Her Dakota Man (Book 1 - Dakota Hearts) (3 page)

Pulling herself away from the window, Poppy quickly stripped out of the clothes she'd traveled in and slipped into something more comfortable and practical for running around with a four year old on a muddy ranch.

She skipped down the stairs and then paused at the front door, staying inside so Logan wouldn't see her. He was exactly the man she remembered from when they were kids. He'd been a young man then. Tragedy and hard work had changed him some over the years, but he was still the same Logan. As angry as she knew he was with her, she still noticed how the light in his eyes blazed when he looked her. Oh, he'd tried to hide it. But it was there. It gave her hope.

Poppy had known all these years she’d been in New York that her childhood best friend had loved Logan McKinnon. And there was no denying Logan had loved Kelly. Probably still did. Maybe he always would. But their love had always been a quiet love, something that had built over time.

She recalled the tear-filled confession Kelly had made in the hospital. Would all their lives be different if Poppy had known the truth? If Logan had known? Would that little boy laughing out in the yard be her son instead of Kelly’s? There was no way to know that now. No way to undo what had been done. And as much as her heart twisted with the words of truth that Kelly had spoken, it was still heavy with the burden of uncertainty Kelly had carried all these years because of it.

Nerves raced inside her as she reached for the doorknob. It had taken a while for Kelly’s words to sink in. Poppy had spent a year revisiting that conversation in the hospital, running the gamut of emotions that came with knowing the truth. But would Logan believe her when he learned the truth? Would he hate her for even bringing it up? Would he even care?

“Oh, Kel. I’m here, just like you wanted. Now what?” Poppy mumbled as she pushed through the door.

* * *

Logan turned as Poppy stepped out onto the porch. His body and mind fought an internal battle just looking at her standing there like she had the day he’d pulled up in his dad’s pickup truck and found out her parents were selling the ranch and moving to New York.
Taking Poppy away from him.

She’d been crying that day and she’d run to him just as broken as a little bird with wings that had been bruised. Poppy wasn’t crying now. Instead she looked around at all the damage, smiling as if she didn’t even see the destruction that had Logan’s heart heavy with distress.

Now that she'd changed into a simple pair of jeans and boots, she looked as if she'd never left South Dakota. Her auburn hair glowed in the bright sunshine, just as it had when she was a young girl. It amazed him how 10 years just melted away like they’d never happened. But they had, and Logan fought hard to remember all that had transpired since that last day he’d seen her on the porch, just to keep himself grounded in the here and now, and not sink back into memories that he’d let go of long ago.

Guilt ate at him just a bit, recalling how he’d treated her earlier and how she’d walked into the house, shoulders sagging with defeat from his ungraciousness. His mother would have been plenty irate about his lack of manners in not offering to help her with that heavy suitcase. Never mind that he was a grown man. But it wasn't until Poppy had closed the door behind her that Logan had let out a slow sigh of relief.

What the hell was he going to do with Poppy Ericksen here?
Poppy had always had a way of frazzling him. Today was no different. Logan had only just gotten to the point with Keith where their lives were moving at a steady pace again after Kelly's death. Now with Poppy here, it was a reminder of everything they'd lost, bringing unsettling heartache back to the surface.

The sight of Poppy navigating all the debris in the driveway, maneuvering around sticks, mud puddles and such proved to be more enjoyable than Logan wanted to admit. Which only got under his skin further. She did it without stumbling or even complaining once. Every step she made was one of determination.

She glanced up at him only once and then turned her eyes to the path ahead. He almost expected her to be mumbling under her breath about what a colossal jerk he'd been earlier. But Poppy wouldn't say a word or give him the satisfaction of showing he’d ticked her off.

Same old Poppy. And if he weren’t so irritated by his body’s immediate reaction to seeing her, he'd be admiring her for it.

Keith ran up to Logan as Poppy approached.

“This is your...Auntie Poppy. You remember talking on the phone with her when you're at Grandma's?”

Keith shyly nodded, clutching Logan's denim clad thigh.

“She's here to help us clean up the big mess around the house today. Would you like to help her?”

Poppy crouched down in front of Keith. “How are you doing, little man? That pile you started over there is pretty cool. Can I help you work on it?”

Keith nodded and smiled, obviously proud all his hard work had been noticed.

“We've got a lot of work to do so let's get to it, okay?”

Poppy glanced up at Logan with wide green eyes that were filled with moisture as she took Keith by the hand. “He's in good hands, you know.”

Logan nodded without a word, then turned away toward the bigger problems he had to deal with. Somehow those were easier than looking into Poppy’s eyes.

After everything Keith had been through over the past year, and then the past few weeks, Logan had been guarded about each step he took. Keith had been through enough. But his son took Poppy's hand without hesitation and skipped alongside her as they made their way to the pile of sticks he'd already collected as if Keith had known her all his young life. He paused just briefly to bend down and pick up a small stick along the way to add to the pile.

The way Keith was so open to Poppy had Logan wondering just why Poppy had been calling his mom all this time.
And why his mother never bothered to tell him that Keith had a phone friend in Poppy.
That was a conversation he’d have with her later.

A dull ache formed in the pit of his stomach as he turned away and headed in the opposite direction toward the barn in order to assess the damage. How the hell could he explain Poppy to Keith?

He didn’t want her here. He couldn’t exactly throw her out though. At least not tonight. The last thing he wanted was to lie and bed and think about Poppy Ericksen at his mom’s while he was out here. She’d chosen to turn her back on what was important a long time ago and they’d all lived with her decision. Surely there’d be a flight to New York leaving tomorrow some time from Rapid City. She could stay the night and then he’d just tell her in the morning she had to be on one of them.

He kicked the ground and a chunk of mud lifted from the driveway and flew in the direction of the barn, leaving an angry hole he’d have to fill along with all the other ruts and holes in the driveway.

The sound of tires spitting up wet dirt and gravel on his driveway pulled Logan out of his thoughts. He glanced up and saw his brother Hawk's Jeep easing down the driveway. Hawk waved to Keith and Poppy as he drove by, but being too deep into their stick pile project, neither of them noticed. He then parked next to Poppy’s rental car before climbing out of the Jeep and walking over to him.

“It doesn't look like a total loss,” Hawk said, pointing to the barn.

“The water receded fast.”

“Honestly, I’d expected worse. We can probably just replace those boards on that one side of the barn and then dry out the floor if the damage inside isn’t too bad.”

“There wasn't. It’s already drying. I’m just grateful we don’t have heat right now to create mold or all that hay in the loft would have to go. The rest should be an easy fix, but an extra hand will go a long way toward getting it done faster. “

“Looks like you already have extra help,” Hawk said, glancing in the direction of where Poppy and Keith were hard at work, talking up a storm to each other.

Logan stared at Poppy with a little fingernail of jealousy scraping the back of his neck that his son was having such a good time without him.
With Poppy.
He suddenly longed to know what stories they were trading back and forth that was causing all that laughter floating back to him. She'd come running back here from New York City just to check on a house that wasn't even her home anymore. A place she'd abandoned years ago along with the people in her life.

Logan dragged his gaze away, looking instead at the house that Kelly had insisted they'd find a way to buy when it came on the market. She always said the house was a home they'd both loved as kids, so when the house came up on the market eight years after Poppy's parents sold it, Kelly was adamant they had to have it. She wanted to raise a family there.

“I'm just glad the house was spared. Kelly loved this house.”

“Poppy, too. I remember her crying her heart out in mom’s arms down at the restaurant when her parents sold it. She moved away that year after high school.”

Logan didn't respond. “All things considered we got lucky. I heard John and Beth Talbert's property is still under water.”

Hawk nodded with the stark reality of the truth. “I saw what I could of it earlier today. Beth came into the clinic with the boys. I've got them staying at my house until the water recedes and they can get a trailer put on their place.”

“That's kind of you,” Logan said, a sense of pride at his brother's generosity reminding him he needed to be more grateful for the people in his life. It only punctuated the fact that there was really nowhere for Poppy to go but here. He could hardly turn her away, at least for tonight.

“Where else could they go? The house is too big for one,” Hawk said with a shrug. “It doesn’t seem right to have empty bedrooms when people are in need.”

“What made you come out?” he finally asked. “I thought you were strung out at the clinic.”

“We had some doctors come in from out of town. Mom is helping with meals at the shelter in town, but she thought you might need a hand with Keith. I know the area so I thought I’d go out with Ethan to check down the river on some of the folks who haven’t check in yet. Honestly, I’m afraid of what we’re going to find.”

Their younger brother, Ethan, a retired Navy Seal, was now in law enforcement in Rudolph.

“Uncle Keith!” Keith squealed when he finally caught a glimpse of Hawk standing with Logan. There was a special bond between Hawk and Keith that went beyond sharing the same name. No one in the family, except for little Keith and his mom, called Hawk by his given name.

“Hey, buddy!” Hawk opened his arms and Keith ran to him, launching himself the last few feet. Hawk scooped him up into his arms and lifted him high, planting a big kiss on his cheek. “Who's that pretty girl you're with over there?” he said as Poppy walked over, smiling. “Are you gonna introduce me?”

“That's Auntie Poppy! We're making a campfire!”

Hawk placed Keith on the ground. “I can see that.”

“Hi, Hawk,” Poppy said, running over to him. Hawk opened his arms and Poppy slipped right into them, giving Hawk a big hug.

“It's been too long, Lady. Good to see you.”

“Same here,” she said.

Logan’s gut tightened and he had to look away. The sudden pang of jealously that grabbed him was like a vice he couldn’t ease. Hawk and Poppy had always been friendly as kids because Poppy and Kelly were always with Logan. Hawk had no reason for ill feelings toward Poppy, so it was only right he’d be happy to see her. But seeing Poppy in Hawk’s arms grated on Logan more than he wanted to admit.

“Are we going to stand around hugging all day, or get some work done?” Logan said.

Hawk released Poppy, but she kept her arm draped around his shoulder.

“Keith and I have a pretty good pile going over there. When did you want to start burning?” she asked.

Her smile, which had been radiant when Hawk had accepted her so openly, only faded slightly when she finally looked at Logan.

“A little later when Keith goes down to bed. He'll be tired from all this fresh air.”

“Well, okay, then I guess we'll keep gathering as much wood as we can.”

Logan nodded and watched Poppy walked back over to the pile of sticks. Keith lifted his hand to Poppy and she easily took it into hers as they walked.

“Poppy Ericksen,” Hawk said with a smile.

“Yeah?”

“She looks good.”

“I hadn't noticed.”

Hawk laughed. “Yeah, right.”

“What'd you come out here for anyway?”

“Since when do I need a reason?”

“I just thought you were busy.”

“Mom said she'd take Keith tonight if you want. She's having Skylar over for dinner after they close the restaurant and thought Keith might want to play with Alex.”

Logan hesitated. Keith loved playing with kids his own age and he loved playing with Alex, a little boy in town who was about the same age as Keith. They got along so well and his mom often called them the Irish twins because they were only a few months apart and looked so much alike with their Irish freckles and rich black hair that they could easily be mistaken as brothers. His mom often said they reminded her of Sam and Wade when they were kids.