Jill Kemerer - Reunited With The Bull Rider

If Ruby was upset about staying with Amy, he wouldn’t force the issue. The kid had been through enough. He just hoped his uneasiness didn’t mean his fears were about to come true.

Chapter Three

Amy hummed as she fluffed the throw pillows on her couch. Ruby would be here any minute. She rushed to the other side of the open living space where she kept her private sewing and art studio. If she wasn’t cutting material, quilting or making patterns for her weekly blog, she was drawing designs for her own fabric line. Well, hopefully, her own fabric line. She should be hearing back from the fabric manufacturers within a few weeks. How many years had she dreamed of stocking the designs she’d drawn? She shook her head. None of that mattered right now. Her sole goal today was to make Ruby comfortable.

A knock on the door made her pause. Lord, please give me the wisdom to help her. She’d show Nash his fears about leaving Ruby were off base. She’d been around young children her entire life. She knew what little girls enjoyed. It would just take a while for Ruby to get used to her. No big deal.

She opened the door. Nash held Ruby in his arms. Oh, my. He looked every bit the cowboy she remembered in his hat, jeans, jacket and boots.

“Come in. I’m so glad to see you again, Ruby. Let me take your sweatshirt.” She waited while Nash helped Ruby out of her pink hoodie. “I’ll show you around my place.”

After hanging the hoodie on a hook near the door, Amy veered left to the open studio. She stopped next to the floor-to-ceiling shelves, which held fabrics in a rainbow of colors. In the center of the space, Ruby clutched Nash’s hand.

“You did all this?” Nash let out a low whistle. “Everything is so organized. You actually make all those quilts you sell?”

“Most of them. I consign a few local artists’ quilts, too.” She shouldn’t be so pleased at his reaction. He seemed to fill the room with his charismatic energy. He used to draw her like iron to a magnet. She gestured to the rack holding her latest creation. “I’m trying a new pattern.”

He and Ruby inspected the rust, cream and navy design. “Patriotic. I like it. Reminds me of the Fourth of July.”

“I’m hoping to finish it in June. Red, white and blue quilts always sell well in the summer.”

“Speaking of this time of year...” He looked down at Ruby. “Pretty soon you and I will be watching rodeos on Friday nights. Sounds fun, huh?”

Her eyes gleamed almost aqua as she nodded up at him. The sight touched Amy.

“I can’t wait for cotton candy and barbecues.” He rubbed his stomach. “Mmm-mmm. Makes me hungry just thinking about it. In fact, I’d better get something in my tummy before it growls and scares the neighbors. I’ll be heading over to The Beanery. Text me if you need me.”

He kissed the top of Ruby’s head. Then he nodded to Amy. “I’ll be back in an hour. You girls have fun.”

As soon as the door clicked behind him, Amy let out a sigh of relief. She couldn’t help it. The room felt more spacious, less combustible without him there. She brought her palms together and turned her attention to Ruby.

“I have a ton of markers. Why don’t we color?”

Ruby gazed intently at the door, her face white as a fresh snowfall.

“He’ll be back before you know it.” Amy tried to reassure her by gently taking her hand, but Ruby yanked it out of her grasp. Her lips trembled, grew blue around the edges. Tremors shook her shoulders. The poor thing was petrified!

Amy knelt beside her. “Ruby, what’s wrong? It’s okay. You’re safe with me.”

Her eyes were so wide, so fixed on the door. Amy clearly wasn’t getting through to her. What should she do? The way Ruby had flinched at her touch, Amy didn’t want to scare her further, but she had to divert her attention away from the door.

Why was she so upset? Nash told her he’d be back in an hour. The child knew he was going down the street to the coffee shop.

Amy stood up, raising her face to the ceiling. What now? Whatever was going through Ruby’s mind was so frightening, she couldn’t move.

“Honey, why don’t we go get a hot chocolate with your dad?”

Ruby blinked, shivering. Then she looked away from the door at Amy. Tears began to drip from her eyes to her cheeks. She didn’t say anything. Simply nodded.

Amy tried not to let her disappointment show as she helped Ruby into her hoodie. Whatever had happened to this girl in the past had clearly traumatized her. Nash had mentioned neglect and malnourishment, and Amy had brushed over those words as if they hadn’t mattered. She should have paid more attention. She’d been so caught up in her own past she hadn’t asked the necessary questions.

The psychological damage must have cut deep. Was Amy qualified for this?

She led Ruby to the staircase. “Hold my hand, okay?”

Ruby tucked her tiny hand in Amy’s. The gesture pinched her heart. If only she could help this girl. She needed more information. And that meant, as much as she didn’t want to, she’d have to find a way to meet privately with Nash.

* * *

The coffee was perfect—strong with a kick to it. Same as he liked his bulls. He grinned at his own inside joke. The Beanery was quiet. He hadn’t been in here before. Looked new, rustic. Smelled great, too. He took a drink. Leaving Ruby hadn’t been too bad. She hadn’t thrown a fit or anything. So why couldn’t he dismiss the nagging worry in his brain?

He smacked his forehead. He hadn’t stopped to ask Ruby if she wanted to stay. He’d just left.

He should have asked her. Why hadn’t he thought to ask her? His knee was bouncing triple time. Get yourself together, man.

He checked his watch. He’d been gone seven minutes. Fifty-three minutes to go. It was times like these that made him wish he was a reader. A book would help pass the time.

The door clanged open, and Ruby raced to him, her face beaming. A lead weight dropped in his gut. If they were here and it had only been seven minutes, the visit couldn’t have gone well.

He swung her onto his lap and gave her a big smile. She didn’t need to know his emotions were churning. “To what do I owe this pleasure? I thought I was picking you up in an hour.” He noted the tear stains down her cheeks and fought back a groan. “You were worried I’d be lonely, weren’t you? That’s awfully nice of you to be thinking of me.”

She rested her cheek against his chest, and he brushed her hair from her face, holding her tightly. Amy stood behind the chair across the table. He mouthed, “What happened?”

She shook her head quickly and mouthed, “Later.”

“Can I get you a hot chocolate, Ruby?” Amy asked. “With whipped cream?”

Ruby nodded. If she wasn’t so fragile, he’d remind her of her manners. But right now please and thank you were the least of his worries. If he couldn’t leave her with Amy for ten minutes, would he ever be able to leave her anywhere?

A vision came to mind of kindergarten in another year, and instead of Ruby waving happily as she walked into school with a backpack and a lunchbox, he saw her trembling, crying, unable to enter. Some of the bull riders’ wives homeschooled their little ones. Would he be forced to do the same?

Homeschooling?

Him?

The coffee threatened to come up. He didn’t think he had it in him to homeschool. Maybe he should call the therapist.

“Here you go.” Amy beamed at Ruby as she set the cup down. Nash could see the worry in her exquisite brown eyes. And he recognized her tic from all those years ago—she rubbed her index finger and thumb together whenever she was out of her element. For a second he felt sorry for her. Wanted to make it better, like old times.