Sapphires And Sagebrush (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots) Read online

  “Good morning,” she called.

  “Good morning to you.” Spencer waved.

  Kimber tugged at his sleeve. “Daddy. Is that your girlfriend?” she asked in a stage whisper.

  Spencer wondered if there was something in his demeanor that gave away the early bud of his feelings, or if Kimber asked because she’d never seen him with someone other than her mother. Quickly, he glanced at Cressa to see if she’d heard Kimber’s inquiry. The smile Cressa was hiding behind the mug told him she had.

  “No, honey. That’s Dr. Marshall. Remember? I told you she lives her with her parents.”

  “But you said she was old,” Kimber said in her regular voice.

  The color began rising up Spencer’s neck, along with a prickly sense of embarrassment that crawled up his spine.

  “Really?” Cressa said as she moved from the porch to stand by Spencer and Kimber. She crouched down to Kimber’s level. “How old did your daddy say that I am?”

  “Oh, really old. Like Grandma and Grandpa old,” Kimber replied.

  Cressa laughed as she stood. “Some days I feel really old.”

  Spencer breathed a sigh of relief as he gazed at Cressa. Catching her eyes, he noticed a new teasing look and felt the heat rise right up to the tips of his ears. “I was trying to explain that you lived here with your parents. I-I—”

  “Oh, Spencer,” Cressa laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Would you like some cocoa?”

  “Oh, yes! Can we, Daddy?” Kimber asked.

  Spencer’s gaze penetrated Cressa as he tried to hide his confusion. After everything that had happened in the last week, did she really want to invite them in for cocoa? Did he want to stay?

  He couldn’t speak for Cressa, but he believed she wouldn’t ask if she didn’t mean it, and he already knew his answer. He nodded. “That’d be great. Thanks.”

  “You can show Kimber all of your hard work.” Cressa turned toward the little girl. “Do you want to see what your daddy does when he works here?”

  The little girl’s eyes widened with anticipation. She nodded.

  “Why don’t you come with me?” Cressa held out her hand. “And you can meet my mommy and daddy, too. Would you like that?”

  Kimber looked up at Spencer. “May I, Daddy?”

  Spencer nodded his approval and fell behind Cressa and Kimber as they walked up the porch.

  Once inside, Spencer continued to follow Cressa through the house. The breezy scent of her jasmine overrode the smell of dust and construction, and Spencer breathed deeply.

  They came to the family room, where he stood beside Kimber as Cressa once again crouched to his daughter’s level and introduced her parents as Chris and Janean.

  Kimber became shy and leaned against Spencer’s jeans. He placed his arm reassuringly around his daughter and began to squat down next to her and Cressa while she buried her face in his chest.

  The elderly couple lit up with happiness at the sight of Kimber. Janean leaned forward, placing her elbows on knees. “Are you feeling shy right now?”

  Kimber nodded into Spencer’s flannel shirt.

  “That’s okay,” Janean said. “Sometimes, I feel shy too. I bet you thought you were just going to see a bunch of old cows this morning.”

  Kimber moved a little from Spencer and nodded. “I didn’t think I’d see old people, too,” she said.

  Janean laughed as her eyes twinkled at Kimber. “I say that every time I look in the mirror.”

  Spencer smiled, but his focus was on his daughter. “This is Kimber,” Spencer said by way of introduction.

  Kimber separated herself from Spencer and offered a shy smile. “This lady said I could have some hot cocoa.” She rested her hand on Cressa’s knee.

  “Do you want to help me make it?” Cressa asked.

  Kimber nodded and offered her small hand to Cressa, who stood and began making her way to the kitchen.

  This was the first time Spencer had introduced Kimber to anyone, and now that it was happening, he had mixed emotions watching his daughter navigate new people. She was cute and a little precocious. He wondered how many men Lyla had introduced to Kimber. Were these types of interactions good for her, or would it be better for him to wait until he introduced her to “the one”? Dating was so far from his thoughts, and he had not clearly considered his ideas for how to present new adults into her life.

  “How’s the project coming along?” Chris asked.

  Spencer’s thoughts and gaze were torn from watching Cressa and Kimber as he focused on her dad and his questions. “It’s right on schedule,” he replied. “The new quartz vanity came in a day late, but it’s all right. We were waiting on the flooring anyway. It got here yesterday afternoon, so we’ll be installing it on Monday. It shouldn’t be long after that. How are you enjoying your time with Andrew?”

  “He’s been wonderful,” Chris said. “We play board games, and yesterday, when the weather finally broke, he took us to the park. It was lovely, wasn’t it, Janean?”

  Spencer looked at Cressa’s mother, whose eyes became vacant as she sank back into the couch. He gave Chris a quick glance. The older man’s eyes darted to his wife with a worrisome expression.

  Once the cocoa was made, Cressa brought her parents a cup as Kimber followed with her own.

  “Use all of your fingers,” Spencer said.

  Kimber held the small cup with both hands.

  “And who do we have here?” Janean asked as delight spread across her face.

  Kimber gave her a curious look. “My name is Kimber, remember?”

  “Oh, honey, sometimes Janean forgets things,” Spencer said.

  “But Daddy, you just told her,” Kimber replied.

  A sad expression overcame Chris’s face like a gray cloud covering the sun. It was as if the very color drained from his life.

  A wisp of that gray suffering wound through Spencer, but he kept his focus on Kimber. “I know, baby,” Spencer said. “But sometimes her thoughts get lost.”

  Spencer glanced at Cressa to see her expression go blank. There was no sadness or sorrow. Instead, she seemed to retreat into some hard shell. Loneliness crept into Spencer’s chest, and he longed to reach out to Cressa and pull her back from that desolate place.

  Kimber handed Spencer her small mug of cocoa and went to Janean. Looking earnestly into the older woman’s face, she said, “It’s okay. I forget things too.”

  Janean blinked at the little girl. “Well, honey, it can happen whether we’re little or big.”

  Kimber looked to Spencer. “Is it okay if I drink my cocoa now?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He smiled as he stood and led Kimber to a chair. He placed their mugs on a table before pulling Kimber into his lap. Some part of him wanted to retreat from this personal family scene, but he refused to be run off by dementia, and he didn’t want Kimber to ever think forgetfulness or being elderly was something to fear. “Here, baby,” he whispered as he handed Kimber her cocoa.

  Kimber looked up at Cressa. “My daddy works here, doesn’t he?”

  Spencer glanced at Cressa, who smiled. She had returned from whatever bleak landscape she sometimes occupied. “He sure does,” she said. “And we promised to show you what he’s doing, didn’t we? After we drink our cocoa, we can do that.”

  Kimber smacked her lips as she finished her drink and said, “Let’s go.”

  Cressa grinned at the little girl before leading the way. Spencer and Kimber followed. Spencer explained everything he was doing to Kimber, who appeared to lose interest as soon as she took in the mess.

  “Well, we should go,” Spencer said. “Thanks for the cocoa and for letting Kimber see where I work.”

  Looking at Cressa, he could feel her gaze searching him with warm appreciation and something he couldn’t quite name. “Thanks for coming,” she said quietly. “And thank you, Kimber. It was nice to finally meet you.”

  Together, they walked out to Spencer’s truck, where he strapped Kimber into her car seat
before turning back to Cressa.

  “Thank you for not running off when things got hard,” Cressa whispered as she looked down.

  Spencer placed his finger under her chin and raised her eyes to meet his. “I don’t run,” he said. “And I’m teaching Kimber the same.”

  “I can see that,” Cressa said.

  Spencer felt her inch closer to him as the sweet scent of jasmine overwhelmed his senses. It mingled with the warmth of Cressa’s body and the spring sunshine for an intoxicating mix. He focused on her rosebud lips and fought the desire to pull her into a lingering kiss. This was not the right time, with Kimber sitting in the pickup with a front-row seat and Cressa’s doctor boyfriend lingering behind the scenes. But nothing could keep him from gazing into Cressa’s eyes with a hungry expression.

  His hand moved from her chin and cupped her face as her lips parted ever so slightly. Her jade-green eyes gazed steadily into his while the feel of her hair brushed against the back of his hand.

  “Daddy!” Kimber yelled from inside the truck.

  Spencer swallowed and took a step back. “She doesn’t like being in the car seat with her coat on,” Spencer explained. “She’s claustrophobic. I should’ve taken it off before strapping her in.”

  “I wouldn’t like it either,” Cressa said as she pulled several steps away from Spencer. “Thank you again for visiting with my folks and for bringing Kimber in to meet them.”

  Spencer nodded as he hurried to the driver’s side of the truck.

  Cressa waved at Kimber.

  The little girl waved back while yelling, “I gotta get out of this coat!”

  Cressa moved toward the passenger side door and hurriedly helped Kimber out of her jacket. “Is that better?”

  Kimber nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Sure thing, Miss Kimber.”

  Kimber grinned. “No one’s ever called me Miss before. Does that mean I’m grown-up?”

  Spencer laughed as he affectionately placed his hand on Kimber’s knee. “Not so fast, young lady,” he said as he started the truck. When Cressa stepped out of the way, he put the truck in gear and splashed out of the driveway. As he glanced back in his rearview mirror, Cressa was still standing in the early spring sun, with her hair breezing around her face and an expression of hopeful promise, leaving Spencer happily confused.

  Thirteen

  “Mommy! Mommy!” Kimber ran to the door the minute the Forerunner pulled into the drive.

  Lyla let herself in, setting Spencer’s teeth on edge. He needed to talk to Lyla about that, and there was no time like the present.

  Coming from the kitchen, he sent Kimber into her bedroom to begin putting her things in her backpack. He faced Lyla. “Please knock,” he said. “You don’t live here, Lyla.”

  Indignation rose in Lyla’s blue eyes. “You’ve never seemed to mind before today.”

  “I’ve always minded. It’s just that today, I figured out how to tell you without Kimber listening in.”

  Lyla pursed her lips for a moment. “Do you have my check?” she asked.

  Spencer went to the kitchen, where he picked up the check from the counter before handing it to Lyla, who caressed his fingers as she accepted the money.

  She gave him a sweet smile. “How’s your thumb?”

  “As good as new,” Spencer replied.

  “Let me see.” Lyla grabbed his hand and studied the healing wound. “Whoever stitched this up did a nice job. Did you go to the urgent care?”

  The touch of Lyla’s warm hands cradling his sent a shiver up his spine. She brought his palm up to her lips and gently kissed it. Her lips moved from the fleshy part of his thumb to the tender skin on his wrist. Giving him a sultry look, her blue eyes locked his.

  Spencer’s breath caught in his throat. Lyla wore every desire and emotion like a flashy evening gown. His mind traveled to Cressa who was more aloof and distant making her company more comfortable. He stepped away from Lyla, suddenly grateful for the distance. “How was your date to Missoula?”

  Lyla gave him a petulant look. “Nothing special,” she said. “You and I should go to Missoula,” she said. “We could take Kimber for the weekend.”

  Kimber came out of the hallway with her backpack in tow.

  Lyla gave Spencer a lingering look before turning her attention to her daughter. “So, what did you do this weekend?” she asked Kimber.

  “Well, Daddy had to feed some cows, so I helped, and I met a doctor and an old lady who can’t remember. We drank hot cocoa at their house, and Daddy hugged the doctor.”

  Lyla looked at Spencer with arched eyebrows.

  Spencer chose his words carefully. “I’m doing some indoor remodeling and looking after a small ranch for the same client.”

  “Sounds a little chummier than that if you’re hugging the doctor. Where are you working?”

  Irritation needled him. “I think it’s time for you to go, Lyla.” He hated pushing Kimber out the door, but his weekend was over, and he wasn’t sharing any part of his personal life with Lyla. She wouldn’t hesitate to show up at his job site, and he didn’t need or desire the complication.

  “I have a right to know where my daughter is and who she’s meeting,” Lyla huffed.

  “No. You don’t,” Spencer said. “She’s with me, and she’s safe. As long as I’m abiding by the parenting plan, that’s all you have to worry about, along with that check you stuffed into your pocket. I don’t ask you about your work or personal life, and I don’t expect you to go into every detail of your time spent with Kimber. You’re a good mom, and I’m a good father. That’s all we can expect of the other.”

  Lyla’s voice rose in volume. “You asked me about my date to Missoula, and I—”

  Spencer glanced at Kimber and noticed her bottom lip started to quiver as tears gathered in her eyes. Remorse hit him like a sucker punch. “Lyla,” he said softly.

  Lyla stopped mid-sentence and turned toward Kimber, her temper dissolving into the same remorse he was feeling. “Oh, baby. We’re so sorry.” Lyla got down on her knees, and Spencer crouched next to his ex-wife.

  Kimber swallowed her tears and nodded as she went into the arms of her parents. Spencer felt one small arm go around his neck as Kimber hiccupped a sob before pulling away and sucking in a big breath.

  “Sometimes, Mommy and Daddy don’t always agree,” Lyla said. “But it’s okay when that happens.” She gave Spencer a look, and he took his cue.

  “That’s right. Sometimes, we’re going to argue, but we always work it out, so you don’t ever have to worry about it. We both love you so much, and that’s the thing that matters the very most.”

  Lyla smiled at Spencer with an expression of honest gratitude. Even in moments of strife, they parented well together.

  “Do you understand?” Lyla asked, turning her attention back to their daughter.

  Kimber wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded.

  Spencer gave Lyla a lingering look of lost love and lost hope. The two of them had created this little girl out of the best of what they shared, and Kimber would always breed familiarity between them.

  Lyla slapped her knees with her hands. “Now, why don’t we head home, and I’ll make us some chicken dinosaurs for dinner.”

  “Okay, Mommy.” Kimber sniffed as she gave Spencer a goodbye hug.

  Spencer gave Lyla a look of curiosity; his earlier anger had bled out with Kimber’s tears. “What are chicken dinosaurs?”

  “Chicken tenders in the shape of dinosaurs. She doesn’t get them very often, but she loves them.”

  A sense of failure crawled into Spencer’s chest. Why didn’t he know that Kimber loved chicken dinosaurs? What else was he missing from his daughter’s everyday life that came with being an intact family? The familiar ache of loss settled over Spencer like new snow.

  Lyla began to gather Kimber’s belongings. She wasn’t trying to irritate him or show him up. This was the reality of their divorce and the remains of what kept the
m tied together.

  It would be easy to pretend it was only Kimber that created their connection, but that wasn’t entirely true. Even though their familiarity and the way they read each other always showed up around their daughter, their connection would lead to the deeper intimacy of family, if he wished it.

  An exquisite anguish filled him as Lyla’s shapely form walked out the door with Kimber’s small hand entwined in hers. On the flip side of the familiarity they shared, there would always be those things he missed, and that included more than chicken dinosaurs.

  Fourteen

  Cressa came home fifteen minutes late on the following Monday evening to find Spencer had gone. Andrew was preparing to leave as she walked through the door. Disappointment at Spencer’s departure mingled with her fatigue from a long day. She sighed as she placed her purse on the kitchen table.

  “Hey, Cressa,” Andrew said as he pulled his keys from the pocket. She studied him for a moment. He appeared relaxed and almost happy. If he was angry over missing the opportunity to work in carpentry, he hid it well.

  “Hey yourself, Andrew. I’ll walk you to your truck,” she said as she shrugged into her coat again.

  Once outside, Cressa took a deep breath of fragile spring. The evening was cooling rapidly with the retreat of the sun, but it still held the promise of warmer nights to come. She threw her head back and took in the purpling twilight with winking stars. “Look, Andrew, I just want to thank you for your willingness to be so flexible. I know you wanted to learn carpentry.”

  “I won’t pretend that I haven’t been disappointed, but it’s worked out all right. I’m able to check in with Spencer and see what he’s doing throughout the day, and he’s promised to take me on his next job. I won’t get paid, but he’s willing to teach me.”

  “That’s great!”

  Andrew nodded. “And you know, your folks aren’t hard to be around. Your mom reminds me of my mom in a lot of ways. She’s funny and thoughtful. Sometimes, she’s cranky when she can’t remember things, and she gets worried about us trying to sell the house or steal from her.”