Free LOVING ELLIE by Lindsey Brookes Page B

shoveled steps and out toward the road.  “Victoria’s been trying to coax those furry creatures back into the pasture, but the stubborn things weren’t budging.  And Jed’s under the weather today, so all I could think of was to call you.  I hope you don’t mind.”
    “I can get them back into the pasture, but the fence needs restrung here where it’s,” he paused to meet Victoria’s gaze, “ rusted and given way.”
    “It didn’t give way,” her aunt replied with a knowing smile.  “My great-great-nephew cut it, ornery little cuss he is.” 
    “The boy did this?”
    Victoria wanted to deny it.  Something she’d gotten very used to doing.  Protecting what she loved most in the world.  Her son wasn’t a bad boy.  Pain was causing him to act out.  Pain she’d caused by not divorcing her son’s father years before. 
    “There’s some wire in the barn,” Myra volunteered.
    Blaine shooed the remaining cows in through the open fence and then walked back to his car.  “Stand aside, Victoria.”
    She couldn’t help but wonder if he was tempted to run her down for leaving him the way she had all those years ago.  No explanation.  She had just backed out of his life completely.
    There was no denying that any love Blaine felt for her all those years ago was long gone.  She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her and it tore at her heart. 
    “Victoria,” her aunt urged from where she stood next to the mailbox at the end of the drive.
    Snapping out of her reverie, she sighed and moved to join her, watching as Blaine drove past.  He pulled off where the field ran along the road, coming to stop between the open fence posts to block any further escape. 
    “He’s a good man,” her aunt whispered at her side.
    Blaine stepped from the car and made his way to the barn, muttering as he went.
    She spun about to face her aunt as soon as he was out of hearing range.  “When I called you about bringing J.B. here, I specifically asked you about Blaine.”
    “Of course you did, dear,” her aunt responded with a smile.  “I would have been surprised if you hadn’t.  The sheriff was very special to you at one time if my old mind remembers correctly.”
    Her old mind.   Victoria had the urge to laugh.  Despite her advanced age and the silvery grey that now made up her once deep red hair, her aunt was as sharp as ever. 
    “Aunt Myra,” she groaned in frustration, “you said Blaine didn’t live in Eagle Ridge any longer.” 
    “No, honey, what I said was the boy you knew that summer was gone.”
    “Gone,” Victoria repeated.  “As in no longer here.”
    “The boy you knew that summer you came to stay with us is gone.”  Her aunt’s gaze drifted toward the barn where Blaine was lifting the latch on the door.  “He’s now a strapping young man.”
    One she was going to have to face often now that they were going to be living in the same town.  One who hated her. 
    “You’re doing this for J.B.,” her aunt reminded her.
    Victoria nodded as she watched Blaine disappear inside her uncle’s barn.  This wasn’t about her.  She had to live with the decisions she made in her past – good or bad.  Her being there now was about healing her relationship with her son and finding herself again.  The self she’d lost ten years before when gave up what her own heart desired to do what she thought would be in the best interest of her unborn child.     
                                                            *              *              * 
    It had taken Ellie nearly an hour to change for work.  Although Lucas suspected it had more to do with her not wanting to face him than getting herself all dolled up to serve coffee.  He had to admit her stalling had been a blessing.  It had given him the time he needed to digest her unexpected announcement.  Even more importantly, to regain control of his