She lifted her eyes to his and was blown away at his expression. He looked at her like she was his everything, like he couldn’t believe his eyes.
And as the music soared and he spun her around the wood plank floor, she was sure that she knew just how he felt.
24
HAILEY
Hailey ran across the snowy field the next day and grabbed a red plastic ball to throw.
Travis cheered for her and Mae jumped up and down as the dogs streaked across the meadow to sit at her feet.
For an instant, she felt a familiar shiver of her old fear trying to get its claws around her. The dogs were enormous, their fur dark against the blinding white snow as they flew toward her at a blistering speed.
Then Ransom grabbed her hand.
She looked up at him and saw the question in his eye and she knew that if she wanted he would tell them all to go back to the barn.
She felt a pang of sympathy for Raven and Constance and the others to have their playtime cut short.
And as soon as she thought of them as individuals, her fear melted away.
“I’m good,” she said softly, just as Henrietta came to astop at her feet, smiling up at her in that knowing way, like she was reminding Hailey that they had a friendship forged in snowstorms and puppy deliveries.
“Good dogs,” Hailey told them. “Wait.”
She threw the ball with all her might, which admittedly only took it halfway across the field.
The dozen shepherds shivered with excitement but held their seated position.
“Okay,”she cried, releasing them.
They all shot off through the snow, leaping joyfully for the ball, and rolling all over each other when Constance snatched it up in her clever jaws.
“You’ve come a long way,” Ransom said, sounding impressed.
“She’s not scared of dogs anymore,” Travis said, coming over to hold her other hand. “Now that she knows them.”
“She’s very brave,” Mae said. “Can she have her surprise?”
“What surprise?” Hailey asked.
“Why don’t you three head back to the house,” Ransom said. “I’ll be right there.”
He called to the dogs and most of them bounded back toward the barn with him.
“Anna, Elsa, Olaf,” Travis cried, his voice bright and clear in the cold morning air.
The three pets sailed toward the house and Hailey followed with the kids.
“You went to a party last night,” Mae said accusingly.
“Only for a little while,” Hailey told her. “And it wouldhave been loads more fun if you and Travis had been there. I’m sorry it was mostly after bedtime.”
“If you were my mommy, you would let me stay uplatesometimes,” Mae whispered.
Hailey swallowed over the lump that was suddenly in her throat.
“And you would read to us every night,” Travis added, nodding.
