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Aedyn’s face fell. “So much for that idea,” he muttered. His mom was at the door to collect him, so he slung the rope over his shoulder and yelled, “Bye!” He trudged off, scuffing the heels of his shoes on the floor and walking bow-legged, just like a rodeo cowboy.
“You sure changed his tune today,” Jess observed. “I thought he would be cross all day until you broke out the ropes.”
I straightened. “Sometimes it takes just the right thing to catch someone’s interest. I got lucky.”
Her smile warmed. “I guess so. You got Dakota’s interest, anyway.”
I glanced down at the Aussie. He had been following me all afternoon, bumping my hand, nudging my leg, whatever it took to make me look at him. And whenever I did look at him, he would grunt and moan in his little Aussie Shepherd language about how happy he was that I noticed him. He was doing it again now. I stroked his ears, and he flopped on the floor to show me his belly.
“You’re a friendly little fellow, aren’t you? And pretty determined, too.”
“He knows how to get what he wants.”
“I wish I had that talent.” The words slipped out of my mouth before I realized I’d thought them. I swallowed and looked away, hoping Jess hadn’t noticed what I said.
“What is it you want, Dusty?”
I closed my eyes and groaned silently. Slowly, I risked looking at her face. “I guess what everyone wants. To see a little bit of beauty in this life and to leave a little behind me when I go.”
A fine crease appeared between her brows, and her mouth drew into a thoughtful bow. That was the expression right there—the one that stabbed me to the quick and robbed me of breath. It was the look she got when something broke through that smooth surface and plumbed to her heart.
“So simple,” she murmured. “Yet you said it all, in just a few words. Thank you, Dusty. I’m going to remember that.”
“But I should be thanking you. I was way out of my depth with those kids until you got here. I’m… I’m really glad you came today.”
Her smile touched her eyes, and my heart melted like butter. No one could smile like Jess when she really meant it. “Are you coming back Thursday?”
“I told Morgan I would. And Saturday for the New Year’s Eve work party. You?”
She nodded. “I had a great time. I’ll definitely be back.”
Warmth spread through my chest. I’d get to spend the afternoon with her again! I was probably smiling like a goon, but I didn’t even care. “Well, I guess I’ll see you on Thursday.”
Jess
Thursday morning couldn’t pass quickly enough. I’d finished my last job by ten, so that left me behind the desk typing up invoices until lunch. Except I wasn’t working very fast.
Something was nagging at the back of my thoughts, but I never could put my finger on what it was—except that it had something to do with my afternoon plans. I was just excited to work with the kids again, probably, but it felt like something bigger. Like something was staring me in the face, and I hadn’t figured it out yet. Maybe I was meant to be a teacher and not a mechanic.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“What?” I looked up at my dad, leaning on the office door. He was sipping at a cup of coffee and had one foot crossed over the other like he’d been standing there for a while.
“You look like you’re wrestling with something a bit heavier than those invoices, that’s all. Everything okay?”
I clicked off the screen and closed the computer down. “Fine. I was just thinking about something.” I got up from the desk and shuffled the remaining papers into the file folder. “I’m headed out to White Pines this afternoon.”
Dad nodded, but he didn’t move from the doorway. “Figured you would be. Sounds like you enjoyed volunteering the other day?”
“Even more than I thought I would. The kids are great! I know it’s not always rewarding, but giving my time like that was pretty special. I felt like I could actually make a difference to someone, you know?”
He nodded slowly, a distant smile in his eyes. “I have an inkling. Was, uh, anyone else there?”
I grabbed my coat. “Dusty Walker was. It’s a good thing, too, because they were really short-handed.” I slipped my arms into the sleeves and picked up my keys. “You know, it’s funny. I’ve known Dusty for years, but I think I heard him talk more to those kids on Tuesday than I’ve ever heard in my life.”
“Some fellas aren’t talkers. There’s more to them than that. You just have to look a little deeper.”
I tilted my head. “Maybe you’re right. I guess I’ll get my chance today, because he’s supposed to be back. Austen said he’d try to come, too.”
