Page 26 of The Texas Cowboy's Rescue

Deke tried to stifle a grin, but it was hard to do around such a precocious and utterly enjoyable child. He was doubly glad that he had looked up that day in the cafeteria and saw her contagious smile being sent his way. She’d thought he needed some sprinkles to brighten his world. And she had been smarter than she could realize.

For the first time in many years, he began to feel that being part of the human race again wasn’t so far-fetched. Maybe, just maybe, he could find that elusive trust that so many others took for granted. And then there was that odd feeling that had come along with those thoughts. He wanted to make Kenzie smile. She had a beautiful one, but it needed to be freed to be able to share it more with the world. Just because one bum male was a loser and could not see what he had in front of him—a loving wife and terrific little girl—and could throw it all so easily away, that didn’t mean that another male wouldn’t consider himself the most blessed man to have such a family.

“Mr. Deke, can’t we show Mama and then eat one... or two?”

Back to the cupcake issue. “How about we surprise her? We will get the pizzas and salad ready, with plates and drinks and napkins on the table. Then, after dinner, you will surprise her and then we will eat them.”

“Goody!” She clapped. “She’ll be really surprised.”

Brooke was correct. She went into the living room twenty minutes later and announced that dinner was ready. She took her mama by the hand and announced that she was escorting her to the dining room. Then she amended with, “It’s not really the dining room. It’s the table in the kitchen, but it’s okay because it’s pizza night.”

Kenzie was surprised. The kitchen table had been transformed with a red-and-white picnic cover that had been buried in the pantry for months. A candle in a makeshift holder... an old soda bottle... with a long red taper saved over from the holidays sat in the center of the table. Red plastic plates and matching red napkins had been in the sack of groceries. The pizzas and a bowl of salad were on the table, along with two glasses of iced tea and one of milk. As they approached, Deke stepped behind a chair and pulled it out, ready to seat her as an honored guest.

“I can’t believe this,” she said. “You two definitely have surprised me and I can see you worked very hard. I think I am spoiled, and now I need chefs in the kitchen all the time.”

“Well, I don’t know if you can afford us... Chef Brooke and I don’t come cheap.”

The meal was perfect, even if it was pizza. It was the company that made it special, and the conversation was punctuated with Brooke’s giggles and Deke’s easy teasing... and his ever-present attentiveness to her... making certain that she had salad and pizza and refills on her tea. It had been a while since she wasn’t the one making certain the food was hot, the drinks had refills, and then there would be the cleanup.

“Is it time? For dessert, Mr. Deke?” Brooke had been waiting for that portion of the meal from the beginning.

“Almost. I think there is something that we need to do first,” Deke said. “But we need to go outside for this surprise. Shall we, ladies?” He stood and they followed. Brooke was a little crestfallen at the change in plans. But she followed the pair onto the front porch. She sat on one of the chairs while Deke took a long cylinder from just inside the door where he had left it when he arrived. He took a roll of paper from the inside and smoothed it out on the tabletop.

“What is that Mr. Deke?” Brooke sat closer, her gaze on all the lines and numbers, and then she stopped. Her eyes went straight to him. “That looks like what’s in Lacy’s yard at Aces High.”

“Well, this one is a bit bigger. It has a lot of room because the tree is much bigger.” Deke watched her reaction.

“Tree? Is Lacy getting a bigger tree house? Are you building it?”

“No, this isn’t a tree house for Lacy. Yes, I am building it. I was thinking I could build it in this yard... if you think there is someone here who might like to climb into it and leave other trees alone?”

“Here? I could climb that ladder and I could play in it. I wouldn’t have to climb trees anymore. I promise I wouldn’t if I had a tree house of my own like this one! Please, Mama?”

“That would need to be our agreement,” Kenzie said. “No more climbing trees or anything else that takes you off the ground. If you can’t promise that, then we don’t need to have Mr. Deke spend his time doing this.”

“I promise, Mama. I really do promise, Mr. Deke. Can I help you build it?”

Deke took a few long moments deep in consideration... or giving it his best imitation of it. “So, have you experience building tree houses?”

Brooke slowly shook her head, the bottom lip in evidence, and those eyes were purple puddles waiting to be turned on. Deke was a pushover. He grinned and nodded. “I’ll take you on as a helper on a trial basis.”

A huge grin lit up her eyes, and the next question was a given. “When will it be ready?”

Kenzie shook her head and met Deke’s gaze. “Good luck with that one. You’ll hear it many, many times.” She smiled sweetly.

“I can see that the Calhoun ladies are going to make this project very interesting.”

“That might be quite an understatement,” Kenzie responded. “Hope you can handle the job.”

“Don’t underestimate me when I am motivated.” That sapphire gaze held a glint of challenge but also a sizzle of spark that took aim at the center of her chest. There was an undeniable feeling that some corner had been turned, and they had taken the first steps on a path whose end was too shrouded in fog to see.

Chapter Thirteen

Underestimate or overestimate?She wasn’t sure which it might be the most of, but Deke Hayes was a man on a mission and he was determined. What the impetus was behind it all, she wasn’t exactly sure, but it had to have a six-year-old dynamo taskmaster involved. Still, she had warned him. And that was why she felt no commiseration for him when he would make a call to the lumberyard on his break between flights or search out this part or that one when he couldn’t find it locally. He’d catch her amused smile and he could read it quite clearly.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you.” Not a question, but a statement of fact.

“Actually, I find this might be a lot like that reality television show. Although you aren’t on a beautiful tropical island, youarelearning the basics of the competition... you are an adult having to figure out how to outlast, outwit, and eventually outplay a highly intelligent six-year-old taskmaster. Good luck with that.” Then she gave him another smile and left him to his list.

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