Absentminded Angel(Divine Creek Ranch 20)(27)

Looking over at Kendry, he said, “We’ll need to take this slow with her. She’s only six weeks postpartum, if I’m recalling correctly.”

Kendry nodded. “We got to her tonight. You were pretty insightful.”

Jared reached out to return his brother’s fist bump and said, “I think it was your wisdom that finally got through.”

“When we get off tomorrow we need to do a little Christmas shopping for her and the baby.”

A smile spread across Jared’s lips at the thought. “Think she might spend Christmas with us?”

“With some planning, yeah, she might. Crap, I guess that means we also need to get a tree.”

Jared chuckled. “If we can still find one.” Christmas was only a few days away, but she’d given them the green light and they were two well-motivated men.





Chapter Six




The following night, Presley Ann stood in front of her mirror, biting her lip as she pulled on the new Wranglers she’d bought at Cheaver’s earlier that day. Unsure that they’d have something that would work, she’d hurried in during a quick lunch break and gone in search of Rosemary Garner. After she’d told her what she needed, Rosemary had helped her find the size that would fit her and had then searched up a coupon for her so she could get them at a reduced price. The accessories had tempted her but the jeans were all she’d been able to afford so she hadn’t lingered in the store once she’d thanked Rosemary for helping her.

“What do you think, peanut?” she asked Whit, who was reclining in his infant seat watching her with serious eyes. When she turned to him, he smiled back at her, creating a happy little lurch in her chest.

Kendry and Jared had called to let her know they were off duty that afternoon and they wanted to take her and Whit out on their first date that night.

“They don’t waste any time, do they, peanut?” Whit grinned at her and then jammed his fist in his mouth.

The night before, while she’d been in the shower, she’d had a chance to think about what they were asking for. She’d never thought about it in such concrete terms but they were both right. She’d convinced herself that they were too good to be true and that she didn’t deserve a shot at happiness. The trials she’d gone through had felt like her just desserts and she had no right to reach for fulfillment beyond being Whit’s mother, as if that would make up for past behavior. Continually questioning why they would want her was an unintended insult to their judgment.

Still, circling in the back of her mind was the fear that if she dared to reach for something lasting with Jared and Kendry it would simply be snatched from her grasp.

She’d put her hair up in hot rollers she hadn’t used in months and had begun applying her makeup when her phone rang.

“Hello?”

“I heard from a little birdy that you have a date with two good-looking firefighters,” Grace Warner said with happiness obvious in her voice.

Presley Ann chuckled as she went to her closet. “You talked to Rosemary, huh?”

“I did! I had to call and confirm it.”

“Yup. They kept asking me out and I finally gave in.”

“Okay, Rosemary tells me you got jeans but she didn’t know if you had boots. What size shoe do you wear?”

“Eight, but I was just planning to wear my flats.”

“Nonsense. You can’t show off those Wranglers wearing your work shoes. It just so happens you and I wear the same size. What color top are you wearing?”

“Grace, I—”

“Look, I just want to help. It’s not charity, it’s a loaner.”

A thought occurred to Presley Ann and she said, “What about a trade?”

“I’m listening.”

She pulled out a top that framed her upper body nicely and said, “Let me borrow a pair of boots that would go with a turquoise top and I’ll make you a baby sling for Grant like the one I had on the other day that you liked so much.”

“Seriously? You’re making them? I’ve looked at those slings before but I’ve never been able to find one that fit me and the fabric was always so cheap and scratchy feeling.”

“I found a really nice stretchy blue mesh fabric I bet you’ll love.”

“Okay, I’ll send Jack by your place with the boots, and if you’ll make me a sling I’ll be your advertising for it.”

“Deal!”

“Get some business cards made and I’ll hand them out for you. I’ll bet you’re about to get busy making those. Jack will be in town in just a few minutes.”

Presley Ann sighed happily as she returned to the bathroom. She’d set up her sewing machine earlier that day. She’d cleared space for a work table, which would make her living space even more cramped when it arrived later in the week.