But she wouldn’t pry because she certainly didn’t want to have to respond in kind. She didn’t want anyone else to know about what had happened, wanted to avoid being viewed as a victim. Though if she kept acting the way she had the night before, it wasn’t going to take Sherlock Holmes to figure out she was hiding something.
She pulled her gaze away from the house and wandered into the dimmer and cooler interior of the barn. She and the little girl noticed each other at the same time, startling both of them. Leah considered backing out of the barn and leaving the girl be, retreating to the bunkhouse.
But should someone this young be out here alone? Granted she didn’t know what life was like for a kid growing up on a ranch, and Tyler seemed like the kind of person who’d be a protective dad. Of course, sometimes kids did things they weren’t supposed to. Maybe she’d just hang out here and see if Tyler made an appearance. Where was he, anyway?
“Hi,” she said, smiling.
The girl looked unsure of how or if she should respond, so Leah decided to bring herself down to her level. Looking to the side of the barn’s main alley, she spotted some square hay bales and sank onto one of the stacks, unable to prevent a wince and groan.
The little girl gripped a slat in one of the horse stalls. “Are you hurt?”
Her little voice was so sweet sounding, small and concerned but also a touch timid.
“I fell down last night, and I’m a bit sore today.”
The girl just stared at her with big blue eyes that looked a lot like Tyler’s.
“I’m Leah. I’m the one who moved into the bunkhouse.” Leah didn’t push the girl to give her any information if she didn’t want to, instead glancing over to where a beautiful brown horse was sticking his head over the stall door above the child. He seemed to be smelling the girl’s hair. His nose must have made contact and tickled because the girl giggled.
The sound was so full of innocence and childlike joy that, combined with the lovely creek she’d found, Leah was able to experience a moment of joy of her own. It felt good to be moving closer to the person she was at her core—outgoing, friendly, able to enjoy life to the fullest.
The girl reached up and rubbed the horse’s nose with a tenderness that touched Leah’s heart. She’d not thought much about having her own children despite her mother’s less-than-subtle hints about grandchildren. Though her mom and Charlotte were related only by virtue of marrying brothers, they were very much alike in that department. As Leah watched the little girl in front of her, however, she thought maybe someday it would be nice to have a child so cute and sweet.
As if the girl sensed Leah watching her, she met her gaze. For a moment her forehead scrunched, but then she said, “My name is Maddie.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Maddie. It seems you have quite the friend there.”
“His name is Comet, because of his forehead.”
Leah noted the white area running the length of the horse’s head, larger at the top and trailing to end right above his nose. Comet seemed an appropriate name.
“What do you do on the porch every day?”
Leah shifted her attention back to Maddie. “I make jewelry. That’s my job, making necklaces, bracelets and earrings and selling them to people.”
“Cool.” Maddie fiddled with the bottom of her T-shirt, which had a glittery pony on it. She seemed to be thinking hard about something, judging from the way her forehead wrinkled. After a few seconds, she met Leah’s eyes again. “Could I watch you?”
“Sure, if you have permission to come up to the bunkhouse.”
Maddie looked confused for a moment then looked past Leah toward the house.
Leah glanced over her shoulder, wondering why Maddie seemed so concerned. Did she think her father wouldn’t allow her to watch Leah work? Was Tyler strict with the girl? Was that why she seemed so shy and withdrawn? A wave of protectiveness washed over Leah. Maddie was so small and vulnerable. Tyler seemed like a good guy, but what if his parenting style instilled fear in his daughter?
She tried to remind herself that it wasn’t her business. Maddie didn’t have any outward signs of abuse, so maybe Leah was worrying for no reason. That seemed to be commonplace lately, after all.
“Would you like me to ask for you?”
Maddie shook her head, and Leah decided to let Maddie take care of the request herself. She just hoped Tyler wouldn’t refuse her.
“Well, I’m going to be working on the porch this afternoon if you want to come up and watch.”
“Okay. Thank you.” The politeness, almost sounding formal, made Leah smile.
“You’re welcome. It’ll be nice to have company.” Cute, sweet, harmless company. Maddie seemed interested and Leah thought maybe it would be another way to keep her own thoughts on something other than what she’d run from.
As the afternoon progressed with no sign of Maddie, Leah wondered if Tyler had said no to her request or if Maddie hadn’t asked. She considered walking down to the barn, where she could hear the occasional ring of metal, probably Tyler shoeing the horse that had been unloaded from a trailer earlier, and asking on Maddie’s behalf. But would he see that as a virtual stranger butting her nose into his private business? They’d had a pleasant exchange the night before, and she didn’t want to risk damaging that fledgling friendship, if that’s what it was.
She took a break to go to the bathroom then trade out her completed pieces for new supplies for her next project. When she returned to the porch, Maddie was standing at the edge of the drive in front of the bunkhouse. Leah smiled and gestured for her to come closer.
“Have a seat, sweetie. I’m starting a new necklace. I think you’ll like this one.” Leah pulled out her bead board and started lining up the chunky gumball beads she’d selected in pink, pearl, black and silver. She tilted the board slightly so Maddie could see from where she’d seated herself on the edge of the porch. “I decide how long I want the necklace to be and measure it out on this board. Then I line up the beads in the right order.”
Leah shifted some of the beads so she could insert a few pink rose-shaped beads.
“Those are pretty,” Maddie said.
“I thought you might like them.” As Leah worked, she explained each step in the process. Every time she glanced up, Maddie was paying such close attention that the world around her had seemed to fade away.
“So, how old are you, Miss Maddie?”
“Five.”
“Five, that’s a good age.”
“How old are you?”
Leah chuckled. “A lot older than five. How old do you think I am?”
Maddie shrugged.
Leah leaned forward, as if sharing a secret. “Twenty-nine.”
Maddie’s eyes widened, as if twenty-nine were ancient. It probably was to a five-year-old.
Leah laughed. “That’s probably not much different than your dad’s age.”
Confusion filled Maddie’s face again. Maybe she had no idea how old her dad was. It was probably a bit like thinking about your parents by their first names.
The sound of crunching gravel drew Leah’s attention at the same time that Maddie spun toward the sound. Again, Leah wondered about Tyler’s parenting style when Maddie’s body stiffened, as if she expected to be punished.
“Maddie, I didn’t know where you’d gotten off to.”
Even though his voice was full of concern instead of anger, Maddie still appeared as though she might run away from him at any moment.
“I’m sorry,” Maddie said in a voice so small it broke Leah’s heart.
“I was just showing Maddie how I make jewelry. We’ve been having a nice afternoon. We met in the barn earlier and I told her she was welcome to watch anytime. I hope that’s okay.” Leah suspected that Maddie hadn’t asked for permission, but she didn’t wa
nt to see her get into trouble.
Tyler eyed Maddie. “It’s okay. I just couldn’t find her and got worried.”
Maddie looked at Leah, and there in her eyes was the admission that she hadn’t asked Tyler for permission. Nonetheless, Leah smiled at her, hoping to ease some of her obvious anxiety.
When Tyler moved toward the porch, Maddie eased to her feet. She met Leah’s gaze again. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie.” She wanted to invite Maddie back again, but she needed to clear it with Tyler. Maybe she should have done that in the first place.
Without looking at Tyler, Maddie hurried down the driveway toward the house.
Leah watched the little girl, curious what was running through her head. When she shifted her gaze to Tyler, she was surprised to see a raw expression of helplessness. Again, Leah wondered where Leah’s mother was. A horrible thought occurred to her, that perhaps the woman had died and Tyler and Maddie were still in mourning.
“I hope Maddie wasn’t bothering you,” he said as he looked her way.
“Not at all. I was happy to have the company. You have a lovely daughter.”
He shook his head, glancing down the driveway to where Maddie was now climbing the front steps of the house.
“She’s my niece.”
Niece? She recalled him mentioning his sister, but she hadn’t gotten the impression that she was no longer alive. Maybe Maddie was just here for a visit?
Tyler started to step away from the porch, but something compelled Leah to stop him. Maybe it was another part of her old self reemerging, the part that liked connection with others and helping out when she could.
“Is something wrong?”
Tyler hesitated for a moment. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
As he walked away, Leah wasn’t so sure about that.
Chapter Seven
Tyler’s heart rate had finally slowed by the time he returned to the house. When he hadn’t been able to find Maddie in the barn or the house, he’d been scared out of his mind. When he’d finally thought about the bunkhouse, he’d spotted her almost immediately, her little purple shirt bright against the predominant browns and greens of the ranch. His first instinct had been to scold her for running off without telling him, but instinct told him that wasn’t wise. She was already so skittish that he didn’t want to add to whatever reason she had for being that way. He would just be glad she was okay and that Leah didn’t seem to mind hanging out with a five-year-old.
He climbed the front steps and took a deep breath before going inside. He considered going up to Maddie’s room to talk to her, but decided he’d make dinner first and they could talk over their meal. That was if Maddie would talk. He wondered for what felt like the millionth time why his niece was so quiet, why she’d changed so much from when she was a toddler.
When he finished cooking and set the food on the table, he called Maddie downstairs to eat. Not only was she quiet, but she wouldn’t even meet his eyes.
“Honey, I’m not mad at you, if that’s what you think. I was just worried because I didn’t know where you were. Why did you go up to Leah’s without telling me?”
She shrugged her little shoulders.
A part of him filled with an extra well of frustration. For some reason, Maddie had sought out a stranger to talk to instead of him. But if that would help her come out of her shell, he had to allow it and not let his own feelings get in the way.
“If Leah doesn’t mind, you can go up there to visit. Just always ask if it’s okay with her.”
Maddie nodded.
He ached to say more, to beg her to open up and talk to him, but he kept himself in check. His gut told him baby steps were the key to connecting with his niece again.
After they finished eating, Maddie asked to be excused. Though he really wanted her to stay and talk, he was too tired to figure out a new tactic. So he consented and she headed off to color or watch cartoons or whatever she had planned for her little girl evening.
Tyler couldn’t sit still, didn’t even take the time to clear the dishes from the table. He stalked outside and kept walking down the driveway. He wanted to scream at Kendra for abandoning her child, for whatever she’d done to make Maddie so withdrawn. How had his sister gotten so messed up? He wondered yet again if there had been anything he could have done to prevent it. Though he missed his parents, a part of him was glad they weren’t around to see what had become of their only daughter.
As he walked back toward the house, he spotted a light shining in the bunkhouse. He had the oddest urge to go sit on Leah’s porch with her the way Maddie had. But the last person he should be sharing his family drama with was a woman he’d met only a few days before. Even if doing exactly that tempted him like nothing had in a long time.
* * *
TYLER MUST HAVE given Maddie his okay to visit her because over the next three days, Maddie made an appearance on Leah’s front porch. They chatted about the ranch, Maddie’s favorite colors and the little stuffed puppy that Maddie often had with her. Leah found out the puppy’s name was Daisy and was Maddie’s best friend.
She’d gathered that Maddie was an only child. Being one herself, Leah understood the need to have a special friend.
“I had a stuffed bunny when I was a little girl. His name was Fluffy. Not too original, but he was my best friend, too.”
“Do you still have him?”
“No. When I grew up, he went to live with another little girl.” Okay, maybe that was a white lie. But even though she was pretty sure Fluffy ended up being donated to a thrift store, she found she liked the idea of him being a special friend to some other kid.
Maddie played with Daisy for a couple of minutes before shifting her gaze back to Leah. “Do you have brothers and sisters?”
“No, I’m an only child.”
“Like me.”
“Yes.”
“Is your mom gone, too?”
Gone? What exactly did Maddie mean by that? Leah swallowed, trying to figure out how best to respond.
“No. She and my dad live in Houston. I used to live there, too, until I moved here.”
“My mom didn’t want me anymore.”
Leah’s heart ached at the mixture of sadness and acceptance in Maddie’s voice.
“What do you mean, honey?”
“She left with her boyfriend.”
Had Maddie somehow construed her mom leaving Maddie with her uncle while her mother went on a vacation with her boyfriend as being abandoned? How long had she been gone anyway? Not wanting to upset Maddie any more, Leah didn’t ask her anything more about her mom.
“Your uncle Tyler seems like a nice guy.”
Maddie didn’t immediately reply, but after a couple of moments she nodded once.
Left not knowing what to say next, Leah was glad for the project she was just completing. “Maddie, can you come try this on? I want to see what it looks like on someone.”
Maddie got to her feet and crossed to Leah with less hesitance than she’d expected. Maddie extended her arm, and Leah slid the bracelet made from alternating pink and purple cat’s-eye beads onto Maddie’s wrist.
“It’s pretty. I like pink and purple.”
Leah smiled. “I’m glad you like it because I made it for you.”
Maddie’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open a little. “For me?”
Leah nodded then pointed toward the silver-plated “M” that coexisted with the string of beads. “See, that’s for ‘Maddie’.”
Maddie ran the fingers of her other hand over the beads then along the shape of the “M” before suddenly wrapping her arms around Leah’s neck.
Tears stung Leah’s eyes, her heart filling with happiness that something as simple as a bracelet had made this little girl happy.
Beyond Maddie, Leah saw movement that turned out to be Tyler. He was staring at them as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“Hi, Tyler,” Leah said as Maddie released her. She sensed that some part of Maddie wanted to share what she’d received with him. She lightly squeezed Maddie’s hand. “Why don’t you show your uncle your new bracelet?”
As if given a boost of courage, Maddie moved to the edge of the porch and extended her arm.
“Leah made it for me.”
The smile on Tyler’s face added to the full feeling in Leah’s heart.
“That was nice of her,” Tyler said, then looked beyond Maddie to Leah. He nodded in thanks.
“It was nothing. Maddie has been good company, helping me settle in.”
In that moment, Leah realized that she wasn’t just saying the words. The past few mornings she’d actually gotten up with a purpose for her days. Maddie might be only five, but Leah enjoyed spending time with her. And she’d made more jewelry in the past few days than she had in all the other time since the attack.
She still wasn’t comfortable enough to step outside at night and hadn’t gotten past jumping at every sound, but she had to believe that would come in time. After all, things were already better than when she’d first arrived on the ranch.
Despite how happy Maddie seemed now, Leah couldn’t forget what she’d said about her mother. She wanted to ask Tyler about it, but not with Maddie within earshot. Maybe it was good the opportunity didn’t present itself because, really, it wasn’t any of Leah’s business, no matter how protective she felt about Maddie after so little time of knowing her.
“Well, squirt, we need to head out. I’ve got one more job to do today.”
Maddie glanced back at Leah, but Leah didn’t feel she could offer to let Maddie stay with her. Having her watch her work within full view of the house and barn was one thing, but Tyler leaving his niece with an almost complete stranger was quite another.
A Rancher to Love Page 7
