“Actually, some of them hope it’s true. But the others aren’t too keen on it.” Graham, of course, was on the not-exactly-pleased side of it.
He paused for a beat, realizing Sasha didn’t have siblings—or even a cousin any longer. So he didn’t want to sound as though he resented having a big family. “I suppose you can never have too many relatives. It’s a cold world out there, so the more people who have your back, the better.”
Instead of smiling or commenting, Sasha just stood there as tears welled in her eyes.
Uh-oh. He hadn’t meant to trigger her sadness. Was she missing Peter? Her parents?
She swiped below her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I’m sorry. Just the result of my pregnancy hormones at work.”
That made sense. And it made him feel a lot better about setting off her tears. “How far along are you?”
“Seven months.”
“Your husband must be thrilled.”
Sasha glanced down at her sandals and didn’t speak or look up for several beats.
He must have put his foot in his mouth again, although he had no idea why. Was she unhappy about the baby?
“I’m sorry if I was out of line,” Graham said.
Sasha shook her head. When she looked up and caught his gaze, her eyes were glossy. “Gabe and I...split up.” Her hand again went to her belly, caressing the mound where her baby grew. “Actually, he left me.”
Graham couldn’t imagine what would cause a man to walk away from his family when his wife was pregnant. He’d never met Gabe Smith himself, but Roger had. And the old rancher’s opinion of the guy was enough for Graham to believe the worst about him.
He’d never reveal that to Sasha, though. So he said, “That must be rough.”
“We’re doing okay. And on the upside, I’m now able to come visit Uncle Roger. Maddie is excited to see a real ranch—and horses.”
Before Graham could respond, a little girl sidled up between them. She stuck out her hand to Graham and smiled, revealing a missing front tooth. “Howdy. Put ’er there, cowboy!”
He was captivated by her happy expression, by the long blond hair and bright blue eyes, so like her mama’s.
What kind of man would leave such an adorable duo? Not that Graham had ever had any reason to admire Gabe Smith. But surely he’d come to his senses and chase after them.
For some strange reason, that thought caused his gut to clench, and he found it nearly impossible to speak. He did, however, reach out and take the child’s little hand in his.
“You must be Maddie,” he said.
“Yep.” The girl stood tall, a big ol’ grin stretching across her face. “And you must be Uncle Roger.”
Apparently, Maddie had awakened from her nap and gotten out of the car on her own. And while the little girl had no way of knowing who Graham or even Uncle Roger were, the idea that anyone could possibly confuse the two men brought a smile to Sasha’s lips.
She placed her hand on the top of her daughter’s head, her fingers trailing along the silky, pale strands. “This isn’t Uncle Roger, Maddie. It’s his friend Graham.”
As the child cocked her head and scanned the handsome man from his dusty boots to his black hat, a grin dimpled her cheeks and lit her eyes. “So you’re a real cowboy, just like my uncle?”
Graham smiled. “I reckon you could say that, Miss Maddie.”
The girl laughed. “Can you say something else cowboy-like?”
“Honey, Mr. Graham isn’t here to entertain you.” Sasha straightened and turned to the handsome man. “She’s a big fan of horses and all things Western.”
“Then this visit to the Galloping G should be good for her,” Graham said.
Yes, it would definitely do her daughter good. Sasha hoped it would do the same for her. She had some healing to do. She also had a relationship to mend. So why couldn’t she seem to turn and walk away from the sexy cowboy who was so good with her daughter?
She glanced toward the barn, where Uncle Roger had disappeared.
“I love horses,” Maddie said. “Especially real ones.”
Graham chuckled. “A girl after my own heart. Have you ever ridden a real one, Maddie?”
“No, not yet. But I have a pretend saddle I put over the back of our sofa at home. And I play like I’m riding that.”
Graham glanced at Sasha as if questioning the truth of Maddie’s statement.
So she smiled and nodded. “Maddie would ride that towel-draped leather sofa all day if I’d let her.”
The little girl lived and breathed horses. And, apparently, she admired the men who worked with them. So, if Sasha wasn’t careful, her daughter would pester poor Graham and Uncle Roger to death.
Hoping to defuse what could be an awkward situation, she addressed her daughter. “Mr. Graham has a lot of work to do, honey. And the sooner we let him get back to it, the better.”
“That’s not a problem,” Graham said. “I really don’t mind taking a break. In fact, if Maddie wants, I can take her around the Galloping G and show her what a ‘real cowboy’ does all day, including a broken fence I need to repair.”
“That’s nice of you,” Sasha said, “but it isn’t necessary. We just got here and should probably settle in. Besides, Maddie needs to learn a little patience.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Graham said. “While you two unpack, I’ll go pick up my mess in that south pasture. When I get back, I can give you that tour.” Then he winked at Maddie. “Your mom can come, too.”
Sasha probably ought to tell him no. She had a lot to talk over with Uncle Roger. But she couldn’t very well have that kind of a heart-to-heart until later this evening, after Maddie went to bed.
For the third time since arriving—or maybe it was the thirty-third—she turned her gaze on Graham, who’d grown an inch or two taller and filled out nicely. He wore a gray T-shirt that didn’t mask the muscles in his broad chest. His biceps, which had never been small, now bulged, straining the hem on his short sleeves without any effort on his part.
He still bore the scar on his arm from a riding accident he’d had years ago, a jagged mark left from a barbed-wire fence. But like everything else about him—his hat, his jeans, his smile—he wore the cowboy image well.
She’d always admired Graham and found him attractive in more ways than one. He was—or at least used to be—a straight-up guy. And in spite of the money his family had, there were no pretenses about him, no games. He said what he meant and meant what he said.
Graham was nothing like Gabe, which made him even more appealing now. And that was a good reason for her to steer clear of him. Besides, she was a pregnant single mother. And she’d arrived at the Galloping G with way more baggage than the suitcases she’d brought in the trunk of her car. Certainly way more than a man like Graham would want to deal with. He’d always had a way with the ladies—or at least the girls in high school. So she assumed that he was a free-wheeling bachelor with his pick of willing women.
Yet she found herself nodding in agreement. “Okay, a tour of the ranch sounds fun. While you’re going to get your tools and whatnot, Maddie and I will unpack.”
Graham lobbed her a crooked grin that nearly stole