A Child's Gift. Linda Warren

so nice of you to take him.”

      Rico placed Dustin on his feet. “Go tell the sheriff thank you for letting you stay with me. Then we’ll go.”

      “’Kay.”

      Rico needed a minute to talk to Anamarie. She picked up the sippy cup, which hadn’t broken or leaked onto the floor. “I might need your help. Are you available?”

      She smiled one of her custom smiles. “You bet.”

      They walked back to the bakery with Dusty between them. Mickey trailed behind. Rico carried the duffel bag and quilt over his shoulder, and thought this was a slice of heaven being together with Anamarie and Dusty. It was almost like a family. It was almost real. The almost kept him from thinking any further. Happy ever after wasn’t in his future. It never had been.

      ANAMARIE WAVED GOODBYE and hurried into the bakery. People in line were waiting for kolaches. “Good morning,” she said to everyone.

      Margie was at the counter and mouthed, “Sorry.” Anamarie thought it was about being late, but then she nodded toward the kitchen and she knew it was about something entirely different. Her mother was there.

      All the wonderful feelings inside her vanished as she walked into the kitchen. Her mother’s gray hair stuck out in all directions as if she hadn’t taken time to comb it, and fury tightened every line on her sixty-seven-year-old face.

      “Where have you been?” Her mother aimed the question at her like a dagger. “People are waiting to be served and there’s only Judy and Margie here. It is your job to run this bakery.”

      Anamarie gritted her teeth and reached for her apron on a peg. Don’t react. Don’t react, she kept repeating to herself. “I’m well aware of my job description, but there was an unforeseen incident this morning that needed my attention. And it was more important than selling kolaches.”

      “I’m sorry about Wendy. She was a good woman, but her grandson is none of your concern.”

      Anamarie fingered the cotton of the apron in her hand and fought to keep words from spewing out. “A little boy walking around in the dark looking for food is everyone’s business. He didn’t know his grandmother had passed away. He only knew she wasn’t waking up. I went over to the jail to help tell him about his grandmother. If that offends you, then you have a problem.”

      “You were with him. Don’t deny it.”

      “If you mean Rico, yes, I was with him.”

      “Bubba said he comes in here early before the store opens.”

      Anamarie took a long breath. Thanks, Bubba. “Yes, he comes in early to pick up kolaches for the Rebel family.”

      “Before six in the morning?”

      “Yes.”

      “And you let him in?”

      Anamarie nodded, getting tired of this conversation, but she wasn’t going to lie to soothe her mother’s judgmental attitude. “We have a cup of coffee and talk. He’s a very nice man.”

      “You know nothing about him.”

      “I know everything that counts. He’s warm and caring and wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

      “I won’t have this, Anamarie.”

      “Have what?”

      “Have you getting involved with that man. He’s an ex-con. Have you forgotten?”

      “No. I see him as the man who risked his life to save all the kids in this town without thinking about himself.”

      “That was Elias. You’re fantasizing about this man.”

      “Elias couldn’t get all those kids out by himself. Rico was right there with him and if you can’t see that, then I’m not talking to you anymore.”

      “I don’t like your attitude. I own this bakery and you will do what I tell you. You will not let that man in this bakery before six. I’ll call Miss Kate about it.”

      Anamarie waved a hand. “Call Miss Kate and you’ll find out how much the Rebel family loves Rico. Once you make that call the Rebel family will not come back to the bakery, and do you remember Rachel, your daughter Angie’s best friend? She’s married to Egan and they will not be back in here, either. Miss Kate has a lot of power in this town and your customer list will dwindle. So please make that call.”

      Her mother’s eyes narrowed to a steely foreboding. “I forbid you to see this man. I will not have you getting involved with an ex-con. That’s my last word. You will not bring disgrace to our family.”

      She turned to hang her apron on the peg and saw Rico standing in the doorway. He held the quilt she’d given him for Dusty in his hands. Without a word, he laid it on the counter and walked out.

       No! No! No!

      She ran after him but she wasn’t quick enough. She saw his truck leaving the parking lot. Not a sound could be heard as people stood there watching and waiting for their orders. Anamarie didn’t acknowledge anyone. She calmly walked back to the kitchen, seething.

      The apron lay on the floor where she’d dropped it. She picked it up and hooked it over the peg. The moment she saw the hurt in his dark eyes she’d made a decision and she had to have the courage to follow through.

      “It’s better he heard it this way.” Her mother went on as if nothing had happened. “There are a lot of men in this town who would go out with you. All you have to do is fix yourself up and lose some weight. You can find someone better than Jericho Johnson.”

      The seething turned to a full-blown rage, which threatened to explode right into her mother’s face. But she was raised to respect her parents and she calmly reached for her purse and said. “As of this moment, I no longer work here. I quit. And I will not be coming back.”

      “What are you talking about? You run this bakery.”

      “But you own it, as you so rudely told me. Now run it.” Turning on her heel, she headed for the back door.

      “Anamarie, come back here. Don’t you dare leave this bakery!”

      Anamarie slammed the door so hard she was sure the customers at the front could feel it. She felt it, too. It was a release of all the anger inside her. But it would take a lot more than slamming a door to ease the pain in her.

      For years she’d been on a treadmill of doing what her mother wanted and the sad part was she felt there wasn’t anything else out there for her but to become the old maid of Horseshoe, Texas.

       No one is ever going to want you. Fix yourself up. Lose some weight.

      She’d heard those words for years and the criticisms eventually got to her. She believed them. Rico showed her she was still young, vibrant and attractive. She saw it in his eyes every Tuesday morning. He teased her, laughed with her and made her feel things she’d thought had died long ago. For once in her life she wasn’t looking back or thinking the situation to death. There was only one option for her: she had to go forward to find herself, and to find the young girl she’d left behind with the heartache and the pain. And she had to embrace the woman she’d become to find the love she wanted. Because above all else she deserved it just like every other woman. And she saw her future in the dark, warm eyes of Jericho.

       CHAPTER THREE

      RICO DROVE STEADILY toward Rebel Ranch, trying to keep his thoughts at bay. He’d left this morning with hope and excitement in his chest. Now he was just numb with the words ex-con running through his brain. He knew Mrs. Wiznowski didn’t like