Single-Dad Cowboy (The Buckskin Brotherhood Book 8)

by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Stephanie Bond

  Technically they didn’t run. Instead they danced, twirled and skipped while maintaining a non-stop gabfest about what they’d seen and what they were about to see.

  Nell glanced at Zeke as they followed behind the exuberant girls. “How far is it?”

  “About a ten-minute walk.”

  “Then let’s hold back a bit. This might be our only chance to finish our discussion.”

  His expression tightened. “Okay.”

  “Unless you’d rather not talk about it.”

  “No, no. It’ll be good to clear the air so there are no misunderstandings.”

  She’d take a wild guess that he wasn’t big on misunderstandings. “I get why you don’t want to discuss the intimate details of your situation with Claire. But if you can’t give her any reason that makes sense to her—”

  “I’m counting on summer break and barrel racing practice to get her off this subject. I’ll take her swimming in Crooked Creek. Garrett says fire pit nights come around more often as it gets warmer. She’ll be busy.”

  “Sounds exciting for her.”

  “I’m hoping it’ll work. She tends to latch onto things and not let go.”

  “I’ve observed that.” She took a deep breath and plunged in. “Is Claire so wrong about us? I like you and you evidently like me. I enjoyed our time building the greenhouse.”

  “Me, too, but it was always going to be a one-time deal.”

  “You knew that before we started the project?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Had to be that way. Getting sole custody was a game changer. Claire’s the most important person in my life and I’ll never do anything to jeopardize our life together.”

  That stung a little. “I would never knowingly hurt either of you.”

  His voice softened. “I believe that. But Claire and I are still finding our feet. The divorce is barely a year old. Coming to the Buckskin appears to have been the right move. But adding a relationship… it’s too risky.”

  “Well, if you think so, your opinion is the one that counts.”

  “I’m sorry, Nell.”

  “Me, too. But even if we don’t start dating, I think Claire will want to stay in touch with me. If she does, I want to stay in touch with her.”

  “I won’t stand in the way of that. And maybe she will keep after me to ask you out. I’ll deal with it when and if it happens. I—”

  “Hey, Dad! I hear the other kids coming from the barn!”

  “Me, too, sweetheart!” He looked over at Nell and lowered his voice. “She’s never called me Dad. It’s always been Daddy.”

  “She’s growing up.”

  “And I want that. She’s an amazing young girl and she’ll be even more amazing the older she gets.” He swallowed. “But…”

  “Part of you wants to stop time.”

  “Exactly. But how do you know that? You don’t have kids.”

  “Yes, I do. I have twenty-three of them in my classroom five days a week. They’ve become a big part of my life. In a matter of days, they’ll move on. I miss them already, and they’re not even gone.”

  He was quiet for a moment. “I never thought of teaching like that. You spend almost as much time with Claire as I do.”

  “And it’s nearly over.” The clearing was ahead and the approaching group was in sight. She was almost out of time. “So you’ll be okay with me seeing Claire after school’s out, assuming she wants that?”

  “Of course. You can do stuff together. I don’t have to be a part of it.”

  “But if she can figure out a way to make you a part of it, I’ll bet she will.”

  He sighed. “Probably. The thing is, when it comes to me, she thinks she knows best.”

  And maybe she does. “Then you two will have to work that out, won’t you?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Would you let me know how it goes? You have my cell number, right?”

  “I do.”

  “No need to call. You can send me a text.”

  “Okay.”

  She breathed in a combination of fresh air and a faint scent of aftershave. Time to take a step back and let the chips fall where they may. She wasn’t fond of being in that position, but it sure beat leaving the table entirely.

  Chapter Five

  The arrival of Matt and Garrett on the path with their charges ended Zeke’s private discussion with Nell, which was fine with him. He had nothing more to say.

  Yes, it was a sticky situation. A complicated one, too. Claire’s adoration for her teacher could make for a challenging summer requiring fancy footwork on his part. If so, he’d manage. Somehow he’d avoid an entanglement with Nell without confusing the heck out of his daughter.

  Claire was certainly having a red-letter day right now. Clearly the kids who’d toured the barn had loved petting the buckskin foal, a rare treat for even the ones who had some experience with horses.

  Obviously feeding carrots to Lucky Ducky had been a hit, too. Everyone was ready to trade places with Claire, live in a bunkhouse, feed Lucky carrots and visit that cute foal every day.

  This was a child’s paradise, a perfect place for Claire to grow and blossom. Had she figured out what would happen to her setup if he went along with her plan? What if he and Nell fell in love and wanted to create a life together?

  The endgame would entail moving out of the bunkhouse Claire loved so much. If she hadn’t followed her idea to its obvious conclusion, maybe it was time she did.

  Matt’s phone pinged with a message. “We need to move out, gang. Jake says they’re winding up the Raptors Rise tour.”

  The adults brought order to the milling group of third-graders and Claire led her three friends toward the hip-roofed barn flanked by corrals and a large fenced pasture.

  The girls hurried toward the open barn doors, but Nell paused to snap a few pictures.

  Zeke waited for her. “Like it?”

  “I love it.” She turned to him, her eyes bright. “This is the kind of barn you see in the movies, the one I always imagined when I pretended I lived on a ranch.” She tucked her phone in her oversized purse and headed for the entrance.

  “You wanted to live on a ranch?”

  “Oh, yeah. San Francisco never felt like home.” She quickened her pace. “I always intended to teach in a small town in either Montana or Wyoming. Turned out Apple Grove had an opening and Harland fast-tracked the certification process.”

  “All those hours building the greenhouse and I never thought to ask how you ended up here.”

  “We were focused on the project.”

  “I suppose.”

  “If it weren’t for Claire, I wouldn’t know how you ended up here, either.”

  “Out of curiosity, what did she say?”

  “That you recently found out about her Uncle Jake and decided to come and meet him and his new wife.”

  “That’s the bare bones of it. I wanted to make the connection.” A connection with a family member who hadn’t been lying to him all his life. Someone he might be able to trust. So far, Jake had come through on that score.

  The sound of giggling drifted through the door as they approached the barn. When they stepped from the sunlight to the shadowy interior, the girls were clustered around Lucky Ducky’s stall. That old guy was soaking up the attention, his eyelids at half-mast as the girls rubbed his nose and scratched his neck.

  Claire turned in his direction. “Did you bring carrots, Dad?”

  Dad again. “Matt left a supply in a cooler in the tack room. Each group gets one bag of small chunks. We don’t want to make him sick.”

  “That’s for sure. Come on, Piper. Let’s go get our bag.”

  “So this is the horse I’ve heard so much about.” Nell joined Riley and Tatum at the stall door.

  “You should talk to him, Miss O’Connor.” Riley stepped aside to give her room. “He’ll talk back to you.”

  “A talking horse?” Nell moved closer and stroked his neck.

  Zeke had seen hi
s share of greenhorns and she didn’t act like one. She might be a city girl, but her lack of hesitation told him she’d been around horses.

  “Are you a conversationalist, Lucky Ducky?” She combed her fingers through his mane. “What do you think of my class? Have you enjoyed meeting them?”

  Right on cue, Lucky bobbed his head and made his signature huh-huh-huh sound.

  “Oh, my goodness! You do talk.”

  The gelding gave an indignant snort, which made the girls laugh.

  “Did I insult you?” She put a hand gently on his muzzle. “I’m so sorry.” Leaning in, she gave him a soft kiss on his nose.

  She’d been around horses, all right, and she loved them. One more arrow pierced his armor.

  “Isn’t he the sweetest horse ever?” Claire arrived and passed out the carrot chunks, one to each of the girls and one to Nell.

  “He’s adorable.” She took her chunk of carrot and stepped back. “You girls go ahead.”

  “They can go first.” Claire came to stand beside Nell. “I get to do this all the time. He’s my starter horse. Right, Dad?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

  “He’s everybody’s starter horse. I’d trust him with anyone. He’s a true gentleman.”

  “Hey, Dad, I just thought of something. Piper and Tatum want to take riding lessons.” She turned to them. “Have your folks found you a place yet?”

  Both girls shook their heads.

  “Great! Could they come to the Buckskin, Dad? You could teach them on Lucky.”

  “Yeah!” Tatum bounced on her toes. “That would be so cool, Mr. Lassiter.”

  “It would be awesome.” Piper twirled around and managed to catch her glasses before they went flying. “We could carpool and we’d get to see Claire and Lucky Ducky and maybe some of the other—”

  “I want to come, too,” Riley said.

  “But you have a horse at home.” Tatum stopped bouncing and faced her. “You have to learn on that one.”

  Her chin jutted out. “I could learn on Lucky Ducky, too.”

  “I don’t think your parents will pay for you to learn on a different horse.” Claire was in mediating mode. “But you could come along and watch.”

  Zeke rubbed his chin. This could work out. Another distraction to take Claire’s mind off matchmaking.

  “Hang on, girls.” Nell glanced at him. “Mr. Lassiter hasn’t said he could give you lessons. He might not have time.”

  Four eager little faces gazed up at him with hope in their eyes.

  “I could make the time.”

  “Yay!!” Piper started dancing and almost lost her glasses again.

  “But I’d be using Buckskin resources so I’d have to clear it with Mrs. Fox.”

  Claire turned to her buddies. “Mrs. Fox is my Gramma Henri.”

  The way she said it made him smile. Clearly she couldn’t resist mentioning she had friends in high places.

  “I just know she’ll say yes, Daddy. You could give her a share of the money, but she’d love to have these guys come out to the ranch for lessons. She’s crazy about kids.”

  “I’ll definitely ask her.” Did she revert to Daddy when she was asking a favor to soften him up? He wouldn’t put it past her.

  “She’ll go for it.” Claire glanced at Nell. “You probably know how to ride already.”

  “Actually, I don’t.”

  Uh-oh. Hadn’t seen that coming.

  “You don’t?” Claire looked genuinely puzzled. “You act like you do.”

  “I love horses. Whenever I happen to be around them, I’m always looking for a chance to pet them. But I could never spare the time or the money to take riding lessons.”

  “Then you should take lessons with us!”

  Oh, Lordy. Claire had glimpsed an opportunity and snapped it up like the smart little cookie she was. He was both proud and dismayed by her lightning-quick response. He’d have to stay on his toes from now on.

  Her three friends jumped on the idea. They figured out Nell could be the chauffeur instead of their parents, a perfect solution since she’d be coming to ride, too.

  Adding an adult student probably meant adding another horse. Taking time to switch a youth saddle for an adult size would be awkward.

  As the trap closed around him, she sent him a quick glance of apology. He gave her a smile in return. It wasn’t her fault.

  Henri probably would green-light the plan, including whatever resources he needed. Claire had Henri’s number — she was crazy about kids. He and Nell would be spending a lot of time together this summer. But at least they’d have plenty of chaperones.

  Chapter Six

  The Saturday after school let out, the Apple Grove Elementary faculty celebrated with their traditional bash at the Choosy Moose. Ben Malone, who owned the place, provided free food and an open bar to show his appreciation to the town’s educators. Next weekend the high school faculty would get their special night.

  Nell was eager to go. Even though she’d lived in Apple Grove since the start of school, she hadn’t made it to the town’s most famous establishment, not even for lunch. She’d had the sniffles when the group had held their Christmas party there in December.

  She carpooled with Harland, his wife Alice and Valerie. As they all piled out of Harland’s car, she got her first good look at her principal’s outfit—yoked shirt, jeans, boots and a Stetson. “Nice duds, Harland.”

  “This is my Choosy Moose get-up. Alice insists on it when we go out dancing.”

  “You’re looking sassy, too, girlfriend.” Valerie smiled as she joined Nell on the sidewalk.

  “I followed your advice — a skirt that swirls when I dance and a top that will get me some partners.” She looped her small purse over her shoulder. “You clean up pretty good, yourself.” For teaching, Valerie usually pulled her strawberry-blond hair back with a clip, but tonight she’d left it down. Her top and skirt fit the guidelines she’d given Nell.

  “Thanks. I don’t have your assets, but I’ve learned to make the most of what I have.”

  Alice glanced over her shoulder as she and Harland headed toward the Moose at the far end of the block. “You girls. I wouldn’t be your age again for anything in the world.”

  “Evidently you played your cards right when you were our age,” Val said. “You snagged a great guy.”

  “I was lucky.”

  “Me, too.” Harland gave Alice a fond glance.

  Nell lowered her voice. “They’re so cute.”

  “No kidding. Hey, I keep forgetting to ask. Have you set up the riding lessons yet?”

  “Monday and Thursday afternoons at three, starting next week. That’s when Zeke has time off.” Talking about it gave her the shivers. She hadn’t seen him since the field trip.

  “It’ll be such a bonding experience for you and those girls.” Val said it with a grin. She got a kick out of Claire’s matchmaking efforts.

  Nell swallowed a laugh. “I’m sure it will.”

  “Seriously, I’m a little jealous of the opportunity. I’ll have the girls in September and something like this would give me a head start in getting to know them. Do you think Zeke would be willing to add me to the group?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never done this, but with limited time…”

  “Another student would mean less individual attention for everyone. I know how that goes. Never mind.”

  “Would you like to learn?” She couldn’t tell if the lessons were a draw or if Val wanted to observe the dynamic when Claire was in matchmaking mode.

  “I’d love to learn, but—”

  “Then I’ll ask. It might work out. Riley’s just going to watch and Claire won’t be taking lessons. She’ll likely be her dad’s assistant. And her Gramma Henri is letting us use Prince along with that older horse I told you about.”

  “Henri Fox is loaning out her barrel racer? Now I’m really jealous. That horse is primo.”

  “You’ve seen the Babes perform?”

  �
�Every chance I get. They’re poetry in motion. I love teaching, but if I could wave a magic wand and turn into a championship barrel racer, I’d be sorely tempted to switch careers.”

  “Really?”

  “It ain’t gonna happen. I’m not athletically gifted, which is one reason I’ve put off riding lessons. I’m afraid I’ll be lousy at it, which would hurt my soul. I picture myself racing bareback across a grassy meadow.”

  “You, too?” Nell stared at her. “That was my childhood fantasy.”

  “I was all about horses when I was a kid. When I landed this job in Apple Grove, I promised myself I’d start riding lessons on my first summer break. I chickened out, convinced the reality wouldn’t live up to my childhood dreams.”

  “It probably won’t, but wouldn’t it be great if it did?”

  “Yeah, it would. Okay, please ask Zeke next chance you get. I don’t want to rob the girls of their time on a horse, but—”

  “I’ll ask if it’ll stretch the resources too thin. Maybe he could bring another horse into the program. They have a bunch of them out there.”

  Val chuckled. “That’s called a herd, sweetie.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I need lessons in how to talk cowboy.”

  “But you can dance country, right?” As they neared the entrance, a lively version of a Rascal Flatts song spilled out the open door.

  “I know the basics. I could probably use lessons in that, too. Do you come here a lot?”

  “I used to when the person you replaced was here. She liked it. But this year I just went to the Christmas party. It’s more fun with a buddy.”

  “I’d go with you.”

  “You would? You said you weren’t into the bar scene.”

  “I can tell from the way people talk about the Moose that it isn’t anything like what I was used to in San Francisco, where you just stand around drinking and scoping out who’s there. If Harland, Alice and you like it, I will, too. I could brush up on my country dancing.”

  “And meet cute cowboys.”

  “Sure, why not?” Although she was stuck on a certain one. Dancing might be fun but she wouldn’t be looking to meet cowboys. None of them would measure up to Zeke Lassiter.