Single-Dad Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Chapter Thirteen
“Are you okay, Dad?”
“I’m great, Claire.” Zeke ducked under Prince’s belly and grabbed the cinch. “This’ll be lots of fun. Looking forward to it.” Which he was. He was as eager and excited as his daughter, but for very different reasons.
“I just wondered.” She pulled Lucky’s cinch tight. “You keep dropping things. That’s not like you.”
“Probably drank too much coffee today.”
“Again? Yesterday you drank coffee like it was going out of style. That’s not good for you.”
“You’re right, sweetie. I’ll cut back.” Yesterday’s coffee had been a lifesaver. As had Garrett, who’d spent his day off with Anna and little Georgie. He’d invited Claire to hang out with them, leaving her little time to quiz her exhausted dad about his night at the Moose and the Apple Grove faculty party. He owed Garrett.
Claire slipped Lucky’s bridle in place. “I looked up the dangers and benefits of coffee, and three cups is plenty.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Excess caffeine wasn’t his problem. Was that the purr of an engine? Yep, sure was. His heart pumped faster and sweat trickled down his backbone, even though a few clouds and a cooling trend had banished the heat.
“I hear a car! Hey, Lucky, they’re coming down the road, big boy. I told them to bring carrots, and they—”
“Not too many, I hope?”
“No, Dad.” She rolled her eyes. “I told them to bring just what you said.”
“Thanks.” She was calling him dad more often these days.
“You asked me about the carrots an hour ago.”
“I did?”
“Yes, and that’s the other thing. You’re repeating yourself. Something’s making you distracted. You were like that yesterday, too. Loopy.”
“Like I said, too much caffeine. I promise to limit myself.”
“Good. Oh, boy, here they come! Lucky, you are going to love helping my friends learn how to ride. And Miss O’Connor and Miss Jenson, too. You’ll be their hero.”
“How about Prince, Butch and Sundance?” If he kept talking, maybe his attack of nerves would pass. “Won’t they be heroes, too?” He picked up Prince’s halter from the hitching post. Nell’s SUV pulled in and he dropped the halter.
“Dad. You’re doing it again.”
“I know.” He scooped it up and shook off the dirt.
“I hope you don’t have a condition.”
He choked back a laugh. He had a condition, all right. The cause had just climbed out of the driver’s side of that SUV.
She was mostly hidden by the vehicle and the luggage rack on top of it. He could see her baseball cap bobbing around as she opened the back door. Her hair must be stuffed under it. A few dark strands had escaped. He’d never forget how she looked with those glossy curls spread across the pillow…
“Dad.”
He blinked. “What?”
“You might need a checkup. I think you’re going deaf, too.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then what did I just say?”
“You said something?”
“Ye-es. I said we should go meet them.”
“Good idea.” He set the halter back on the hitching post and put a hand on her shoulder. “No running or shouting.”
“I know. Before we left school on Thursday, Miss O’Connor had a talk with us about not freaking out the horses. We promised to hold it down, even though we’re super excited to see each other.”
“You saw each other four days ago.”
“That’s a long time when you care about somebody.”
Tell me about it.Since he’d left Nell yesterday morning, the hours had inched by at the speed of a geriatric turtle. When he glimpsed her smiling face, he wanted to run and shout. And hug and kiss. Not happening. Not until Friday night, a lifetime away.
She walked toward him with one hand on Riley’s shoulder and the other on Tatum’s. “Hello, Mr. Lassiter.”
“Hello, Miss O’Connor.” In addition to the San Francisco Giants baseball cap, she wore sunglasses. No fair. He wanted to look into her eyes. His hungry gaze moved lower.
Her Apple Grove Cougars T-shirt was boxy and loose, unlike the low-cut top she’d had on Saturday night. But her jeans were snug enough to make his breath hitch. He’d never seen her in boots, but she had them on today. No wonder she looked a little taller.
And, oh, by the way, he was staring. Not good. He focused on Valerie, who had her hand on Piper’s shoulder. “Miss Jenson, nice to see you again.”
“Same here, Mr. Lassiter.” Valerie’s outfit matched Nell’s except for the hat. Her straw Stetson was almost as beat-up as his. She flashed him a knowing grin.
Oh, right. Nell would have filled her in on Saturday night’s proceedings. He flushed and switched his attention to Piper, Riley and Tatum. Focusing on those girls settled him down immediately.
He had the privilege of giving Piper and Tatum their first horseback riding experience. Riley would only watch, but she’d be soaking up everything he told the other two. They were three sponges, just like Claire, and he was responsible for the quality of what they absorbed. He took that seriously.
They were beside themselves, stars in their eyes and smiles that took over their rosy-cheeked faces. Was Claire their fashion consultant? Could be, since they all had hats like hers, Roper boots, yoked shirts in different colors and Wrangler jeans. Mini-cowgirls, ready to ride.
His heart squeezed. “Riley, Tatum, Piper—I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me, too!” Claire gave a little bounce of joy. “I’m glad Miss O’Connor and Miss Jenson are here, too.”
“So am I.” He let his gaze rest on Nell for a second before turning to Valerie. “As you can see, I got the go-ahead for two more horses. I’ll put Tatum and Piper on Lucky and Prince, and you two on Butch and Sundance.”
Valerie nodded. “Sounds perfect.”
“What should I do, Mr. Lassiter?” Riley turned her freckled face up to his.
“You’ll be with me and Claire. Once everyone’s mounted, you can help lead them into the corral. Then you and Claire will sit on the fence with me and be my assistant observers.”
“Yes, sir!”
He tugged on his straw hat. “Piper and Tatum, your hats look terrific, but you’ll need to trade them for helmets before you get on those horses.”
“Awww.” Tatum made a face.
“Told you,” Claire said. “I have to wear one when I ride.”
Riley nodded. “Me, too. Before I got my horse, my folks made me promise I’d wear one.”
“What about us?” Valerie thumbed back her straw hat.
He grinned. He’d bet she’d been waiting to execute that move. “Since you’re an adult, you can opt out of the helmet, but you’ll have to sign a waiver.”
“We’ll wear the helmets.” Nell glanced at her friend. “Right?”
“Oh, absolutely. It’s the responsible thing to do.”
“Hey, Dad, you could take a picture of me and my friends with our hats on before Piper and Tatum have to take theirs off.”
“I could.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Scooch together.” He crouched down. “Smile!” He took the picture and glanced at the screen. “Perfect.”
“Let me see.” Claire hurried around to look. “Cute. Now let me take one of you, Miss O’Connor and Miss Jenson. You should be in the middle.”
Easier to agree than argue. He handed her the phone and walked over to stand between Nell and Valerie.”
“Get closer. Put your arm around their waists, Dad. That’ll look better.”
He sucked in a breath and did as she asked. Both ladies were warm to the touch but Nell made his entire left side and left arm tingle as if he’d touched a live wire. He let go the minute Claire took the picture, his mouth dry and his heart going a mile-a-minute.
He held out his hand. “I’ll take my phone back, now.”
“Yes, sir.” Claire exchanged a sly glance with Riley.
“Would you and Riley please go open the corral gate so it’s ready for us?”
“Yes, sir.” The two girls walked away, giggling.
Something had them going, but he’d be wise to ignore it. He led the procession over to the hitching post. “The horses are patiently waiting for us. Correction. Prince, Butch and Sundance are being patient. Lucky is dozing. He loves his naps. Have you two agreed on which horse you want?”
“Lucky!” they said together.
“Looks like we’ll be drawing straws, then.” Leaning down, he picked up a couple of stray bits of straw from the ground and went through the ritual with them. Piper got the long straw and Tatum was a good sport about it.
He turned to Nell and Valerie. “Do either of you have a preference?”
Nell took off her cap and sunglasses. “Are they named for the characters in that old movie with Newman and Redford?”
“Yes, ma’am. Charley, Henri’s husband, had a fondness for it.”
“Well, since I’ve always been a Paul Newman fan, I’d like to take Butch.”
“Works for me,” Valerie said. “I’m Team Redford.”
“Alrighty, then. I’ll take everyone’s hats and stick ’em in the barn. I’ll be right back with your helmets.” A moment later he’d just finished distributing the helmets and was helping the girls put theirs on when Claire arrived with Riley close behind.
“Dad.” She sounded out of breath.
“Something wrong?”
She let out a dramatic sigh. “Wouldn’t you know, there’s a snake in the corral.”
Riley spread her arms wide. “A big snake.”
“Rattler?”
Claire nodded. “We saw the tail.”
“No problem. Everyone wait here. I’ll just get a rake and move it.”
Nell finished buckling her helmet and stepped forward. “I want to go with you.”
He turned to stare at her. “Why?”
“I’ve never seen one and I’m curious.” She looked at Piper and Tatum. “Have either of you seen one?”
They shook their heads.
“Want to?”
“Yes.” Piper’s jaw tightened and her eyes gleamed with determination. “Claire and Riley saw it. We want to see it, too, right, Tatum?”
“Right.”
“That’s the spirit.” Nell glanced at Valerie. “How about you?”
“I’ve had the pleasure. I’ll stay here and hold the horses.”
“They won’t go anywhere, Miss Jenson,” Claire said. “You can come.”
“Thanks, but I’ll take a pass.”
“Zeke, I’d like to take Tatum and Piper over there. It would be educational for the three of us to get a look.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way. That’s fine. Just let me go get the rake.” Nell’s suggestion had caught him by surprise. Plenty of folks were leery of rattlers. She might be, too, but evidently she couldn’t resist the chance to educate herself and two girls she’d recently had in class.
He was damned impressed with this woman. What he wouldn’t give to be able to hug her and tell her so. The effects of their slight contact during the picture-taking lingered. Friday couldn’t come soon enough.
