LITMIR.BIZ

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lost control on black ice and hit them head-on. They died instantly.”

      When Sam finally looked up, his breath caught in his throat. Kelly’s face had paled to ashen white. Her tear-filled gaze darted around as if she was searching for something, anything, to make the horror of their deaths understandable. He knew a thousand questions were tumbling through her mind, most of all, Why? He knew that because he’d asked himself the same thing over and over. And never found an answer that satisfied.

      “Where were the kids?” she choked when she was finally able to squeeze out the words.

      “At home with my parents.” He smiled, hoping to ease her anxiety. “They’re fine.”

      No, they weren’t. Five-year-old twins Emma and Sadie were lost and confused. They couldn’t understand why their Mommy and Daddy didn’t come kiss them good-night. And six-month-old Jacob Samuel, upset by everyone else’s turmoil, cried for familiar arms to rock him to sleep.

      “Thank God they’re okay,” Kelly managed to say on a broken sniffle. She dislodged her tears with her fingertips, though more quickly followed. “I keep asking God why He allowed this. They were so happy. Marina seemed to adore the twins, and then she finally had the baby she’d longed for since they were married. Her emails made it sound like everything was perfect. So why?”

      Since Sam didn’t have an answer, he remained silent.

      “So you’re saying the girls aren’t Denvers. Is that right?” Kelly stared at him as she waited for a response.

      “No.” Sam hated that admission. The twins were Denvers in every way that mattered.

      “Marina never gave me the details about how they came to be at the ranch,” Kelly said softly. “Would you mind explaining?”

      “Sure.” Sam couldn’t deny her the information, but man, it hurt to go back to those halcyon days. He steeled himself against emotion and laid out the facts. “Abby Lebret owns Family Ties, an adoption agency in Buffalo Gap. Calgary Children’s Services contacted her to see if she could find the twins a home where they could live while their mother underwent chemotherapy. She asked Jake and Marina. Sadly, the mother died. Since the twins’ father was married with a family and had disowned them and the girls were by then very much at home on the Triple D, not to mention that our siblings had come to adore the twins, Abby helped Marina and Jake petition the court for adoption.”

      “Poor kids but fortunate to have Jake and Marina,” Kelly mused, her gaze far away.

      “Yes. They went all out to make a home for them.” Sam fought for composure. Even though he’d had five days to adjust, the loss of the lively couple still seemed so surreal. “That day the twins were sick. Marina didn’t want to leave them, and Abby couldn’t persuade the judge to come to Buffalo Gap, so—”

      “Jake and Marina went to Calgary to see the judge,” she finished. “I’m guessing my sister couldn’t wait to officially become their mother.” Kelly managed a small smile when Sam nodded.

      “They wanted things finalized.” Would he ever forget that horrific phone call?

      “I see.” Kelly paused, blinked away the moisture in her eyes then asked, “But there’s no issue with you adopting the twins, right?” She frowned when he didn’t answer and touched his sleeve. “Sam?”

      “Since the adoption decree wasn’t registered before Jake’s and Marina’s deaths, Children’s Services has applied to the court to regain custody citing concerns that Sadie and Emma no longer have parents or a proper home.” He cleared his throat. “Since I went through the foster parent training classes with Jake and Marina, Abby begged the judge to let the girls stay with me at the ranch while I apply to adopt them. Abby thought you and I being named as guardians of the three children might influence his decision.”

      “I understand them naming you.” Kelly’s dismay was the last thing Sam wanted to hear. “But why me?”

      “Because you’re Marina’s sister, and because they knew neither of our parents are well enough to care for three active kids.” Sam inhaled, hoping she’d understand. “It’s up to you and me to keep this family together, Kelly.”

      “But I know nothing about kids,” she protested, obviously taken aback. “And I can’t be their guardian for long. I have a job I have to return to.”

      “When I was trying to locate you, the cruise line told me you’re going on leave for six months.” Irritated that she considered her job as a port consultant more important than her family, Sam blurted, “Are you willing to see your sister’s children raised by someone else?”

      “No, but you don’t understand.” Poor Kelly looked confused and lost.

      Sam’s heart ached for her. Part of him wanted to gather her in his arms and comfort her. He knew the loss of Jake and Marina had hit Kelly as hard as it had him, maybe harder, because she hadn’t seen her twin in so long. But the other part of Sam wanted to demand Kelly stop holding her grudge or whatever it was that had kept her away all these years and act like part of the family. Because she was.

      He hadn’t expected Kelly’s refusal but perhaps he should have. Marina had told him how hard Kelly had worked to move up in the industry. He’d known Marina occasionally sent Kelly newsy emails about her life, their parents and her growing family. He’d admired his sister-in-law for trying to include Kelly as part of the family, for trying to build a bridge. But other than sending a Christmas package every year, Kelly had stayed away and maintained only sporadic contact.

      At this moment, though, Sam didn’t care that Kelly had left home the night of Jake and Marina’s wedding, nor did it matter to him what had kept her away all this time. All he knew was that he desperately needed her help to keep his family together.

      “Don’t you see?” Sam asked. “Both our parents are living at the ranch because they can’t manage on their own. My dad had another heart attack, your dad has Alzheimer’s, the kids need stability and someone has to run the ranch to support everyone. I daren’t let any one of those balls drop, or we’ll be in trouble.”

      “I know it hasn’t been easy, Sam. You’ve done a great job.” Kelly smiled sadly. “Thank you for caring for my parents and the kids.”

      “I managed,” he said, irritated that she didn’t yet seem to get it. “But we have to do more than that if the twins are to stay. The ranch is the kids’ future, the legacy Jake wanted to leave them. I can’t let my brother down. I won’t let the ranch or the twins go without a fight.” He stared into her eyes and laid out his case. “It’s up to you and me to keep the family together, Kelly. That’s what Jake and Marina wanted. That’s why they named us guardians.”

      Kelly remained silent for a long time, studying him with her teary brown eyes, confused and heartrendingly sad. Finally, she murmured, “Sam?”

      “Yes?” He knew she was going to ask something important because of the way she stared at him, ready to assess his response. He knew this answer mattered a lot to her from the way she bit her bottom lip and how her hands fiddled with her cup. “What is it, Kelly?”

      “Was Marina happy?” Her voice cracked, a world of sorrow, guilt and heartache underneath the words.

      At least that question was easily answered. He nodded. “Marina and Jake were very happy,” he assured her.

      “I’m glad,” she whispered. Then her control shattered, and she wept her heart out.

      And that was when Sam did what his head told him not to. He got up from his chair, walked to hers and gently eased Kelly into his arms. Ignoring the sudden rush of his heartbeat, he drew her close and brushed a hand against her hair, offering the only thing he had to give—comfort. He couldn’t pray, couldn’t ask God to make it better. God had let his brother die, just like Naomi.

      All Jake could do was hope his support would help lovely Kelly Krause surmount her grief enough to help him rebuild their family.

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