A Cowgirl's Secret by Laura Marie Altom Page B

before the car. Instinct told him exactly who it would be.
    He finished watering what remained of his struggling tomato plants, then coiled up the hose. By the time he’d finished, sure enough, Daisy and Kolt had pulled into his drive.
    After drying his palms on the thighs of his jeans, Luke moseyed over, not especially in a hurry to see the woman who’d turned his life upside down. He’d had a tough enough time relating to her before learning about what she’d been through with Henry. Now, Luke was even less sure of what to do or say.
    She was wearing a T-shirt and pink flip-flops that made her look all of fifteen. Her messy pigtail didn’t help. She looked as pretty as she had the spring day he’d asked her to the prom. But that didn’t change the fact that as sorry as he felt for what Henry had put her through, she didn’t have a free pass for Luke missing the first ten years of his son’s life.
    When Kolt exited the car, stepping onto his land, Luke wasn’t sure what to say. Kolt was handsome. Tall for his age and stick thin. A smattering of freckles dotted his nose and his dark hair had been neatly trimmed.
    â€œWhen I was your age,” Luke said to his boy, hands shoved in his pockets, “I hated getting my hair cut. One day my mom let me cut it myself. Kids at school teased that it looked so bad I must’ve got caught in barbed wire.Just looking at your head tells me you’re a damned sight smarter than me.”
    â€œYou cussed,” his son scolded.
    Chuckling, Luke said, “About time you learned that’s what cowboys do. Sometimes there’s just no way around it.”
    â€œDon’t listen to him,” Daisy said.
    â€œDo listen to me,” Luke insisted with what he hoped came across as a welcoming, friendly smile. “Here’s what you need to do. Let’s say you’re on your horse and see a snake. What’re you going to say?”
    Nose wrinkled, Kolt shook his head. “I dunno.”
    â€œWrong. How about, damn, that’s a big snake.”
    Wearing a cautious grin, Kolt mimicked, “Damn, that’s a big snake.”
    â€œExcellent.” Luke held out his hand for a high five and was pleasantly surprised when Kolt didn’t leave him hanging. “All right, now it’s time for—”
    â€œThat’s enough.” Arms crossed, Daisy didn’t look amused by the evening’s cursing lesson. “Could we please go inside? It’s hot.”
    â€œHelp yourself,” Luke said. “Front door’s open. If Kolt doesn’t mind, we need to feed the horses before we head in for the night.”
    â€œKolt?” she asked, worry lacing her tone. “Is that all right with you?”
    â€œJust go, Mom. I want to talk to my dad.”
    Luke couldn’t help but beam with pride when his boy asked, “Can I brush your horses, too? Uncle Cash taught me how and he says I do a really good job.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Luke said, ignoring the fact that Daisystill stood in front of the porch. “And hey, while I’ve got you here, can you tell me why the farmer’s horse went over the mountain?”
    â€œNope.”
    â€œHe couldn’t go under it.”
    Though Kolt didn’t crack a smile, he couldn’t quite hide the light in his eyes.
    Luke knew he had a long way to go before his son fully accepted him, but, Lord willing, with enough bad jokes and kid-friendly animal chores, the two of them might work their way into each other’s hearts.
    As for his child’s mother? Good thing Daisy had finally chosen to hide out in the house or Luke just might’ve put her on manure duty.

Chapter Eight
    A week had passed since Daisy’s last secret had gotten out. Funny how time had a way of elongating or shortening in direct proportion to one’s discomfort level. The past seven days had felt excruciatingly long. Kolt was still giving her the silent