Page 2 of Heart of Mystic Valley
“He took a bad fall off his horse. Broke his arm.”
Her hand flew to her mouth. “Is he going to be all right?”
“Doc says he’ll be fine, just needs some time to heal.” He rubbed his neck. “Annalee and I feel terrible. He’s like family, you know.”
“You’ve always looked after him. Your family looks after all the boys you’ve taken in.”
“Yeah. He’s one of us, as are all of them.” He felt the weight of his words sink deep into his chest. “We’ve had Gavin for so long, it’s like he’s a Beckett now.”
“Please let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
“Thanks, Faith.”
She tilted her head, studying him. “Joshua, you know I care about all of you. The boys included.”
His thoughts flickered to all the times she’d come to the ranch. They always spent a good deal of time talking. He liked those talks, the way she questioned everything, the way she listened.
“These boys,” Joshua continued, shifting uncomfortably. “They come to us with nothing. No family, no prospects. We try to give them a place, teach them the work, send them to school.”
“It’s a lot to take on. I’ve always admired what your family does.”
“We’re doing our best to give them a future.” He glanced back toward the clinic. “Sometimes, life can be pretty rough.”
The door of the clinic swung open, and Annalee stepped out onto the boardwalk. “Josh, the doc wants to talk to you.”
He started toward the door, then paused and looked back at Faith. “Thanks again.”
He entered the clinic, leaving them on the boardwalk. Annalee regarded Faith with a curious tilt of her head. “So,” shesaid, dragging out the word. “I see you and Josh talking a lot these days.”
Faith shrugged, noncommittal. “We’re friends.”
“Friends,” Annalee repeated, a sly smile creeping onto her lips. “That’s nice.”
The door opened, and Joshua reappeared. “Doc’s giving Gavin something for the pain.”
As if on cue, a weak voice called from inside the clinic. “Joshua?”
They peeked through the doorway to see Gavin, pale and groggy, cradling his newly cast arm. “Does this mean I don’t have to go to school for a while?”
Annalee laughed. “You’re not getting out of your numbers that easy.”
“He’s a tough boy,” Faith said. “He’s going to be fine.”
Annalee gave a slow shake of her head. “Gavin was in so much pain.”
Faith’s eyes flickered with understanding. “Accidents happen to all of us, Annie. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.”
Joshua studied Faith. He knew her kind words to his sister meant more than Faith realized.
“Is Gavin staying here in town?” Faith asked.
Joshua shook his head. “We’ll take him back to the ranch. Doc says he’ll be fine, as long as he takes it easy for a bit.”
He lingered, looking back at Faith, his mind a tangle of thoughts and unspoken words.
“Faith,” Joshua said, causing Annalee to stop from entering the clinic. “Thanks. Your support means a lot right now.”
Faith took a step toward him. “Just remember, you don’t have to do everything alone.”
