Free The Cowboy's Baby by Linda Ford

ceaselessly. He promised so much. To stay. To leave Dorrie with her.
    None of it gave her any peace.
    Suppertime approached and there were a hundred different details to attend to but her wayward emotions slowed her actions. She couldn’t seem to catch up. And Alex needed reminding to do his work.
    She found him playing with Dorrie in the front room. “Alex, run and do your chores now.”
    “Aww.”
    She ruffled his hair. “You have to do them so you might as well do them cheerfully.”
    But he scuffed the toes of his boots on the floor as he carried out the ashes. A few minutes later herushed inside with the bucket of coal. “My chores are done. Can I go help Colby?”
    Wonderful. Now Alex was falling under his spell, as well. He stood to be hurt and disappointed, too. But when had her brother ever been interested in anything to do with work?
    She hesitated. It might do him good. As quickly as the thought came, she amended it. She couldn’t encourage fondness between them. It wasn’t worth the risk. Alex had endured enough losses already. “Maybe you should start your homework.”
    “I can do it after supper.”
    “Why don’t you go outside and find someone to play with?” Persuading him to join in the play with other children was always a challenge. He preferred to stay in his room and read or play with Dorrie. She knew he needed companionship of others but she knew no way of making him seek it.
    He sighed loudly and plunked down at the table. “You don’t want me to go be with Colby.”
    “I guess I don’t.” At his disappointed expression, she felt she should explain. “Alex, I don’t want you getting hurt.”
    Alex jutted out his chin. “How’s helping him gonna hurt me?”
    She could think of a hundred different ways, but she didn’t want to get into a discussion whenshe knew Alex would demand explanations and details she didn’t want to give him. “You just could, that’s all.” She turned away to prepare potatoes for supper.
    “I guess I’ll go outside,” he murmured and dragged himself out the door with all the vigor of a man headed to the gallows.
    Maybe she shouldn’t have quelled his enthusiasm. It would do him good to work with a man for a change.
    Her guilt lasted less than half a minute. She knew she’d done the right thing. Colby claimed to be changed but words came easy. She had no reason to trust him. It could be that about the time people began to count on him he’d toss it all over to disappear without a backward look. No, he had certainly given her no reason to trust him in the past nor in the present.
    Supper was ready. Father, Alex and Colby would soon come in and sit down for the meal. Despite Colby saying he would leave Dorrie with her, she couldn’t still the urge to hide the child. His assurances carried only as much weight as any promise from Colby had.
    But Dorrie was hungry and would certainly fuss if confined to her room. Besides it was her duty to serve the meal. She had no choice but to put Dorrie in her high chair as Colby and Father came in.
    Partway through the meal, Dorrie threw her food on the floor and wailed. “She’s tired,” Anna said, glad of a reason to take her from the table. As she prepared Dorrie for bed, the child fussed uncontrollably. “Poor baby.” Sundays were always hard on her, upsetting her regular routine and Anna often paid for it on Monday. She wrapped Dorrie in her favorite blanket and rocked her until she fell asleep.
    She returned to a kitchen now empty except for the remnants of the meal. Colby had left and Anna let out a heartfelt sigh of relief. Having Dorrie fuss had worked out rather well except for one thing— she was behind in her work. She should have the kitchen cleaned by now and be making sure Alex did his homework. She checked that he worked on his studies before she tackled the kitchen but she didn’t disturb him to get his help with the dishes.
    Finally she finished her chores. Dorrie was asleep. Alex in his room