Page 68 of Dream Weaver

“I don’t have to go with Jay, do I?” she whimpered.

My heart bled. Like mother, like daughter — we both called our fathers by their first names.

“He said he was getting cusdody,” Claire fretted away.

Cusdody. She couldn’t spell it, but she sure knew what it meant.

“No. Never. I won’t let him.” Then my voice cracked. Words couldn’t capture how I felt, but I tried. “I’m so, so sorry I was late, sweetie.”

She patted my back. “It’s okay, Mommy. Cooper was there.”

I held on to her, wishing Cooper were part of that embrace.

“I’m so glad he was,” I murmured.

“I’m glad too.”

The understatement of the year. Cooper was convinced the principal could have held Jay off on her own, but Claire would have been doubly traumatized without her big, strong buddy there.

I held her tightly, cursing myself again and again. I’d let her down. My own daughter. How could I?

“Go to sleep, sweetie.” I kissed her. “Dream good dreams.”

I caught myself too late to reel back the words.

“Will you help me?” Claire clutched my hand.

My heart cracked. She really believed I could. Once upon a time, I’d believed too. But not anymore.

On the other hand, I had woven magic into Kevin’s ax. I’d drawn power from the vortex on our ranch in times of need. And the new axes I was making now practically hummed with magic. So maybe…

I settled down beside Claire, then stroked her cheek gently. “You bet I will, sweetie.”

* * *

It was late — very late — when I finally wandered downstairs, but Pippa and Ingo were still there.

“Hi,” my sister whispered, forcing a smile.

My reply was all scratchy. “Hi.”

A shadow fell over the moonlight filtering in through the window, and I peeked out.

“Erin and Nash are keeping an eye on things, just in case,” Ingo explained.

I watched the dragon pair glide through the inky night, illuminating it with small puffs of fire.

I’d always been grateful for my sisters — and for their partners — but I was doubly grateful two of them could shift into dragon form and two into wolves. The world’s best neighborhood watch program, right here on my ranch.

Plus one bear,a little voice whispered in my mind.

I pursed my lips, silently thanking Cooper. Dreaming, even, for him to come join us someday.

I took a deep breath. Did I dare weave that wish into my own dreams sometime?

But it was one thing to fill your mind with pleasant images for a night or two. It was another to make those dreams jump dimensions and come true — and living with the disappointment when you failed.

“Okay to talk?” Ingo asked softly.

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