Page 72 of Wilde Ride

“But…Jim and Lori both had parents here in River Falls.”

Leanne sighed. “All deceased. Jimmy and Katie were living with their maternal grandparents after their parents’ accident, but both ended up getting very sick and passed within a few months of one another.”

Caden walked into the cabin, smiling when he saw Rhett sitting with Jimmy and another little boy, who must have come in when I wasn’t paying attention.

“Looks like Rhett and Jimmy are hitting it off.”

Frowning at Caden, I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me Jim and Lori Mills passed away?”

His smile faded. “It happened almost the same time as Brooke. I didn’t want to bring you more bad news. I thought I did tell you, though. I’m sorry about that.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s okay.” More senseless death.

“Brooke?” Leanne asked.

Caden gave me an apologetic look.

“My daughter. She passed away in a car accident earlier this year.”

Leanne’s face went from curious to stunned to sympathetic all within a few seconds. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.”

Clearing her throat, Leanne said, “I’d better go see who else I can get settled. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Tucker.”

Tipping my hat at her, I replied, “The pleasure was all mine.”

Two teen boys entered the cabin, introduced themselves, and said they were camp counselors assigned to this cabin and the one next door. They were both high school seniors and had been volunteering at the camp for the past five years.

The cabins were all named after constellations, which paired with the fact that all the horses were named after stars and constellations. Rhett was in Orion. I’d heard Jimmy tell Rhett that his sister, Katie, was in Aquarius.

Caden and I slipped out so the counselors could get things going with the kids. I waved goodbye to Rhett, who waved back. He looked so happy. I had a strong feeling this camp was going to be better for him than I’d even initially thought.

The rest of the day was filled with what some might call organized chaos. The kids spent time with their cabinmates, getting to know each other. Then, after lunch, they all gathered in the camp’s central area and started playing games. The older kids helped the younger ones when needed. The laughter alone was enough to make anyone’s bad day better.

Even Caden, who was a grump to the highest level, got in on the action. It was nice to see him laughing and enjoying himself. The only time he seemed unhappy was when Lilibeth was around. She was also volunteering today, and I swore I saw her everywhere. Her long blonde hair was in a single braid with flowers woven through the length. She practically beamed happiness, which was the opposite of Caden.

They ended up having to partner in the three-legged race, and you would have thought Caden had been paired up with the devil himself, given how he acted.

Once dinner was done, the kids all went to the living room to watch a movie and settle down. It would be an early night, since tomorrow was filled with endless activities.

Rhett had proved to be a good helper, and I was so proud of him. I could see him volunteering at this camp when he got older. It was clear he enjoyed being involved.

Caden and I walked back to the barn to make sure everything was set up for tomorrow. The younger kids, ages ten and under, would be going horseback riding. The older kids will either do archery or head to the lake to fish and swim.

“You take part in the camps more than I thought,” I said as we entered the barn.

He shrugged. “I always try to help the first few days, since things are a bit crazy. Then I go back to my side of the farm and avoid this like the plague.”

I laughed. “It’s a lot of work. I was stunned when I pulled up and saw all the people.”

“Yeah, it’s a lot to manage, and my mother and sister do a great job with it. Emeline gets the volunteers and counselors lined up each year. I don’t know how she keeps up with it all, but she does. There are only two camp sessions, but it’s a hell of a lot of work on top of what she already does on the ranch.”

Marshall and a few other hands were setting out saddles in the aisle of the barn.

“Getting ready for tomorrow?” Caden asked, hitting him on the back.

“Yes, sir.”