“I’m going back.” She turned away, footfalls firm, her head held high in the manner of someone who faced inner demons every day...and had learned to coexist with them. He recognized that look. It was the same one he’d seen on the wounded veterans his sister worked with at Dark Horse Ranch.
Pride held her shoulders square as she walked away. He let her go, wanting to touch her so badly his hands literally ached, fingers clenching. But he didn’t want to push her, didn’t want to make her even more afraid. He gave her space, waited a few seconds before setting off after her. When he came up alongside of her, he tucked his hands into his pockets. All he’d done was try to hold on to her hand and it’d scared her to death.
“I’m sorry,” he said again.
“It’s okay.”
No, it wasn’t. Her eyes had lost their shine.
“It was nothing,” she added.
It really was nothing, but it was something to her. “Mind if I walk back with you?”
She shrugged, and he knew she struggled to compose herself. It made him feel like even more of a chump.
“I’ll talk to my family this week about Olivia.” He kept his eyes straight ahead. “I’ll let you know what I decide.”
He could tell she was grateful for the change of subject, or maybe it was the reminder of what he proposed to do, but either way, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shoulders soften.
“Thank you,” she said.
She took a deep breath, slowly gained control of herself. He’d done this to her, all with a mere touch. He couldn’t begin to imagine what she’d been through to make her so afraid.
“The sooner you decide if you’re keeping Olivia, the better,” she said. “It will make things easier if we can start the process next week, when you’re in court.”
“I’ll let you know before then.”
She glanced up at him. It was as if she’d grabbed on to her strength with both hands. “Thank you, Mav.”
He drew back in surprise. “You’ve seen the movie.”
“Of course. Even caught it on television the other day.”
She teased him. It was an effort to set him at ease, to tell him without words that she wasn’t holding a grudge. He wanted to kiss her.
“It’s a good movie.”
She nodded. “If you’re into shoot-’em-ups.”
They walked in silence for a few more steps.
“You know the minute we get back my aunt is going to pounce on you about this benefit thing. Once she gets started there’s no stopping her. She’ll have a million questions for you.”
“I really appreciate her willingness to help.”
“I was thinking she’s probably going to keep you busy with meetings and whatnot. So maybe you could bring that little boy out with you the next time you’re here. You know, the one you mentioned that would love to visit our ranch.”
“William.”
“We can ask Jayden if she’s willing to work with him. She’s good with kids. And if it works out, maybe we can do something on a regular basis. You know, have a day at the ranch once a month.”
She glanced up at him. “You’d be willing to do that?”
He stopped. “I just want to help.”
Help you, he silently told her. Help her and the kids. That was what he wanted. So much it was almost a pain in his heart. That and kiss her, although he didn’t understand why. She didn’t like him touching her, much less kissing her, and yet he wanted to do both right at that moment.
“I’ll see if I can arrange it.”
When they made it back to the house, his aunt took her hand and led her away, calling over her shoulder that Olivia had fallen asleep in her arms, not surprising since she always went to bed early, so he watched Charlotte from afar.
Damaged and dedicated to her job. That was his assessment. Someone who would never settle down and marry.
So what? he told himself.
It was none of his business what she wanted to do in her future. He would just be her friend. He had a feeling she needed a few of those.
* * *
She couldn’t sleep that night. She kept reliving what had happened, wondering what she could have done differently. All he’d done was hold her hand. He’d done that once before. Sure, he’d held on to her for longer than she wanted, but he’d immediately let go. It wasn’t like...
She shook her head.
It’d been years and still she had to deal with the scars Rodney had left behind. That was why she’d always stayed away from men, she thought, thrusting a pillow over her head. Messed up. She didn’t need to bring that kind of messiness into someone else’s life, even someone as wonderful as Maverick. Which was why she started to cry. Good old-fashioned self-pity. He was a good man. A man with integrity and kindness and a moral compass that would never steer him wrong. Yet, still, his touch had frightened her.
It was a restless night. She woke up the next day and pulled the covers over her head, wishing with all her heart she could just roll over and go back to sleep. But she couldn’t. She had the kids to think about.
“Good morning,” Susan chirped a couple of hours later as Charlotte used her rear end to push open the front door. Her hands were full of the paperwork Crystal had handed her last night. “How’d your meeting go with the Gillians?”
“Good.”
The whole dinner had been wonderful. She’d spoken to Jayden, Maverick’s sister, fascinated by her tales of working with veterans and, yes, maybe a little bit jealous when she told the story of how she’d met her husband. Maverick had kept his distance and that made her feel terrible. He’d done nothing wrong, and yet clearly he felt bad about what had happened.
She’d walked away from the place thinking there could be no nicer family in all of Via Del Caballo. And that her life would have been so much different if she’d grown up surrounded by a family like Maverick’s.
“So, is it a go, then? Are we doing this?” Susan asked.
“I think so, but I still need to hear back from the higher-ups.”
“Speaking of that, Mr. Rocha called you.” Susan thrust a tiny slip of paper across her desk. “He said he has no problem with your doing a media event. He thinks it’s a great way to help generate publicity about our need for foster parents.”
She couldn’t deny the relief she felt. “Terrific. One less thing to worry about.”
“So exciting.”
It was. The high point of her evening had been talking to Crystal and listening to all the amazing ideas she had. There was even talk of a celebrity or two making an appearance. Some friend of a friend knew Rand Jefferson, the action-hero star. If everything went off without a hitch, there might even be the possibility of national media attention, and that would be, well, just amazing.
“I’ll let the Gillians know the good news.”
She had only taken two steps when they both heard the front door open. She turned in time to spot a huge bouquet of roses walking toward her. A moment later a face peeked around the edge of the red blooms.
Maverick.
“I caught you.” He shifted the flowers off to his left. “I was worried you wouldn’t be here.”
“Are you kidding?” Susan said. “She’s going to drop dead at her desk and then we’ll have the funeral here.”
She shot Susan a look of admonishment before turning back to Maverick, and the emotions he roused as she stood there gawking at those flowers, well, she couldn’t put a name to them all. She knew, of course, that they were a peace offering. And the fact that it wasn’t his fault, well, it made her feel terrible all over again.
“They’re beautiful, Maverick.”
“Oh, they’re not for you.” He hugged the flowers closer to him. “They’re for my aunt. As a thanks for watching Olivia for me this morning. I just brought them inside so they wouldn’t wilt f
rom the heat.”
She leaned back in surprise, but then he smiled and she knew he was messing with her.
“Good one, Mav.”
He laughed. She found herself on the verge of laughter, too, and wanting to move toward him, to touch him and tell him how grateful she was for his kindness and understanding. Only he could bring her to the verge of laughter when all she’d wanted to do was run and hide.
“Here,” he said, coming forward.
“Thank you.” She clutched her message slips, took the flowers, immediately burying her nose in their huge blooms, inhaling their sweet scent.
Flowers. Her first. Ever.
“Actually, do you have a second?”
She’d be the world’s most ungracious flower recipient if she told him no. “Sure. Come on in.”
Susan had the strangest expression on her face as she walked by. Sort of a cross between surprise and approval and maybe even a little envy.
It’s not what you think, she tried to tell the woman with her eyes. Susan responded with a silent sure it isn’t wink right back.
She set the flowers down on the corner of her desk as she walked by. Braced herself as she turned to face him without sitting down. Progress, she realized. She didn’t feel the need to hide behind her desk.
“I just wanted to say that if I’d known you were...that if you didn’t like...” He was clearly at a loss for words, and she watched as he took a deep breath and said in a rush, “I’m sorry if I crossed some kind of invisible line last night.”
She’d known he would say something like that. Of course he would. He was Maverick, the kindest man she’d ever met.
“It’s not your fault.” His expression was one of self-reproach. “Really, it’s not.”
“Do you mind if I ask...? I mean, you don’t have to answer. You can tell me to buzz off. I would totally understand. But I presume something happened when you were in foster care? Is that it?”
She swallowed, opened her mouth to say something pithy, something that would work as a brush-off, but the look in his eyes dared her to be honest. No. Maybe not dared. More like encouraged, and she figured she owed him at least a little bit of the truth.
“I had a foster brother. He was...” She had a hard time with words, too. “Not nice to me. And my foster parents were blind. The dad, he...” Even now she had a hard time saying it. “He didn’t believe me when I told him what he’d done. He believed the boy.”
There was so much more to it than that, but there were some things she didn’t think she would ever share with anyone, not even someone like Maverick.
He hadn’t said anything.
“Anyway,” she said into the silence. “It’s not even that uncommon a tale.” She placed her palms on her desk. “And part of the reason why I do what I do for a living.”
He continued to stare. She continued to grow more and more uncomfortable.
“Why do I get the feeling there’s more to the story than what you’re telling me?”
Because he was astute. And sharp-eyed. And the kind of man who could read between the lines.
“It’s in my past, Maverick, and I prefer not to dwell on it.”
It was the period on the end of the paragraph about her life. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore and he seemed to take the hint.
“Whoever he was, he should be horsewhipped.”
She’d be the first in line if that ever happened. But all she did was move around behind her desk, taking a seat, hoping he’d do the same thing, too.
“So I heard from my boss.” Please go along with the change of subject. “Left me a message. Said we’re good for a major media event.”
He nodded and she realized he wasn’t wearing a cowboy hat, and that had left the ends of his hair curling gently around his neck. She wondered if it was soft, but then her face filled with heat at the boldness of such a thought.
“And I think I’ll bring William out to the ranch next week. He’s been going through a tough time. Mom died while he was in protective custody. Dad is nowhere to be seen. The family he’s with is great, but he keeps acting out, exactly the kind of child your sister said could be helped by horses. I sure do hope that proves to be true.”
He leaned forward a bit. “I wish you’d talk to me.”
“I am talking.”
“You know what about.”
She did, and she had a hard time figuring out if she was angry or touched that he would push the issue. He wasn’t being nosy; he just wanted to help.
“Like I said, it’s in the past, Maverick. I don’t like to dwell on it. I prefer to look toward the future.”
He held her gaze for a moment before nodding, then peering down at his hands. “I guess I should get going.”
She stood up again, her gaze catching on the roses. “Thank you for the flowers.”
“You’re welcome.”
“They’re my first.”
A brow lifted. “Your first?”
“Bouquet. Nobody has ever brought me flowers before.”
“Not ever?”
Why did her cheeks heat with embarrassment? What had made her admit to such a thing? “Not ever,” she echoed.
Something flashed through his eyes. Sadness. For her, she realized. It made her tip her chin up. She didn’t need his pity. She’d done okay for herself, despite her past.
“Enjoy them,” he said.
“I’ll see you later this week when I bring William by.”
“Sounds good.”
She watched him walk out, collapsing back in her chair, her gaze catching on the flowers again, and for some reason, she wanted to cry.
Chapter 13
He told himself to leave her alone. His aunt was working with her on Fostering Hope, which was what they were now calling the event. His sister had agreed to work with William, the little boy Charlotte was bringing out to the ranch. He hadn’t had any problems with Olivia. No need to interact with her. And yet...
The next weekend when she brought William by the ranch he found himself holding Olivia’s hand as they walked toward the barn together, Sadie following in their wake, drawn to see Charlotte for reasons he couldn’t understand.
“You ready?” he asked Olivia, guiding her down the step of his home.
He’d missed the little girl during his workdays. He’d hired a local mom to watch her. It meant having to drop her off in the morning, but that was okay. He didn’t want to burden his aunt with the task, so they’d set up a schedule. Monday and Tuesday Olivia stayed with Crystal, the rest of the week with Mrs. Rulofson.
“But today we can spend all day together,” he told Olivia, who looked up at him curiously. “Which is why we’re walking to the barn.”
He had the whole weekend off, which was great, especially after a busy week treating cattle with Dr. Mariah Stewart, the local veterinarian, then shifting herds to different pastures, moving some off to new homes. Irrigating had taken the better part of three days. Never a dull moment on Gillian Ranch.
“I’m telling you, Olivia, don’t grow up to be a rancher. It’s a lot of work.”
Big gray eyes peered up at him. She pointed ahead and toward the pasture to her left. “Horz.”
“Yes,” he said. “We’re going to go see the horses. But horses come with cowboys and you need to stay away from those, too. Well, rodeo cowboys. But not Uncle Shane and Uncle Carson. They’re good guys. But some of those rough stock riders. Whew. Watch out.”
He could tell she was trying to understand his words. The longer she’d been in his care the more words she used. Last week she’d added a new one to her vocabulary. Horse. It was clear she loved her four-legged friends. He’d bought her a stuffed Clydesdale last week and she’d gone crazy over it. It’d been a battle earlier to make her leave it in the house.
Sadie ran up ahead of th
em when they reached the barn, disappearing inside. He could see Charlotte’s little compact car parked out in front of the Spanish-style building, another vehicle parked next to her, probably the foster parents. He would bet Jayden had walked down from the house.
“There’s my darling little girl.” Crystal was standing with a group of people, but she broke away and held out her arms. “Come here, you little beauty, you.”
Olivia needed no second urging. She all but ran into Crystal’s arms.
The group of people turned out to be who he’d guessed. All turned to watch them approach.
“You made it,” Maverick said to his sister, thinking her baby bump seemed to get bigger every week. He gave her a hug, watching as Crystal scooped Olivia up.
“Horz,” Olivia said, turning in his aunt’s arms.
“Maverick,” Charlotte said. “This is Jane and Hal and that’s William.”
“Hi there,” he said to the group, shaking hands with William’s parents while Olivia continued to convey her impatience with his aunt and her unwillingness to bring her to see her favorite animal. The couple’s youth took him by surprise. Not much older than him. And the boy wasn’t much younger than his niece Bella. Maybe eight or nine. “Nice to meet you.”
The dark-haired mom smiled, jumping when one of the horses snorted in its stall. He tried not to laugh, bending to shake William’s hand. “How are you, young man?”
The kid frowned. “This place smells.”
He smiled. He supposed to outsiders it did. “You ought to catch a whiff of the cow pastures I’ve been working in all week.”
“No, thanks.”
“I was thinking I’d teach Will how to saddle a horse,” Jayden said.
“Really?” Will said, perking up.
She turned to his parents. “You don’t have to wait around if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay,” said Jane. “I’m a little weird about leaving Will in strange places.”
“Totally fine,” Jayden said.
Home on the Ranch: Unexpected Daddy Page 10
