Undeniably Yours (7 page)

“Stephen is such a jerk.” Amber shook her head, scowling. “Such a jerk.”

“Yes.” Wild understatement.

“But unlike you, I
do
want to find him. Badly.”

“Because you need help with Jayden.”

“Yes. Also, I just . . . well, I'd like to find him for my sake, too. I want to look him in the face and tell him off. I'm
mad
. You know?”

“Yeah.”

“I'm not sure where to look for him next. Can you think of anyone who might know where he is?”

“No, I never met his family. He told me he'd grown up in foster care.”

“He told me his family lived overseas.”

“That figures.” Stephen's lies had turned out to be the only
consistent thing about him. Meg could almost taste her resentment toward him, rising and filling her mouth with a bitter, metallic tang. “He's smart, moves around a lot, and always covers his tracks. I'm afraid that it's going to be hard for anyone to find him if he doesn't want to be found.”

“I
have
to find him. I don't have a choice.”

Jayden zipped across the patio and pulled himself onto a lounge chair. He tried to stand up on it, his arms outstretched as if riding a surfboard.

Amber raced over, scooped him up, and placed him back on the grass before returning to her chair.

“Do you have any family?” Meg asked carefully. “Could you turn to them for help?”

Amber's lips tightened. “Not an option. My parents and I don't speak anymore. We had a big fight after I graduated from high school, and I haven't seen them since.”

“I'm sorry.” Meg tried to imagine what it would have been like to strike out into the world alone at eighteen without money or education.

God?
Internally, she asked Him several questions at once, seeking confirmation even though she sensed that she already knew what He wanted.

Yes
, a voice within her seemed to answer.

A feeling of rightness expanded through Meg. “I'd like to help you.”

“You already have.”

“I'd like to do more.”

Meg's words caught Amber's full attention.

“I'd like for you and Jayden to stay here until you get back on your feet. I'd like to help you find a job and child care.”

Amber gaped at her, face blank, dark eyeliner framing wide eyes.

“Do you have any college credits?” Meg asked.

“Like, um . . . fifteen hours. From before Jayden was born.”

“Are you interested in getting a college degree?”

“Yes.”

“What kind?”

“I'd like to be a nurse one day. I've always wanted to be a nurse.” Jayden ran up, and Amber swept him into her lap. He deposited a handful of pebbles, two twigs, and a leaf onto the top of the table, then went to work examining his treasures.

“Then you should be a nurse,” Meg said. “I'll look into the possibility of getting you enrolled for the summer session at Collin County Community College.”

Amber bit her lip, released it. “I want to take classes, but I don't have time. I work, and when I'm done working, I take care of Jayden.”

“Then you'll work part time and go to school part time and take care of Jayden the rest of the time.”

“I can't afford to pay for day care and college on a part-time salary.”

“But I can.” For the first time since hearing the news of her father's death, a ray of warm bright joy burst open within Meg. Her lips bowed, and she could feel her dimples digging into her cheeks. She'd done the right thing just now. She hardly knew Amber, and yet inviting her to stay at Whispering Creek felt more right to Meg than anything had in months.

From his mother's lap, Jayden peered at Meg warily, his baby eyebrows low. He looked nothing like Stephen. If he had, he'd have been blond and gorgeous. Instead, with his large head and widely spaced eyes, Jayden didn't even quite classify as cute—a fact that only endeared him to Meg's soft heart.

Amber smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I'll never be able to pay you back.”

“It's not a loan, Amber. It's a gift.” She thought immediately of the grace that God had given to her. “I've received plenty in my life that I didn't earn. All this, for example.” She gestured toward the big house. “So do me a favor and let me give you something. All right?”

Amber's blue eyes filled with doubt and tears. “I've made so many mistakes. I don't deserve your help.”

“This isn't about what you deserve.”

“I can't believe you'd do this for us. We're, like, strangers to you.”

“Even so, it would make me happy for you to stay.” Meg found that it was true. Maybe because she and Amber had both been mistreated by the same man, or maybe because she felt partially to blame for what Stephen had done to them. Or maybe because the Spirit inside of her had a capacity for compassion and affection bigger than her own.

“I . . .” A droplet spilled over Amber's lashes.

Meg had always found it physically impossible to witness someone else's tears and not cry, too. Her own chest tightened with emotion. “This place might look shabby,” she joked, “but it's actually not too bad of a place to live. I think you and Jayden might be able to manage.”

Amber burst out laughing, and Meg joined her. Jayden laughed, too, banging his tiny fists on the table and causing the pebbles to jump.

“Are you
sure
?” Amber asked.

“Yes. If you're willing to do your part—to work hard at school and at your job—then I promise I'll keep up my end of the bargain.” It was time to take her father's money out for a test drive to see how it performed. “Okay?”

Amber looked at her for a long moment. “Okay.”

Bo had been on his way to his parents' house after church when he'd made a sudden U-turn, a U-turn that had brought him here, to the mansion at Whispering Creek for lunch.

He'd bailed on the meal his mom hosted every Sunday for the family, which would cost him.

He was showing up unannounced for a meal, which wasn't polite.

And after he finished eating, he was going to have to work on his one day off, to justify showing up for lunch.

All of which would be worth it if Meg was there.

He wanted to see her.

Just that. See her.

He wanted it enough, had thought about it enough since her visit to the farm, that he'd taken that U-turn. The sane part of him knew that nothing good could come of spending time with Meg above and beyond what his job required. It would only fuel his fascination with her and cause him—the guy who could never be more to her than her horse farm manager—pointless pain.

However, the insane part of him insisted that, the situation being what it was, one little lunch together couldn't do much harm.

The insane part of him had beaten the sane part of him to a pulp. So here he was.

He rounded the corner from the hallway into the kitchen and found the space empty except for an unfamiliar maid pulling a pot roast out of the oven. She didn't speak much English, but she smiled and set him a place at the table and waved off his apology for arriving without prior notice.

When he'd come to work at Whispering Creek, Lynn had invited him to join her and the other employees in the kitchen for their daily lunches. Over the years, he'd only taken her up on her offer a couple of times. It had almost always been easier to eat with his brother in one of the warm rooms in the barns.

He walked over to the table and stood with his hands pushed into the pockets of his jeans. Six adult plates waited. He could only hope one belonged to Meg, since he had no idea whether she ate with her staff. One plastic blue plate also sat on the table, in front of a high chair and next to a cup with a screw-on lid.

Strange. In the four years he'd worked here, he'd almost never seen a child at Whispering Creek.

He heard someone approaching and turned, hoping—

A short elderly woman with glasses and white hair in a classic puffy old-lady style entered. She came to a stop at the sight of him, her expression pleasant. “Hello.”

“Hi. I'm Bo Porter.”

“The gentleman who runs the Thoroughbred farm?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Ah! I'm Sadie Jo Greene.” After they shook, she kept hold of his hand and patted it a few times before releasing it. “I was Meg's nanny when she was little. Now I'm just a friend of the family.”

“It's nice to meet you. Meg mentioned you to me.”

“She did?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“I never had any children of my own, so thank goodness for Meg. She's mine for keeps.”

Another of the maids arrived, and they all helped to move bowls of food to the table and pour iced tea. The whole time, Sadie Jo asked Bo questions about himself, his family, his work.

“I find you so impressive,” she said, gazing up—way up—at him with clear affection.

Had Sadie Jo taken a shine to him in particular, or did everyone have this effect on her? What a sweet lady. Meg's nanny was every kid's idea of the perfect grandma.

“To have accomplished all that you have with the horses,” she continued. “My goodness. Just wonderful.”

“Well, thanks.”

“Outstanding. How many of your horses will be racing this season?”

“We have—”

Meg walked into the room and all words and thoughts dropped out of his mind.

She spotted him right away and stilled, her brows lifting a fraction.

Bo was deeply glad all at once—stupidly foolishly glad—that he'd taken that U-turn.

“Are you joining us for lunch today?” she asked.

“I thought I would, if you don't mind . . . before I head to my office.”

“I don't mind at all.”

“I'm not imposing?”

“Not in the least. Do you typically work on Sundays?”

“Not typically.”

“Well, you're welcome to join us anytime for lunch.” She turned to hug Sadie Jo. “Hello.”

“Hello, dear. You look darling.”

“Thanks.” Meg greeted the maids, asked them how they were and how their kids were doing. Just as one of them finished telling Meg about her child's nut allergy, a young woman holding a baby entered the kitchen. Meg drew them forward. “Everyone,
this is Amber Richardson and her son, Jayden. They're going to be staying with us.”

She didn't offer any more explanation, which left Bo wondering what connection the two of them had to Meg.

“Sorry to keep y'all waiting,” Amber said. “I had to change his diaper real quick.”

Bo introduced himself to Amber. As the others did the same and took turns murmuring over the baby, Meg eased near him. “I worked out earlier,” she said. “That's why I look like this. I don't usually dress this way in public.”

“Well, you should.”

She peered up at him for a moment, seeming to weigh his sincerity. He stared back, letting her read his honesty, feeling the power of their eye contact all the way down to his bones.

She had on a sweat suit that fit her the way it'd fit a Nike model. She'd done her makeup as perfectly as always, and her hair had been pulled into a ponytail, but it looked like she'd curled the ends. He guessed this outfit was as casual as it got for Meg Cole. Enough so that she felt embarrassed to be seen in it?

Those sweat bottoms. Shoot. He'd never been into skinny women. He liked women to look like women. Meg did, and then some. He was going to be chasing away thoughts about those sweat bottoms.

When they settled around the table, Bo managed to snag the seat next to Meg. Sadie Jo blessed the food, and they started in.

“Oh, he's just adorable,” Sadie Jo said to Amber. “How old is he?”

“He's eighteen months.”

“Is he saying much yet?”

“Just
mama
and
ball
.” Amber cut the pot roast and vegetables
into tiny pieces and placed them on Jayden's plate. “I think he's supposed to be saying more by now, so I'm a little worried.”

“No need to worry,” Sadie Jo said. “I'm sure he'll talk more when he's ready. Sweet angel.” She stared at Jayden with a love-struck gaze and softly ran a hand over the kid's head. “Sweetest angel.”

He'd wondered earlier if Sadie Jo had taken a shine to him in particular. He had his answer.

“I just remembered.” Sadie Jo reached into her purse and brought out a small stuffed dog. “I brought this for him. Is it all right if I give it to him after he's done eating?”

“Sure,” Amber answered. “Thank you.”

“As soon as I told Sadie Jo about Jayden, she had to meet him,” Meg said to everyone at the table. “She loves children, obviously.”

Sadie Jo continued to croon to Jayden, clearly far more intrigued with him than with the meal.

“Where are you from?” one of the maids asked Amber.