The Sheriff's 6-year-old Secret

“Of course,” he told her. “And I agree wholeheartedly. You can rest assured that I’ll reiterate that with her on the way home.”

“And I want you to know,” Gwen continued, “I had a long discussion with Billy. I tried to make him understand that his actions and his words only aggravated the problem.”

Instigated them, really, she wanted to say. But she didn’t. As a teacher and responsible adult, she had to represent every single one of her students in the fairest way possible.

“Well, if I know Charity—” Nathan’s expression turned sheepish, and Gwen thought it terribly charming “—she probably gave Billy a few choice words of her own.” Amazement made his brows raise a fraction and he shook his head. “In the few weeks since this child entered my life, she’s proved to have a sharp tongue.”

“She does speak her mind, doesn’t she?” Gwen chuckled and suddenly remembered an encounter she’d had with the child. “In fact, she asked me first thing this morning if I forgot to brush my hair.”

His eyes went round with dismay and his mouth dropped open. He blurted, “Y-your hair is beautiful.”

Gwen knew he was only trying to make up for his daughter’s infraction, but the compliment had her blushing with pure pleasure even so.

Reaching out, she touched his sleeve reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t insulted. My students often comment about my unruly hair. I just explain that it’s hard to keep curls like mine under control.”

Suddenly she felt the need to reverse gears a step or two.

“If you don’t mind my asking—” absently she laced her fingers together and placed them in her lap “—what did you mean just now when you said in the few weeks since Charity entered your life?”

One of his muscular shoulders lifted in a shrug. “At the beginning of last month…I wasn’t even aware of Charity’s existence. You see, Charity’s mother and I dated for a while. A very short while. We broke up years ago and I never heard from the woman again. Until she had me contacted last month.”

“Had you contacted?” Gwen couldn’t hide her confusion. “I don’t understand.”

“She couldn’t call herself. Ellen was ill. Extremely ill.” His jaw tensed. “She was dying, actually. And she needed me to take Charity.”

“Oh, my,” Gwen breathed. “You must have been…surprised to learn you’re a father. Incredulous, really. Saddened by the woman’s illness, of course.” It was an amazing story. She couldn’t imagine all that he must have experienced while learning what was sure to have been life-altering news.

He heaved a sigh. “I felt all those things and more. I was forced to deal with some big changes in my life. Ellen’s illness. Her funeral. And at the same time I was attempting to cultivate some kind of relationship with this little girl. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to explain to a child that her mother is going away? Forever? I’m still not sure Charity understands.”

Her heart pinching with compassion, Gwen couldn’t help but remember when her own mother died and she’d been the one who had had to explain things to her brother, so she really did understand.

“It must have been awful,” she murmured. “For both of you, I’m sure.”

“I wanted to get Charity out of the city—”

He blinked and his tongue smoothed across his dusky lips. A strange tingling sensation rushed across every inch of Gwen’s skin. She stifled the shiver that threatened to rock through her.

“—so I brought her here to Smoke Valley.”

The way his dark gaze slid from hers, she couldn’t help but think there was much more to his reasons for leaving New York City than he was willing to reveal to her, a total stranger.

“I was quitting one job, finding another. Packing up my apartment, cleaning out Ellen’s. Searching for a place here on the rez for me and Charity to live. Dealing with problems at the new job. You’d be amazed how hard it is for people to get used to a new boss.” He shook his head. “Poor Charity must feel as if she’s been tossed into a barrel with someone she’s only known a short while and sent rolling and crashing down a rocky mountainside.”

Gwen could easily imagine the feeling. Amazingly, that description matched what she was experiencing simply sitting here talking with the man.

“I didn’t know that all this was going on in Charity’s life,” she said. “I’m glad you told me. I’ll be extra patient with her. And I’ll look for any overt signs of stress in her behavior.”

His chin snapped up. “You think that’s why she fought with that little boy today? Because she’s stressed because of all the changes taking place in her life?”

Gwen shook her head emphatically. “No, I don’t think that at all. I’m certain she was simply reacting to some mean-spirited comments made by one of her classmates, that’s all. I would tell you if I thought there was more to it, honestly I would. Charity was just standing up for herself. And as I’ve already told you, I think she showed the class today that Billy’s bullying doesn’t have to be tolerated. The children have other outlets. They have me. They can come to me. And I’ve told them so.”

After a moment he gave his head a slow, grim shake. “I guess you can tell I don’t have a clue about raising a daughter. I have no experience at this at all. I’m a single guy whose only responsibility up until a few weeks ago was showing up for work every day and paying my rent on time.”

“Oh, now,” she crooned softly. His self-doubt stirred her empathy something fierce. “Give yourself more credit than that.”

She felt such an overwhelming urge to encourage and support this man. Gwen tried to imagine what it would be like to wake up one morning and discover that not only do you have a daughter but that you’re now going to be her sole guardian. The idea was mind-boggling. The poor guy must have reeled when he found out about Charity. Heck, from the sound it, he was still reeling.

“All you need to do is love her,” Gwen told him. “That’s the number-one key to raising a healthy child. Unconditional love.” Then she smiled. “That, and firm discipline.”

He seemed surprised by this last suggestion.

The silent questions in his dark gaze had her elaborating, “I’ve only been working with youngsters for a few years, but the one thing I’ve learned is that kids love to shove at the boundaries that have been set for them.” Her eyes twinkled with the merriment she felt. “As adults, it’s our job to shove them right back. Metaphorically speaking, of course.”

He laughed, and Gwen was amazed by how much she liked the rich sound. She’d have loved to press her palm to his chest and feel the vibration of it.

The idea made her eyes widen a fraction. It was clear to her that, despite the disquieting, memory-stirring uniform he wore, Nathan Thunder was having the most startling effect on her.

“Love and discipline. I’ll try to remember that.”

She squeezed his forearm. “You’ll do just fine. You’ll see.”

His gorgeous eyes clouded with skepticism, but he made no further comment. Finally he said, “Thank you, Gwen, for being so reasonable about the mess Charity got herself into today.”

A soft chuckle escaped her throat. “When you choose to work with kids, your middle name had better be ‘reasonable’ or you aren’t going to survive for very long.” All this talk of being levelheaded with children triggered the memory of what had happened last week with her brother.

“I owe you a hefty dose of appreciation, as well,” she said, her tone growing serious. “You, too, were very reasonable last week with my brother. I thank you for taking the time to talk to him.”

“That was all part of my job. I’d much rather give a kid a good lecture meant to scare the bejesus out of him than see him get himself into some real trouble later in life.”

Gwen hoped that Brian’s run-in with the law would have him walking the straight and narrow path. But for some reason, she feared that wasn’t the case. There was simply too much secrecy about where he was and whom he spent his time with these days. Some of that, she was certain, was just part of being a teenager. But Brian was harboring a great deal of anger and resentment, and Gwen felt her brother had no intention of venting those negative feelings in positive ways.

“How is he?” Nathan asked. “Your brother—Brian’s his name, isn’t it?”

“Brian, yes.” Inadvertently she sighed. “He’s…okay.”

Obviously sensing her hesitance, he coaxed, “Is everything really all right at home? Are your parents very upset with Brian for what happened at the store?”

“N-no. Well…,” she stammered, “you see, it’s just me and Brian.”

It was clear that this revelation surprised him. He tried to temper his reaction, but this news caused questions to form in his head. Gwen could plainly see that. However, before he could speak, movement at the classroom doorway plucked at their attention.

“Dad.”

Gwen smiled and invited Charity into the room with a wave of her hand. The child looked so innocent with her mop of dark curls and her milky complexion. At first glance, no one would have guessed that this little girl was capable of knocking a fellow student on his behind. Gwen stifled the grin that threatened to break out across her face.

“Mrs. Halley told me to come down here. She had to leave to pick up her son at day care.”

Glancing at the clock, Gwen said, “I should let you go, too. I’m sure you have a busy evening planned. And I still have some things to do to get ready for class tomorrow, then I have to get home. I don’t like to leave Brian alone for too long.”