High Desert Haven (The Shepherd's Heart) by Lynnette Bonner Read Free Book Online Page A

the bed and pulled Sawyer onto her lap. Leaning her head against the quilt, she finally gave in to the deep sorrow. Sobs shook her body as Sawyer happily banged his blocks together.

4
    A knock on the soddy door awoke Nicki the next morning. She opened her eyes and glanced around the house, momentarily confused. She was on the floor, and her neck was stiff and sore. She groaned and pressed one hand to her forehead. She frowned at the dirt ceiling above her. Why did she feel so spirit-heavy today?
    A flood of memory rushed in. The funeral had been yesterday, and she had fallen asleep on the floor.
    Sawyer! She sat up quickly, glancing around the dim interior of the house, and couldn’t help but smile in relief when she saw him curled up on his side on the bed. Dark curls clung to his head in an angelic halo. His long, dark lashes rested against chubby cheeks rosy from the refreshment of sleep. He must have crawled from her lap the night before and somehow managed to climb up onto the bed.
    Poor child, his diaper hadn’t been changed for hours. But he was sleeping soundly so she decided to leave him where he lay.
    The knock sounded again.
    Rubbing the back of her neck, she raked her fingers back through the long, dark tangles of her hair and made her way to the door. A chill breeze swept into the house as she opened it.
    “William?” She took in his appearance, wondering what he was doing here so early in the morning. He wore an impeccable long-sleeved white shirt covered by a black and white cowhide vest that gave him a rancher’s air of casual confidence. His denim-clad legs ended in well-polished, black boots that were hand-tooled with an elaborate design.
    His immaculate attire made her self-conscious. She had fallen asleep in this dress the night before and knew, without looking down, that it was wrinkled beyond imagination. Her hair knotted in a tangled mess around her face, and her eyes felt puffy from last night’s crying.
    She folded her arms, hoping she didn’t look as bad as she felt. A touch of irritation traced its way through her. Well, he’s the one who showed up at this hour of the morning .
    William was not put off by her less-than-friendly stance. He tossed her a smile, though Nicki noticed he clutched his black hat in front of him like it was a lifeline. “Good morning.” Nervousness edged his voice. Nicki raised one eyebrow and stepped back, gesturing him into the house. “Come in. I will put on some coffee.” She wondered what he wanted. And why is he acting so strange? William was always calm and self-assured, so what had set him on edge?
    As Nicki stoked up the fire and added grounds to the water in the coffee pot, William pulled out a chair at the table. He glanced at Sawyer. “Little guy’s all tuckered out from yesterday, huh?”
    Nicki smiled fondly at Sawyer. “ Sí ,” she responded quietly. She gazed at the sleeping child for a moment, then turned to find William assessing her, a strange light in his eyes.
    She blinked and pulled the coffee into the center of the stove, where it would heat the quickest. “Did you forget something here last night?”
    “No.”
    She looked at him pointedly. Questioning.
    “Come sit down, Nicki. I have something I want to talk to you about.”
    She moved slowly to sit across from him at the table. An apprehensive foreboding gripped her. What could he possibly have to discuss with her? He and John had become good friends in that first year, but recently she had sensed in John a tension whenever William was near. Not that he had ever confided anything to her.
    William made small talk with her for a few minutes about the weather and how it might affect the cattle if the snows didn’t clear up soon, but Nicki knew that was not what he had come to talk about. Soon the conversation lulled, and she asked, “Why are you here, William?”
    William cleared his throat. “Nicki, I’ve been up most of the night thinking. Ron mentioned you planned on staying