The Rancher's Return. Carolyne Aarsen

watched as Adam made his way around the table to Emma, unable to look away. She wiped his hands and then shifted her weight so he could sit on her lap. The domestic picture in his old kitchen teased up another memory of his nana cooking for them.

      He dragged his gaze back to his foreman. “Wade, I need to talk to you. About the ranch.”

      “Yeah, sure. What do you need to tell me?” Wade asked, squeezing the syrup bottle over his pancakes.

      Carter didn’t know why he glanced over at Emma again. To his surprise, she was watching him. As if she knew what he would say.

      But before Carter could speak, the phone rang. Wade reached behind him, snagging the handset off its cradle.

      “Wade here,” he said, tucking the phone between his shoulder and his ear as he speared a piece of bacon off the plate. Then his hand froze and his eyes widened.

      “What? When?” Wade dropped his fork and gripped the phone, his fingers white. “How is he … how are they?”

      He got up and strode out of the kitchen, peppering the phone with anxious questions.

      Miranda shot out of her chair, leaving Emma, Adam and Carter alone in the kitchen.

      Emma wrapped her arms around Adam, as if to shield him from the drama unfolding in the other room.

      Carter felt his own disquiet rise at the concern in Wade’s voice. Then silence, then more questions. Finally, a quiet goodbye. Wade and Miranda talking to each other. Then Wade came back into the kitchen.

      “What’s wrong?” Carter asked, dread sweeping over him at Wade’s solemn expression. “What happened?”

      Wade dropped the phone on the table and then dragged his hands over his face.

      “That was Mom and Dad’s pastor. My mom and dad were in a car accident. It’s very serious.” Wade blew out his breath, looking around the kitchen but not seeing anything. “I have to go. I have to be with them. I can’t be here.” He turned to Carter. “Can you stay? Until I come back? Take care of the ranch?”

      Carter looked at Wade, his desire to get away from the ranch superseded by his friend’s need.

      “Of course I’ll stay,” he said.

      Even as he spoke the words, he glanced over at Adam, still sitting on Emma’s lap.

      He had no choice. Wade needed him. But as soon as he could leave, he was gone.