When Lily slipped her hand into Malloryâs, she felt that pesky lump in her throat again.
Emotion expanded in her chest and squeezed her heart. This little girl meant the world to her and she would do anything in her power to make Lily happy.
Hand in hand they walked through the store, sticking to the main aisle. Almost at the exit leading to the mall, there was a display of girlsâ fancy dresses. Lily stopped dead in her tracks to look at an off-white, full-skirted, sleeveless lace-over-satin dress.
âI love this,â she said.
âItâs very beautiful,â Mallory agreed. âBut you donât have anywhere to wear something like that.â
âA flower girl could wear it.â Serious dark eyes looked up at her. âFor a wedding.â
Malloryâs heart squeezed again, this time with an emotion more complicated than love. How did you protect the child you cared about so much from something that wasnât within your power to make happen? Even if you wanted it.
* * *
Montana Mavericks: 20 Years in the Saddle!
Chapter One
The little Asian girl sitting at the desk where his fatherâs receptionist normally sat was one heck of a surprise to Caleb Dalton. It was something you didnât see every day, at least not in the law offices of Ben Dalton. Cute as could be, she looked about seven or eight, going on twenty-five. A dainty, beautiful little doll.
âHi, there,â he said, politely removing his hat.
âAre you a real cowboy?â Her black eyes glittered with excitement.
âYes, maâam, I am.â
âCool.â Her delicately shaped mouth curved into a smile for just a moment, then she was all business. âIâm sorry to tell you, but the office is closed. Can you come back tomorrow?â
âIâm pretty sure Mr. Dalton will see me anyway.â The man was his father and that should get him a pass.
âDo you have an appointment?â
âSort of.â Picking his dad up to take him out for a beer should qualify.
âMr. Dalton is doing something very important right now and canât be disturbed. Youâll have to wait. Please take a seat.â Little Miss Efficient went back to reading her book.
Caleb wasnât sure whether to laugh or do as he was told but finally opted for the latter, since he was in no particular hurry. And how often did a kid get to boss around grown-ups? Might be good for her self-esteem. Although from what he could tell, she was definitely not low on confidence.
Spinning his hat in his hands, he walked over to a chair against the wall and sat as ordered. The high oak reception desk where the little girl wielded power like a Supreme Court Justice separated the client waiting area from the wide doorway beyond, which was his fatherâs office. His paralegal worked back there, too.
Here the floor was dark wood and the beige walls were decorated with watercolor paintings of mountains, cowboys on horseback and the local waterfall for which Rust Creek Falls, Montana, was named. Heâd been there less than a minute when he heard the click of high heels hurrying closer, and a young woman emerged from the back office.
âI heard the bell over the door. Is someone here...?â The woman stopped short and looked at him.
The little girl glanced up from her book. âI told him Mr. Dalton was busy.â
âWith important business, I was told.â Caleb stood and walked closer, as if drawn by some invisible force.
This woman wasnât classically beautiful, but there was something about her that intrigued him, attracted him. Maybe it was the long-sleeved white silky blouse tucked into a straight, formfitting black skirt. She wasnât very big, but the high heels made her legs look long and sleek.
âIâm so sorry. Please tell me she wasnât rude.â
Spoken like a concerned mother. The little girl must be adopted. âNo apology necessary.â
âLily, you should have let Mr. Dalton know his son is here.â
âYou told me to read and be quiet as a mouse and not get in the way when Cecelia dropped me off,â the little girl protested.
âI know. But sometimes there are exceptions...â The woman sighed and the movement did interesting things to the body under that silky white blouse.
âHow did you know?â he asked her.
âKnow what?â
Caleb was sure they hadnât met. A striking woman like her would be nearly impossible to forget. âThat Ben is my father.â
âThereâs a picture of you in his office. He has photos of the whole family. Youâre Caleb, the youngest of the boys.â She smiled. âHe brags a little.â