“Would you like to watch a movie?” he asked, motioning toward the biggest flat-screen television she had ever seen. It graced the wall at the far end of the room. It wasn’t surprising to see that speakers had been hung on the walls surrounding the area, guaranteeing the viewer an audio experience that was sure to make him or her feel as if they were part of the action.
“I’ve got all the satellite movie channels, as well as pay-per-view,” he added. “I’m sure we could find something to watch that you’d like.”
The huge, comfortable-looking, brown leather sectional sofa in front of the television looked extremely inviting and Heather was tempted. “Maybe another time,” she said, hiding a yawn behind her hand. “I’m afraid I’m still pretty tired and it won’t be long before I’ll have to get Seth in bed for the night.”
“It’s understandable that you’re tired. You haven’t regained all of your strength.” When Seth walked past him toward a basket of toys beside the sofa, T.J. grinned. “And before you ask if those are mine, I keep them around for my niece and nephew.”
“Do you babysit often?” she asked. He certainly seemed to know more about watching children than most bachelors.
He shook his head. “I don’t get to watch them all that much because of the rotation. But once in a while one of my brothers and sisters-in-law will ask me to keep one of them when they want to go catch a movie or have a kid-free dinner.”
She frowned. “The rotation?”
“I have five brothers,” he said, shrugging. “Three of them are married and unless they all want to go out together, my other two brothers and I have to take turns with Mariah.”
“Is she your sister?” Heather asked, wondering what it would be like to have that many siblings.
He shook his head. “She’s our sister-in-law’s sister.”
“What happens when the couples go out together?” she asked.
He grinned. “That’s when we bachelors get together and become a babysitting tag team.”
“That sounds...effective.” Laughing, Heather shook her head. “I still can’t get over six boys. Your poor parents. I can only imagine the chaos.”
“Actually, they’re my foster brothers,” he said, smiling. “We met as teenagers and finished growing up together on the Last Chance Ranch.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, wondering if growing up a foster child was a painful subject for him.
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. Thanks to our foster father, Hank Calvert, moving to his ranch was the best thing that ever happened to all of us. We’ve become a real family and there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other.”
“That’s wonderful,” she said, meaning it. She had never known that kind of closeness with her sister. If they had been close, Heather wouldn’t have had such a struggle the past couple of years.
They were silent for a moment before he asked, “What about you? Do you have brothers and sisters?”
“I have an older sister,” she answered, nodding. “But Stephanie and her husband live in Japan and I haven’t seen or heard much from her in several years.”
“That must be tough,” he said, his tone sympathetic.
“I would like to say that it is,” she confessed, feeling a twinge of regret. “But my sister and I never really had anything in common, nor were we ever all that close. I always loved growing up on the Circle W and couldn’t imagine moving so far away that I wouldn’t be able to come back whenever I wanted to ride my horse. But she couldn’t wait to grow up and leave it and our family as far behind as her Prada knockoffs could take her.” Heather paused as a wave of emotion swept over her. “She didn’t even bother to come home for our father’s funeral two years ago.”
T.J. put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side in a comforting gesture. “It’s never too late, Heather. Maybe one day you and your sister can find some common ground.”
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