Читать книгу To Protect His Own - Brenda Mott - Страница 10

ALEX FOUND his daughter facedown in a patch of grass, sobbing. It was enough to break his heart. He crouched beside her and gently touched her shoulder. “Hallie, honey. Sit up. Come on, baby, let me hold you.” He held out his arms, and she flung herself into his embrace. Alex stroked her hair, soothing her until her sobs faded to hiccups and finally to an occasional sniff.

He pulled a clean handkerchief from his jeans and offered it to her. She took it, not saying a word, staring at the expanse of open land that stretched up beyond their property in a carpet of knee-high grass and dense clusters of scrub oak.

“You want to talk about it?” Alex asked. He’d learned long ago from Hallie’s therapist to let his daughter work her feelings out, and not to push. But damn it, it was hard to sit by feeling helpless while his little girl hurt so much. He’d only wanted to make her happy by bringing her here to the western slope. And now he wondered if he’d botched that, too. The therapist had warned him that sudden major change wasn’t a good idea. But as the months passed, he’d been unable to stand it any longer, not willing to stay in a neighborhood that no longer felt safe.

Hallie shrugged. “I dunno.”

He gave her a small smile. “You know, you’ve been talking to me quite a bit lately, more than you did when we were living in Aurora.”

Hallie remained silent.

“I enjoy talking to you,” Alex pressed gently. “Like the old days.” He’d been her trusted confidant, acting as both father and mother for as much of Hallie’s life as she could remember. “What happened back there at Caitlin’s? Did she do something to upset you?”

“No.” Again, she shrugged her shoulders. “I just thought it was cool to be living next door to her and Silver Fox. I hate it that she’s sending him away.”

But what Hallie had said—about everyone always leaving—obviously went far deeper than the horse being sent back to Foxwood. Alex stroked his daughter’s cheek. “Honey, you know I’m not going anywhere, don’t you?”

Hallie picked up a twig and traced circles in a patch of dirt near her feet. “Melissa left. And Grandma Hunter. And Aunt D’Ann and Uncle Vince moved to Wyoming.”

His gut twisted. Vince was married to his exwife’s sister, D’Ann. Melissa’s parents. Alex slipped his arm around Hallie’s shoulders and gave her a protective squeeze. “Not by choice, baby.” Not like your mother.

D’Ann and Vince hadn’t had a choice, either. Melissa’s death had destroyed them and they’d been unable to live in the town where their daughter had been murdered. Where so many memories haunted them. They’d returned to Laramie—Vince’s hometown.

“No. But that’s just it. Sometimes people don’t have choices. You don’t know what will happen. You can wake up one day and everything’s fine—” Her voice cracked and she struggled for control. “And the next minute it’s not fine. You’re dead or someone you love is gone.”

That his daughter should have such a fearful perspective bothered him more than Alex could say. He hated that she lived in a world where violence was common. Hated that he might have in some way contributed to that violence through his video games, desensitizing young people to bloodshed.

And now his twelve-year-old daughter, who should be worrying about boys, clothes and socializing with her friends, was instead worried about death and abandonment.

Alex laid his cheek against Hallie’s head. “You know, sugar, there are no guarantees in life. And there’s really nothing we can do about that. But there are promises, which we can choose to keep.” He pulled back and looked at her, hoping she could see in his eyes just how much he loved her. “And I promise, Hallie, I will never, ever abandon you. Not if I can help it. Besides, I’m planning to live to a ripe old age.” His lips curved in a teasing smile. “That way I can run off all the boys who come knocking on our door, at least until you’re thirty. And I’ll do the same for my granddaughters one day.”

“Da-ad.” Hallie rolled her eyes, and the gesture made his heart soar. To see her do something so normal felt wonderful.

“Well, okay.” Alex shrugged. “Maybe just until you’re twenty-nine.” He stood and took her hand. “Now, come on. You can’t sit here crying, or you’ll wash away the gully. You might even cause a flood.” He kept his voice light, hoping to make her smile.

But there were days when he wished the rain could pour down in a flood to rival Noah’s day, and wash away all the things that threatened his daughter and her happiness. He knew he couldn’t put her in a plastic bubble or lock her away in a bulletproof room. But he’d be damned if he’d let anyone hurt her. And if Caitlin Kramer was going to make her cry—albeit unintentionally—then he’d have to do his best to see to it that Hallie stayed away from her.

No matter how pretty he thought Caitlin was.

CAITLIN WOKE UP Saturday morning to a cold nose in the middle of her back. She jerked reflexively, arching her back, and a sharp pain shot through her spine. “Damn it, Spike!” Crankily, she opened her eyes and looked at the tan-and-white Jack Russell terrier her dad and brother had brought over when they’d returned her truck last night. The dog wriggled with joy, hopping across the bedcovers like a rabbit on speed. In spite of herself, Caitlin grinned and ruffled Spike’s ears. “You’ve got to learn better bedside manners than that,” she said, pushing away the sheet and blanket. Stiffly, she placed her feet on the floor. She looked at the clock—8:00 a.m. No wonder Spike was impatient.

Caitlin went to the back door and opened it for the little dog. She hoped he wouldn’t find a way to climb the V-mesh fence. Jack Russells were notorious escape artists. But it wasn’t as if she could’ve stepped outside in her camisole and panties to keep an eye on the dog. Not with Alex Hunter living across the way.

A short time later, Caitlin threw on some clothes and went out to feed Silver Fox, Spike trotting along ahead of her. The gray gelding whickered softly as she neared his paddock. She reached up to stroke his muzzle, planting a kiss on his velvety nose. “What’s the matter, boy? Did I wake up too late to suit you?” Fox’s normal breakfast time was 6:00 a.m. “Guess I’ll have to work on that, huh?”

In the barn, Caitlin leaned her cane against the two tons of hay Dillon had neatly stacked against one wall, near the fifty-five-gallon drums of sweet feed and alfalfa pellets. Even though the bales were somewhat stair-stepped, the ones on top of the pile were well out of her reach. Her brother tended to forget that the rest of the world was not six foot four. Grumbling, Caitlin stepped onto the bottom row of hay and began to climb, slowly, unsteadily, yet pleased she was able to do it. By the time she was within reach of the top row, she was shaking, her hairline beaded with sweat.

But she got a rush from doing the familiar task, one she dearly loved. The sweetness of the alfalfa-grass mix mingled with the clean scent of the wood shavings in Fox’s stall—comforting smells she’d known her entire life. Fox had come through the open entrance from the paddock to his stall, and he now nickered at her over the half door. “I’m moving as fast as I can,” she called down to him.

Spike had scaled the haystack as though it was nothing more than an anthill. He stood above her, docked tail wagging, his bright, curious eyes seeming to ask what she was waiting for. Caitlin laughed at the little dog, who appeared to be part cat half the time, and reached to grasp the twin loops of nylon twine on a hay bale.

As soon as she tugged it free, she realized her error. This bale likely weighed between sixty to eighty pounds, but Caitlin had completely misjudged it. The heavy load jerked her off balance, and she fell backward, tumbling down the stair-stacked hay. Involuntarily, she let out a shriek.

Spike bounded down and circled her where she landed on the dirt floor, barking for all he was worth. His antics made her all the more dizzy, and Caitlin groaned, clutching one hand to the small of her back. Thank God for the back brace. Still, pain shot through her extremities and her lower spine as she sat up unsteadily. She remained on the floor, trembling, myriad emotions running through her. Anger at her own stupidity. Frustration at not being able to do something so simple. And humiliation at having fallen like a helpless newborn filly trying to gain her legs. She raked a hand through her hair and growled a curse.

“Are you all right?”

Startled, Caitlin looked up into the wide eyes of Hallie Hunter. The girl stood in the doorway of the barn as though unsure of whether to move inside or take off running for help. Her face looked pale.

Caitlin shifted position, then moaned at a fresh stab of pain. “Yeah, I’m okay. Could you please hand me my cane?”

Hallie hurried to get it. She also reached out to give Caitlin a hand in rising to her feet.

“Boy, do I feel stupid.” Caitlin gave the kid a crooked grin. “Did you see me fall?”

Hallie’s face flushed, and she shook her head, her ponytail swishing. “No. I, uh, heard your dog barking and thought maybe something was wrong.” She bent to pet Spike, who leaped all over her with his usual vigor, as if he hadn’t seen a human in weeks. The girl giggled as the terrier licked her face. “He’s cute.”

“He’s a handful sometimes,” Caitlin said. “But I’m glad he set off the alarm.” She hid her embarrassment, knowing the child couldn’t possibly have made it across the road so quickly after Spike had begun to bark. She’d probably been lurking in the vicinity to visit Silver Fox again. In all likelihood, Hallie had seen her lose her balance and fall so unceremoniously from the haystack.

“I thought you were going to send Silver Fox to your parents’ ranch?”

“Yeah, well, I changed my mind,” Caitlin said. “You want to help me feed him?”

Immediately, the girl’s face brightened. “Sure.”

But before Caitlin could move to cut the twine on the bale that had tumbled to the floor with her, Alex’s deep voice carried from across the way. “Hallie! Hallie, where are you?”

“Over here, Dad!” Hallie shouted. “In the barn.”

Caitlin’s stomach churned. What had she been thinking? That she could befriend the girl and avoid the kid’s dad? Self-consciously, she realized what a sight she must look. She’d tossed on a T-shirt with no bra and a faded pair of jeans. And she knew she had hay sticking in her hair, since she was still in the process of picking flecks of leaf and stem from it.

Lovely.

But what did it matter?

You aren’t yourself and you never will be. The guy was here for his daughter, not for her. Caitlin faced him as Alex came through the barn door.

“Hi,” he said, and then frowned at his daughter. “Hallie, you know better than to take off and not tell me where you’re going. I thought we talked about this yesterday.”

“Da-ad.” Hallie squirmed with obvious embarrassment. Looking up at her father, she quirked her mouth. “I was helping Caitlin.”

Caitlin made an effort not to mimic Hallie’s squirm as Alex’s gaze raked her from head to toe. She picked more hay from her hair. “She’s helping me feed.”

“Really?” Amusement lit his chocolate-brown eyes and his lips curved, making her heart beat faster. “Looks more like you’re wearing that hay than feeding it to your horse.”

She rolled her tongue against her cheek. “Yeah, well, I had a little problem pulling that bale off the stack. It more or less pulled me down instead.”

Concern instantly replaced his bemused expression. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. It was nothing.”

He glanced at her cane, and Caitlin wanted to melt into the floor.

“You know, if you need help, all you have to do is ask. I can even give you our phone number in case—”

“That won’t be necessary.” Caitlin cut him off, then realized she sounded rude. “But thanks.”

“Oh, I forgot—you’re sending the horse away.”

“Actually, I’m not.” She flashed him a forced smile. “But Hallie and I have things under control here. Right, kiddo?”

“Right.” Hallie grinned at her, eyes full of hero worship.

Caitlin was sure that wouldn’t last, as soon as the kid realized she was no longer the woman portrayed in the magazines. Ignoring her inner voice, she showed Hallie how to separate the hay into flakes and feed an armful of the large square sections to Fox. She stood patiently while Hallie cooed to the gelding and patted his neck. But her body throbbed, and all she really wanted was to go back inside the house and lie down. She didn’t even bother to protest when Alex moved three bales down from the top of the stack to the floor where she’d have easy access to them the next time she fed her horse.

Leaving Silver Fox to his breakfast, Caitlin walked outside with Alex and Hallie, trying to find a graceful way to escape their company. But before she could say a word, Spike suddenly bolted in pursuit of a rabbit that scampered across the open land beyond the barn.

“Spike! Come back here.” Caitlin knew it was futile.

“I’ll get him,” Hallie said, sprinting off after the dog.

“Hallie, don’t go far,” Alex called after her, his face pinched with worry.

Why on earth did he treat his daughter as though she were five years old? “What grade is Hallie in?” Caitlin asked.

“Seventh.” He turned, frowning at her. “What, you’re insinuating that I treat her like a baby?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.” He folded his arms. “You are way out of line, Caitlin. You have no idea where I’m coming from.”

She shrugged. “You’re right. None of my business.” She set a pace she could manage, following Hallie and Spike.

“Wait a minute.” Alex stopped her with his hand on her arm.

To her annoyance, every nerve along her skin responded. She scowled at him. “What?”

“I didn’t mean to snap at you.” He sighed. “I’m sure Hallie will be fine. Let her catch your dog. Lord knows she’s got five times the energy I do.”

“Kids always have endless energy.” Abruptly, Caitlin felt light-headed and shaky.

“Are you all right?” Alex reached out to steady her.

“I’m fine.” Doing her best to maintain a casual air, Caitlin walked back toward the barn and sank onto a glider Dillon had installed near the walkway leading from the building.

“You don’t look fine,” Alex said, sitting beside her.

Sweat beaded her upper lip, and she knew it was a safe bet she’d either gone pale or flushed. “All right, maybe not fine, but I’m okay.” She laughed without humor. “Apparently even Spike is more than I can handle. Maybe I should send him and Silver Fox both back to the ranch.” She hoped her comment appeared offhanded.

Alex’s eyes were serious. “I read about your accident,” he said. “Hallie’s horse magazines finally caught up with us through our forwarded mail, and I was thumbing through them last night. There was a story about you in Equus.”

She didn’t want to talk about the crash. Hadn’t even wanted the magazine to do the article. But Gran had insisted that it was far better to get the facts straight than to leave everything open to public speculation and gossip. She’d wanted it made clear that while the driver of the SUV who struck Caitlin was suspected of—and later confessed to—being intoxicated, there had been no alcohol involved on Caitlin’s part.

“Then you know exactly what happened,” Caitlin said.

He was silent for a moment. “We had a terrible tragedy in our family about three months after you were run down by that drunk,” he said.

Surprised, she looked directly at him. “Oh?”

“Yeah. And since I can’t seem to keep Hallie away from your horse, I think it’s best you know about it.” He took a breath. “My daughter witnessed a drive-by shooting. But for the grace of God, it could’ve been her who was killed.”

Shock gripped Caitlin. “What happened?”

“She and her cousin were walking to a convenience store a few blocks from our house, when kids with a score to settle drove through the parking lot. They fired at some high school boys who were coming out of the store as Hallie and Melissa were going in. They missed the boys but hit Melissa.”

“Oh, my God.” Caitlin stared at him, not knowing what else to say.

“Melissa was thirteen,” Alex said. “She and Hallie were like sisters.” He fought to control his voice. “She died right there, while Hallie watched. Bled to death in the parking lot before help could arrive.”

Suddenly, Caitlin’s own problems seemed petty. “I’m so sorry, Alex.” She touched his knee. “I can only imagine what Hallie has been through.”

He nodded, glancing down at her hand, and she quickly removed it. “I don’t normally tell my business to everyone. But like I said, if Hallie’s going to hang out at your place, I want you to know what she’s been through. That’s why I’m a little overprotective.”

“I completely understand.” She felt like an ass for having criticized him moments ago.

Alex nodded, then rose to his feet as Hallie reappeared clutching Spike in her arms. Her smile obviously did Alex’s heart good, by the look in his eyes.

“Boy, your dog sure can run. I only caught him because he’d stopped to try to dig that rabbit out of its burrow.”

Caitlin rolled her eyes, hoping it would help hide her emotions. That Hallie wouldn’t be able to see her empathy. “That’s a Jack Russell for you. They’ll go to ground after a rabbit or just about anything else they see.”

“That’s what kind of dog he is?” Hallie asked. “I thought he was a mutt.”

Caitlin laughed. “He is. But he’s a purebred mutt. They’re a pretty popular breed out on the show circuit. Those and Welsh Corgis.”

“What’s a Welsh Corgi?” Hallie asked.

Caitlin laughed again, enjoying the girl’s curiosity. She proceeded to describe the breed.

“Hey, cupcake,” Alex said, tweaking his daughter’s ponytail. “If you’re going to pester Caitlin with a million questions, then the least we can do is offer to feed her.” He looked her way. “Your horse has had his breakfast. Have you had yours?”

“No,” she admitted reluctantly. The last thing she wanted was to go out to breakfast. Especially with Alex, with his dark eyes and cowboy drawl.

“Neither have we. Why don’t you come over and eat with us? I was about to whip up a batch of scratch pancakes anyway. You can even bring Spike.” He gave the dog’s head a pat.

Caitlin raised her eyebrows. “You make your pancakes from scratch?”

His deep chuckle sent shivers down her back and arms. “What, you don’t think a man is capable?”

“No. I mean, yes, I’m sure you’re capable. It’s just that…” Just that she’d mostly eaten out in restaurants or had her meals prepared by the family’s chef. How pretentious would that sound? She shrugged and laughed. “I’m not much of a cook myself, so actually that would be nice.” How could she say no? Especially with the way Hallie was looking at her, as though she walked on water.

Her heart went out to the girl. She’d suffered such a horrible trauma. Come close to being killed herself. It was something, regretfully, they had in common.

“Good,” Alex said. “Then it’s settled. Let’s go.” He slipped his arm around Hallie’s shoulder and began to walk back toward their house.

At least now Caitlin knew the answer to the question at the back of her mind. Alex wasn’t married.

As he waited for her to catch up, Caitlin had a nice view of his snug-fitting Wranglers.

Maybe that fact wasn’t such a good thing after all.