herself. Isn’t that the whole point of this place, to get the kids to learn independence?”
“Of course. But we’ve only been here a week, and she’s not that familiar with everything here yet. So back off, Dallas,” Gracie hissed as the child’s footsteps clattered toward them. “Ready, honey?” She savored a last mouthful of coffee, ignoring him.
“Yes. Did you get your hair fixed?”
“It’s as good as it’s going to get,” Gracie told her.
“Misty, I need to talk to your mom about something. Can you wait for us at the gate?”
Gracie caught her breath and stepped forward, but Dallas’s hand on her arm and the quick shake of his head stopped her.
“Okay.”
“Do you know how far it is?”
“Seven steps.” Misty sounded offended. “Only Mommy doesn’t allow…” Her voice trailed off.
“This time it’s okay for you to go to the gate by yourself, honey.” Gracie fumed at Dallas’s impudence. Only last night he’d promised not to interfere. “But only go to the gate. Don’t undo it.”
“I know. I know.” She walked to the door, grabbed the knob and yanked it open. “I’m not a baby, Mommy.”
“Of course you’re not.”
Gracie waited till Misty was halfway down the walk before she turned on Dallas. “What exactly are you doing?”
“Trying to understand you.” His lips quivered with the start of a smile. “Gracie, you can’t be there for every single move she makes. You’ve got to teach her how to function independently. What would happen if she had an accident or an emergency? Misty needs to know exactly what she should do and how to manage on her own.”
“We manage just fine, thank you.” Or we did, before you came on the scene.
“I was told Misty’s the only child her age whose mother walks her to the day care.” He kept his voice low, but that didn’t disguise his irritation. “How do you think that makes her feel?”
“I told you, we’ve only been here a week! Give us a chance. I haven’t had time to ensure—”
Dallas shook his head, holding her gaze with his own. “It’s not the length of time I’m referring to, and you know it. What I don’t understand is why you don’t want your daughter to be more autonomous. Why you keep her so dependent on you when she’s smart and more than capable of learning to manage on her own.”
“What I don’t understand is how you think you have the right to swoop in and tell me how to handle my child.”
“Mommy!”
Gracie peered out the window checking on Misty. She was okay, for now. Gracie didn’t bother to disguise her anger, as she stated, “Listen to me, Dallas. This isn’t one of your studies you can manipulate to figure out how to maximize results. I’m her mother and I’ll decide how much freedom she gets and when she can push the boundaries. I’m perfectly capable of raising my child without your advice, just as I have for the past five years.”
She’d gone too far and she knew it.
Dallas’s face blanched. He reared back as if she’d slapped him. He never said a word, simply walked to the door, pulled it open and stepped outside.
“Are we going now, Dallas?”
“In a second, Misty. Soon as your mom’s ready.” No trace of irritation or anger slipped through the smooth, even tone.
“I’m glad you came, Dallas.” Misty threaded her tiny fingers into his.
“So am I.”
Gracie emerged from the house a few seconds later to find Dallas and Misty bent head to head, discussing how many posts there were along the sidewalk to the main building.
“You probably can’t count that high,” he challenged, ignoring Gracie.
“Can so.” Misty smacked her hands on her little hips.
Despite her anger at him, Gracie almost laughed out loud. Dallas had just run up against the same stubborn streak that lay beneath his own easygoing exterior. She leaned against the door and watched.
“How many are there then?”
“Thirty one.” Misty glared at him. “I counted yesterday with
“Of course. But we’ve only been here a week, and she’s not that familiar with everything here yet. So back off, Dallas,” Gracie hissed as the child’s footsteps clattered toward them. “Ready, honey?” She savored a last mouthful of coffee, ignoring him.
“Yes. Did you get your hair fixed?”
“It’s as good as it’s going to get,” Gracie told her.
“Misty, I need to talk to your mom about something. Can you wait for us at the gate?”
Gracie caught her breath and stepped forward, but Dallas’s hand on her arm and the quick shake of his head stopped her.
“Okay.”
“Do you know how far it is?”
“Seven steps.” Misty sounded offended. “Only Mommy doesn’t allow…” Her voice trailed off.
“This time it’s okay for you to go to the gate by yourself, honey.” Gracie fumed at Dallas’s impudence. Only last night he’d promised not to interfere. “But only go to the gate. Don’t undo it.”
“I know. I know.” She walked to the door, grabbed the knob and yanked it open. “I’m not a baby, Mommy.”
“Of course you’re not.”
Gracie waited till Misty was halfway down the walk before she turned on Dallas. “What exactly are you doing?”
“Trying to understand you.” His lips quivered with the start of a smile. “Gracie, you can’t be there for every single move she makes. You’ve got to teach her how to function independently. What would happen if she had an accident or an emergency? Misty needs to know exactly what she should do and how to manage on her own.”
“We manage just fine, thank you.” Or we did, before you came on the scene.
“I was told Misty’s the only child her age whose mother walks her to the day care.” He kept his voice low, but that didn’t disguise his irritation. “How do you think that makes her feel?”
“I told you, we’ve only been here a week! Give us a chance. I haven’t had time to ensure—”
Dallas shook his head, holding her gaze with his own. “It’s not the length of time I’m referring to, and you know it. What I don’t understand is why you don’t want your daughter to be more autonomous. Why you keep her so dependent on you when she’s smart and more than capable of learning to manage on her own.”
“What I don’t understand is how you think you have the right to swoop in and tell me how to handle my child.”
“Mommy!”
Gracie peered out the window checking on Misty. She was okay, for now. Gracie didn’t bother to disguise her anger, as she stated, “Listen to me, Dallas. This isn’t one of your studies you can manipulate to figure out how to maximize results. I’m her mother and I’ll decide how much freedom she gets and when she can push the boundaries. I’m perfectly capable of raising my child without your advice, just as I have for the past five years.”
She’d gone too far and she knew it.
Dallas’s face blanched. He reared back as if she’d slapped him. He never said a word, simply walked to the door, pulled it open and stepped outside.
“Are we going now, Dallas?”
“In a second, Misty. Soon as your mom’s ready.” No trace of irritation or anger slipped through the smooth, even tone.
“I’m glad you came, Dallas.” Misty threaded her tiny fingers into his.
“So am I.”
Gracie emerged from the house a few seconds later to find Dallas and Misty bent head to head, discussing how many posts there were along the sidewalk to the main building.
“You probably can’t count that high,” he challenged, ignoring Gracie.
“Can so.” Misty smacked her hands on her little hips.
Despite her anger at him, Gracie almost laughed out loud. Dallas had just run up against the same stubborn streak that lay beneath his own easygoing exterior. She leaned against the door and watched.
“How many are there then?”
“Thirty one.” Misty glared at him. “I counted yesterday with
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