Sometimes it’s better just to go with it.” He turned away, knowing she was crossing the room to follow. Not that he was psychic. The scent of her perfume grew stronger and settled inside him. He was pretty sure he could find her in a pitch-black room.
In the bathroom Cassie had pulled some girlie nightgown over her head and stood waiting for them. She grinned. “Hi, Grace. I’m all clean.”
“I see that. And your hair is all wet.”
“I know. Daddy’s going to show you how he combs all the tangles out. He learned from Mommy.”
He grabbed the special spray hair product and squirted the liquid on her head, then picked up the wide-toothed comb to slowly drag it from her forehead all the way past her shoulders. “Are you sure you don’t want to get all this cut off?”
“No!” Cassie and Grace spoke together.
Logan looked from the small female to the taller one. “I guess it’s unanimous.”
“Your hair is gorgeous,” Grace told the little girl. “Don’t let him talk you into cutting it.”
“No way.” She folded her arms over her chest and glared. “I’m glad Grace is here.”
“Yeah.” He met her gaze and forced himself not to look at her mouth. If it was up to him, he would advise her to get out before his bad rubbed off on her. Surely there was a woman over sixty in Blackwater Lake who could do this job.
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetie,” Grace said. “But I have to say your dad is doing a great job.”
“You sound surprised.” He continued working out the tangles with the comb.
“Maybe a little. She has thick hair, but you make it look easy.”
“Daddy says it’s not that different from brushing the horses.” Cassie giggled, and her tone said she liked ratting him out.
Humor sparkled in Grace’s eyes. “So you use a pricey hair product to detangle horse hair in order to not hurt their delicate scalp?”
“What if I said yes?” He couldn’t resist smiling at that.
“I’d say you have some very pampered horses here on the ranch.”
On one knee behind his daughter, Logan slowly pulled the plastic comb through the long hair as gently as possible. He wouldn’t deliberately hurt her for anything. “Horses are a business asset, and it wouldn’t be smart to neglect them. They serve a purpose and need to be maintained. Just like a car or any other piece of equipment.”
“Agreed.” But she looked puzzled. “And yet, I can’t help wondering about the context of the conversation that you had with Cassie, comparing her hair to brushing a horse.”
“This little girl wouldn’t hold still.”
Cassie nodded, throwing off the comb and proving the truth of his words. “Daddy said the horses didn’t move while he was brushin’ ’em. And he betted me I couldn’t be like a horse.”
“Did he now?” Grace nodded her approval. “Who won the bet?”
“Daddy did.” She sighed. “Holding still is really hard.”
“Are the horses older than five?”
“Not all of them.” Logan stopped combing and looked up at her. “But I see where you’re going with this. Chronological age doesn’t work the same in horses as it does in humans.”
Cassie had the expression on her face that said she thought he hung the moon. “My daddy knows everything. Don’t you, Daddy?”
Logan dreaded the day when she would find out for sure that he didn’t know very much of anything. “I know enough to take care of them and keep them healthy. And when it’s necessary to consult someone else who knows more than me.”
“And you can ride really good, too. Daddy, you promised to teach me how when I was five. And now I am.”
His stomach knotted with dread. When he’d promised her that, it had sounded so far in the future. Now, suddenly she was five. Next thing he knew she’d be dating boys and asking to drive a car.
“It’s getting late. Why don’t we talk about this later, baby girl?”
“That’s what you always say.” The glare on her face said he was one broken promise away from her realizing that he didn’t hang the moon. “And I’m not a baby.”
He glanced at Grace and couldn’t tell what she was thinking. That pushed him to explain. “It’s not just about being five, honey. You have to be strong enough to handle a horse. To show him who’s boss.”
“And to get strong,” Grace interjected, “you have to eat right and get enough sleep.”
Logan shot her a grateful look for the support and the distraction that pulled his ass out of the fire. He stood and looked down at his daughter. “That’s right.”
“Do you like reading a story at bedtime, Cassie?” Grace asked.
The little girl turned serious—and literal. “I don’t know how to read yet. But in September I’m going to big-girl school so I can learn.”
“How about if I read?” Grace pressed her full lips together, probably to hold back a laugh.
Too bad, Logan thought. He’d heard her laugh and liked it a lot. But he didn’t count. Cassie’s opinion was the one that mattered and she seemed completely taken with Grace. As comfortable as if she’d known her forever. That was the most important thing. More significant than Grace’s pretty sun-streaked brown hair and big hazel eyes.
That did it. No one would ever accuse him of being poetic, so it was a clear sign that the time had come to make himself scarce.
“Okay, baby girl—” He saw the rebellion on the little freckled face and held up his hand. “My bad. You’re not a baby. But I’m still going to tuck you into bed, then Grace can read you a story.”
“Okay.”
Logan took her small hand and they walked to her room. Then he picked her up and set her gently on the mattress before pulling the covers over her. “Sleep tight. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Daddy, don’t you want to hear the story, too?”
“I’d love to but—” He needed space. “This will give you and Grace a chance to get to know each other. Remember, I won’t be around much because I have to work and run the ranch. That’s my job.”
“So Grace is like Mary Poppins,” Cassie said.
“The movie?”
“Yes. Mary Poppins comes to take care of kids and she does magic. When she goes away at the end the whole family is happy.”
Logan looked at the woman he’d hired. “I don’t know if Grace can do magic, but she’s here to watch out for you. Most
