Seeking Home, page 2
part #1 of Family Bonds Series
“It’s a beautiful sight, isn’t it?” Jennie asked.
“I’ve missed it.”
“That’s right, Tanner said you lived here.”
“My father’s ranch wasn’t as close to the mountains as you are here, but near enough to go riding in them,” Sabine said, pulling in a long, satisfying breath.
Olivia jumped off her chair and with one smooth motion slipped onto Sabine’s lap.
“Will you take me riding?” she asked, resting her head back against Sabine’s shoulder.
“I will,” Sabine answered. “We must find a nice, quiet horse for you first, though.”
Olivia shifted, trying to get comfortable.
“You’re getting too big to do this.” Sabine groaned as Olivia’s bony bottom dug into her legs.
“I don’t think you’re ever too big to sit on your mother’s lap,” Jennie said, a wistful note in her voice. “Though my daughters never did that.”
Sabine wanted to ask her more. Find out about her other grandchildren and where they were. Sabine had gone to school with Tanner, Garret, Shannon, Naomi, and Hailey, though she hadn’t been in the same grade as any of them. But just then, the door opened and Tanner came out holding a plate of cookies and two glasses for lemonade. Olivia sat up in anticipation.
“I love, love cookies,” she said, watching as Tanner put them on the low table in front of them. She was about to reach for one when Sabine gently caught her hand. Olivia flashed her quirky smile, raising her shoulders, which was usually meant to charm the recipient and get her way.
“Wait until someone offers you.” Sabine had seen the gesture enough to be immune to it.
“I’m so hungry though.”
“Well, I’ll put you out of your misery,” Jennie said.
“Take only one,” Sabine warned as Jennie picked up the plate and held it out to Olivia.
“But there’s so many. I’m sure I can take a couple. Or maybe three.” Olivia’s voice took on the petulant tone that had lately shifted into her repertoire as she did exactly what she was saying she would do.
Sabine wished she wouldn’t act up in front of strangers. Which was exactly why Olivia chose this moment. Her daughter knew Sabine wouldn’t push back in front of Jennie and Tanner.
And she was correct. Sabine didn’t have the energy. The last few months had been a whirlwind of exhaustion and, surprisingly, an aching sorrow. She hadn’t wanted to grieve Tim’s death. He had caused her so much pain and anger in their on-again off-again marriage. When she found out his death had left her with a large payout on his life insurance policy, guilt and anger had tainted the surprise. Receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars on Tim’s death had been the greatest irony given that he had moved out six months previous. For the third time.
During their entire shaky marriage, Sabine had to roll over every penny twice, choosing whether to pay the electrical bill or get groceries. Whether she should buy much-needed shoes for Olivia or put some money down on the phone bill.
Getting the insurance money meant she and Olivia could move out of the cramped apartment they had been renting since Tim left her. It meant she could move out of the city Sabine disliked living in.
It meant they could come back, head held high, to the place that had been the source of her chief happiness and chief humiliation. She could have bought a house in the city, but she wanted not only to go back to Rockyview, she wanted to live on a ranch again. She wanted Olivia to live the life she’d had, out in the wide-open spaces.
The money was a down payment on the vague and amorphous dream that she occasionally indulged in when life was hard. Her escape that she never, even in her most vivid imaginings, thought might happen.
“These are delicious,” Olivia mumbled around a mouthful of cookie. A few crumbs dropped onto her pants, and before Sabine could reprimand her, Olivia pressed her finger against them and popped them into her mouth, flashing Sabine another signature grin.
“Lips together,” was all Sabine said.
“I made them because I knew you were coming, so I’m glad you’re enjoying them.” Jennie sat back, giving Olivia an indulgent smile.
Tanner perched himself on the railing, half sitting, his one foot resting on the deck, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Sabine shot a glance his way, pleased to see that he looked more approachable right now.
Now would be as good a time as any to get down to the reason she was here.
“As you know, I thought I would just come and say hello,” Sabine said, looking from Jennie to Tanner. “Have a look at the place I’ll be taking over.”
“And I’m so glad you did,” Jennie said, though Sabine sensed a tightness to her reply. She wondered how she felt about Tanner selling the ranch.
“I hoped that you could take some time to show me around,” Sabine said, shifting Olivia on her lap and turning her attention to Tanner. “The takeover date isn’t for a few weeks, so that could give you some time.”
Tanner shook his head. “I only figured on showing you what I could today.” He didn’t sound too thrilled about even that, and Sabine struggled not to take it personally.
“Are you sure you can’t take more time?” Jennie put in, shooting her grandson a frown. “Sabine will need more than an afternoon to look over the place.”
“I’m leaving for Vancouver tomorrow to meet with Ken. I’ll be tied up with meetings all week,” Tanner said.
“And after that?” Jennie pressed. “Sabine will be here for almost three weeks before she takes possession.”
But Tanner said nothing.
“That’s too bad.” Jennie’s voice held a curious note and she seemed to try to catch her grandson’s eyes, but he kept his gaze averted. “Tanner knows this place better than I do and he’s a lot healthier than I am, but I can give you some background on the ranch. Will you be driving back and forth from Calgary every day?”
“No. I’m staying at the Hidden Creek Inn in Rockyview while I wait for the takeover date.”
“Well, that’s just silly,” Jennie said. “We’ve got the cabin here on the property. You could stay there. It will be yours, after all.”
Sabine was still struggling with Tanner’s obvious unwillingness to spend time with her and was about to object when Olivia piped up.
“That cabin over there?” she asked, pointing.
“Yes. That’s the cabin my granddaughters stay in whenever they come from town. My father built it for the hired hand.”
“Can I see? Would you take me?” Olivia asked Jennie, jumping off Sabine’s lap. “It looks so cute.”
Sabine was about to protest when Jennie stood and held her hand out to her daughter, and Sabine’s heart melted.
Olivia’s only grandmother was Tim’s mother, who lived in the United Kingdom and hadn’t ever been in contact with them. Sabine’s mother had died when Sabine was four. Consequently, Olivia didn’t have an older woman in her life. One who made cookies and was willing to spend time with her.
So she relented.
“Okay. But don’t be a nuisance.”
Olivia nodded, taking Jennie’s hand, and together they walked down the steps and across the lawn to the cabin.
“Sorry about that,” Sabine said, glancing over at Tanner, who was watching them leave, a curious expression on his face.
“No. No, that’s okay. Nana loves kids.” He gave her a strained smile.
Sabine brushed a few stray cookie crumbs off her lap then straightened, determined to be businesslike with this reluctant seller.
“If it’s too much trouble to show me around, I can get Floyd Pictall, the real estate agent, to do that.”
She thought he would object, but to her surprise and, she had to admit, consternation, Tanner nodded his agreement.
“Might be a good idea,” he said. “I’m not...comfortable showing you around. Or I can call Joe Grimes. He used to work here off and on. He knows the place and could do it.”
Sabine was suddenly frustrated with his standoffish attitude. Years of being pushed around in school, teased because she wasn’t good enough, and dealing with Tim’s lack of commitment braided together to make her sit up, stiffen her spine, and look him straight in the eye. “Is there a reason you can’t do this or rather, won’t?”
She didn’t care that she sounded shrill. That her anger had permeated her voice. He had been rude from the start. She had bought this large piece of property, a future business that he owned. She felt she had a right to have some expectations of him.
He was silent a moment, then he turned to her. “I can’t talk about it.”
Then he turned and left.
Chapter 2
He thought he was ready. Thought he could deal with her. He knew she was coming with her daughter.
Instead, you were insufferably rude.
The accusing voice wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t know. He knew he would have to go back to apologize, but he needed a moment.
When he saw that little girl step out of the truck he felt as if a giant fist had seized his heart, twisted and squeezed. Seeing her on this property had hearkened too vividly back to times his stepdaughter would come back from one of her many visits to her grandparents.
Paulette would come bounding out of Dana’s car, happy to see him after two or three weeks away, thrilled to be back on the ranch.
Tanner closed his eyes and leaned on the table, struggling to erase the pressure on his chest, pushing the hard emotions into the box in a dark corner of his mind.
But it had been getting harder to keep the lid on that box.
And scary.
Push it down. Push it down.
Another breath, then another, and slowly he regained control.
He straightened, knowing he had to deal with his behavior.
He turned and walked outside.
Sabine was standing by the verandah railing, her face tight.
“You look annoyed, and I don’t blame you,” he said, coming closer. “I was...rude.”
She waited a moment as if to give his comment consideration, then nodded. “I am. But, as my dad always said, give me time. I’ll get over it.”
Was that a note of humor in her voice?
“How much time do you need?” he ventured, hoping she would accept his lame attempt at wit as a peace offering.
In response, she lifted her hand, glancing at her watch. “Four and a half minutes. Give or take.”
She shot him a wry look, and he guessed his attempt had mollified her.
“I can wait.” He leaned one shoulder against the upright post of the verandah, crossing his arms, feeling his initial tension ease away. He was lucky she was a good sport.
To his surprise, she said nothing. Tanner figured he was getting his full four and a half minutes. He was tempted to time her, but the quiet was more relaxing than he thought possible.
He dared a quick glance at the cabin. His grandmother and Olivia were coming out of the cabin and heading toward the barn. Tanner guessed the little girl had also expressed an interest in that.
Wisps of their conversation floated back to them on the breeze. They seemed to be getting along.
Another unwelcome pang tugged at him. Another flicker of pain. He tried to shake it off. It wasn’t Sabine’s daughter’s fault.
“So. Time’s up,” Sabine said, folding her arms and turning to him. “And speaking of, how much time can you give me for showing me around the place?”
“I can walk you around the yard right now,” Tanner said. “If that works for you.”
“It does, though I don’t think I’m dressed for wandering around a ranch yard.”
“You look great,” he said, then realized how that might be construed. “What I meant was, you’ll probably manage. Those boots might get dirty.” He tried not to stumble over the last few words, trying to find his way back from uncomfortable to bearable. Garret, his twin brother, would be cackling with glee right about now. Garret had always said Tanner wasn’t the smoothest operator.
“That’s okay,” Sabine said, looking down at the high-heeled suede boots she had on, thankfully giving him a pass on his comment. “I knew I should have stuck with my old faithful cowboy boots.”
“You have cowboy boots? I thought you lived in the city?”
“My feet may be in the city, but my heart is still here, in the ranch land of the Rockies.” She placed her hand on her heart in a dramatic gesture, a wry grin curving her soft lips. Then she turned to him, serious now. “Which is why I bought this place. Getting back to my roots.”
“You must have missed your old place. When you and your father had to move.”
Her smile faded, and her features took on a hard look.
“It gutted me.” She said nothing more. Tanner wanted to say she didn’t really know what gutted was, but there was no way he was bringing up his loss in front of this woman. The two experiences were on different planes.
“So I can show you the house,” he said, turning to the door, hoping she would say yes. He didn’t really want to run into her daughter so soon. He needed time to gather himself.
“I saw it when I did a tour with the real estate agent, but I’d love to see it again, if that’s okay with your grandmother. She might not have prepared for a stranger walking through her home.”
“She knew you were coming and that you wanted to see the place. Besides, she’s always been an immaculate housekeeper.”
And before she could lodge another protest, he opened the door and stood aside for her to come in.
She hesitated only a moment but then went inside.
“The kitchen, obviously,” Tanner said, gesturing toward the expanse of counters. “And I know Nana would want me to point out her pride and joy, the something or other stove or oven or whatever it’s called.” He waved his hand at the forest-green stove that took up an inordinate amount of space in the kitchen.
“It’s an Aga.” From the reverential tone in Sabine’s voice, she knew exactly what a big deal it was. She walked over and lifted the built-in lids on the warming or cooking or whatever plates, bent over, and opened one of the many oven doors. “I’ve always wanted one.”
“Well, looks like that dream will come true too,” Tanner said with a shrug. “I’ve heard they’re supposed to be amazing, but I wouldn’t know.”
“They are,” Sabine said, flashing him a look of reprimand. “They are the Cadillac of stoves.”
“Good to know,” he returned.
“And the kitchen is so full of light,” Sabine said, looking out the bay window above the sink situated beside the stove. “I love that.”
Tanner had to agree. He and Dana had lived in a small mobile home while they were building their dream home a few miles down the road. The lack of light was one thing she had always complained about, one thing she insisted Tanner remedy when they built their own house.
Consequently, the new house that was to be Tanner and Dana’s new home was full of windows and was bathed in light all hours of the day.
And it was also unfinished. After Dana and Paulette died, Tanner couldn’t look at it anymore. Couldn’t work on it. For the past three years it had sat, unfinished and undone.
Now Sabine could figure out what to do with it as it was part of the ranch.
“I want to double-check with you...” He paused, shoving his hands in the back pockets of his blue jeans. “The real estate agent said you’re not in any rush to move into this house. How long will you allow my grandmother to stay here?”
“Obviously I’m figuring on moving in eventually, but I’m not in any rush. I want to give her time, considering she’ll need a place to move into. So, it depends on her right now.”
Tanner nodded, his shoulders lowering, the tension holding them released. “Thanks for that. I’ll be gone as soon as possible, so it’s good to know she still has a place.”
“Of course. I hope I can be reasonable.”
“You are, and I thank you for that.” He held her gaze for a second, and the glimmer of attraction she created surprised him. She didn’t look away, and Tanner wondered what was going on behind those smoky-gray eyes of hers. Then he shook his head, broke the connection, and turned away.
“So, here’s the dining room.” A large wood-slab table filled the space, and six chairs flanked it. She nodded, glancing over at the wall that held a gallery of photos. Thank goodness Nana had finally taken down the pictures of Dana and Paulette that used to hang there.
“Across this hallway is the living room,” he said, breaking off his thoughts. “No Aga stove here, I’m afraid, only an old-fashioned wood-burning fireplace.”
“Seriously? A real fireplace, not a gas one? The real estate agent wasn’t sure.” Again, that tone of wonder.
“A real one, complete with ashes and wood chips on the rug and creosote that needs to be cleaned out from the chimney regularly.”
“Such a humbug. You don’t believe Santa has to come down that thing, do you?” Her flippant tone made him smile despite himself. She hadn’t lost that spunk he seemed to remember from school.
“He’d have a tight squeeze. The chimney is narrow, hence the creosote, but I don’t think Nana had it going much the past few years.”
“And again, so nice and light,” she said, checking out the floor-to-ceiling windows flanking the fireplace. “Such a beautiful view. Does this face south?”
“Absolutely. That’s the only way Garret and I would’ve agreed to help install them. Otherwise they would’ve been a huge energy waste.”
“You and your brother put them in?”
“Yeah. When I was...around.”
She was quiet at that, and Tanner wondered how much her real estate agent had told her about him and his reasons for selling.
“The door there leads to a bedroom and a bathroom and an office.”
He returned to the hallway and made his way up the wide stairs to the landing and then up again. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sabine running her hand over the polished wood of the banister, pausing to look over her shoulder at the rooms they had just left.
“I heard this house is over a hundred years old?”
“It is. My great-grandfather, Garret Bond, built it in the early 1900s. He was a successful rancher and wanted a house that matched that success. He built it solid, and he built it to last.”
