The Cowboy's Healing Ways (Cooper Creek) (19 page)

“Eww, gross. Where did you get those?”

“Jesse bought them for me.” Abigail lifted the lid and showed her the dirt and a few earthworms crawling to the surface.

“Put the lid back on.” Laura shuddered. “I’m going to make lunch, but now I feel all creepy crawly.”

And so much better than she had an hour ago.

Abigail followed her into the kitchen. Laura made sandwiches and packed drinks and chips, homemade cookies and apples. Abigail watched with wide eyes.

“Do you think we’ll catch fish?”

Laura shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“I hope so. I want to eat a fish I caught.”

Laura picked up the soft-sided cooler and leaned to hug her daughter. “If you catch fish, I’ll figure out how to fry them.”

“Deal!” Abigail held out a hand. Laura took it in hers. Abigail watched her closely and Laura put on a smile for her sake.

“Are you ready to go?”

“Yep. Are we walking?”

“I think so.” Laura opened the door and they walked out together. She reached back in, locked the door and pulled it closed behind them. It was the first time she’d locked the door.

“What about the puppy?” Abigail stuck out her hand and a black-and-white puppy, one of the border collie puppies from the Cooper ranch, ran to Abigail’s side.

“When did we get a puppy?”

“Jackson said it doesn’t need its mommy anymore and I could bring it here.”

“Nice of Jackson. I’ll have to thank him.”

Abigail reached for her hand. “I like Jackson.”

“Yes, and it was nice of him to give us a puppy. But when did the puppy get here?”

Abigail grinned. “Jesse brought it when he brought me.”

The puppy bounded along behind them, nipping at their heels and being a real nuisance. Laura would definitely thank Jackson and Jesse for this little surprise. But she smiled because Jesse had brought Abigail to her because he had known she needed her daughter.

“Should puppies go fishing?” she asked Abigail as they walked down the paved driveway toward Jesse’s house. “It seems like he might be a lot of trouble at the lake.”

“We can’t leave him alone.” Abigail walked fast to keep up with Laura.

“What’s his name?”

Abigail bit down on her bottom lip and shrugged. “I just call him puppy. So I guess Rufus is good.”

“Rufus? Are you sure?”

Abigail looked at the puppy and nodded her head. “I like Rufus.”

They walked down the long driveway, Rufus running ahead, then around them. Laura carried worms, trying not to shudder, and Abigail carried the fishing pole.

They walked up the back steps of the big log home. Laura could hear country music on the radio and water running in the sink. She knocked on the back door and waited for Jesse to yell for them to come in.

Instead he opened the door. She stared up at him, unable to process this man in her life, even as a friend. He smiled, white teeth flashing in his suntanned face. Instead of his customary jeans and boots he wore khaki shorts, a T-shirt and no shoes.

“Let me get shoes.” He motioned them inside. Abigail stayed on the porch with her puppy.

“Do you think we should do something with the puppy?” Laura sat on the edge of a bar stool as he slipped his feet into leather running shoes near the door.

“Sure, we can put him in the kennel with my dog. It would be better if they stayed here and weren’t down there jumping in the water every few minutes.”

“Thanks. And thank you for bringing her.” Laura looked out the window and watched as her daughter raced around the yard with a fishing pole and the puppy chasing after her. “She’s happier than she’s ever been.”

“Laura, we won’t let Ryan take that away from her.”

She smiled and nodded. “I know.”

He stood and so did she. And they were together in the house, alone. The refrigerator hummed and country music played softly from the radio on the counter. Outside, Abigail laughed. Laura felt her breath hanging heavily in her lungs and she backed away from Jesse and the moment.

“We should go.”

He smiled and touched her cheek. “I know.”

Within minutes they were heading down a trail to the lake and the private dock where Jesse assured them they could catch fish without having to take the boat out.

Abigail hurried ahead of them, examining different flowers and plants. The puppy had been left behind, in a kennel Jesse used for his dog when he didn’t want the animal to follow. The two dogs had barked at first but were quiet now.

Laura stopped at the edge of the covered dock with the short fishing pier extending from the end. Abigail had kneeled next to the water to examine rocks and the quickly escaping water turtles.

“Here we go.” Jesse handed Abigail her pole. “Let’s get you a life jacket.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’m six and I can doggy-paddle.”

“I know, but this water gets deep and I think life jackets are better than trying to dog-paddle in deep water.”

Another heavy sigh. “Okay.”

Laura forced her gaze to the lake, the setting sun and the waterfowl that skimmed the water, occasionally swooping and coming back up.

Somehow God had known what she and Abigail needed. They had needed this town, these people. And Jesse Cooper. She watched the man who had entered their lives reluctantly but who now seemed to play an important role.

Laura wanted to break the cycle of broken relationships and lack of trust for her daughter’s sake. Even as a friend, Jesse was doing that for them. Abigail could see in him that there were good men in the world.

Jesse interrupted her thoughts, taking her by the hand and leading her onto the dock. She stood for a moment, getting her bearings.

“It’s safe,” he assured her, still holding her hand.

“Of course it is.” And somehow she managed to make the statement about the dock and not the dangerous waters her heart seemed to be treading.

Chapter Seventeen

J
esse led Abigail and Laura to the end of the private dock. Laura quickly took a seat on the bench. Abigail was ready to cast out and catch a fish. He smiled as she tried to get the bait and the line to sail across the water.

“Let me show you.” He leaned behind her, eased her arms back and helped her cast.

The worm sank with a plop into the mirror surface of the lake water.

“Like that.” He stepped back. “Reel it in slowly. Don’t get in a rush or you’ll miss the fish.”

She nodded and cranked with a definite purpose. “Like this?”

“Perfect.” He picked up his pole and baited the hook. “Laura, are you sure you don’t want to fish?”

“I’ll just watch.” She stood and eased close to the rail that surrounded the deck they were standing on.

Jesse stepped close, and his shoulder brushed hers. She didn’t look up but he felt her tense. He put distance between them and cast his line, letting it drop easily into the water. For a long time they fished and Laura leaned on the rail, watching.

After a while she walked up behind Abigail and whispered, “Want to eat?”

Abigail shook her head. “We’re fishing.”

“But it’s dinnertime.” Laura opened the cooler they had carried down. “Sandwiches?”

Jesse took one, unwrapped it and handed it to Abigail. “We can eat and fish at the same time.”

Abigail grinned. “Cool.”

Laura smiled at him and he winked.

Abigail finished her sandwich and reeled her line in again. “I need another worm.”

He figured they were almost out. He’d baited her hook several times.

“Do you want to do this one?” he asked as he grabbed the plastic container off the bench. The sun had gone down and the sky was now dark blue twilight with a band of deep orange over the hills on the western horizon. He held the container near one of the lights mounted on the wood rails.

Abigail hurried to his side and he looked up to see Laura cringe a little. But her daughter, a true angler, had a worm out of the container and was waiting for him to show her how it was done.

“Okay, it’s easy but takes some grit. I think you have grit.” He smiled at her mother. “I’m not sure your mom could handle it. What do you think?”

Abigail shook her head quickly and held the worm up to the hook, her mouth set in a determined line. She did it and he felt a huge dose of pride in her work.

“Perfect. Now cast it on out there and catch a fish.”

She eased the rod back, swung and released.

“You’re a pro.” Jesse placed a hand on her arm. “Remember, reel it in slowly.”

“Okay. Do you think we’ll catch fish tonight?”

“I hope so. If we do, I’ll clean them so your mom can cook them for you.”

Abigail nodded, her lip caught between her teeth. “You’re leaving tomorrow?”

Jesse sighed. “Yes, but only for ten days.”

“To the school?”

“Yep, I’ll learn a lot about the mission field while I’m there.”

“And then you’ll go to South America?”

Jesse kneeled to put himself on her level. “I think so. I’ll decide this week.”

“Oh.” She grabbed the fishing pole as the string tightened and the end dipped. “What’s that?”

He liked to call it a break. “It’s a fish. Reel it in. I’m behind you if you need help.”

She reeled and reeled. The pole bent a little more. Jesse stayed behind her, aware of Laura at their side. The fish fought the line but Abigail kept at it. Jesse reached to help her crank it in and then he grabbed the net and scooped up the bass that hung precariously over the water.

“I caught dinner!” She nearly dropped the rod, doing a victory dance around the dock.

“You definitely caught dinner.” Jesse grabbed the pole and the fish. As he removed the fish from the hook, his phone buzzed.

He let it go to voice mail as he slipped Abigail’s fish into the live well at the end of the dock. He rinsed off his hands and then he replayed the message left by the hospital.

“I’m afraid my fishing is over. They’ve been slammed with patients at the emergency room and they need reinforcements.”

Abigail’s little face drooped, but then she smiled. “We can try again tomorrow night.”

“I’ll leave you a key for the storage room.” He pointed to the little room at the end of the boat stalls. “You can fish anytime you want. Abigail, do you want to let this fish go so he can get a little bigger?”

She nodded and as the fish splashed into the water, Abigail hugged him tight.

“Thanks, Jesse. I love fishing.”

“I love taking you fishing.” He handed the pole to Laura. “How about a lift up the hill?”

Abigail nodded so he scooped her up and placed her on his back. She giggled and held tight to his shoulders as they trudged back up the path. The flashlight he’d brought cast a yellow glow on the trail. Laura walked behind them and every now and then he glanced back to check on her.

“You okay back there?” He turned and walked backward a few steps.

“I’m good. The fresh air has made me tired.”

“Yeah, I’m going to have to fill my thermos with coffee before I head out.”

“I can get that started for you while you get ready to leave.”

“Thanks.”

They reached the house and Jesse set Abigail back on her own two feet. She smiled up at him, her eyes sleepy.

“Abigail, I don’t have homemade cookies, but I do have cookies and milk in here.”

Laura had slipped off her shoes at the back door. Jesse left his next to hers. Abigail sighed and pushed hers off. He smiled at her and she managed a sleepy smile back. Without asking, he picked her up again and carried her inside the house.

“Are you too sleepy for cookies and milk?” He felt her head nod against his shoulder. Laura had already filled the coffeepot and the machine spurted and hissed as the coffee brewed.

“She’ll be fine. The excitement is wearing off and it’s way past bedtime.” Laura glanced at the clock. “I’ll fill the thermos up for you before I head back to the house with her.”

Jesse sat Abigail on one of the bar stools and she hugged her knees to her chest, her eyes growing heavier. He smiled at the little girl’s mother.

“Take her to the house and use the golf cart. It’s charged. There’s no need to carry her. I can get the coffee.”

“Thanks, Jesse.” She put the thermos on the counter next to the coffeepot. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Do you want me to carry her out to the golf cart?”

“No, I can do it.” She picked up her daughter. “She isn’t supposed to stay with me.”

“My mom will pick her up in the morning. She got this approved.”

They were at the door. He pushed it open but he couldn’t move away. Laura looked up at him, Abigail clinging to her neck.

“If I don’t get to see you before I leave...”

She shook her head. “Have a good trip. I’ll be praying for you.”

He nodded and let her go with that easy goodbye that didn’t feel easy at all.

* * *

Sleep was not Laura’s friend that night. Too many thoughts raced through her mind. Ryan and what he might do to her, to Abigail, Jesse leaving and the thought of him being gone for a year. Loneliness.

As the sun came up, she rolled over in bed and then sat up. Forget it. She would get up, work in the garden before the sun got hot and then make a big breakfast for herself and Abigail. She didn’t know what time Angie would pick up her daughter, but she thought probably soon after breakfast.

And then Laura would really be alone.

She put on a pot of coffee and walked outside. The sun was barely peeking over the dark green of the trees at the edge of the field. She stood quietly and watched as two deer grazed near the edge of the field.

A door slammed, and the deer raised their beautiful heads and raced off into the woods. Laura turned toward the barn. She watched Jesse toss hay for the horses in the field. He’d said the grass was getting pretty slim now. They needed rain.

He turned, saw her and waved. She swallowed the lump that lodged in her throat and returned the wave, smiling because maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much if she waved and smiled, pretending it didn’t matter.

She’d taken this job knowing that he might leave. She’d known not to get attached. But how did a woman not get attached to someone like Jesse?

The garden. She turned to her garden, smiling because she had done something so worthwhile for herself and her daughter. The tomato plants had tiny green tomatoes and the zucchini were sprouting by the dozens. She didn’t know how to make zucchini bread, but she would learn.