be a cowbat. Daddy, can I go get my cow dress?”
“Sure, baby girl.” It made him both thrilled and sad when they left the Brent off Daddy. He didn’t want them to forget their folks, but he was their dad now.
“Dad-O? I want to play too! Daddy Brent? Me too?” Those pretty green eyes shone at him. “Please?”
“I think Caro has some stuff. Come on, while Dad-O makes lunch, we’ll play dress up.” Poor baby, no one wanted to be left out. Luckily, cow was a theme he could do.
Susannah grabbed his hand and grinned up at him, trusting immediately that he would help her. He thought that said a shit-ton about Trace, that he’d raised her to believe that people were good.
Jakob was still helping with food, so Brent took all three girls on a cow hunt. “I bet Daisy can wear that Halloween thing you and Jakob both wore, huh, Caro?”
“Oh, the baby would look cute. I have a fairy costume, Suzy. I could give you my dress and hat and you could let me wear the wings.”
“We could be cow fairies?” Susannah asked, her eyes huge.
Cow fairies.
Thank God for all his blessings and bringing these babies to him. Caro had the biggest heart.
“That sounds like a plan, baby girl. Susannah? You wanna be a fairy? You can have cow mittens.” They had those too. And a scarf.
“Okay. I wanna play too. Caro can share my high heels. I have two whole sets. They were my mommy’s.”
“Y’all are making me so proud the way you’re sharing.” He thought they’d both been very lonely little girls, and he was so tickled they were together.
Susannah beamed at him, gave him a hard hug, and ran for her room.
Caro sighed deep, looking awed. “Isn’t she cool?”
“Yes. And so are you, baby doll. Now, let’s see. Cow dress. Fairy outfit. Cow accessories.” He held Daisy in one arm, digging in her closet with his other hand. “Ah-ha! I am the daddy man.”
Daisy cooed and wiggled, totally oblivious to anything but the happiness in his voice. Sweet girl. Luckily, she didn’t mind things on her head, a product of her momma’s obsession with giant bows from birth, so she didn’t fuss when he put the cow hat on her.
“Moo.” He rubbed their noses together, making them both laugh.
“Look, Daddy Brent!” Caro called. “I’m a cow fairy.” She’d put on her little black-and-white tie-dye dress, her wings, and he had a wand.
“This dress is hard,” Susannah said, tongue sticking out as she tried to fasten the fancy dress.
“I got you, kiddo.” He zipped it up, then helped her into her cow accessories. “I’ve never seen such amazing cow fairies in my life.”
“Lunch is ready, bat cow family! Tuna salad sammiches!” Trace was laughing at them, so merry.
“No, Dad-O! Me and Suzy are cow fairies!”
“Look at my moo tribe who can fly! I have the best herd ever.”
Trace winked at him, and Brent felt like a hero.
“Oh man. Y’all are the best. I have totally moo-approved sandwiches, Fritos, carrots and ranch.” Trace bowed dramatically. “On sub rolls for cowboy Curly and Commissioner Sheriff.”
“Thank you, sir. Let me take that out to Curly, huh?” He grabbed the plate Trace handed him.
“Thank you, sir.”
He loved that smile.
“Be right back.” Then they could sit and chat a minute.
Curly was dozing but smiled as he walked up. “Where did the kids go? They done playing already?”
“They are. You want some lunch? Trace made you a sammy.” He held out the plate, making sure Curly had plenty of water.
“Thank you, sir. I do. Tuna fish? I told your man in there I loved a tuna fish sandwich.”
“It is.” God, it killed him when Curly forgot stuff that happened half an hour ago. “He made plenty for leftovers too.”
“Oh.” Curly beamed. “He labels them for me so if I forget I don’t have to open all them lids. He’s a good guy.”
“Yessir. He’s one of the white hats, that’s for sure. You make sure you get in before you burn up, okay?” It wasn’t sunburn he worried about with Curly. Even with plenty of water out there, he might forget to drink and get super dehydrated. He headed back inside, grinning at the kids, who were “grazing” for carrots.
“How’s he doing out there?” Trace had been good about Curly, trying hard to pay attention to all the kids and the old man. Brent would give him that.
“Nappage. I’ll send him in when I head out to check that north fence. Can