A Rancher's Pride(30)

It wasn’t Becky’s cry or Ellamae’s satisfied nod, but the thud of boots on the hardwood floor of the Double S that made Kayla’s spine stiffen.

Slowly, as Becky had done, she swiveled her own stool to face the room behind them.

Heading across the café came the one person she had feared it would be.

Sam.

Beside her, Becky tapped her thumb against her forehead, then waved her hands palm up in the air. She made the signs over and over again. The words rang in Kayla’s head as clearly as if Becky had spoken them.

“Daddy’s here. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s here.”

The sight of her niece’s elated grin nearly broke Kayla’s heart.

She forced her gaze to the other side of the room again, only to see Sam rapidly closing the space between them. Unable to stop herself, she found herself meeting his eyes. A tiny shiver ran through her, but when she tried to look away again, she couldn’t.

If Sam planned to stay home from working on his ranch very often, they could be spending a lot of tension-filled time together.

Six weeks suddenly seemed an eternity.

She wondered if she would survive them.





Chapter Nine





For some reason, it took all Sam’s willpower to cross the room to the women on the other side. He felt as though he was trying to forge a raging river. Just which of the four females over there would throw him a rope?

All of them, it looked like—although Kayla would probably then hog-tie him with it and drop him in deep water.

Why not? He was already in way over his head with this whole situation. He wanted her gone.

A quick glance at Becky almost made him trip over his own boots. Suddenly, he felt the urge to pick her up off that stool and give her a great big hug. But he held back, afraid of frightening her. He was a stranger she’d met only a couple of days ago.

Thanks to his ex.

Forcing the bitter thought away, he swept the hand holding his Stetson wide in greeting and gave them all a small bow. “Morning, ladies.”

“Morning,” Ellamae said with a grin.

Dori frowned at him, her eyes nearly squinted shut. “Sam, you’re never here in the mornings. Is your mama all right? Is there something wrong on your ranch?”

There were lots of things wrong at his ranch. Things he didn’t want to think about right now. But the biggest problem was right here at the Double S. And he was looking right at her.

Again, he needed some willpower to get him through. When he could finally tear his gaze from Kayla’s sparkling blue eyes, he smiled at Dori.

“No, Mom’s okay. Everything’s fine. Just here for some lunch. And then after, I reckon I should show Kayla and Becky some of the sights around town.”

Dori clapped her hands. “What a good idea, Sam.”

Ellamae snickered.

He would shoot her a look, but she’d probably give him a shot in the arm in return. Getting what he deserved for rude behavior was more than he wanted to handle in front of his daughter.

Not to mention, in front of Kayla.

She sat watching him still, and her unblinking focus had started to do something strange to him. Had made him feel even more unsteady, as if the undertow of that deep water tugged at him. Or as if that rope he’d wondered about had just been given a mighty yank. Whatever the cause, he felt…funny.

And not in a good way.

To cover his confusion, he reached out and plopped the Stetson on Becky’s head.

She gave her little trilling giggle, same as she’d done last night when he’d stood outside her bedroom. Again, it rocked him. His breath caught in his chest. This time, he’d made her laugh.

Judging by the stunned look on Kayla’s face, Becky’s reaction had hit her hard, too. He’d have thought she’d be used to it.

The reminder that she had seen everything of his daughter’s life, while he’d seen nothing, left him struggling not to glare at her in front of the other two women.

Silently, he vowed to get this situation resolved right quick.

That barbecue Judge Baylor had harped on might do the job. Kayla could make sure Becky behaved, while he spent his time making a good impression on Judge Baylor. Letting the man see that he had the means to take care of his child. That Becky needed to stay with her daddy.

Meanwhile, today, he would show his little girl off to all the fine citizens of Flagman’s Folly. If Ellamae had spoken the truth, then he’d see to it every one of the judge’s spies got back to the man with a good report.