Chapter Three
Eric stood in the corner of the kitchen while his family mingled about. They’d separated themselves enough, he thought. Byron’s daughters and their mother Cassandra sat huddled together on the sofa with Naomi, Byron’s second wife. Her sons stood nearby with Byron basically in a corner chatting.
Eric’s parents sat with the lawyer at the table and he could hear talk of golf games and sunny destinations.
His brothers sat at the end of the same table and focused on the plate of food Susan had made for them.
Did they all realize they were just a bunch of people who didn’t even want to be in the same room?
“Here. I made you a plate too,” Susan handed him a plate filled with everything she’d had displayed. “You’re paying for it. You’d better eat it.”
“Thanks.” He took the plate and lingered a glance at her. Her hair was tied up in a tight bun on the top of her head, which probably made her look older than she was. Her fingernails were bare, which was a food thing. But she had a set of crystal blue eyes that were just a little too dreamy, he thought.
“I made a plate for Bethany too,” she said snapping him from his stare. “You can take it to her later.”
“Mighty kind of you.”
“I take care of people. It’s what I do.”
Eric nodded. “My stepmother does that.” He looked toward Glenda who kept her hand on his father’s arm as if it were a silent alarm should he say the wrong thing. “She nearly meddles in people’s lives just to help take care of them.” She’d done it to him since he was eight. That hadn’t been so bad, he thought now in hindsight.
“Still washes your laundry, huh?”
“Never ask her to,” he said and Susan laughed. He liked her laugh. In fact, he liked being in the kitchen with her and not sitting among his family. “I suppose that’s the benefit of living close to home.”
“How close?”
Eric pointed out the window. “You see that road right there?”
Susan followed his gesture with her eyes. “The one that forks. You either come to this house or go on.”
“If you go on, you end up at my house. Another six miles down the road.”
She chuckled as she put her hands in the pockets of her apron. “So you’re twenty-six miles out on that nasty bumpy road?”
“The more bumps, the less visitors.”
A hum came from her as if that didn’t surprise her.
He set the plate she’d handed him on the counter. “Are you sure about Bethany living with you?” He rounded back to the conversation about Bethany. “She’s not that savvy when it comes to money.”
Susan began arranging the trays again, now only half full with food. “She seems like a nice person.”
“She is. At least what I know of her.”
“You don’t know her too well, do you?”
Eric shook his head. “I’m lucky to know any of them, really. Byron kept his families separate. Or more accurately, they were kept separate from him.”
Susan scooted closer to him. “So the two women on the couch?”
“Those are his ex-wives. Why they’re here, I have no idea.”
“They seem to get along.”
“They should. They were best friends.”
“Ouch. Love triangle?”
Eric shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose. Dirty laundry,” he said then chuckled. “Not mine—my stepmom cleans that.”
She laughed again and this time it caught Glenda’s attention and she stood from the table and moved toward them.
He noticed Susan stiffen.
“You picked a good caterer,” Eric was sure to say quickly to ward off any stress.
“Eric, darling, that’s why I hired her. I’ll have to pay her extra for the nice desserts and the tense room she’s having to work in.”
“Oh, Mrs. Walker, I’ve been in more stressful situations and the desserts were in the bid.”
Glenda smiled. “I should tip you then just for keeping Eric in line.”
Susan looked back at him. “I told him he was trouble.”
“She did,” he said in agreement.
Glenda gave them a nod. “I think everyone is finished here. So anytime you’d like to clean up you’re welcome to. Eric will help you load your car, it’s out back, correct?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Wonderful. I will write you a check. Excuse me,” she said as she walked out of the room and toward the office.
“I guess my job is done,” she said somberly.
“What do you do with what’s left?”
“I leave it for the hostess if they want it.”
“And if they don’t?”
She puckered her lips as if keeping in a smile. “Then I don’t have to buy groceries for a few days.”
“That a girl.”
Susan had packed away everything in order to offer the leftovers to Mrs. Walker, but she’d refused them. That never was a bad thing for Susan. Often it was the only meals she had for a few days if business was slow. Luckily it hadn’t been slow for the past month.
Mrs. Walker had been very generous too with a tip, which she said had been well deserved.
Perhaps that would turn into a referral. Both of Mr. Walker’s ex-wives had taken her business card.
Susan carried the first box to her small car parked out back of the Walker’s house.
“How do you get all of this in here?” Eric asked lifting the hatchback.
“Clever packing.”
“Subaru? I don’t see you as a Subaru kind of girl.”
She set the first box into the back and they both walked back into the kitchen. “What do you see me driving?”
“Cargo van?”
She laughed. It was easy to laugh around him, but she assumed that was part of his charm.
“Someday maybe. The Subaru has been with me since college.”
“They last forever.”
“Thank God.” She picked up another box and so did Eric. They headed back to her car. “Would it make more sense if I told you I used to live in Colorado?”
“I suppose. Let me guess, you had a mountain bike attached to the top of this thing.”
“And here I thought you’d been locked up on this ranch. You have seen a few things, huh?”
He shoved the box into the car. “Oh, I’ve been around.”
And that was her warning that he was still trouble.
They carried out the last of her boxes and closed up the car.
“Thank you for your help.”
“You’re welcome, but remember I was forced to do it.”
“Eh, something tells me you’re gentleman enough to have done it without your mother asking.”
He gave her a wink. “You’ll never know.”
Susan reached into her pocket and pulled out a business card. “Here, will you give this to Bethany for me? I’m seriously looking for a roommate.”
Eric took the card and looked it over. “Susan Q. Hayes? What does the Q stand for?”
She grinned as she opened the door to her car. “I think I’ll keep that to myself. Don’t forget to give her the card and her plate of food is in on the counter still.”
Eric looked toward the house. “You did that on purpose. You’re making me go back in there.”
“It didn’t seem like a hostile atmosphere. I mean you all were in some kind of disagreement and yet you all sat together and had lunch.”
Eric shrugged. “That’s what families do, right?”
“Not many.” Susan slid into her car. “It was nice to meet you.”
“I’m sure we’ll meet again,” he said and walked back into the house with her card in his hand.
“Leave your boots at the door,” his stepmother was quick to say as he walked into the kitchen.
He did as she’d requested.
“Is she single?” Glenda moved in toward him. “She’s very pretty, Eric.”
“Is that why you hired her
for a second day?”
“No. I didn’t want to cook for your uncle and his women. I was hoping this would be quicker, but they seem to be hanging around.” She was whispering now.
“I’m thinking once they’re gone we won’t see any of them for a long time.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
Eric wasn’t sure what that meant, but as soon as Dane walked toward them Glenda stood tall. “Did you get enough to eat?”
“Ma, of course I did. That lady filled my plate and you added more.”
“You’ll always be my growing boy,” she said wiping a crumb from his cheek.
“All the more reason for me not to move to Ohio for a job. How will you take care of me?”
The line between Glenda’s brows deepened. “You have to do what’s best, Dane. You worked hard for that position.”
He nodded. “I know. I just would like to be closer.”
Glenda moved in and kissed him on the cheek. “Go for a while. See what it brings. You never know what fate has in store for you in Ohio.”
Both men winced at the word when she said it and then walked away. Glenda Walker was a huge believer in fate and none of the rest of them were. Of course, it had worked out for her. As fate would have it a very distracted Everett Walker backed into her car some thirty-three years ago and now she had a husband, a family, and a very nice home.
Fate—to Eric—was a nasty little word.
Dane leaned his hip on the counter. “Aren’t mothers supposed to beg you to not move away?”
Eric had to laugh. “Especially when you still live in their house you mean?”
His brother winced. “Moved back in. Don’t forget I’ve been an adult.”
“She’s right though. Who else has had a chance to move to Ohio for bigger and better things?” He had to laugh. It sounded ridiculous.
Dane wasn’t laughing though. In fact, Dane was always just a bit too serious. “I’m worried about Dad. I don’t think this is the time to make life changing decisions.”
“Dad is fine.”
“And Uncle Byron has put everyone at ease by gambling away half of the ranch.” His sarcastic tone was noted.
Eric ran his tongue over his teeth and bit back the oath that could have ripped through. Instead, he took the calm approach. “There is too much Walker pride to let the Morgans get their hands on what grandpa purchased fair and square.”
“Isn’t that hard for you to choose sides? You’re half Morgan too.”
Eric shook his head. “The day they disowned my mother was the day I became not a Morgan. You don’t throw away your family because they fall in love with someone.”
“Dad was a threat to them.”
“He shouldn’t have been. Georgia has enough land for everyone.”
Dane let out a breath and pushed himself from the counter. “Bethany hiding at your place?”
“How’d you know that?”
Dane shrugged. “She was here all of an hour and I don’t think anyone but you talked to her.”
“She’s feeling left out.”
“I’m feeling pretty lucky at this moment to be part of this side of the family.” He gave Eric a slap on the shoulder and headed out of the kitchen.
Eric figured he’d spent enough time around everyone already. Two days in a row was unusual for him. He liked his privacy too much to want to be this social. Add the tension in the air over his uncle losing his house to the Morgans—now he felt like he needed a stiff drink.
He looked down at the card in his hand. The Q still had him extremely curious.
If Bethany did move in with Susan, maybe he’d finally get to know what the Q was for.
Perhaps it was time to head home and relinquish the card to Bethany. They could share that stiff drink as the bastards of the family. Then, they could discuss their new friend, Susan Q. Hayes.