Page 9 of Wild Hearts

"I'm hoping you'll give living in Colorado with me and my family a fair shot. I have fond memories growing up on theresort. There's skiing, snowmobiling, and ice-skating in the winter. Hiking and zip-lining in the summer. My oldest cousin, Eli, and his wife, Scarlett, built a home on the property, not far from here. My cousin Oliver lives in town with his wife, Carolina, and his son, Joey. Xander and his girlfriend, Tori, live just outside of town."

"You'll like the Wilde family. They're very excited about you being here," I said to Dakota.

"My cousins work at the resort. Eli is the manager, Oliver handles the money, and Xander is in charge of outdoor activities. Killian is a famous snowboarder and only visits occasionally."

"What will you do?" Dakota asked, and I was hopeful this was a positive sign that she was interested in Walker's life here.

"I haven't decided yet. I have some time to figure it out though. I worked in the military for most of my adult life, and it will take some time for me to acclimate."

"This will be an adjustment for both of you," I said to them.

"Will I go to school here?" Dakota asked tentatively.

"Whenever you're ready, we can get you registered."

"What if I wanted to homeschool?"

Walker shifted in his chair. "Were you homeschooled before?"

Dakota was quiet for a few seconds, and then said, "I went to the public school in town."

"I think it would be best if we kept the same routine, at least at first. We can always reevaluate it. I want you to be happy."

I thought he handled that well. He wanted things to be relatively similar here, but he was open and willing to listen to her requests. I had a feeling she was testing him anyway. She had no intention of homeschooling. She probably wanted to see how much she could get away with.

Dakota bit her lip and repeated, "All my friends and my grandparents are in Virginia."

"I know it sucks to leave everything you know and start over in a new town. I had to do the same when my parents died."

"I'm sorry for your loss." The anguish in Dakota's voice was palpable.

Walker nodded, acknowledging her admission. "I can understand some of what you're going through. But not all of it."

"I don't think anyone understands what I'm going through." Dakota's expression shuttered, and she turned toward me. "Can we go now?"

"If you want." It was a good first visit. It was to be expected that she'd want some space. The conversation had turned heavy. I handed her my car keys. "I'll be out in a minute."

Walker stood when she passed by him. "It was so nice to meet you, Dakota."

She merely nodded and kept walking. When she closed the door, I said, "I know it doesn't feel like it, but that was a good visit."

He shook his head. "You really think so?"

"She was vulnerable with you, and she seemed to connect with your shared histories. That will be important as you develop a relationship with her. It might be an area where you can gain her trust."

"I might know some of what she's going through, but I'm worried it won't be enough. She's a teenage girl who's only ever lived with her mother. I couldn't imagine going to live with someone I never met."

"That's why we schedule a few of these meetings." I touched his arm, then pulled back. "I'll be in touch about setting up more visits."

"Will I be able to be with her alone? I'd like to take her ice-skating and maybe even skiing."

"I don't see why not. I think that would be great."

Relief flooded his expression. "I can't believe I have a daughter."

I smiled. "It will take some time to get used to."

"Thank you for being here. It helped."

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