“Cassie—” Either she didn’t hear or chose to ignore him. “I’m going after her.”
“I’ll go, but could you tag along? I’d like to speak with you about something.”
“Okay.” They walked to the open barn door and he saw his daughter looking around a bale of hay.
“She’s just exploring. This won’t take long, Logan. Promise.”
“She needs eyes on her.” The knot in his stomach tightened.
“Agreed. But this is a ranch, not a razor blade factory.” Grace’s mouth pulled tight for a moment and there was stubbornness in her expression, a clue that she wasn’t going to back off on this. “Please, talk to me. I have some questions and need clarification.”
He met her gaze and mentally braced himself. “Okay.”
“Good.” Her smile was polite, but something simmered beneath it. She looked at his daughter as she said, “For starters, I need to know what is and isn’t okay to do with Cassie.”
“That’s your job. To know how to take care of her. It’s why I hired you. For your judgment.”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Flecks of gold were scattered in her hazel eyes and started to glow, the only hint they might shoot fire any second.
“Good, then we’re finished here.”
“Not quite. The thing is, I used my good judgment this morning. Cassie wanted to show me the baby goats and see if the cat had her babies. My judgment told me that would be fun for her, but I’m sensing that you don’t agree, because you’re acting as if we cut the stirrups off your favorite saddle.”
Very perceptive. “She’s five and has a lot of toys. Isn’t that fun?”
“As you said—she’s five, and that means she has a short attention span. This is a ranch. They’re harmless animals.” Her gaze slid from his to where Cassie was crouched down looking at a rock and poking it with a stick she’d picked up. So much for all the toys.
Why did she have to be so damn logical? And so sexy while she was doing it? “Cats scratch. Goats get frisky.”
“Very true. And that’s why I’m here to watch.” Her gaze narrowed on his before looking at Cassie again. “But I’m sensing you disapprove of my decision. So I have to ask—what are approved activities?”
“Ones where she can’t fall off a fence or wander too close to a horse and get kicked and hurt.”
“So, indoor play only?”
“Exactly.” Good. That was actually easier than he’d expected. Then he saw the defiant look in her eyes and he figured the laser beams were charging. “What?”
“I’m curious.”
Curiosity killed the cat. If he didn’t miss his guess, this was a trap set for him to step in and snap the jaws shut. “About?”
“Cassie visits with you here on the ranch almost every weekend. So, how do you fill the time? What do you do for fun?”
He thought for a moment and saw no downside to telling her. “I take her to movies. Into Blackwater Lake for ice cream. There’s a mall about forty-five minutes to an hour away and she likes to shop.”
“So, all of the things you do together are indoors?”
“Not all.” But he was starting to sweat. “We sit outside and eat the ice cream when the weather is nice.”
Grace folded her arms over her chest. “How do you get any work done if you can’t let her out of your sight?”
“When she’s here I arrange my work schedule so that I’m free to be with her.”
Her eyes widened. “I’m going to take a wild guess and say that this is the longest stretch of time you’ve had your daughter living with you.”
Logan had helped her lay out all the dots, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that a smart woman like her would connect them. “It works.”
Grace blew out a long breath. “Why don’t you just roll her up in Bubble Wrap or put her in biocontainment?”
“You’re saying I’m overprotective.” It wasn’t a question. Cassie’s mom told him that on a regular basis.
“I’d call it cautious. But why to this extent? Even the way your visits are structured, she’s spent a lot of time here. She’s old enough to know the rules, where to play and what’s off-limits.”
“Kids don’t always follow directions and stay where they’re supposed to.”
“Can’t argue with that. So, she’s never out of your sight?”
“Never. And now you’re here to do that when I can’t.”
He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Look, when she’s with me it’s my responsibility to make sure that no harm comes to her. The only thing that matters is Cassie. Her happiness and well-being. I want her safe and will do whatever is necessary to see that she is. Isn’t that what a father does?”
Logan really wanted to know because his own father didn’t think about anyone but himself. It didn’t take an advanced degree in early childhood education to know that wasn’t right.
“Of course a father is supposed to do that.” Grace’s expression softened. It was as if she sensed he was no good at this and felt sorry for his daughter. Or worse, she pitied him. “And a mother, too. But—”
He held up a hand to stop her. “There’s a word that strikes fear into a person’s heart.”
“It’s just a three-letter word.” Her mouth twitched as if she wanted to laugh.
“Uh-huh.” Let her make fun. It was better than feeling sorry for him. “That word is a signal. It means you’re not going to like the rest of what’s coming.”
“This is worth what you paid for it.” She did smile then and moved farther away from the barn entrance to see the little girl who’d wandered out of view as she explored. “Come to think of it, you are paying me. But Cassie is your child and I will care for her however you want, to the very best of my ability. This is just food for thought. You obviously love her very much. Just keep in mind that rigidly controlling her environment will keep her physically safe but could squeeze the joy out of her soul.”
Just then the little girl in question came running around the corner of the barn straight toward them. “Grace!”
She crouched down as the child stopped in front of her, breathing hard from the exertion. She studied the eager expression. “What, sweetie?”
“I found Snowflake. She made a home in some hay and has babies. Come and see!”
“Okay.” Grace grinned and Cassie grabbed the hand she held out.
“Bye, Daddy!”
“Be careful. See you later, baby girl.”
There was no push back on the endearment because his daughter was mission driven as she dragged Grace away.
Logan should have breathed a sigh of relief that the pretty lady was gone. Instead he felt uneasy. Maybe with a touch of disappointment mixed in. Cassie hadn’t insisted on showing him the kittens and he felt a little left out. It made him wonder just whose soul was in jeopardy.
Damn it.
His life had been working just fine until Grace Flynn walked into it. End of summer was a long way off and couldn’t come too soon as far as he was concerned. And not just because Cassie would be safely back with her mother again.
It meant Mary Poppins would be gone and his world would go back to normal. She’d been here only