The Rancher's Return & Daddy Lessons by Carolyne Aarsen

Author:Carolyne Aarsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-04-24T18:44:43+00:00

Chapter Two

Natasha sat in the little chair in the corner, still clutching her knapsack, her chin resting on the top of it, her brown hair hiding her face.

At least she wasn’t crying anymore.

Hailey sat down beside her, perched awkwardly on a chair made for six-year-old bottoms. She folded her hands on her lap, saying nothing, simply being there for the little girl.

As if finally sensing her presence, Natasha looked up. Her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks plucked at Hailey’s heartstrings.

Natasha dragged her coat sleeve across her face, drying her eyes. “Is my daddy come yet?”

“He’s talking to Miss Tolsma for a few minutes. As soon as they’re done he’ll come to get you.”

“I want to be with my daddy. I don’t want to be in this school.” Natasha looked down at her knapsack, fiddling with a tiny stuffed rabbit hanging from the zipper pull.

“I’m sure your daddy wants to be with you too.” Hailey laid her hand on Natasha’s tiny shoulder.

Natasha shook her head. Hailey heard her draw in a trembling breath and her shoulders shook with silent sorrow, as if she had no hope her cries would be acknowledged.

Hailey’s heart broke for the little girl adrift without her mother and living in an unfamiliar place.

“You know your daddy loves you very much,” Hailey said, giving the little girl’s hand a squeeze. “He wants to take very good care of you and he wants you to learn. That’s why he put you in school.”

Natasha’s silent cries only increased. Hailey couldn’t stand watching her. She pulled the little girl onto her lap. Natasha made a token protest, then wilted against Hailey, her arms twined around her neck.

Hailey wrapped her arms around the tiny, slender body, rocking slowly back and forth and making shushing noises. Natasha burrowed her head in Hailey’s neck.

“I don’t want to be sad,” she murmured, sniffing.

“I know you miss your mom and this place is different. It’s okay to be sad about that.”

Natasha drew in a shuddering breath. “Daddy said I shouldn’t talk about my mommy,” she said. “Because it makes me cry.”

Hailey felt torn. She didn’t want to go against Dan’s parenting, but she also wanted to look out for Natasha.

“You can talk about your mommy to me, if you want,” Hailey said. “You can tell me anything you want about her.”

Natasha considered this, then lay against Hailey again. “I really like you,” she whispered.

“I like you too,” Hailey replied, stroking Natasha’s damp hair away from her face. She clung to the little girl. Dan’s little girl.

What if Austin’s accident hadn’t happened? What if Dan had stayed in Hartley Creek? Would the little girl in her arms be her and Dan’s?

The light touch of a hand on her shoulder made her jump. Hailey yanked herself back from her meandering thoughts, then just about fell off the chair when she turned and saw Dan pull his hand back from her.

A frown pulled his eyebrows together as he looked down at her.

“She was so upset...she was crying... I didn’t know what to do.

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