April was all-in now, as she did like hanging out in town. In fact, she’d complained more than once abouthow far away the ranch sat from where everything happened. “What are you thinking, Uncle Dawson?”
“I don’t know, missy. That’s why I asked you.”
“I don’t think the bowling alley or Wilde & Organic are for you.”
“Wilde & Organic?”
“It’s fun to walk around and find something to eat, then go back to someone’s house and chill, watch movies, all that.”
“Chill,” he said, not even sure what that word meant. Asking his fourteen-year-old niece for dating help had been a very bad idea. He wanted that warm feeling in his chest while Caroline flirted with him, and he wanted that foamy, fizzy feeling flowing through his fingers once again when his hand touched hers.
So while they sat there in the evening stillness, only Ruffin panting at his feet to puncture the silence hanging in the air, Dawson prayed.
He figured if April couldn’t help him on his first date with Caroline, the Lord could.
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 ofthe 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 pettingzoos.” 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 herbedroom 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.”