Hidden Gifts (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance) by Elena Aitken Page B

was watching him with a small smile. He tried to return her smile, but instead his gaze was brought back to Ella. He bent his head and inhaled her fresh little girl scent, mingled with the earthy smells from outside. She was perfect. And the mere thought took his breath away.  
    “Are you ready, Bo?”  
    He nodded and as carefully as he could with her in his arms, got to his feet.  
    Together, they walked down the hall of the Lodge in silence. Bo managed to quit looking at Ella long enough to focus on where he was going. When they reached the main lobby, Bo paused. “I guess I should get her to bed,” he said.
    A look of disappointment flashed across Morgan’s face. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. “She’s had a pretty big day for such a little girl,” she said. “You’re going to have to take her out again, she really seemed to take to it. Must be in her blood.”  
    “I don’t —“
    He’d been about to say that he didn’t know where the love for outdoors came from, when he realized that Morgan had been talking about him. He was her father. He looked down at the sleeping child again. It still didn’t feel real.  
    He looked up. “I guess maybe it does. I was thinking earlier how much she liked the hike. Do you know it was the first time she actually seemed to want to be with me? I mean, she doesn’t run away from me or anything, but … ”
    “She doesn’t know you,” Morgan finished for him.
    “No. She doesn’t. But she doesn’t know you either.”  
    “It’s only because I’m a woman,” Morgan said. “Like I said before, I think I probably remind her of her mom. It’s hard to know why she trusts me. But it’s a good thing.”
    Bo nodded and shifted Ella’s weight in his arms. “It is a good thing. I’m so grateful that you stayed. I don’t know where I’d—“
    “Hey there, buddy.” Jeff came up behind Bo and slapped his shoulder in greeting. “I’ve been looking everywhere for-“
    “Jeff!”  
    Bo absorbed the jostle, but it wasn’t enough to keep Ella’s eyelids from fluttering open.  
    “Dammit, Jeff,” Bo muttered under his breath.
    “Oh, man. I’m sorry.” His eyes widened when he saw Ella in Bo’s arms. “I didn’t know.”  
    Ella stared up at Bo, but she didn’t pull away from his chest. The fact that she stayed so close, even when awake, made him inexplicably happy.  
    “It’s fine,” Bo said without looking at Jeff. “Did you have a good nap, Ella?”  
    Ella nodded and stuck her thumb in her mouth.  
    “I’ll get you to bed soon, okay, kiddo?”  
    She nodded again.  
    “It’s been a big day,” Morgan said, by way of explanation.
    “Ah,” Jeff said with a nod. “By the way, hi, Morgan.” Jeff waved his hand sheepishly. “I’m really not usually so rude.”
    “Yes, he is.” Bo shifted Ella so she could see what was going on.
    “Hey,” Jeff said, turning to Bo, “I really am sorry. I was just so excited to find you.”
    “Why? What’s up?”  
    “It’s overnighter time,” Jeff said excitedly. “We have our first booking for tomorrow night. A small group, just a couple and their teenage daughter. I was telling them about Stanley’s Cabin, and they thought it sounded great. We leave in the morning.”  
    A million thoughts flashed through Bo’s head. An overnight excursion meant good money and that didn’t even include the tips. Plus, he was itching to get up on the mountain; it had been too long since he’d been surrounded by nothing but the wild. But a small sneeze, and the growing ache in his arms, gave Bo a whole new type of awareness. Ella. He had more than just himself to consider now. He couldn’t leave Ella behind. Besides, who would he leave her with?  
    Bo’s eyes flicked to Morgan. Of course.  
    Before he could say anything, Morgan beat him to it. “It’s a trip with horses?” she asked Jeff, who nodded. “So you take people on a horseback ride into the mountains?