The Sunstone Brooch : Time Travel Romance by Katherine Logan (comprehension books .TXT) 📗

Robbie picked Joseph up and put the boy in his lap. “You’re going home with all of us, and you’ll have lots of cousins to play with. There won’t be a moment of free time.”

“When will I work?”

“Work?” Robbie asked. “School is work.”

“In this society, children are just younger people with responsibilities to contribute to the community. There’s no playtime,” Tavis said.

“That’s all about to change,” Noah said. “It was a big adjustment for Patrick, Churchill, and me because we came from the past like you. We’ll teach you what you need to know, and so will our brothers and sisters who’re closer to your age.”

Sophia sat nearby, sketchbook and pencils in hand, watching the tableau while she sketched.

Remy finished with Kenzie and Cullen. “That’s all I can do right now. Let’s get you two home so Charlotte can have a go at you.”

“Do ye feel okay to travel?” David asked.

Kenzie sat up, and her head wobbled a bit. “Yeah, but you better hold on to me.”

“We’ll hold on to you instead of Grandpa Elliott,” Robbie said.

“Yeah,” Henry said. “We landed tight as tigers. We’ll take care of you, Mom.”

David watched his sons, surprised by their transformation from the jerks they were earlier to the obedient, loving lads they were now. Was it stress and worry that caused their bad behavior? Or had Kenzie’s vulnerability been a shock to their youthful sense of invincibility? Whatever it was, when they returned home at the end of the summer, he’d take them camping and have a heart-to-heart about the chain of command and personal responsibility.

“Are you ready to go, Joseph?” Tavis asked.

“Wait a minute,” Kenzie said. “I’ve missed something. This little guy is Tavis’s son?”

“Aye,” David said. “Joseph is three. It looks like Tavis spent time here before we met him in Gothenburg. He’s got some explaining to do.”

“Well, I’m waiting with bated breath.”

“Dad, I hid Mom’s amber necklace in the cave. Can I take it with me?”

“I’ll go get it.”

“No,” Joseph jumped up and ran toward the cliff. “I’ll get it.”

David grabbed the tike before he reached the edge. “Whoa there, wee laddie. Ye take a tumble off that cliff, and even yer aunt Charlotte couldn’t put ye back together again.”

“Like Humpty Dumpty? Dad told me about him.”

“I’ll climb down with you, son, and you can go into the cave by yourself.”

Tavis and Joseph slid over the edge. Then they disappeared as if climbing down a ladder instead of a rocky cliff.

“He’s fearless,” Robbie said. “Uncle Tavis will have his hands full.”

“I want to teach him how to use the bathroom,” Noah said, laughing. “Dad called the shower a glass waterfall, and the first time he shaved, we squirted shaving cream all over the place. I’ll never forget it.”

“I won’t, either,” Patrick snickered.

Churchill laughed. “Dad was so patient with me. I’ll never forget that.”

“At least Tavis already knows how to pee in a toilet, so he doesn’t have to figure it out like Pa and I did,” Noah said.

“We didn’t do so bad, did we, lad?” Daniel asked.

“We did okay,” Noah said. “Now it’s hard to believe I ever lived in another century.”

Twenty minutes later, Joseph and Tavis returned. Joseph held up a small leather pouch. “I got it. I can go see Grandpa Elliott’s horses now.”

Elliott picked him up and kissed his cheek. “Granny Mere will be so happy to have a wee laddie around again. Let’s go home.”

79

MacKlenna Ranch, CO (a few months later)—Austin

Austin lay sprawled on their bed in the master bedroom while Ensley let her three-month-old Goldendoodle out to potty. He gave the puppy to her last week to celebrate the end of physical therapy following her hip replacement. But all that meant was Ted took over her daily exercise and diet regime, and he was much harder on her than the PT had been on his best days.

Thank god she didn’t give him a puppy when his orthopedist released him to normal activities following surgery to repair his drop foot. He’d put it off because the surgery came with risks. It could either worsen the condition or fix it, and up until now, he hadn’t been willing to take the risk. But since falling in love with Ensley, being healthy for her was more important than reclaiming his basketball career. By giving up what he thought he wanted, he was able to reclaim what he had. Nothing stood in the way now of returning to the NBA.

He loved the game, and if he could have a few more years, he should go for it. At least that’s what Ensley told him. But the thought of leaving her alone on the ranch while he played forty-one away games every season scared him. Granted, they had security up the wazoo, but that wouldn’t matter if the Illuminati wanted Erik’s daughter.

The sitting room’s French doors leading to the garden opened and closed. “Maddie, sit. Let’s wipe your feet,” Ensley said to her puppy.

It sounded like the dog got into the wet mulch again. Austin was a more disciplined dog walker than Ensley. He didn’t allow Maddie to run around the garden off-leash, at least in part because the puppy loved to dig in the mulch and would dig up every shrub if she could.

“Good girl. Here, take your ball and go find Austin.”

Seconds later, the puppy bounded into the bedroom and jumped up on the bed, tail wagging like she hadn’t seen him in days instead of minutes.

“Come here, you mutt.” He reached for the dog, and Maddie licked his hands and face. “Ensley, this puppy will never learn not to dig in the flower beds if you don’t train her to stay out of them.”

“I know, but she gets so excited when she has the freedom to run. I want to enjoy all those little moments of bliss with her now as she explores her world. Maybe we should move the deer fence back so she’ll have