Free Maureen McKade by A Dime Novel Hero Page A

Johnny was his son? Kit squelched the thought even as her conscience proclaimed her a coward for keeping silent.
    After a few circles, Jake stopped Treasure and laid a hand on Johnny’s arm. “Do you want to try it by yourself?”
    He nodded eagerly.
    Kit held her breath as Johnny kneed Treasure into a slow gait.
    Jake walked close beside them. “You’re doing just fine.” He spoke in a low voice that wouldn’t startle the horse. “Ease up on the reins—Treasure will feel the leather on the side of her neck and turn that way.”
    Excitement animated Johnny’s face, and something close to pride glowed in Jake’s expression.
    “All right, Johnny, I think that’s enough for today,” Jake said. He led the docile horse to the fence near Kit, and Jake smiled. “Looks like your son takes to riding like a grizzly takes to an itch.”
    Relief poured through her, and she smiled at the carefree expression on his features. “I didn’t realize you had a gift for teaching.”
    He shook his head. “Johnny’s just an excellent student.” Jake lifted him down from Treasure’s back and laid a hand across the boy’s shoulders. “You did real good, kid.”
    “I rode all by myself,” Johnny exclaimed with a wide grin.
    “You sure did,” Kit said with a fond smile. Now that Johnny stood on solid ground, she wondered why she’d been so terrified. “I bet you’ll be trotting next time.”
    “And then he’ll be wanting his own pony,” Jake said, winking at her.
    Kit’s lightheartedness fled. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep the ranch, much less afford to give Johnny his own horse.
    “Johnny why don’t you take Treasure into the barn? I’ll be in there in a minute to help you unsaddle her,” Jake suggested.
    Eagerly, the boy did as Jake had said.
    Once Johnny was out of earshot, Jake asked, “Is something wrong, Kit?”
    Dismayed, she wondered if her feelings were as transparent now as when she’d been a young girl. She forced a smile. “What could be wrong? Thanks for giving Johnny the riding lesson. You don’t have to feel obligated to give him another.”
    He shook his head. “To be perfectly honest, I enjoyed it. Johnny reminds me of me when I was a boy.”
    Kit’s breath caught in her throat. “What do you mean?”
    “I bothered Pa to no end when I was Johnny’s age, wanting him to teach me how to ride.” His eyes clouded. “He never had the time. So I know how Johnny feels.”
    Kit felt the sting of Jake’s censure, and guilt gave her voice a sharp edge. “It’s hard finding the time in between all the work on the ranch and the recordkeeping, not to mention the cooking and cleaning.”
    Jake cupped her cheek, and said quietly, “I’m not comparing you to my father, Kit. I know it must be hard for a woman alone to raise a child.”
    She fought the urge to lean into his gentle hand. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing the right thing.”
    “Maybe Johnny would be better off if you sold me the ranch and took him to live in town,” he said.
    Betrayed, Kit jerked away. “Stop it, Jake!”
    “What?”
    “Don’t use Johnny to get the ranch,” she said hotly. “He’s the reason I bought the place. I wanted something to pass on to him.”
    “But he’d be better off around children his own age.”
    “Like I was ‘better off’ with other children?” she demanded bitterly. “You and I both know how cruel kids can be. And we both know how quickly he’ll be labeled a bastard. Out here, I can protect him.” Her anger abated. “Like you protected me.”
    Jake studied her with a steady, tight-lipped expression. “You’re not going to change your mind, are you?”
    She met his gaze without hesitation. “No.”
    His jaw muscle clenched. “I’d better go give Johnny a hand with Treasure.”
    With stiff shoulders and long-legged strides, Jake left her standing alone by the corral.
    Kit closed her eyes, breathing deeply to calm her thundering heart. She hadn’t meant to cross horns