A Cowboy For Christmas. Rachel Lee

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СКАЧАТЬ and spoke the truth. “I am bored with cleaning, cooking and washing. There’s not enough to do. So I asked how your day was.”

      Regina tilted her head to one side, then a giggle burst out of her. “Dad said I wasn’t to bother you.”

      “Oh, please bother me.”

      Regina’s giggle turned into a laugh. “Okay.” She pulled out a chair at the table and sat. “My day was great. I’m making some friends, although I think might be because of who my dad is.”

      The statement shocked Abby. That a girl this age should even have to wonder about such things? It wasn’t right. “Or maybe they just like you.”

      “I don’t know. That’s the problem with having famous parents. You can’t be sure.”

      Abby stepped closer, sympathy rising in her. After her own experience, she completely connected with what Regina was saying. Lack of trust had entered her own life, too. “I never thought of that.”

      “I have to. I’ve watched people suck up to my parents because of who they were, and not all of them are nice. So you have to be careful, that’s all.”

      “That’s sad.”

      Regina popped the top on her soda. “It’s worse for my dad, I think. He can do stuff for people. I can’t do anything for anyone. Do you want one of my Cokes? I mean pop. That’s what everyone calls it here, I guess.”

      “Thanks. I have coffee.” Abby grabbed a mug and came to sit cautiously at the table. “I didn’t mean to hold you up. I know you have homework and stuff.”

      “Rally’s maybe wondering where I am, but there’s not a whole lot of homework. So you’re bored? I wondered.”

      Abby tried to smile, feeling like a bit of a fool for even mentioning it to the girl. It wasn’t her problem. “Was it that obvious?”

      “Well, I haven’t talked to you much, but cleaning all the time would get pretty boring for me.” She furrowed her brow. “No hobbies?”

      “Not yet. I used to be busy all the time. This is new for me.”

      “I guess it’s new for both of us. When I lived with Mom, she had me signed up for everything. I like being able to choose what to do with my time.” Again that head tilt. Abby wondered if she’d learned it from Rally. “That could change, I guess. Do you like to do stuff on computers?”

      Abby thought about it. “You mean like go online? I was never much into that, although maybe I should poke around. I might even learn something.”

      Regina giggled again. “Well, Dad’s got plenty of computers. Maybe you should look around and see if there’s something you like. You can even take classes online if you’re desperate enough.”

      “Really?”

      “Really.” Regina rolled her eyes. “Where have you been hiding?”

      “In a marriage and a job. And with friends. Like I said, busy all the time.”

      Regina grinned. “Maybe I should stop straightening up my room.”

      “Don’t you dare. More cleaning is not the answer.” But Abby had to laugh. She was really liking this child.

      “I can’t wait until my stuff gets here,” Regina remarked.

      “Your stuff?”

      “Yeah, Mom’s supposed to send all my clothes and other things. There was a limit to what I could get on Dad’s plane, especially once I said I was bringing my dog.”

      “He would take up a lot of room.”

      “And weight. So yeah, I only brought a few things with me.”

      Abby hesitated, feeling her heart go out to the child. “Are you glad you came? Or are you homesick?”

      “Oh, I’m glad. I never saw my mom anyway, and I hated those nannies. I had to be perfect all the time, and a lot of them didn’t like General. If you don’t like my dog, you don’t like me.”

      An interesting perspective, Abby thought. She could appreciate it, though. “Rally’s a good dog.”

      “Yup.” Regina stood up. “I need to get out to the barn before Dad looks up and notices the time. Or before Rally starts driving him nuts cuz he knows I ought to be there now. Heck, Rally probably heard the school bus even inside the barn. He’s good at that. Grab yourself one of the laptop computers. I’m sure Dad won’t mind, and they’re all hooked up to the internet.”

      She grabbed a small bag of chips, said a cheery goodbye and headed out back toward the barn. Not five minutes later Abby saw girl and dog racing around outside with the sheer joy of being alive and together.

      Maybe she should have been born a dog. Nothing she could do about that now, so she went to get a laptop from the front room. Looking around the web might lead her to something interesting.

      An hour later, she set the table for dinner. Two places in the dining room, her solitary one in the kitchen. Spaghetti and meatballs, homemade sauce. Crusty garlic bread and a tossed salad. She wondered how many would eat.

      Before she could fill serving dishes, however, she heard the back door open. A minute later, Regina entered the kitchen carrying two plates that she put on the kitchen table.

      “What?” Abby asked.

      “This is silly” was all the girl said. In another minute, she had three places set at the kitchen table.

      “But your dad...”

      “Doesn’t mind,” said the deep familiar voice of Rory. He stood in the kitchen doorway, smiling. “Do you?”

      “Of course not.”

      “Good, because I was starting to feel like a feudal lord in that dining room. All I need to fill it are about twenty minions. Tonight you sit. Regina and I will wait on you.”

      Abby felt her cheeks heat. “That’s not...”

      “It’s perfectly right,” he said. “Now sit down, Abby. Regina is looking forward to this.”

      Abby looked at Regina, who was beaming. “I am. I never got to do this at Mom’s. You might have to give me instructions.”

      “I can do the instructions,” Rory said. “I wasn’t always a too-big-for-my-own-hat superstar, you know. I grew up on a ranch and everyone pitched in. I even used to cook and wash dishes.”

      Regina giggled. “You do dishes?”

      Rory pretended to scowl at her. “I do indeed.”

      “This I want to see,” his daughter answered pertly.

      Deciding she really had no choice in the matter, and honestly not minding it because it was fun to watch, Abby sat at the table while Rory and Regina worked to serve the meal. Rory gave gentle instructions, but only when СКАЧАТЬ