Her Hidden Legacy Read online

  “I understand all that,” he said. “If it’s going to be that amount of time, these kids need to be with their family more than ever. They need stability. What’s more stable than living with the uncle they’ve always known and had in their lives? It’s sure better than a bunch of strangers, especially if they’re split up.”

  He looked over at where RaeLynn was cuddling the baby as she watched the children on the playground. They’d come to meet up with Eleanor at the park after the hearing.

  “Bella is just a baby,” he continued. “She’s not going to know her mom when she gets out, and if you put her with this family who wants a baby but not the other kids, her siblings are going to be strangers as well. We both know this is the best chance to keep everyone together, so you tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it.”

  She sighed, like she’d expected his answer and didn’t like it. “Typically, you have to go through classes to be certified as a foster parent. I can give you the materials and waive that condition, but you’re still going to have to meet all the other requirements set forth by the county. I can give you some time to get things in order. But you need to understand that if something goes wrong, I’m liable. And it’s not just my job I’m worried about but the kids. I know you think I’m being a hardnose here, but their safety is my top priority. Watching them for a few days is easy for you, but how is it going to work for the next few months? How will you balance your job and your other responsibilities with taking care of them as well as being a father to your own daughter? You’re about to go from being a single father to one child to a single father to four, including a baby.”

  Hunter took a deep breath. These were all things he’d thought of on his own. Having her say them out loud only made them more real. What if he couldn’t handle it? Would he be in over his head? Everyone at the Double R had been extremely helpful. Ricky had even let him use one of the ranch SUVs to come into town so that he had enough room for all the kids in their car seats. Everyone else at the ranch was chipping in to help him out on a temporary basis, but would they still be willing if they knew this was going to be a more permanent commitment than they’d all thought at first?

  It didn’t matter. He’d make it work. He had to.

  “I know it’s going to be an adjustment,” he said. “Even though it’s just me on my own, I have a good support system. You know that.”

  Lynzee’s laugh rang out across the playground, and he looked over to see RaeLynn playing some kind of chasing game with the kids, and they all were laughing.

  “How long is she sticking around?” the social worker asked. “She’s giving you a lot of help now, but what happens when she leaves? I understand she’s just here to write an article.”

  He’d admit that was part of the trouble. RaeLynn had helped him a lot over the weekend, and he appreciated it. But her stay was temporary, and he was going to have to learn how to do all this on his own.

  “You know I have the others at the ranch as well.”

  She nodded. “I know. I just don’t think you understand what a big job you’re setting yourself up for. I’m going to need to run background checks on everyone you have taking care of the children, and you’re still going to have to do all the other things we require of our foster parents.”

  He’d read all the paperwork she’d given him, but as she explained the further requirements of the situation, his heart sank. It did feel like a daunting task, mostly because it seemed like the kids would be taken away from him if he made the smallest mistake.

  “Whatever it takes,” he said. He meant it. He already felt like he’d gone above and beyond to make sure the kids were his first priority. He’d accepted more help in the past few days than he had since coming to the Double R. Even in the days after Felicia’s death, when he was alone and figuring out how to be a dad on his own while grieving the loss of his wife, he hadn’t accepted this much help. But he’d swallowed his pride now and would continue doing so if that’s what it took to keep the children together.

  Eleanor seemed to accept that she wasn’t going to change his mind with this one conversation.

  “Very well, then. I’ll get started on the rest of the paperwork, and I’ll be by the ranch later this week to get everyone who will be caring for the children to consent to the background checks. Please don’t make me regret this.”

  When he finished going over the rest of the paperwork and giving the necessary signatures, he walked back over to the park. As soon as he crossed to the playground space, the kids stopped what they were doing and ran over to him.

  “Daddy!” Lynzee ran to him and threw her arms around his leg, giving him a big hug.

  Before he could scoop her up and hold her tightly against him, Phoebe was right there, hugging his other leg. “Uncle Daddy!”

  He chuckled at the nickname. He’d always been Uncle Hunter to them. But since this morning, Phoebe had started calling him Uncle Daddy. It was probably because of Lynzee, but he also thought the little girl longed for a father of her own.

  The last conversation he’d had with Sadie about her kids was how much they needed a father figure in their lives. He’d done his best to provide that, considering none of their fathers had ever stuck around. Eleanor had told him that she was legally bound to reach out to the men. She’d done so in one of her earlier investigations, but they’d all indicated they didn’t want any involvement with the children.

  She’d have to contact them again, given the change in Sadie’s circumstances, but he already knew what their answers would be. It was a shame Sadie hadn’t known how to pick a guy, because these kids deserved better. But as long as he was around, he’d make sure they had what they needed.

  He bent to hug both little girls close to him, and Tucker ran up as well, his babbling completely indistinguishable. Even though some people might say it was strange to be excited about baby talk, it was more than what the child usually said. Since coming to Hunter’s, the little guy was babbling more, trying out words and sounds, and it warmed his heart to see how the boy seemed to be thriving.

  A pang of guilt hit him at that thought. He wasn’t trying to replace their mother or say that she’d been doing a bad job. Maybe she hadn’t been doing the best by them, but she’d been trying. And he knew that she loved them. He just hoped that suffering the consequences of her actions would finally open her eyes to what she needed to be doing with her life.

  “How’d it go?” RaeLynn asked, smiling at him as she untangled her hair from the baby’s hand.

  “Good, I guess,” he said. “It looks like I’m going to have the kids for a year or so, based on what the social worker said. I wasn’t expecting it to be that long, but what else am I going to do?”

  “Daddy, watch me slide,” Lynzee said, pulling away and running back toward the playground with the other two children trailing after her. He smiled at his little girl’s enthusiasm and the happy way her cousins followed her. He couldn’t remember the last time they’d gone to the playground on a Monday in the middle of the day like this. They usually went in the evening or on weekends. He always felt so pressured for time because of everything he needed to get done.

  Ricky had told him to take today off, partially to deal with the legal mess with Sadie but also to show RaeLynn around town. RaeLynn thought it would be fun to do so with the children. That way she could put a family angle in her article, showing everyone what a family-friendly place Columbine Springs was.

  The fire that had ravaged the town almost two years ago had burned the old playground. But thanks to various donors and the fundraising efforts of Janie and Alexander, a new playground had been built in its place. Hunter had to admit it was better than the one that had been destroyed.

  A family he knew from church arrived at the playground, and Hunter gave them a wave. They waved back, letting their children loose on the equipment as well. The Riverfront Park had always been a place
where families gathered, and it was the site of many town events. It looked different now with so many of the trees and old structures burned. But small pieces had been salvaged and combined with the new things that had been added, and Hunter felt hope for their future.

  Maybe that’s what this situation with Sadie was for him. A fire in his personal life that he could rebuild upon and create something new for all of them on.

  RaeLynn shifted the baby to her other side, and Hunter held his arms out to her. “I’m sure she’s getting heavy. Let me have a turn.”

  RaeLynn looked like she was going to protest, but she handed him the baby. Bella wriggled in his arms like she wanted to get down and play, and RaeLynn laughed.

  “I know she’s not quite old enough to be mobile yet, but with the way she wants to be with the others, I’m sure she’ll start everything early.”

  Hunter laughed as he adjusted his grip on her. “I’ve noticed. It’s nice to see the others try to play with her and bring her along when they can. Phoebe is especially always making sure that Bella is included.”

  RaeLynn nodded slowly. “I’m sure Phoebe is almost like a surrogate mother to her. I see all the things that she does with Bella, and I’m sure it’s because her mom has asked her to help.”

  The pain in her eyes told him she was talking from her experience.

  “She does seem to know a lot more than most four-year-olds about taking care of a baby,” he said.

  “Being around Lynzee is good for her because she gets to be a kid. When we first got to the park, Phoebe hovered over Bella like she thought she was expected to help watch her. I can’t forget the relief on her face when I shooed her away to go enjoy herself.”

  Hunter sighed. “Someone so young shouldn’t feel that responsibility.”

  “Exactly,” RaeLynn said. “But going back to what you said earlier, a year is a long time. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  He glanced at the little girls who had started playing with the other children who’d arrived. The way they were laughing and smiling softened his heart in a funny way.

  “I’d already made up my mind to do so,” he said. “But what you told me about them solidifies my decision. Phoebe deserves to be a kid, not always watching out for her younger brother and sister.”

  “I appreciate your commitment,” she said. “Not a lot of people would do what you’re doing.”

  He shrugged. “You did.”

  She nodded. “Yes, but I got out. Now I work very hard to avoid ever having to do it again.”

  Bella grabbed at his face, tugging at his nose. He jerked away, laughing. “With this little one, it’s hard to have a conversation.”

  RaeLynn nodded. “Just remember that will be for the next year of your life.” She glanced over to where the children were now playing at the sandbox. “And what happens if Sadie doesn’t get her act together? What if she comes out of jail and falls back into her old ways? Are you prepared to make this a permanent change?”

  Now that was a question he hadn’t considered. He assumed Sadie would want to straighten up and be a good mother to her children, but RaeLynn had a point. What if Sadie didn’t want to change? What if having all this time without her children made her want her freedom and old way of life even more?

  He listened to the children’s laughter and then looked back at RaeLynn. “If I let them go into the system, they’ll be split up forever. Those three children would grow up without knowing each other, and Lynzee would grow up without them. That doesn’t sound like a very good alternative. I’ll do what I have to do.”

  RaeLynn looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she said, “I don’t mean to be insensitive, but have you thought about what impact that could have on your personal life? If you wanted to date someone, three more kids would make it a lot harder.”

  He gave a small chuckle. “Dating? Sure, I’ve thought about it, but my daughter is my number one priority. It’s hard to date with a child and a demanding job. I always wanted more children, so maybe this is God’s way of making it happen.”

  RaeLynn gave a small shrug. “It’s just a lot easier for a woman to accept one child instead of four.”

  The way she said it made him wonder about the times he’d thought she might have been getting slightly flirtatious with him. Was she talking about a hypothetical woman? Or was this about her?

  He didn’t know, but it was irrelevant. She’d made it clear she was leaving. And she’d also made it clear she didn’t want children of her own or anyone else’s to raise. That was a shame, because she was so good with them. He was enjoying his time with her, so this was something he needed to keep in mind, given the occasional romantic pang he felt for her.

  It wasn’t just that RaeLynn was pretty. They’d had all kinds of pretty women come to the ranch as guests, and none had turned his head the way she did. It was her openness of heart that drew him in and made him feel things he hadn’t thought he could feel again.

  He’d spoken about finding someone else, but it had always been in a more speculative way, not as something he’d ever actually expected to happen. He’d be lying if he said he wouldn’t be interested in something happening with RaeLynn, but he liked her too much to put her in the uncomfortable position of having to consider taking on things she’d already said she didn’t want in her life.

  Anyway, all this conjecture about future relationships was too far away for him to think about. He didn’t know if he was going to get to keep the kids. If he did get to keep them, he didn’t know how long they would be with him. He also didn’t know what was going to happen when Sadie got out of jail. And even if he knew the answers to all those unknowns, life had taught him that the things you think you can count on can so easily be gone in an instant. He would never have expected that Felicia would die so young, and here they were. He had to remember to take each day for what it was, plan for the future, but not so much that he’d be disappointed when those plans didn’t work out.

  Even as his mind was telling himself these things, he looked over at RaeLynn playing with Tucker, and his heart told him that he would be a fool to let her go.

  * * *

  What had she been thinking, asking Hunter about his dating life? It was none of her business, and she berated herself for the question multiple times over the next couple of days. It seemed she’d opened that can of worms, and even though she tried to firmly put the lid on it and any idea of Hunter dating, every once in a while, one of those worms would slither out and taunt her.

  Like now. They’d just finished supper at the main ranch house, where they seemed to have most of their meals. Ricky was regaling them with tales of the old cowboy days, and RaeLynn knew she should probably be taking notes. So far, she hadn’t seen signs of a temper in the charming old cowboy, nor had she seen any evidence of him being the hard man her mom had told her about.

  After the wiry eighty-something-year-old man finished his story, he dropped to his hands and knees, and the children climbed on his back, calling him the horse. When she turned away, she caught Hunter looking at her with a wistful look on his face, like he wanted to join her and share in a personal moment of their own. The trouble was, she wanted it, too, even though she knew it was the wrong thing for both of them. What good would it do to talk to him, to deepen her relationship with him? It went against everything she’d planned for herself.

  Wanda came into the room with a stern look on her face. “Enough with that tomfoolery. Ricky, you’re too old for such nonsense.”

  The children climbed off Ricky’s back, and he stood, shaking his head. “You’re never too old to enjoy the company of young children and to encourage them in their passions.”

  “You can still encourage them,” Wanda said, “but that doesn’t mean you need to be their personal jungle gym.”

  Ricky laughed. “I’ve got to enjoy these little ones. I never got to enjoy my grandchildren
when they were young.”

  A pang hit RaeLynn’s stomach as she realized that he was talking about her, only he didn’t know that. She’d have liked to have had a grandfather growing up, to have this interaction and to feel part of the family.

  That was why she couldn’t help but support Hunter’s decision to keep the family together, even though she knew he had a long road ahead of him.

  What would her life have been like had her mother not cut ties with Ricky? Her mom had always said they were better off that way, but watching Ricky with the children now made her feel like she’d missed out.

  Hunter walked past her, giving her a smile. “Wanda’s homemade ice cream is ready. Want to come with me and grab some so we can enjoy it before the children?”

  The children were laughing at whatever faces Ricky was making at them, and with as many people as there were in the room, they were in capable hands.

  Ricky didn’t know it, but all of his grandchildren were gathered here on the ranch now. Rachel was back from her delayed honeymoon with her husband and daughter. Janie and Alexander and their son, Sam, were here, and so were Grace and William with their new baby. The baby was just slightly younger than Bella, and the two of them were on a blanket with a bunch of toys, playing as happily as young babies could together.

  It was a picture-perfect evening with all the extended family gathered together. Had RaeLynn grown up here, she wouldn’t have had Rachel, Alexander and William with her, since no one had known they existed until Ricky started his search for her. But with the number of ranch hands and staff who spent time here like they were family, RaeLynn could still picture a similar upbringing for herself.

  But she also loved the siblings that her mother had acquired for her along the way, and she wouldn’t have them now if she’d grown up here. Still, to have had the kind of support that Hunter was getting now would have changed her life significantly, in a good way. She wouldn’t have had to spend so much time raising her siblings and their children. There would have been help from adults. What would it have been like for RaeLynn to have had a childhood?