She took his hand and led him to another bank of chairs along the back wall, out of earshot from everyone else. "Sit."
He didn't resist. Just allowed her to guide him down.
Suddenly, a childhood memory flooded him. One he'd all but forgotten. He and Archer had been out riding horses, and tagalong Kaia had followed them on her pony. They'd tried to run her off, but she'd refused to go.
Finally, they'd decided to ignore her. They'd been monkeying around, egging each other on to try riskier and riskier horseback stunts. Archer stood up in the saddle, balancing like a surfer on a board. To outdo his buddy, Ridge had attempted a handstand from the saddle.
It hadn't ended well.
Startled, his horse scarpered. Ridge fell off and struck his head on a rock. His horse galloped away. Spooked, Archer's spirited horse took off with his buddy astride. Leaving Ridge on his back, staring up at a wide expanse of sky, bloodied, dazed, shocked.
And then there was Kaia, peering down at him.
Her eight-year-old face serious with concern, she'd helped him to sit up and told him to put his head between his knees and breathe slowly and deep like she was a medical expert. From her saddlebag, she'd taken a canteen, wet a bandana, and pressed the damp cloth to the back of his neck. She'd sat with him until Archer came back leading Ridge's horse behind him.
He remembered being amazed at how calm she'd been. Doing what needed to be done. He'd felt humbled and embarrassed to have a little kid taking care of him. So embarrassed he'd never thanked her.
She was here now, doing it again. Taking care of him in a similar way. He looked up to see her holding a foam cup of coffee.
"Drink this," she said.
"Thank you." He took the cup, took a drink.
"You're welcome."
"Not just for the coffee. For everything you've ever done for me. Including that time in the desert when Archer and I were goofing around and I fell off the horse and hit my head and you were there to patch me up."
She smiled, a slight smile of acknowledgment. "You yelled at me."
"I did?"
"You said to go away. That you didn't need a little kid's help."
"I don't remember that."
"I do."
"I was an ass."
"You were in shock."
"You were eight. How could you know that?"
"I didn't at the time. You did hurt my feelings, but I was so in awe of you. No way was I going to leave you alone, even if you did yell at me."
He reached over and took her hand. Squeezed it. "Forgive me."
An angel's smile couldn't have been as lovely. "Always."
God, how had he gotten so lucky to have her as a friend?
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
He shook his head. The last thing on his mind had been food.
"Come." She stuck out her hand to him.
He didn't take it, even though he wanted to. "Where to?"
"You need to get out of here for a while. Get some food in you."
He shot a glance at Ranger, who was deep in conversation with Ember. Vivi was watching a game show on the waiting room TV.
She kept holding out her palm. "I'm taking you to dinner, my treat. We'll be back in time for the eight o'clock visiting hours."
Charged at the idea of being alone with her again, he sank his hand into hers. Then she went and invited Ember, Ranger, and Vivi to come along too.
He pushed back his disappointment, because that was his Kaia. So kind and openhearted, she wasn't about to leave anyone out.
Chapter 24
Guilt nibbled Kaia as she and Ember drove back from El Paso late that night. It had been a mad dash trip to show their support for the Lockhart brothers, but they both had jobs and responsibilities to get back to. She'd only had a few hours with Ridge, precious little of that time with just the two of them. Although they had managed a short private conversation in the hallway at one point.
"Are you all right?" Ember asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Kaia asked, guiding her Tundra toward Cupid city limits.
"You've hardly said a word the entire trip."
"Nothing to say."
"You slept with him, didn't you?"
Kaia bit down on her tongue. Her sister's insight floored her.
"Ky?" Her sister's voice held concern. "Talk to me."
"How did you know? Did Granny Blue tell you?"
Ember rolled her eyes. "Please. If the way you guys had your hands all over each other on the dance floor didn't give it away, Ranger and I caught you canoodling in the chapel if you'll recall."
"We weren't canoodling, we were-" Oh hell, why deny it. "Yes. I slept with him."