Little Cowgirl Needs a Mum / Once Upon a Proposal. Patricia Thayer

heart went out to the child, seeing her sadness. “I wish I could help you, Gracie, but the class is for adults.”

      The child’s shoulders slumped, but her blue eyes widened. “But I hafta finish it ‘cause I promised her.”

      Jenny leaned down to the small child. “Then you and your mother should finish it together. What about if she joins the class?”

      The girl shook her head, causing her ponytail to swing back and forth as tears welled in her eyes. “She can’t, ‘cause she’s in heaven.”

      Evan Rafferty had searched up and down all the aisles of Sayers Hardware, but there was no sign of his daughter anywhere. He hurried outside to his truck, hoping she’d gotten bored and left. Gracie wasn’t there either.

      He glanced up and down the small town’s main street. Where had she gone to? Dear Lord, could someone have taken her? No, not in Kerry Springs. He sent up a silent prayer as he hurried next door to the drug store. Maybe she’d gone in to buy candy. She wasn’t there either. He couldn’t slow the pounding of his heart, the dread that threatened to overtake him.

      He couldn’t even take care of his own daughter. Had Megan been right? Maybe he wasn’t cut out to be a father.

      He rushed past two more storefronts, then stopped suddenly when he saw the patchwork quilts in one of the windows. Gracie had said something about having to finish a quilt.

      He pulled open the glass-paneled door and slowed his steps when he heard the sweet voice of his little girl. She’d been the mainstay in his life, the thing that had kept him focused over the past year and a half. The reason he got up every day when some days he wanted to walk away from it all.

      Evan passed the rows of shelves stacked high with material until a blond woman came into view, talking to his daughter.

      “Gracie Rafferty.”

      She swung around as her happy look suddenly turned to one of guilt. “Oh, hi, Daddy.”

      “Don’t ‘hi, Daddy’ me. You know better than to run off.” His voice softened, “I couldn’t find you.”

      “I’m sorry,” she said as tears welled in her eyes. “You were busy, so I thought I’d come and look at the quilts.” She forced a smile that reminded him of her mother.

      “None of that excuses you for going off by yourself.”

      “Mr. Rafferty, I’m Jenny Collins.” The blond woman still stood next to his child. “I’m the new manager of the Blind Stitch.”

      He appraised the storekeeper with her fresh look and easy smile. She was tall and slender, wearing a blue blouse tucked into jeans, accenting a narrow waist and the flare of her hips. When his attention went to her large dark eyes he felt a sudden tightening in his gut.

      “I’m sorry you were worried about Gracie,” the woman continued. “I didn’t know that she didn’t have permission to come here.”

      He reined in his straying thoughts. “What did you think when a child walked in by herself?”

      The woman continued to smile, but he could see a flash of anger in her brown-sugar eyes. “I assumed her parent would be coming shortly.” She looked down at his daughter. “Gracie, next time you come here make sure you have permission.”

      The girl nodded as she wiped away a tear. “Okay.”

      “Good. Now, why don’t you go wash your face before your dad takes you home?” The store manager sent him a look as if daring him to challenge her.

      An older woman came out from behind the counter. “Hello, Evan.”

      He felt his cheeks warm as he recognized Millie Roberts. A retired teacher from the school, and a member of the church he’d once attended. He tipped his hat. “Hello, Mrs. Roberts.”

      “Why don’t I take Gracie and show her where to wash up?”

      After the two left Jenny turned back to him. “Could I just take a minute of your time, Mr. Rafferty?”

      “What’s the point? Gracie won’t be coming back here.”

      “Why? Do you have a problem with her taking up quilting? Gracie explained to me that her mother was a quilter and she’s been very unhappy since … lately.”

      Evan didn’t want to talk about his private life, especially not with a stranger. “That’s not your concern. Besides, Gracie’s too young.”

      Jenny studied this man. She hadn’t figured him out yet, only that neither father nor daughter looked happy. From the second she’d seen Gracie standing in front of the counter she’d felt an instant connection to her. Her own childhood hadn’t been the happiest, and seeing the girl’s sadness nearly broke Jenny’s heart.

      “Maybe if you take the time to talk to her,” she suggested.

      “Look, I don’t know what makes you an expert, but I’d appreciate it if you let me handle my daughter.”

      She nodded. “Your daughter walked in here and involved me in this. I’d like to help. Maybe we can come up with an idea to get her involved in something.”

      The last thing he needed was another person getting into his business. “No thanks. What I want is to be left alone.”

      He was grateful when his daughter came out of the restroom. Evan motioned for her. “Come on, Gracie. We need to get back to the ranch.”

      He headed for the door, Evan didn’t know why he was being so rude, both to his daughter and to a woman he didn’t even know. It was the woman, that was the problem.

      He could understand why Gracie was drawn to her. He glanced back at the pretty blonde. He hated that he felt the same pull. He groaned. He needed to get out more.

      “What a jerk,” Jenny murmured. “Did you hear him, Millie?” She walked to the store window, not waiting for her coworker’s answer. She watched as Mr. Rafferty walked to the curb and helped his daughter into a late-model truck with a logo on the door for Triple R Ranch.

      The rancher walked around the cab, giving her a view of his backside. The tall, loose-limbed cowboy was a killer in a pair of jeans. His thighs were solid and so was his rear end. He had broad shoulders and muscular arms and thick sable hair under his wide-brimmed Stetson.

      She could still feel the heat from his smoky blue-eyed stare. Great! For the first time in a long while she felt an attraction to a man, and he definitely wasn’t her type. She’d known too many rude and arrogant men like him, including her stepfather. No, she wouldn’t waste her time on someone like Evan Rafferty.

      She thought back to what the girl had said about her mother being in heaven. Okay, so he’d lost his wife recently. She couldn’t help but feel for both of them.

      Jenny watched the truck pull away from the curb and Gracie looked in her direction. She waved at her and Jenny’s chest tightened with longing. Admittedly the big cowboy had one thing in his favor. The sweetest little girl.

      Millie came up beside her. “Don’t be too hard on that young man. He’s been through a lot.” The older woman turned to Jenny, looking sad. “He lost his wife, Megan, a year ago last Thanksgiving.”

      “What happened?” Jenny found herself asking.

      “She had cancer.” Millie sighed. “I know she suffered terribly. Then, not only did Evan have to deal with her death, he’s trying to raise a daughter and run his ranch. I don’t blame him for being upset when he couldn’t find Gracie.”

      Jenny nodded. She didn’t have a child, but she knew what her friend, Allison, had gone through to get her daughter Cherry to walk again after an automobile accident that had nearly taken her life.

      She’d probably be as protective if she had a child. She shook away the familiar longing that nagged her and put on a smile.

      “Okay,