Оценить:
 Рейтинг: 0

A Family for Tory and A Mother for Cindy: A Family for Tory / A Mother for Cindy

Автор
Год написания книги
2018
<< 1 ... 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ... 23 >>
На страницу:
10 из 23
Настройки чтения
Размер шрифта
Высота строк
Поля

Tory smiled. “Yes. You should see her with the young riders. I have a class of three-, four-and five-year-olds and she’s great with them. Like a pro.”

“Speaking of classes, Mindy tells me about how hard you work to keep this operation up and running. You could use some help around here.”

“Don’t I know it. But that costs money, money I don’t have.”

“After Mrs. Watson returns and things settle down, I could take a look at your books and see if I can help in any way. Even though I’m not an accountant, I’ve taken a few classes in order to help me with my business.”

Tory lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Sure. With the stable, I’ve learned to accept help where given.” She wiped down the sink, then draped the washcloth over the edge. “I told Mindy I would talk to you about something that happened earlier today.”

“This doesn’t sound good.”

“She had a bad dream this afternoon while she was taking a nap. She told me she remembers her mother crying the last time she saw her.”

Tension whipped down Slade’s length, his expression unreadable.

“She said she didn’t get to go to the funeral for her mother.”

“She was still in the hospital.” The defensive tone in Slade’s voice spoke of the emotions he was holding in check.

“She didn’t get to say goodbye to her mother and I think that’s bothering her.”

His eyes became diamond hard and his jaw clenched.

Tory cleared her throat, its dryness making it difficult to speak. “I thought I would take her to her mother’s grave site and let her say goodbye, unless you would like to. I think she needs to for closure.”

A nerve in his cheek twitched. He walked toward the window that overlooked the backyard. “No. I will when everything settles down with Mrs. Watson.”

“I’ll go with you, if you want.”

“I—” Glancing outside, Slade went rigid, then spun toward the door and yanked it open.

Chapter Three

Slade rushed out the back door toward Mindy who lay on the ground by the tire swing. Tory quickly followed. As he approached, his daughter pushed herself to her knees and struggled to stand. All he saw was the scraped skin on her shin and blood beading around the wound. The heaviness in his chest made his breaths shorten.

He scooped up Mindy into his arms. “Are you all right, baby?”

She squirmed. “Dad-dy—oo-kay.”

Slade started for the house.

“No! Swing!” Mindy continued to wiggle until he put her down. She headed for the tire.

“But your leg—”

Tory touched his arm, stopping his progress toward his daughter. “She’ll be fine. I’ll take care of the scrape later.”

He swung his attention from his daughter to the petite woman who stood a foot from him. The physical contact was so brief that Slade wondered if Tory’s fingers had grazed him. Now her hands were laced together so tightly that her knuckles were white and tension lined her features.

“Why don’t you push her while I go get a Band-Aid and something to clean up her shin?”

Slade watched the woman, who had been a part of his daughter’s life for months, who was becoming very important to Mindy. Tory walked toward the back door with a grace and confidence Slade had seen when she dealt with her horses. But beneath that layer of assurance was a vulnerability that drew him to her. She had been so good with Mindy. He wanted to help her as she had helped him. But he didn’t know what the problem was.

“Dad-dy.”

He twisted toward Mindy. “Do you want me to push you?”

“Yes!” Mindy began to worm her way through the hole in the tire.

Slade grasped her around the waist and situated her safely on the swing with her arms looped around the rubber and her legs dangling in front. He gripped the tire and brought it back a few feet, then let go. His daughter’s squeals of laughter erased his earlier concerns. In the past twenty-two months he hadn’t heard that sound nearly enough. Tory was not only good with Mindy but for her, as well.

The back door slamming shut indicated Tory’s return. Slade peered over his shoulder as she approached him, noting the shadows of dusk settling over the yard, obscuring her expression. He gave his daughter a few more pushes, then let the swing come to a slow stop.

“I hate to cut this evening short, Mindy, but it’s getting late and we have to get up early tomorrow and come back out here.”

Mindy squirmed through the hole, resisting any help from him. She stood patiently while Tory dabbed some hydrogen peroxide on the scrape, then covered it with a Band-Aid.

Tory straightened. “Why don’t you let Mindy spend the night with me? That way she’ll get to bed on time and you won’t have to drive all the way back out here tomorrow morning.”

“Yes!” Mindy clapped her hands. “Plee-ze.”

“She doesn’t have her pajamas or toothbrush.”

“I have a T-shirt she can wear and I have an extra toothbrush. She can wear the extra clothes she has out here and you can bring another set tomorrow evening.”

Slade took in his daughter’s eager face and said, “Okay, if you’re sure.”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”

“Goo-dy.” Mindy started for the tire swing.

“No, young lady. You need to get ready for bed.”

His daughter’s lips puckered into a pout. “But—Dad—”

“Mindy, your father’s right. We’ll need to get up early to take care of the horses.”

“Oh yeah.” Mindy’s pout disappeared as she began her trek toward the house without another thought to the tire swing.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten that quick of a turnaround about bedtime.”

Tory grinned. “It’s all in what you can offer them.”

“And you have the advantage. You’ve given her something to look forward to. Thank you.”

“It’s been my pleasure.”

Two red patches graced Tory’s cheeks, heightening her quiet beauty. She veiled the expression in her large brown eyes and started to follow Mindy into the house. The woman’s every motion was economical, nothing wasted, Slade thought as he observed her mount the steps to her deck. He inhaled deeply of the spring air, laden with the scent of wildflowers and earth. Scanning the backyard surrounded by fenced pastures, he decided that he liked the country and its seemingly slower pace.
<< 1 ... 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ... 23 >>
На страницу:
10 из 23