Rancher Daddy. Lois Richer
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remained still and listened.
“Do you think Luc wanted to wait to have you for a visit? He didn’t but he knows you can’t always have what you want when you want it.” Holly studied Henry, her severe look not dissipating. “Sometimes you have to be patient, Henry. Otherwise you end up in a heap of trouble, like you just did. That bull is very dangerous. You could have been hurt and all because you couldn’t wait.”
“I’m sorry.” Henry’s lower lip trembled and he ducked his head.
“I hope so. Luc risked his life to get you out, do you know that? If Ornery Joe had been really angry, he could easily have charged Luc or me.” Holly paused a moment to let her words sink in. “Ms. Hilda knows about Ornery Joe. I’m sure that’s why she wanted you to wait until she could take you to Luc’s.”
“I didn’t know that.” Henry sounded the tiniest bit belligerent. That didn’t faze Holly.
“Of course you didn’t and you didn’t ask, either, did you?” When Henry shook his head, Holly made a clicking noise. “That’s the thing, Henry. We all know you want a family and we’re trying to help you, but you have to trust us.” Holly brushed the hank of hair off his forehead. “We can’t always tell you every single thing that’s happening. You need to believe we’re doing our best for you and be patient. Okay?”
He nodded slowly. “Are you still mad at me, Holly?”
“A little. You scared the daylights out of me.” She pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly. “Don’t do it again, okay?”
“Okay.” Henry hugged her back, his face wreathed in smiles.
“I think you owe somebody a big thank-you,” she whispered just loud enough for Luc to hear. Her blue eyes glistened as Henry walked to Luc.
“I’m sorry I got in trouble,” he said. “Thank you for helping me.” He thrust out his hand.
Luc did the same. He looked at Holly, struggling to suppress his grin.
“You’re welcome,” he said as he shook Henry’s hand. Then he scooped the boy into his arms, relishing the feel of holding this wonderful child. “But what are we going to do about my torn pants?” He set Henry down and showed him the tear in the back of his jeans. “These were my best ones, too,” he mourned.
“Holly can fix them,” Henry said with a grin. “Holly’s good at everything.”
“Not him, too,” Holly muttered. Luc smiled.
“You should ask her to sew your pants,” Henry advised.
“I’ll do that.” Luc shot a sideways glance at Holly who was looking anywhere but at him. “Something wrong?”
“Melody. She must have gone home. Guess I’ll have to hitch a ride. But first we’re taking Henry to Ms. Hilda’s as promised. Let’s go.”
Luc waited, wondering if Holly would prefer to drive her own vehicle, but she waved him to the driver’s side.
“I’m still shaking so much I’d probably crash us. He doesn’t seem any worse for wear, though.” She nodded toward Henry, who’d climbed into the back of the vehicle.
“You looked unflappable.” He held her door. As Holly passed him, he murmured, “You were wrong, you know.”
“About what specifically?” Holly gazed at him, her expression curious.
“That you don’t have the motherhood gene.” He saw a look of fear flicker through her gaze before her chin lifted. “I think you’re a born mother.”
“You’re wrong, Luc.” She stepped past him and into the vehicle. “I’m not the kind of mother any child needs.”
Luc climbed in on the driver’s side and drove to town. But all the way there he wondered why Holly was so sure she wasn’t the mother type. The way she’d reprimanded Henry, firmly but gently, ending it with a hug, easing his fear but imparting the lesson of patience, was pure mothering. Surely she could see that.
Was there something in Holly’s past that made feel she wasn’t motherly?
Luc really wanted to find out.
* * *
“Thank you for finding Henry,” Abby said as Hilda ushered the little boy away for a late supper. “I’m sure my call took you away from something important.”
“Nothing’s more important than keeping Henry safe,” Luc said.
Holly felt his scrutiny, his earlier words replaying in her mind. Why hadn’t she just let his comment about motherhood go? She’d only made him more curious. She also knew Luc well enough to know that he wouldn’t stop until he’d figured out what was behind her comment. Stupid to have said so much.
But she was so tired of pretending. People in Buffalo Gap thought she had it all, that she never blew it or regretted anything. They only saw the perfect girl she’d tried to be so as not to disappoint her father, as her mother had.
But they didn’t see the real her. Nor did Luc. Holly knew she was far from the perfect mother candidate. Perfect mothers didn’t give away their newborn babies to save themselves shame or embarrassment. They certainly didn’t forget about them once they’d given away their children.
But then Holly realized that despite her best attempts, neither had she forgotten. With every birth she assisted, every delivery, every prenatal class she taught she wondered, Did my baby look like this? Is my baby happy? Where is my baby?
There wasn’t and never could be an answer to those questions. That’s the way she’d wanted it. No shame or recriminations that her father would have to live with. At least that’s what she’d told herself when she’d given up her son for adoption.
“Holly?” Luc was looking at her oddly. So was Abby.
“Sorry. Just thinking about Melody. She’s still loose. I need to get home.” And away from Luc’s piercing stare.
“I’m sure you do. I just wondered if Henry had said anything to you about going to visit Luc.” The speaker was a woman named Shelly whom Abby had introduced as Henry’s case worker from Calgary.
“He didn’t, but we did talk about what kind of things happen on a ranch,” she said. “Henry asked how things worked and since I’ve lived on the ranch my entire life, I explained as best I could.”
“Was your friend Luc there at the time?” Shelly asked, her gaze narrowed.
“No. I’d taken Henry out for a soda one afternoon, with Hilda’s permission,” she added. “He never said anything about visiting Luc then but kids get lots of spur-of-the-moment ideas and often act on them. Luc didn’t tell Henry to come on his own if that’s what you’re insinuating,” she insisted, disgruntled by the case worker’s suggestive attitude.
“You’re defending him.” A smug smile tilted Shelly’s lips.
“I don’t have to,” Holly said, disliking her more with every word. “He hasn’t done anything wrong.” She turned to Abby. “I really do have to leave. I can’t afford to lose my horse.”
“Yes, you and Luc go ahead. And thank you for your help. I don’t know how we’d have managed without you.” Abby hugged her and Luc.
“You do realize the police were called out,” Shelly said to Luc.
“But that’s what you do when a child is missing, isn’t it?” he asked, a confused look on his face. Holly wanted to hug him.
“Come on, Luc. I need a ride back to find Melody.” Holly tugged on his arm, relieved when he finally followed her from the house. She got in the driver’s seat without thinking, started the engine and turned onto the highway toward home.
“Can you slow down a bit?” Luc asked in