“The girls are a handful—you know that.”
“She has nephews. Lots of nephews. I think she can handle your girls,” he said.
Eden nodded. “Okay.”
Damn if he didn’t want to smile like an idiot. Instead he asked, “Where are you parked?”
“The lot by the creek,” she said, pointing.
He nodded, keeping River at a slow walk.
“Why is it called Weeping Woman Creek?” she asked. “Kind of sad.”
“It’s a sad story,” he said.
“Tell me. I love history, learning about a place’s origin.”
“Set
tlers would stop here for water. Some thought to stay, set up camp along the creek, close to water. They were working on houses, tiny cabins, but it was a start. They were still sleeping in their wagons when a flash flood hit. The men and women tried to save the horses and livestock. But the water rose and the current swept the wagons away. None of the children made it.”
Eden stared up at him. “That’s really really horrible, Archer.”
He nodded. “I think it was meant as a warning to those passing by. Creek still gets dangerous when it rains. Banks are too steep.” He saw the look on her face, her grief. “I’m sorry, Eden. I should have made something up.”
She smiled up at him. “No, you couldn’t. It’s nice to know I’m always going to hear the truth from you. Even if it’s sad.” She chewed on her bottom lip then, her eyes shifting from him—almost nervous.
He smiled. The truth. He may not be outright lying, but he wasn’t telling her something. Something big. Something she needed to know. And tonight, when it was just them, he’d find a way to tell her he loved her.
Clark appeared and said, “Need an escort?”
Archer scooped Ivy up, savoring her slight weight in his arms before delivering her safely to Clark. The man might be their father, but Archer didn’t like him. He couldn’t.
“Thanks again,” Eden said, resting her hand on his thigh.
His hand covered hers as he looked down at her. “I’ll see you around six?”
“Yes.” She sighed, pulling her hand from his and loading Lily into the van.
He rode back to the truck, loaded River into the trailer and took Renata’s truck to the hospital.
He was dusty and dirty, but he needed his father’s advice.
“You look like you’ve got a storm cloud following you around,” his father said as he stepped inside the hospital room.
“I guess I do.” He looked at Clara, then sat in the chair at his father’s bedside. “How are you?”
“Fine,” Teddy said. “Itching to get home.”
Archer glanced at Clara.
“Tomorrow morning,” she said.
“That’s good. So nothing on the CT?”
“A thick skull.” Clara patted his father’s shoulder.
“Didn’t need a CT scan to tell me that.” Archer grinned. “You’ll survive one more night.”