She’s not going to run away. All she really wants is your attention. She learned that misbehaving guaranteed that somebody would take notice. She’s going to test you the same way she did her grandparents.”
“That all sounds very logical, but she’s a kid. Do you really think she’s plotting this out in a reasonable manner?”
“No. It’s instinctive with her. The best way to make sure you pay attention is to infuriate you.”
Slade regarded her with impatience. “Didn’t you tell me not a half hour ago that she ran out because I hinted she wasn’t a good kid? Why would she deliberately do something to prove just how bad she can be?”
“Because any attention is better than none.”
“I’ve just spent the whole blasted day with her,” Slade all but shouted in frustration.
Val touched his arm in a soothing gesture. “Slade, she’s ten. It doesn’t have to make sense. Come on. This is no time to panic. Let’s settle down and think about this for a second. Where would she go?”
“We’ve looked at Dolan’s. You’ve already looked at the pet shop, the toy store and the general store. I’ve been to the bookstore and the hardware store.”
Val stared at him. “Why on earth would you think to look in a hardware store?”
“She likes tools.” He shrugged. “Don’t ask me why.”
“Could be she’s trying to be like you,” Val said thoughtfully. “In which case, what about the feed and grain store? Did you look there?”
“She’s never lived on a ranch before. Why would she go to a feed and grain store?”
“For the same reason she’d go to the hardware store—because it’s something that interests you.”
Slade didn’t believe for an instant that they would find Annie standing amid bags of oats, but by golly, there she was, and she was rubbing her hand over a saddle with a look of pure longing on her face.
“Don’t you dare yell at her,” Val warned.
“I wasn’t going to yell,” Slade insisted, though he very likely would have if Val hadn’t grabbed his arm and slowed him down. He took a deep breath, then shot a look at Val that apparently reassured her. She released his arm. He slowly crossed the store to stand beside his daughter.
“Hey, short stuff, we’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Her expression guilty, Annie snatched her hand away from the saddle. “I just figured you’d turn up here sooner or later,” she said defensively.
“You could have said something to us before you took off,” he suggested mildly. “You promised to wait just outside the restaurant.”
“I guess I forgot about it.” She gave him a defiant look. “Sort of like you broke your promise and didn’t think to say goodbye when you took off and left me at Grandma’s.”
Slade was shocked by the accusation, especially since she’d obviously kept it bottled up inside for months now. “Of course I said goodbye. And we talked about you staying there while I went to look for work.”
She shook her head. “You talked. I never agreed. When I got up in the morning, you were gone.”
He thought back to that time and how little clear thinking he had been doing, and realized it was entirely possible that it had happened just that way. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter.”
He hunkered down and took her by the shoulders. “Yes, it does matter, and I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I thought staying with Grandma would be the best thing for you.”
“And you’re the grown-up, so I guess that means you were right.” She shrugged away from him. “Never mind. You found me now. Is it time to go home?”
Slade directed a helpless look in Val’s direction and she immediately stepped in.
“We still have to buy food for the party,” she reminded them. “That’s why we came into town, remember?”
“I don’t care about the party,” Annie replied.
Slade was losing his fragile grip on his patience. “Fine,” he said tightly. “We can always cancel.”
Annie’s alarmed gaze shot to his. “We can’t call everyone and tell them to stay home.”
He softened his tone. “Why not?”
“It would be rude.” She turned to Val. “Wouldn’t it?”
“Very rude,” she agreed.
Relieved to see Annie’s spirit returning, he nodded. “Then, by all means, let’s go shopping.”
The trip through the grocery store was an adventure. Slade should have known Val would come prepared. She had a mile-long list, organized precisely according to the aisles of the store. He was relegated to pushing the cart, while she and Annie made their selections with as