Dan heard the intake of air from Brady. And then the quiet, "Do you think I could learn how to dothat?"
"Sure, you could," Miles was quick toinsert.
But Dan knew better than to assume. "If your mom… I mean the doctor… if the doctor agrees, there's lots of places around here that give ridinglessons."
Brady locked his eyes on the action in the arena. His shouldersdrooped.
"She's not my mom," he muttered. "She's my aunt. My parentsdied."
Oh. Poorkid.
Miles moved around Dan to stand next to Brady and put his hand on the other boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry. My parents are gone,too."
The boy's compassion put a hot knot in Dan's throat. Adults could take notes from a kid like this, a kid with a goodheart.
Then a strident voice rose above the rodeo noise. "Brady!"
Dan raised a brow at the kid, whose expression showed a mix of guilt andanger.
When Dan caught sight of the doctor, she looked frazzled and stressed. Her hair had completely escaped the knot, and her face waspale.
He raised his hand in a wave. When her eyes locked on him, he pointed down at hisside.
Relief crossed her expressive face, but by the time she'd navigated through the crowd to them, she only looked stern. She had the little girl intow.
"Brady! What was rule numberone?"
She didn't reach out and hug him like Dan might'veexpected.
And the boy's shoulders tensed up immediately. He didn't answer her, just stuck his chin out toward the arena, jawset.
Miles watchedcuriously.
He could almost see the doctor rallying her patience. "Brady, ruleone."
Brady gritted his teeth stubbornly, still staring at thearena.
"You were supposed to stay with your sister," the doctor said. "It's notsafe."
"It's all good folks here," Dan said, trying to reassureher.
She cut him an angry look. "That's not the point. What if one of those huge bulls had gotten out? He could've beentrampled."
Okay, so she'd gone froma little worriedtothe sky is falling. There's no way the stock contractors or the ranch hands would let that happen. Plus, there were extra hands on horseback if some freak accidenthappened.
But Brady was having none ofit.
And Dan could see the doctor's temper was about tosnap.
He reached out and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Your aunt was worried about you. You have anything to say toher?"
Brady slid a glance at Miles. Dan thought he might refuse, but finally he mumbled, "I'msorry."
But when Dan glanced back at the doctor, her eyes were fixed on him, not on theboy.
"You've pulled your stitches," sheaccused.
"No—" But when he looked down, a red stain was growing beneath his armpit. "There's a paramedic on call for the rodeo. I'll have him fix meup."
