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“I am so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Julia laughed. “She’s said much worse repeating things her momma said. Luckily, she has no idea what it means. We’re just trying to watch what we say around her. It’s hard. She’s like a little ninja. She’ll sneak up on you and spy!”
“My kind of girl,” Kashif laughed. “So, Christmas is a big deal for your family? I saw Kristy putting up the decorations.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not,” Julia sighed. “Kristy’s father is spending his days in warmer climates, and Darren and I travel to Ohio of all places to visit his children. I think this is the first time Kristy has even put up decorations since she took over. She wants to start some new traditions for her daughter now that she’s old enough to remember them.”
“Why doesn’t she go to Ohio with you?”
“And leave the farm for more than a few days? Never. I tried to stay last year, but Kristy wouldn’t hear of it. I’ll try again this year, but I have a feeling that I’ll be wasting my breath. Even though the farm shuts down for two weeks to give the employees the time off, she’ll stick around to pick up the slack. I’ll offer to help her, and she’ll tell me that she enjoys the alone time. That girl is as stubborn as they come.”
Kashif contemplated that while he polished off his lunch. Full and satisfied, he leaned back in the chair. Arella had made a mess of things and was already aiming a grape at him when Julia caught her tiny fist.
“Sorry,” Julia apologized. “She’s been sick for the past couple of days, and now she’s looking to get into some trouble.”
“I don’t mind. Maybe she can come with me to check out the dogs?”
Arella immediately smiled. “Pups?” she asked excitedly.
Julia laughed. “You’re more than welcome to bring her along, but I’m afraid you won’t really get to test their abilities if she’s there. They love that little girl and will spend all their energy doting on her.”
“That’s all right,” Kashif said with a smile. “I don’t need to see them run today. What do you say, Arella? Want to play with the puppies with me?”
“Yes! I want puppies!”
There was an unreadable expression on Julia’s face when she bent over and picked up their plates. “I know you didn’t come back to this farm just to race. Don’t give up on her yet.”
“I tried to come back and see her before.”
“I know,” Julia said sadly. “Wyatt told me. You’re lucky her father didn’t shoot you on the spot. He’s so protective over Kristy. He’d be here now if Kristy hadn’t pushed him out. It was always been his dream to travel when he retired, but he wanted to stay for Arella. Kristy wouldn’t hear of it.”
“He lied to her, though. She spent this whole time thinking that I didn’t care.”
“Can you blame us? Your bodyguard didn’t have any nice things to say to Kristy. We wanted to spare her the pain that you might cause her.” Julia leaned forward and wiped Arella’s mouth. He couldn’t help but notice that the toddler got more food on her than in her.
Kashif handed her another napkin and mulled over the information. He could imagine how Kristy felt. Abandoned and betrayed. He knew because he’d felt the same. Still, the past was the past. “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. She obviously found someone else. I only want her to be happy.”
“He’s not, you know.”
“What?”
“Arella’s father. He’s not around at all. And she’s not seeing anyone. If that’s what you wanted to know.”
Smiling gratefully at Julia, he unbuckled Arella from her booster seat and lifted her down. “I get the feeling that it won’t be easy.”
“No, but it will be worth it.”
Arella kept a tight hold on his hand while she tugged him away from the kitchen.
Even if he didn’t remember the way to the dog runs, it wouldn’t have mattered. Arella knew exactly where she was going. Although they called it the dog run and the dog kennel, Kashif knew that the dogs didn’t stay there. Kristy always had a soft spot for the Huskies and let them sleep inside the laundry room.
A young man waited for him by the fence where about a dozen or so dogs ran around inside. He eyed Kashif and Arella and grunted. “They won’t want to run when they see her.”
“That’s all right,” Kashif said with a smile. “I’m just observing them today.”
As if on cue, the dogs immediately rushed to the gate and tried to lick the little girl through the fence. Kashif was surprised when Henry opened the gate to let her in. “Is she safe in there?” he asked instantly.
“Absolutely. The two alphas, Dusty and Jane, wouldn’t let anything happen to that girl, and the rest of the pack loves her. It’s almost crazy when you watch them play. They’re usually hyper, but with her, they’re so gentle.”
