She checked her watch. “It’s nine fifteen.”
“I guess they’re eager. They were wanting to know what was going on last night. The only way I was able to put them off was leaving and staying gone so late.” He adjusted his hat, turned in her direction. “You ready?”
“No. They’ll probably be really mad.”
“Probably. But they’re good folks. They’ll forgive and the important thing to them will be Mason and Madison.”
So important they’d want custody?
“Come on.” He reached a hand toward her.
She frowned at his outstretched fingers.
“I figure we’re in this together.”
Forcing her feet to move, she took his hand simply because she wasn’t sure her noodle legs would hold up without his support. They rounded the barn and as they neared the store, his parents got out of their car.
“Sorry we’re early.” Ross’s mom glanced at their linked hands. “We were just so anxious to know what’s going on. Are you sure Ron is okay?”
“I dropped him at the treatment center. He was settling in when I left.”
“Your mother worried all night about y’all being out in the storm.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. It was so late, I didn’t want to call and wake you.”
Stacia felt sorry for the woman. One son was a mess and in treatment and now her world was about to be shaken with the discovery of five-year-old grandchildren.
“I apologize, Stacia.” His mom smiled. “We barely met last night and we’ve dragged you into our family drama.”
“No need to apologize, Mrs. Lyles.”
“Please, call me Karen.” So friendly and warm. Her eyes the same shade as her sons’. White hair cut in an attractive face-framing short style and large trendy glasses completed her look.
“Let’s go inside.” Ross gestured toward the store.
Stacia unlocked the front door and stepped aside so his parents could enter first.
“Oh my, this place is really something.” Sam scanned the space. “It reminds me of that TV show, where they salvage old buildings.”
“Daddy owns a salvage business and that is where we get a lot of our pieces. But he started about ten years earlier than those guys on TV and he never got his own show.”
“Everything’s so unique.” Karen spun a circle. “Everywhere I look, I want to explore.”
“Let’s talk first.” Ross opened the door to the workshop. “You’ll have plenty of time for exploring.”
“I’m not sure how much longer we’ll stay, son.” Sam ushered his wife ahead. “We still haven’t made it to your grandfather’s and we’ll want to get home soon and see what’s left.”
“I think after you hear what we have to say, you’ll decide to stay.”
Sam and Karen caught each other’s gaze as they stepped inside the workshop.
“You’re kind of worrying us,” Sam admitted.
“It’s good news, mostly.” Ross gave his parents a tight smile.
“Please, have a seat.” Stacia pulled four office-style chairs into the center of the room, forming a trapezoid with two close together for his parents and two farther apart. “Excuse the dust and debris. This is where we sand, build and paint.”
His parents sat side by side while Ross and Stacia claimed the two chairs facing them.
“The suspense is killing us, just spit it out, son.” Sam clasped his wife’s hand.
“Okay. Y’all are grandparents.”
“What?” Karen glanced from Ross to Stacia. “I don’t understand. Are you preg—”
“No!” Stacia cut her off.
“The twins y’all saw last night.” Ross drew in a deep breath. “They’re your grandchildren.”
“So you and Stacia had a relationship in the past?” Sam ventured.
“No!” Stacia shook her head.
“We only met a few weeks ago,” Ross clarified. “Ron is their father.”
“So Stacia and Ron—”
“No!” Stacia interrupted again. “Ron and my sister.”
“Twins. Our grandchildren?” Karen shook her head as if to clear it.
“Where is their mother, your sister?” Sam asked.
“She died three years ago and left custody to me.”
“And Ron?” Sam’s gaze fell to the concrete floor. “Does he know about them?”
“Yes.”
“Let me guess, he’s had nothing to do with them.”
“He signed his rights over to Stacia’s sister and then Stacia.” Ross summed up Ron’s disinterest for them. “He’d never even seen them until y’all showed up here last night.”
“How old are they?” Karen asked.
“Five.”
“We’ve missed out on so much.” Her shoulders slumped. “What are their names?”
“Mason and Madison. I’m sorry you’re just now finding out.” Stacia’s voice trembled.
“Someone should have told us all right.” Sam stood and paced the floor. “But it should have been Ron.”
“Or Ross.” Karen pinned him with a look. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I didn’t know. Not until after Ron’s accident. I spent the night at the hospital with him after his back surgery. He was in so much pain he thought he might die and confessed to fathering twins and giving them away. I got Stacia’s name out of him and came here to see the twins and make sure they’re all right.”
“So you’ve been here since you left? Getting to know our grandchildren.” Sam paced faster. “But no one thought to invite us to meet them.”
“My intention when I came was to make sure Stacia was a suitable guardian. Once I checked things out, I planned to tell y’all. But Stacia had a big order for a B and B, I needed to stay here until we finished it, and I didn’t want to tell you over the phone. I was planning to head home when you called and told me about the evacuation order.”
“Ron told us he didn’t have any family.” Stacia’s voice cracked. “I can assure you both, I’m a suitable guardian.”
“Mom, Dad, I promise you, Stacia and her father love the kids and the kids love them. They’re happy and healthy. And Stacia and her dad are willing to let us be a part of their lives.”
“Y’all are welcome to stay as long as you want and spend as much time with Madison and Mason as you like.” She could only hope she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. “We hope you’ll visit often. And maybe on
