by Liz Botts
Sure enough, a moment later Lexi asked, "So why do the fences need to be fixed? I mean, are they old or something?"
Will chuckled. "No. As a matter of fact, most of the fences have been rebuilt in the past year or so. Fences need to be mended constantly because of the harsh natural elements out here. Wind and ice and snow. But also because the cows and other animals break them by rubbing against them and the like. Besides good fences make good neighbors."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Will laughed again but stopped short when he saw the hurt look on Lexi's face. He coughed, confused. He remembered in stark contrast that he had no idea how to relate to a thirteen-year-old girl, but none of that mattered because this was his daughter. Will considered how to rectify the situation.
"I'm only laughing because that expression basically means that you need to keep your fences in good order so your livestock don't invade your neighbor's pasture. Trust me, that doesn't make you very popular. One year our sheep ruined the hay crop of our easterly neighbors. They wouldn't speak to us for a long time." Will rested an elbow on the saddle horn and knocked his hat back slightly so he could look his daughter squarely in the eye.
Lexi studied him with what he thought was understanding. She nodded. "That makes sense," she said. "About the fences and about the neighbors not talking to you."
Will continued to watch her for a few moments before starting to ride again. Silence descended on them broken only occasionally by bird call or the wind whistling in the pines.
"So, do you still have sheep?"
Lexi's question relaxed the mood and opened the door to more conversation. Will sat back in the saddle and felt like maybe he could get the hang of this dad thing after all.
The fences all seemed in good repair on this section and the calf/mother pairings seemed fine. As they topped a low rise, Will thought he heard a faint crying sound. Lexi was chattering away about all the things she was seeing, but even she stopped when she heard the strange whimper. Her eyes got big and round as she turned her attention toward him. Will wanted to reassure her, and he would, just as soon as he could ascertain where the sound was coming from. Noir pricked his ears up, and tossed his head in distress. The large black horse danced toward the edge of the trail. Will hadn't ridden up here since last fall, but he remembered the large ditch to the south slope of the hill. Following Noir's lead Will moved slowly in that direction.
"Stay put," he told Lexi, though the girl had made no move to follow.
Just over the edge of the hill, Will saw a tiny calf bleating and struggling in a ditch full of water. Given the general chill of April in this part of the Hills, Will figured the water had to be just above freezing, and given that there was no mother around frantic for her calf, he had to assume the poor thing had been here for awhile.
"What is it?" Lexi called. He could hear the anxiety in her tone.
"An abandoned calf. Looks like it's stuck in this flooded ditch. Give me a second to think this through and we'll get him out." Will quickly took stock of the things he had in his saddlebags. His rope might be enough, though he wasn't nearly as good at roping as Walker. Still there was no time to worry about that. They probably had another hour of daylight before things got dicey. Riding back to the ranch for help seemed out of the question. He and Lexi would have to perform this rescue all on their own.
Maneuvering Noir back up the hill Will said, "Listen, Lex, we're going to have to work together to rescue this calf. I'm going to grab a tree limb from that stand of trees over there. Stay here and keep a look out for the mother cow. I don't think she's around anymore but you never know. After I get the branch positioned to give the calf some leverage, we'll tie Bullock to the fence and you can stabilize the tree limb. I'll get the rope around the calf's neck and Noir will help me pull the little guy out. Do you think you can do it?"
"Definitely!" Lexi bounced in her saddle, swaying precariously from side to side. Her eyes sparkled in a way that he had never seen before in his daughter. Charlotte had been completely right in suggesting that he bring Lexi along. Despite all the challenges of having a greenhorn along, she was thriving under the pressure of this experience. His daughter was definitely cut out for ranch life, he mused, maybe even more so than he was.
Will found a large tree branch near the bank of pines and jumped off Noir to drag it back to the increasingly frantic calf. "It's okay, little guy," Will said in his most calm and soothing voice. He slid the limb into the water, careful not to bump the terrified animal. When he was satisfied with the positioning, he climbed back up the bank and helped Lexi off her horse. After securing Bullock to a nearby fence post, Will showed Lexi what he wanted her to do.
Once she was in place, Will climbed back on Noir and set about roping the calf. He made it around the animal's neck on the third attempt. Despite the nagging voice in the back of his mind that told him Walker and Wyatt would have landed it the first time, his adrenaline kicked in and helped narrow his focus to the singular task of getting the calf out of the ditch. With much pulling and struggling and splashing the calf finally heaved itself onto dry land.
The calf collapsed in an exhausted heap on the grass, but Will only let it have a moment's rest. He knew they needed to get the calf back to the cow barn, warm it, and feed it, if they wanted to see it have a chance at survival. He glanced at Lexi just in time to see her face alight with wonder. She scrambled up the steep hill and pulled herself up onto Bullock. As she waited for Will to untie the reins she kept shaking her head.
"That was so cool, Dad. You're totally a hero."
An unexpected flush crept up Will's neck. He was used to praise in the academic world, and he garnered his fair share of compliments in other areas of his life as well, but never had he felt so flattered. No one had ever told him he would feel this way about having a child.
Instead of saying anything, Will gave an odd grunt and focused his attention on prodding the calf to follow the horse along the trail. By the time they got back to the barn Will felt exhausted. His shoulder ached from hanging on to the rope with a tiny calf that insisted on dragging its feet. But whenever he looked at his daughter's face every second was worth it.
****
"We saved a calf!"
Lexi skidded into the kitchen and threw her arms around Charlotte. Despite her surprise, Charlotte laughed delightedly. The entire time Will and Lexi had been out on their ride Charlotte had fretted that she might have made a bad suggestion. Lexi didn't know how to ride and Will generally made the point that he wasn't thrilled to do ranch work anyway. Taking a thirteen-year-old along with him might not make him anything less than surly. And yet it seemed from this reaction that things had gone far better than she had hoped.
"Why don't you go wash up for dinner?" Charlotte suggested, giving Lexi another hug.
Lexi twirled out of the kitchen. Charlotte paused, turned down the burner on the stove, and walked to the door to the living room. Sierra sat quietly on the floor playing with her dolls, and Shane was watching cartoons. They had settled down nicely after she had baked cookies with them. The hurt that the two little ones had been experiencing had abated a little in the past few days.
"What smells so good?"
Charlotte's heart skipped a beat at the sound of the already familiar deep voice. She glanced over her shoulder willing herself to be calm and collected. "Black bean rice. My last foster mom taught me to cook. This was one of her go to dishes. Quick and filling."
As Will ambled closer Charlotte's furiously pumping pulse thundered in her ears. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. The worn flannel of his work shirt pulled taut over the broad expanse of his shoulders, and Charlotte's mouth went dry. Her gaze flew up to Will's face.
A smile curved along Will's mouth and his blue eyes crinkled in the corners. Charlotte had been doing her best to ignore her attraction to Will. The only thing giving in to temptation would result in was to make things more complicated than they already we
re. Still, in moments like this she felt the rush of awareness that had sparked during their first meeting.
"Well, it sure smells good," Will repeated.
Charlotte licked her lips. "Would you like a taste?"
She grabbed a spoon from the utensil drawer, dipped it into the pot, and offered it up to Will. He blew on it gently before taking a bite.
"Mmmm."
Charlotte's breath caught in her throat at Will's appreciation. Their eyes met and the spoon trembled in Charlotte's hand as she lowered it back to the counter.
"That is good."
Did Will's voice sound husky or was she just imagining things? Was something happening here? Confusion drummed at Charlotte's head, making her feel slightly dizzy.
Finding her voice, she said, "Thank you. Why don't you go clean up? Dinner will be ready soon."
Will held her gaze a moment longer, and Charlotte wondered why she couldn't read the expression in his eyes. After he left the room, Charlotte let herself breathe again. Whatever had passed between them, she knew that Will had felt it too. Shane wandered into the kitchen, drawing her back to the reality of three scared and hurting children. It wasn't the time to explore whatever was happening between them. The children had to come first. No job she had ever held had been more important. To show these children how very loved they were, she needed to focus her attention where it mattered most, and not let herself get distracted. Besides the situation was about to get more complicated if the envelope that had come in the mail was what she thought.
When Will came back in to the kitchen, Charlotte nodded toward the mail pile. "Something came from district court today."
Will's eyes lit up as he grabbed the stack and shuffled through it. Charlotte turned toward the stove, her heart aching. Sure she already knew that Will was Lexi's father, but the confirmation would make the custody proceedings move along swiftly. Will let out a whoop, and before Charlotte could say anything, Lexi burst through the kitchen door.
"What's going on?"
Charlotte turned to watch Will sweep Lexi into a hug. "We got the DNA results today that say you are mine beyond a shadow of a doubt. It's just a matter of time before the judge recognizes me as your guardian."
Lexi squealed. "That's awesome, Dad. Isn't this great, Charlotte?"
"Yes, great. "Charlotte managed a tight-lipped smile. Will must have caught the tension in her voice because he arched an eyebrow at her. With a shake of her head, Charlotte said, "Let's celebrate this over food."
Luckily, she and Will were distracted with the children during dinner and after. Lexi recounted the rescue of the calf in great detail, and Sierra hung on every word. Lexi turned to Will. "Is the calf a girl or a boy, Dad? I need to give it a name."
Will chuckled. "A heifer, so a girl. A name, huh?"
"That's the most important part, Dad. Her name will make her part of our family."
Charlotte hid her smile behind her napkin. "Maybe you can take Sierra out to the barn in the morning to meet the newest family member."
Sierra seemed to hold her breath until Lexi's face broke into a grin of agreement. The moment, this tiny infinitesimal moment told Charlotte that they had just had a breakthrough. And when she glanced at Will to see if he had seen it too, the smile he gave her made her glow.
Charlotte left Will and Lexi to work on her science homework. She ran a warm bath, and after getting Shane washed and changed into his pajamas, she helped Sierra into the tub. As Sierra pushed a duck around the sudsy water, she tipped her head toward Charlotte and said, "You know, I think maybe Lexi likes me. Just a little. Do you think she'll share her baby cow with me?"
"Lexi does like you," Charlotte agreed. She had to be careful not to say too much. The girls had to work out their relationship on their own.
Sierra dunked the duck. "I wish Uncle Will would teach me how to ride a horse."
A small smile tugged at Charlotte's lips. "I'm sure he will when he thinks you're ready."
"I'm ready now." Sierra pouted for a moment. Charlotte had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
"I'll talk to him, okay?" Charlotte wrapped Sierra in a big fluffy towel.
The little girl nodded then scooted into her room to get her pajamas on. After stories and songs, Charlotte took a deep breath and headed back into the kitchen. Lexi was just shutting her textbook on the table. The girl flashed Charlotte a smile that said the study session had gone well.
"Dad's out on the front porch." Lexi tapped her pencil on the table. "He told me I have to go to bed now. School tomorrow."
Even though Lexi rolled her eyes, the grin on her face told Charlotte all she needed to know. Clearly Lexi enjoyed having her father act like her father. After a quick hug, Lexi headed to her room. Charlotte hovered in the kitchen wondering what she should do next. Everything in her told her to join Will on the porch. The two of them needed to be friends, a united front for the kids, at least for the time being. And the present was all Charlotte would let herself think about.
She moved to the coffee pot, and poured two cups, doctoring them just the way she knew Will liked. The jolt of recognition that she was learning these intimate little things about him made Charlotte stop in the middle of the kitchen. She had a feeling that no matter how much she tried to keep an emotional distance, it just wasn't going to work. Already they were more intertwined than she had ever intended. And she had a feeling she would probably end up getting hurt.
The coffee cup shook in her hand as she decided whether or not the risk of exploring the tangled feelings she had toward Will was worth it. She only paused a hair breadth of a second before she pushed open the front door. Will turned. His face lit up into a huge smile as he saw that it was her. Charlotte held out the cup of coffee.
"Thanks," Will said as he took a sip then set the cup on the small wooden table next to the Adirondack chair.
Charlotte took a seat in the other chair, perching awkwardly on the edge as Will stretched out. Things felt so odd, but Charlotte couldn't put her finger on what to do to alleviate the weirdness. Feeling silly, she set the cup down and leaned back. The tilt of the chair forced her to recline, and instantly she felt all of her muscles relax. The tension of the day drained away as she settled in.
"It's beautiful out here," she commented.
"Hmmm."
Will's noncommittal response made Charlotte glance over at him. She giggled as she noticed that his eyes had drifted shut. The day must have worn him out. She admired the way he was essentially living two lives; one at the college and one at the ranch. He had picked up extra classes, and he now had three children counting on him.
As Charlotte was contemplating Will's life, his eyes popped open and caught her in their gaze. He blinked sleepily, and smiled again.
"Sorry," he said, his words slightly slurred by sleep. "Must have dozed off."
"It's okay," Charlotte replied. "You've been so busy."
"Honestly, it hasn't felt that way since you've been here."
Charlotte felt heat creep up her neck. "Hopefully we'll get things sorted out before your final custody hearing. That way—"
"I've been meaning to talk to you about that." Will cleared his throat. "Even after I get custody, I was, um, well, I was hoping you'd think about staying with us. We make a good team. The kids need us, need you. Of course you don't have to answer now. Just think about it."
"I'll stay." The words flew from her mouth so fast that embarrassment chased in their wake. "I mean, I'll stay for the kids. I can't imagine leaving them yet."
Will broke into a grin. "Great. That's great. Thanks. I'm glad."
They sat together awhile longer, sipping coffee, and watching the stars come out. Eventually the cold chased them back inside, but Charlotte knew she was in trouble. She could see plenty more nights spent on the wide front porch, sitting together, watching the stars.
Chapter Seven
The knock at the door startled Charlotte. "Just a minute."
She tried to zip her dres
s the rest of the way but she had to admit defeat. Clutching the material in the front of her dress, she opened the door a crack. Will stood out in the hallway and Charlotte actually felt her heart stutter at the sight of him. The crisp white shirt tucked into freshly washed jeans made his chest and shoulders look broader than normal. His dark hair curled damply across his forehead and over his ears. The crinkling around his eyes as he smiled at her made her breath catch. She couldn't deny her attraction to him, but she needed to dig up enough resolve not to mess things up for Lexi.
"Ready to go?" Will bent the brim of his worn Stetson between his hands.
"Actually I'm not. Would you…would you mind zipping my dress for me? I can't reach around the back…" Charlotte let her voice trail off as embarrassment swelled in her chest, making it hard to breathe let alone talk.
Will eyes gave away nothing as he took a step toward the door. "Sure thing," he said. Was his voice huskier than normal? Or was she just imagining that?
The rasp of her zipper echoed in her ears, and all sorts of inappropriate thoughts danced in her head. So much for that resolve she had just told herself to muster. She turned around slowly hoping to buy time to compose herself.
"You look beautiful." Will took a step back as he regarded her.
Charlotte couldn't move as she shifted under the weight of his gaze. The moment stretched on until a cry from down the hall shattered the intensity, and brought them crashing back to reality.
"We'd better hurry," Charlotte said, a little catch in her voice as she tried to regain her equilibrium.
Will nodded slowly as if coming out of a fog himself. Sierra and Lexi were glaring at each other near the front door. Both girls looked sweet in their new, vaguely matched dresses that Will's mother had bought them. Charlotte knew that Karen meant well, but the girls weren't ready to get along, let alone dress as matchy-matchy sisters.
"What's going on here?" Will asked, injecting a note of humor into his voice. Charlotte couldn't help but think again what a good dad Will made.