41. Holden
HOLDEN
I was working on the false bottom of one of the horse trailers when I spotted Audrey and Ella walking over the hill from the cottage.
Mac was expecting his delivery, and one of the horses was going out for stud the following week, the perfect time to move a shipment since no one was ever going to unload a horse to see if there was illegal cargo under the trailer.
I put down my wrench and watched them start down the hill, Audrey in shorts that showed off her banging legs, Ella running ahead of her along the path Graham had mowed to make getting to and from the cottage a bit easier.
Something lifted in my chest at the sight of them. It was the same kind of lightness — of relief — I felt when I set a fire, the feeling I was always chasing when I set my Zippo to a piece of paper or stick of dry wood.
It would be easy to think the feeling wasn’t nearly as destructive when it was aimed at the doc.
But I knew better.
The ranch was no place for a woman like Audrey — or for a little girl — however much I might like the idea of them staying.
Not with the cargo in the north barn.
Blue bolted from the corral the second he spotted Ella, his big tongue lolling out of his mouth as he ran toward the little girl shrieking his name.
Graham stepped out of the barn, his gaze trailing over the field until he spotted his prize working dog running for Ella like a big sap.
“Blue!” Graham yelled.
But the dog may as well have been deaf. He just kept on running, practically bowling Ella over at the bottom of the hill.
Ella’s giggle traveled on the wind as she let Blue lick her face.
Graham whistled and Blue lifted his head, then reluctantly trotted back to Graham while Audrey helped Ella off the ground with one hand.
They resumed their march toward us and I saw that Audrey was carrying a plastic container in one hand.
“Sorry about that,” Audrey said as she approached Graham. “No bacon, I swear.”
I clocked the moment Graham’s scowl softened, which was pretty much the second Audrey and Ella got close enough for him to get a good luck at them.
“It’s all right,” he said.
The old man was doomed.
“Ella wanted to bring you all some blueberry muffins,” she said.
Graham looked down at the little girl, holding her mom’s hand and looking around the ranch like a kid visiting a zoo for the first time, which I guess was probably how it felt with the horses and all.
Ridge emerged from his workshop holding a piece of wood and walked over to join them, so I did the same, because fuck if I was going to let Graham and Ridge get all the time with the doc now that she’d decided to emerge from the cottage.
“Did I hear someone say muffins?” Ridge asked.
Audrey laughed, and I soaked in the sight of her face, the dimple that popped up only when she really let go.
Maybe I was doomed too.
“Ella wanted to thank you for the gift.” She looked at me. “Morning, Holden.”
“Morning, doc.” I held out my hand to Ella. “Morning, Ella. I’m Holden.”
She was a miniature Audrey, with the same big brown eyes and the crooked smile, a little gap at the front of her mouth where she’d lost her baby teeth, and I felt that lift in my chest all over again.
“You’re one of our landlords,” Ella said.
It wasn’t exactly right, not when I’d had my cock in Audrey’s mouth a couple nights before, but I understood why Audrey had tried to simplify the arrangement for Ella.
“What gift?” Graham asked.
“Ridge carved some little horses for Ella,” Audrey explained. “She was so excited to see them on the porch this morning.”
Graham cut a glance at Ridge.
“It was my pleasure.” Ridge took off his baseball cap and looked at Ella. “I’m Ridge. Thought you could make your own farm, starting with the horses.”
She beamed. “Thank you!”
He chuckled. “You’re welcome.”
Audrey thrust out the muffins. “She’s been bugging me to come see the animals. I hope it’s no trouble.”
Graham took the plastic container and gave her a low shake of his head. “No trouble at all.”
“Maybe the muffins will make up for having her underfoot for a bit,” Audrey said. “I made the mistake of telling her about the kittens.”
“My mom said there are baby kittens in the barn!” Ella said.
It was hard to look at her and know what a piece of shit her dad was.
She deserved better.
“That’s right,” Graham said. “Just old enough to hold now if you want.”
Ella jumped up and down. “Please, Mommy!”
“Who can say no to kittens?” Audrey asked.
I saw the guarded expression behind Audrey’s smile, knew it was because she wanted to be careful with Ella.
Because she wanted to protect her.
That was good and right. We were strangers to Ella. Audrey was right to be careful.
Except if Audrey was protecting Ella, who was protecting Audrey?