Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Caroline hated the way the scratchy fabric of her shorts rubbed on her legs. She hated that she was even wearing her uniform today, but she was acting on official business this morning as she had to go into the office to get the supplies she needed to take to Hidden Hills Ranch.
In the kitchen, she still stumbled slightly when she saw Judy sitting there, a poured bowl of cereal in front of her, reading the back of the box.
Pure nostalgia hit her, as Caroline had once spent her carefree childhood mornings doing the same thing.
Except she’d had siblings, and Judy was an only-child.
“Morning, munchkin,” Caroline said as she started making coffee. “Is your mom up yet?”
“Nope.” Judy’s skinny legs swung over the front of the chair. “Can you get more of this cookie cereal?” She bumped the box with her spoon. “This is almost gone.”
Caroline looked over to her, so many things streaming through her. “Sure, baby. I can get some after I get done on this ranch I have to go to this morning.”
“Thanks, Aunt Carol.”
She smiled as she measured grounds and set the coffee to brew. Part of her wanted to march down the hall and get Belle out of bed. Her daughter needed her, and Caroline did have to go to work for a little bit this morning. Perhaps Judy could come, she thought but didn’t say.
Her day wasn’t mapped out or anything, and she wasn’t meant to be in the office today at all. A quick check of her work email on her phone showed that Dawson had not filled out his paperwork and submitted it overnight, and she’d have been surprised if he had.
Still, a sting struck her in the bottom of her lungs. Ignoring it, she set about making a piece of toast to go with her coffee. Maybe, if she was lucky, she could get the supplies from the office and get up to Hidden Hills, get the fence built, and be done before lunch.
She loved eating out, and she didn’t mind having lunch on her own. Then, she could come back here and see if Belle was going to get dressed today or not. “Maybe we can go to the petting zoo today,” she said to Judy. “Do you think your mom would like that?”
“Yes,” Judy said instantly. “Yes, she loves petting zoos.” She appeared at Caroline’s side. “I’ll get her up and we can go.”
“Oh, honey, it’ll be later this afternoon. I have to go into work this morning.”
Judy’s face fell, and Caroline wondered if having Belle and Judy here was really the best thing for them.
Her stomach pinched with worry, because she didn’t know what to do.
When Belle had called and said she and Judy were leaving Phoenix and they needed a place to stay, Caroline hadn’t even thought about it. She’d simply said yes.
“Baby.” Caroline bent down to be on the child’s level. “It’s just a couple of hours this morning. Then we’ll get some lunch and go to the petting zoo.” She watched her solo lunch disappear from her day in a poof, and she told herself family was worth it. Because they were.
The scent of coffee started to perfume the air, and Caroline pressed a kiss to the middle of Judy’s forehead and then got down a mug for her coffee. “I’ll go check on your mom.” She glanced over to the table. “You’re done eating?”
“Yes.”
“Clean up your dishes then.” Caroline gave her a quick look, and Judy went to do what she’d been asked. Caroline sighed and headed back down the hallway she’d already come down. Gondola came out of her bedroom and meowed, and Caroline smiled at the feline. “I’ll get your breakfast in a minute.”
She paused outside the door of Belle’s room, leaning in to listen for any signs of life. Hearing nothing, she knocked lightly and then pushed open the door. Belle lay in bed, her curtains drawn closed with only a sliver of the morning light trying to penetrate the darkness.
“Belle.” Caroline stepped toward her with light feet, wishing she could just let her older sister sleep until the pain of her fresh divorce disappeared. But Caroline knew from personal experience that she couldn’t.
A person had to live through that pain, learning how to manage it, how to deal with it when it snuck up behind them, and how to cope on really bad days. Caroline still had moments of extreme self-doubt and then pure preservation, making vows to never date or marry again.
She thought of Dawson and those pretty aquamarine eyes. She gently stroked Belle’s hair off her forehead and said, “Hey, Belle. I have to go to work soon.”
Her sister stirred, and then her eyes opened blearily. “You have to go to work today?”
“Just for a couple of hours,” she said. She knelt down on the floor and gazed at her sister. Such love filled her. “Judy can just watch TV. I just wanted you to know she’s eaten breakfast, and I’m headed out in the next ten minutes or so.”
“I’ll get up,” Belle said.
“There’s some of that cinnamon chip bread,” she said. “For toast.”
Belle smiled, and that made Caroline’s heart lift. Still, so much worry weighed her down, and she stroked her hand along her sister’s hairline again. “What do you need today?”
Belle’s eyes drifted closed again. “Nothing. I’m okay.”
“Look through some of the menus for anything on the south side of town, and text me what you and Judy want for lunch. I’ll get it and bring it back.”
“Okay.”
Caroline got to her feet, wishing God would ease this pain from her sister. She didn’t understand why the world had to have so many problems at all. Couldn’t the Lord erase the evil from the world?
She knew He could, but standing there in her sister’s dim bedroom, she also knew He wouldn’t. No one could learn in a perfectly peaceful environment, and God needed her—and Belle—to exercise their faith and grow into the women He wanted them to be.
“Belle,” she said, the confession about her date with Dawson that night about to spill from her. But she didn’t know how to tell her. Would Belle be happy for her or disgusted and hurt?
She swallowed and said, “Coffee’s ready,” instead of telling her about her evening plans.
By the time she made the turn onto Dawson’s ranch, her sister had texted to say she was up and showered, and she’d have Judy ready for their lunch and afternoon outing to the petting zoo.
The wind blew across her SUV, shaking it enough to push her around a little bit, and Caroline gripped the steering wheel as she went up the slight incline and onto the ranch.
Duke’s house sat out front, and this morning, a few kids were working in the yard while a woman sat on the front steps with a cup of coffee in her hand. She watched as Caroline drove by, and she’d never felt more scrutinized in her life.
She also couldn’t remember her name, so Caroline simply kept going. She didn’t need to stop by Dawson’s cabin, because she’d texted him when she’d left the office with the supplies, and he’d said he’d be out on the West End Fence to help her erect the protections.
The wind continued to bully her as she drove past Dawson’s cabin and onto the narrower road. She made the same turns Dawson had yesterday, and after she made the last one, she found his truck there, along with a pretty horse the color of ripe peaches. Semi-orange, semi-brown, semi-glossy.
“He’s beautiful,” she said to herself. He also didn’t have a rider, but spoke to the fact that Caroline wouldn’t find Dawson alone out here.
Sure enough, he and another man started approaching Caroline before she’d even come to a complete stop. The other cowboy stood a couple of inches taller than Dawson and had blonde hair peeking out from under his dark cowboy hat.
She got out of the SUV and nearly got blown right back in. Both cowboys pressed their palms to their heads to keep their hats on, and Caroline’s hair whipped around until she could gather it all into one fist.
“Wow,” she yelled above the wind. “This is insane.” The air died on her last word, leaving her shouting into near stillness. Of course. Just her luck.
Thankfully, Dawson smiled at her and said, “Good morning.”
“Morning.” She glanced over to the other cowboy, who had two dogs orbiting him like satellites. “Hello.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Caroline Thompson.”
“This is Lincoln Glover,” Dawson said. “He wanted to come see what we’re dealing with, as Shiloh Ridge is due north of here.”
“Yes, Shiloh Ridge,” she said, going into secretary mode. “You filed your paperwork a few months ago.” She worked very hard not to look at Dawson, lest she wore any sort of accusation in her eyes. She gave Lincoln a clinical smile, which he returned in kind.
“Yes, ma’am,” Lincoln said, his voice low and rumbly. “It’s great to meet you. I think you originally sent paperwork to my uncle. Ward Glover?”
“That sounds about right,” Caroline said. “I believe someone else too. Y’all have a couple of foremen at Shiloh Ridge, don’t you?”
Lincoln grinned. “Three, ma’am. I’m the junior foreman.” He shot a glance at Dawson. “Recently.”
Dawson smiled at him and clapped his friend on the back. “Link helps steer a tight ship.”
Lincoln shook his head, but his smile sat right there on his face.
“I’m planning to ride our west side today and see where we are.
” He glanced over to Dawson and then back to her, an expression on his face she couldn’t quite read as his smile faded.
“I’m taking my prickliest uncle, so that should be fun. ”
Caroline didn’t know any of the Glovers at Shiloh Ridge Ranch, so she couldn’t speak to the fun-ness of Lincoln’s upcoming task. She met Dawson’s eyes again. “How are they looking this morning?” she asked, hugging herself.
“There are eight that I can see,” Dawson said, his growly voice striking all kinds of chords inside her. They vibrated and hummed into a beautiful harmony, and heat rose past Caroline’s lungs, tickling them as it eased into her throat.
“More than yesterday.”
“Four hundred percent more,” he said, looking past her to her vehicle. “Let’s get the supplies out and get this done before it starts raining.”