Page 26 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

"Mr. Shane!"

I turn to see Ashanti jogging towards me, her backpack bouncing against her back. She's grinning, her braids swinging with each step.

"Hey, kid," I say, setting down my hammer. "What brings you out here?"

She skids to a stop, kicking up a small cloud of dust. "Mom said I could come say bye before my sleepover. What are you doing?"

I gesture to the fence. "Just some repairs. Nothing exciting."

Ashanti peers at my work, her eyes narrowing critically. "Looks good to me. But maybe you should add another support there." She points to a spot I'd been considering earlier.

I raise an eyebrow. "You know about fence building?"

She shrugs. "I've watched Mom fix stuff. She says it's always better to over-engineer than under-engineer."

I can't help but chuckle. "Your mom's a smart woman."

Ashanti beams at that, and then her face grows serious. "Can I ask you something, Mr. Shane?"

I nod, curious about her sudden change in demeanor.

"How do you know when to ask for help?"

The question catches me off guard. I study her face, seeing a mix of determination and uncertainty there. It's a look I recognize all too well.

"That's a tough one," I say slowly. "I guess... when the problem feels bigger than you can handle on your own."

Ashanti nods, considering this. "But what if you think youshouldbe able to handle it?"

I lean against the fence post, thinking about my own stubbornness and my refusal to let anyone in. "Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit you need help."

She looks up at me, her eyes searching my face. "Is that what you did? When you came here?"

Her perceptiveness startles me. I open my mouth to deflect, but something in her expression stops me. She's not asking out of idle curiosity. She needs an answer.

"Yeah," I say finally. "I guess it is."

Ashanti nods, seeming satisfied. "I think I need to talk to my teacher about Devon," she says. "The bully," she adds, seeing my confusion.

"Ah," I say, remembering our previous conversation. "Good call. Sometimes these things need an adult's help to sort out."

She grins. "You're an adult, and you helped."

I laugh, surprised by the warmth that spreads through my chest at her words. "I suppose I did. But that got both of us in trouble."

Ashanti's smile fades a bit. "Mom was pretty mad about that."

"Yeah, she was," I say, wincing at the memory of Krystal's anger. "I should've asked her first."

"It's okay," Ashanti says quickly. "I would have said I learned it from a video if I knew she would blame you."

I blink, surprised by her loyalty. "That's... thanks, kid. But it's better to put everything on the table and let the results take care of themselves."

"I like that," she smiles.

"Me too. So what's this I hear about a camping trip?"

"Hailey's parents are taking us camping for the three-day weekend. What about you?"

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