A Cowboy's Redemption

Chapter Three (#ulink_5a83e8d7-fae4-54c1-9cbe-37185784a48f)

Cruz spent Friday afternoon repairing the lean-to for the donkeys and the horse. He’d straightened the once-sagging overhang and set two additional posts in the ground that allowed him to extend the covering, providing more shade for the animals.

“Cruz.”

Wiping his sweaty brow across his shirt sleeve he glanced in the direction of Sara’s voice. Then he almost swallowed his tongue. She wore a bright turquoise sundress and pretty silver sandals with rhinestones. She’d done something different with her hair—instead of her usual ponytail she wore it loose, the long strands falling over her shoulders in gentle waves.

“I’m taking José into Las Cruces to see his doctor.”

“He’s not feeling well?”

“He’s fine. He has a follow-up appointment to check his blood pressure.” She nibbled her lower lip then blurted, “Would you mind if I left Dani here?”

Before he had a chance to object, she rushed on. “It’s a long ride and then a long wait in the clinic. Dani’s watching a video. She shouldn’t be any trouble. She knows to stay in the house and I’ve put the Closed sign in the front window and locked the door.”

“I still have work to do out here.” He hoped she’d take the hint that he’d rather not keep an eye on her daughter.

“Dani will be fine in the house. And I made supper. There’s a casserole in the fridge. All you have to do is put a serving on a plate and microwave it.”

The back door banged open and José stepped outside, wearing a grumpy face. Sara would have her hands full with her father-in-law, so he caved. “Sure. Dani can stay.” He’d finish the lean-to then head inside.

“Thank you.” She spoke to José. “Ready?”

Cruz couldn’t hear what the old man grumbled. Once they drove off, he nailed the final board in place and cleaned up his mess. Toolbox in hand, he entered the house through the back door.

“Dani?”

“Yeah?”

He followed the voice down the hall and poked his head inside the first bedroom. Dani was sprawled across the bed, watching the TV on the dresser.

“I’ll be inside the house fixing the windows. Holler if you need me.”

“Okay,” she said, her gaze glued to the program.

Cruz returned to the kitchen where he’d left José’s toolbox and pulled the note paper from his pocket. Yesterday Sara had handed him a list for the house. The windows in her bedroom at the end of the hall needed his attention. He opened the door to the room and the smell of her perfume washed over him. His gaze zeroed in on the bed’s bright yellow comforter and sheets. His imagination took off and he dreamed of easing Sara onto the mattress and doing things with her and to her that he had no business thinking. He shifted his attention to the perfume bottles and beauty supplies littering the top of her dresser.

Still he hesitated to enter her private sanctuary, not wanting to contaminate it with his presence.

“What’s the matter?”

Cruz glanced down. How long had Dani been standing next to him? Man, the kid was quiet. “I thought you were watching TV?”

She shrugged. “I’ve seen Frozen a hundred times. Have you?”

“No.”

“How come you’re just standing here?”

He couldn’t very well confess that he felt as though he’d violate all that was pure and good about her mother if he entered the room. “I can’t remember which window is stuck.”

“Both of ’em.” Dani squeezed past him, then tried to push the window next to the bed open. She groaned and grunted and her face turned red with effort, then she gave up and crawled onto the bed.

Careful not to touch anything, Cruz crossed the room and set the tool kit on the floor, then tested the window.

“Told you so,” Dani said when the window didn’t open.

Someone had painted the frame with the window closed and the paint had sealed it shut. Using a flathead screwdriver and a rubber mallet, he chipped away at the paint.

“You’re making a mess.”

“I know. Can you bring me a dust pan and a broom?”

“What’s a dust pan?”

“How about a broom and an old newspaper?”

Dani slid off the bed and left the room. After scraping off the layers of paint, he used his muscle to pry the window open.

“You did it.” Dani dragged a small apartment-size vacuum into the room. “My mom uses this to suck stuff up.”

“Smart girl.”

“I know.” She crawled back onto the bed.

When Cruz finished vacuuming the paint chips, he noticed Dani’s glum expression. “Do you miss your friends back home?”

“I only have two friends.”

That’s all Cruz had. Or used to have. Maybe one day he’d look up Alonso and Victor. For now he was leaving his past alone. “What are your friends’ names?”

“Tommy and Marissa. We sit together during story time and Tommy always shares his pretzels with me at lunch.”

There was something about Dani that relaxed Cruz. Maybe because she was just a child and when she looked at him, she only saw a man trying to help her mother and grandfather. Not a man with a secret.

“Looks like I’m finished here.”

“What else are you gonna fix?” she asked.

“That’s it for now.” He wanted to take a quick shower, then throw in a load of laundry and warm up supper for him and Dani before Sara and José returned.

“Will you play Hi Ho Cherry-O with me?”

“What’s that?”

“A game.”

“Why don’t you set up the game on the kitchen table while I grab a shower.”