Free Jesse by C H Admirand Page B

she knew would arise.
    Uprooting her daughter hadn’t been her choice; she hadn’t had one, thanks to the thoughtlessness of one man. “People just don’t think,” she murmured.
    â€œWhat people?”
    Her eyes shot open and she sat upright. “Lacy, honey, I didn’t know you were standing there. When did you get up?”
    Her little girl stood in the doorway, dressed in her favorite pink princess nightgown and little pink boots with her cowgirl hat hanging down her back. “Just now. I’m hungry.”
    Danielle rose to gather her daughter in her arms. She loved the way Lacy would giggle when she hugged her close. “Did you wear those boots to bed again?”
    Lacy squirmed and Danielle set her on her feet. “Nuh-uh,” she answered. “Not all night, Mommy.”
    â€œWant some cereal?” She grinned when Lacy’s eyes went round with wonder.
    â€œYou ’membered to bring it!” She dashed inside, climbed onto the chair, and poured herself a bowl, managing to get most of the cereal where she wanted it—in the bowl. “Thanks, Mommy,” Lacy said, between chews.
    â€œHow about a glass of milk?”
    Lacy nodded and Danielle poured.
    Spoon poised in front of her mouth, Lacy frowned. “That’s a jar.”
    Danielle laughed. “Uncle Jimmy likes to use them for glasses.”
    Lacy shook her head. “He’s funny, but I like him.”
    Smoothing the flyaway strands, she echoed her daughter’s sentiment. “He likes you too.”
    â€œWhere is he?”
    â€œOver at the diner, serving breakfast.”
    Lacy stopped eating and set her spoon down. “Shouldn’t we help him?”
    â€œWe will, but he wanted us to rest up before going over to the diner.” Danielle paused. “Oh no. We don’t have a car.”
    Lacy shook her head. “Sure we do, ’member? We drove it here yesterday.”
    â€œIt’s probably still on the side of the road where we left it.”
    Her daughter frowned up at her and shook her head. “I heard Unca Jimmy talking to someone last night.”
    Danielle smiled and said, “That was me.”
    But Lacy just shook her head again and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. When Danielle opened her mouth, intending to remind Lacy she should have used the napkin by her plate, Lacy sprang up and reached for her mother’s hand. “Come on.”
    Caught up in her little one’s enthusiasm, she let herself be led to the front door. Lacy tugged her mother with one hand and pushed the screen door open with another. “See, Mommy?” She pointed toward where their car was parked.
    â€œI had no idea that he dropped the car off.”
    â€œIt’s part of the Code.”
    Distracted, she looked down at Lacy. “What code?”
    With a dramatic sigh, the little one shook her head. “Mommy, you gots to listen when people talk.”
    Well, that was like the pot calling the kettle black. “Which people?”
    â€œCowboy Jesse.”
    â€œAh.” It all made sense now, something Jesse had said yesterday had stuck with her daughter; undoubtedly it had to do with being a cowboy. “Which part of the Code? He said a lot yesterday.”
    â€œHe promised he’d fix our car. Cowboys keep promises.”
    The only other cowboy she’d known was her ex, and he certainly hadn’t kept any of the promises he made to her. “Well, Jesse certainly kept this one, didn’t he?”
    â€œSo we can go help Unca Jimmy?”
    â€œI think you’ll need to get dressed first.”
    â€œBut I am dressed,” Lacy insisted, stomping one tiny pink boot in frustration.
    Danielle fought against the urge to smile—no use encouraging bursts of temper just because her daughter was so adorable when she was riled. “You can’t wear your pajamas all day, sweetie. Get dressed.”
    Reluctantly, Lacy turned in a