A Kiss in the Sunlight

by Marie Patrick

  “I see.” He returned her grin. “Where is she?”

  “Your study. She’s been in there for quite some time.” She glanced at his hat and raised an eyebrow.

  He picked it up from the table with a smile and hung it on the hook in the hallway as he made his way down to his study. Shotgun followed.

  Teague stopped in the doorway and smiled as his gaze took in several things at once. Desi Lyn sat at his desk, her little face in profile. She was writing, the pencil moving with painstaking slowness over his good stationery with the dark blue M at the top. Her tongue was caught between her lips at the corner of her mouth, which meant that whatever she wrote, it was important. The only time her tongue poked out was when she concentrated hard.

  His heart melted at the picture she presented engulfed in his big chair, her feet dangling above the floor, one shoelace undone and hanging loose.

  Shotgun started to enter the room, but he laid a hand on the dog’s head, stopping his progress. The dog looked up at him, eyebrows shifting in question. Teague shook his head, and the mutt sank to his haunches to wait.

  “Whatcha doing, sweet pea?”

  The little girl jumped, as if caught doing something she shouldn’t. She turned to face him, her shy smile a little guilty. “It’s a secret.”

  Teague had to bite his lip to keep from grinning. How he loved this little girl. She was everything sweet and beautiful in his life, and he cherished every moment with her. “A secret? You can’t tell your old Uncle T? I’m good at keeping secrets.”

  The redness on her cheeks deepened as she thought about it, her eyes, like all the MacDermott’s, darkening slightly as she struggled to come to a decision. After a moment, while he imagined her brain working like the insides of a clock, she let out her breath. “I’m inviting Miss Ryleigh to go to Whispering Pines with us on Saturday.”

  He couldn’t have been any more surprised . . . or touched. And his plans to stay away from Ryleigh disappeared in a heartbeat. “You are?”

  She nodded eagerly, then went back to her letter as he entered the room and came up beside her. Shotgun trailed him and nudged her hand with his nose. When she didn’t respond as he wished, the mutt laid his head on her lap and gazed up at her with solemn, hopeful eyes. “No, Shotgun. I’m busy.”

  Teague hid his smile as the dog sighed then laid on the floor. “Why are you inviting Miss Ryleigh to the ranch?”

  The girl shrugged and kept writing, her feet swinging back and forth beneath the desk, making her whole body move. “Because.”

  He grinned as his gaze swept the letter then Desi Lyn. Her tongue was back at the corner of her mouth, the pencil moving slowly over the paper once again. “Because why?”

  She let out a huff as if he were the dumbest man in the world. Perhaps to a six-year-old, he was. “Because she’s funny and she’s smart and I like her.” And then she mumbled something he couldn’t quite make out.

  “What?”

  Another exasperated huff came from her, but this time, it was accompanied by an expression that left him with no doubt that he was the dumbest man in the world. “I said you like her, too.”

  Stunned, he bit back the burst of laughter that almost left his mouth and studied his niece. She was serious. Dead serious. He schooled his features to match her solemnity but couldn’t help marveling at her. How had she known? Then again, how could she not? Kissing Ryleigh after the picnic was probably not the best way to hide his growing attraction for the nosy journalist. And though he didn’t want to admit it, Ryleigh did make him smile. A lot.

  “Can I see your letter?”

  She pursed her lips together as she thought about his request, then slowly put the pencil down and folded her hands in her lap.

  Teague picked up the letter and read the words so carefully penned, impressed not only by her intelligence, but by how hard she must have worked on the missive. There wasn’t one error, one cross out to cover a mistake, and each word had been meticulously chosen. The lines were even straight. “Did Mrs. Calvin help you?”

  The little girl’s chest puffed out, and her chin rose. “I did it all myself.” Her gaze searched his face for a moment before the corners of her mouth turned downward. “Did I do it wrong?”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. It’s perfect.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, then returned the letter to the desktop. “And very sweet of you.”

  The smile returned to her face. “Will you walk with me to the hotel so Aunt Krissa can put it in Miss Ryleigh’s mailbox?”

  “Don’t you want to deliver it yourself?”

  Desi Lyn shook her head, anxiety shifting into her expression. “What if she doesn’t want to come with us?”

  “I’m sure she will.”

  She picked up the pencil and tapped it against mahogany desk, worry making her eyes grow even darker. “But what if she doesn’t?”

  “Well then, you and I will go to the ranch and have a great time, and Miss Ryleigh can just be jealous of all the fun we’ll have.”

  That seemed to satisfy her. She signed the letter, then folded it carefully and placed it in an envelope. With the utmost concentration, she printed Miss Rily on the envelope. “Can we go now?”

  “Go where?”

  “To the hotel,” she said, her impatient tone suggesting that he hadn’t been listening at all. Oh, he was doing an excellent job of frustrating her. She gave him that look again, the one that said he was dumb. He reminded himself to get used to it. He’d probably see it a lot more often as she grew up. Sympathy for his mother flowed into his mind. She, too, had seen that particular expression more than once . . . and not only coming from him, but his brothers as well.

  Teague shook his head and brought his thoughts back to the present. “After dinner. Mrs. Calvin worked hard to have dinner ready for when I got home from work, and it wouldn’t be fair to her for us to leave now.”

  She drew in her breath and let it out slowly, then smiled at him, her irritation gone as quickly as it had come. “Okay.” She slipped out of his chair. “Come on, Shotgun!”

  The dog jumped to his feet and followed her from the room. Teague looked at the envelope on the desk and let out his breath before he, too, strolled down the hallway to the kitchen. When he entered the room, Desi Lyn was already seated at the table, her napkin tucked into the collar of her dress. Shotgun lay on the floor in his customary spot by her chair, the perfect place to catch anything if she dropped it. She didn’t say a word as Mrs. Calvin ladled beef stew into her bowl.

  He’d never seen her eat so fast, practically shoveling the food into her mouth after she blew on it to cool. She was done before he even buttered his bread. “Can we go now?”

  His gaze met Mrs. Calvin’s, who simply grinned at him as she took her seat. “Not yet. I haven’t even started my dinner.”

  Desi Lyn leaned back in her chair, her eyes imploring him to hurry, her expression telling him that he was taking too long.

  He could have taken his time and made her wait longer, but her restlessness forced him to eat much quicker than he normally would. Mrs. Calvin said nothing as she tried to hide her smile, but failed miserably. He wiped his mouth with the napkin and placed it beside his bowl, then looked at Desi Lyn with all the seriousness he could muster. “All right. We can go now.”

  They walked to the hotel, one of her little hands in his, the other clutching the letter. Teague watched her from the corner of his eye and hid his grin. She was still so serious, it touched his heart. Obviously, having Ryleigh join them on Saturday was important to her.

  “You can wait here,” she said as they climbed the stairs to the front porch.

  “All right.” Pride swelled his chest as he let go of her hand. She stepped into the hotel lobby and approached the registration desk while he moved closer to the doorway.

  “Aunt Krissa?”

  Krissa turned away from the box where she was putting room keys, then glanced over the registration desk. “Well, hello, butter bean!”
She came around the desk and bent down for a hug. “What brings you by? Is everything all right?”

  She held out the letter. “Would you put this in Miss Ryleigh’s box?”

  Krissa took the missive, and her gaze met his over the girl’s head. Teague gave a slight nod. The woman grinned. “Of course. Is it very important?”

  Desi Lyn nodded with enthusiasm, her dark curls bouncing as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Yes.” She crooked her finger, signaling that she wanted Krissa to come closer. Krissa obliged, bending close so the girl could whisper in her ear. When she glanced at Teague again, her warm hazel eyes were glowing, and her mouth turned up in a wide smile. “Come on.” She grabbed the girl’s hand and walked around the registration desk, then lifted Desi Lyn in her arms. “We’ll do it together since it’s so important, all right?”

  They slipped the letter into the box with the number 6 on it. “There now. That takes care of it. I’ll make sure Miss Ryleigh knows first thing when I see her in the morning.”

  “Okay.”

  She put the little girl down, and Desi Lyn skipped back to his side, seemingly relieved that her mission had been completed. She grasped his hand, then waved to Krissa, who continued to smile in their direction with an expression that struck Teague as curious. What had Desi Lyn said when she whispered in Krissa’s ear? Whatever it was, Krissa was pleased.

  “How would you like some ice cream?” he asked. “I’m sure Mrs. Dunleavy made a fresh batch today.”

  “Okay, Uncle T.”

  • • •

  “Good morning, Ryleigh,” Oscar greeted her as she made her way down the stairs into the lobby. “You have a letter.”

  A letter? Who would be sending her a letter? Unless . . . Instantly, her heart pounded harder in her chest. The only one who knew she was here was her brother, and if Xander was writing, it had to be important.

  Was this a summons to come home? Had Father found out where she was and why?

  Oscar pulled the missive from her box as she approached him. That’s when she noticed the printing and her misspelled name on the envelope, the large letters definitely written by a young child and not her brother. Worry changed to curiosity immediately, and she took a deep breath to still the thundering of her heart.

  Oscar handed her the note with a huge smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

  “Thank you.” She turned her back on the man but didn’t rush upstairs to read the letter in the privacy of her room. Instead, she ripped open the envelope in the middle of the lobby, heedless of curious onlookers, withdrew the letter, and unfolded it. Her hand flew to her throat and rested there as she read the words, and her focus blurred in seconds. She had received invitations before, but none nearly as sweet as this, and never from a precious six-year-old.

  “Good news?” Oscar interrupted her thoughts.

  “What?” She turned to face him and noticed the twinkle in his eyes.

  “Is it good news?” he repeated as his gaze swept over her face. Did he know what was in the note?

  “Yes, yes it is.” She folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope then tapped the corner against her free hand. “Would it be possible to have Samuel deliver my response? I should have it ready shortly.”

  “Of course. Whenever you’re ready.”

  Ryleigh nodded then hurried to pen her reply.

  Three days later, Ryleigh sat on one of the benches on the front porch of the Prentice Hotel and checked the timepiece pinned to her brown suede bolero jacket for the third time. She was still too early. The invitation from Desi Lyn had stated that she and her uncle would pick her up at 8 am on the dot. She still had ten minutes to go, but she’d been anxious, not wanting to be late and disappoint the little girl.

  She fussed with her hat, pulling the brim a little lower, then stood and paced, the new split skirt in dark brown suede she’d purchased flaring around the top of her boots.

  “Miss Ryleigh! Miss Ryleigh!” She turned at the sound of her name and smiled. Desi Lyn was standing in the rear section of an open buggy, one hand gripping the seat in front of her while the other waved madly. Teague held the reins in his capable hands and slowed the horse as he turned around, his arm resting on the back of the seat and said, “Sweet pea, you have to sit down. You know the rules. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

  “Okay, Uncle T.”

  Ryleigh chewed her bottom lip so she wouldn’t grin when Desi Lyn plopped into her seat. It didn’t stop the little girl from waving though or grinning widely, showing off the gap left by the other front tooth she’d recently lost. Shotgun was a bit more reserved. He sat beside the girl quietly, but his tail thumped the cushioned seat.

  Satisfied that she was seated and safe, Teague finally stopped the buggy in front of the hotel and set the brake. He wrapped the reins around the handle, stepped down, then doffing his hat, held it in his big hands as he approached the steps.

  “Good morning!” she greeted him as her gaze took in his appearance. Was it possible he’d become more handsome since the last time she’d seen him? Freshly shaved, hair brushed back from his forehead, he smelled of soap and pipe tobacco, a heady combination, and his eyes were a dark gray. A reflection of his shirt, which was also dark gray? Perhaps. But it didn’t matter, because when he smiled, all thought went out of her head.

  “And good morning to you.” He moved closer to her and lowered his voice, which resulted in gooseflesh rising on her skin and that crazy fluttering of her heart, which she was starting to get accustomed to . . . and rather enjoyed. “Desi Lyn is thrilled you’re joining us today. So am I.”

  “I’m delighted she invited me.”

  He took her hand and helped her into the carriage. Ryleigh made herself comfortable and popped her parasol open as the carriage’s bonnet wasn’t in place. She turned in her seat. “Good morning, Desi Lyn.”

  The girl bounced in her seat, her grin contagious. “Hello, Miss Ryleigh! Me and Uncle T rented this carriage from Jake at the Livery. Usually, we just ride Valor out to the ranch, but this is special. Do you like it?”

  “Yes, I do. And I thank you very much for inviting me to come with you today.”

  Teague shook his head as he climbed into the buggy, unwrapped the reins from the handle, and held them loosely in his hands. “You ready?”

  “Yes.” She gave a quick nod, then glanced toward the hotel’s entrance to see Oscar, Krissa, and Celia standing in the doorway, the silliest smiles on their faces. She waved, then faced forward as Teague removed the brake and shook the reins.

  “Come on, Clementine!” As the horse pulled the buggy toward the south end of town, several townspeople watched their passage. Was it so unusual to see their sheriff in the company of a woman? She knew about Michaela. Had there been no one else since her? Curiosity awakened, she wanted to ask but didn’t. She knew how fast he could change from open and forthcoming to withdrawn and quiet.

  Desi Lyn kept up a steady stream of chatter, talking about everything from the books her uncle had read to her, to her horse, to what she was learning in school. Neither Ryleigh nor Teague could get in a word, but it didn’t matter as the carriage picked up speed once they crossed the bridge. The lack of response needed on her part gave her an opportunity to steal glances in Teague’s direction as they took the winding road alongside the river. Yes, he was more handsome, especially when he caught her looking at him and that lopsided grin lifted the corners of his mouth.

  They passed several small farms before he stopped the carriage on the hill overlooking a ranch nestled in a little valley. “This is it. Whispering Pines. Desi Lyn’s legacy.” There was something in his voice that drew her attention. She flicked her eyes in his direction and struggled not to gasp. His face seemed carved from stone, his jaw tight as if he were in pain. The expression faded as quickly as it had come, and his smile was back in place, though it was a sad smile.

  Why? Had something happened here? Did coming here bring back horrible memories? Did
it have something to do with the Logans? If so, why did he come?

  Another quick glance at him, and she knew the answer. It was there in his expression as he turned toward his niece and smiled. He did it for Desi Lyn. And only for her.

  Her appreciation for the sheriff grew in that moment, as did her fondness and a host of other emotions where he was concerned. That he was willing to subject himself to whatever painful memory coming to Whispering Pines brought gave her a whole new respect.

  She turned away quickly, not wanting to let him know she’d seen his pained expression, and studied the landscape before her. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but the sight took her by surprise. The only ranch she’d ever seen belonged to her friends, but theirs was small compared to this. Pastures spread out to the horizon, intersected by split rail fences and pine trees. There were other trees as well, but she couldn’t tell what they were from this distance.

  Horses and cows dotted the verdant green, and in the middle of the property stood a two-story house painted white with black trim, complete with a wraparound porch. Several rocking chairs were on that porch, unoccupied at the moment, and she could imagine herself sitting in one enjoying the evening. Off to the right of the house stood a stable, barn, and several small corrals and what she assumed was a bunkhouse for the ranch hands who worked here. “It’s lovely. I didn’t realize it was so big.”

  Teague shook the reins, and the horse started moving down the hill, following the dirt road that twisted between tall, towering pines. A breeze shushed through the pine needles. It sounded like people whispering. She smiled. That sound must be how the ranch got its name.

  He didn’t slow the carriage and take the circular drive near the front door but rather, pulled the vehicle around to the rear of the house. The back door creaked open, and Malva stepped out onto the porch, a silver coffee service in her hands. A moment later, Shep came out from the stable followed by Sarah, whom Ryleigh remembered from the picnic. Teague climbed down from the buggy and tossed the reins to Shep, then stepped around and offered his hand to her.