Page 37 of A Letter to Adaya
“I’m taking Adaya back to the ranch. Do you want to ride with us? I’m probably the only one headed back this weekend.”
The teenager shook her head. “If you don’t think Simon would be upset, Mr. and Mrs. King offered to take me to the harvest party. Amy’s going to braid my hair.”
Beau let out something between a laugh and a sigh. He didn’t understand girls at all. “I’ll let your sister know.”
“Thank you. Will I see you?”
He gave her a half-smile. “I hope so, but it’ll be up to Adaya. I think she might need time to recover from the bad news she got today.”
“Then I’ll pray for her and maybe sneak some of Marmee’s apple candy home for her.”
“She will appreciate that.” Looking back at the table, he tilted his head. “It’s probably safe for you to clear the table now. Judge Harrison said he wanted a piece of pie.”
“I’ll take it over with me then.”
Leaving some money on the counter, he gave Madison a quick wave, then headed out to collect his sleeping beauty.
Lord, Nate’s right, we don’t believe in coincidences. Help me navigate through this, please.
Chapter Thirteen
Adaya jolted awake. It took her a moment to realize that she was still in town and had fallen asleep at the clinic. Her eyes scanned the room and stopped, focusing on the tall man at the end of the bed. Beau stood there, looking uncomfortable, and she wondered how long he’d been trying to wake her.
“I’m sorry I slept so long,” she apologized, scrambling into a seated position on the bed.
“There’s no need,” Beau replied, giving her a gentle smile that eased her heart. “I was debating whether to wake you before carrying you to the buggy. But the gossips would have a field day with that.”
“Oh. I’m glad you woke me. Where are we going?” She slipped off the bed, her toes sliding on the small rug beside it.
“Easy there.” Beau caught her arm, pulling her into his chest. The door was open, but she didn’t mind the forwardness. In fact, she enjoyed being in his arms.
She could feel the warmth radiating off his body as he wrapped his brawny arms around her waist. The familiarity of his embrace felt comfortable and inviting, and for a moment, she forgot all the reasons it was improper for them to be together.
Breaking free, she slid her feet into her boots and reached down to fix the buttons. “Where are we going? Did the sheriff need to speak with me again?” If it was necessary, she would do it even though she didn’t want to. Shame for the things her father had done coursed through her veins.
“I was going to take you back to the ranch. I don’t think you need to be here in town with everything else going on.” He hesitated for a moment, but then gently led her into Nate and Carolina’s inviting kitchen.
“Everything else?”
“Do you want some tea before we leave?”
She took a seat at the small table. “I’d like that, but I think you are avoiding my question.”
“What question is that?” Beau lifted the kettle to see if it was full and gauged the temperature with his hand. Putting it back over the heat, he took a cup and saucer and placed it in front of Adaya.
“You said I didn’t need to be here with everything else going on.”
“Mm. The judge arrived in town.”
“Oh.” She nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The judge’s arrival meant he would preside over her father’s trial. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for what her father had done, even though she had nothing to do with it. “I see. Will I have time to say goodbye before they hang him?”
Beau stopped slicing the bread on the counter. “That’s up to you. I can take you back over to the jail.”
“No. I don’t think so. The thought of my father as a horse thief is something I can’t reconcile.”
“I understand.” Beau started looking in the cabinets.
“He wasn’t a horrible father. In fact, he was very good while I was growing up. I never wanted for anything, but we didn’t spend much time together.”
