“I came as soon as I could,” Rhett said gruffly when they released each other. “Had a house to pack up and a moving truck to load. We’ll stay here until our stuff arrives, if that’s okay.” He was inheriting the ranch Grandpa had named Willow Creek.
“Of course it’s okay,” Hayden said just as gruffly. “I bet Katie is thrilled that your girls are here.” Rhett’s twin girls were about a year older than Evie’s daughter.
“It was a nice surprise to see Katie here.” Rhett nodded. “As were the kittens. Piper and Sadie fell in love. And Gran… Well, she’s in heaven, although…”
“She can’t recall anyone’s names.” Hayden nodded.
“She recognized me,” Rhett said with relief. “But she talks as if Grandpa is still alive.”
Hayden explained about the stroke’s side effects and how Gran’s progress had been slow.
“Hay-Hay!” Katie ran into the tack room wearing hot-pink leggings and a neon yellow T-shirt. Her blond curls paled in comparison to her wardrobe choice. She latched onto Hayden’s leg as if it were a pole and stood on his boot. “My new cousins are here and now we each have a kitten. Uncle Rhett thinks kittens are beasties too. I told him he’s wrong.”
“To us, beasties are any animal.” Hayden walked out to the breezeway with Katie balanced on his boot. “Siblings often say the same things.”
“Like you can’t pick out a good horse by its color,” Rhett said good-naturedly. “No one can guarantee a shiny yellow pony with a unicorn horn will be a good mount for a little girl.”
Ah, so Rhett’s heard about Katie’s unicorn dream.
Hayden smiled.
“But that’s what I want,” Katie said tartly. “I want a horse like Nugget but in my size.”
“With a unicorn horn,” Hayden murmured, ruffling Katie’s short blond curls, catching Rhett’s grin as he did so.
“Where is Mrs. Rhett?” Katie asked, clinging to Hayden’s leg. “Is she coming to visit too?”
Rhett sobered. “We’re divorced.”
“We’re divorced too,” Katie said matter-of-factly. “But now we’re married again. Mama and Hay-Hay are in love. You should get married again, Uncle Rhett. So you won’t be a lonely heart, like my mama was.”
Evie was lonely?
Hayden dutifully smiled but couldn’t seem to find his voice. He didn’t like the idea that Evie had been lonely, or wronged, or unloved. She deserved the emotional security true love would bring. He rubbed a tight spot over his heart.
“Hayden? Honey?”
Hayden jerked his head up because that was Evie’s voice and she never called him honey.
“Can I talk to you a minute?” Evie stood on the front porch. Her blond hair was down, just the way he liked it. Free and touchable. “Now?” That tone didn’t invite his touch.
As if sensing the tension in her mother, Katie stepped off Hayden’s boot.
“Somebody’s in trouble,” Rhett said, grinning once more. “Go on, honey. Kiss your bride and make up.”
Hayden gave his brother a dirty look. “Come on, Katie.” He walked toward the barn door, but his stepdaughter stood in his way, arms held in the air.
“Pick me up, Hay-Hay,” Katie demanded.
Hayden hesitated, having never picked her up before.
“Up,” Katie commanded, not budging.
Rhett’s laughter filled the breezeway. “Welcome to parenthood, bro.”
“Hay-Hay.” Katie pouted. She was a cute pouter. Adorable, even.
“All right. Up you go.” Hayden lifted the girl to his hip.