say to that? He wanted to tell this child he would fix it all. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t fix her. He couldn’t give her back her family. So he hugged her and told her he would pray.
She leaned in close. “Pray someone wants to be my family.”
His throat tightened painfully at that request. “You’ve got it, kiddo.”
“My name is Lizzy,” she whispered.
Samantha rescued him. She appeared at his side and as he stayed on his knees in front of Lizzy, she touched his shoulder.
“Time for lunch, Lizzy Lou.” Sam brushed a hand through the child’s blond hair. “Tell Mr. Jenkins thank you.”
“Thank you.” Lizzy smiled sweetly. “I hope you’ll come back soon.”
“I sure hope I can, Lizzy.” He stood and moved out of the way with John. “Maybe just John Wayne and me, but we’ll be back.”
“Don’t make promises,” Sam whispered as she walked away.
He couldn’t let that go. He led John back to the nurse’s station. He waited for Sam to walk back into the hall and he followed her.
“Go away, Rem.” She spoke without looking back at him.
He caught up with her, tugging John along behind him. The pony trotted, but he pulled his head back, not happy with the pace.
“No, I don’t think I will.”
She spun to face him, her blue eyes flashing sparks of anger that would have quelled a lesser man. He reckoned she ought to know he wasn’t going to be pushed around.
“Your posse left. Why didn’t you leave with them?” she asked.
“Because it seems as if we have unfinished business.”
She shook her head. “No, we don’t. We’ve been finished for a long time now. We were kids, Rem. We’re adults now and I don’t have time for this.”
“Why did you tell me not to make promises to that little girl?”
“Is that what this is all about?” She pulled a face at him, wrinkling her nose. “These kids have enough to deal with, and they don’t need a cowboy and his pony trotting into their lives, cheering them up, and then promising to come back.”
“But I am coming back. I’ve already talked to Dr. Jackson. I’m going to stop by every couple of weeks.”
“Great,” she said, not really meaning it. He half smiled, which would probably get him in more trouble.
“I made the offer before I knew you worked here. But surprise! I keep promises and I’m not going to back out on kids just because you don’t want me here.”
“It isn’t about me.”
He leaned in close. “Isn’t it?”
She shook her head and put a little space between them. “No, it isn’t. I just don’t want these kids hurt or disappointed.”
Hurt and disappointed. He knew right away that it was about her. But he wouldn’t push and make her admit it. She’d just have to get used to having him around.
The sun had long since set as Samantha drove through Martin’s Crossing after work. She could go home to her house on the Circle M, have a sandwich, go to bed and not sleep. Or she could take a run and calm her mind. She pulled into an empty parking space in front of her brother Duke’s diner. Duke’s No Bar and Grill was a long wood-sided building with a wide, covered deck running the entire length of the front.
She got out of her truck, leaving the keys in the ignition. After all, this was Martin’s Crossing; no one ever took the keys out of their ignition.
Sometimes they did. If there was a theft in the area, people might be vigilant for a week or so. But then they went back to their ways, leaving doors unlocked and keys in cars.
She’d missed this town. She’d been gone nearly ten years, only returning for holidays and a few weeks each summer. She’d missed her brothers. She’d missed rodeos. She’d missed graduating high school with friends. They’d all moved on in her absence. Many of them were married now. Several had moved away. They had children and homes of their own.
Why had she thought she could come home and everything would be as it had been when she left? No, she hadn’t left. She’d been sent away. Banished. And nothing had stayed the same. Her brothers, the town, the people she’d known—everyone was different.
She was different.
Pushing aside those thoughts, she stood on the sidewalk and stretched, loosening her muscles and preparing mentally for a run that would shake her loose from memories. Thanks to Remington’s appearance at the hospital, he was front and center in her mind.
The door to Duke’s opened. She was surprised to see her brother.
“Just getting off work?” he asked as he walked down the steps. Duke was a big guy, closer to seven feet than six. He was all muscle. And all heart. She’d been angry with him for a long time because she’d wanted him to take her side and keep her here, at home.
“Yeah. You?”
He didn’t answer right away. She stopped stretching and glanced his way, saw that he was watching her with eyes narrowed.
“Bad day?” he asked.
She shook her head and finished stretching before giving him her full attention. “No worse than any other. I just felt like I needed to run.”
“No one understands that better than me.” Because Duke had struggled when he first came home from Afghanistan. “Remington came in for dinner. With Gus. I guess he’s moving back to town.”
So many questions without actually asking.
“Why are you open so late?” she asked, ignoring the obvious. She didn’t want to discuss Remington.
“Late dinner crowd. There was a softball game and everyone came in after.”
Summer, rodeos and softball. The three went together in Martin’s Crossing. Samantha took a deep breath of summer air perfumed with flowers, sultry humidity and farmland.
“Go home to your family, Duke. I’m good.”
He watched her for another long minute. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. I know Remington is back. I saw him at the hospital today. I survived. I’m running because I don’t feel like going home to an empty house.”
“Come down and visit us, then,” he offered.
She laughed. “Because Oregon and Lilly want company this late at night? I don’t think so. Go home.”
“I’ll
