He paused a second before slipping a bridle over the appropriate peg, hands gentler now. “There’s nothing,” he mumbled.
“I think the tack would disagree with you.”
No response.
“You’ve barely said a word since you got home from school.”
He gave a half-hearted shrug and sidestepped away, moving to organize the halters.
“Cade.”
He stopped.
“Son. Look at me.”
Slowly, he tipped his head up. A swipe of brown barn dust across his left cheek highlighted the freckles over his nose. Deep green eyes flicked to mine. His thinking face pulled soft crinkles into the corners of his eyes that looked so much like Laurel.
I continued. “If there’s something on your mind, you know you can tell me, right?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Did something happen at school?”
He took a deep breath. “Bailey was talking about mamas. She doesn't have one either.”
A hundred chances to read his mind wouldn’t have led me to that.Cadenevertalked about his mom. Thankful I could stay busy, I gathered up the next rope and began coiling it around my palm and elbow to hide the slight rush of panic pumping in my veins. Keeping my tone even, I said, “What happened to her?”
“Bailey doesn’t know where she’s at.”
“How does Bailey feel about that?”
“She doesn’t feel anything.”
I hummed, trying to figure out how to steer the conversation to the heart of the matter. “So, why does all that have you thinking so hard?”
He shrugged. “I guess because?—”
Cade startled when a loudthudsounded from the entry of the barn—a bag of feed dropped by the bane of my existence.
I sighed.
Cooper Hayes.
My boss’s younger brother and, apparently, my ward.
If anyone knew how to ruin a moment, it was Cooper.
I called over Cade’s head. “Took long enough. You get lost on the way into town?”
He grinned at me and smacked his gum. “Yup. Got lost all the way to the Twirling Horse. A pint helped me find my way home.”
Ah. That’s why his cranky ass was smiling.
“Are you drunk?”
He rolled his eyes and gave a wistful sigh. “Not even close.”
I shook my head. “Please don’t tell Tag you were behind the wheel after drinking. He’s pulled as tight as a cinch right now.”
