Baby Girl: Dare to Love (4 page)

“He’s good at his job and he’s good looking.” 

Sometimes, Janna could be a pain in the ass.  “Besides, that.”

“He’s white.”

“Really?  I hadn’t noticed.”

“Liar.  He’s divorced. He used to live in Austin, but came back to the ranch about five years ago.”

“That’s all you got?”  Her sister was known for gossiping. 

“For you, yes.  It’s been a while since Jared died.  It’s not a sin to want companionship, but you need to be sure you’re not feeling the effects of Kassie.”

“What?”  She was totally confused. 

“I’m saying don’t let the fact that Kassie reacts positively to him be the reason that you’re attracted to him.”

“I’m not attracted to him,” Jemma corrected her sister. 

“Right. The man is letting you pay monthly, when they have a strict policy of per week payments.  He walked you to your car.  There’s something there.  Only time will tell.”

“How do you know about the payments?”

“As stated on their website,” Janna said.  “When you said you tried to pay and he mentioned billing, I call Krista. That’s his sister.  She said they didn’t do it as a rule, except for special cases.”

“So what do you think?”

“I think he sounds like a nice man, who is doing a nice thing for a widow and her troubled daughter.  Just enjoy it for what it is.”

FIVE

The next week, Jemma drove to the ranch listening with joy as her daughter hummed along with a song on the radio.  It had been a remarkable week for the Patterson women.  It all started with the parent-teacher conference earlier that day. 

“Mrs. Patterson, Kassie has had a great week.  She’s been using a few words in class this week,” Mrs. Johnson said.  “She always does her work and is very smart.   Has anything changed in her life lately?”

“She started taking horse riding lessons,” Jemma said proudly.  “She just started last week, but she’s been saying words here and there.”

Mrs. Johnson nodded.  “Yes, she seemed so much more animated this week.  I mean, she always communicated, but it’s nice to hear her voice.”

“Thank you.  She has a lesson this afternoon.”

Mrs. Johnson smiled.  “That’s wonderful.  I’ve never seen a case quite like this one.  The school counselor has been baffled as well.  Kassie passed all the tests with flying colors.”

Jemma remembered all too well when she enrolled Kassie in the private school, they were hesitant to admit her.  Her baby took test after test and passed them all with the high marks.  “Yes, she’s just choosing not to talk, but thanks to the ranch, that’s changing.”

“Yes, it is.  I’d like you to think about putting her in advance placement courses.  As I said, she’s been doing well in class.  I know she has a lot going on with losing her father, moving to Mansfield, a new school, and trying to make new friends, which she does well even without talking.  I would like you to just think about it.”

She was not expecting that.  “I will think about it.  How much time do I have before you need an answer?”  She would definitely need to talk to her sister about the implications of harder schoolwork on Kassie.

“We’d like the start the advance placement classes in the spring semester.  So you have about two months to make a decision.”

“I’ll let you know my answer as soon as I have one.” 

“That’s all I ask.” 

***

That afternoon, Kyle sat in his office staring at the computer screen.  This book was going to be harder to write than the others. In the other books, he took a clinical view toward the cases, but this case was special because it was Kassie.  She’d had such a breakthrough last week, he could only hope for the same today. 

Work on something else, he told himself.  Normally that trick worked when he was blocked and couldn’t write, but when he wasn’t thinking about Kassie, he was thinking about her mother. 

He dialed his sister’s phone.  Hopefully, Krista was between patients and could talk.  He waited for her to pick up.  “Hey Krissy,” he said. 

“Hey, big brother,” she said.  “How’s things at the ranch?  Mom and Dad?”

“Everyone is cool.  I have a problem and need your help.”  He hoped his nosy sister didn’t ask too many questions. 

“Should you ask Jemma out on a date?”  She waited half a beat.  “Yes!”

“How do you know?  Who squealed?”  He imagined it was his parents.

“Actually, I’m friends with her sister, Janna.  We interned together.  Jemma was concerned about the billing.”

“Why is monthly billing so hard for anyone to grasp?  You’re as bad as Dad.”

“Well, most places like ours require payment weekly.  Just like you do every other customer.  What are you going to do if someone ask her?”

“I’ll cross that bridge when it breaks.”

“So when are you going to ask her out?”

“She’s still grieving for her husband.  I’d feel like a jerk asking her out now.  Especially with her daughter.”

“Kassie is fine. I heard she said a few words last week.  I’m not saying the first date has to be a two tablecloth affair, but you better make your move.  Or she’s just going to think you’re a nice man who treats her daughter really nice.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.  I’ll see how this week’s lesson goes.  Maybe I can start nosing around and find out if she’s still mourning her marriage.”  Kyle hated small talk, but sometimes a man had to step up to the stall and take care of business.

“Of course she is.  That man was the love of her life.  According to Janna, they were blissfully happy.  So yes, those are big shoes to fill.  But you’re a big boy, I know you can.”

Kyle saw the mountain before him.  It was a monumental task, but he could do it. He was a Cosgrove, damn it!  “You’re right, Krista.”  He glanced at the clock on the wall.  Those late nights were starting to catch up with him.  He yawned as his sister droned on about possible dating scenarios.  “Hey, sis, I’m going to have to hit you back.  I’m going to take a quick nap before Kassie’s lesson.”

Krista snickered.  “Perks of being the boss, huh?”

“Yep.  Later.”  He ended the call and turned off his computer, grabbed his keys and headed out of his office.  His mother and Tiffany were behind the counter, while Chutney was helping a customer.  “Mom, I’m going to the house for an hour or so.”  He hoped she didn’t ask many questions. 

“Yes, you do look tired.  All those late hours working on that blasted book,” she said.  “You need to start enjoying your life.”  She patted him on the shoulder.  “Oh, and a shower wouldn’t hurt either.”

He kissed his mother on the cheek.  “Always the diplomat.”  

Jemma and Kassie arrived at the ranch in time for the lesson.  For Jemma, it had been one thing after another.  But she’d gladly have done it all over again, just to hear Kassie’s teacher praise her. 

Jemma parked the SUV and helped Kassie carry her supplies.  Again, she thought about the fact that she hadn’t paid for any lessons yet.  Janna told her to relax and she decide would do just that.  She was carrying Kassie’s grooming kit, which held a brush, a sponge, and a lot of things she couldn’t remember the official names of the items she’d purchased for her daughter’s lessons. 

Kassie walked alongside her mother, holding her helmet in her hands.  They entered the stable and Kassie immediately went to the horses.  She reached through the bars and touched some of the horses on the forehead. 

Jemma was in awe of the quiet moment her daughter took with the horses.  In only one lesson, Kassie had bonded with animals.  When Kassie touched the third horse, Jemma stopped her.  “Honey, you shouldn’t touch all the horses.  They might not like that.”  She made a mental note to bring hand sanitizer with her from now on.

Kassie stared at her mother.  “Say hello.”  She moved to the next horse and placed her tiny hand on the horse’s face for a few seconds.  The horse moved its head up and down.  Kassie smiled back at her mother.  “You do it.” 

Before Jemma couldn’t form a thought, her daughter grabbed her hand and placed it on the horse’s face.  “Mommy, say hello.  Nutmeg is my horse.”

Her baby spoke!  Jemma tried to keep her voice normal.  Her baby-girl just strung together two sentences.  Before she could straightened her daughter out about the rules of ownership, Kyle joined them.  She inhaled the scent of a clean man. 

“Hello, ladies,” Kyle said standing next to Jemma.  “I’m sorry, I’m late.” 

“No problem,” Jemma croaked.  “Kassie was just showing me the horses.  We hope you didn’t mind.”  She glanced at him.  His dark brown hair was slick back, revealing his tanned face.  His deep blue eyes smiled at her.  He had on knit shirt, tucked neatly into his starched jeans.  His black boots looked well-worn and very expensive. “Kassie was showing me how to say hello.”  She blinked back tears of happiness. 

Kyle opened the gate to the horse’s stable.  “Great job, Kassie.  Ready to get started?”

Kassie nodded, took the box from her mother and walked inside the stable.  Jemma stared in amazement as her baby girl took out her brush and started gently brushing this very large animal as if she’d been doing it all her life. 

“Mommy?”

“Mommy?” 

Jemma realized the strange voice she heard was her daughter’s.  “What is it, baby?”  She wiped tears from her eyes, noticing her daughter had the horse by the reins and was leading it out of the stable. 

“Nutmeg needs water.” 

Jemma moved out of the way. Kassie and the horse slowly walked to the end of the barn.  Kyle handed her a handkerchief. 

“I’m going to have start charging you,” he said quietly, as he took the fabric from her shaky hands and began gently wiping her face.  “Now, there’s that pretty face.  I take it Kassie has been using more words this week?”

She nodded, then the dam broke and tears flowed freely.  She hadn’t realized that she’d been holding them back for so long.  “I was so afraid to think it was possible.  I didn’t want to push her, but it was so hard to just do nothing.”  Her sobs became louder.  Once she started crying, she couldn’t seem to stop. 

“I know, Jemma.”  He put an arm around her, leading her into a nearby room and closed the door.  “I didn’t want Kassie to hear you crying.  Give me a second.”

Jemma nodded, hating the scene she was making.  He was supposed to be training her daughter, not soothing the ruffled emotions of her mother.  She watched him reached for his cell phone. 

“Bruno, Kassie Patterson is watering Nutmeg.  Can you escort her to the arena?  I’ll be right there.  If she doesn’t want to go with you, then call me back.”  He ended the call and turned his attention back to Jemma.   “He’s my assistant.  He’s great with kids.  Actually, that’s who will be training Kassie.”

“You don’t have to stay with me.  Kassie needs you more.”  Why couldn’t she stop crying?  “I’ll be fine.”

His cell phone buzzed. “Bruno?”  He smiled.  “Great.  Tell her I’ll be right there.”  He replaced the phone in the holder on his waist.   He walked to the cabinets in the corner of the room.  He retrieved an unopened box of tissues.  “I’m sure that handkerchief is soaked.”  He handed her the box and reached for the piece of fabric.

Jemma shook her head.  “No, I’ll clean it and bring it back to you.  It’s the least I can do.”  To prove her point, she stuck it in her purse.  “You’ve been such a help already.”

Kyle shrugged.  “Okay.”

Jemma sniffed.  “Sorry for losing it.  She’s been talking and each time, I try not to sound surprised, I guess I’d been holding those emotions in.  Is Kassie all right?”

“She’s fine.  They’re on the way to the arena.”  He stood directly in front of her.  “Jemma, there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging the fact that Kassie is speaking.  Pressuring her to speak more might cause a regress, celebrate the moment for what it is.”

Jemma let his words sink in her muddled brain.  How did he know so much about kids? He seemed so knowledgeable about a child’s emotional makeup.  “Do you have children?”

“No.  My sister has two girls, and my brother has a son.”  He looked down at her.  “Is Kassie an only child?”

“Yes.  We had planned for more, but it never happened,” Jemma admitted.  More tears.  She and Jared wasted so much time on things that didn’t matter now that he was gone. Now, she was looking forty in the face, more children didn’t seem an option. Especially now.  She wiped at her tears.

“Jemma?” Kyle called her name so softly, almost a whisper.  “I wasn’t trying to bring up sad memories.” He pulled her in his arms.  “I’m sorry.”

It had been so long since she’s been held. Strong arms surrounded her, blocking out the rest of the world.  She didn’t need to be strong now, she could actually crumble, if she’d wanted. 

“Jemma, I’m really sorry if I hurt your feelings,” he whispered as he rubbed her back.  “If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, just let me know.” 

“Just hold me.”

Kyle wasn’t ready for such a simple request.  And in the tack room of all places.  They were in a room filled with saddles, saddle pads, bug sprays, bridles, and cleaning supplies.  Not the best place for romance, but it was for him.  “You got it.”

In the crowded room, he held Jemma in his arms and listened to her cry like a baby.  She was blubbering something awful, he wondered if he should call his mother for reinforcements.  Then he felt her arms crept around his waist, holding him tighter.  Maybe he didn’t need his mother, after all.