“A good number,” Indie said, nodding. She was going to have her hands full but she was up for the challenge. Then as she looked over at him her curiosity got the better of her. “You’ve done a great job in creating a surrogate family but what about a family of your own? Is that something…you want to do?”
Then, just in case he thought she was zany to ask such a personal question she leaned back and put up her hand. “Just curious.”
He gave her an unfathomable look then tightened his lips. “I was looking forward to having a family once. It didn’t work out.”
“I’m…sorry to hear that.” Now she was really curious but there was no way she could dig deeper without coming off as rude. She gazed over at him, hoping he would continue but, typical male, that was where he shut up. Just when things sounded interesting.
“Yeah, life.” He shrugged. “I learned my lesson. Walk cautiously in life, especially when making huge decisions. Some people are just not what they seem to be.” He gave a grunt of what must have been disgust because on his face was a pained expression.
Interesting-er and interesting-er. So he’d been hurt…or betrayed…by a woman. That much she could guess from what he’d said.
And here she was, trying to trap him into the very thing he seemed bent on avoiding.
But hers was for a worthy cause, she reasoned. And besides, there was no denying she was genuinely attracted to him. And the more she learned about him, the more she liked him.
But the man was obviously suffering from the emotional bruises of a past relationship. So how in the world was she going to get him to fall in love with her now?
CHAPTER SIX
Twenty-five days to the deadline and Indie still had a long way to go in getting Stone Hudson to fall in love with her.
After the longest airplane journey she’d ever undertaken they’d rested at one of the grandest hotels in the city then a chauffeur wearing khakis came to pick them up in a Jeep Wrangler that looked perfect for the rugged terrain.
Stone was casually dressed today looking like an outdoors man in army-green slacks, khaki-collared shirt rolled up to the elbows, and boots. Indie couldn’t help staring, maybe for a few seconds longer than she should have. She liked this rugged look of his. It was how she’d pictured him from the first day they’d met – big and tall and imposing against a wild landscape.
Her attire was pretty much the same as it always was – jeans, denim shirt and boots. She blended in perfectly.
Today they would be heading out to the boys’ home in Enkosi and she would meet Jenna Pringle who had been running the place for the past year and a half. She would also be introduced to each of the boys. And, before the day was out, she would get Stone Hudson to kiss her.
Indie’s lips curled at her private joke. Now where had that thought come from? She hadn’t had that in her plans for the day. Not at all. But there it was. The thought had popped into her mind and now she couldn’t get rid of it. Tessa’s spontaneity and craziness was definitely rubbing off on her. And, as crazy as the idea was, she would do everything she could to make it happen. Time was going fast and she had to get this party started or she’d be on the losing end of this challenge. And Indiana Lane was not a loser.
The journey along the highway took a little over an hour until they turned off onto a smaller road that led into more rural terrain. Eventually the asphalt road ended and then they were bumping along a dirt road which became more like a track. That portion of the journey lasted almost forty-five minutes until finally they saw the compound up ahead. They pulled up in front of a long, low building painted white with a strip of red and yellow flowers running along the length of the wall. As the Jeep pulled up in the yard a very pregnant woman with fiery red hair ran out of the front door and headed toward them. Ran may not have been the best word choice, though. Waddled would be more accurate.
“Stone!" The woman didn’t even wait for him to get out of the vehicle. As soon as she got close enough she reached into the open-back van and gave him a fierce hug.
As Indie watched she cocked an eyebrow. She couldn’t help it. Strange employer-employee relationship, where the woman felt comfortable to hug her boss like that. But then again, she was pregnant. Indie would lighten up and give her that. When pregnant, anything was possible.
“I’m so glad you came back so soon,” the woman was saying. “You would not imagine.” Then she turned to look at Indie sitting in the back seat with her bags beside her. “And this is my salvation. Thank you so much for coming.” And before Indie could even reply the woman had come around to the back seat, leaned over and was hugging her, too.
Indie couldn’t do a thing but hug her back. She couldn’t be rude, of course. And it seemed that the woman was a natural-born hugger.
The redhead pulled back then grinned at Indie. “I’m Jenna, by the way. Jenna Pringle. We’re just finishing up lunch. Come on in and meet the boys.”
She stepped back so that Indie could hop out of the Jeep and then she took her hand, leaving the men to follow them. There was no shyness about Jenna Pringle, not an ounce of reserve. She seemed to be the kind of person who would just welcome you into her home, no questions asked, no explanations expected. Was this how she’d be expected to behave in this job – effervescent and bubbly? If so, they’d have a long wait because Indie didn’t do bubbly.
Jenna walked quickly but Indie’s longer legs helped her keep up quite easily. Soon the three of them – the driver seemed to have disappeared – were in a long, brightly lit dining room with about ten tables around which sat boys ranging from toddlers to teenagers around fifteen or sixteen years old. As the visitors entered they all stood and, in unison, said a polite, “Good afternoon.” They were smiling brightly and all eyes were on Stone. It was obvious to Indie that he was known and loved.
Jenna waved to them to be seated and as they did, the previously quiet dining room began to buzz with the chatter of sixty excited boys. One of the youngest, eyes bright as stars, jumped up from his seat and ran over to Stone where he wrapped his chubby arms around a green-clad leg.