“Yeah.” He didn’t sound happy, and he didn’t offer anything more.
Lark slipped from the barstool and went into the kitchen, where he stood in front of the stove with a pair of tongs, breaking apart the pieces of bacon. She linked her arm through his and leaned into his shoulder.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because, if she’s there, my father’s focus will be on her,” he said. “And Faith will be anxious, and the little kids don’t understand all the back-handed comments, and I just sit and stew.” The words flowed out of him with surprising force, and Lark’s heart ached for him.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But you won’t be alone this year.” She looked up at him, noticing the way Cash went completely still.
Lark had been conversing with Cash, getting to know him, and listening to him talk about his family, his past relationships, and his hopes and dreams, for a few weeks now. But she didn’t realize until that moment that Cash had felt utterly alone in his life. Inside his huge family. Everywhere.
“I’ll be there,” she said. “And I’m with you, so even if your daddy isn’t paying attention to you, I will be. It’ll be fine.”
He ducked his chin toward her. She gave him her best smile, so many other things she wanted to tell him brimming just down in her throat. But he said, “Thank you, Lark. That means a lot to me.”
“Of course, Cash-honey, my king. We’re together.”
“I maybe have a bit of an issue about always coming in last,” he muttered, finally going back to his task of crisping up the bacon.
Lark nodded, her own emotions storming through her. “I can relate. I’ve come in last to everyone my whole life.”
Cash nodded, his jaw working.
“So we’ll put each other first,” Lark said, hardly believing she could get the words out. She’d always been able to speak her mind with Cash, but speaking with her heart didn’t come as easily.
“That sounds nice,” Cash whispered.
“What else are you worried about?”
“That my gift for you is lame.”
“Baby, you’re a National Rodeo Champion, with a lot of money. I’m sure your present isn’t lame.”
“That reminds me,” he said. “You said you’d tell me about the job interview today.”
“You transitioned from presents to my job interview in one breath?”
Cash grinned at her. “I don’t want to discuss the range of my insecurities today.”
Lark moved away and picked up the eggs. “Can I crack these?”
“All twelve of them, please,” he said.
“I got the job,” Lark said as she flipped open the lid on the carton. “Bailey said I can be a veterinary assistant, which will be anything that Bailey and her vet techs don’t have time for. She said she’d talk to me about pharmaceuticals and nutrition and treatments, and if I want to get my vet tech certification, she thinks it’ll be pretty easy.”
“That’s great, Songbird.” He wore his happiness on his face and it rode in his voice.
She got out a bowl and started cracking the eggs. “So we’ll eat and then do presents?”
“Yes, please.” Cash joined her at the island, and they moved away from the difficult conversations and into an easy rhythm of working together in the kitchen to put together their Christmas breakfast.
Lark needed this kind of security and safety, and she prayed with her whole heart that she could actually be first in Cash’s life for a good, long while—and that her present for the cowboy who bought whatever he wanted would at least make him smile.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SEVEN
Cash picked up his plate, stood, and reached for Lark’s. “Let me put these in the sink, and I’ll go get the gifts.” He’d used the past few days of separation from Lark to do the shopping he needed, and he’d set up a little station on the desk in the hotel suite to make the ornament for Daddy and Faith.
