Jazmine caressed her daughter’s hair as they watched a movie with her parents. She shoved down her desire to go to her room to cry for Rosemarie’s sake.
A pounding on the door jerked all their attention from the TV. Moving Rosemarie to the side, Jazmine rose and went downstairs to answer it.
Outside stood Elijah’s sister, Belle. Her eyes were red. Fear spiked Jazmine’s stomach. Stepping out of the house, she carefully closed the door behind her.
“Is Elijah all right?” What if something had happened after he left? Maybe she had read him wrong and he hadn’t been in any condition to drive. She should have called someone to pick him up.
“No. He’s not all right.”
Jazmine gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth. All the blood dropped to her knees.
“You made him break a promise to his daughter. You kept her from him for her whole life. And now you...you take away a day that he’s been planning with so much detail. He’s been working so hard to make sure everything was perfect for her.”
Relief flooded her body. “He wasn’t in a car wreck?”
“No! But you might as well have run over him.”
Pressing her palm to her forehead, Jazmine closed her eyes. She wasn’t in the mood for this. “Belle, this is between Elijah and me. I’m not—”
“Stop. He told me not to get involved, but after everything he’s gone through, everything he’s fought through, I’m not going to let you hurt him where it matters the most. I’m going to tell you that he’s a great uncle, and he’ll be the best father ever. You don’t have the right to take that from him.”
Belle jabbed her finger in the air. “He was keeping a drunk off the road. He might not be used to fatherhood, but people in this town count on him.”
“What?”
“He has become a depend—”
“No, no. What was he doing tonight? How can he be keeping a drunk off the road if he’s the—”
Belle threw her head back and grimaced at the sky. When she brought her chin down, a fire was burning in her gray eyes, so much like Elijah’s. “You punished him for doing the right thing. He hasn’t touched a drop of that stuff in over five years.” With a sound of disgust, she turned away and looked at her phone.
The door opened. Jazmine jerked around, afraid of seeing her daughter. Instead, her mother stood there. She wasn’t sure if that was any better. “Mom, please go back inside.”
Her mother’s face made granite look soft. “No. His family doesn’t have the right to harass you.”
Belle turned back, her chest expanding as she stepped closer, her finger pointed. “You don’t have the right to keep his daughter from him.” Her eyes grew moist. “She has a whole family that wants to know her and love her.”
Azalea sniffed. “A family that can’t be trusted.”
Elijah’s sister stood taller. “He is not our uncle.” Her chin lifted. “You don’t know my daughters or...you don’t know us.”
“Mother, stop. Insults are not going to help. Belle, I’m sorry.”
Jazmine turned to her mother. “She was saying that Elijah was at the bar to stop someone from driving drunk.”
Belle nodded. “His phone was ruined in the shuffle. I can tell you that he’s never late, and he hasn’t had a drink in years.”
“Mom, you said you saw him fighting with someone and the police were there?”
Taking a deep breath, her mother closed her eyes and lowered her head. “The police were pulling up. I assumed.” She raised her head and looked at her daughter. Her skin had lost some of its color. “I... He was struggling with an older man I didn’t recognize.” She pressed the back of her fist to the bottom of her chin, her eyes darting as if she was looking for something. “Your father warned me about jumping to conclusions. If he was stopping someone from driving drunk, why didn’t he say that?”
Jazmine groaned. “I didn’t let him, and what he did say I refused to believe. I didn’t want to...”
Azalea crossed her arms. “I just don’t want to see my daughter hurt again. And Rosemarie is so innocent. As a mother, you should understand that.”
Belle’s stance softened. “I do. But I’ve seen Elijah work so hard to overcome our family’s past. He knows how personal it is to your family. He’d never allow anyone to get on the road if they’ve had anything to drink. He never has, even at his worst.”
Azalea glanced at Jazmine.
She nodded in agreement. “It’s true, Mother. He’d walk home on the nights he...” The memory clogged her throat. She swallowed. “I’d go get his car in the morning while he slept it off. He never drove.”
Belle reached out, the fire gone. “Your first instinct is to protect your baby. But you don’t have to protect her from Elijah.” She smiled. “I might have also gone a little mama bear protecting him. He asked me to stay out of it, but I told him I had to run to the store.”
Azalea stepped closer and put her arm around Jazmine. A girl was never too old for her mother’s hug. “Is it too late for Jazmine and Rosemarie to go for that ride?”
“Elijah is at the barn with my girls.”
“I’ll call him.” Jazmine’s heart picked up as she reached for her phone.
“You can’t. His phone was ruined. Believe me, it’s a complete goner.” Reaching into her back pocket, Belle pulled out her cell. “My oldest has a phone. We can call her.” She dialed, and they heard the ringing through the speaker.
“Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
“Tell Tío Eli that I ran into Jazmine and she wants to speak with him.”
They heard a gasp. “Are they coming?” Excitement colored each word.
“Hand the phone to your uncle.”
“Izabella, I told you to stay out of this.” Elijah’s voice had no give in it.
“Do you want to take your daughter for a ride today?” She looked at Jazmine with a tight smile. “Talk to her and don’t be terco.”
“I’m not being stubborn.” His sigh was heavy. “Is she there now?”
“I’m here. I’m sorry about earlier. I should have at least given you a chance to explain.” She was proud of herself for keeping her voice calm and steady.
“Oh, hi. Sorry. I thought I was still speaking to Belle.” Unease lined his voice.
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yeah. She handed you to me. So, she explained the situation to us. I’m sorry we jumped to conclusions. I should have known you wouldn’t have driven to the house if...well, you know.” Fire ants attacked her stomach. “Would it be okay if we followed Belle out?”
“We’re at the barn, and if you get here in the next twenty, we should have enough daylight.”
“Good. We’re on our way.” Her throat was dry. “Elijah—”
“You need to head out now if we’re going to get to ride. We’ll talk later.”
“Okay. We’ll talk later. See you in a bit.”
She handed to the phone back to Belle. “Looks like we’re going riding.”
Her mother nodded. “Let me get Rosemarie. I know she did a good job of hiding her disappointment, but this will make her very happy.”
Belle moved to her Jeep. “As soon as y’all are ready, we can head out.”
Jazmine nodded. She wasn’t sure she was ever going to be ready to have Elijah back in her life. Her emotions were too unpredictable.
He had taken a shower in the tack room. His skin scrubbed clean, Elijah smiled at Lucy and was about to answer one of her many questions when Belle’s old Jeep came into view. It was followed by a small, shiny SUV. He hadn’t allowed himself to believe they were actually coming.
After the showdown in front of her house, he’d thought it was over. That he would have to fight with a team of lawyers to see his daughter again.
But she was here. Somehow his sister had made this happen. His throat tightened. After all the years of him being a walking mess, she had fought for him. Even at his lowest, she had been there ready to kick him out of his wallowing self-pity. She had been an unabashed example of tough love.
Now she was bringing his daughter to the ranch. She was his role model for parenting, not the man who raised them.
Her girls clapped. “Rosemarie is here!”
He grinned. “Where should we take her? To the pasture or the beach?”
They both jumped up. “The beach. The beach.”
His sister stopped the Jeep right next to him. She hopped out of her vehicle and grinned at him like she’d brought in the winning catch.
He leaned close to her ear. “I told you to stay out of it.”
Not a hint of guilt or apology touched her face. “And if I’d stayed out of it? Your daughter wouldn’t be on the ranch. You’ve worked hard to get your life right. They can’t treat you like dirt. Not as long as I’m around.”
“Not only do I not have credit with Jazmine, I’m digging myself out of emotional bankruptcy. I owe her. She has every right to do whatever she thinks is necessary to protect her daughter.”
She reached up and tugged at his ear. “Your daughter. How long are you going to punish yourself?”
He started to reply but shut his mouth. She wouldn’t accept his answer. The sweetest sound saved him from having to think up another response.
“Daddy!” Rosemarie yelled, as she plowed into him. “We made it! Are you better?”
“Yes, and I’m so glad this worked out. Are you ready to meet my new horse I just bought?”
“She’s yours? Yes!” She screamed and clapped. “What’s her name?”
“Bueno Bueno Sonadora.”
She made a face. “Good Good something? That’s a strange name.”
He laughed. “Sonadora means dreamer. You know Spanish.” That surprised him.
“I’m learning at school. Why does she have two goods in her name?”
“Bueno is very important in the quarter horse bloodlines and she has it on top and bottom, so they put it in twice. That’s the name on her official papers. I’m thinking of giving her a new name. What do you think? The little girl who had her before called her Dreamer.”
Her little nose wrinkled. “Top and bottom?”
Laughing, he lifted his hand above her head. “The father’s side of the family is listed on top.” Then he tickled her at her waist. “Her mother’s family is listed on the bottom of her papers.”
She flung her arms around him again, erasing all the unpleasantness of the past few hours. He forced himself to stay in the moment. No worries about the future or guilt about the past.
Jazmine joined them.
Rosemarie turned to her mother and clapped. “Momma, did you hear? Daddy has a new horse. Where is she?” She was bouncing with barely controlled energy.
Cassie and Lucy each grabbed one of her hands. “She’s in the barn.” The girls took off running.
“Slow down,” all three adults yelled at the same time. Belle rushed ahead to take the girls into the stables.
Picking up the pace, Elijah followed, but a warm touch on his arm stopped him. He looked down at the stern face of his ex-wife and gave her his best smile. “I’ve got the horse covered. It’s been a long time since I’ve had my own horse. She’s going to stay on the ranch, and I’ll share her with Rosie. Please, Jazz, let me do this.” His gaze sought out his daughter. “The only good moments growing up were with the horses.” He came back to Jazmine’s eyes. “It’s the only thing I have to offer.”
Her fingertips brushed his chin. “Not true. And that’s not the point. You said you were going to find a horse she could ride, not buy a new one. Why do I have a feeling you will never ride this horse that you didn’t buy for your daughter?” She sighed.
He took her hand and walked to the barn doors. Her hand fit into his so naturally. “Let me tell you her story. Her owners wanted to put her down, but Damian saved her.” He gave her all the details. “She’s a sweet horse, a bit shy, but with a great deal of love to give. She just needs the right little girl. They’re a perfect match.”
Stopping, she pulled him around. “Elijah, how am I supposed to say no to that?”
On impulse, he kissed her forehead. “You’re not.” What was he doing? Taking a quick step back, he released her hand, then turned to follow the girls.
The three cousins were standing at the far end of the breezeway. His heart paused. They were here as a family. He stood behind them, his hands on the tiny shoulders of his daughter.
Belle led the mare out of her stall and Rosemarie went still. She seemed to stop breathing and a strange sound came from her. Had he done something wrong?
He bent down and pulled her against him so that her back was pressed against his chest. “What’s wrong, baby?”
She shook her head. “She’s beautiful. Just like in my dreams.” Twisting, she looked up at him. Wet with tears, the gray eyes looked violet. “Is she really ours?” The small voice was filled with awe.
“What are you going to call her?”
“Dreamer.”
“That’s perfect because she knows it already.”
She sank further into his chest. “What if she doesn’t like me?”
He couldn’t imagine anyone not loving his girl. “You belong to her now. She needed a little girl just like you. She was in a bad accident and has scars, but she’s all better. I bet she’s nervous about meeting you.”
“Think so?”
“I was the first time I met you. Remember?”
And today he’d almost lost her. One mistake and he would lose everything again, but this time there was more at stake. It wasn’t about him, or even Jazmine.
He glanced up and made eye contact with Jazz. He had to be strong and make the decisions that were best for his daughter. And Jazz. No matter how much he loved them, he had to put that aside and do what was best for them.