The Cowboy's Healing Ways (Cooper Creek) (15 page)

“Is that a new horse?” She stood on tiptoe trying to see inside the trailer. “A tiny horse?”

“I shouldn’t have.” He cleared his throat.

Laura closed her eyes and shook her head. “No, you shouldn’t have.”

“I don’t want to complicate things. But little girls and ponies, they kind of go hand in hand, and this one needed a home. His owners had to move—their daughter has moved on to bigger and better things, mostly boys. They were getting ready to send him to the auction.”

“I see.” She saw her heart getting broken. She didn’t want her daughter’s heart broken.

“I can take him back. Or maybe haul him over to Camp Hope.”

She nodded. The camp was owned by former football player Adam McKenzie and his wife, Jenna. He could take the pony there. But what would a pony hurt? Abigail had always wanted a pony. He was right—every little girl wanted one.

“Don’t take him back.” She smiled and it wasn’t the easiest smile. Looking at the man standing in front of her, she had to let her eyes connect with his, even though it hurt deep down inside where little-girl dreams still lived.

Those dreams were about more than ponies. Little girls dreamed of handsome princes, pretty homes, happy-ever-afters. And being loved and protected.

He looked like a man who would make all of those dreams come true for a woman—someday. But not her, the felon who had crashed into his life with a past and a daughter.

“He can be your gift to her, Laura. I’m the person delivering him.”

“No, he’s from you.” She met that dark gaze of his and saw warmth in his brown eyes. “I’m okay with that.”

He smiled. “Can we give him to her now?”

Laura nodded and glanced back into the house. “Abigail, are you finished with your cookies?”

“You have cookies?” Jesse leaned in close, and his scent, all country and earthy, wrapped around her. One step closer and her face would be in his neck.

He stepped back, adjusting his collar. He wore a heavy silver chain with a cross around his tanned neck. She focused on the chain, on the cross, and then tore her gaze away. He cleared his throat and her eyes moved up to his teasing smile. She answered the question about cookies.

“I do. Would you like one?”

“I would love a cookie.”

Laura led him into the house. Abigail ran down the hall, grinning, her pigtails bouncing.

“I have the prettiest room ever,” she announced with six-year-old enthusiasm.

Laura opened the container and held it out to Jesse. He took several chocolate chip cookies and winked at her daughter.

“I have something outside that goes pretty great with a new room and chocolate chip cookies.” He winked at Abigail again, and Laura watched as her daughter gave her heart to Jesse Cooper. It was in those big eyes and the smile that spread across her face.

“What’s outside? Is it a puppy?”

“A puppy?” Jesse’s eyes widened and Laura shook her head. Jesse reached for Abigail’s hand and the two of them hurried for the front door, leaving Laura to follow.

“We don’t need a puppy,” Laura mumbled as she hurried to catch up. Jackson had already promised one, though.

Soon Jesse had the back of the trailer open and Abigail hurried back to Laura’s side. The two waited as Jesse stepped inside the trailer and talked in low tones that barely carried. Then the clomping of hooves was followed by Jesse stepping out of the back of the trailer, a pretty dappled gray pony at his side.

Abigail squealed and the pony’s ears pricked to attention. The little animal turned to look at Laura’s daughter.

“He’s a perfect pony.” She sounded breathless and her hold on Laura’s hand tightened to a grip that went beyond her years and tiny frame.

“He
is
perfect.” Laura wiggled her fingers and Abigail loosened her hold.

“Can I ride him?” Abigail looked from Laura to Jesse, her eyes wide.

Jesse grinned. “You certainly can. Let me get his saddle and bridle. Do you want to hold his lead rope for me?”

Laura hurried forward to reach for Abigail as her daughter raced to Jesse’s side.

“She can’t. She’s never held a horse. She doesn’t know how.”

“Laura, she’s fine. He’s just going to stand here like the prince he is. He’s going to tug on the lead rope and try to grab a big mouthful of that clover and he’s going to wait for me to come back.”

“But what if something scares him?”

Jesse winked at Abigail. “It’ll take her time to get used to the idea of you being a cowgirl.”

Laura shot him a look. “I’m her mother and I don’t want her hurt.”

Jesse’s smile faded. “I won’t let her get hurt. Prince is fifteen. He’s been around a long time and he’s taken care of a lot of kids in his life.”

“I’m just...”

“A mom.” Jesse handed the lead rope to Abigail. “Stand right here by your mom. Don’t wrap this rope around your hand and don’t let him tug. If he tugs you, pull him right back to your side.”

“I can do it.” Abigail held the rope the way he showed her, careful not to wrap it around her hand. “Why can’t I wrap it around my hand?”

Jesse had made it to the back of his truck. He pulled out a bridle, tiny saddle and saddle pad. “Because if he runs and that rope is around your hand, he could drag you or hurt your hand.”

“Oh.” Abigail’s attention now focused on the saddle and bridle with the silver trim. “It’s the prettiest saddle ever.”

Jesse set the saddle down and took the rope from Abigail.

“It is a pretty saddle. Now let’s tie him right here and I’ll show you how to saddle him up.”

“And then I can ride him? All by myself?”

“I think I’ll help you to begin with.” He smiled at Laura and winked. “Because I think your mom and I would both feel more comfortable if you had a little help starting out.”

Abigail stood at his side, smiling up at the dark-haired cowboy who towered over her tiny frame. He gently explained the entire process of saddling the horse. Abigail asked a million questions. And Laura was pretty sure she fell in love.

That frightened her more than sounds in the night, worse than storms, worse than spiders. She swallowed at the thought and watched as Jesse helped her daughter onto the back of the pony named Prince.

* * *

Jesse led Abigail on Prince around the yard. The pony minded his manners perfectly. Jesse’s friend had assured him that Prince would be the best pony a little girl could start out on. Jesse smiled back at Abigail and he couldn’t have been prouder of her.

“You’re doing so well, I think you need to learn how to ride him on your own.” Jesse stepped next to the pony and showed her how to rest the reins on the pony’s neck to get him to turn. He showed her how to gently pull back on the reins to stop Prince.

“But not hard because I don’t want to hurt him.” Abigail grinned.

“Exactly.”

A phone rang. He turned as Laura pulled the phone from her pocket and walked a short distance away. He focused his attention on Abigail, on showing her where and how to ride. But he overheard bits and pieces of a troubling conversation.

“You can ride him around the yard and I’ll be right here if you have a problem.”

“I won’t have a problem because Prince is perfect.”

Jesse patted the horse’s rump and Prince took off at a sedate, somewhat sleepy walk.

Laura stood at the edge of the yard, the phone back in her pocket, her focus on her daughter. Jesse walked to her side and stood with her, shoulder to shoulder. From time to time Abigail waved and smiled. Laura managed to look excited.

“You okay?” Jesse kept his attention on the pony and child.

Laura shook her head. “That was Ryan again. He says he needs money and he knows I can get it from the Coopers. I don’t know how he knows where I am, but I don’t have money and I can’t associate with him. I won’t risk losing Abigail again.”

“Let’s have his number blocked from your phone.”

“I’m not sure how he’s avoided the police as long as he has.” Laura watched her daughter. “I won’t let him hurt her.”

How long had she carried everything, all of the worry and the responsibility, on her own? How much did it cost her to trust him and let him help?

“You have people to help you now, Laura. I know it’s hard to let go, but we’re here.”

“You’ve done so much for me, Jesse.” She turned from watching her daughter and smiled up at him. “It isn’t your responsibility to take care of us. You gave me a job and a home. That’s more than enough. I have to take care of this.”

Abigail, obviously thinking she might be on her way to a championship in barrel racing, kicked Prince into a jolting trot that had her grinning from ear to ear. She took the pony around a pole and headed back toward them. Jesse took a few steps in her direction, just in case.

“Abigail, slow him down,” Laura warned, stepping past Jesse.

Jesse let her go, but he knew that the pony wouldn’t take a wrong step. Prince trotted up to Laura and reached for her to pet his nose. The pony leaned in close, and she did. Jesse kind of envied the animal—Prince obviously had a way of winning females that he didn’t.

“What do you think, Abigail? Should we keep him?” Jesse walked up and reattached the lead rope to the halter he’d left under the bridle.

“Forever.” Abigail leaned and hugged the pony.

“I agree. Would you like to help me take care of him? After we ride we always brush our horse down, feed him and turn him out to pasture. I have a small field for Prince where he’ll get to hang out with other horses.”

“Can I help, Mommy?” Abigail reached and Laura set her daughter on the ground.

“I think you should definitely help. If you’re going to ride a pony, you should know how to take care of him.”

Together the three walked to the barn, leading Prince. Jesse tied the lead to a hook and while Abigail watched, he unsaddled the pony and brushed him down. After a few minutes he handed the brush to Abigail.

“You get to brush his neck.” He moved Abigail a little closer to the pony’s side. “Just like this, nice and easy but hard enough that he knows what you’re doing.”

Abigail smiled up at him, changing his world.

“You’d make a good daddy.” She dropped the brush and hugged him tight.

Jesse touched the little girl’s dark hair and did his best not to say the wrong thing. Which meant keeping his mouth shut.

Laura smiled at her daughter and turned more than three shades of pink. “Someday he will make some little girl a great daddy, Abigail. And he makes a great friend for us.”

Abigail released him from the bear hug and reached for the brush she’d dropped at his feet. “I know that, Mom.”

Big-girl voice and a roll of the eyes. Jesse could handle that a lot easier than sunshine and pigtails looking for a daddy. He cleared his throat and took a step back.

“I’m going to feed the other horses and make sure Prince has water in his new field. Abigail, wait until you meet Prince’s new friends.”

“A pony has friends?” She stopped brushing.

“He certainly does. Let me check on the other horses and I’ll introduce you to his friends. And while you’re waiting, you might check that empty stall right there.” Jesse pointed to the middle stall. “I heard what sounded like a bunch of kittens in there.”

Abigail ran to the stall and when she couldn’t get the door unlatched she looked at him. “I can’t get it.”

“Crawl under. There’s nothing in there but the kittens.”

On all fours, Abigail crawled fast under the door. They couldn’t see her but she let out a happy shout and informed him that there were four kittens. Jesse smiled at Laura and she met his gaze with those gray eyes of hers. They were more than gray—they were storm clouds, mixed with dark and light blue.

“Walk with me.” He held up the lead rope and nodded for her to follow. “Abigail, we’re going to turn Prince into the field. You stay with the kittens and we’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” She peeked out from under the stable door. “I’m watching you two.”

“Abigail.” Laura shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to her.”

“Don’t apologize. If I had kids, I’d want them all to be just like her.”

That brought a return of her smile. “Thank you. And you know how she feels about you.”

He glanced back and Abigail was still watching, a tiny kitten held up to her cheek. She nodded and he winked and reached for her mother’s hand. Abigail smiled and crawled back under the stall door with her kitten.

Chapter Fourteen

M
usic played on aging speakers and the tempting aroma of hamburgers on the grill greeted Laura and Abigail as they got out of their car at the Dawson arena. Cars were parked in a grassy field. Behind the arena were a couple of rows of trucks pulling horse trailers. The Coopers would be in that crowd.

“I want to see the horses.” Abigail pulled on her hand but Laura stood her ground.

“We can’t go back there. That’s for people who participate—not for people like us.”

“What’s us?” Abigail looked up, her eyes narrowed.

“City people who watch.” Laura winked and led her daughter across the grassy area to the arena. “Do you want a hamburger or a hot dog?”

“Hamburger. And we’re not city people. I have a pony and we live on a farm.”

Laura smiled down at her daughter. “Yes, you have a pony.”

At the concession stand she paid for two burgers and two colas. At the back of the line, she saw a hand wave. Laura peeked around the crowd and smiled at Myrna Cooper and a woman about Laura’s age.

“Who is that?” Abigail still held her hand.

“That’s Jesse’s grandmother. Her name is Myrna. You may call her Miss Cooper or Miss Myrna.”

“Oh.”

Their order number was called. Laura stepped to the window and picked up the food. When she turned, Abigail was gone. Her heart thudded as she scanned the crowd for Abigail and then for Ryan. What if he’d taken her? What if a caseworker saw it and turned Laura in as unfit?

And then she saw her.

Laura joined Myrna and the young woman, a Cooper who Laura hadn’t met. They had Abigail between them.

“Mom, Granny Cooper said I can go back and see Jesse’s horse and the bulls that Jackson brought to the rodeo.” Abigail smiled. Laura handed her daughter the food and introduced herself to the other woman.