Page 52 of Montana Bride By Christmas
Annie nodded agreement at Hugh’s questioning glance.
“You’ll like it. I know you will,” Hugh said.
Evan stared into the eyes of his father, searching for assurance.
Annie knew the moment he found it. He shuddered, his shoulders settled back to their normal position, and he nodded.
While Hugh held his son, Annie soaped and scrubbed Evan’s hair, shocked at the amount of dirty water that ran off his head. She soaped and scrubbed it again and once more until she was satisfied no more dirt remained. She grabbed a towel and rubbed his hair dry.
Hugh lifted him from the water and wrapped another towel around him, shifting him around to face the fire as he dried the boy.
Happy watched with his head tipped to one side and then the other.
Annie chuckled. “Look at him, Evan. He wants to know if it’s still you.”
Evan touched Happy’s head, and the puppy squirmed with pleasure.
Hugh reached for the boy’s clothing.
Annie caught his hand. “Maybe a towel about his waist until he bathes the dog.”
He grinned. “You’re thinking there might be lots of splashing water?”
“Something like that.” Their gazes held. His smile faded, and all that remained was serious study. What did he see? What did he want to see? Why did it feel like he flipped open lockson secret thoughts and hidden wishes? She didn’t want him to perceive her inner fears. And yet she did. Perhaps hoping and dreaming that his look, a word, or touch from him might heal the wounded areas of her heart.
Happy raced around the tub and tumbled into Annie, jerking her back to the task at hand. She caught the puppy and shifted him to Evan. “Do you want to put him in the bath?”
Evan nodded, and Hugh unobtrusively helped lift the puppy into the water.
Happy whined and tried to claw his way out of the tub. Evan leaned over and patted the puppy’s head, and earned himself a wet lick.
While Hugh held the pup and the boy, Annie quickly lathered up the dog. Happy squirmed and sloshed water over the edge of the tub, soaking Annie’s skirt.
Evan looked worried as if he expected her to be cross. She laughed. “It’s only water.”
Reassured, he turned back to the puppy, patting his head and making soothing noises.
Annie scrubbed Happy clean, rinsing the soap out well. “Done.” She handed Hugh a towel.
“Me?”
That was all the time Happy needed to escape the clutches of these people, and he jumped from the tub, sloshing water on the floor then shook himself. Water sprayed all over Hugh, Evan, and Annie.
Evan laughed and wiped his face with the towel, then set to work rubbing Happy dry.
Hugh looked so shocked that Annie smiled at him. “It’s just water.”
He frowned. “It’s cold, wet, and smells doggy.”
She wiped her hands and face and then tossed him the towel, still grinning unrepentantly.
He dried his face, all the while studying her.
Her amusement fled at the look in his eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but she had three older brothers who didn’t mind tossing her into the watering trough when she teased them. Surely...she swallowed hard...after all, they were indoors with a snowstorm raging outside. Just to be sure, she sidled over to the window. “I see the storm hasn’t let up.”
A deep-throated chuckle came from the kitchen. She’d forgotten all about Grandfather. What had he seen? Nothing. There was nothing to see, and no one could read her mind and see how she foolishly wished they were outdoors and he could chase her until she let him catch her.
She faced the room again and saw why Grandfather chuckled. Evan struggled to get his overalls on, but Happy held one leg in his teeth. She rescued the child and straightened the buttons on his shirt.
