Page 27 of Cowboy Needed

“She’s not back here, Dad! Michael, check the closets.” Zane’s voice was a roar. “Chrissy!”

“I’m going to check the studio.” The doors should be locked, but accidents happened. At least the kiln wasn’t on.

“Chrissy!”

Ichabod headed out of the sunroom, heart sinking when he noticed that the door out to it was unlocked. He checked the windows and the screen door, though, and they were all latched. So she couldn’t have gotten out that way…

“Dad! Look!” That was Zane, calling him Dad, not Ichabod,for the first time in ages. He pointed to the floor of the sunroom, where Mavis the houndlab slept in a dog bed.

Chrissy was holding Mavis like she was a huge stuffed animal and was sound asleep, right in bed with the dog. Mavis was also unmoving except for her snores, perfectly content.

He blinked at his oldest son. “Huh.”

“Right? Damn.”

“I’ll get Mavis to find—” Ellis came to a halt, staring. “Well, hell.”

“She’s not going to get fleas, right?” Zane asked. “Isn’t that the thing my dad always said, lay down in a dog’s bed and get fleas?”

“Mavis is flea-free, buddy. She’ll be fine.” Ellis chuckled, his grin infectious.

“Cool. I’m going to play my game.” Zane turned to go.

He offered the kid a quick smile. “Thank you for your help.”

Zane grunted, but it sounded more pleased than grumpy, so he’d take it.

Ellis didn’t say anything, and Michael ran in, looking around wildly. “Oh! There she is. I’m sorry. I came out to see Mavis, and I left the door open. It’s all my fault!”

“I guess she wanted to hang with Mavis too, huh? The important part is that you left the outside door locked, right?”

“Still…Why’s she sleeping with the dog?”

“Because kids love dogs,” Ellis murmured. “And Mavis wasn’t about to let that little girl go outside alone.”

“Did you find…” Allie blinked in. “Oh. You did.”

“Yes, I did.” He glanced at his oldest daughter. “How long were you in the bathroom, honey?”

In other words, what the hell were you doing up there long enough for your sister to crash with the dog?

“I don’t know. I was singing.” She bit her lip.

“Oh. The acoustics in that bathroom are kind of amazing,aren’t they?” He didn’t know whether to pick Allie or Chrissy up.

“What’s that?”

“Acoustics? It makes singing sound so good.”

“Oh! Yeah, Daddy. It’s good.”

“You want me to take little bit there to bed?” Ellis asked.

Ah, that made his decision easier. “Thanks, yeah.” He picked up Allie. “Next time, though. Let me know, and I’ll get your sister.”

“Okay, Daddy. I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“She was okay this time, baby girl. But what if she’d made it outside?”