A Rancher's Pride(18)

“Sounds like it to me,” Kayla agreed, struggling to hide her shock. Sam had made that beautiful, creative sign she had seen at the front of the café? The idea astounded her. When she glanced sideways at him, he looked away.

She thought of the intricately carved headboard on Becky’s bed. Had Sam made that, too? The idea made her distinctly uneasy. Had he taken the time, gone to the effort in the hope his daughter might sleep in that bed someday?

How wonderful if Becky’s father had thought so much of her.

And how awful for Kayla if the judge found out. That is, if her thoughts were even true. Sam certainly hadn’t done anything to support them so far.

She forced her attention back to the conversation.

“Now we are the Double S,” Manny was saying. “Short and to the point.”

Dori spread her hands wide and shrugged. “It’s not polite to refuse a gift. And so I am defeated.”

“Keeping our guests from their refreshments isn’t polite, either.” Manny turned back to them, a brimming teacup in one hand.

“We’ll take our stuff over to a table,” Sam told him.

“Good enough.”

Sam now stood beside his counter stool, waiting.

Kayla slid from her seat.

The time had come for the talk she had requested. If Sam didn’t mind having that conversation with his friends in hearing range, she wouldn’t let it bother her, either.

She gripped the strap of her shoulder bag and sailed past him.





Chapter Five





Sam pushed his coffee mug from side to side. Dori had Becky occupied at the counter with crayons and paper. Just as he’d settled at the corner table, a steady stream of customers had come in for their midmorning coffee. The place had gotten more crowded than he’d expected. By the time he greeted all the new arrivals and made introductions, he’d begun to think he and Kayla would never get down to business.

Maybe a straight talk at the Double S wasn’t such a good idea, but he hated the thought of bringing this woman back to his ranch.

When they were finally as isolated as they would probably get, she beat him to the punch.

“Sam, as I said to you last night, your mother can’t get around. She’s not going to be able to do much housework or cooking. Or probably even to handle the stairs alone at first.” She lifted her hand for a second, then put it flat on the tabletop, almost as if she’d planned to reach out to him. “I’d like to stay at your house and help out.”

“Hell, no.” A muscle in his cheek flexed.

“Okay.” She set her teacup and saucer down in the exact middle of her place mat. “That’s fine.”

He looked at her warily, knowing she’d never let it rest at that. And she didn’t.

“As we were driving here, I noticed there’s a bed-and-breakfast nearby. Let me stay there with Becky.”

“Yeah, right. I’m supposed to trust you not to take off with her?”

“Of course you can trust me. And the judge did give us joint custody. I have every right to be with her whenever I want. Why would I try to take her away?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” he countered. “What’s to stop you? You’ve got a rental car sitting right there at the house.”

She looked at him. All the way through him, probably. “Yes. And that’s where it will stay when I’m at the ranch. Without having it penned in by other vehicles, if you don’t mind.”

So she’d seen what Jack had done to her little blue sedan. Looked like she’d gotten the message. Good.

“If Becky and your mother and I are alone all day,” she continued, “I would need the car in case of emergency.”

That kept him quiet. After what had just happened to Sharleen, he surely couldn’t argue with a need to be prepared.

“Sam, I’m a teacher. I’ve been fingerprinted for my job and have a clean record. What’s more, I’m honest and trustworthy, and you won’t have to worry about having me in your home.”

“That’s not a worry to me at all.” He couldn’t have made his tone any colder.

“Because you don’t plan to let me stay.” Her eyes brightened. He stirred restlessly in his seat. “Becky has been ‘dumped here,’ as you put it, literally with strangers. You’ve got a ranch to take care of. And you know a nanny from some agency won’t be able to sign—or worse—to communicate with Becky in an emergency.”