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Annie’s excited expression faded. “Oh, he won’t care. He doesn’t want me here, anyway.”
Even though she’d suspected as much, Val was still shocked by the words, angered by the fact that Slade had let his feelings show so plainly. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Yes, it is. He hates me.”
“Why on earth would he hate you? You’re his daughter,” Val protested, unwilling to believe there could be any truth to the accusation.
“It’s because of my mom. She almost got him killed when she drove his car into a ditch, and then she left us,” she said matter-of-factly. “I guess I don’t blame him for hating me. Everybody says I look just like her. I heard Grandma tell one of her friends that if I’m not careful I’ll turn out just like her, too. Nothing but trouble, that’s what she said.”
Val was stunned. This was more than she’d ever learned from Slade, and it went a long way toward explaining his attitude toward women. Still, his problems with his ex-wife were no excuse for treating his daughter the way he’d been doing. And her grandmother should have watched her tongue. Val couldn’t see that it served any useful purpose to go knocking her former daughter-in-law where Annie could overhear her.
“Your mom’s leaving must have hurt you both very much,” Val said, treading carefully. “Sometimes grown-ups don’t get over something like that very easily.”
“Like kids do?” Annie retorted. She sighed heavily, as if resigned to the fact that no adult could ever understand what she was going through.
“Of course not,” Val agreed, “but—”
Annie faced her squarely. “Look, you don’t have to be nice to me. I’m just a kid and I’m used to being on my own. My grandma and grandpa pretty much left me alone, except when I did something wrong.”
“I’ll bet you got into trouble a lot then, didn’t you?” Val guessed.
Annie stared at her with obvious surprise. “How’d you know that?” She sighed once again. “Never mind. I suppose he told you. He probably warned you about me.”
Val decided not to tell her it was predictable. Annie probably thought she was the only kid who’d ever used that technique to get the attention of the adults around her. “Nope. Lucky guess,” she said instead. She glanced toward the horses. “Do you like horses as much as your dad does?”
Annie shrugged. “I suppose. My grandma and grandpa lived in town, so we didn’t have horses.”
“But you must have been around them when your dad was on the rodeo circuit.”
“Me and my mom didn’t go with him all that much after I started school. I guess we did when I was real little, but I don’t remember that. My mom said it was my fault he left us behind all the time.”
Val hid her dismay. What kind of mother openly blamed her child for the problems that were clearly between her and her husband? And what kind of father allowed it to happen? She wanted to reach out and hug this sad, neglected child, but Annie’s defensive posture told her she wouldn’t welcome the gesture, much less trust that it was genuine.
“You’re going to really love living here,” Val told her instead. “There are lots of kids around. The Adamses are wonderful people. They’ll throw a party at the drop of a hat. You’ll fit in in no time.”
Annie looked skeptical. “They probably won’t invite my dad and me. He just works here.”
“I work here, too, but they always include me.”
“You’re a grown-up,” Annie said, but she couldn’t hide the wistful look that crossed her face.
“Maybe so, but I was hoping maybe we could be friends. I haven’t been here all that long myself. Maybe we could go into town one day. I could show you around while your dad’s working.”
Annie regarded her skeptically. “Yeah, well, if you’re doing it so my dad’ll notice you, you’re wasting your time. He hates girls, because of my mom. My grandma says he’d be a recluse if he could.”
Apparently Grandma had one very loose tongue. “Well, you’re here now, so being a recluse is not an option,” Val said briskly, giving Annie’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “He may not know it yet, but having you here is going to be very good for him. I can tell that already.”
Despite Annie’s conviction about how little her father thought of her, she gave Val a hopeful look that almost broke her heart.
“Do you think so?” she asked.
“I know so,” Val assured her. If she had to knock Slade Sutton upside the head herself, she was going to see to it.
Chapter Three (#u4b441edf-c270-5aa5-a5c5-96d54d54a7b6)
Val had a giant-size calendar spread out on the floor in Laurie’s music room, while her boss sprawled on the sofa, idly picking out a tune on her guitar.
“This song is terrible,” Laurie concluded, eyeing the instrument as if it were at fault. “I haven’t been able to write worth a lick since Harlan Patrick and I got married.”
“Stop putting so much pressure on yourself,” Val advised. She’d been listening to the same complaint for weeks now. If Laurie wasn’t careful, she was going to talk herself straight into a writer’s block, even though on her worst days she was better than half the songwriters out there. “Take time out to count your blessings. You have a handsome, sexy husband who adores you. You have a gorgeous daughter who is absolutely brilliant for someone barely a year old.”
Laurie managed a ghost of a smile at the reminders. “Okay, yes, I am very lucky.”
“Concentrate on that for a few days. After all, you only need two more songs for the new album,” she reminded her boss. “The studio time’s not booked for two more months.”
The faint smile faded at once. “Why two months?” Laurie grumbled, picking out the notes of her last hit on the guitar. “I should be in Nashville now. If I don’t get back to work soon, my fans will forget all about me.”
Val rolled her eyes heavenward. Laurie had been a wreck ever since she had agreed to take a break from her usual hectic recording and concert pace. She blamed her agent, Val and Harlan Patrick for talking her into it. Most of all, she blamed herself for caving in. The forced idleness was making her crazy, especially since her husband was as busy as ever running the ranch and couldn’t devote himself full-time to keeping her occupied.
“No one is going to forget about you,” Val soothed. “Nick and I have that covered. There will be plenty of items in the media. I’ve booked you on at least one of the entertainment shows every single month until the album’s due to be released. There are fresh angles for every story. Besides, I thought you had enough media coverage to last a lifetime when they were chasing after the story of your secret baby.”
Laurie didn’t look pacified. “What if Harlan Patrick was right?”
“About what?”
“What if I refused to marry him for so long because I knew once I was completely happy I wouldn’t be able to write another song?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sakes, that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You don’t have to be wallowing in heartbreak to know what it’s like. Draw on old memories. For that matter, write something upbeat for a change.” She gave Laurie a wicked smile. “Write about having babies.”
Laurie’s scowl deepened. “Now you sound exactly like Harlan Patrick. He wants me barefoot and pregnant.”
“Maybe that’s because he missed seeing you pregnant with Amy Lynn. Maybe he just wants to be in on the next pregnancy from start to finish. Maybe it’s not some evil scheme to see you trapped down here on the ranch.”
Laurie sighed. “I suppose.”
“You know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you’re already pregnant.”
Laurie’s idle strumming screeched into something wildly discordant. “Oh, God. Bite your tongue.”
“Stop it,” Val chided. “This is exactly the mood you were in when you were carrying Amy Lynn. To be honest, you were unbearable. Of course, then it was understandable. You had to hide out so Harlan Patrick wouldn’t find out about the baby. There’s no need to hide out now. You can go on the road. You can do anything you’d do if you weren’t pregnant. It wouldn’t be a calamity, Laurie. And Harlan Patrick and the rest of the family would be over the moon at the news.”
“I suppose,” Laurie conceded, clearly unconvinced. She glanced down at the calendar Val had been working on. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to finalize next spring’s concert tour.”
Laurie’s expression brightened. “Let me see,” she said, putting the guitar aside to kneel down beside Val. “Dallas, Tucson, San Antonio, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver. Why is everything in the Southwest? Does Nick know something I don’t? Am I losing fans in the South?”
“No, you are not losing fans anywhere. The schedule won’t be like this when Nick is finished with the bookings,” Val assured her, then grinned. “We both just thought you’d prefer to be close to home around the time the baby’s due.”
“I am not pregnant,” Laurie repeated with a stubborn jut of her chin.
“Saying it won’t make it true,” Val taunted. “See a doctor, Laurie. Take a home pregnancy test. Do something before you drive both of us nuts.”
She glanced up just then and spotted Annie standing hesitantly on the deck outside.
“Is it okay?” Annie whispered, her awestruck gaze fixed on Laurie, though the question was directed to Val.
“Of course it’s okay,” Val said. “Laurie, this is Annie Sutton.”
“Hi,” Annie said shyly, not budging from outside. “My dad said not to bother you, if you were busy.”
“We’re not busy,” Laurie said. “More’s the pity.”
“You were singing before,” Annie said. “I heard you. I hope that’s okay.”
Val wondered how much more Annie had heard before she’d made her presence known. Her expression, however, was totally innocent. Maybe she’d been so captivated just being near Laurie that she hadn’t been paying any attention to the rest.
Laurie grinned at her. “What did you think of the song? Tell the truth. I can take it.”
“I thought it was awesome, not as sad as what you usually do,” Annie said, creeping inside. “Is it finished?”
“Not yet. I can’t decide if I like it.” Laurie studied Annie intently. “You really liked it, huh?”
Annie nodded. “Especially the part about finding someone new inside. I feel like that sometimes, as if I’m not who I was anymore, but I don’t know yet who I am.”
Val saw the sudden inspiration flare to life in Laurie’s eyes. She grabbed her guitar off the sofa and began to toy with the lyrics that she’d been struggling with earlier. Annie crept closer and sat down to listen, her rapt gaze never leaving Laurie’s face.
Time seemed to stand still as Laurie captured what Annie had so eloquently expressed, and turned it into the beginnings of a song. As the first words flowed, Val grabbed a pad and jotted them down. She knew from experience that Laurie would want to see them in black and white later. For now, she was too caught up in the creative process to take the time to make sure the words weren’t lost as soon as they were uttered.
When the last notes faded away, Annie looked as if she’d been given a precious gift. “That’s what I said,” she whispered. “You sang what I said.”
Laurie grinned. “You inspired it, all right. Thank you. I was stuck until you came in here.”
“You mean I helped? I really helped?”
“More than you’ll know,” Val told her fervently. Maybe now Laurie would realize that the only block to her continued success was in her own mental attitude toward the future. “Now let’s get out of here and let Laurie work in peace. She won’t be happy until every note’s perfect.”
“I thought it sounded perfect just the way it was,” Annie told her.
“Not yet,” Laurie said. “But thanks to you, it’s getting there.”
Annie followed Val to the door with obvious reluctance. Just as they were about to go out, she turned back. “What’s it called?”
“‘Where’d I Go?’” Laurie told her. “But I’m going to think of it as Annie’s song. And whenever I sing it, I’ll tell the audience about the young lady who helped me write it.”
“Oh, wow!” Annie murmured, eyes shining. “Wait till my dad hears about this.” Outside, she gazed up at Val. “Do you think she really meant it? Will she put that song on an album? Will she really tell people about me?”
“She’ll have to run it past some people, but I’d say yes. Laurie usually knows a hit when she hears it.” Unwittingly, Annie had captured Laurie’s own mood with her words. She’d given her an excuse for writing about the changes that scared Laurie to death. The meeting had been good for both of them. “As for telling her fans about you, Laurie always gives credit where it’s due.”
Val grinned down at Annie. “How about you and I go into town and celebrate? I’ll buy you the biggest sundae they serve at Dolan’s. Remember? That’s the place I told you about. If we’re lucky, Sharon Lynn will have her new baby there with her.”
“Really? You can go now? You don’t have to work or something?”
“I can go. Let’s see if your dad says it’s okay for you to come along.”
Some of the light in Annie’s eyes faded. “He won’t care. He’s working. I haven’t seen him all day. He told me to stick close to home and not get into trouble.”
“Ask him anyway,” Val insisted. “He’s probably at the stables. I’ll wait at the car.”
Annie gave her a put-upon look, but she scampered off dutifully. Val resisted the temptation to follow and make sure she actually talked to Slade. Annie needed to have someone trust her, and Val needed to learn to resist the urge to make excuses to catch a glimpse of Slade. It was way past time to try out a new strategy. Straightforward hadn’t cut it. Maybe the old-fashioned way—playing elusive and hard-to-get— would work.
Annie came back waving a five-dollar bill. “He said okay, but he’s treating.”
Val was oddly pleased by the gesture. It could hardly be counted as a date, since he wasn’t even coming along, but it would be the first thing Slade had ever given her. Too bad she couldn’t preserve an ice cream sundae as a souvenir. Maybe she’d tuck that five-dollar bill into a scrapbook, instead.
* * *
Seeing Annie and Val with their heads together was enough to send goosebumps sliding down Slade’s back. It had been occurring with distressing regularity ever since Annie’s arrival earlier in the week.
Over dinner on Annie’s first night, all Slade had heard was “Val said this” and “Val said that.” He probably should have been grateful that Annie was talking to him at all, but all he could think about was the topic. He had enough trouble keeping his mind off Val without her name coming up every two seconds. Still, he’d gritted his teeth and listened to every word Annie had to say about this new friend she’d acquired.
“And she said she’d take me into town tomorrow,” she’d said, her eyes bright with excitement. “There’s this place, Dolan’s, that has ice cream and hamburgers. It’s owned by a lady named Sharon Lynn. You probably know her. Her dad’s your boss or something. Anyway, Val said Dolan’s is the place to go in Los Piños. Or she said we could go for pizza. It’s not like one of those national chains. It’s made by a real Italian family. I think they came from Rome way back even. Anyway, she said it’s my choice. So, what do you think?”
What Slade thought was that the woman was as pesky as flies at a picnic. There hadn’t been a single day since she’d first turned up at White Pines that she’d minded her own business. If she got it into her head to befriend Annie, it could only mean trouble. It would start with ice cream and pizza, but who knew where it would lead? Still, he couldn’t bring himself to put a damper on Annie’s enthusiasm by saying no.
“If you want to go, it’s fine,” he’d said. “Just don’t take advantage. I’ll give you the money for your food.”
“No, it’s her treat. She said so.”
But when Annie had come to him for permission, he’d insisted on giving her the money for ice cream. A gentleman didn’t let a lady pay. The lesson had been drilled into him by his mother and echoed by his father. It had stuck, which he supposed made him some kind of an old-fashioned oddity in this day and age of dutch treat and ladies doing the asking for dates. On the circuit he’d been astounded by just how brazen some women were, even once they knew he was married.
Annie and Val went for ice cream and burgers on Monday. They had pizza on Tuesday. Val planned a swim in the creek and a picnic on Wednesday. The two of them were thick as thieves. Yes, indeed, it made his skin crawl. Annie needed a new friend, one who wasn’t old enough and sexy enough to make her daddy’s heart pump quite so hard.
Kids her own age would be good, he concluded, and the ranch was crawling with them. Was it possible to arrange some sort of play date at Annie’s age? He could talk to Cody about it. Or should he just pray that the kids found each other before hearing about Val drove him nuts?
The thought had barely occurred to him when he spotted Val striding toward him with a purposeful gleam in her eyes. Watching her walk was a thoroughly entertaining experience. The woman’s hips swayed provocatively enough to make a man’s blood steam, especially when she got the notion to wear a pair of kick-ass heels that made her legs look long and willowy, despite the fact that she was just a little bitty thing. She’d worn those heels today as if she knew the effect they had on him.
He indulged in a moment of purely masculine appreciation before he reminded himself that that expression on her face spelled upheaval.
“Whatever it is, the answer is no,” he announced emphatically when she was several yards away. He turned his attention back to the horse he’d been grooming before he’d caught sight of Val.
When she remained silent for way too long, he risked a glance up. She gave him one of her irrepressible grins. “Good. I have your attention. Just for the record, I haven’t asked for anything yet.”
“But you will,” he muttered. “You always do.”
