Page 7 of Maple Mountain
“Have at it,” Hadley said.
Lenni sat in front of me on the rug with Mildred in her lap while I perched behind her in the chair.I took out her hair ties and set them on the arm of the chair.And then I brushed her long dark hair that fell to the middle of her back.
“God, you have beautiful hair,” Salem said in awe.“It’s so dark it looks black.”
“Mom says it’s because we’re Black Irish.”Lenni fell silent for a moment and then murmured, “...said.”
We all tacitly moved past the comment.
I was careful not to brush too hard, even when I encountered a snarl.
“You made a friend,” I said.“Mildred likes you.She’s not usually so calm.You’ve got the magic touch.”
“Mildred is such a funny name,” Lenni said.
“She used to belong to very proper people,” I said.“I kind of dognapped her.She’s a city dog, so who knows how she’ll do out here.But I guess I’ll find out.”
The cabin door opened.A blast of cold air hit the back of my neck and I shivered.The sound of heavy cowboy boots tromped across the aging wood floor.
With my hands still in Lenni’s hair, I turned my head ever so slightly.
I’d never met Archer Keel.I knew what he looked like because Salem had sent me photos but seeing him in person was a different experience.
He looked bigger, somehow.More dynamic.As if his mere presence rearranged the space around him.
Archer was tall, broad shouldered and he had a mustache ...and the same shade of dark brown eyes as the girl sitting in front of me.
His attention landed on her first, but then magnetically moved to me.We stared at each other for a long moment until someone cleared their throat.
I focused back on Lenni and quickly finished fishtailing her hair and tying it off.
“Archer,” Poet murmured.
I gently placed a hand on Lenni’s slight shoulder.“All done.”
She didn’t make a move to get off the floor.
Archer came deeper into the cabin, his eyes not moving to Hadley or Salem.Instead, they remained on the girl.He shoved up the brim of his brown felt cowboy hat.
Salem shot me a look as if she was askingshould we give them privacy?
But I was riveted to my chair as I watched Archer crouch down in front of Lenni.The animals came to investigate and sniff him.He absently scratched Fig’s side.
“I’m Archer,” he said, his voice deep and masculine.
It was low and earthy and ...perfect.
“Yeah,” Lenni said.“I figured.”
Archer swallowed.“I’m your father.”
Lenni sighed.“No shit, Sherlock.”
A startled laugh escaped Hadley, who quickly covered her mouth and began to fake cough.Salem pounded on her sister’s back, momentarily drawing attention away from the father-daughter meeting.
“Where’s Nancy?”Lenni asked, moving Mildred off her lap and scrambling to stand.
The faint sound of an engine coming to life drew everyone’s attention.
