The Cowboy's Little Girl. Kat Brookes

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      Having a horse of her own again had given Summer back some of that spark that had been missing since she’d had to sell her beloved Cinnamon, the horse she’d ridden during her barrel-racing days, to help pay for the cost of formula and diapers for Blue. Her daughter’s needs had always come first with Summer. Unlike it had been with their own mother.

      Autumn settled herself onto the edge of the mattress with a sad smile. “Your momma wouldn’t want you to blame Alamo or any other horses for what happened. Snakes are very scary creatures, even to big, strong horses. Alamo just wanted to get away from it.”

      “I don’t like snakes, either,” Blue said with a yawn.

      Autumn managed the semblance of a smile. “That makes two of us, sweetheart.”

      “I miss Momma.”

      Just shy of five years old, her niece should still have her mother in her life. The sadness in Blue’s eyes whenever she spoke about missing her momma never failed to make Autumn’s heart break.

      “I know you do, sweetie,” Autumn replied past the lump that had risen in her throat, still trying to come to terms with the recent loss of her sister herself. Summer had been gone for nearly six months and it still didn’t seem real. Her twin, older than Autumn by mere minutes, had been called home to the Lord a week after being thrown from her horse.

      “Are you gonna leave me, too?” her precious little Blue asked fearfully.

      Autumn fought back an onslaught of tears. How was she supposed to answer that? Because if her sister’s last wishes were carried out, she would be leaving Blue in the care of a man who hadn’t even known his daughter existed.

      “Not a chance,” she heard herself reply. If this life-changing drive to Bent Creek, Wyoming, two counties away from Cheyenne, and the only home her niece had ever known, turned out the way Autumn hoped it would, her niece would be coming home with her for good. Despite the fact that she had been struggling since Summer’s passing to place her complete faith in the Lord, Autumn sent up a silent prayer that she would be able to keep her promise to her sister if Tucker managed to prove himself worthy. In that case, she would make sure she stayed in her niece’s life. Still, she couldn’t even begin to imagine her life without Blue in it. Her niece was a living, breathing piece of Summer. All Autumn had left of her sister. And it was the love she had for her twin, as well as her not-quite-three-year-old niece—because that was all the older Blue was at the time—that had motivated Autumn to sell her real estate business in Braxton, Texas, where she and Summer had grown up, and move to Wyoming to be with them.

      Blue turned onto her side, snuggling deeper under the blue-and-green-floral quilt. “Do you think my daddy liked our surprise?”

      She had told Blue they were going to surprise her daddy with a visit and not to feel bad if he didn’t seem happy about it, that some people didn’t know how to handle surprises. Truth was she was preparing her niece in the kindest way she knew how for Tucker’s possible rejection. If that had happened, Blue wouldn’t feel the least bit unlovable. An emotion Autumn had experienced firsthand. But Tucker, though thoroughly shocked, had seemed to be overjoyed to learn that he had a daughter.

      “How could he not when you’re the surprise?” Autumn said, reaching out to stroke her niece’s long curls.

      With a sleepy smile, Blue closed her eyes and gave in to the exhaustion she’d been fighting.

      Autumn closed her eyes as well, only not in sleep, but in one final prayer that night. Dear Lord, please have a care with my niece’s tender heart when Your will, whatever that may be, is done.

       Chapter Two

      Autumn, cup of freshly brewed coffee in hand, moved to stand at the edge of the porch, her gaze skimming over the vast land around her. She loved all the warm colors that came with the fall season. The brilliant golds and vibrant reds with bold splashes of burgundy. The same colorful palette that now dotted the towering trees that surrounded Tucker Wade’s ranch and filled the distant hills. Earthy shades of green and brown carpeted the ground below, making the colors in the trees above stand out even more.

      Closing her eyes, she breathed in the cool, crisp air that filled the mornings at that time of year. Much to her surprise, a feeling of peacefulness settled over her as she stood in the faint chill of the early morning, listening to the faint sounds of nature stirring to life around her. It was a peacefulness she hadn’t known for a very long while.

      The unexpected calm that filled her at that moment took Autumn by surprise. Especially when one considered her reason for being there. Maybe it was a sign from God that everything was going to be all right. She’d certainly prayed hard enough. And there was no doubt in her mind that Blue was better off with her than with a man whose entire life centered around horses, whether it was riding them or getting them rodeo ready. Tucker Wade would have a very hard time convincing her otherwise.

      Then again, what if this was the Lord’s way of telling her that Bent Creek was the right place for her niece? That Blue would find contentment in this vast, horse-filled land hours from the only home she’d ever known.

      No, Autumn thought in a panic, the right place for Blue is back in Cheyenne with the one person who loves her more than anyone else ever could. She had to believe that. Surely, the Lord knew that, as well. He’d seen the sacrifices Autumn had made for those she loved. For Blue.

      That precious child filled her heart to overflowing. She didn’t need a husband or even children of her own to make her happy. Not as long as she had Blue.

       Not as long as she had Blue.

      No sooner had that thought gone through her mind than the feeling of serenity that had come over her only moments before began to slip. In its place, the very real fear of losing her cherished little Blue Belle. A fear she’d been struggling with ever since Summer let loose the secrets she’d been keeping for so long. Secrets Autumn found herself wishing her sister would have taken with her to the grave.

      Guilt filled her instantly at even harboring such a thought. Blue deserved to know her daddy, just as Tucker Wade deserved to know his little girl. They had both been denied the opportunity for far too long. Autumn couldn’t let her own selfish needs and wants stop her from doing what was right. Doing what the Lord would want her to do.

      “Morning.”

      Autumn jumped, her eyes flying open at the deep, baritone sound. Hot coffee sloshed over the rim of the cup she held clutched in her hand, causing her to wince.

      Tucker Wade was there in an instant, standing on the other side of the porch’s railing as he reached out to ease the cup from her stinging hand. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said apologetically as he set the coffee cup onto the railing a safe distance away. Then he pulled a red-and-white-print handkerchief from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to her, asking worriedly, “You okay?”

      She took the offered square of colorful cotton and dabbed at her hand. “I’m fine,” she said with a halfhearted smile.

      His СКАЧАТЬ