Sunrise Canyon (New Americana 1)

Jake gave her a mysterious glance. He was enjoying this. And he was enjoying the way Kira looked when her guard was down and she wasn’t giving orders. There was a softness to the angular planes of her face and a tempting fullness to her glossed lips.

“What did you do?” she asked again.

“Nothing much. I just pretended I was back in the army and the kids were a bunch of recruits. You told me to flash my tattoo. That’s pretty much what I did.”

Her mouth curved in a smile. “Well, whatever you did, it worked. Thanks.” She paused, and Jake could sense a mental shift. By now, he knew what to expect. “I still need to call Patrick’s parents,” she said. “While I’m doing that, you can get the students started on cleaning the paddock.”

“Roger. I take it you’ll still want Patrick there when you make the call. I’ll send him in.”

“Thanks. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. I doubt Patrick’s parents will be surprised. The boy has issues with rules and with impulse control. What he did yesterday, climbing on those rocks, was typical behavior—the sort that equine therapy has a good chance of helping.”

Jake turned to go, then paused. “Didn’t you say it was unethical to talk about your students?”

“I did. But that was before you were working with them. Now that you’re part of the team, you’ll need to understand a little about each one. The counseling sessions will still be confidential, but I can, at least, fill you in on their backgrounds.”

“Part of the team.” It shouldn’t matter, Jake thought. But for some reason, it felt good.

He was about to leave again when Paige came out onto the porch. Since he hadn’t seen her at breakfast, Jake guessed that she must’ve eaten in the kitchen. She was dressed for the day, except for her sneakers, which trailed their laces as she walked.

“Hi, Mister Jake.” She gave him a heart-melting smile. “Would you help me tie my shoes?”

Kira stepped forward. “Mister Jake has to go, honey. Come here, I’ll help you.”

“No.” Paige’s face assumed an adorable pout. “I want Mister Jake to help me.”

Jake glanced at Kira. She shrugged and rolled her eyes. Was she put-out, maybe even hurt? Feeling awkward, Jake bent and tied the pink laces into bows. “How’s that?” he asked Paige.

Paige looked down at her shoes. “It’s fine. Can I help you feed the horses, Mister Jake?”

His discomfort growing, Jake shook his head. “Sorry, Paige, the horses have already been fed. I was able to do it because you showed me how last night. You were a good teacher. Maybe another time, okay?”

“Okay.” Paige sighed.

Kira straightened the straw hat on Paige’s head. “The students will be grooming and leading the horses. You can watch if you’ll stay out of the way. But you’ll have to wait here while I make a phone call.”

“Can’t I just go now with Mister Jake?”

Kira’s eyes met Jake’s above the little girl’s head. He’d half-expected to see jealousy in her gaze. Instead what he saw was concern—a concern he shared. This headstrong child, for whatever reason, had attached herself to him and would not be turned away. How would she take it when he walked out of her life a second time?

“Please, Aunt Kira,” Paige’s look would have melted stone. “I won’t be any trouble.”

Kira sighed. “All right. I’ll be along in a few minutes. You stay with Mister Jake and do what he says. Promise?”

“Promise.” The little girl skipped after Jake, who’d already headed for the stable. Halfway there she caught his hand. Jake felt his heart fracture as the small fingers slipped into his palm. He’d done his best to ignore the blood bond with his daughter. But it was as if Paige, in her innocence, had sensed it at once. Whatever lay ahead for them was bound to be painful—even frightening.

As they crossed the yard, another dynamite blast shook the air, echoing up the canyon to ring in Jake’s ears. Taking deep breaths, he let the sound wash over him as he walked, holding tight to his little girl’s hand.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Kira sat on the living-room couch, sipping an iced tea and waiting for Heather to come in. Her first one-on-one counseling session had been set for yesterday, but Dusty’s emergency had preempted everything. This afternoon she was playing catch-up with the program schedule.

When she’d phoned the hospital after lunch, the nurse had said her grandfather was asleep. Later, Kira would drive into Tucson to visit him again. Right now, she would give her full attention to the troubled girl who needed her help.

While she waited, she reviewed the notes she’d taken when she’d talked with Heather’s parents. Fifteen-year-old Heather was bright, but she was a few pounds overweight and felt less attractive than her pretty, popular older sister, Megan. She hid her lack of confidence by being pushy and sarcastic. Her issues with her sister had come to a head when Megan had been elected homecoming queen. The afternoon before the dance, Heather had stolen into Megan’s room and used a pair of scissors to slash her sister’s gown. Her parents, good people, desperate for help, were hoping that the horse therapy program would ease Heather’s hostility and raise her self-esteem.

At the sound of the front door opening, Kira slid the folder under the couch and rose to greet her student. Heather came in dragging her feet, a scowl on her face. “Do I really have to do this crap?” she asked.

“You do. But only once a week. And you get to choose what you tell me—or don’t tell me. I’m here to listen, not to judge. Have a seat.”