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“My, that Paxton Farraday sure did grow up nicely.” Sandra’s mom pulled the cookie sheet out of the oven.
Sandra also thought the man had filled out quite nicely. Those eyes were the same, but now they seemed to hold wisdom and some humor. What had those eyes seen since they were kids? When she’d recognized him, she’d been tempted to ask why had his family stopped coming to visit all those years ago. The first couple of summers without the Oklahoma Farradays had felt off. Nothing seemed right without him and his brothers. Yes, she still played with Grace and went gigging frogs in the creek with the other Farraday boys, but she’d missed laughing and joking with her friend. Eventually, like everything else in the world, life moved on and change became the new normal.
Setting the shopping bags on the table, Sandra unpacked her purchases while David ran around, flying his new plane in the backyard. She was going to have to get used to letting him have more freedom to roam, but for now, she could keep an eye on him through the large window above the sink.
Her mother puttered around the kitchen. “He’s a good boy. You know he’s on television.”
“Television?” Her gaze darted to David outside. “What are you talking about?”
“Paxton. He has a TV show.”
Paxton was an actor? Though the image didn’t fit, how had her mother not mentioned that before? Or maybe she had, and Sandra had let it go in one ear and out the other. Sometimes her mother rambled on about people Sandra had never met, or who had moved to town after she’d left. Then again, she would have been interested in what Paxton was up to. All the Farradays were nice. Her childhood had been a blast playing with the massive family. She’d always wished she could have come from a large family. Had hoped to someday have a large one of her own. So much for dreams. But of all the Farraday boys, Paxton was the one she’d connected with, the one who always made her smile. They’d been playing together since she was David’s age. When the older boys were off tipping cows or some other silly thing, they’d be fishing in the creek. It had taken her a while not to find the worms icky, but she’d loved the quiet of the fishing hole more than Grace or Hannah so she’d become Paxton’s fishing buddy. She’d really missed their time together when they’d stop visiting from Oklahoma.
“He’s on a show called Construction Cousins with most of his brothers. I’ve seen every episode. The show is really popular. They’re renovating the old ghost town, Sadieville. Remember it?”
Somewhere in the back of her mind she seemed to remember her dad taking her by some old buildings that looked like a TV western, but she couldn’t swear where it was.
“Anyhow, they’re building housing out there as well, and it’s helping put Tuckers Bluff on the map.” The pride in her mother’s voice was unmistakable.
Sandra nodded. “I’m going to clean up here, then bring our bags and things up to my room. I figure we’ll put David in the bedroom next to mine.”
Her mother averted her eyes and made a muttering noise, “Well, about that.”
Sandra turned to look at her. “About what?”
“About your room.”
This wasn’t the first time she’d seen that expression on her mother’s face. Whenever her mom looked like that, Sandra knew her mom was about to say something she would not like.
“Well, your room isn’t available right now.”
“Oh.” It was silly of her to think her mom would have preserved her room as it was. “I guess David and I can share the other room.”
“Well.” Her mom’s gaze dropped. “I sort of had to rent them both out.”
Sandra blinked. “What?”
Her mom wiped her hands on her apron. “I had to.”
Someone else was sleeping in her room? A stranger? “Why? I thought you and dad were set after selling the ranch house and moving into a more affordable home in town.”
Her mother frowned and leaned against the counter behind her. “Yes and no. Yes, it’s more affordable, but we didn’t get as much for the ranch as we may have led you to believe. This house has a hefty mortgage and without Dad’s income, and the only thing I’ve ever known how to do is keep house. I just couldn’t keep up. New roofs aren’t cheap and we need one, then there’s the ordinary expenses and repairs. It costs a lot to heat and cool this big old house.”
“Oh, Mom.” Her mother had never mentioned her financial troubles. Even though she never really had much while married to Ed, she still would have tried to help, but now her finances were tighter than ever and her first paycheck wasn’t going to be much help. “Why didn’t you say something to me?”
“I didn’t see the point in worrying you at first, then when you decided to divorce Ed and talked of coming home for a while, I was afraid if I said anything you might not come back.”
“Mom. I’m sorry. You should have said something.”
Her mother waved a hand. “It’s all fine. I’m handling it.”
“Still, maybe I could have done something.”
“You had your own troubles.”
Talk about an understatement. If she hadn’t been too proud to face it, she would have known from the start that marrying Ed had been a mistake. At least now she was home under her mom’s roof again. They could work this out. “Where are David and I sleeping?”
“I’ve already put a rollaway for David in my room. You and I will share the king bed.”
