Mitch pursed his lips still but he nodded. “Sure, you can do that,” he said, “although you’re gonna be lucky if Bekka opens the door when you knock.”
“Then I’ll tell her through the door, at least I’ll feel like I did something to get that awful look off her face.”
Now it was Mitch’s turn to smile at him. A real, genuine thank-you kind of smile. “I do appreciate that. She really was just trying to help. And I think she really likes you. She doesn’t want to disappoint you.”
“No, I get it. I do.” He checked to make sure his phone was in his pocket, then took the laundry basket back to his room to put all the crap in it before taking it to the laundry room and dumping it in the washer. From there Mitch could add the OxiClean and figure out what all to do. Then he stopped by Bekka’s room and tapped lightly on the door.
She opened the door, her eyes looking bruised, her nose red, which was a sure sign she had been crying. She stared at him with big, wide eyes, not saying a word. He figured that was probably the safest thing she could think to do, start out like she could hold out.
“Hey, kiddo, I’m sorry if you thought I was real mad about the laundry. I’m not. I just wasn’t used to people doing stuff for me, and it kind of shook me.”
She sniffled, her lips quivering. “I didn’t mean to ruin your stuff.”
“Your dad says we can do a lot to fix it, and it was about time for me to get a new rodeo shirt anyway. You want to do something nice for me? You can learn to crochet me a hat—something warm for when I need to go out and do stuff early in the morning in the winter.”
She brightened some. “I saw a pattern for a hat that I can crochet flat and then sew together. It’s like a beanie. Would that be okay?”
“I think that would just about be the most perfect thing ever.” He had the terrible urge to hug her, but he fought it because he didn’t know if it would be welcome. “I’ve got to head into town for a few minutes, but I’ll be back. Can you help keep an eye on your Daddy and make sure he doesn’t do something stupid?”
She gave him a watery chuckle. “I think I can do that.”
“Thanks, kiddo. You’re amazing, and don’t let anybody, including me, tell you you’re not, okay?” Pep talks he knew how to do. He’d been on a couple of team roping situations before with young kids.
Her chin dipped the tiniest bit. “Okay. Maybe you could ask Sarah to go with you to town.”
“Why?” He didn’t mean to come out such a bald way with it, but it did kind of happen. “I mean, does she want to go to town for something specific?”
Bekka gave him a look that said, ‘Duh.’ “She always wants to go get books. And that way Daddy doesn’t have to worry about her being out in the yard with the dog while you’re not here.”
Lord have mercy, she was a smart ladybug. “All right, honey, I’ll ask her. But Rosie’s feeling a lot better since that wound on his side started to heal up. I don’t think he’s going to cause her any trouble.”
“Okay, thanks, Mr. Cam, I wasn’t trying to make trouble.”
“You didn’t. I just had to get over myself. I’ll see you in a bit.” He had to take off before he broke down and blubbered all over her or got down on his knees and begged her not to be so sad.
He did go out and find Sarah, who was sitting in the barn in her space. She had an entire setup there next to Rosie’s pen. Shehad a blanket, a pillow, a cup, and a bag of dog treats, along with her book. She was reading aloud to Rosie.
She was adorable.
“I’m going to town. Would you like to come?”
“Did Daddy say it was okay? Are you going because you’re in trouble? I mean, I’ll go with you even if you’re going because you’re in trouble, but Daddy has to say yes, because otherwise he would be very scared.”
It sounded to him like Sarah was speaking from experience.
Also, she’d used an enormous amount of words to say “yes”.
He texted Mitch really quick.
He didn’t even know what that meant, but he said.
He would just take a picture of any book that Sarah said she wanted, send it to Mitch for approval.
What the hell was a dark romantasy? Were there light romantasies?
Was that some strange thing where dragons had sex in caves? One of his sisters read those.
