Page 18 of Holden: Bucked By Love (Crawford Ridge Ranch #1)

The doctor has no way of knowing how those words hit me straight in the heart, and based on how Holden sucks in a breath, it did the same to him.

His kids need him. Him being available to them matters.

I've told him that countless times, but I think it's finally connected for him as he sits in this room with her.

"Daddies are pretty great," the doctor agrees .

We get discharge papers and Holden sweeps Josi up in his arms like a princess as we walk out. She giggles and wraps her good arm around his neck as he carries her to his truck.

"Oh," I say, when he opens the back door. "I can take her. I know you have things to do."

He shakes his head. "I told you, the ranch is fine. I made some calls on the way into town and the guys know what to do. I . . . want to be there for her. For both of you. Is that all right with you?"

I lick my lips and bite them before nodding. "Sure. Of course."

He puts Josi in and buckles her up, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and then circles the front of his truck to where I'm still standing.

"I hope I did everything right," he says.

"It scared me when I saw her falling and couldn't grab her in time, but I did my best to play it cool and act like this kind of thing happens every day.

" He pulls off his cowboy hat and runs a hand through his dark hair before putting it back on.

"The truth is it doesn't happen every day, and especially not to my little girl. "

The thing is, Holden is the guy , you know.

The guy that people call when stuff does go down.

He's calm and takes charge and is great at acting like he's seen this a million times.

Which was exactly what his daughter had needed today.

So it surprises me when he admits that it frightened him.

He's more relatable in this moment than he has been for a while.

"If you acted with her like you acted when you called me, you did a fine job. You talked me down too." I smile. "It was kind of nice."

He smirks. "Not cold and removed?"

I roll my eyes. "More like good under pressure."

He nods. "I like that."

"Me too. "

I follow Holden back through town and on out to our cabin, and then inside as he once again carries Jo-Jo, making her laugh.

He sets her on the couch and goes to get her some more pain medicine, informing me that the doctor told him about alternating two types to stay ahead of the pain.

I don't tell him that this is information I've known for over a decade now. I like that he's involved, finally.

He returns with water and a medicine cup with purple liquid and makes sure Josi takes it before he sits on the couch and puts his cowboy hat on the end table. Josi leans into his side, her hair the exact same color as his as she snuggles close.

"Daddy, have you fallen off a horse before?" she asks.

He puts his arm around her and scoots her in. "Yeah, lots of times."

"Did you ever break your arm?"

He nods. "Twice. Once was when I crashed an ATV because I was driving too fast."

"Like Uncle Landry?" Josi's voice turns to annoyance and I can picture her pursing her lips like a mother scolding someone.

"Yeah, like him." Holden squeezes her close. "The other time was when I thought I'd show off for your mama by trying to dismount from a running horse. I landed flat on my stomach with my arm twisted under me and my wrist broke."

He looks over his shoulder at where I'm standing in the kitchen making sandwiches.

Our eyes meet in mutual memory. I had laughed and laughed until I cried .

. . and then cried when I saw his limp hand swinging in the wrong direction, because I felt so bad for laughing.

And then I gracefully ended the entire episode by nearly passing out because it was gross.

"It's amazing I ever came back after that," I joke .

"My summer won't be fun with a cast," Josi sighs deeply. "How am I supposed to hold a book if I can't make my arm straight?"

Because of where the break is, the splint goes up over her elbow, holding her arm in a bent position and we were told that the cast would as well.

"That's not such a big problem," Holden responds easily.

He pulls his phone out of his shirt pocket and thumbs it on.

"I already thought about it. Look at this.

" He turns his screen to show her something, but it's too small for me to see from where I'm putting mayonnaise on bread.

"It's called a book holder pillow. It sits on your lap and you can rest your book on top of it, no arms needed. Thought you might want to order one."

Josi squeals and shifts to look at his screen while they scroll through options. I finish the sandwiches while she picks one with a butterfly print and Holden promises her it will be there in two days – just in time for her cast to be put on.

I bring sandwiches and ice water to the living area and sit on the floor across from the couch while we eat.

Josi tells us about a book series she's been reading through at the school library, and when Holden tells her he hasn't read a book since he graduated high school, she fakes her own death, flopping back on the couch.

It's hilarious, and both Holden and I laugh at her antics.

When I stand to clear away our dishes, Holden beats me to it, taking our plates and cups back to the kitchen. Unsure of what to do in this new alternate universe I've fallen into, I stand there watching him.

He sees me and smiles. "Give your girl a snuggle. I'll wash these."

So, I sit on the couch with Josi, gathering her close, smelling her bubble-gum shampoo and running a hand lightly up and down her arm until she yawns and grows heavy against me.

She's much too old for naps, but it's been a rough day and so I lay her down and cover her with a light blanket, letting her body start healing through rest. I meet Holden in the kitchen where he's finished cleaning up.

"Mason should be done in town pretty soon," I say.

He looks at Josi passed out on the couch. "I can go pick him up."

I shake my head. "I know you've got things to do on the ranch. I can ask one of the other parents to bring him home."

Holden shakes his head. "I wanted a day with the kids and for you to have a break. It hasn't panned out that way, but I still want to be here. I can sit with Jo-Jo or go get Mason. What's easiest for you?"

What's easiest for me? I don't compute.

It's not like Holden was ever mean to me, and for many years he took good care of me, it's just that I think he forgot I existed at some point, and now he's seeing me again and I'm not processing well.

"You were really great with all of this today," I say. "Thank you."

"You're an amazing mama, Leni. I don't tell you that enough. Our kids are the best, because of the time and effort you've spent. Thank you ."

This feels confusing, and wonderful, and scary . . . because will it last?

"I guess I'll go get Mason," I say.

He nods. "I'll be here, no worries."

And I know he means that.