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“I caught it,” Ruby said, then held up a flower she’d dropped in the water. “It needs to dry.”
“All right,” Macie said. They came out of the water, and Ruby released her mom’s hand and ran to him. “Can you blow it dry?”
Holt reached for the wet flower. “I can try.” Then he blew on the flower.
Ruby giggled.
He blew again, and Macie laughed.
She held out her hand. “I think we should put it on a rock and let it dry in the sun. You’re going to get a headache with all that blowing.”
“Very true,” Holt said with a chuckle, then handed the flower back to Ruby. “Do you want to find a rock, Ruby?”
“Okay.” She carried the flower like it was a piece of glass. She stopped at a larger boulder, then carefully placed the flower upon it.
“Perfect,” Macie said. “It should be dry before we have to leave.”
Ruby turned with a smile, then skipped back over to where Holt was sitting. She climbed into his lap.
Holt sent Macie a surprised glance, but she only smiled.
“Tell me a story,” Ruby said.
“One story,” Macie said. “I don’t want you falling asleep, baby.”
Ruby yawned as if on cue, and Holt laughed.
Macie settled next to him and said, “I want to hear your story, too.”
“I don’t think I know any stories.”
Ruby looked up at him. “Please!”
“All right,” he said, then launched into a story about a kid who grew up on a ranch and begged his grandma for a puppy.
Ruby nestled against his chest. “Someday, I want a puppy, too.”
Holt met Macie’s gaze and winced. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed.
Macie moved her hand up his back, out of sight from Ruby, and Holt decided that the day couldn’t get any better.
By the time they returned the horses to the barn, Ruby was good and tired. Holt carried her into the house, the little girl’s head lolling against his shoulder. As Macie followed him into the bedroom where he’d laid her down, he said, “There’s no reason you can’t each have your own room with me staying at my place now.”
Macie watched him settle Ruby on the bed, and she covered her with a blanket.
“Stay in here, Mommy,” Ruby murmured, her eyes half-closed.
“Remember what I told you about falling asleep like a big girl?”
“I need to do it by myself.”
“Right.” Macie bent and kissed Ruby, then straightened.
“See you soon, little darlin’,” Holt said.
He walked with Macie out of the bedroom, and she closed the door quietly behind them. Holt didn’t know where his parents were exactly, but his mom could be napping in her bedroom, so he knew now wasn’t a good time to kiss Macie.
Reluctantly, he put some distance between them in the hallway. “I should head back to the office and get a few things done.”
