Rocky Mountain Daddy. Lois Richer
me the best way to win his heart. Show me how to be Eli’s father, Lord.
Gabe prayed until there were no more words left. But nervous worry, concern that he’d mess up and perhaps hurt this little boy he didn’t even know, plus uncertainty about his suddenly shifting world, did not abate.
His pastor’s Sunday-morning sermons last winter had been all about trusting God. Gabe had been so certain he’d been doing that. But Eli’s appearance today had rocked his world and shaken his faith. Almost six years—why had Eve done it? But more importantly, why had God let her? How could he trust God now?
Because a sense of futility hung over him, Gabe shifted his thoughts toward practicalities. How would he know what kind of a place to get for Eli?
Olivia’s image flickered through his brain. She didn’t seem to hesitate when making decisions. Maybe he could lean on her, let her take the lead in this house-hunting business. After all, she’d grown up at The Haven, certainly the best home in the area. She’d know all the things a good home should have.
The knot inside Gabe eased. Yeah, he’d follow Olivia’s lead. Could it be that’s why God had brought her back at this particular time? To be a friend? To help him?
Startled by awareness that he was allowing a pretty woman he barely knew to become so involved in his personal life, in direct opposition to everything he’d resolved after Eve’s departure and in the years since, Gabe’s brain whirled. He’d take Olivia’s help, he decided, but he would not allow anything more than friendship between them, because though she was very attractive, romance wasn’t for him. Never again would he let himself be that vulnerable.
When he finally retired, sleep was elusive because Gabe knew that no matter how great Olivia was at organizing things, the fact remained that Eli was not a ranch kid. He’d even shied away from Spot and Dot, the Spenser sisters’ mild-tempered dogs. What would happen when the kid met a horse?
Horses were Gabe’s world.
Were. But now he had a son. With whom he had nothing in common.
* * *
“This could be doable.” The following day Gabe tilted back on his cowboy boot heels, surveyed the interior of the tiny rental house he’d been told about and gulped.
“You’re kidding, right?” Olivia bristled with indignation. “You and Eli would have no time to spend together because you’d be constantly repairing something.”
“It’s a rental, Olivia,” he muttered. “They’re supposed to look after all the maintenance.”
“Looks like they’re doing a bang-up job,” she muttered in disgust, flicking a finger against the peeling countertop, nudging a toe against a loose floorboard and obviously struggling not to inhale the overwhelming odor of too many cats. “Come on, Eli. Let’s get out of here,” she muttered, and headed out the door, stumbling on the faulty step.
Gabe steadied her before following to stand beside her in the long grass outside, next to Eli, who studied the tilted bilious green house with disapproval.
“That house stinks,” his son said, the first words he’d spoken since he’d climbed into Gabe’s truck after lunch.
“We’ll clean it out,” Gabe assured him, striving for a positive tone.
“Not without removing the carpets, curtains and wallpaper, which is what I like to call a gut job.” Obviously repelled, Olivia strode toward the truck. “Moving on.”
So they did move on. And again, several times. After the fourth house, Gabe began to lose hope in his wobbly dream of a home for his son. Olivia found problems with every single rental they viewed. Not that the problems weren’t there. They were, and Gabe knew it. But he had to find a place if he was going to keep Eli with him, if he was going to be a real father.
“Can we stop for coffee, please?” Olivia licked her lips. “I need a break.”
“Sure.” Gabe pulled up in front of the local diner, shoved the gearshift into Park and climbed out. He reached to help Eli, but the boy veered away from him and exited on Olivia’s side. It was one of several signs that Gabe interpreted to mean his son was upset with him, though he couldn’t figure out exactly why that should be.
Inside Olivia chose the best booth in the place, halfway between the entrance and the kitchen with a street view. It was like her to have automatically selected the best one, Gabe thought. She seemed to possess an inner ability that almost unconsciously prioritized every decision she made. Maybe it came from her years of working for the military.
He paused to admire her in the stream of sunshine. She looked lovely. Efficiently lovely, he corrected. Her navy slacks and coordinating navy-and-white sweater set were perfect for an afternoon of house hunting. Businesslike casual, Gabe would have termed it.
As usual, her hair covered the left side of her face to fall over the scar and tuck under her jaw. For a minute he wondered about that scar and how it had gotten there. Then her glossy dark hair recaptured his attention. On the other side of her face it entwined behind her ear revealing silver-hooped earrings, a perfect complement to the two thin silver chains around her slim neck. Her rust-brown boots looked like they’d be comfortable in whatever terrain they happened upon.
“Do you want milk to drink?” she asked Eli.
“Pop.” Eli didn’t seem to be requesting.
Olivia glanced at Gabe. He nodded at the server and waited until Olivia ordered coffee, then requested a cup for himself.
“And a large plate of fries, please,” he added.
“You’re hungry already?” Olivia’s eyes stretched wide. She checked the slim silver watch on her wrist. “Lunch was only an hour ago.”
“Didn’t get any lunch. One of the riders decided he didn’t want his lesson to end.” Gabe smirked. “But Betsey didn’t like it when the kid dug his heels into her side and wouldn’t get off. She decided his ride was over.”
“What happened?” Eli blinked as if he’d surprised himself with the question.
“Betsey, uh, let him down.” Gabe winked at Eli.
“She bucked him off?” Eli’s eyes grew huge.
Gabe was about to launch into a full-fledged tale of the event when Olivia cleared her throat. He glanced at her. She shook her head, just once.
“The trail riding horses at the Double M don’t buck off their riders. Do they?” she asked Gabe pointedly.
“Uh, no. They’re way better trained than that.” Gabe smiled at the boy. “Betsey just moved against the rails and rubbed so he had to let go and slide off. But he pretended he was hurt so we had to get him checked out. That was my lunch hour.”
“Oh.” Eli frowned as he considered that.
“Would you like to learn to ride, Eli?” Olivia smiled as their server brought their drinks and a huge plate of golden fries.
“Uh-uh. Horses are huge.” Eli helped himself to a fry after Gabe nudged the plate toward him. “How old were you?” he asked his father.
“When I first rode a horse?” It was the first time his son had addressed him directly. Gabe tried to conceal his pleasure and treat the question matter-of-factly. “I was raised on a ranch, Eli. My dad told me he first put me on a horse when I was two. But I don’t remember that,” he added lest the boy feel intimated.
This fatherhood thing was treacherous. A guy had to be so careful not to say the wrong thing. What should he say next? While he thought it over, Gabe squirted ketchup on the edge of the plate and dipped his fries into it, hoping his stomach would stop that embarrassing growling. He hid his smile when Eli copied his actions by dipping into the ketchup, too.
“Not everyone rides the full-size horses, Eli. There are miniature horses at the Double