Free Chance Of A Lifetime by Kelly Eileen Hake Page B

Jamie’s hands.
    “Tanks, Byce.” The little boy beamed at him before holding the mallet with both hands and pummeling the wooden peg. The exercise was good to increase his arm strength and improve coordination.
    “You’re welcome, buddy.” Bryce looked down. “You’ve already finished two of them? Good job, Jamie!”
    “Fun.” Jamie waved the mallet exuberantly before losing hold of it again.
    “Hold on there.” Bryce took the small tool. “I’ll be right back.” He made his way to the barn and grabbed the drill. The handle was small, so it didn’t take long to make a hole through the end. Bryce grabbed some twine and headed back to Jamie.
    “Here.” He knotted the twine through the new hole, then looped the other end around Jamie’s wrist. “Now you’ll be able to get it whenever it jumps out of your hands. Mallets are tricky that way.”
    “Yes.” Jamie nodded seriously. He dropped the wooden hammer over the side of the board, then pulled it back using the twine. “Wurks!” He beamed and began thunking at the pegs again. After a few clumsy swipes, he managed to knock one of the pegs farther in.
    “Looks like you’ve got things under control,” Bryce told him. “I’ll leave you to it.”
    “‘Kay.”

    “Boys drank that water faster’n fish.” Hattie wiped her hands on a tea towel. “Working up quite a thirst out there.”
    “I’ll bet.” Daisy looked up from kneading bread dough. “Jamie all right? I hope he ain’t bothering ‘em iff ‘n he gets bored.”
    “Happy as a raccoon with summat shiny.” Hattie smiled. “Bryce drilled some holes and steadied in some pegs. Jamie’s out there bangin’ away with a tiny mallet.”
    “Oh?” Daisy hoped her son wouldn’t come back from that little adventure with bruises dotting his hands. No, Bryce would watch over him. Jamie could have his fun and be fine. “That’s nice.”
I wonder how many times Bryce has had to pick up that mallet
.
    “Works out well,” Hattie said, answering Daisy’s unspoken thought. “Bryce even drilled a hole in the mallet handle and tied some twine to it so Jamie can yank it back if it falls.”
    “That’s clever of him. Right smart.” Daisy dropped the dough back in a big bowl and covered it. “It’s nice for Jamie to be out working with the men.”
    “Bryce doesn’t say much, but he’s a thoughtful one.” Hattie slanted Daisy a look she couldn’t decipher.
    “He says plenty without running his mouth,” Daisy defended. “A body cain’t always rely on words.”
    “I know. It’s why he’s so good with the animals—he has a kind heart that speaks for itself.” Hattie smiled. “He’s taken an interest in Jamie. Logan would never have thought to do something like that peg board.”
    “Maybe not.” Daisy smiled. “Logan’s too busy holpin’ grown folks.”
    “He does have a heart for the people of the holler.” Hattie’s love shone through her voice. “Bryce tends to the animals and the children. I noticed it at the sang when they first got here—children like bein’ ‘round him.”
    “Jamie shore does. He ain’t had a man around afore.” Daisy drew a deep breath. “It’ll be hard on him when Bryce goes back to Californy.”
    “Maybe.” Hattie shrugged. “I know Logan’ll miss his brother greatly, and I’ve grown fond of Bryce.”
    “He grows on you.” Daisy thought of how Bryce had quietly undertaken to spend time with her son and come up with ways for him to do things she’d never thought possible. “I didn’t take much notice of him before yore wedding, but then, suddenlike, he’s become a big part of Jamie’s life.”
    “Jist Jamie’s?” Hattie raised her eyebrows.
    “All of us.” That was the closest Daisy dared come to admitting how much she’d miss Bryce for her own sake, not just Jamie’s.
    “Seems to me, a man don’t go out of his way and befriend a child without good reason.” Hattie looked meaningfully at Daisy. “From what I hear,