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Sloane couldn’t help grinning, too. Of course that’s when Jason finally looked at her. But she didn’t hide her smile. He was so kind to the kids, especially Brent, who perhaps needed the attention the most.
When lunch was over, she could feel the excitement level of the kids rise by the moment. They were at the point of the weekend they’d been looking forward to—being able to ride an actual horse. Without being asked, Jason helped get the horse saddled and moved into the paddock. After some pointers and safety tips, Jason lifted little Alice into the saddle.
At first, Alice looked anxious and held on to the saddle horn with a white-knuckle death grip.
“It’s a long way up there, huh?” Jason asked.
Alice nodded.
“Don’t worry. We won’t let you fall.” He nodded to where Sloane stood next to Alice, ready to grab the little girl if anything unexpected happened.
Alice relaxed enough so that by the time her turn was over, she was smiling.
“You’re officially a cowgirl now,” Jason said as he lifted her out of the saddle and handed her over the fence to Angel and Mom, who had joined the group after cleaning up following lunch.
Alice beamed so much that Sloane thought if Jason ever retired from rodeo, he might have a future working with kids.
For the next hour, one kid after another was given their time in the saddle. Little Brent looked as if he’d died and gone to heaven. Daron whooped as if he’d conquered Everest, making everyone laugh. Last up was Phoebe. She’d shown the same excitement as the rest of the kids, until she got near the horse. She balked, no doubt at its size.
Jason crouched in front of her. “I bet you’ll be the best cowgirl yet,” he said so that none of the other girls could hear.
“I’m scared.”
Jason nodded. “I understand. It’s scary to be on an animal so much bigger than you. But Sloane and I are right here. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
Phoebe looked at the horse again, not totally willing to let go of her apprehension. “Okay.”
It wasn’t the most enthusiastic response, so Sloane took her time easing Phoebe into the saddle and settling her little feet in the stirrups. Then she gently squeezed the girl’s jeans-clad leg and gave her an encouraging smile. “You’re very brave.”
Jason led the horse slowly around the same path all the other kids had taken. All was going well and she could see Phoebe gradually relaxing when all of a sudden the horse whinnied and sidestepped. She’d been around horses long enough to realize the animal was about to rear.
Phoebe cried out in alarm in the same moment and released her grip on the saddle horn. Sloane acted on pure adrenaline-fueled instinct and grabbed Phoebe, pulling her free of the saddle. She held the girl close and took several quick steps away from the horse just as Jason shot her a meaningful look and gripped the bridle to lead the horse in the opposite direction.
Sloane didn’t have to hear the rattle to know what had spooked the horse. Her heart raced at the thought that Phoebe could have been thrown and injured, that the horse could have hurt any one of them in its fear of the rattlesnake, that Jason, leading the way, could have been bitten. But none of those things happened, and she had to focus on calming Phoebe.
“Shh,” she said. “It’s okay. The horse just got a little feisty. See, everything is fine now.” She turned so that Phoebe, who was attached to her like cling wrap, could see Jason rubbing the horse’s face to soothe him.
Jason noticed what she was doing and offered Phoebe a big smile and a wave. “You did great. All those barrel racers in the rodeo better watch out. You’ll give them a run for their money.”
Sloane wasn’t sure Phoebe would ever get on a horse again, but it was good of Jason to try to reassure the girl and get her mind off her fear. Sloane felt as if she could use some soothing herself, but she couldn’t allow her inner turmoil to show. Not with the kids all watching. She wanted them to go away from this weekend with a positive experience and something they could look back on with fondness.
Jason casually looked toward where the snake no doubt was, then gave a slight nod to her in the opposite direction. Unwilling to put Phoebe on the ground even if she thought the girl would go for it, she took a circular route back toward the area where the rest of the kids were sitting. As she drew close, she saw the hint of worry in her sister’s and mom’s eyes. They, too, were trying to hide it from the kids.
“Well, that was exciting,” Sloane said where everyone could hear. “I think Phoebe and the rest of you make a fine bunch of cowboys and cowgirls. Don’t you all agree?”
Claps and cheers filled the air, and Phoebe leaned back to look her in the eye. “Is the horse okay?”
Sloane pointed at Jason, who was leading the horse toward the back side of the barn. “Yep. I think he’s just tired.”
“Maybe he can take a nap now.”
“Maybe he can.” Sloane smiled, grateful the little girl’s fear was beginning to subside.
If only she could slow her own racing pulse as easily.
“Well, I think it’s time we all enjoy one more brownie,” her mom said. “Anybody agree with me?”
As expected, the kids were in complete agreement and followed Diane toward the house. Phoebe gave Sloane a hug before wriggling down to the ground and joining the others. Angel appeared as if she was about to ask Sloane a question, but Sloane motioned for her to go with the group.
She took a couple of deep breaths before she headed toward the barn. When she stepped into the shady interior, she found Jason with a gardening hoe in hand. He was watching the line of kids file into the house, obviously wanting them safely out of sight before he went back into the field to dispatch the rattler.
“I can do that,” she said. Though she normally shot the snakes, that wasn’t the best option with all the campers within earshot.
“I got it.” He looked at her. “I think you better sit down. You look like you’re about to faint.”
“That happens when a kid in my care almost takes a tumble out of the saddle.” She pressed her palm against the sudden sick feeling in her stomach.
She was barely aware of Jason moving before he pulled her close. “It’s okay. Phoebe’s fine. The horse is fine. The only one not going to be fine is that snake.”
Some part of Sloane’s brain was screaming, Danger! Abort! And the danger had nothing to do with the snake. Maybe the common sense telling her to pull away from Jason would engage later, but right now she gave it a boot to the backside and let him comfort her.
And tried really hard not to think about just how good it felt to be held in those strong, muscular arms.
Chapter Four (#ud6bc64be-43b1-5dc9-bc21-9183a3cc6af2)
Sloane sure didn’t feel thorny as Jason held her in his arms. In fact, while he could tell she was fit and strong, there was still a feminine softness to her, a sweet scent despite the fact that she’d been out in the sun and around the barn and horses. Unfortunately, he was only able to enjoy the feel and smell of her for a few moments before she pulled away and stepped free of his touch.
Probably for the best.
A quick glance at her face didn’t show embarrassment or even anger. Rather, she acted as if they’d done nothing more than say a passing hello to each other.
“Thanks for taking care of the snake,” she said without making eye contact, reminding him of what he’d been about to do.
Jason turned and headed toward the rear exit of the barn.
“Jason.”
He stopped and glanced back at her.
“Just, uh... Thanks again.”
She didn’t elaborate, and he got the impression that maybe it might be difficult for her to even do so. Thinking he wouldn’t mind holding her any time she needed it, he gave her a quick nod and headed out in search of the rattlesnake. He was usually a live-and-let-live kind of guy, but the thought of that snake striking one of the kids... Well, it wasn’t going to happen if he could help it.
It took him a bit to find the rattler, but only a moment to dispatch him to the reptilian afterlife. He headed back to the barn, leaving the carcass for the buzzards.
When he reached the barn, Sloane was gone. That didn’t surprise him. Though he hadn’t known her long, he was still pretty certain she wasn’t one to show weakness very often. She probably saw accepting a hug from him as a character flaw. As he replaced the hoe where he’d found it, he wondered what made her so independent. While her sister seemed every bit as able to handle herself, there was an extra wall around Sloane.
As he exited the barn, he eyed his truck and considered leaving. Chances were if he took Mrs. Hartley up on her offer of dinner, things would just be awkward with Sloane after the impromptu hug in the barn. But he hadn’t been able to help himself. He’d understood why she’d been upset. Having one of her campers injured or bitten by a poisonous snake would have been really bad for a number of reasons, including the fact that it might have spelled the end for her camps. And it didn’t take Einstein to figure out they meant a lot to her. Why, he didn’t know, but the why didn’t really matter. It was a good thing she was doing, and he hoped she would be able to continue doing it.
The sound of horses approaching drew his attention to the right. Sloane’s dad and brothers rode into view and headed toward the barn. The oldest, Neil, saw him first, then scanned the rest of the area. As he came close, Neil’s gaze fixed on Jason.
“The kids are gone already?”
“No, they’re in the house. Your mom distracted them with a promise of more brownies.”
“Distracted them from what?” Ben, the second brother asked, a note of what could be interpreted as accusation in his voice.
Jason didn’t take offense. After all, he was plenty protective of Shannon, even if she was a couple years older than him. He gestured with his thumb back over his shoulder toward the paddock.
“Had a rattler make a visit, scared the horse we were using with the kids. But everyone is fine and the snake is no longer a problem.”
The looks of concern on their faces eased.
“Diane tells me you’re staying for dinner,” Mr. Hartley said.
Mrs. Hartley must have called or texted her husband.
“She did invite me, sir. Thinking maybe I ought to head out though.”
“Oh, no. If you don’t stay now, she’ll think one of us ran you off and we’ll never hear the end of it.” A spark of humor lit the man’s eyes as he took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Jason glanced at the other Hartley men and sensed not exactly an acceptance but an easing of potential hostility.
Ben shrugged. “He’s not wrong. Plus, Mom is a great cook.”
“I could tell that already.”
“That was nothing.” Adam laughed a little as he gave what seemed like a meaningful look to his brothers. “She really goes all out when she’s trying to impress company.”
“She doesn’t have to go to the trouble. My meals usually come from a drive-through window.”
“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Mr. Hartley said. “She’ll want to adopt you like she did this bunch.”
The slight nod toward his sons explained the obvious difference in heritage between Sloane and Angel. So all the Hartley siblings were adopted? Of course, it didn’t matter if they weren’t blood-related. Adopted siblings teased each other the same way he and Shannon did, the way Caleb and Lily were already doing even at their young age.
“Well, my mom might have something to say about that,” Jason said. “She’s kind of partial to me.”
At that moment, a van rolled up the driveway. As the driver parked next to Jason’s truck, the front door of the house opened and out came Sloane with the kids. The van must be their ride back to their homes. He wondered what they were going back to. He knew Daron’s situation but not those of the others. He glanced at sweet little Phoebe, Alice, all the other kids. Especially Brent, who even at this distance he could tell was already withdrawing again. Jason suddenly wanted to shield the kids from whatever hardships waited for them. He’d been lucky growing up, but he knew plenty of guys on the circuit who hadn’t been. He’d seen the results, too. The drinking, the divorces, the broken families.
Sure, there were also plenty of people who grew up in hard situations who overcame it and made something good of their lives. He just hoped these kids followed that path.
Phoebe broke away from the group, holding her little bouquet of flowers in a jar of water. When she got close, he saw how shiny her eyes were, filled with unshed tears.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” she said, looking up at him.
Jason sank to one knee. “I’m glad I got to meet you.”
Phoebe wrapped her arms around him, splashing a little water on his shirt. But he didn’t care about that. She could pour the whole jar down his back.
“I don’t want to leave,” she said, sniffling a little.
He wanted to reassure her, to tell her everything would be okay. But how could he do that when he didn’t even know what she was going back to?
“Hey, you became a cowgirl this weekend. Cowgirls are strong and can do whatever they set their minds to.” When she stepped back, he pointed toward Sloane and Angel. “You can grow up to be like them. Or maybe a barrel racer.”
“Then I could see you at rodeos.”
He couldn’t bring himself to tell her he’d be long retired before she was old enough to compete. “Maybe.”
Something made him hesitate while he was escorting her back to where the rest of the kids stood talking to Sloane, Angel, Julia and the van driver, a middle-aged woman he’d guess was some sort of caseworker. On impulse, he reached up and brought the leather thong necklace he wore over his head.
“You see this?” he said, indicating the little carved wooden horseshoe hanging from the leather. “It’s for good luck. I want you to have it.”
Her eyes widened as he put the necklace over her head. She lifted the little horseshoe to look at it. “Thank you.” And then she kissed him on the cheek and his heart melted.
“You’re welcome.” A glance at Sloane told him that it was time for Phoebe to go. He stood and offered her his hand. She put her much-smaller one in his and walked beside him back toward the others.
After saying several goodbyes to the kids, he noticed Brent hanging back and not speaking or making eye contact. It gave Jason a bad feeling in his stomach, a knot of concern wrapped in a layer of nausea.
“You okay, little man?” he asked Brent.
All the boy did was shrug. Jason experienced the strong urge to pick up the boy and keep him. Not only was that thought shocking but also totally unfeasible. Instead, he lowered himself to Brent’s level so he could make eye contact.
“You really impressed me this weekend. Remember all you learned here. I know you’re going to grow up and do great things. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different, okay?”
It was a weak one, but Brent did manage a nod. He looked toward the van then back at Jason. “I’m never going to see you again, am I?”
Jason felt as if he’d been sucker punched in the heart. How did Sloane go through this over and over?
“Never say never. Life has a funny way about it.” He wished he could tell the boy something more hopeful, more definite, but he wasn’t willing to outright lie to him.
As the kids climbed into the van and Angel helped the driver get everyone buckled in, Sloane came to stand next to him.
“This is the worst part of what you do, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I can’t fix everything though. I had to come to grips with the fact that I can only do this small part, give them some good memories.”
He got the impression she wasn’t as okay with not being able to do more as she claimed.
Part of him didn’t want to know, but a stronger part made him ask, “Phoebe and Brent, what are their stories?”
Next to him, Sloane sighed. “Both in foster care. Phoebe’s parents died in a car crash when she was two, and there weren’t any members of her family willing to take her. Brent...” Sloane paused, and Jason would swear he could hear the lump in her throat. “His mother was a drug addict. She overdosed and died in their house when he was four. By the time the police found him, he’d been in the house with his mom for three days.”
Jason cursed. The boy’s words about never seeing Jason again took on a new, horrible significance. No wonder the kid was quiet and withdrawn. How much did he remember about what he’d gone through? Did it haunt him?
“How do you do this, sending them back?”
“No choice. All I can do is give them a break from their lives.”
