Cowgirls Don't Cry(28)

She glanced at the clock. Only five hours to go. Yay.

He calmed down for about ten minutes while he cowered in the corner, watching with those big blue McKay eyes. When Jessie approached him and tried to take away his empty bottle, he returned to shrieking. And he added hitting, just to make things interesting.

For about three seconds Jessie considered setting him in a playpen and leaving him in one of the empty offices upstairs until he screamed himself to sleep.

Buck up and deal with it.

She crouched down in front of him. “No hitting, Landon. Ever. Do you understand me?”


He swatted at her and she grabbed his wrist. “No hitting.”


He wailed.

Since none of the other kids could nap through his screaming, Jessie let them take their blankets and pillows and watch a movie in the separate play room.

The main door to the daycare opened and Skylar walked in, cringing at Landon’s ear piercing shrieks.

She motioned Jessie aside.

Jessie blurted, “I’m sorry if he’s disturbing you, but I’ve tried everything and nothing is working.”


Skylar placed her hand on Jessie’s arm. “I’m not blaming you. It’ll probably take a couple of days for him to get used to this place and the other kids, so I’m going to suggest we ease him into it. A few hours at a time this week, okay?”


Jessie knew that was the smart thing to do, but she still felt like she’d failed with him. “Okay.”


“Also, I know you’d intended to take Landon over to Joan’s tomorrow, but it’d be better if he got used to coming here all week. Take him to Joan’s or whatever at night, but he needs to get acclimated here first.”


“Agreed. I’ll call Brandt and have him pick Landon up right away, but it’ll probably be at least an hour before he can get here from the ranch.”


“No offense, Jess, but you should take Landon back to your place now. Have Brandt meet you there.”


Sky shot the still screaming kid a quick glance. “With a six pack and a bottle of aspirin.”


Jessie managed a smile. “Thanks. Who’s filling in for me for the rest of today?”


Two raps sounded on the glass part of the door and Kade sauntered in, wearing his usual workday clothes; jeans, boots, hat and flannel shirt.

Immediately Landon stopped wailing.

Jessie and Sky exchanged a what the hell? look and then looked at Kade.

Kade shrugged. “It’s probably the hat.” He crouched down, facing Landon, far enough away not to scare him. “You sure got a set of lungs on ya. And I thought Miz Eliza was loud.”


Landon raced to Kade and threw himself at the cowboy with a sob.

Logically, Jessie knew Landon went to Kade because he reminded him of Brandt. But emotionally, it made her feel like she was lacking a maternal instinct.

You’re not the boy’s mother. You shouldn’t have that instinct.

The last thing she needed was more self-doubt. She backed away to get their belongings and to call Brandt.

Kade was such a good guy he put on Landon’s coat. Then he carried Landon to her truck and buckled him in his car seat. Jessie braced herself for the frustrated cries to start again, but Landon was silent. He’d fallen asleep.

Thank God.

So Jessie drove. Past her house and into Moorcroft. She killed almost an hour, reluctant to rouse Landon. While she drove, she compiled a list of reasons why this wouldn’t work.

Her stepfather’s mantra echoed in her mind— winners never quit and quitters never win.