The Cowboy's Twins (5 page)

“Thing One and Thing Two?” She spoke blithely, hoping somehow to lighten his very heavy load.

The other corner of his lips rose like the first, but his expression still looked strained, especially around his scar. “That would be one solution.”

“I'm sorry, I really shouldn't be making so light of it,” Faith continued. “It's pretty heavy stuff. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around Susie's actions. I can't believe a mother would up and abandon the babies the way she did. You have so little to go on, and it's not just baby supplies that you're lacking. You don't have a clue about what names might be on their birth certificates.”

Jax scowled. “I don't even know if
I'm
listed on the birth certificates.”

Probably not.

Given the circumstances, Faith doubted the woman would have officially acknowledged Jax's paternity until it suited her purposes, but she didn't tell him so. “You'll have to investigate that. I'm sure there are legal ways you can establish your paternity, whether your name is listed on the birth certificate or not. But in the meantime, I suggest you come up with nicknames for your daughters. You have to call them something.”

The crease between his eyes deepened. “Like what?”

She shrugged. “I don't know. You could use family names. Maybe your grandmothers'?”

His jaw worked as he thought it over. “I like the idea of naming them after Granny Jane and Grandma Victoria, and if I'd had any say in it—on what went on their birth certificates—I might have suggested just those names. But if I name them Jane and Victoria, don't you think that might confuse them later when they realize the names on their birth certificates don't match what I've always called them?”

That was true enough. She nodded.

“I can probably explain a nickname as just a pet name I came up with, though that's not a conversation I ever want to have to have. I can't believe this. It's imperative that I speak to Susie again, and the sooner, the better. I'm sure that's why she's not picking up her phone. She's going to avoid me for as long as possible.”

He growled in frustration. The baby he was holding squeaked and flapped her arms in distress, and Jax softened his tone. “It's okay, sweetheart. Daddy's here.”

Faith's heart welled again. Everything Jax did with the babies seemed to have that effect on her.

He cringed and sent her a pleading glance. “Help me out here, Faith. I want to think of something soft and feminine but I'm at a complete loss. Sweetheart and Little Darlin' just aren't going to cut it, and I'm just not good at stuff like this.”

This was new territory for Faith as well, but she didn't say so.

“Flowers?” Faith suggested tentatively. “Or colors?”

“How do you mean?”

“Marigold and you could call her Mary?”

His brow creased. Given the angle of his scar, she couldn't tell if he was amused or cringing.

“Daffodil and we could call her Daffy?”

A chuckle rumbled through his chest.

It was amusement, then. He was a hard man to read. She'd have to remember what his smile looked like.

She admired someone who could laugh in the face of adversity, and Jax was taking this remarkably well. She suspected most people would have fallen completely apart.

Her, for example. She would have lost it and would have been useless to anyone. She knew she would have. Unlike Jax, who was working through the stress and holding himself together, Faith was more inclined toward outright panic.

Even though she hadn't known him for more than a handful of hours, she already perceived that the infants were blessed to have a father like Jax. It was clear he'd take good care of them. They were so sweet and delicate, and oh so vulnerable, but they had someone to protect them.

Jax.

And he was right. They did deserve graceful names that befitted how precious and lovely they already were to him.

Suddenly an idea came to her. “Hey, I know. How about Rose and Violet?”

“Great idea. I like it.” He sat back in the chair, and Faith could almost palpably feel relief rolling off his broad shoulders. “Flowers and colors. Really clever, Faith.”

They shared a few minutes of silence, both attending to the needs of the twin in their arms. Faith's mind was spinning, organizing and prioritizing many of the details she was sure Jax had yet to consider. She didn't want to burden him further, but she couldn't even think about leaving until he'd made a few more decisions, and night was rapidly closing in.

“Do you have someone you can call to help you out tonight? A sister? Your mother?”

“No sisters, unfortunately. Only my two big-lug brothers. I do have a sister-in-law, Slade's wife, Laney, whom I could call in a pinch, I imagine. But I hate to burden her with this. She has a toddler of her own to care for, not to mention being about ready to pop with her next kid. Due in a couple of weeks, I think.”

Faith chuckled. “Then you're right. Laney probably needs all the sleep she can get—though she might be able to stock you up on some baby supplies, if she's already got her nursery ready. And your mom?”

“Yes, maybe,” he said, but he didn't sound too sure of himself. “She lives in the big ranch house we passed on our way in. She's all alone up there, and she definitely knows everything there is to know about baby care. It's just that—” He paused and shook his head.

Faith transferred her baby—little
Rose
—to her shoulder and gently patted the bubbles out while she waited for Jax to finish his sentence.

“My dad died about a year ago and she hasn't been the same since.”

“Oh, that's too bad. I'm so sorry for your loss. How long were they together?”

“Forty-eight years.”

Faith's breath escaped in a low gasp. “I can't imagine how difficult that must be for her.”

Jax nodded. “She used to be bubbly and upbeat, the first in line at social events.” Mimicking Faith's movements, he brought Violet to his shoulder and tapped lightly on her back. “But since Dad passed away, she's mostly just kept to herself. I hate to burden her with—”

“Her granddaughters?” Faith finished for him. Excitement welled in her chest as the idea expanded. “Jax, this might be a blessing in disguise. I—I mean, more than just that you've discovered you have two lovely infants,” she stammered. “That's a blessing in itself, of course. But these precious babies might be just what your mother needs—a reason to hope and a way to feel like she matters again.”

“She matters to my brothers and me.”

“Yes, but you're grown men now with lives of your own. You don't need her the ways a baby would. Much less
two
babies.”

“You know what? I see your point. She brightens up every time she holds her little grandson, Brody. I'll call her and see what she thinks.”

Not having anywhere else to put her, Faith laid the now-sleeping Rose back into her car seat and took Violet from Jax's arms. “I'll rock Violet to sleep. You call your mom.”

He flashed her a grateful half smile and reached for his phone. From what Faith gleaned from Jax's side of the conversation, his mother was in turn angry and then exhilarated. Pretty much the emotions they'd all experienced today.

“She's on her way,” he said after he ended the call. “I haven't heard that kind of energy in her voice since—well, it's been a long time. I think you're right about this being a blessing for her. I'll tell you one thing, though. I sure wouldn't want to be Susie if my mom gets a hold of her. I've never heard her so angry.”

“I imagine she'll have to stand in line where Susie is concerned.”

“Isn't that the truth?”

Faith was glad for Jax that he had people who loved him enough to defend him, but it made her ache with loneliness. Mostly she was fine on her own, but there were moments where being alone segued into being
lonely
, and that was not the same thing at all.

This was one of those moments.

“I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to show you my horses today. That was the whole reason you came over, and then you got pulled into this drama. I really apologize for this. I was looking forward to showing off some of my training methods.”

“It's not necessary to apologize. I'm glad I could be here for you. And I can see your horses and your training methods another time,” she assured him. “You have far more important things to do right now than worry about my interests. That said, since your mom is on her way, I think I'll just skip out for now.”

“But I drove you here.”

“The community green isn't that far away, and I don't mind the walk.”

“I'd really like to introduce you to my mother.”

“I'd enjoy that, as well. But not today, I don't think. Grandma is going to want to focus all her attention on loving up your babies. I'd just be in the way.”

Jax started to protest but Faith held up her hand.

It was time for her to make her exit, to let the new family adjust to being together.

And Faith? She would go home to an empty house.

Chapter Three

J
ax was still marveling at the way his mother's countenance had sparked upon seeing her grandbabies. Faith had been right on every count. His mom had burst on the scene in a flurry of motion and energy the likes of which he hadn't seen in the past year, and had promptly taken over, calling a family meeting to inform everyone about the afternoon's events.

Though Jax was close to his brothers, it wouldn't have occurred to him to bring his whole family up to speed on the situation on the very first night. He trusted that his mom knew exactly what she was doing, and she had.

Not only that, she knew everything that the babies needed, and the when and how and why. She'd mentioned something about a schedule but Jax didn't see any real pattern to the babies' activities. Jax was picturing spreadsheets, but he was fairly certain he was off on that point.

His mother had sent Slade to fetch a bassinet from her spare room—the same one she'd used with Jax and his brothers when they were infants. He was grateful beyond all measure that Mom was too sentimental to throw those old baby things away, or he might have been in real trouble trying to find the twins a place to sleep.

Not that they slept much. Jax spent the weekend at his mother's house so she could share in caring for the infants, but he still felt as if he spent most of his time pacing up and down the hallway trying to comfort one baby or the other.

Monday morning he and his mother visited Emerson's Hardware and Sam's Grocery for infant paraphernalia. Jax was quickly learning that babies required a
lot
of stuff.

Cribs, a stroller, a changing table and a little plastic tub that fit in the kitchen sink so he could give his children baths. Then there were the clothes—the part about which his mother was most excited. Pink, pink and more pink. Ruffles and bows galore.

And as if that weren't enough, there were the recurring needs—diapers, wipes and formula. Baby powder and baby shampoo. Jax's pocketbook was taking almost as much of a hit as his heart was.

But he'd been visited by several friends and neighbors who'd heard about his dilemma through Jo. He was grateful for their donations of baby items and even more for their emotional and spiritual support.

There was still no word from Susie, despite the fact that he'd left her countless messages. He was beginning to wonder if she was even more unstable than he'd originally believed her to be. Even before she'd abandoned her own children, her lifestyle had been less than stellar, which concerned Jax in regard to the health of his girls. One of his first stops on Monday had been to Dr. Delia. Thankfully, the twins appeared to be well and thriving.

If Susie
had
disappeared for good, Jax was legally at ground zero. He didn't even know where the babies had been born, never mind what hospital. It would take him some serious digging to find what he needed to lay claim to his children.

Even with the added hassle, he was beginning to believe it was just as well that Susie was gone. The fact that she had clearly abandoned the girls would help him in court, if it came to that. Now that he knew about his little darlin's, there was no way he would give up his custody of them, even if he had to fight Susie tooth and nail every step of the way. His daughters needed the kind of love and stability Susie clearly couldn't offer them right now. Even feeling as queasy-in-the-stomach overwhelmed as he did right now, he knew that with his family's help, he could provide everything his children needed.

Somehow, Lord help him, he would.

After setting up the cribs in his spare room that had been hastily converted into a nursery, his mom offered—no,
insisted
—that he take a break and go visit Faith. Jax and his mom had used caring for the babies together to mend some of the emotional stitching that had unraveled when his father had died and then when he'd had his accident.

They'd grown apart and Jax hadn't even realized it. It was only when they were speaking again that he realized how much he'd missed talking to his mom.

He'd told her how much he'd enjoyed the picnic with Faith, and a mischievous gleam immediately appeared in her eyes. And then she'd practically pushed him out the door, assuring him she had everything under control and he should get out and enjoy the sunshine.

Right. The sunshine.

Nothing would come of her overt attempt at matchmaking, but it was nice to see her smiling again. Besides, he owed Faith his time and labor. She had purchased him at the auction, after all, and for far more money than he was worth.

Jax knew the Dennys' spread hadn't been kept up over the past couple of years, but he never imagined the sorry state of the ranch he encountered as he drove up and parked in front of Faith's new home. Rotted shutters hung half off the hinges, and the screens covering the windows were torn through. It looked as though some animal or another had made use of the ranch house while the Dennys were elsewhere. The house needed a fresh coat of paint and new shingles on the roof. The wraparound deck was weatherworn and needed varnishing, and the flower beds in front were overgrown with weeds.

And that was to say nothing of the outbuildings and land around the house. He guessed the barn must have been red once, but now it was a muted orange color. The fences that were supposed to contain the corral and what he could see of the pasture land were in dire need of repair. The hay field was so overgrown it would take a season, maybe two, to set it right, and that was assuming Faith owned the appropriate farm equipment, which he highly doubted.

He wasn't even sure she had the right shoes.

It took him less than a minute of perusal before he knew that, on his own, his labor wouldn't be nearly enough for Faith to get this place into shape as quickly as she wanted. A community workday might be in order, and soon. She'd soon find her neighbors in Serendipity were generous with their time and talents.

One thing was certain—the property was in no way ready to host horses, especially wild ones.

He approached the front door, careful to avoid the rickety step, and rang the bell. When that yielded nothing, he knocked twice. When she still didn't answer, he decided to have a better look around the place. Faith's enormous, beat-up black SUV was parked in front of the house, so presumably she was around here somewhere. Searching for her was the perfect excuse—er—
opportunity
to take a closer look at the barn and surrounding countryside.

Get the lay of the land, so to speak.

Babies might not need spreadsheets, but it looked as if Faith's ranch was going to take a lot of them. This was a huge, huge project. He suspected she had no idea how big.

It didn't take him long to locate Faith. He called her name as he circled the barn, and she popped her head up from behind a wall of hay bales. She'd tied her platinum-blond hair into a loose bun held together with what looked like a pencil. Wisps had broken free to frame her exertion-reddened face. She wiped her elbow across her brow and smiled.

“What are you doing here?” Her question might have sounded abrupt but instead held a tone of pleasant surprise.

He saluted sloppily. “Jax McKenna, reporting for duty, ma'am.”

She shook her head. “Oh. I wasn't expecting you. You don't have to do this, you know.”

Having seen the state of her ranch, he had to disagree. “I think I do.”

“There's no need to feel obligated. I'm sure you're up to your ears caring for your twins.” She absently brushed hay strands from her jeans. “How are they, by the way?”

“Active,” he answered. “Noisy. Up at all hours. Adorable. Perfect. And you were right about Mom—she's gone nuts over them. This is the happiest I've seen her since before Dad got sick.”

“I'm glad,” she replied, sincerity beaming out of her warm smile. “So why are you here, instead of home with them?”

“I owe you.” Did she think he was the kind of man to renege on his debts?

Her gaze widened on him and Jax swallowed hard, struck by the sparkle gleaming in her hazel eyes. They were a beautiful, swirling mixture of green and gold that he found quite captivating.

“Oh, that.” She waved him away with a sweep of her hand. “I hereby absolve you of all your obligations inherent in offering yourself up for auction. Go live your life. Enjoy your babies. Be free.”

She wasn't making this easy.

Go live his life? What life?

Until Faith and the twins had suddenly entered his life two days ago, he hadn't even realized that he hadn't been living—just going through the motions. He couldn't do that anymore.

He didn't want to.

He
owed
her, and not just because she had bought him at that silly auction.

Besides, she needed him, whether she was willing to admit it or not. And probably far more than she realized, if the state of her property was anything to go by.

“What are you doing?” he asked, ignoring the absolution of his commitment.

“Moving hay bales around. The guy who delivered them this morning dumped them right in the middle of my driveway and took off without a word. I've been hauling them one by one to the side of the barn. Hay bales are heavier than they look, by the way.”

Jax chuckled. Toting hay bales wasn't much of a challenge for him. He could tote them two at a time and not even break a sweat, but then he was twice her size and had been doing it all of his life.

And why was she worrying about hay, anyway? Horses were a long time off, weren't they? First things first. Her house was falling down around her, and she was out here performing unnecessary manual labor?

“You could have called me.”

She shook her head. “No. I can do this myself.”

He lifted a brow. She was nothing if not stubborn. But he couldn't fault her for that. It took a tough person to handle life on a ranch. He wasn't convinced she was that person, but she certainly showed gumption.

“Can you give me a hand with the tarp?” She pressed one side of an olivegreen tarp into his hands, and he helped her unfold it. Together they parachuted it over the top of the stack of hay.

“What are you pegging it down with?” he asked, scanning the ground for tent pegs and a mallet.

“Pegs?” Her brows lowered, crinkling over her nose. “Right. To keep the tarp from blowing away. I should have thought of that. I—” She stalled, dropping her gaze. “I don't know what I'll be using.”

Of course she didn't. Now why wasn't Jax surprised? If ever he'd known someone completely unprepared for the challenges facing her, it was Faith Dugan. Initiative and good intentions could take a person only so far.

“I found the old tarp in a corner of the barn,” she explained. “Maybe there are some pegs there, as well.”

“Hold on a sec. I'll go look.” Jax jogged into the barn, figuring he'd have a better chance of finding something that would work for the tarp, especially if they had to improvise.

He couldn't find any tent pegs, but he did locate some large nails that were long enough and thick enough to do the task. He grabbed a handful of them, along with a rusty old hammer that was hanging on the tool wall.

When he returned to Faith, she was standing with her back against the wall of hay, a distant gleam in her gaze. She looked tired, and for the first time he noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

She brightened when she saw what Jax was carrying.

“I know I must seem woefully ill-equipped to you,” she admitted as Jax went to work nailing down the tarp. “It's a slow process, but I've been making a list of everything I'll be needing to keep the ranch running. I'll add pegs to the list, and maybe even an extra tarp or two.”

That must be some list.

Jax fought against the smile that crept up the right side of his lips.

“So if you see anything you think I ought to add,” she continued, obviously not seeing Jax's expression, “please speak up.”

If it were anyone but Faith, he
would
have spoken. He would have told her how crazy her whole scheme was and how she should turn around and go back to wherever home was. He would have told her flat out how he doubted her ability to turn the falling-down-around-her house and equally scrappy outbuildings and land into a working ranch. Unless she was independently wealthy, she'd have money issues to add to what must already be multiple quandaries. Running a rescue operation on her own would be a challenge even on a tip-top ranch. Setting up her sanctuary while keeping the place from falling apart was a heavier load than any one person should be able to manage.

But Faith?

She was so—
so
earnest. She was obviously trying hard to make it work, and she wasn't about to take no for an answer. He didn't think she'd listen to him even if he did list all the reasons her plans would not work. She appeared dauntless, despite the mountains she was looking to scale. She didn't see the process as much as the end product.

Her dreams were real to her.

Vibrant.

And completely outrageous.

In some ways he envied her that outlook. He saw things in black-and-white. Mostly black. Definitely no pink—at least until his daughters had shown up in his life.

Either Faith didn't see the problems she was facing or she was making a conscious choice to ignore them. Of course, a rainbows-and-unicorns attitude would take her only so far. Eventually, she'd figure out that her operation was far too grand a scale for one woman. But he decided he wasn't going to be the one to bust her bubble. Not today.

“My first two horses are arriving right away,” she informed him brightly as she tugged one of the ends of the tarp so he could nail it down.

Jax's hand slipped, and he slammed the hammer into his thumb. He yelped in pain and shook his hand in the air, then stuck it in his mouth to nurse it.

In an instant, Faith was crouched by his side, pulling her hand into hers. She examined him closely and murmured sweet nothings.