She looked at him, then back to the message. “I know about the friendly fire incident, Bradley.”

  She couldn’t tell from his expression if he was angry or relieved. She reached out and touched his hand. “Candy let it slip, and I looked it up on the internet.”

  He stared into his coffee mug and the tension in his shoulders slowly dissipated.

  “I won’t tell you that I understand what you’ve been through, because that would be a lie, but I’d like to stick around. This may sound corny, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” She crawled across the blanket and into his arms. “I’d love to get to know you better.”

  They lay back on the blanket and fell into an easy sleep. When they woke, the pine trees were releasing their sweet scent onto the summer air. They swam and made love once more and then Bradley started to gather up their belongings. Got to get the horse back, he typed.

  “Horse? What horse?”

  Just down there, he typed. He’s like me; he’s the silent type. He pointed over the next rise and Laura went to look. A horse was standing in the shade of a tree, half-heartedly grazing on the sparse grasses that grew on the hillside.

  “You rode up?” she asked.

  He nodded and gestured that they would both ride down.

  “Just as well,” she said with a smile. “You’ve worn me out.”

  * * *

  It was mid-afternoon when they returned to the winery in Matt’s borrowed pickup truck.

  “This has been such a wonderful day. I hate to see it end.”

  He retrieved her backpack from the truck bed and handed it to her, then pulled out his BlackBerry. Still day off, he typed. I’ll check with Matt and see you at dinner. Six o’clock.

  “It’s a date.” She gave his hand a quick squeeze then sauntered up the rise to her cabin. She didn’t deserve to be this happy, but she was determined to look forward, not back.

  She opened the cabin door and saw it right away. A large sheet of paper with a note scrawled across it: See Candy right away.

  She ran to the restaurant, heart in her mouth. “There’s a note,” she said breathlessly, before she realized that the other woman was on the phone, taking a reservation.

  “We’ll see you at seven, then. Thank you for calling.” Candy hung up and handed her a piece of paper. It had perforated edges, and was clearly from the message book in her office. “He says it’s urgent,” she said, handing over the paper without meeting Laura’s eyes.

  “Do you know what it’s about?” Laura grabbed the reservation desk for support.

  “Just that it’s urgent. You know you’re welcome to use the phone in my office.” Candy smiled graciously at a group of departing guests.

  “No thanks, I’ll go back to the cabin and used my cell.” Laura’s steps dragged as she went back. She should be hurrying...she knew that, but she wanted to delay hearing, even for a few moments, what she knew in her heart would be bad news.

  She didn’t recognize the number. Her hands were shaking and she had to cancel the call and try again before she got it right.

  The phone was answered on the first ring. “Mitch Barton here.”

  Laura frowned. “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”

  “Mitch Barton. Is this Laura MacLeod?”

  He sounded pleasant enough. “Yes.”

  “Miss MacLeod, I’m the lawyer for Jenna and Andrew Harkness. I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

  Laura’s knees buckled and she sat down on the bed. “What is it?”

  “Miss MacLeod, I’m sorry to tell you like this over the phone, but Jenna and Drew were killed Friday night in an accident.”

  Laura couldn’t focus. “Killed? Friday?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry but we only located you today.”

  “How...” Her mind wasn’t working; she couldn’t think what to ask.

  “They were driving home from town and their vehicle was hit by a logging truck.”

  “The kids? Hayley and Mark?” She said a silent prayer.

  “They’re fine. They were at home with a babysitter.” He paused. “They’re the reason I’m calling you, actually. You’re listed in Andrew and Jenna’s wills as their guardian.”

  “Yes, I’m their Godmother. Where are they now?”

  “They’re staying with their neighbour, Fran Shaw. Mrs. Shaw was babysitting them when the accident happened.”

  Laura’s mind raced. “If I leave here right away, I can be there late tonight. Do you think that would be all right?”

  “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” She could hear the relief in his voice. “Mrs. Shaw’s mother had a stroke a couple of weeks ago and she’s in the hospital. She’s been stretched pretty thin, but she was determined to take care of the children until you could be reached.”

  Laura thought quickly. “Do you think she would mind taking the kids back to the farm tonight? They’ll probably sleep better in their own beds, and she can go back to her own place when I get there.”

  “Good thinking. How long will it take you to get here?”

  Laura looked around the cabin. She didn’t have much to pack; she could be on the road in half an hour. “I can be there before midnight.”

  “Great. I’ll tell Mrs. Shaw.” He paused. “I helped Andrew and Jenna to plan their estate and they were very specific. There’s nothing urgent, but I would like to see you some time during the week.”

  How could she possibly think that far ahead? “All right” she said, tucking the message slip into her purse. “I’ll call you as soon as I get the kids settled.” She had a sudden thought. “What about the funeral?”

  “I can help you with that if you like. You’re their executor, but of course you know that.” He paused again. “It will be a few days until the accident investigation is completed.”

  Laura vaguely remembered agreeing to be their executor when they’d discussed the guardianship. It had all seemed so distant...so unlikely, that she hadn’t thought about it since. “Right,” she said. “I’ll call you on Tuesday at the latest.”

  “Thank you, Miss MacLeod, and I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” She disconnected and started to pack. Ten minutes later she was dragging her suitcase across the parking lot to her car. It hadn’t been used for a few weeks and was dusty. She tossed everything into the back seat and looked around. The restaurant parking lot was still full with tourists and locals enjoying a late Sunday afternoon lunch. She had to tell someone she was leaving, leave a message for Bradley somehow.

  Jason went by on an ATV and she flagged him down. “Have you seen Bradley?”

  “No, he took the day off.” He looked at her curiously. “Are you okay?” He revved the motor.

  “Yeah, fine.” She had to pull herself together. “Would you please tell him that I had to leave?”

  She opened the door, climbed in, and started the car. He continued to rev the motor and she was tempted to get out and smack him. “Tell him I’ll call as soon as I can,” she yelled above the noise.

  He nodded and waved.

  “Damn stupid kid,” she said to herself as she pulled out. “It’s a wonder he’s not deaf.”

  Laura stopped twice on the way north, fortifying herself with coffee at each stop. She knew she should eat, but somehow the thought of food made her nauseous. It stayed light until around nine o’clock at this time of year, and she was making good time.

  As the miles passed, she allowed herself to think back to all the happy times she’d shared with her best friend. There were too many to count...their hopes and dreams had been woven together to form the fabric of her life. And now, hard as it was to believe, her friend was gone. Laura drove on into the gathering darkness and an uncertain future.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Hey, how did it go up at the lake?” Matt looked up as Bradley approached. There was a sparkle in his friend’s eyes and Bradley realized that Matt must have heard about the picnic hamper.

  He nodded and smiled.

  “I had a feeling you couldn’t stay away from that nurse, or was it the other way around?” Matt raised his eyebrows.

  A little of both. Bradley grinned as he typed; he couldn’t seem to stop. Need any help?

  “As a matter of fact, I do. One of the end poles has broken up there on the southern slope and I could use some help winching it back into place.” Matt looked around. “I can’t find that damned kid. Sometimes I think he spends more time hiding than he does working.”

  Bradley shrugged. Let’s go, he typed.

  It took several hours to re-set the pole and regain the critical tension on the wires. By the time they were finished, they were sweaty and dirty.

  “Thanks, man.” Matt clapped him on the back. “You’ve been a lifesaver this summer. You’ll be here this week, won’t you?”

  Bradley nodded.

  “Good. I told Massimo to call on you if he needs any help. Candy and I are going to the coast for a few days. We’re leaving tonight right after the restaurant closes and we’ll be back on Thursday night.”

  Bradley gave him a blank look.

  “I told you about it when you first got here. That Vintners Conference, remember?”

  Bradley rolled his eyes and smacked himself on the forehead.

  “No wonder you’re distracted. You’re probably eager to get back to your new lady.”

  Roger that. Bradley laughed and walked off. It was true...he was eager to see Laura again, but he was badly in need of a shower first. He checked his watch. He’d be a few minutes late, but he was confident Laura would wait for him.

  Standing under the pounding water he let his thoughts drift back to the first time he had seen her. He’d wanted to dislike her for taking drugs but even then he’d seen something in her that drew him in like a moth to a flame. He chuckled at the over-used expression, but in this case it was true. Now they just needed more days like today. Of course it would be much better if he could regain his speech, but they’d managed to communicate well so far. The doctors had told him not to push it, that it was quite possible that his voice would come back one day when he least expected it. That day couldn’t come soon enough.

  He walked into the staff room and stopped. It was empty. He looked at his watch. Six twenty. Where was Laura? He grabbed a bottle of water and sat down to wait. It was better this way anyway, they could order their food at the same time and eat together. He smiled to think that this would be their routine from now on.

  At around seven he began to worry. She could have fallen asleep but that was unlikely. The skin on the back of his neck began to crawl and he got up and walked briskly back to the row of cabins. He hesitated for a moment at the door and then knocked. No reply. He tried the door handle and found it open. No sign of her. He closed the door, walked down to his own cabin and sat down in one of the plastic chairs on the small patio. Where was she?

  The sound of an ATV jarred him out of his reverie. Jason stopped on the dirt path that ran across the bottom of the slope. “Hey, man!” he called. “Laura asked me to give you a message.” He revved the motor. “She said to tell you she had to leave.” He started forward but Bradley held up a hand and ran down the slope. Anything else? He typed.

  Jason appeared to think. “No,” he said. “But she looked funny. Upset, kinda.”

  You’re sure there was nothing else?

  Jason managed to look offended. “No, man. I told you.” He roared off.

  Bradley walked back to the cabin on wooden legs and slumped down into the chair. Why had she left? Had he pushed her too far today by suggesting that they see where this was going? He didn’t think so. But right now nothing else made sense.

  He caught Faith as she came back to her cabin after dinner. He had a message ready to show her. Did you see Laura this afternoon?

  Faith thought for a moment. “I saw her in the restaurant talking to Candy, but we were super busy today and I didn’t get a chance to talk to her myself. Why? Is there something wrong?”

  She told Jason she had to leave.

  “And that’s all?”

  He shook his head.

  She went into the cabin and looked around. “All of her stuff is gone.” She looked puzzled. “Sorry, but if I hear anything else I’ll let you know, and if you hear anything, come find me, okay? It’s going to be a busy week with Candy and Matt gone. Thank goodness we have a good restaurant manager.”

  * * *

  Bradley’s mood darkened as the days passed with no word from Laura. He hated to admit it, but there was no other explanation...she’d simply walked out on him. And why not? he asked himself over and over again. No job, no prospects, and no voice. What a catch.

  And yet he didn’t want to believe that she could do that to him. He tried to ask himself the hard questions. Was it his ego talking? Was it wishful thinking? No, he didn’t think so. He’d seen something in her eyes when they made love that first time that had prompted him to lay himself bare for her. There had been a spark, a connection unlike anything he’d ever experienced with a woman. Surely he hadn’t been wrong about that. But as the days passed, a band tightened around his heart and he stopped believing in happily-ever-after.

  * * *

  It was eleven thirty when Laura turned into the long driveway leading to the ranch house. A full moon bathed the landscape in a silvery glow, blocking out all but the most determined stars. As the car rattled over the cattle guard her shoulders relaxed. She always felt this way when she came to visit Jenna. The ranch was a busy, sometimes frantic place, but more importantly, there was love here. You could see it in the eyes of the children and in the way Drew held Jenna’s hand as they took their nightly walk along the creek that ran through the property. For the first time since she’d spoken to the lawyer, tears came to her eyes. She brushed them away impatiently. The time for crying had passed.

  Light from the television set flickered through the windows as Laura walked up the front steps. She knocked softly, but there was no response. After several moments she opened the screen door and was about to knock again when the door opened.

  “Sorry, I guess I fell asleep.” Mrs. Shaw motioned her to come in. She looked exhausted, and Laura’s heart went out to her.

  “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.” Laura tried to smile. “How are the kids?”

  “They’re asleep, but as to their mental state, I don’t really know.” She hesitated. “My husband and I never had children of our own, so I’m not all that experienced, you know? They seem awfully quiet.”

  Laura nodded. “Do they know what happened?”

  “I don’t know if they’ve grasped it yet, but I heard Mark telling his little sister that Mommy and Daddy weren’t coming back.”

  Tears burned the back of Laura’s eyes. “Did anyone tell them I was coming?”

  “I did. Mitch told me it would help them to know you were on your way. It seemed to perk them up a bit, but they seem so lost. He was great, you know. By rights they should have been in foster care, but he fought to keep them here until you arrived.” She started to gather her things. “I’ll get back home now, but if you need anything...anything at all, I’ve left my number by the phone in the kitchen. Oh, I dug through the linen closet and put fresh sheets on the bed in the guest room. You must be tired after that long drive.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Shaw. For everything.”

  “Call me Fran.” The older woman gave her a sad smile and left.

  Laura turned off the television and wandered into the kitchen. Everywhere she looked she saw evidence of the happy family that had inhabited this house. From the childrens’ artwork on the refrigerator to the row of herbs in the windowsill, it was all so familiar. She had spent many happy hours in this kitchen with Jenna and Drew. Hours that she would cherish forever. She walked around, re-acquainting herself with familiar objects; the small tin box where Jenna kept her recipes on cards, the cat-shaped cookie jar...empty now, the jackets hanging on a hook by the door. And then her eyes fell on Drew’s work boots, side by side with Jenna’s crocs. They wore them every night on what they called their walkabout.

  Laura knew about loss, but this was different. It came at her from so many different directions, she doubted her ability to cope. She stood for a moment, thoughts of inadequacy swirling around in her head. Then she marched down the hall, through Jenna and Drew’s bedroom and into their ensuite bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet, removed every pill bottle she could find and flushed the contents down the toilet.

  She raised her head and stared at her reflection in the mirror. “This isn’t about you,” she said aloud. “This is about keeping your promise to Jenna and Drew. It’s as simple as that.”

  * * *

  “Aunty Laura.” She opened her eyes the next morning to see Mark standing in the open doorway of the guest bedroom. His eyes were dark green like his father’s and regarded her warily.

  She swung her feet out of bed and opened her arms. He came hurtling across the room and climbed up beside her. At seven years old he was remarkably like his father; short and wiry. He snuggled into her side.

  “Mommy and Daddy have gone to heaven” he said, raising his head to look at her for confirmation.

  “Yes, I know,” she said.

  He sighed, and tried to worm his way closer. “Are you going to stay here with us?”

  “Yes, I am.” She hadn’t thought that far ahead, but the child needed reassurance.

  “Good. I think Hayley wet the bed.”

  And so it started. She managed to get the children up, dressed and fed. They shadowed every move she made, silent wraiths with large, questioning eyes. At five years old, Hayley followed her brother’s lead, but she was a quieter, more thoughtful child. By mid-afternoon they were starting to droop, and Laura suggested that they put the cushions from the couch on the floor and have story time. The ruse worked, and within a few minutes both children were asleep on the floor. Laura covered them with light throws and watched them sleep.

  It didn’t take a child psychologist to see that the best future for these children would be to remain here, in a familiar environment. She stood and went to the window. The lawn sloped gently toward the creek. “Short grass” Drew had described it to her once, as he drove the lawn mower around. “It’s nothing fancy” he’d said, “but it’s a place for the kids to play.”