Page 37 of The Rancher's Heart
“I guess so,” Clara relented. Someday, her sister would want to abandon the ritual, but remembering how her dad had folded the covers around her shoulders at bedtime, Sloane intended to hang on to the nightly good night as long as she could.
She sat on the edge of the bed. “Did you have fun today?”
“I had so much fun.” Clara sighed happily, her eyes closing as her breath started to even out.
Sloane leaned over, kissed her temple, and whispered, “Good night, sweet girl.”
“Good night,” Clara whispered back.
Sloane stopped before pulling the door closed to watch Clara slip further into sleep. Jonas would do everything he could to make sure the kid was safe. For that, she would always be grateful. His steadfastness only made her love him more.
The next morning, when she woke up, Sloane was more than ready to fight for what she wanted. For Clara, if not for Jonas. She called the garage to make sure Dean had everything under control.
“Don’t worry,” he said in his gruff way. “We’re good here.”
“I’ll be back to work tomorrow.” She’d told him about Clara when he agreed to fill in while she was gone.
“No rush. You just take care of that young one.”
“Thanks, Dean.”
That’s how it was in Strawberry Ridge. Everyone looked out for each other.
“Are you nervous?” Sloane asked her sister. She’d been too quiet since crawling out of bed and getting dressed.
Clara nodded.
“There’s no need to worry. Jonas is a very good lawyer. He’ll make sure we can stay together.” Sloane had always wanted a sister, and there was no doubt in her mind that Jonas could block any obstacles.
Clara looked up from her cereal. “I like him.”
“He’s a good guy,” Sloane agreed, as bells—the good kind—went off in her head.
Clara pushed her empty bowl away, a smile putting a mischievous spark in her eyes. “Did you ever date him?”
“No!” Sloane almost choked on her coffee. “We’re just friends.” Or were, anyway, if he’d been listening at all.
“But he likes you. I can tell.” Clara was thirteen. What could she possibly know aboutlikinga boy or having stronger feelings for a guy she’d known most of her life?
Sloane took their empty dishes to the sink and when she came back, she said, “Of course I like Jonas. We’ve been best friends since we were in the sixth grade.”
“I can’t believe you never dated.” The kid was too persistent for Sloane’s comfort.
“We went to school dances once in a while, but that was a long time ago.” Sloane looked pointedly at the clock. “We’d better get going. We don’t want to be late.”
At least for now, that was enough to distract Clara and end the conversation. Sloane sighed with relief. Somehow, she didn’t think discussing her likes and dislikes about a certain man was a conversation she should be having with her teenage sister.
Clara grabbed her backpack. They arrived at Jonas’s office right on time. Papers were spread across his desk.
Nora was already there. “Can I talk to Clara for a moment?”
“It’s part of the process,” Jonas said to Sloane before turning back to the social worker. “We’ll be right outside.”
Sloane nodded and hugged Clara, so there would be no question in the teen’s mind that she was wanted. Then she followed Jonas. When the door closed behind them, she faced the man she was counting on to make sure her sister stayed with her in Strawberry Ridge. “I don’t like this. It doesn’t feel right leaving her with Nora on her own.”
He took her hand. A snap of attraction raced up her arm and settled in her chest. “Don’t worry. Nora hasn’t suggested that she’s planning to take Clara back with her. She just wants to make sure Clara won’t run away at the first sign of trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Sloane broke free, stopping herself from leaning into Jonas just in time. She’d watched the brothers together before they went their separate ways. Family was messy. There would probably be times when she and Clara had difficulties, but that wouldn’t stop her from mending their fences like Jonas and his brothers had.
