C6 CHAPTER SIX

A second later, their flight was called. Tory hugged Rossi and then headed away. “Bye.”

“Have fun,” Rossi called out.

“Dad!” Kinley darted over, slipping her hand into his.

“Yes?” Rossi squeezed her hand.

“Can we really go check on the lady?”

He nodded, although they’d need to get to the high school for his camp first. “Right after actor camp, we’ll head over.”

Kinley endured the drama camp well, sitting at the back of the theater for most of the camp, observing, drawing, and finally playing on Rossi ’s phone. Later, as they headed to the hospital, she chatted happily about all the possibilities of this lady. She made Rossi explain exactly what the woman looked like.

When they walked into the hospital room, Rossi was stunned. The afternoon sunlight poured through the window, highlighting the woman’s red hair and porcelain skin in a way that made the petite woman look unreal. Ethereal. Angelic.

Kinley rushed to her side. “She looks like a sleeping princess,” she said, her voice quiet and reverent.

Rossi was thinking the same thing.

“Hello.” A nurse on Tory ’s staff, Nadine, greeted them. She was an older woman in her fifties with salt-and-pepper hair and a warm smile. “How are we doing?”

Kinley grinned at her. “Hey, Nadine.”

Nadine opened her arms, and Kinley went into them easily. “I’m surprised to have visitors for this lady,” Nadine said.

“Daddy promised Tory we would check on her. I think she looks like a princess.”

“Oh.” Nadine glanced at Rossi and then back to Kinley, squatting down. “A Sleeping Beauty princess. I like it. Maybe your dad is just the one to kiss her awake?”

Rossi shot Nadine a horrified look.

Kinley clapped her hands together, overjoyed. “Yes.”

Nadine chuckled and stood. “Kidding.” She moved to Rossi, leaning in for a hug.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Not the Prince Charming type.”

Nadine grinned as she pulled back. “But you are a Charm, so there’s that.”

He rolled his eyes. “You never change, Nadine.”

She wiggled her nose and turned back to Kinley. “I’m glad you came, because I just restocked the candy at our station. Want to come get some while we let your dad talk to Sleeping Beauty?”

Rossi ’s heartbeat picked up speed. “Not necessary.” He started to follow them out of the room.

Nadine was already pulling Kinley out the door. “Let us girls chat. We’ll be right back.”

Rossi watched them go and listened to the two of them exchanging a million questions. Kinley adored older women. He didn’t know if she gravitated to women because she’d lost her mother, but he always felt culpable, like it was his fault.

He turned to face the sleeping woman. She was beautiful. He edged closer, wondering who she could be. Why had no one come for her yet? She looked like she could wake at any moment. The heart monitor tracked her heart’s rhythm, beeping repeatedly.

He studied her freckled face, grateful the blood had been cleaned up. He hadn’t really looked at a woman since Brook. Not in a detailed way like this. This woman couldn’t be past her mid-twenties, he thought. Could she?

All kinds of questions filled his mind. Why had she been out on his property? The investigation from the police had produced no car, no identification on her person, no phone. It was like the woman had fallen from the sky. He knew George would have called if there was news about someone looking for her.

She looked so peaceful. He hoped that she was okay, that whatever family she did have wasn’t too worried, and that it would all be resolved quickly.

Hearing laughter from the hall, he could picture Nadine gathering the nurses and telling Kinley stories from the past. He loved that about living in a small community and having roots. People knew each other and loved each other.

For a time, after Kinley’s mother had passed, he’d hated living here and seeing the pity in people’s eyes, but that had subsided. With his brother back in Casper, he knew he never wanted to leave. He loved this town.

He sat in a chair next to the woman and studied her face, wondering what she would look like if she woke up and smiled. What in tarnation would have brought her to his property? There weren’t even commercial trails out there. Nobody came out to his property unless they were there to visit.

“What are your secrets, Sleeping Beauty?” he asked quietly, hating how much he wanted to connect with this woman, that he’d actually fallen asleep worried about her the night before. It’d been a monumental effort to keep Kinley away from her. He remembered Kinley’s prayer the night before, which had reminded him that this woman was alone here. No family. No husband. Where were they? Didn’t someone care for her? It made him sad to think she didn’t have anyone.

Before he realized what he was doing, he reached out, gently touching her hand. Her fingers were so warm and soft compared to his rough ones, which were callused from things like fixing fences. He bowed his head and muttered a prayer. “Lord, please help her. Please help her wake up and help her family to find her. Amen.” He tugged his hand back and stared at her again

Suddenly her eyes fluttered open.

Startled, he jumped to his feet. “Wh—oh my gosh.”

She didn’t say anything, only stared at him.

“Nadine!” he called, taking a step back. “Nadine!”

Before Nadine could come rushing in with Kinley in tow, the woman shut her eyes again.

The next morning, Rossi stood at the front of the high school theater room, lecturing his drama students. “When you play a really greatcharacter, the trick is to get in their head,”