Page 21 of Cowboy’s Christmas Baker

“Amelia Cassidy is her name,” the principal said with a twinkly-eyed smile. “She’s a very special girl herself. She’ll persevere with Katie.”

“I hope so,” Harrison said, not bothering to tell the principal that if the girl’s last name was Cassidy, she was probably a cousin. The town was too small for that to be just a coincidence.

“Meanwhile,” Principal Tucker said, “she should also have the chance to connect with others outside of school, where there’s less pressure. I know you two are new here, but it may help to start with an activity she likes anyway, even if it’s just one-on-one with an adult. The music store in town offers affordable lessons, and there are all kinds of free activities at the library if she likes to read or do art or science experiments.”

Harrison’s heart sank as he thought about how overwhelmed Katie would feel at any of those things. After a full school day, was it really a good idea to take her right into more forced interaction?

“The last thing she needs is for all her interpersonal relationships to happen at school,” the principal said firmly, as if she had read his mind and wanted to counter his argument. “Katie needs a chance to let people get to know her in an environment with less structure.”

“I see,” Harrison said, taking a deep breath as he nodded.

“No one knows your daughter like you do,” she said softly. “And it’s natural for a parent to want to protect their child. I know you’ve been very patient with her, and that’s great. But there comes a time when a child needs a bit of a push, and Katie may need one from you right now. A gentle one.”

Harrison looked across the desk at Principal Tucker. Just this brief visit to her office told him that she had plenty of experience with children and, more importantly, that she loved them.

“Fine,” he said. “We’ll find her an after-school activity.”

“Very good, Mr. Law,” the principal said. “She’s a bright girl. I think she just might surprise you.”

“Thank you,” he said over the lump in his throat.

He was heading back down Sycamore toward Ambler Road and the farm, thinking about what kind of activity Katie might like, when his mind went to Mallory all over again.

But this time when he thought of the sweet girl with the flame-colored ponytail, he impulsively signaled and turned left on Ambler instead of right.

Don’t get your hopes up, he warned himself. She’s a busy young woman with a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders.

But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Mallory had already offered to let Katie use her kitchen to make baklava. Surely she hadn’t been planning to just leave her there to prepare the treat alone.

He turned onto Park Avenue, passed the pharmacy, and found a spot for his truck under one of the lampposts with the candy-cane decorations.

A bundled-up couple heading up the sidewalk said hello to him as they passed, and a woman in a red scarf with a big golden retriever coming from the opposite direction nodded to him before happily greeting the couple and turning to walk with them.

“Hey there,” an older gentleman standing outside the bakery said to Harrison.

Before Harrison could answer, the golden retriever was back, tugging on his leash to get to the bowl of water Mallory must have set outside the bakery. He drank with great enthusiasm before flashing them a goofy canine smile and scampering off after his owner.

“You bought the old Jones place, didn’t you?” the old man asked when the dog had gone.

“Yes,” Harrison said, sticking out his hand. “Harrison Law, good to meet you.”

“Reggie Webb,” the man said with a big smile, shaking Harrison’s hand with a firm grip. “So… you and Miss Mal, eh?”

Harrison blinked at the man, who was smiling at him in a knowing way.

“She, uh, showed me around a little yesterday,” Harrison managed, not certain how to say they weren’t a couple. “And my daughter too, of course.”

“Mal’s a sweet girl,” Reggie said, nodding approvingly. “A man would be lucky to spend time with her.”

Harrison nodded back automatically. Reggie was right about that, and it was clear he had made up his mind about the nature of their relationship.

In a funny way, it made Harrison feel good to be paired up with Mallory, even if it was only in the old man’s imagination.

“Don’t keep her waiting,” Reggie said, winking.

Harrison headed into the bakery before Reggie Webb could make any more assumptions.

The bells over the door jingled merrily and a warm, cinnamon-scented breeze greeted him.