had her decision unsettled him so much? “And you’ve made up your mind?”
She nodded, looking down as she brushed at her skirt. “So you see, I can only help you with Meg for that long.”
This was so much bigger than not helping with Meg. How could she just leave like this? How long had she been contemplating this move? Was she so unhappy with her life here, or was there something in New York drawing her there? Could she have met someone on her last trip? Was—
Hazel reached across the table and touched his wrist, bringing his thoughts back to the here and now.
“But for the next three weeks,” she said, “I’ll do whatever I can to help with Meg.”
He forced a smile. It was the second time today she’d touched him that way. He found he liked it. Perhaps a bit too much. He had to remind himself to keep things on a just-friends basis. But it didn’t sound like he’d have to bother with that for much longer.
“I appreciate that,” he said, responding to her offer. “And we’ll just have to hope I have some answers about Half-pint by then.”
He glanced toward the library area, forcibly shoving aside his feelings about Hazel’s defection to deal with later. Right now he’d have to figure out how to best let Half-pint know she wouldn’t be staying with him after all.
As if understanding what he was feeling, Hazel followed his gaze. “She probably won’t understand why you need to hand her off to me.”
“I’m not exactly handing her off,” he protested.
She gave him a stern look. “That’s not how she’ll see it.” Then she glanced Meg’s way. “The news would be best coming from you, I believe.”
Ward nodded and caught Abigail’s eye, signaling that she should bring Meg back to the table.
Meg skipped back to them, a large book clutched in her hands. “Miss Abigail said I can borrow this one,” she told Ward proudly. “We can read it together.”
The trusting way she looked at him made Ward feel even more guilty for what he was about to do. But it was for the best. He lifted her up on his lap. “That sounds nice. But I have some good news for you. Miss Hazel has said you can stay with her at her place for now.”
The little girl frowned. “But you said I could stay with you.”
He kept his smile firmly in place. “I know, but being sheriff means I sometimes have to work long hours. Besides, Miss Hazel’s place is bigger and much nicer. And I promise I’ll visit with you every day.”
Meg’s lips trembled slightly. “Don’t you want me to stay with you?” She tightened her hold on her doll. “I promise I’ll be good,” she said desperately. “Freddie says I’m a lot of trouble but I promise I won’t be if you give me a chance.”
The child’s pleas touched Ward’s heart and he again wanted to strangle Freddie. He brushed the hair from Meg’s forehead. “I don’t think you’re any trouble at all, Half-pint. In fact, I think you’re a bright little ray of sunshine. But I don’t have a lot of room at my place and you’ll be much more comfortable at Miss Hazel’s.”
She gave him a wobbly smile. “I don’t take up much room.”
He had to work to keep his encouraging smile in place. “True, but it’s not just the space. I also have to work, and I’m afraid I can’t take you with me when I do.”
“I can stay at your house while you work. I’m big enough to stay by myself—Freddie said so. And I can clean things for you while you’re gone. Freddie taught me how to sweep and dust, at least the things I can reach. Please.” Her lower lip trembled as if tears were imminent.
Ward’s chest tightened. He wouldn’t be able to bear it if she started crying. Her words, as well as her desperation not to be handed off again, spoke of what her life must have been like under her brother’s care.
How could he tell her no? Yet how could he not?
Almost without conscious thought, he turned to Hazel for help.
* * *
Hazel wasn’t certain how she’d expected Ward to react to the news that she was leaving Turnabout, but she definitely felt let down. Not that she’d expected him to beg her to stay, not exactly anyway. But she’d certainly expected more from him than the mild curiosity he’d displayed.
She supposed his reaction, and her disappointment over it, was just one more indication that it was indeed time for her to move on.
But there would be time to mull that over later. Right now there were more important matters to attend to. Responding to Ward’s what-do-I-do-now look, Hazel refrained from saying I told you so. Instead, she reached over and lightly touched Meg’s wrist. “I have a very nice guest room at my place and would love to have you stay there with me. My very best friend, the lady who usually works at the dress shop with me, is out of town for the next several weeks and it would be nice to have you to keep me company.”
But Meg wasn’t swayed. “You have Buttons to keep you company,” she said earnestly. “Sheriff Gleason doesn’t have anybody.” Meg’s voice had a desperate tone to it and her lower lip trembled again. She swiped at her eyes with the back of her wrist. “He lost his sister so he needs me to be his new family.”
Hazel heard Ward’s sharp intake of breath but for the moment she didn’t dare meet his gaze. The emotions swirling around in the aftermath of that statement were both too strong and too fragile for that.
She finally took a deep breath and glanced at Ward, studying his now closed-off expression, silently gauging his needs against Meg’s. Normally she’d do just about anything to put a smile on his face. But this was bigger than what he needed, or rather what he thought he needed.
Making a decision, Hazel met Meg’s gaze again and took both of her hands. “You’re absolutely right,” she said firmly, “and families should stay together.”
She ignored Ward’s involuntary movement, keeping her focus on Meg, warmed by the child’s blossoming smile. “So how about we do this? You can stay with me during the day while the sheriff is at work and keep me company at the dress shop. And then in the evenings, Sheriff Gleason can fetch you and take you home with him.”
She sensed Ward’s displeasure but ignored him for the moment.
Meg seemed to think about her words for a minute. “You mean, sort of like I was going to school?”
Hazel squeezed her hands. “Exactly! Only you’d be coming to the dress shop instead of school.”
“All right.” Meg hugged her doll tightly. “I guess that would be okay.”
“Good girl. We’re going to have fun together, I promise.”
Hazel straightened and turned to Ward, noting his look of betrayal. She hoped, once he thought things over, he would see that this was the best solution. And not just for Meg.
To do him credit, he refrained from argument and smiled down at the little girl. “All right, Half-pint, we’ll give it a try. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Instead of a nice bed at Miss Hazel’s, you’re going to have to sleep on the couch in my parlor.”
Meg didn’t seem the least bit concerned. “I’m going to be a good little sister, I promise.”
Hazel saw something flash in his eyes—something that seemed part pain and part tenderness. Which only strengthened her belief that underneath his closed-off exterior was a man with a very big heart. A man who needed someone to lavish his affection on. And if it couldn’t be her, she was glad he had Meg.
But he squeezed the little girl’s shoulder and helped seat her in her own chair. “I’m sure you will.”
Did Ward know how much Meg had already changed him, breached his defenses?
*