This man was a stranger, though. She stared at him, doing her best not to gape. He wore a light jacket, and under it a faded black-and-red-checked shirt. The jacket seemed almost too tight for the massive breadth of his shoulders. He was tall, maybe six and a half feet, but more intimidating than that were his arms, which seemed like tree trunks, and his black beard, which seemed like something out of a Paul Bunyan storybook. He wore jeans and big, muddy work boots, and a dark cowboy hat covered longish, unkempt hair. It was light wear for the snowy weather they were having, really.

He really did seem like Paul Bunyan come to life if Paul Bunyan was a cowboy, but wasn’t Paul Bunyan friendly? This man had a massive scowl on his face, as if he hated the world around him.

Becca blinked and tried to size the man up, thinking fast. There weren’t many outsiders in this part of town right now. Either he’d gotten lost and needed directions or he was one of the new ranch hands. Not at Sage’s ranch, because Becca had met those nice gentlemen—former soldiers looking to start a new life. The only other “outsiders” in the area were the three new ranch hands at the Swinging C up in the mountains, and those were Dr. Ennis Parson’s nephews. She hadn’t met any of them, but rumor had it that they were from the wilds of Alaska, here to help out for a year.

This man definitely fit the Alaska stereotype. He didn’t look like a typical customer. Heck, he didn’t even look like he’d ever been to a salon. That beard was untamed and so was the hair under the hat. She’d bet his nail beds were rough and his hands were covered in calluses.

It was a mystery why he’d shown up in her salon. Becca was just about to open her mouth and ask if he was lost when something pink behind his massive jeans-clad thigh moved.

Then she saw the little girl.

The big cowboy was holding the hand of the tiniest, daintiest little creature. Becca’s heart melted as the small face peeped around his leg and her thumb went into her mouth. The girl in the little pink parka watched Becca with big eyes, not moving out from behind her protector’s leg.

Well. This must be the daddy. It was clear he was here not for himself but for his little girl. That did something to her heart. For all that he was slightly terrifying, Paul Bunyan was a dad and this little one wasn’t scared of him.

“Hi there,” Becca said brightly to the two of them.

The man just gazed at her with dark eyes. He said nothing, and after a long moment, he gently tugged on the hand of the little girl, leading her forward a step.