“I don’t—”
“You have to eat, and we don’t have to take long. I know you said you had something to do in town. We could meet after that.”
He’d been toying with the idea of talking to Fletcher again about Corey’s situation, especially now that he had been moved to the boys ranch. Instead of paying Fletcher a visit at his office, Nick would eat lunch at Lila’s Café, where the man often indulged in some of the best food in Haven.
“You’re right. I do need to eat. I still have a long afternoon ahead at my ranch, but no work could keep me from being there for Corey when he arrived at his new home. When he gets scared, he clams up and sulks.”
“Then he must have been really scared. He hardly said a word. I’m glad you were there for him. Do you think Ned will cause trouble for Corey?”
A vision of his own dad coming drunk to one of his baseball games and making a scene in the stands popped into his mind. Nick gripped the steering wheel so tightly his hands hurt. He had dropped the ball and the game had gone into extra innings. All he’d wanted to do was crawl into a hole and hide.
“Nick, are you okay?”
The concern in Darcy’s voice pulled him away from the past, but the anger the memory produced lingered. “I’m fine.”
“You’re worried about Ned, but sometimes having a child taken away finally leads a parent to making the changes needed to reunite the family.”
“And often it doesn’t. And even if Ned stopped drinking in order to get Corey back, would it last? It’s not easy to walk away from a habit that is so ingrained in you.”
“But not impossible.”
Nick pulled into a parking space near Lila’s Café, switched off the engine and twisted toward her. “You want Ned to take Corey home.” Anger laced each word.
She didn’t flinch or turn away. Instead, she shifted to face him. “I want what’s best for Corey. The same as you. The boys ranch is nice and a good temporary situation for Corey, but it isn’t a home with a family.”
“You grew up with a mother and father always there for you?”
She nodded. “Family is everything.”
“That’s nice and I agree—when it’s available. But this isn’t a perfect world where all children grow up with a loving family.”
“You don’t think I know that? I work with dysfunctional families all the time in my job. But we can’t give up on the family. That’s the fabric of our society. When the family goes, everyone is hurt.”
She was right about the importance of family, but she looked at life through rose-colored glasses. “Are you one of those do-gooders who thinks all you have to do is throw a little money at a problem or breeze in and out of a person’s life and it will change?”
Her blue eyes narrowed to diamond-hard chips. “You don’t know me or what I’ve been through. I’m sorry you didn’t have a family—”
“Hold it right there. Who said I didn’t?”
“You did. If you had, you wouldn’t feel the way you do.”
The truth in her words deflated his anger. This whole affair with Ned had brought back painful memories he had tried to forget. “You’re right. I didn’t have the perfect family with loving parents. My father was just like Ned and my mother died when I was seven.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t tell you to get your sympathy. I’ve dealt with it and moved on.”
“Have you?”
He looked long and hard into her eyes. “Yes. My dad died eighteen months back, and the world is a better place now. Nothing else I can do about it.”
“Yes, there is. You can forgive him.”
He glared at her. Forgive his father? No way! “If you’re hungry, I suggest we go inside. I’ve worked up quite an appetite.”
“For what, rattlesnake meat?”
He paused in opening the truck door and glanced over his shoulder at the twinkle in her eye.
“I couldn’t resist saying that,” Darcy said with a smile and climbed down from the pickup.
How in the world did the conversation end up on subjects he never talked to others about—even his uncle? What was so different about Darcy that he let himself be baited? He shook off the feelings she’d stirred about his past and smiled back. “If you want, we could go rattlesnake hunting while you’re here. I know people who do.”
“I’ll pass on that.”
He winked. “You have an open invitation if you change your mind.”
She laughed. At the entrance to the café, Nick opened the door for her. As he entered behind her, he spied one empty table in the back corner, not far from where Fletcher was eating with the mayor, Elsa Wells. No doubt Fletcher was trying to sway her to his way of thinking about the boys ranch.
While passing their table, Nick slowed and tipped the brim of his cowboy hat toward Elsa before stopping next to Fletcher and staring down at him. “I thought you should know, since you’re related to Corey Phillips, he’s now residing at the boys ranch—in case you want to visit your cousin there.” He couldn’t resist that last dig.
Then Nick continued toward the vacant table and held the chair out for Darcy. As she settled, he took his seat across from her, facing Fletcher. The older man’s gaze stabbed through him.
“Who was that?”
“That’s Fletcher Phillips and Elsa Wells, our mayor.”
“I saw him this morning picking up Avery Culpepper. She’s staying at the Blue Bonnet Inn.”
After the waitress filled their glasses with water and handed them a menu, he opened it, saying, “What do you think about Avery?”
“She’s a bit young for Fletcher.”
He stared at her for a few seconds and then laughed. “She’s made it clear she isn’t happy that her grandfather left his place to the boys ranch. She has said that she won’t hire a lawyer and take the Lone Star Cowboy League and the boys ranch to court if she receives a hundred thousand dollars. The league turned her down.”
“So has she hired Fletcher Phillips to represent her?”
“Not sure, although they have been chummy.”
Darcy studied her menu and then lifted her head. “Is the lawyer the reason we came to eat here?”
“I was going to pay him another visit at his office, but you’re right that I do have to eat, so why not do both at the same time?”
“I like the way you think. What are you getting for lunch?”
“Chicken-fried steak. They make the best in the county.”
“With mashed potatoes and gravy?”
He nodded.
“Sounds delicious, but I’m on a gluten-free diet. I have to be careful what I eat. I’ll order a salad instead.”
Surprise flitted through him, and yet it shouldn’t have. Darcy was thin and probably constantly watching what she ate and dieting. She seemed so out of place here.
So many things about Darcy just didn’t seem to add up. Her desire to help with the search for Corey and to volunteer at the boys ranch was astonishing for someone who was here on vacation. There was something else going on here. He felt it in his gut. Just what was Darcy’s real story?
Chapter Five
The following Monday afternoon, Darcy entered the library at the boys ranch and scanned the room for Lana Alvarez. She spied the school teacher/volunteer at a table with two boys.
As Darcy approached, Lana lifted her head and smiled, her dark brown eyes fixed on Darcy.
“I’m Darcy Hill. I’m hoping I can help you with tutoring.” She held out her hand.
Lana shook it. “We always need extra tutors.” Lana rose and moved away from the boys. “Flint told me you helped Nick find Corey.”
“Yes, and I was hoping I could work with him especially. I want to help him adjust to his new situation.” Darcy searched the
library for Corey and found him at a table alone.
“That can certainly be arranged. This is all so new. I think he feels a bit overwhelmed.”
“I agree. He’s staring at that book, but I don’t think he’s reading.”
“Today was his first day at school. I don’t know a lot about him yet. I was going to finish with Danny and Mikey, and then see what he needs to do.”
Darcy looked around the room. “I can see why you need help. There are only a few volunteers.”
“It varies from day to day. I hear you’ll only be here for the rest of this month.”
“Right, but while I’m in Haven, I can be here every day to help out.” Seeing Corey sitting by himself bothered Darcy. “I hate to see him alone.”
“Aiden asked him to sit with him, but Corey didn’t want to. Aiden hasn’t been here long, and he lives in the same wing as Corey. I think he’ll be good for Corey.”
“Which one is Aiden?”
“The table to the left, brown hair. If you can help Corey, that would be great. Sometimes it takes a new boy a little time to fit in, but Corey isn’t even trying.”
“Thanks. I’ll see what I can do.”
Darcy made her way to Corey and took the chair next to the boy. He stiffened, but he slid a glance her way. “How was the first day of school?” she asked him.
He shrugged.
“Did you meet any friends?”
He shook his head.
“Have you seen Nick today?”
He nodded.
Darcy touched the corner of his book titled The Adventures of Shaun. “This isn’t a textbook. Did you get it at school?”
His head bobbed up and down.
She’d dealt before with children who occasionally would give her the silent treatment. She decided to ask him a question he couldn’t answer with a yes or no. “Who’s your new teacher?”
He didn’t say anything for a long moment and then murmured, “Mrs. Harris.”
“What are some of the things you did today at school?”
“Work.”
“What do you have to do for homework? Math? Reading?”
“A report on the library book that I checked out.”
Darcy peered at the page he was on. He’d read only two pages. “You haven’t read much. When is the report due?”
“End of the week.”
“Why did you pick it?”
“It was the last one left on the book cart for the class.”
She picked it up and read the back-cover copy. “This sounds really interesting. Shaun and his friends find a secret cave with a treasure in it. I’d love for you to read some of it to me.”
His head dropped and his shoulders hunched.
“This isn’t the best place to read a story. Let’s go into the house and find a quiet area.”
He mumbled something she couldn’t hear.
Darcy leaned closer. “What did you say?”
He slammed the book closed and leaped to his feet. Darcy stood and grabbed The Adventures of Shaun while Corey hurried from the library.
As she passed Lana, she said, “I’ve got this.” She prayed she did.
Then Darcy rushed across the short distance to the house. Walking down a hallway, she looked right and left. Which way did Corey go?
Darcy checked the living room but didn’t find Corey. When she left, she glimpsed him sitting on a step near the top of the staircase. Corey tensed and then started to stand.
She slowly ascended the stairs. “Relax, Corey. You don’t have to read if you don’t want to.”
Corey’s eyes widened as though he felt trapped.
“I’m only here to help you.” She sat beside him. “Coming to a new place can be scary. I remember the first time I went to summer camp. I was eight and didn’t know anyone. A lot of kids knew each other from the summer before. The first day I hid a lot. I had such a good hiding place that I didn’t realize the whole camp was looking for me. I missed dinner.”
“Where did you hide?”
“Under the porch.”
“What about the bugs and critters?”
“I was fine until a snake slithered in front of me. I got out of there so fast, I fell and rolled down the hill. I landed at my counselor’s feet.”
Corey giggled. “Was she mad at you?”
“She wasn’t happy, but the other campers couldn’t believe I crawled under there and stayed. Now, I don’t recommend doing this, but after that, I had a lot of kids who wanted to talk to me.”
“I don’t mind snakes.”
“I never thought about it until I encountered one under the porch, but now they’re one of my least favorite animals. I have several pets at home. My parents are watching them while I’m here.”
Corey twisted toward her. “I’ve never had a pet. What kind do you have?”
“A cat named Calico and a dog named Arnold.”
“They get along?”
“Best buddies.”
“Do you miss them?”
“Yup. If you could have a pet, what would you get?”
“A dog. I liked meeting Cowboy at the barn.”
“How about the horses?”
“Yes!”
Maybe Nick would be at the barn. “Well, then, let’s go to the barn. I’ll let Lana know we’re going for a walk.”
“But I’m supposed to do my homework.”
“You will afterward.”
He turned forward and lowered his head. “I can’t.”
“I’ll help you.”
“You don’t understand. I can’t read real good.”
His behavior made sense. Did the school and boys ranch know he had a problem? “Tell you what. Let’s go find a quiet spot and I’ll read the first page if you’ll try the second one. That’s all for today. Then we can both go to the barn and see the animals for the rest of the time.”
“Only a page?”
She nodded.
Corey jumped to his feet and hurried down the stairs. More slowly, Darcy followed. She’d just found something that might motivate the boy. She couldn’t wait to tell Nick.
* * *
As the sun set, Nick brushed down Laredo after riding him along the perimeter of his ranch to check the fences. He did that more frequently since the one along his northern boundary had been sabotaged. Finally they all appeared to be in good condition. His dad must not have fixed any in years. That went for a lot of things around the place, but after sixteen months of hard work he was beginning to see daylight.
The barn door opened behind him. Weary from a long day that had started at five in the morning, he looked over his shoulder, brushed his gelding’s flank one last time and then rotated toward Darcy. The sight of her lifted his spirits. “What brings you to the Flying Eagle?”
Her smile lit the dimness in the cavernous barn. “I came to see you. Your uncle told me you were here.”
He held the halter and led Laredo in the direction of the back door. “I’m gonna put him out to pasture and then I’ll be right back.”
Why was she here? Over the weekend he’d hoped she would be at the boys ranch when he was there. Lana had told him she’d dropped by after church yesterday to set up times for her to volunteer, but he’d arrived in the late afternoon and missed her. He’d felt disappointed and knew he needed to stop thinking about her. Easy to say, hard to do. There was something captivating about her—fragile and yet not.
After reentering the barn, he crossed to the tack room and hung up the halter. He knew the exact second she stood in the doorway, although she didn’t make a sound. Her presence was almost tangible.
Slowly he faced her. Her shoulder-length blond hair framed her beautiful features. Her blue gaze held his for a long mo
ment. As he crossed to her, breathing in her flowery scent, which chased away the smells of the barn, his look dropped to her full lips. They were covered in a light pink gloss. He balled his hand to suppress the urge to touch them. To kiss them.
A whinny destroyed the moment. Darcy stepped back, and he skirted around her, needing to put some space between them. If he was smart, he would remember to keep his distance, but clear across the town wasn’t far enough to stop him from wanting to cup her face and...
He refused to complete the thought. “So why are you here?” Nick asked as he strolled toward a stall containing a pregnant mare. Before he left he wanted to check on her.
“I came to talk about Corey.”
He opened the door and went inside to assess Morning Star, running his hand over her. “I took Bea and him to school this morning. I’d promised him I would for his first day. He was quiet, but he seemed all right. One of the boys on his wing is in the same class—Aiden. When I left just before the bell rang, they were talking together.”
“That’s good. But he was sullen when he came home.”
Nick gave Morning Star a carrot. “It won’t be long, girl. I’ll see you before I go to bed.” After rubbing her nose, he left the stall, closing the door.
“She looks pregnant. Is that why she’s in the barn? Most of the stalls are empty.”
“Yes. The first foal she had last year died not long after she gave birth. I want to keep an eye on her this time.”
“That would be something Corey would get a kick out of.”
“You’ve been with him a few days, and you think you know him.”
“Today he told me he never had a pet but would love a dog. When we went to the barn, he said he wanted to learn to ride. Horses were his second favorite animal.”
How had she discovered so much about Corey in such a short time? He didn’t know about the child wanting a dog. Things like this only confirmed to Nick that he wasn’t father material. “I promised him I would teach him to ride, but then Ned wouldn’t let me bring him to my ranch.”
“Flint told Corey he would be put in a group to care for one of the horses. He smiled all the way back to the house.”
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