A Rancher's Pride(4)

“Well, you can tell your folks they don’t need to worry about that anymore.”

“I don’t have to tell them anything. I’m bringing their granddaughter home with me.”

“Like hell—” The sounds of sneakers slap-slapping on the pine floor made him break off and stare over her shoulder.

From the archway connecting the kitchen and living room, Becky burst into the room. She gave a high-pitched shriek and broke into a grin.

Kayla whirled away from him. As Becky flung herself forward, Kayla opened her arms wide. The force of their meeting nearly rocked the woman back on her heels. Sam put his hands out to steady her, but she caught her balance on her own. As he watched, she hugged Becky, let go, and started gesturing in the air in front of her.

Becky’s little arms waved in response.

While the exchange went on, Sam stood motionless.

Becky gave another high-pitched yelp and moved away to run into the kitchen again.

Kayla turned to him. “Becky went to get her dolls,” she said in an expressionless tone. “Like any four-year-old, she wants to show off her toys.” She folded her arms across her chest. “But you don’t know that, do you? You couldn’t understand a word we were saying.”

Before he could blurt out the heated response that shot into his mind, Becky reappeared in the doorway. Behind her, she pulled along her doll-filled wagon. At least Ronnie had heart enough to leave the kid with some toys.

His heart lurched at the sight of the cart. A feeling of warmth spread through him. He’d kept that wagon upstairs in an extra bedroom, never knowing whether a child of his would ever play with it. She sure seemed attached to the thing.

She parked the wagon at the end of the sofa. Then she turned to her aunt, brought the fingertips of each hand together in a small circle and tapped her hands against each other.

“More,” Kayla informed him.

He said nothing.

Becky ran across the living room and up the stairs to the second floor. “She signed more,” Kayla explained. “But you didn’t understand that, either.” Her voice trembled. “It’s ridiculous to think you can keep Becky here when you can’t even talk with her.”

His heart bucked as if she’d spurred him. Not bothering to soften his action or his words, he leaned toward her. “Yeah? If you’re so good, why didn’t Ronnie leave her with you?” That shut her up. “Give me a break. Becky’s been here less than a day—as you pointed out yourself. Besides, I’m her daddy and I’ve got custody of her now. You’ve got no say in the matter.” He gritted his teeth and stabbed a finger toward the entryway. “There’s the door. Use it.”

“I’m not leav—”

A loud bang cut her off.

His thoughts flew to Becky before his mind recognized the slamming of the back door. The sound of heavy footsteps thudded across the kitchen floor.

Jack appeared in the archway, his face tight with strain. “Sam. Sharleen—she’s had a fall out in the yard. It looks bad. I’ve already called for an ambulance.”

Sam froze, staring across to the other side of the room.

Becky came down the stairs again, a doll held in either arm. Seeing all three adults looking at her, she froze, too, her brows creased in a frown. She looked at her aunt.

Kayla gestured quickly to her, then said to Sam, “Go. Do what you have to do. I’ll be here with Becky.”

He didn’t move.

“It’s all right,” she urged. “Becky knows me—you saw that. She trusts me. Just go.”

In the two seconds Sam stood there, Kayla’s rapid hand movements left Becky with a smile on her face. Still torn, Sam hurried to follow Jack outside. Across the yard, he could see Sharleen lying on the ground, propped up on her elbows.

Even before they’d reached her, he knew the ranch manager was right; if she hadn’t been able to get to her feet, things couldn’t be good. His heart thumped heavily as he raced to his mother’s side.

“It’s okay,” he said, kneeling in the dirt beside her. “Help’s on the way. Hear it?”

From the county road came the swelling shriek of a siren, something they hardly ever heard this far out from town. By the sound, it wouldn’t take the ambulance long to get here. That rapidly approaching blare was one of the most welcome noises Sam had heard in a while.

“I’ll handle things here,” he murmured to Jack. “You do something to corral that woman’s car.”