Page 19 of A Rancher's Vow
“Pick someone who loves a thing to teach you that thing. That’s always been my rule.” She glanced back at Charity. “Like you and your dance stuff. The fact you love it is clear in the way you talk. And the way you make even boring old repeats of the same move fun for the kids.”
“Thanks. I do love it.” She wasn’t good enough to be a professional dancer, not after her training had come to an abrupt end as a teenager. And now it was not a thing she could afford to do much of just because. “Teaching is my way of sneaking in dance time on a regular basis,” she confessed.
“Smart.”
They were beside the shelter now, the crowds and worries of the day temporarily forgotten. Kelli swung her leg over Path’s head and was on the ground a second later. She glanced up. “Want me to grab the stool?”
Charity didn’t think, just moved. She copied Kelli the best she could, one hand resting against the horse until her feet hit the ground. Then she stood gracefully and patted Path’s neck. “Thanks for the ride.”
Only the fact that Kelli stood behind her kept Charity from levitating off the ground when Path tossed her head.
Kelli chuckled. “It’s okay. Remember that bit about how she likes to please people? You gave her the perfect thank you. She’s happy.”
“Well, that’s good.” Charity still stepped back quickly, opening more room between her and Path.
Kelli led the horse under the shelter then tossed some grassy stuff into the trough. “Good girl. You stay here for a bit. I’m sure Sasha will be out to get you as soon as she can.”
Drat. Another complication Charity hadn’t thought about. “The girls. The kids—”
Kelli wiped her hands on her thighs, glancing up at Charity with a question in her eyes.
Charity twirled a finger around the ranch area. “With this many unwelcome guests on the property, the kids won’t be able to do stuff like normal. Not unless Tamara wants pictures of them slapped up online.”
The other woman’s expression darkened. “You’re right. We’re going to have to deal with this quickly.”
“I’ll head back to the office—” Charity began.
Kelli glared. “No way. You’re not going out there alone either. Wait until Luke gets here, and then he’ll walk you to your car.”
Inside the house, Charity slipped to one side of the room and tried to stay out of the way as the Stone family gathered.
Walker showed up with his three children—aged five, seven, and nine. Harper, Chloe, and Carter took off for the basement toy room with Emma Stone pushing her four-year-old brother Tyler after them.
The thirteen-year-old paused by her mom’s side, blonde head tilted to the side as she eyed the gathering family. “I’ll take care of them while you talk, but after, I want to know what happened.”
“Of course, you do,” Tamara agreed. “I’ll catch you up on everything, because you’re not a little girl anymore.”
Emma grinned as she poked a thumb toward the stairs. “But they are little, so off I go to play pretend for the millionth time.”
Tamara kissed her. “You’re a good big sister and cousin.”
“The best,” Emma agreed. She swung past her own big sister, Sasha, and spoke quietly in her ear.
Sasha’s eyes widened. She nodded, glancing at her mom. Tamara had turned to the kitchen and was dealing with the coffee maker.
Sasha drifted across the room. “Mom?”
“Yes?”
Sasha met Charity’s gaze briefly before focusing on her mother. “Does Auntie Ginny know to come over?”
“Yes, sweetie. If she’s feeling up to it, she’ll be here.”
Sasha nodded then joined Kelli in the living room.
The door opened again, and a couple of the men who had been out on the ranch arrived. Caleb and Tucker, and Tucker’s wife Ginny.
The men headed into the laundry area to use the sink.
