Willow Smoke (43 page)

“Do
you
know
what
these
are?”
she
asked.

Nick
shrugged.
“They
look
like
a
pair
of
pants.”

“They’re riding pants.
Scarred. Worn. More holes than I’d care to mend. These
were
Daisy’s
when
she
first
moved
in
with
us.
They
started
out
new,
but
Daisy
didn’t
have
an
easy
time
with
the
horses
at
first. Her height made her feel
awkward,
so
she
acted
awkward.
Horses
would
throw
her
to
the
ground
because
they
couldn’t
figure
out
what
she
wanted
them
to
do. After a cuss word or two, she’d get
back
up,
determined
to
learn
how
to
be
with
them.”

Cassie
laid
the
pants
across
the
messy
desk.
“I
gave
her
lessons,
but
as
often
as
not
she
didn’t
get
it.
She
had
to
learn
her
own way—by feel. She didn’t
trust what I
said;
she
had
to
feel
what
I
said.
Too
often
that meant landing on her butt. There
was
never
a
question
of
her
quitting.
The
only
questions
were
how
long
it
would
take
her
to
learn
to
ride
and
how
many
pants
we’d
have
to
go
through
before
that
happened.”
She
smiled
with
pride.
“Fortunately,
it
only
took
one
pair.

“All
the
riding
ribbons
and
trophies
in
that
trunk
are
Daisy’s.
She
became
an
excellent
rider,
and
as
you
know,
there’s
no
one
who
cares
more
about
horses
than
that
young
lady.”

Nick
nodded,
keeping
his
own
counsel.
The
redhead
had
more
than
a
pair
of
pants
on
her
mind.

Cassie
continued,
“So
how
well
do
you
know
Daisy?”

“I know she has a lot of
guts, if that’s
what
you
mean.
I
know
she’s
had
a
rough
time.
That
she
was
raised
by
her
grandmother
until
the
woman
died.
That
she
then
went
to
a
group
home,
where
you
met
her and
that
you
took
her
in.
She’s
great with
animals,
and
apparently
with
kids,
from
what
I
saw
today.
She’s
bright
and
witty.
And
frankly,
I
wish
she
were
older.”

“Good.
Do
you
realize
how
young
she
is?”

“I
do
now.”

Cassie
chuckled.
“You
have
my
sympathies,
sort
of.
She’s
always
looked
much
older than her
age. And for the
most
part, she
behaves that way.”

Nick
stepped
over
to
the
desk
and
ran
a
hand
along
the
tattered
pants.
“Again,
spoken
like
a
mom.”
He
compressed
his
lips
and
eyed
Cassie.
She
wasn’t
the
enemy;
she
only
wanted
the
best
for
Daisy.
Nick
sighed.
“I
wish
I
had
a
magic
wand so I could make her older, but I can’t do that.”

“No,
nor
can
she.”

“When
I’m
seventy
she’ll
be
almost
fifty.”
He
scowled.
“When
I’m
eighty
she’ll
nearly
be
sixty.
How
about
ninety
and
seventy?”

“That
does
sound
better,”
Cassie
agreed,
with
sparkles
in
her
eyes.

Nick
looked
at
the
wall
calendar
showing
two
horses
running
free
on
the
open
range
somewhere
in
the
West.
“At
least
if
I
die
young
she’ll
be
a
wealthy
widow,”
he
snorted.

“You
really
are
serious,
aren’t
you?”

“Dead
serious.”

“Is
she?”

“She
doesn’t
know
that
she
is
yet.”

Cassie
laughed.
“That
sounds
so
much
like
Clint.
He
was
ready
long
before
me.”

“Yeah,
well,
Daisy
can’t
bring
herself
to
believe
that
such
things
are
possible.
She
doesn’t
allow
herself
to
dream
big
enough.”

“But
she’s
capable
of
dreaming
big.”

“Oh
yeah.”

“This
doesn’t
surprise
me,
really.
Daisy
is
a passionate, attractive, competent
young
woman.
I
was
hoping
she’d
find
someone
closer
in
age,
but
you
are
a
very
upstanding,
resourceful
man.”
Cassie
bent
over
the
desk
and
pulled
out
a
file.
She
gave
him
an
offhanded
smirk.
“You
checked
out
very
well.
Daisy
may
not
have
informed
you
that
my
husband
is
also
a
silent
partner
in
a
local
private
detective
agency.”

Nick’s
laughter
came
from
deep
in
his
diaphragm.
“I’ve
heard
of
protective
mothers, but this is pretty extreme.”

“Maybe.
I
just
wanted
to
be
sure
you
were
a
good
guy
and
not
one
of
those
creeps
who
make
a
practice
of
preying
on
young
girls.
Knowing
what
I
do
about
you,
I
expect
you
would
have
done
the
same
thing
if
you
had
been
in
my
shoes.”

“No
doubt
about
that.
Does
that
mean
you’re
on
my
side?”

“No,
I’m
on
Daisy’s
side.
Whatever
she
chooses
to
do
in
the
long
run,
I
will
support
her.
I
expect
you
are
very
good
for
her,
at
least
right
now.”
Cassie
paused
and
closed
the
file.
“You
two
come
from
very different
worlds.
You
may
be
able
to
accept
each
other,
but
will
you
be
able
to
function
in
each
other’s
world?
I
don’t
know.
Do
you?”