruption in the constant round of casseroles the good women of the church seemed bent on providing. Marc nodded. “What time and what can I bring?”

“Six, and don’t bring a thing. Let Sarah spoil you. It’ll make her day.”

Marc surrendered, hands up, palms out. “I would love to be spoiled.”

“Good.” Craig climbed into his car and started the engine before opening the window. “Tell Jess everything’s looking fine. She’s done well.”

Grace and her foal were the end result of a 4-H project. The paint mare had won several ribbons with Jess as a mount, but this was her first breeding. First-time mothers were unpredictable, and Marc wanted to avoid more trauma right now. Their father’s illness was enough for Jess to handle. Having her big brother smooth the barn path was the least he could do.

“Kayla? How’s your time frame?”

Kayla groaned. “Why do I suddenly wish I’d taken a different route out of this place?”

Christy smiled. “Ask the busy person…”

“Or the last one out the door,” Kayla mused. “Whattya got?”

Christy’s expression sobered. “A new intake in Gouverneur at one-thirty.”

“Tricky to be in Norfolk at two if you’re in Gouverneur at half-past one.” Gouverneur and Norfolk were at opposite points of St. Lawrence County.

“Mmm-hmm.”

“If I do the two o’clock at Maeve Morris’s, you’re okay with the intake in the southern sector?”

“Forever in your debt,” Christy declared. She held up a candy bar like the grand prize of a church raffle. “Would chocolate settle the issue?”

“From your private stash in the dark gray filing cabinet marked ‘No unauthorized entry’?”

Christy handed over the bar. “So much for private. Anyway, if you take Maeve, I’ll be clear for this. Who else do you have this afternoon?”

“Mr. DeHollander, so it works out since he’s up that way,” Kayla told her. “I’ll see if I can back him off an hour. That will give me time with Maeve, then off to the beef farm, then back home to Potsdam. Keeps me in the northern quadrant for the afternoon.”

“And we live in the largest geographic county in New York State because…?”

“We love piling miles on our cars while we travel inhospitable backcountry roads for hours on end.” Kayla returned Christy’s chagrined smile and shrugged. “My answer’s simple. They pay me and forgave my student loans. Sweet deal, all around. What’s your excuse?”

Christy winked. “Fell in love with a guy who thought the North Country was a great place to raise a family. I decided he was right.”

Kayla leaned in. “Fifty states, Chris. I’m gonna go way out on a limb and wager there are other great places to raise kids.”

Christy shrugged. “I’m sure there are. Heaven knows we get sick of winter up here about two-and-a-half months before it officially ends—”

“In June,” Kayla spouted.

There was no denying that. May nights got downright cold. Kayla tried not to picture her chilly living room, the comforter that was a mainstay on the couch for simple warmth. Christy grinned, noting, “Good snuggling weather.”