Chapter 8
“Well, I never saw a child put away ice cream like that baby,” Gran chuckled.
Declan came back into the kitchen and said softly, “She’s got a sweet tooth all right.”
“She asleep?” Kade asked.
“Out like a light. I don’t know how long it’ll last,” he paused, “she has nightmares. We don’t get much sleep.”
The bags under his brother’s eyes spoke for themselves. Kade swore he could see Declan sway on his feet.
“Why don’t you sack out beside her and grab a few winks yourself?” Kade took a sip of coffee and nodded toward the stairs. “If she wakes up alone, that’ll scare her even more.”
“I might just do that. Maybe tomorrow we could go into town and pick up a few things I need. Hard to believe what all goes with raising a baby. With the bedroom being upstairs, I want to get one of those baby monitors and,” he grimaced, “some more diapers. Don’t know how you did it, Gran, with her kicking and screaming, but you got that diaper on good ‘n’ snug.”
“Years of experience. I don’t have this gray hair for nothing.”
“Where?” Kade asked with mock seriousness.
“Where what?”
“Where’s that gray hair? All I see is Lady Clairol’s dark brown with rich highlights,” Kade teased as if reading from the box.
“Don’t be such a smarty,” Gran warned. “I only use it occasionally to give my hair life.”
Gran’s hair was her pride and joy, and in her mind’s eye, gray just wasn’t an option.
“Needs a good shot of life every six weeks or so, huh?”
“Kade McKune, you aren’t too big to have your ears boxed. Just you mind your own business.”
“Why, Gran,” and he gave her cheek a smack, “you are my business.”
“Hmmpf. Declan, Kade does have a point. As much as I’d like to hear your story and,” she gave him a pointed look, “get caught up on your last five years, you do look as if a slight breeze could topple you. Go join Maddy. We’ll talk later.”
“The inquisition will begin as soon as you’re awake, you can bet on that,” Kade teased.
“Inquisition, my foot. It’s only natural I’m curious.”
“Natural. Just like your hair, huh?”
Laughing, Kade jumped back, but not before Gran swatted his arm.
“Declan, we’ll take Maddy to town tomorrow and outfit her. Uncle Kade’s got dibs on buying her a pair of cowboy boots and a baby bed fit for a wee princess.”
“I’ve missed you guys,” Declan said gently as he headed out the door. “You don’t know how much.”
“There’s a story there, Kade,” Gran said as soon as it was just the two of them. “He’ll tell us some, you more, but I’d wager there’s a lot buried deep.”
“Yeah.” He put his hat on, his vibrant blue eyes focused on the empty doorway. “We just have to give him time. Time for him and Maddy to heal.” He turned to the woman watching him.
“You up to this, Gran? A baby’s a lot of work, and Maddy is needier than most. Declan’s exhausted.”
“’Course I am. I’m no spring chicken, but I still have a lot of miles left in me. How about you? You carry the weight of all of us on your shoulders. I know you’re worried about the bank loan. Then there’s payroll, calving, haying, and all that goes with keeping this place running. You’ve been doing it since you were a kid. The only time you veered from the path you’ve cut out for yourself was when you went to Montana on a buying trip and came back with that . . . that.”
“Let’s not go into the past now, Gran,” he said gruffly. “I’ve let work go this morning. I’m going to round up Mark and get started.” He ducked out the back door. “I’ll be out in the barn or the corral.” He patted his pocket, feeling for his cell phone. “Call me if you need me.”
The door closed behind him. Gran looked worriedly after Kade. If only things had worked out. This strong grandson needs someone to share life’s burdens. Someone he can trust. Someone who won’t turn on him and rob him not only of his money, but his pride. Someone who will heal the anger and mistrust boiling inside of him.
Gran went to the cupboard and took down a large mixing bowl. Cookies. Sugar cookies. Every little girl loves and needs a sugar cookie. And by darn she’d use any power of persuasion to coax little Maddy into her arms.
Was she up to this? Of course, she was. Kade had enough to cope with and her having a few chest pains was none of his business. None at all.
~ ~ ~
A few hours later, Kade looked up from the depressing paperwork spread across his desk at the shadow standing in the doorway.
“Mark said you were in your office. If I’m interrupting something, I can come back later.”
Kade smiled at Declan and the little girl clinging to him like a small monkey.
“Nothing that can’t wait. This is the only part of ranching I don’t like.”
Declan sat across from him. “Bills?”
Kade nodded.
“Lots?”
He nodded again.
“Want to tell me about it?”
“Long story,” Kade said shortly.
“I’ve got time. Maddy and I are free as birds, aren’t we, honey?”
The little girl smiled, giving a glimpse of two tiny teeth. Then, catching herself, quickly erased the smile from her face.
“I saw that smile, pumpkin,” Kade teased. “And I saw two teeth in the bottom of your mouth.”
Maddy hid her head against Declan.
“I’ve got something here by my desk just for you.”
No response.
Kade reached to his side and jiggled a sack by his feet.
Maddy peeked out from the corner of her eyes.
He jiggled it again. “Can you come get it?”
Slowly Declan lowered her to the floor. Maddy sat there, clutching Declan’s pant leg tight in one, small fist.
Slowly, Kade got to his feet, and with measured steps, eased around the side of the desk until he was inches from the wide-eyed Maddy. One hand gripped a mesh sack. He gave it another jiggle and placed it near his foot.
“It’s yours, pumpkin. Look,” and he crouched in front of her.
Both men held their breath waiting for the screams to come as Kade inched even closer. He opened the sack, peered inside, and said, “Wow. Would you look at that?”
Maddy tilted her chin, looking at him from under thick lashes.
Kade opened the sack even wider, peered in again, and repeated a delighted “Wow,” as though seeing an amazing treasure.
Maddy leaned a fraction closer, never taking her eyes from the big man.
“Do you want to see?” Kade moved the opening closer to her. “Look inside. Those are all yours. They were your daddy’s treasures, and now they’re yours.”
“Whaat?” Declan muttered.
“Shhh. I’m wooing this young lady.”
“Huh?” Declan chuckled. “You’ve got your work cut out for you.”
“Yeah, but it’ll be worth it. Want to bet that in an hour I’ll have her sitting on my lap?” Kade challenged.
“You’re on, Big Brother. Winner buys lunch.”
“I’m a big eater,” Kade popped back.
“Me, too.”
“You don’t look it, Bro.”
“Making up for a few lost meals, so bring your checkbook.”
While the two men were talking, one small hand had crept toward the sack.
As though oblivious, Kade pulled the sack back a few inches.
He made a big show of groping inside, rattling the contents, while muttering, “Would you look at this, Maddy?” He pulled out a bright red, matchbox fire truck.
“As I remember, this was your daddy’s favorite matchbox.”
“Where in the . . . where did you get those?”
“They’ve been stored in a cupboard in the tack room.”
“You kept them?” Awe filled Declan’s voice.
Kade didn’t answer as he eased his body to the floor, placing the sack and car in the circle of his outstretched legs.
Like a turtle pulling back into its shell, Maddy resumed her stiff statue-like position.
“Lost some ground,” Declan teased.
“Battle’s just begun. I’m reconnoitering.”
“Right,” Declan smirked. “Let’s see, think I’ll have a big steak sandwich with . . .” He stopped as Kade raised his finger to his lips, and ever so slowly, put the fire truck back inside the sack.
Maddy placed one hand behind her for balance and scooted on her butt toward him, her body alert and poised for flight.
“She doesn’t crawl?” Kade whispered.
“Scoots.”
“Kinda hard on the bottom,” Kade held back his grin, not wanting to do anything that might shatter the moment.
“Needs long pants.” Kade observed never raising his voice.
“Doesn’t have any. Not much variety where we came from. Lucky I found a couple second-hand dresses in a church barrel.”
Kade kept his head turned from Maddy as if he wasn’t at all interested in the little girl scooting closer and closer.
Declan held his breath and slightly shook his head.
“You’re a wily coyote, Uncle Kade.”
“Hey, if it works, it works.”
With the last scoot, Maddy’s foot touched Kade’s leg.
Acting as if having a little girl scoot toward him was an everyday occurrence, Kade widened his legs and gently patted the floor in front of him. He moved the sack, leaving enough room for Maddy to scoot inside the circle.
Maddy sat back and studied him. She shifted her big brown eyes from the smiling man to the sack of treasures and back again.
Kade felt as though he couldn’t breathe. He’d spent many an hour taming a horse, letting it know by gestures and words he was nothing to fear. But it wasn’t anything compared to these last agonizing moments trying to win Maddy’s trust. He mentally sent out calming waves of love.
Quickly, as though a big decision had been reached, Maddy scooted into the circle of Kade’s legs. Making a happy sound, she yanked the sack to her and plunged her hand inside.
Pleased, she slowly withdrew a fluorescent green sports car, and held it up for Kade’s inspection.
He had to blink several times to clear his eyes before he could focus on the object. Her trust was a gift more precious than diamonds.
“It’s a car, pumpkin. Look.” He covered her hand with his, feeling her delicate skin beneath his calloused palm. Guiding her hand, he ran the car back and forth on the floor, making “vroom, vroom,” sounds.
Maddy giggled, and Kade was sure he’d never heard a sweeter sound. He pulled her tighter against him and felt as though his heart would burst.
“Close enough to a lap, Bro?” he whispered. “Believe I’ll have steak, too.”