A Daddy for Christmas

No such luck.

“Look, kiddos,” he said, “I just think that—”

The bunkhouse door burst open.

This time, along with plenty of ice and cold wind, Jess stepped into his suddenly overcrowded space. The wind caught the door, slamming it behind her. Leaving an even bigger puddle than either of her girls, she settled gloved hands on her hips before scolding, “Just what in the world are you two doing?”

“I wanna play with my dolls,” Lexie whined, “but he’s in my way.” Three guesses as to who the kid pointed to, and the first two didn’t count.

“I wanted someone to play with,” Ashley said to her mom, “and you were sleeping, and Lexie’s too mean.”

“Am not!”

While Lexie stuck out her tongue at her sister, Gage fought the urge to cover his ears with his hands. How in the hell had his life come to this? Stuck out in the middle of nowhere with three bellyaching females and a sky that refused to quit falling.

“Both of you scoot your fannies back to the house.” In a stern, momlike pose, Jess waved a hand in the general direction of their home’s front porch.

“But I wanna stay and play dolls,” Lexie argued. “And he’s in my way.”

“Lex…” Jess warned, her tone no-nonsense.

Proving she was the smart one, Ashley scooted off the bed and hit the ground running.

Lexie aimed for the door, as well, but not without first shooting him a classic little-kid dirty look after scooping up her doll stuff and shoving it in the box.

“Lex,” Jess said, hands back on her hips, “apologize to our guest.”

“No.” The girl raised her chin.

Mmmph. Talk about sass…It took everything Gage had in him not to march the kid into the bathroom and wash her mouth out with soap.

“Lexie Margaret Cummings, get your rear to your room.”

Thankfully, the girl did as she’d been told.

Once Gage and Jess were on their own with nothing between them but the storm’s rooftop racket and the child’s lingering chill, he cleared his throat. “That was, um…”

“Infuriating?” Sitting hard on the edge of his bed, tugging off a green crocheted cap that matched her younger daughter’s, she sighed. “Ever since—well, since my…I mean, her father—”

“Jess…” Swallowing a knot that had formed right about the time he’d seen the pain Lexie’s defiant behavior had caused in her mother’s eyes, Gage cleared his throat. “It’s all right. I’ll be gone soon, so there’s no need to explain.” I’ve got enough of my own emotional baggage. I don’t need to be taking on anyone else’s. “What happens between you and your girls…It’s…Well, it’s really none of my business.”

“I know,” she said, staring into the fire merrily crackling behind the woodstove’s open doors, no doubt completely unaware of how beautiful she was. Vulnerable. Fragile. In another time, the Texas gentleman in him would have felt obligated to somehow help. Now? He had nothing left to give. She sighed. “I wouldn’t have even said anything, but you seem to be her latest target.”

Shifting his weight from one leg to the other, he raised an eyebrow. “Target?”

“She’s bitter about what happened. To her dad, I mean. Any man close to his age who steps foot on the property, she seems to systematically drive away.”

“Which is another reason you don’t need help with the ranch?”

He took her silence as an affirmation.

“You should take a firm hand with her. Show her who’s boss.”

She snorted. “Easier said than done. It’s not that simple.”

“I can imagine.” He was having a tough enough time dealing with Marnie’s death, and all he had to tackle was his own guilt-laced grief. He couldn’t fathom having to get a couple of kids through that particular brand of pain, as well.

But then Ashley and Lexie hadn’t played a pivotal role in their father’s passing, as he had with his sister’s. Sure, he’d been told by everyone he knew that what happened hadn’t been his fault, but inside—where it counted—he knew better.

Her stare still fixed on the fire, Jess said, “My parents…and Doc—they’re right. I do need help. I am stubborn. Lexie is a mess….” As her words trailed off, the freezing rain pounded all the harder on the tin roof. “I’m sorry. I really should check on the girls—and Honey.”

“I’ll see after the colt.”

“No, really, for all practical purposes, you’re our guest. I can’t further impose on you by—”

“I said I’ll look after the colt.”

For the briefest of moments, Jess’s gaze met his. Gage sensed so much simmering just beneath her public facade. What would it take to expose all of her fears until bringing them to light burned them away? Not that he was the person to tackle the job. He wasn’t in any shape to help her, and even if he were, she obviously didn’t want his help.

“Thank you,” she said, rising from his bed, slipping on her cap, tucking it low around her ears. How could a grown woman manage to look so adorable?

“No problem.”

“What time do you eat breakfast?” she asked, having almost reached the door.

“Usually around seven, but—”

“I’ll have something fixed for you by then.” The vulnerability she’d earlier shown had been replaced by an impenetrable mask. The chilly set to her mouth made the night’s brutal cold seem downright balmy.

“Don’t go to any trouble.”

“I’m not.”

She’d opened the door on the howling wind and stepped outside when he called, “Jess?”

“Yes?” she asked, tone wary.

“I am sorry.”

“About what?” Her cheeks and nose were already turning pink from the cold.

“Your daughter. Your husband. Your colt. You’ve had a rough time of it, and—”

“Mr. Moore, please don’t.” The wind swept hair in front of her eyes, and she impatiently pushed it away. “The girls and I got along fine before you got here, and we’ll be fine long after you go.”

“Did I say you wouldn’t be fine? All I said was—”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but I really should get back to the house. Thank you for agreeing to check in on Honey.”

He nodded, but he could’ve saved himself the effort as she was already out the door.

What was it with her always running away? Why wouldn’t she talk to him? Why was she shutting herself off from the very practical fact that if she were going to run any kind of successful ranch, there was no way in Sam Hill she could ever do it on her own? And what was she planning on doing about her kid? Lexie. The girl was obviously in a bad way.

Catching his reflection in the dresser’s mirror, he scowled. “What’re you doing, man?”

Too bad for him, the stranger looking back at him had no more clue why he cared about Jess Cummings or her little girl or her ranch than he did.

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