A Rancher's Pride

chapter Seven





Luckily, once the three of them were seated at the dinner table, Becky began chattering away. Kayla voiced everything so Sam could follow the conversation.

She might as well not have bothered.

He seemed more interested in his dinner and rarely looked away from his plate for very long. When he did glance up, he never once made eye contact with either of them. As the meal went on, Kayla grew more concerned. And more irritated.

After Becky quieted down and focused on her own plate, Kayla turned her attention to Sam. Now, instead of wanting to hold back, she was determined to get him to talk.

“Becky needs some interaction with children her own age,” she told him. “I’d like to get her involved in something fun. Maybe a swim class or arts and crafts, something that will help her burn up energy but keep her attention. Is there anything like that in town?”

It took a few seconds for his response. “Nothing I know of.”

She nodded in acknowledgment. “I’ll do a little research tomorrow, see what I can find. Do you have any recommendations about where to start?”

“No.”

“Are there any of your neighbors who might know about classes?”

“I doubt it.”

He seemed reluctant to cooperate with her on anything to do with Becky. How could he be so unconcerned about her?

Kayla looked away. His lack of enthusiasm wouldn’t stop her from doing what she could, on her own if she had to. Becky wouldn’t be here very long, but still, she was a friendly child who liked to play with others.

Besides, interacting with the locals would provide Kayla with an opening she desperately needed.

Sam and Ellamae might have lowered their voices in the courtroom that morning, but out in the hallway, Kayla had been able to pick up on the woman’s caution to Sam.

The judge wanted Sam and Becky to get comfortable with one another, and for the judge’s spies in town to see that and report back to him.

Well, Kayla would make darned sure those spies got a good eyeful of just how well she got along with her niece.

The thought of almost using Becky this way gave her a momentary pang of conscience. She couldn’t let that stop her. All her efforts were for her niece’s benefit. Her only goal was to take care of Becky. To do that, she would have to please the judge so he would let her take her niece home again.

If Sam didn’t want to cooperate with her idea to find playmates for Becky, that could only work in her favor. She kept her smile and voice determinedly offhand. “I’ll check at Town Hall or with your Chamber of Commerce. Someone will know about summer activities.”

“It’s a small town.”

“Yes. I’m aware of that.” Ellamae had warned her that morning, too. “But there should at least be some type of arts and crafts available. Or maybe a reading club at the library. They might even have a weekly story hour.”

“She can’t hear.”

Kayla swallowed her sigh. His response didn’t surprise her. It couldn’t make her angry, either. Unfortunately, she’d seen plenty of people react just as he had done. People who had been around deaf children a lot longer than Sam had, and who should have understood without needing an explanation.

She looked at him. “Sam. If a librarian reads a story, I can interpret it for Becky. How do you think she’ll manage when she goes to school? She’ll be provided with an interpreter.”

Her niece wouldn’t be attending school in Flagman’s Folly. But by not mentioning that little detail, Kayla might lull him into thinking he had a chance to keep Becky here. Into thinking Kayla wouldn’t give him much trouble at all. “She’ll be in a mainstream class with a hearing teacher, hearing students and the interpreter. Since that’s the case, a story hour or some kind of summer class would be perfect right now, to get her ready for the experience.”

“The other kids…” He trailed off.

“Will love her,” she assured him. “And kids pick up quickly. I’ll have time to teach them enough basic sign to let them learn to talk with Becky.”

He shrugged and turned abruptly back to his dinner.

His behavior infuriated her. Is this how he had acted when he was with Becky and his mother the first day? Had he attempted to talk with his daughter? Or even to interact with her?

Kayla wiped her mouth carefully with her napkin, placed the napkin carefully in her lap and turned to Sam. “How was your dinner?”

“Fine.”

“It ought to have been, I guess, since it was mostly your mother’s cooking.”

“Yeah.”

“She’s a good cook.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And a good mother and grandmother.”

“Yeah, sure.” Unsmiling, he looked toward her. “What about you?” she asked, purposely adding emphasis to the last word.

“Am I a good cook?” He kept his tone light, but his eyes turned a cold gray as he locked gazes with her.

Her mouth went dry. She despised herself for having to clear her throat before speaking. “You know what I mean.” She glanced over at her niece and found her busy making a small mound of her peas, which she hated. Kayla turned back to Sam. “Are you even trying to be a father to Becky? You didn’t once get involved in our conversation.”

He shrugged. “You two seemed to be carrying on okay.”

“That’s not the point.”

He tossed his napkin down beside his empty plate. Then he stood, pushing his chair back so abruptly, the legs screeched against the wooden floor. “The point is,” he said, “you’re here to watch my child for a short time while my mother’s out of commission. It’s not part of your job to direct the talk at the supper table.”

She opened her mouth quickly—and just as abruptly closed it again. Becky looked up, turning her head from one to the other of them, her expression quizzical.

Smiling, Kayla signed to her that dinner was over and she should go play in the living room until dessert time. She nodded, happy to abandon the peas, and slid from her chair. Kayla watched until her niece had left the room, then took a deep breath and turned back to Sam.

Becky hadn’t understood what was going on.

Neither did Kayla. That flame of interest she’d felt in Sam out in the yard had been doused by a cold shower of genuine confusion. How could he have so little regard for his daughter? And how could he sit and ignore them both? If she’d ever doubted Ronnie’s claims about Sam’s behavior, she certainly had proof of it now.

She looked up at him. “Well, Sam,” she said finally, “who else will direct the conversation around here, if I don’t? You?”

“I’m not much for talking at mealtime,” he said.

“I noticed that.”

“Good.” He shoved his chair in, leaned toward her and almost hissed, “Then I expect you won’t have a problem remembering it.”



SAM COULD HAVE KICKED himself. He had blurted those words in anger, hadn’t really meant what he’d said. To tell the truth, he had a feeling most of his temper wasn’t directed at Kayla at all.

In the living room, he watched Becky playing with her dolls. She had them lined up along the couch and sat talking to them, her fingers flying.

The sight only increased his feeling of incompetence whenever he came near her.

He would never be able to sit and have a conversation with Becky. To teach her the things daddies taught their daughters. To read her a bedtime story, tuck her in and tell her he loved her.

Maybe things would’ve been a whole lot different now if he and Ronnie had done some communicating of their own. If he’d known about his daughter. But the marriage had turned so bad, so quickly, life around here had fallen into a state as unproductive as two armed camps on either side of No-Man’s-Land.

Maybe he could have handled things with Kayla better.

On second thought, judging by the way he’d stormed out of the kitchen after supper, maybe not.

From that direction now, he could hear Kayla clattering plates together. He hadn’t given a second thought to her when he’d walked away. Just as, now, she wasn’t giving even a first thought to what it would cost to replace a whole set of dishes.

Another thing she had in common with his ex.

If he didn’t want a new expense to add to the long list Ronnie had left behind, he’d better do something about Kayla.

Besides, he needed to make her forget the parting shot he’d taken as he’d left the table. If she ran with his comment to the judge, he could kiss any chance of custody goodbye.

The thought left him shivering in a cold sweat.

He threw aside the newspaper he’d pretended to read and jumped to his feet.

Becky looked up, her face taking on that same bewildered expression she’d had at the supper table. He gave her what he hoped passed for a reassuring smile.

Then he marched past her and back into the kitchen.

Kayla walked toward the table, refusing to look at him, he knew. She reached for the noodle casserole.

“Let me give you a hand with that.” He grabbed the dish.

“I can manage it.”

“I’m sure you can. But it’s my house, remember? My kitchen, too. I appreciate you doing the cooking, and I figure the least I can do is help clear up. I’m used to it.”

She shot him a puzzled look that resembled Becky’s, but with a lot more punch behind it. “You’ve had a sudden change of heart.”

He forced a rueful smile. “Let’s just say I found my company manners.” Better to think of her that way, as a guest in his home, a temporary visitor. Which is exactly what she was.

Although not nearly temporary enough to suit him.



LATER THAT EVENING, KAYLA almost laughed as she thought of what Sam had said. She stood in the guest bedroom, rummaging through her overnight bag, and shook her head.

Did he really think she would fall for that line? She doubted he had any company manners. At least, she hadn’t seen any evidence of them yet. No, he had something else up his fresh, clean, T-shirt sleeve.

Trying to make her forget his outburst in the kitchen, more than likely.

As if she could.

Still, she had pretended to go along with the idea, needing to keep things peaceful for Becky.

The thought of her niece made her smile. The thought of the surprise she had for her made her grin.

She had left Becky in the bathroom, brushing her teeth at the sink, eager for the bedtime story Kayla had promised her.

Hurrying across the bedroom, Kayla stepped out into the hall and almost ran into Sam. She came to a dead halt. So did he.

His gaze dropped to the object in her hand.

“What’s that?”

“Just a stuffed animal.” She forced herself to speak naturally to him. “It looks pretty awful, doesn’t it? It’s well loved.” She held the toy up to show him. A small black bear, once furry but now with a worn and matted pelt, a squashed nose and only one eye. “I had it in my carry-on but forgot to tuck it in with Becky last night. I can’t believe Ronnie didn’t pack it up with Becky’s things. It’s her favorite toy. I bought it at the airport in Santa Fe the day Ronnie and I—”

Left.

She’d cut herself off, but the unspoken word hung between them, as hurtful and harsh as if she’d yelled it at the top of her lungs. Mentally kicking herself, she rushed on. “It’s the state animal, Ronnie said.”

“A black bear.” He nodded. “I would have bought one for Becky, too. If I’d known about her.”

“If you’d…?” She tried again. “What…what are you saying?”

“Plain enough. I never knew about Becky. Never even knew Ronnie was expecting.”

She gasped and shook her head. How could that be possible?

But there was no missing the pain that filled his eyes.

Despite their uneasy relationship, despite all Ronnie had said about Sam, Kayla couldn’t help feeling devastated by the sight. Before she could think, she reached out to him. Just short of touching his arm, she pulled her hand back. Frozen in place, she stared at him, unable to say a word.

Mixed emotions tumbled through her. Confused thoughts muddled her brain.

“But…” Again, she halted. Finally, she found her voice. For the little good it did her. “You never wanted anything to do with the baby. Ronnie told me—”

“Yeah,” he interrupted in a dull tone. “I’m sure she did.”

Abruptly, he turned and walked away.

She wanted to stop him, to reach out without retreating this time, to make some kind of physical contact that would ease his pain.

Instead, she did the only thing she could do. She wrapped both arms around the well-worn bear and hung on tight.