to think about heartbreak and hurt. She wanted t o think about Cash and how he’d humiliated her—h ow Ryder Maddox had hurt her long before that. She wanted to remember that she would never let it happen again. Never!
“ Oh, sweet Angelina, ” Alice sighed, hugging her friend suddenly. “ Where did those two little girls go who used to sit in trees and spy on skinny - dippin ’ cowboys? ”
For the first time in a long time , Dusty fully accepted the comf orting embrace from her friend— even returned it. It was true. She had to admit it to herself— what her mother had told her so long ago was true. A hug can heal a hurting heart , she ’ d always said.
“ They ’ ve turned into two women with responsibilities, ” Dusty sighed.
“ Naw, ” Alice sighed. “ One of ’ em just needs to open her heart again. ”
Dusty remained silent and simply smiled at her friend as they sat enjoying the shade on the porch together.
Evening lingered. A s Dusty washed dishes, she gazed out the kitchen window to where Feller, Ryder , and Ruff stood around the fire pit with the others . Everyone had finished their dinner and was gather ed outside around the pit as usual. It had been such a long time since Dusty had joined everyone for the traditional evening talk . Lingering around the fire pit had been near habit at the ranch for as long as she could remember . She longed to go out— to sit with Becca , her father , and the others and listen to stories and talk about life and the world. Still, to do so would be a risk. To do so would leave her too open to feeling.
Ryder and Feller stood listening to something Ruff was saying . Ryder stood with his arms folded across his chest, his feet planted firmly apart, nodding his head as he listened. Suddenly, he threw his head back, breaking into laughter . T he rhythmic bounce of Feller ’ s shoulders told Dusty that whatever Ruff had said had ended in humor. Dusty didn ’ t even notice the heavy sigh escaping her lungs as she watched Ryder slap Ruff on the shoulder before sauntering over to take a seat on one of the giant logs around the fire. It was a small fire—s mall ones in the early spring and summer, bigger ones in the fall. Looking down at the plate she was washing , she was unaware of the smile breaking across her face as another memory rinsed over her .
Her da ddy had brought home a new kitten for Becca and Dusty one sunny s ummer afternoon. Dusty was ten— she ’ d never forget it. It was the same summer her daddy had hired Ryder on , and he ’ d only been with them a couple of months. Dusty and her sister had been absolutely beside themselves with delight over the kitten. It was all black , except for a few white markings on its backside. Dusty shook her head at the memory of how she and Becca had unintentional ly tortured the kitten all day, cradling it in their arms like a mother would a newborn baby and never putting it down.
“ Put that poor creature down, girls! ” Elly Hunter called from the front porch. Dusty could still see her mama standing on the porch, drying her hands on her apron, the skirt of her blue calico dress dancing in the soft breeze.
“ Oh, but, Mama, ” Dusty whined, “h e ’ s our baby! ”
Their mother laughed, her smile as beautiful as an angel’s— her laughter like the music of heaven.
“ He ’ s gonna run off and not come back if you don ’ t give him his space, ” she told them. She smiled. “ Now put him down , and find somethin ’ else to do! ”
Becca relented and released the small kitten, who, in its desperation to escape, nearly flew as it bounded off toward the creek. After shaking her head, knowing full well that as soon as she went back inside the girls would be off to find the kitten again, Dusty ’ s mother blew them a kiss, turned , and disappeared into the house.
“ Come on, Becca! ” Dusty whispered. “ Let ’ s go find him! ”
Becca giggled and nodded , and both girls lit out for
“ Oh, sweet Angelina, ” Alice sighed, hugging her friend suddenly. “ Where did those two little girls go who used to sit in trees and spy on skinny - dippin ’ cowboys? ”
For the first time in a long time , Dusty fully accepted the comf orting embrace from her friend— even returned it. It was true. She had to admit it to herself— what her mother had told her so long ago was true. A hug can heal a hurting heart , she ’ d always said.
“ They ’ ve turned into two women with responsibilities, ” Dusty sighed.
“ Naw, ” Alice sighed. “ One of ’ em just needs to open her heart again. ”
Dusty remained silent and simply smiled at her friend as they sat enjoying the shade on the porch together.
Evening lingered. A s Dusty washed dishes, she gazed out the kitchen window to where Feller, Ryder , and Ruff stood around the fire pit with the others . Everyone had finished their dinner and was gather ed outside around the pit as usual. It had been such a long time since Dusty had joined everyone for the traditional evening talk . Lingering around the fire pit had been near habit at the ranch for as long as she could remember . She longed to go out— to sit with Becca , her father , and the others and listen to stories and talk about life and the world. Still, to do so would be a risk. To do so would leave her too open to feeling.
Ryder and Feller stood listening to something Ruff was saying . Ryder stood with his arms folded across his chest, his feet planted firmly apart, nodding his head as he listened. Suddenly, he threw his head back, breaking into laughter . T he rhythmic bounce of Feller ’ s shoulders told Dusty that whatever Ruff had said had ended in humor. Dusty didn ’ t even notice the heavy sigh escaping her lungs as she watched Ryder slap Ruff on the shoulder before sauntering over to take a seat on one of the giant logs around the fire. It was a small fire—s mall ones in the early spring and summer, bigger ones in the fall. Looking down at the plate she was washing , she was unaware of the smile breaking across her face as another memory rinsed over her .
Her da ddy had brought home a new kitten for Becca and Dusty one sunny s ummer afternoon. Dusty was ten— she ’ d never forget it. It was the same summer her daddy had hired Ryder on , and he ’ d only been with them a couple of months. Dusty and her sister had been absolutely beside themselves with delight over the kitten. It was all black , except for a few white markings on its backside. Dusty shook her head at the memory of how she and Becca had unintentional ly tortured the kitten all day, cradling it in their arms like a mother would a newborn baby and never putting it down.
“ Put that poor creature down, girls! ” Elly Hunter called from the front porch. Dusty could still see her mama standing on the porch, drying her hands on her apron, the skirt of her blue calico dress dancing in the soft breeze.
“ Oh, but, Mama, ” Dusty whined, “h e ’ s our baby! ”
Their mother laughed, her smile as beautiful as an angel’s— her laughter like the music of heaven.
“ He ’ s gonna run off and not come back if you don ’ t give him his space, ” she told them. She smiled. “ Now put him down , and find somethin ’ else to do! ”
Becca relented and released the small kitten, who, in its desperation to escape, nearly flew as it bounded off toward the creek. After shaking her head, knowing full well that as soon as she went back inside the girls would be off to find the kitten again, Dusty ’ s mother blew them a kiss, turned , and disappeared into the house.
“ Come on, Becca! ” Dusty whispered. “ Let ’ s go find him! ”
Becca giggled and nodded , and both girls lit out for
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