Free A Cowboy’s Honor by Lois Richer Page B

Dallas. It’s too far.”
    She wore a teasing little grin that matched her father’s so closely, Gracie got a pain in her heart.
    “Is that a dare?” Dallas called.
    “Yes.”
    “Okay, kid. You asked for it. Hold out your arms and stay still.”
    Misty obeyed, waiting expectantly for him to throw the ball. When it landed with a plop in her arms, water droplets splashed her face. She giggled as she tossed the ball in with the rest of the water toys. “You did it!”
    “Of course I did.” He scrambled out of the water, wrapped his damp towel around himself. “I’m very good at airmailing toys.”
    Gracie shivered at the memory of evenings they’d spent by the creek behind her father’s house. Sweet lovely nights. Dallas mistook her shiver for cold and grabbed her towel, wrapped it around her shoulders.
    “You’d better get changed. I’ll look after Misty until you’re ready.” He snapped the pool gate shut behind him, then moved closer to Misty. “Let’s get inside, kiddo. Soon as your mom’s ready you can have a wash.”
    “But I’m not dirty.”
    Gracie hurried into the house, showered quickly and pulled on her jeans and a warm sweater. It had been hot today, but suddenly the air felt cooler.
    She found father and daughter in the kitchen, still arguing about degrees of dirtiness.
    “Come on, honey. Bath time.” She allowed herself the merest glance at Dallas. “Misty will use my shower. You can have the other bathroom to change.”
    “But I want a bath, Mommy. I’m cold. Your bathroom doesn’t have a tub.”
    Gracie squeezed her eyes closed. How to get out of this one? If Dallas went in her room he’d see the photographs she’d placed on the walls, photographs of him. He’d see the box he’d given her, and he was bound to notice all the mementos she’d stuffed inside. A dozen dried roses, a silver necklace, the only wedding picture she had.
    Seeing her hesitation, Dallas shook his head. “It’s fine, Gracie. I’ll pull my jeans on and go back to the bunkhouse to change. But I’ll be back in fifteen minutes to kiss you good-night, Misty. And you’d better be in bed.”
    Gracie hid her smile at her daughter’s grimace.
    “I’m leaving now, Misty,” he added. “I bet I’m back before you’re in bed.”
    “Come on, Mommy. I want to beat him.” Misty tugged at Gracie’s hand.
    Dallas grinned at them, then hurried out the door. Suddenly the house felt empty, drained of the vitality Dallas always carried into a room.
    “I will always love you, Gracie. No matter what happens.”
    If only love was enough.

Chapter Five

    D allas walked back to the house with more speed than was necessary.
    But he couldn’t seem to keep himself from hurrying, and it wasn’t only because he wanted to kiss his daughter good-night.
    Though Gracie was tired, he knew she would offer him something to drink. He intended to accept. And while he drank they could talk. Maybe he’d finally get some answers to the questions tormenting him.
    He tapped on the door lightly. “It’s me.”
    “I win!” Misty called from her room.
    Gracie sent him a droll look from the kitchen, where she was pouring boiling water into a teapot. “Maybe you can get her to lie down, now that you’re back,” she said. “I doubt she’ll go to sleep easily. She’s overtired.”
    His fault.
    “I’ll get her to sleep.” Dallas walked down the hall. “You relax. Read a book. We’ll be fine.”
    Misty lay propped up in bed, waiting, her shining face uplifted. She giggled when he sat down beside her. “What does the winner get?”
    “A good-night kiss?” He leaned over, placed a loud smack against her cheek. “How’s that?”
    “Mommy always reads a story to me.” She pulled a dog-eared volume from the bookcase of braille books. “I like this one.”
    Misty couldn’t know he’d been studying braille, though he wasn’t proficient enough to read this yet. He heard a noise, saw Gracie standing in the doorway.
    “I’ll