“Didn’t I tell you before?” Hadley asked. “You were my responsibility, Dallas. You were only eight years old.” Lizzie had pointed that out too.
He barely heard. “And after they sent you away, what happened? The Maguires adopted me,” Dallas admitted, “like I was getting some reward for what I’d done when that should have been you.” Those words had been trapped inside him for a long time, as if he were still locked in that room. “I didn’t... I don’t deserve their love.”
“Wait a minute. You really think a few tears caused all that? You’re wrong.” He hooked an arm around Dallas’s neck. “You idiot.” And he ruffled Dallas’s hair, the way he always had. “Forget all that other stuff. To the Maguires you’re their son, and you’re okay with me too...for a kid brother. I love you, Dallas.”
His vision blurred. Hadley had never been one to admit emotion. “I love you too.”
“Are we square now, then?”
“We are,” he said. The uneasiness that Dallas had felt since his return last Christmas—that he’d felt inside forever, really—had finally faded. From here on, he and Hadley would be as close again as they once had been.
Their shoulders brushing, they walked to the food tents that had held the domestic competitions, then his big brother went to look for Jenna. As Dallas walked between the tables, now mostly empty, he finally spied Lizzie bagging up some brownies. He brushed dust from his jeans then snatched one off the table. “Energy bar,” he said, catching her eye. “You done here?”
“Almost.” Automatically, she glanced around to check on her children. In the nearest field, Seth was playing tag with some other boys. Sprawled on a blanket, Jordan and Nick Hunter, his best pal, were deep in conversation over a video game. Stella was helping Clara sort through a bunch of purple flowers for any still-fresh blossoms, which he heard Clara say would be donated to the local assisted-living home. In the west, the sun was sinking toward the horizon, spreading pink and red and orange across the big Kansas sky.
Following Lizzie’s gaze toward her kids, he murmured, “Mother hen.”
“That’s my brood.” As she’d once said, from six to nine they were similar ages to Dallas and Hadley when they’d lived in foster homes. Though Lizzie’s kids enjoyed superior care and love, even from Harry, they were vulnerable too, and Dallas needed to keep in mind the little kid he’d been years ago when Hadley took care of him. Such good care.
He reached for her hand. “Let’s find a quiet spot, okay?”
Dallas headed outside for a line of cottonwood trees, a screen that hid the pasture from the house. That had been Clara’s idea; she claimed she saw enough cows all day, didn’t want them to take over her view at sunset. Which was probably baloney. She loved this ranch as much as Hadley did. His brother and Jenna, their heads close together in conversation, were strolling now in the direction of their house. Thank you, Hadley, for always being here.
In the cool shade, Dallas sat with Lizzie under a tree. She seemed pensive as they discussed today’s events. Dallas had won the bull riding, but something didn’t feel right about his win. “I couldn’t have done this without you,” he said.
“Our rodeo was a huge success. We made a ton of money for Dusty’s medical expenses. I’m glad he’s finally out of the hospital and will finish recovering at home. I’m so proud of you—first place, Dallas!” She didn’t say anything else for a moment, then, “In fact, I’m proud of myself too. I talked to my mother.” She explained her own declaration of independence. “I told her about the baby.” Lizzie grinned. “Frankly, I think it was kind of a gotcha moment, but well worth that look on her face.”
Dallas stared at her. “What did she say?”
Elizabeth said lightly, “Oh, she’s not happy with me, but you know what? She’ll get over it.” Or not. That was her choice.
“No wonder I saw her roving around the tables over there with an extra-mad look on her face.” He squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “Good for you, but I wish you’d waited till I could be there when you told her about the baby. You’re not worried about what people will say?”
“Let them talk. If bringing our baby into this world is another scandal, people really need to get a life for themselves.” His opinion too. “Where are your folks?” she asked.
“I sent them to my house. Mom had a blast today, and her meds are working, but she should rest. Jack’s sending their dinner over.” Dallas studied her face. Twice now, she’d said our, and he traced a line with his thumb across her palm. “Lizzie. I’m not much good at this kind of thing but—I shouldn’t have said you care more for your reputation than you do for your kids.”
“If I need to defend them from now on, I will, but they’ll be fine, Dallas.” Her smile turned wistful. “The kids and me. When I was married to Harry, he was often so absent from our lives, I was practically a single mom anyway. I hope now that he’ll be working in Wichita, he’ll spend better quality time with them here.” She paused. “You shouldn’t worry about us.”
Dallas’s stomach clenched. He was the absent type too. Was she about to reject him? She didn’t need him to protect her, yet he wanted to be there for her anyway. What was it Hadley had said? Is there some way I can get you to stay? Dallas ran his thumb lightly over her palm again. Lizzie seemed newly centered in her life, but he was not. And his win today didn’t seem like enough. That was what had felt wrong.
His mother was right again, as she usually was. Dallas had been wasting time on the road,
