“I had something else I had to do that day so I missed it. Can’t wait to see how everything looks.”
Kieran gestured toward the first door on the right. “Get on in there. I’m heading across the hall. You need to come see that, too.”
“I will.” Luis glanced at Lucky as they started toward what he thought of as the tunnel room. “Must be fun to have your mom, your brother and your wife publishing books.”
“It’s a bookseller’s dream. On top of that, Kieran and Granny moved here from Ireland last year, and now we’re opening this amazing venue. My mom sure gave me the right name.”
“Get teased about it much?”
“All the time. Couldn’t care less.” He motioned for Luis to go in first.
He didn’t see Jordan, Cole or Granny but he spotted the tunnel opening, which looked big enough for them to have made it through. Too bad he’d missed that.
Lucky surveyed the area with a smile of satisfaction. “It’s working exactly the way I hoped it would.”
“It’s a perfect space for kids.” Primary colors of red, blue, yellow and green dominated the area filled with low bookshelves, bean bag chairs, building blocks and a menagerie of plush animals.
The chalkboard wall had attracted a lot of artists. Most of the drawings were stick figures and square houses with smoke coming out the chimney. But the elaborate horse had to be Zay’s work.
Lucky’s phone pinged and he checked the screen. “I need to get back downstairs. Good meeting you, Luis.” He shook his hand again. “I’ll see you at lunch over at the Raccoon, right?”
“I’ll be there.” After Lucky took off, he studied the tunnel again. He didn’t absolutely have to go through it. Except Jordan must have or she would have passed him coming out the door. Same with the others, including Cole and Granny.
A small child crawled through, turned around and came back. Made it look easy. But that kid was less than three feet tall.
Just as Granny had said, the place was a clatter of wee chiselers. Some were local. He recognized them and their parents, who mostly stood back and let the kids enjoy themselves.
One bunch orbited around a little redheaded girl. When she called out the name Jodie, a small blonde girl responded.
He knew that kid. Her mom Kendall was the third member of Angie’s crew and she’d often bring Jodie to the jobsite and then to the ranch when the crew stayed overnight.
The redhead was clearly in charge of her posse, ordering them around by name. Besides Jodie there was Susie, another blondie about Jodie’s size, and Zach, a quiet brown-eyed boy.
Zach was similar in age to the ringleader but completely under her thumb. Evidently she expected him to monitor a baby girl crawling around on the carpet while she kept track of a baby boy about the same age.
A tall cowboy stood watching the dynamic. Something about his proud papa expression told Luis he was the redhead’s dad. The guy met Luis’s gaze and walked over. “Are you Luis Bridger, by any chance?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“I’m Beau McLintock.” He offered his hand. “Been wanting to meet you. I was talking shop with Jordan a while ago and she raved about your training methods.” He checked on the kids and then turned back to Luis. “She predicted you’d show up soon.”
“You’re a trainer?”
“Yessir. But I’ve never dealt with a wild one. Read Buck Brannaman’s book, though. Is your method anything like that?”
“I use some of his elements, some of my own.”
“I’d love to tag along sometime.”
“I’ll bring in a new batch soon. I’d be glad to let you know, see if you’re available.”
“Great.” He focused on the kids again.
“Is that redhead yours?”
“Yep, that’s Maverick. We call her Mav. The little dude crawling toward the tunnel is her brother, Drew. He won’t get far.”
“Nope. She’s on it. And the other baby?”
