Книга - Twins For The Texas Rancher

Twins For The Texas Rancher
Marin Thomas


DOUBLE TROUBLE!Sadie McHenry and her twin sons are heading home to Stampede, Texas. Sadie wants a chance to start over after being laid off—and she might have found it with rancher Logan Hardell. Logan instantly bonds with her boys, especially with Tommy, whose ADD makes him a handful. But Logan seems to understand the four-year-old’s needs and seeing them together melts Sadie’s heart.Logan’s ranch is at risk, so Sadie agrees to help with their books—putting Logan on twin patrol! With his fun-loving approach to the kids and his rugged appeal, Sadie can’t understand why he’s ruled out a family of his own. But she's not giving up on him just yet. Because Sadie’s convinced Logan is exactly what she and her boys need!







DOUBLE TROUBLE!

Sadie McHenry and her twin sons are heading home to Stampede, Texas. Sadie wants a chance to start over after being laid off—and she might have found it with rancher Logan Hardell. Logan instantly bonds with her boys, especially with Tommy, whose ADD makes him a handful. But Logan seems to understand the four-year-old’s needs and seeing them together melts Sadie’s heart.

Logan’s ranch is at risk, so Sadie agrees to help with their books—putting Logan on twin patrol! With his fun-loving approach to the kids and his rugged appeal, Sadie can’t understand why he’s ruled out a family of his own. But she’s not giving up on him just yet. Because Sadie’s convinced Logan is exactly what she and her boys need!


“We should get back.” Sadie climbed down from the hill without waiting for his help.

“I don’t usually come on so strong,” Logan said, fumbling for something to ease the awkwardness.

“Don’t apologize. It was fine.”

No woman had ever described his kiss as fine.

Sadie stopped when they reached the back porch. “Okay, here’s the truth.” She looked him in the eye. “I liked your kiss. More than is probably smart, but...” She stared at her feet. “I don’t want an affair or a fling or a rendezvous or whatever else it’s called these days.”

“What do you want?”

“I want forever with a man I can depend on. A man who will come through for me and the boys. Who’ll make us a priority not an afterthought.” She nodded to the back door. “It’s time for me and the boys to go.”

“Back to Wisconsin?”

“No, to my aunt’s house.” Sadie disappeared inside, leaving Logan standing outside feeling like an idiot.


Twins for the Texas Rancher

Marin Thomas






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


MARIN THOMAS grew up in the Midwest, then attended college at the U of A in Tucson, Arizona, where she earned a BA in radio-TV and played basketball for the Lady Wildcats. Following graduation, she married her college sweetheart in the historic Little Chapel of the West in Las Vegas, Nevada. Recent empty-nesters, Marin and her husband now live in Texas, where cattle is king, cowboys are plentiful and pickups rule the road. Visit her on the web at marinthomas.com (http://www.marinthomas.com).


To all the mothers who’ve given birth

to multiples—you ladies are rock stars!


Contents

Cover (#u2d4529fd-1b05-5c79-8809-7d4c7e7ac187)

Back Cover Text (#u887aeb55-baa3-5b21-9875-1f265fdc2f56)

Introduction (#u1030f70c-d78a-5cc0-96dd-f6e5210a8c4d)

Title Page (#u386aa340-0cd4-55eb-ab2c-553830aa5dfc)

About the Author (#u818972e3-7f6f-58d2-893b-a78f90ec7ba2)

Dedication (#ue4986257-2600-5a6d-975d-9a2c3eb057b3)

Chapter One (#u7c0f6a4d-f7a8-507d-87ac-1acb58601c41)

Chapter Two (#ufcd0ccec-8265-5d75-a820-e4d7a9d0dea1)

Chapter Three (#uee6dc1f4-5a9e-5347-9859-d7aade22d25b)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


Chapter One (#u74c6be80-5549-5778-b58f-374a66fb529c)

“Are we lost, Mom?”

“Nope,” Sadie McHenry fibbed. She glanced in the rearview mirror at her son Tyler. The clip light attached to his book, Frog and Toad Are Friends, illuminated his worried little face.

“We’re taking the long way,” she said. It was almost midnight, and according to the GPS on her iPhone they should have arrived in Stampede, Texas, a half hour ago. When she’d passed the sign for Rocky Point, she realized she’d taken a wrong turn somewhere. “Is Tommy sleeping?”

“Uh-huh.”

Her four-year-old blue-eyed, brown-haired twins might be the spitting image of each other, but every day of their lives was another chapter in the tortoise and the hare story. Tyler was sober, quiet and shy. Tommy was outgoing, strangers were his best friends and walls were made to bounce off.

Last year when she’d enrolled them in preschool, Tyler had come home the first day with a good-student award, while Tommy had broken the record for the number of minutes spent in the time-out chair—twelve. The teacher had recommended Tommy be tested for attention deficit disorder, and sure enough, at three years of age her son had shown signs of ADD. After several months of applying disciplinary techniques suggested by Tommy’s pediatrician, there had been little change in his behavior and the teacher had grown frustrated, so Sadie had withdrawn the boys and enrolled them in a different preschool program.

“Are you tired?”

“I’m fine, honey.” Tyler was a sweet boy and it broke her heart that she couldn’t focus more attention on him because she was constantly monitoring and containing Tommy’s wild ways. “Close your eyes and rest. Tomorrow we’ll see Aunt Lydia and Great-Aunt Amelia.” Aunt Lydia was actually a cousin, but the boys had become confused when she’d explained how they were all related, so aside from their grandparents everyone was an aunt or an uncle.

Not a mile had passed since leaving Madison, Wisconsin, that Sadie hadn’t second-guessed her decision to drive to Stampede. She’d called ahead and warned her aunt and cousin Lydia of her impending visit. If anyone understood Sadie’s need to jump off the crazy train and catch her breath, it was her other cousin Scarlett. She had a front-row seat to Sadie’s frenzied life—parenting twins with little help from her ex, working forty hours a week, then spending Saturday and Sunday catching up on the laundry and shopping. Throw in an emergency doctor visit, a missed child-support payment or a flat tire and the crazy train derailed.

A sliver of guilt pricked her. She hadn’t yet told her parents that she’d been laid off because she knew they’d insist she and the twins move to Florida, where they could better meddle in her life. She’d planned to look for another job, but then the director of the boys’ new preschool had suggested she register Tommy in a special program for kids with ADD, insisting he’d benefit from the extra attention. The recommendation made sense except without a job Sadie couldn’t afford the higher tuition and because it was already the end of August, enrollment for the program was closed. Tommy had been placed on a waiting list for the spring semester. With the lease on her apartment up for renewal and Tommy having difficulties in school, Sadie had packed up their belongings and put them into storage so she and her boys could take a much needed break from life.

Tommy’s troubles made her feel like a failure as a mother. She worried that if she didn’t get a handle on Tommy’s behavior by the time he entered full-day kindergarten in just over a year, he’d risk being held back. Splitting up the boys would only create a new set of problems for her to deal with.

The rain finally let up, and Sadie loosened her death grip on the wheel, then switched the wipers off. If not for having to drive through several downpours after leaving San Antonio, they would have made better time.

“Mom?”

“Yes, Tyler?”

“Is Dad gonna miss us?”

“Of course he will, honey.”

She took several slow, deep breaths, a trick she’d used to help keep her calm when Tommy tried her patience. The day the boys had been born, Sadie’s stress level skyrocketed and had remained high ever since. As if giving birth to twins wasn’t enough strain on a working mother, being married to a man who had never pitched in had made her days even more taxing. But that hadn’t even been the worst part—Pete had been disloyal. The first time she learned he’d cheated on her, she’d been eight months pregnant. For her sons’ sake, and because being a single mother of twins had terrified her, she’d given Pete a second chance. Two years later he’d “slipped up” again—his words, not hers. Marriage wasn’t a game of baseball, so after two strikes she called him out.

“If you want to talk to your father while we’re visiting Aunt Amelia, let me know and I’ll call him.”

Silence greeted her offer.

She had no regrets about the divorce. Pete had spent so little time with the boys that they’d barely noticed a difference when he’d moved out of the apartment. And they didn’t think it odd that they saw him only the second Wednesday and third weekend of each month—that was, when Pete didn’t cancel on them. Not only did her ex go back on his promises to his sons, but he was often late paying his share of the preschool bill. When that happened, she had to cover his portion, then wait a week or more until he paid her back.

If there was anything good about the boys growing accustomed to their father’s absence in their everyday lives, it was that they hadn’t objected when Pete had announced his plans to move to Baltimore with his girlfriend. Sadie admitted that it was difficult to watch her ex date—not because she was jealous of the other women, but because she was envious of Pete never having to worry that the twins might sabotage his relationship. Sadie’s two brief forays into dating had ended immediately after she informed the men she was a mother of twins.

Learning that her cousin Lydia had married the infamous Gunner Hardell, Stampede’s notorious bad boy—a man who’d flirted with rodeo and hadn’t planned on settling down and having children—gave Sadie hope that one day she’d meet a guy who was willing to be a father to her boys. She wouldn’t care what he looked like or what he did for a living as long as he was dependable and helped make her life easier, not more stressful.

“Who’s Amelia?”

No surprise that Tyler didn’t ask any more questions about his father.

“She’s your great-grandmother’s sister. You can call her Aunt Amelia.” The boys had just turned two when she’d taken them to Texas for the first time. Back then, she’d needed to regroup after she’d filed for divorce, and she’d chosen to visit her aunt instead of her parents, who’d moved to an adult community in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

She wished she was closer to her mother and father, but she’d disappointed them badly when she’d become pregnant. Neither of them liked Pete and they’d offered to help Sadie financially if she didn’t marry the babies’ father. But Sadie hadn’t wanted to be a single mom, and Pete had been willing to give marriage a try, so they’d tied the knot, hoping for the best. Unlike her parents, Aunt Amelia had always treated Sadie warmly and hadn’t judged her for the mistakes she’d made. It was only natural that her great-aunt was the first person Sadie would turn to when her life was crumbling around her.

“You’ll like Aunt Amelia’s house. She has a lovely attic that I played in with your aunt Scarlett and aunt Lydia when we were kids.” Every summer, Sadie had tagged along when her grandmother visited her eldest sister in Stampede for a month. She had fond memories of running around in the big Victorian.

“What’s an attic?”

“A secret room tucked up under the roof.”

“Are Poppa and Nana gonna be there?”

“Nope. They’re leaving tomorrow on an Alaskan cruise.” Sadie’s parents had visited Madison for a week in May, carving out two afternoons to spend with the boys. Because they’d insisted Tommy was too difficult to handle, Sadie had used two of her vacation days to join their visit to the zoo and a museum, where she’d been subjected to her mother’s parenting lectures. She’d been told that if she didn’t get a handle on Tommy’s behavior, he’d end up serving time in a juvenile detention center. Poor Tyler hadn’t been mentioned at all, as if he didn’t even exist. Needless to say she’d been relieved when her folks left town, and she wouldn’t have to see them until Christmas.

“What did you do in the attic?” Tyler asked.

“We played school and pretended we were trapped in a castle waiting for Prince Charming to rescue us.” She peeked in the mirror and Tyler’s big blue eyes blinked at her. He was a worrier just like her.

“Can I read in an attic?”

“Of course you can.” Tyler had learned to read before Tommy and at first Sadie had believed it was because he was smarter. Then one evening Tyler had been reading on the living-room floor, and Tommy had thrown a Lego block at his head to get his attention. Tyler hadn’t even flinched. It was then that she understood her son’s obsession with books. The only time Tyler was able to escape the chaos that followed his brother everywhere was when he was lost in a story. With such different personalities she often wondered how long it would be before the boys drifted apart.

Sadie’s thoughts shifted back to work and her stomach churned. Surely it wouldn’t be difficult to find another job when she returned to Madison. She’d worked in Dr. Kennedy’s dental office the past five years as a bookkeeper/office manager and had been caught by surprise when he’d announced he was merging his practice with another dentist and her job was being eliminated. Dr. Kennedy had offered her a generous severance package, which included six months’ income and health insurance coverage for her and the boys, so she had time to find another job and a place for them to live.

“Is Dad gonna come to Aunt Amelia’s house?” Her little copilot refused to go to sleep.

“I don’t think so. Baltimore is a long way from Texas.” The boys and their father had said their goodbyes last month when Pete had stopped at the apartment with toys from the dollar store. The schmuck had enough money to wine and dine his new ladylove, but he couldn’t buy a decent parting gift for his sons. If he’d paid more attention to the twins, he’d know that one of them preferred books over plastic toy boats.

Sadie had asked Pete not to tell the boys he was moving in with his girlfriend and her three children—she’d wanted to break the news to them in her own time. But he’d ignored her request and had brought along one of the woman’s sons that afternoon, which had opened the door to a million questions about why Dad was living with another little boy and not them. Pete promised the twins they could visit him at Thanksgiving, but when Sadie had asked if he planned to pay for the plane tickets, he’d balked and amended his promise to hopefully seeing the boys during the holidays.

“We’ll find lots of things to do to in Stampede to keep busy,” she said. But not too busy. Sadie was looking forward to sitting still, sipping her aunt’s lemonade and catching up with her cousin Lydia, who was expecting her first child next spring.

When the exit for Stampede came up, Sadie lifted her foot from the gas and veered off the highway and onto a frontage road that led to the Moonlight Motel. She drove another three miles before a blue neon moon came into view in the distance. “Vacancy” flashed in the middle of the sign and she breathed a sigh of relief.

If she hadn’t gotten lost, run into bad weather and had to make an emergency stop along the highway so Tommy could pee, they’d have arrived before dark. But because Tommy hadn’t pulled his pants down far enough he’d soaked his jeans and by the time she’d located a clean pair of pants in their luggage and gotten back on the road, they’d lost an hour of daylight.

She stopped in front of the motel office and shifted the van into Park, then turned off the engine. Four vehicles sat in front of the six rooms. Hopefully that meant two rooms were still available.

“Are we here?” Tyler asked.

“Yep. This is the motel that Aunt Lydia just renovated.” She unsnapped her seat belt. “We’re sleeping here tonight, because both of your aunts are already in bed and I don’t want to wake them.” She opened her door. “Stay in the car with your brother while I see if they have a room for us.”

Sadie made sure she locked the van, then entered the office. When she stepped inside, the handle slipped from her grasp and the door banged closed. The sound woke the dark-haired man who’d been asleep in a rocking chair. He bolted upright, brown eyes blinking.

Lydia had texted photos of her and Gunner after they’d gotten married in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, and this man wasn’t him although he looked around her age. “I’m sorry I startled you.” She flashed an apologetic smile.

He rubbed a hand over his chiseled face, wiping his sleepy expression away. Then he stared at his sock feet for a moment before sitting back down in the rocker again and shoving his feet into a pair of worn cowboy boots.

“Apologies for falling asleep on the job.” He unfolded his frame and stood. He was tall, a little over six feet, and the breadth of his shoulders suggested that monitoring a motel wasn’t his true occupation. His long strides ate up the distance between the rocker and the check-in desk. Her gaze latched on to the shirttail sticking out of the waistband of his Wranglers, which fit him very nicely.

“The sign said vacancy, so I’m hoping you have a room available with two double beds.”

“All the rooms have double beds.” He rubbed the five-o’clock shadow covering his cheeks. “I’m filling in for my brother tonight, but I’m sure I can figure out how to register you.”

“You don’t look anything like Gunner.”

His head jerked up. “You know my brother?”

“We haven’t officially met, but he’s married to my cousin. You must be either Logan or Reid.”

“Logan.”

“Sadie McHenry.” She stepped up to the desk and offered her hand. “I think the last time I saw you and your brothers was at my great-uncle’s funeral years ago.”

“That seems about right.” He kept hold of her hand while his warm gaze traveled over her.

“I visited my aunt two years ago, but we didn’t run into each other that time.” When she wiggled her fingers, his grip tightened, and the warm friction from the calluses on his palm sent a flutter up her arm. She swallowed a wistful sigh when the tingles fanned through her chest. Embarrassed by her reaction, she tugged her hand free and pressed her fingers against her thigh.

“Is Lydia expecting you tonight?” Logan bent down and searched for something beneath the counter.

“No. I told her and Aunt Amelia not to expect us until tomorrow, but I decided to drive straight through.”

Logan set a notepad with the motel logo on it next to the keyboard and then picked up a pen. He must have changed his mind about whatever he’d intended to write down because he put the pen back into a drawer and moved the notepad to the other side of the desk.

“Lydia did a great job fixing up the place.” Sadie looked around the office.

“She impressed my grandfather, which isn’t easy to do.” Logan took the pen out of the drawer again and set it on the counter. “Don’t listen to Gunner when he tells you that he did most of the work. Lydia hired a professional to do the heavy lifting. My brother just got in the way.”

“I heard my cousin and Gunner are splitting their time between the motel and the downtown apartment they’re renovating.”

Logan nodded. “They’re here tonight. I can wake them up if you—”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll see them in the morning.”

Logan came out from behind the desk and walked across the room. “Lydia found these old post office boxes at a flea market and had Gunner spray-paint them.” He opened one. “They’re using them to store tourist brochures.” He gathered a handful of pamphlets and passed them to Sadie. “In case you get bored while you’re in town.” He smiled, offering Sadie a glimpse of straight white teeth.

“Thanks.” She glanced outside at the van. “About getting a room for the night...”

“Sorry.” Logan returned to the counter and pecked at the keyboard. “Stupid computer.”

“I parked close to room 1 if that’s available.”

“Room 1 is Lydia and Gunner’s personal room.” Maybe it was the soft glow of the pendant light hanging over the desk, but Sadie swore a red tinge spread across Logan’s cheeks. “Gunner made the room into a combination office-nursery as a surprise for Lydia. He intends to take the baby to work with him when Lydia has appointments with her design clients.”

Gunner plans on helping out with the baby? Sadie could count on one hand the number of times Pete had fed, changed, bathed or burped the twins. She hadn’t minded caring for two babies while on maternity leave, but a little help from the father after returning to her day job would have been appreciated.

Logan punched several numbers into a device before swiping a key card and then handing it to her. “You’re in room 6.”

She put the card into the back pocket of her jeans. “How much for one night?”

“A hundred and ten, but family stays for free.” Logan winked and Sadie started.

“Umm...” She couldn’t remember the last time a man had winked at her. What did that even mean these days?

“I’ll help you with your luggage.” He walked over to the door.

Sadie was used to doing all the heavy lifting since her divorce, but tonight she was tired enough to accept a helping hand. “Thank you.”

He followed her to the van and as soon as the door slid open, Tommy pushed Tyler aside and jumped to the ground. Lucky her, the boys had learned how to get out of their booster seats a year ago. “Who are you?” Tommy asked.

“This is your cousin, but you can call him Uncle Logan.” She helped Tyler to the ground. “My sons, Tommy—” she pointed to the steel trash container by the office door that Tommy was attempting to climb “—and Tyler.” He stood by her, his hand clutching her thigh.

Logan’s gaze zigzagged between the twins. “You guys look alike.”

“That’s ’cause we’re twins,” Tommy said.

Keeping a straight face as he stared at Tyler, Logan teased, “What’s a twin?”

Tyler opened his mouth to answer, but Tommy beat him to the punch. “Us.” He pointed to Tyler, then poked a finger in his own chest. “We’re twins ’cause we came out of my mom’s stomach at the same time.”

Now that Logan had that nice image in his head, Sadie said, “Grab your backpacks, boys.”

Tommy raced past Logan and dived into the van, then tossed out Tyler’s backpack—the one with an image of a Labrador retriever wearing reading glasses on the front. The second one to hit the ground sported an image of Captain America.

Sadie removed a small overnight bag and Logan took it from her. “Is this it?” he asked.

“The rest of the luggage can stay in the van.” She slung her purse over her shoulder, then pressed the automatic lock button on the key fob. “Should I park the van in front of our room?”

“It’ll be fine right here.” Logan frowned. “It’s just the three of you?”

“Yes.” It had always felt like it had been only her and the boys, even before she’d divorced Pete. “Why?”

He glanced at the license plate on the van. “That was a long drive to make by yourselves.”

Tommy patted Logan’s thigh. “My dad moved to Balkimore.”

“Baltimore.” Sadie looked at Logan. “Didn’t Lydia mention that I was divorced?”

“I’m sure she did, and I forgot,” he said. “Your room is at the end.” Logan pointed to the door and Tommy raced down the sidewalk. Sadie took Tyler’s hand and they followed behind Logan. When Tommy stopped at the wrong door, Logan said, “One more, buddy.”

Instead of numbers on the rooms there were placards. “Stagecoach?” Sadie asked.

Logan held his hand out for the key card and Sadie gave it to him. “Lydia named each of the rooms after a Western movie.”

“Clever idea,” she said.

He slid the card into the lock reader, then opened the door and flipped on the light before standing back and allowing her and the boys to enter first.

“Wow.” Sadie admired the Western mural of John Wayne sitting on horseback in the desert. “Amazing.” She ran her fingers lightly over the image. “That’s wallpaper.”

The sound of the toilet flushing echoed in the room, then Tommy walked into view, pulling up his pants. “The toilet works, Mom.”

“Stop.” Sadie pointed to the sink outside the bathroom. Tommy turned around and washed his hands, then shook them dry before dashing across the room and launching himself onto the bed.

“Shoes,” Sadie said. Tommy kicked off his sneakers and began jumping on the mattress.

“C’mon, Tyler. Don’t you want to jump with me?”

Tyler inched closer to Sadie, his eyes still watching Logan.

“Settle down.” She braced herself for the inevitable dark scowl that Tommy’s behavior usually garnered from strangers. Instead Logan’s mouth broke into a wide grin as he watched her son use the bed for a trampoline.

“You’re encouraging him,” Sadie whispered.

Logan looked her way, his gaze slipping to her bosom before returning to her face. “What?”

“Stop smiling.”

He pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes. “Better?”

“Much.”

“Tomorrow you should let the kids check out the playground behind the motel.”

“That’s a good idea.” Sadie nudged Tyler toward the bathroom. “Your turn.” He obeyed, like he always did, closing the door behind him.

“Is there anything else I can get you? More towels? An extra blanket?” Logan asked.

“I think we’ll be fine for one night.” She expected him to leave—actually, she was surprised he hadn’t bolted for the door as soon as Tommy dived onto the bed. Instead he appeared reluctant to go.

Tommy did a backflip and Logan clapped. “You’d make a good circus clown.” He waited until Tyler finished washing his hands, then said, “And you’d be a good circus manager.”

Tommy rolled off the bed. “What’s a circus manager?”

“Enough questions for one day, kiddo,” Sadie said. “Get your pj’s on and crawl under the covers.” For once, Tommy listened to her and followed Tyler’s lead, digging his clothes out of his backpack.

“It’s pretty safe around here, but make sure you use the bolt and bar latch before you turn out the lights.”

“I’ll do that right now.” Sadie smiled. “It was nice seeing you, again.”

“Hey, Uncle Logan.” Tommy ran across the room, his pajama bottoms on backward. He pointed at Logan’s boots. “Are you a real cowboy?”

“I am.”

“Do you got a horse?”

“I do.”

“Does he got a name?”

“Her name is Sweet Pea.”

“You got a girl horse?”

“Yep.”

“That sucks.”

“We talked about using that word, young man.” Tommy had learned it from one of the kids at school.

“I wanna boy horse.” He looked at Sadie. “I want to see Sweet Pea.”

Logan answered before Sadie had a chance to. “You and Tyler are welcome to visit her at the ranch.”

“Stop pestering Uncle Logan. It’s way past bedtime.”

Logan opened the door, then glanced around Sadie. “Hey, Tyler, have you ever been in a hayloft?”

Tyler shook his head, clutching the Frog and Toad book against his chest.

“If you come out to the ranch, bring your books because it’s a cool place to read.”

Sadie appreciated how Logan made a point to speak to Tyler. More often than not, Tommy stole the show and his brother was forgotten.

“I’m sure we’ll be making a trip to the ranch to see the horses and the hayloft,” Sadie said.

Logan shut the door and then Sadie secured the extra locks. “Time to play the quiet game and see who falls asleep first. The winner gets an extra doughnut for breakfast tomorrow.” She didn’t like using bribes, but it beat yelling all the time. The boys snuggled beneath the blankets and closed their eyes, pretending to sleep.

She kissed their foreheads. “I love you, guys.”

Me, toos echoed in her ear.

Sadie carried her nightshirt and a clean pair of panties into the bathroom and took a shower. Afterward, she adjusted the air conditioner so the room wouldn’t grow too cold during the night. She left the bathroom door halfway open and kept the light on in case the boys got up in the middle of the night to use the toilet.

“Mom?” Tommy whispered.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“Can we go see Uncle Logan’s girl horse tomorrow?”

“I don’t know, honey.”

“Mom?”

“What?” A full minute passed and only the quiet hum of the air conditioner filled the room. “Tommy?” she whispered. No answer.

Her little Energizer Bunny had finally drifted off to sleep.

Now if only she could get some rest. But when Sadie closed her eyes, she saw Logan’s face. In her meager dating experience, single handsome men weren’t jumping at the chance to interact with a challenging child as rambunctious as Tommy.

Don’t forget Tyler.

Sadie was amazed that Logan had picked up on Tyler’s love of reading after just meeting him. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn’t help thinking how great it would be to find a man who wanted to be a father to her boys and would treat them better than the one they already had.


Chapter Two (#u74c6be80-5549-5778-b58f-374a66fb529c)

Logan glanced at the clock on the wall and rubbed his eyes. Five a.m. He pushed himself out of the rocking chair and stretched until the twinges and aches disappeared. He was only thirty-two and suspected he’d be in worse shape if he’d continued rodeoing all these years. At least the aches and pains would have been worth it. After his father had been struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while changing a flat tire on the side of the road and his grandfather fell off the wagon, Logan had stashed away his rodeo gear and returned home to ride fence and feed cattle.

If Gunner didn’t waltz into the office by six, he’d lock the doors and take off. His brother had been keeping honeymoon hours since he and Lydia returned from Vegas. Married. Logan shook his head in disbelief that his baby brother—the family goof-off, the guy who’d boasted he’d never let a woman catch him—hadn’t only gotten married, but he was going to be a father.

Speaking of kids... Logan’s thoughts switched to the Stagecoach room and Sadie. The top of the blue-eyed blonde’s head barely reached his shoulder, but one glance at her curvy hips and full bosom and there was no mistaking she was a full-grown woman.

And a mother of twins.

The boys were a handful. Tommy reminded Logan of himself as a kid—always on the go. Tyler was more like the middle Hardell brother, Reid—quiet and watchful. No one ever knew what Reid was thinking, but he was always aware of what was going on around him.

Logan prepared a fresh pot of coffee in case any of the guests wanted a cup before hitting the road, and then he went into the small bathroom in the hallway and opened his dopp kit. After he erased his five-o’clock shadow with his electric shaver, he brushed his teeth and gargled with mouthwash. Back in the office, he stared out the window. The sun was beginning to rise and it looked like someone had taken a giant brush and painted a swath of pink across the horizon.

C’mon, Gunner. Get out of bed.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something race past the rooms outside. He opened the lobby door just in time to see the backside of a little person tearing around the corner of the motel.

Tommy.

What was the kid doing up this early in the morning? Logan left the office, glancing down the sidewalk to the Stagecoach room. From across the parking lot it looked as if the kid had left the door cracked open. Logan doubted Sadie even knew her son had escaped. When he walked behind the motel he found Tommy, his pajama bottoms still on backward, standing on the playground swing.

As soon as the boy realized he wasn’t alone, he shouted, “Uncle Logan, push me!”

Uncle Logan. The moniker squeezed his heart and not in a good way. Logan walked behind the swing. “Sit down and I’ll give you an underduck.”

The boy dropped to the seat. “What’s an underduck?”

“Hold on tight, and I’ll show you.” Logan pulled the swing back, then ran forward, pushing the seat up and over his head. Tommy squealed. “Do it again, Uncle Logan!”

He ignored the command and said, “You’re awake awful early this morning.”

No answer.

“Is your mother up?”

“I don’t know.”

He had a feeling Tommy’s standard response to most questions was I don’t know. “Are you hungry?”

“Mom said we could have doughnuts for breakfast ’cause we went to sleep fast.”

Logan expected Sadie to appear any moment, searching for her son. But five minutes had passed and she hadn’t made an appearance.

“I wanna stop, Uncle Logan.”

He stepped forward and caught the swing. “C’mon, I’ll walk you to the room.”

“I don’t want to go back to sleep.”

Logan hadn’t only noticed how pretty Sadie was last night when she’d checked her and the boys into the motel. He’d also noted the dark circles beneath her eyes. The drive from Wisconsin to Texas had exhausted her. “Tell you what,” he said. “You and I will go get the doughnuts.” And let your mother and brother catch up on sleep.

Logan took Tommy’s hand and returned to the office, where he wrote two sticky notes explaining that he and Tommy had gone down the road to the Valero to buy everyone breakfast. He stuck one note on Gunner and Lydia’s door and the other one, which had his cell phone number on it, against the inside of Sadie’s door before he quietly closed it all the way.

“What about my booster seat?” Tommy asked when Logan opened the door of his pickup. His gaze swung to the white minivan. The safety seats were locked inside.

“I think I have something that might work. Follow me.” He and Tommy went behind the desk and down the hallway to the storage closet. “I bought this for my brother and your aunt’s baby.” Logan pulled the tarp off a box. “This is the Cadillac of all car seats, kid.” Logan had spent a small fortune on the contraption that claimed to be a five-point-harness seat and later converted into a booster seat once a kid reached forty pounds. “How much do you weigh?” he asked.

Tommy shrugged, then pointed to the image on the box. “That’s a baby. I’m not a baby.”

“I think this will work for a short trip.” He opened the box and removed the seat, then detached the top portion meant for younger kids and infants. “Let’s see if I can figure out how to install the booster seat.”

It took several tries and a few swallowed cusswords before Logan had the contraption secured in the back seat and Tommy strapped in.

“You look like a trussed-up turkey.”

“I look like a baby.” The boy’s mouth turned down in a pout.

Logan ignored him and climbed behind the wheel. The Valero was ten miles down the road and Tommy talked the entire fifteen-minute drive. By the time he parked in front of the convenience mart, Logan’s ears were hurting. It wasn’t until they entered the store that he saw his sidekick was barefoot. “What happened to your shoes?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let me see your foot.”

Tommy grabbed a fistful of Logan’s jean and balanced on one leg while he lifted the other. The bottom of his foot was as black as the ink hospitals used on newborns to take their footprints.

“Can I have candy?” Tommy asked.

Logan didn’t know if Sadie allowed the boys to eat candy, so he played it safe. “No candy. You’ll get your sugar fix with the doughnuts.” They stopped at the pastry display next to the soda machine. “What kind do you like?”

“I like ’em all.”

“We’ll get a couple of each.” He filled two bags with a dozen and a half doughnuts, then grabbed four bottles of milk from the refrigerator and set their purchases on the checkout counter. “How’s it going, Elmer?” The elderly man had worked at the Valero for the past five years.

“Where’d you pick up your friend?” Elmer smiled at Tommy.

Tommy spoke first. “How much money did the tooth fairy give you?”

Elmer’s sagging jowls swallowed his chin. “What are you talkin’ about, kid?”

“The tooth fairy leaves a dollar under my pillow for my tooth.”

Elmer flashed his empty gums. “I didn’t get nothin’.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause I got my front teeth knocked out in a bar fight and I never did find them.”

Tommy stepped on the candy shelf in front of the checkout and hoisted himself onto the counter. “You shoulda wrote the tooth fairy a note like my mom did.”

Elmer scratched his balding head. “You don’t say?”

“I lost my tooth at recess and I couldn’t find it, but my mom wrote a note and the tooth fairy still came.”

“Next time one of my teeth gets knocked out of my mouth, I’ll give that a try,” Elmer said.

“My mom can write you a note. She writes good notes.”

Elmer chuckled and rang up the doughnuts and milk, then Logan slid his debit card through the machine.

“My mom’s good at lots of stuff ’cause my dad doesn’t live with us. He’s moving to Balkimore.”

Elmer’s fuzzy eyebrows fused together over his nose.

Logan scooped his yappy partner off the counter, then handed him one of the pastry-filled bags. “Have a good day, Elmer.” He opened the door for Tommy and they left the store.

“Can I eat a doughnut in the car?” Tommy asked after Logan buckled him into the booster seat.

Logan’s brother and sister-in-law wouldn’t appreciate him gifting them a dirty car seat, but faced with the prospect of Tommy’s chatter all the way back to the motel he decided to take his chances and keep the kid’s mouth busy chewing rather than talking. “Go ahead and have a doughnut.”

The only noise on the return ride was the country music playing on the radio. As the pickup approached the motel a few minutes later, Logan spotted Sadie standing outside her room, arms crossed, her flip-flop tapping the cement. As soon as she saw the pickup, she marched across the parking lot, her blond hair swaying in rhythm with her hips.

“I think we’re in trouble, buddy.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. Tommy’s cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk’s.

“What happened?” he asked, giving Logan an eyeful of pulverized doughnut and raspberry filling.

“I don’t think your mother’s happy we took off without her.” Sadie wasn’t dressed to go anywhere in a nightshirt that ended just above her knees. The baggy material did nothing to conceal her figure and Logan couldn’t help appreciating her womanly curves.

Logan shifted into Park and pulled the key from the ignition, all the while keeping his gaze on Sadie. He doubted she had any idea that he could see the shadow of her bikini panties and the outline of her breasts beneath the blue shirt. He forced himself to look away from the bouncing temptation. “C’mon, kid. Time to face the music.” He hopped out and opened the back door, then helped Tommy to the ground.

“Thomas James McHenry.” Sadie cornered her son against the side of the truck. “You know you’re never supposed to wander off without telling me.”

Tommy’s eyes crossed as he watched his mother’s finger wag in front of his nose.

Then her finger pointed at the ground. “Where are your shoes?”

Tommy dropped his gaze and stared at his feet as if he expected his toes to answer his mother.

“And you—” Sadie glared at Logan. “How could you just take off with my son and not tell me first?”

“I left a note on the—”

“I don’t care about a note.” Sadie’s voice rose in pitch and Logan worried that she’d wake the guests in the other rooms. “We may be distantly related now, but I hardly know you and my sons don’t know you at all.”

“Mom.” Tommy tugged on Sadie’s shirt. “How come you’re yelling at Uncle Logan?”

Sadie ignored her son but lowered her voice. “It’s inexcusable that you drove Tommy somewhere without securing him in his booster seat.”

Logan doubted Sadie would allow him to get a word in edgewise if he tried to defend himself, so he reached behind Tommy and opened the pickup door.

Sadie’s eyes widened. “Where did—”

“I bought it for Gunner and Lydia’s baby. It’s top-of-the-line. Fits newborns and older kids.”

She rubbed her brow before looking him in the eye. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, but I panicked when I woke and Tommy wasn’t in bed with Tyler.” She ruffled Tommy’s hair. “This guy has wandered off before and each time I lose ten years off my life.”

“I’m sorry. I should have waited until you’d woken and asked permission to take him with me.” His apology earned him a half smile from Sadie.

“Mom?”

“What?”

“Can you write a note to the tooth fairy?”

The question caught Sadie off guard and she lowered her finger. “What?”

“Elmo lost his teeth, but he can’t find them and he needs a note so the tooth fairy can give him two dollars.”

“Elmer,” Logan corrected, keeping a straight face. “Not Elmo.”

“Mom?”

“What?”

“Uncle Logan bought us doughnuts.” Tommy held up the bag.

“I see that.” Her gaze shifted to Logan. “When did he leave the room this morning?”

“A little after five thirty, I found him playing on the swings.”

“I told Uncle Logan you said we could have doughnuts for breakfast,” Tommy said.

“There isn’t a doughnut shop in Stampede, so we drove down to the Valero. Elmer works in the convenience store.”

“Mom?”

“What?”

“I gotta pee.”

“Go!” Sadie pointed to their motel room and Tommy took off running. “That boy will be the death of me yet.”

“Where’s Tyler?”

“Still sleeping.” Her gaze followed Tommy across the lot. “Or he was.”

Tyler stood in the open doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Right then Gunner stepped from room 1, wearing only his boxers. “What’s all the commotion out here?” His gaze traveled over Sadie, then he looked at Logan and grinned. “You get lucky last night, big brother?”

* * *

OH. MY. GOD.

Sadie crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to hide her unharnessed boobs. She’d been in such a panic when she woke up, and after finding Logan’s note on the door, she’d forgotten she was wearing only a pair of panties and a flimsy nightshirt. This was not how she’d planned to dress when she saw Lydia and Gunner this morning. Before Sadie found her voice, squealing tires startled her. Logan grasped her arm and stepped in front of her, shielding her from view. An old pickup that looked like it had been unearthed from a junkyard turned into the motel and veered toward the office. A minute later, Aunt Amelia’s 1958 white Thunderbird convertible pulled alongside the clunker.

“We’ve got trouble,” Logan said.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Just watch. You’ll see.”

Aunt Amelia got out of her car and marched toward the jalopy, unaware of the onlookers. “Emmett Hardell, you are the orneriest man alive.”

Logan’s grandfather hitched his pants, then balled his hands into fists. “I let you run roughshod over me once, but I’m done playing party to your foolish ideas.”

Amelia spread her arms wide. “Look at this motel. There are five vehicles parked in the lot. If you believe making money is foolish, then maybe you should spend your final days hiding under a rock.”

“Oh, dear,” Sadie whispered.

“Wait. It’ll get better.” Logan reached behind him and brushed his fingers against the back of Sadie’s hand, his warm touch distracting her.

“If I could find a rock right now, I’d—”

“Grandpa.” Gunner approached the elderly couple. “I thought you two kissed and made up.”

Lydia had told Sadie and Scarlett that their wealthy aunt had been feuding with Emmett Hardell, the mayor of Stampede, over her desire to revitalize the town and she’d finally taken matters into her owns hands. Apparently Amelia had another idea up her sleeve after she’d convinced Emmett to spruce up his motel.

“If I didn’t know better,” Gunner said, strutting forward, “I’d think all this arguing is nothing more than foreplay.”

Sadie sucked in a quick breath.

“You watch your mouth, grandson.” Emmett glared at Gunner.

“Lydia said they dated in high school.” Sadie peered around Logan’s broad shoulder.

“We can’t figure it out,” Logan said. “One second they like each other and the next they’re scratching each other’s eyes out.”

Emmett pointed at Amelia. “She’s up to her old shenanigans again.”

Aunt Amelia raised her hands and lifted her face to the sky as if God would save her from the geezer. “I’m trying to better this town.”

“I let you talk me into fixing up a perfectly good motel and now you want me to put some stupid tourist attraction on my ranch.”

“People need something to do when they visit Stampede.”

Emmett jabbed his finger in the air. “We don’t need strangers running loose kicking up more dust in this town.”

Sadie was so focused on the arguing couple that she didn’t notice Tommy had walked up to the pair until her son patted Emmett’s leg.

“If I yell,” Tommy said, “I have to sit in a time-out.”

Amelia smiled. “What’s your name, young man?”

“Tommy.” He pointed at the last motel room. “That’s Tyler. We’re twins.”

“Oh my goodness.” Amelia pressed her hand to her chest and looked at Emmett. “These are Sadie’s boys.”

“Hello, Aunt Amelia.” Sadie waved, her face burning as if she’d left her glycolic facial mask on too long.

The door to room 1 opened and Tommy shouted, “Aunt Lydia!” He raced over to her and she bent to hug him.

“Hey, kiddo, it’s great to see you.” Lydia glanced down the sidewalk, and when she saw Tyler hanging out in front of room 6, she smiled and said, “Come give me a hug, Tyler.” He ran into Lydia’s arms. “I’ve missed you guys.” She took their hands and walked over to Gunner. “This is your uncle Gunner. He and I are married now.”

“Who’s Tommy and who’s Tyler? I can’t tell you guys apart,” Gunner said.

“That’s ’cause we’re twins.” Tommy looked at his brother. “Right?”

Tyler’s head bobbed.

“We didn’t expect you until later today.” Aunt Amelia looked at Sadie.

“I decided to drive straight through, but we didn’t get in until after midnight.” She offered Emmett an apologetic smile and crossed her arms in front of her. “This morning Tommy left the room without telling me and then—”

“It’s my fault,” Logan said. “Tommy woke before the others and we drove down to the Valero to buy doughnuts without telling Sadie.”

Gunner whistled low between his teeth and Logan shot him a dirty look before he spoke to the boys. “Hey, Tyler, come over here and get something to eat.” He reached into the truck for the bag of doughnuts and then opened the caps on the milk bottles and handed them to the boys.

“I can’t believe how much they’ve grown.” Amelia clapped her hands and smiled. “And they’re talking in full sentences now.”

Lydia visibly struggled not to laugh. “How long are you staying in town, Sadie?”

Couldn’t the details wait until she was dressed? “I haven’t decided.”

Amelia glanced at the boys, who sat on the ground, licking their sticky fingers. “Lydia said Peter decided to move to Baltimore with his girlfriend.”

Sadie didn’t want to air her problems in front of Logan and his family. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“You never did tell me the reason for your spur-of-the-moment decision to visit Stampede.” Her aunt refused to drop the subject.

Sadie might as well come clean. She curled her toes against her rubber flip-flops and said, “I lost my job.”

Lydia’s gasp echoed in Sadie’s ears, but it was Logan’s warm look of sympathy that reached deep inside her and hugged her heart. In the space of fifteen minutes this man had angered, frustrated and annoyed her, yet right now as she gazed into his eyes, she couldn’t remember why. She felt her body sway toward him, as if she trusted he would steady her from the inside out.

“What happened?” Aunt Amelia asked.

It took all of Sadie’s willpower to break eye contact with Logan. “I’d prefer to have clothes on before we discuss this.”

Her aunt’s eyes widened as if she’d just realized Sadie wore a nightshirt. Amelia looked at Emmett. “Expect a visit later this afternoon from me and Sadie.”

“What for?” Emmett said.

“If I tell you, you’ll run off and hide.” Amelia nodded to Logan. “Make sure your grandfather stays put at the ranch until we arrive.”

“Aunt Amelia,” Sadie said. “I have the boys and—”

“Lydia will watch the twins. They can play in the attic while we’re gone,” Amelia said.

“I have an appointment with a client this afternoon, Aunt Amelia,” Lydia said.

Aware of everyone’s eyes on her, Sadie caved in. “The boys will have to come with us, then.” She could only hope Tommy didn’t stir up trouble.

Emmett grumbled under his breath, then glared at Amelia. “Is this a one coffeepot or two coffeepot visit?”

“Two,” Amelia said. “But make it strong because you might not like my idea.”

Emmett climbed behind the wheel, shut the door, then poked his head out the open window. “When have I ever liked one of your ideas?” He turned the key in the ignition and the engine backfired. Amelia jumped, then smacked her hand against the pickup’s tailgate before getting into her car.

The old people drove off, turning their vehicles in opposite directions when they entered the highway. Sadie looked at Lydia. “Will you please watch the kids while I change clothes?”

“Of course.” Lydia joined the boys on the ground and helped herself to a doughnut.

Sadie had been on autopilot since losing her job, and not until this very moment—while she stood with her hair a snarled mess, wearing an unflattering nightshirt and no makeup in front of a handsome single man—did her resolve waver. Tears burned her eyes and she knew if she didn’t walk away right then, she’d break down. With a curt nod she strode back to the Stagecoach room, wishing she could jump on John Wayne’s horse and ride into a sunset all by herself.


Chapter Three (#u74c6be80-5549-5778-b58f-374a66fb529c)

“She looks mean,” Tommy said late Saturday afternoon.

Logan studied Sweet Pea and tried to see the mare through the eyes of a three-and-a-half-foot-tall four-year-old. “Why does she look mean?”

The kid ignored the question and kicked the pile of hay next to the stall, sending the feed flying into the air. Distracted by the dried grass fluttering to the ground, he jumped around, trying to catch the bits and pieces in his hands.

“What do you think, Tyler?” The boy hadn’t spoken since he and his brother arrived at the ranch with their mother and Amelia fifteen minutes ago. Logan had returned from delivering hay to the cattle just in time to entertain the twins while Gramps and the women gathered in the kitchen to discuss Amelia’s latest wacky idea.

Tyler remained silent and he didn’t press the boy to speak. Logan had been drawn to the brothers the moment he’d met them. He’d always anticipated being a dad, but fatherhood wasn’t in the cards for him. When he’d had to quit rodeoing and returned home to run the ranch, he’d missed interacting with the children who traveled the circuit with their fathers.

Logan didn’t badger Tyler into talking. Instead he asked, “Who wants to feed Sweet Pea a carrot?”

Tommy walked off and climbed onto the hay bales in the corner. Logan looked at Tyler, whose gaze remained on the horse. After a few seconds he said, “She looks sad.”

Startled, he studied the mare. “You’re probably right. A few weeks ago her best friend went away.” Ranger had been twenty-eight and had developed a tumor that put pressure on his heart. The vet had had to put him down.

Tyler’s brows scrunched in concentration. “Is her friend gonna come back?”

“No, he isn’t.” A sliver of guilt pricked Logan. He should pay more attention to the mare, but when did he have time? He was the only one who did any work around the ranch. Gunner was busy running the motel and fixing up Emmylou Schmidt’s downtown antiques shop, which Amelia had purchased for Lydia as a wedding gift. They’d converted the lower floor into an office for Lydia’s interior design business and were turning the upper floor into an apartment.

That left his middle brother to help Logan, and Reid sure in heck wasn’t going to leave New Mexico to muck stalls. The thousand dollars Reid sent to their grandfather every month was guilt money, but Logan couldn’t figure out what his brother had to feel remorseful about.

“I think Sweet Pea could use a friend,” Logan said.

Tyler’s blue eyes blinked at Logan. “I can be her friend.”

“How about you climb up that ladder—” Logan pointed across the aisle “—and I’ll bring Sweet Pea out of her stall so you can rub her nose. She likes that.”

Logan checked to make sure Tommy wasn’t getting into trouble at the back of the barn, then he set Tyler on the ladder. “Sit back so your butt sticks through the opening.” Tyler obeyed. “Are you wedged in there nice and tight?” Another nod. “Don’t move.”

Logan walked Sweet Pea out of her stall and brought her to stand before Tyler. “Touch her like this.” Logan stroked the mare’s nose.

When Tyler rubbed Sweet Pea’s face, the horse snuffled the front of the kid’s shirt. “She’s soft.”

“Can I have a turn?” Tommy tugged on the back pocket of Logan’s jeans.

“Wait over there until I tell you to come closer.” He didn’t want the boy to get kicked by a horse, or to have to explain to Sadie how he’d let it happen.

Tyler leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Sweet Pea’s neck, resting his cheek against her face. The tender scene yanked Logan’s heartstrings.

“Do you boys have any pets at home?” he asked.

“Mom says we can’t have a dog,” Tommy answered. “’Cause she’s gotta work and it costs a lot of money.”

Logan and his brothers had grown up with dogs, barn cats, horses, chickens and even a pet raccoon that took up residence beneath the shed behind the house. Their last hound dog, Blue, had died several years ago, and when Logan had asked his grandfather if he wanted to get another dog from the shelter, the old man had declined, arguing that he wouldn’t be around long enough to take care of the mutt.

Gramps acted as if death was knocking at his door, but Gunner believed their grandfather was too ornery to ever die. When Amelia Rinehart had begun her campaign to resurrect Stampede, Logan and his brother had seen a change in their grandfather. He was still a grumpy old man, but he had more get-up-and-go and was determined to contest the older woman in all manner of ways.

Tommy patted Logan’s leg. “Is it my turn?”

Logan set Tyler on the ground behind him, then lifted Tommy into his arms and held him by Sweet Pea’s head. After petting the horse twice, the boy said, “I’m bored.”

Logan placed Tommy on his feet and returned the mare to her stall. “I promised Tyler he could read in the hayloft.” Logan nodded to the ladder. “When you reach the top, keep away from the edge.”

“I wanna see the hayloft,” Tommy said.

Logan followed the boys up the ladder.

Tommy walked around the space. “How come it’s full of hay?”

“The hay is for the horses and the cattle to eat.” Logan pulled the string hanging from a naked lightbulb. “Do you think this is a cool place to read, Tyler?”

The boy nodded.

“What else can we do up here?” Tommy asked.

“Not much, I’m afraid. While Tyler reads, you can help me muck stalls.” Tyler stared at the bales Logan had stacked in the shape of a giant chair. “You want me to toss your backpack up here?” Logan asked.

Tyler nodded.

Logan helped Tommy down the ladder, then walked to the barn entrance, where the boys had tossed their backpacks aside. He grabbed the one with the image of the dog on the front. “Stand back so you don’t get hit.” Logan flung the bag into the loft. “Holler when you’re ready to come down and I’ll help you.” Logan had fond memories of playing in the hayloft as a kid. As soon as he and his brothers were old enough to climb the ladder, their grandfather had let them hang out in the barn while he’d taken care of the horses.

“How do you muck stalls?” Tommy asked.

“You’ll see.” The boy dogged Logan’s heels as they left the barn. “First, you’re going to sit on the corral rail and watch me bring the horses out.” He plopped Tommy down. “After that we take the wheelbarrow and—”

“What’s a wheelbarrow?”

“You’ll see.” The only way to spare himself the twenty-question game was to tire the kid out, but Logan knew from personal experience that boys like Tommy were never tired out.

* * *

THIS WAS NOT how Sadie anticipated spending her first day in Stampede. She and her aunt sat at Emmett’s kitchen table while he stood at the counter with his back to them, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing—obviously not happy at having to play host to an afternoon coffee klatch.

At eighty-five, Emmett was the same age as Sadie’s aunt, but he looked older. His shoulders sloped toward the ground as if life’s problems had piled on year after year, weighing him down. Decades of ranching had etched deep crevices across the back of his neck and marked his arms with scaly sunspots.

Sadie surreptitiously studied her aunt. Blue veins crisscrossed the back of her hands, but unlike Emmett’s leathery skin, Amelia’s appeared pearlescent beneath the box light in the ceiling.

During the drive to Paradise Ranch, Aunt Amelia had rambled on about how developers had built single-family-home subdivisions north of the towns of Mesquite and Rocky Point. Stampede was too far away for those families to shop. And with a population that had never exceeded three thousand—even in its heyday—the dusty hidey-hole needed to find a way to survive or it would become nothing more than a ghost town. Which, apparently, was exactly what the old-timers who’d elected Emmett mayor wanted. When Sadie had asked why her aunt hadn’t sought someone else’s help to carry out her plans, she’d grown misty-eyed and said she was trying to involve Emmett because he’d been in a funk for such a long time.

This past summer, Lydia told Sadie that their aunt and Emmett had dated in high school. Sadie couldn’t help wondering if Amelia still carried a torch for the old man and all this fuss over the town was just a ploy to get his attention. Feeling a need to break the silence, she said, “I like that rooster cookie jar on the counter, Emmett.”

“I gave that to Emmett’s wife, Sara, for her birthday years ago,” Amelia said.

“Lydia said you and Sara were best friends.” And that Sara had died of cancer when the Hardell boys were still in middle school.

The coffeemaker dinged and Emmett delivered three mugs of hot brew to the table. Then he sat and engaged Amelia in a glare-down. Neither said a word. This meeting had better kick into high gear because Sadie didn’t want to leave Logan in charge of the boys for too long. She wasn’t worried about Tyler getting into mischief, but—as Logan had discovered earlier—Tommy was adventuresome.

This morning wasn’t the first time her son had wandered off. Once at preschool he’d escaped the playground through an open gate. Thankfully another parent had spotted him in the parking lot and had brought him inside. Although she hadn’t been happy with Logan’s decision to take her son to the convenience store without telling her, she gave credit where credit was due—he didn’t know about Tommy’s ADD, yet he’d had the common sense not to let her son out of his sight. If anyone was at fault, it was Sadie—she’d slept through the noise of Tommy opening all the locks on the motel room door. “Maybe I should check on the twins,” she said.

“The boys are fine.” Amelia sipped her coffee, then said, “I thought about building a town square after the motel was renovated, but I changed my mind when Walter Franklin called me.”

“You cozying up to the bank president now?” Emmett looked at Sadie. “Your great-aunt’s fortune keeps the bank’s doors open, so she thinks she has the right to stick her nose into everyone’s business.”

Amelia ignored his barb. “Walter says you’ve fallen behind on the ranch mortgage.”

Emmett’s spine snapped straight. “What are you talking about?”

“The bank is ready to foreclose on your property.”

“Walter’s got no right sharing my personal business with you.”

“He’s concerned, Emmett. He knows Sara and I were close and the three of us go way back.”

“Logan handles the ranch accounts. He hasn’t said a word to me.”

“The bank sent late-payment statements in April, May and June.”

“Logan would have said something to me if he’d gotten them.”

“Maybe he did and you forgot,” Amelia said.

Emmett glared. “You think I’m addled now?”

Sadie held her breath when her aunt leaned forward, fingers curling as if she wanted to choke him. “If I thought your brain was stuck in some mental mud, I’d suggest building a sanatorium on your property instead of a tourist attraction.”

“Why didn’t Walter come out here and tell me?”

“Don’t you remember? Walter was traveling through Europe all summer. The manager who took his place drove down from Dallas once a week and stayed only long enough to make sure the bank hadn’t burned down before leaving again.”

Emmett shook his head. “Doesn’t make sense.”

“Walter made calls on your behalf, but the bank refuses to give any concessions. You have thirty days to come up with the cash or you’ll lose the ranch,” Amelia said.

The sip of coffee Emmett gulped must have slid down the wrong pipe, because he fell into a coughing fit.

Amelia leaped from her chair and pounded his back. “Quit hacking or you’ll break your ribs.” Her aunt’s hand went from whacking to rubbing in slow circles. Emmett’s eyes drifted closed, then a moment later popped open.

“Quit slappin’ me, Mimi.”

Mimi? Where had that nickname come from? When Sadie’s grandmother was alive, she’d never called her older sister Mimi.

“This is some cockamamy plot you and Walter conjured up so you could get your hands on my land.”

Amelia sucked in a quick breath. “Don’t be an ass. I would never conspire to steal Paradise Ranch out from under you.” She sat down and lowered her voice. “I’m willing to pay off your debt.”

“There is no debt until Logan says so,” Emmett said.

“I knew you’d be stubborn—” Amelia nodded to Sadie. “That’s why my niece is here.”

“What’s she got to do with you and Walter scheming against me?”

“Sadie has an accounting degree. Let her examine the ranch books. If the bank made a mistake, she’ll find it.”

Emmett drummed his knobby fingers against the tabletop. “You aren’t offering her services out of the goodness of your heart. What’s the catch?”

“If Walter’s correct, I’ll take care of the delinquent payments.”

Emmett squinted. “In exchange for what?”

“For you agreeing to give up twenty-five acres of your property.”

His lips parted and his breath escaped his mouth in a loud whoosh. “What are you going to do with twenty-five acres?”

“I plan to build a tourist attraction that you, Logan and Gunner will manage.”

Amelia sipped her coffee and winced.

Emmett’s mouth twitched. “Too strong for you?”

Sadie’s aunt glared.

“What kind of tourist attraction?” Emmett asked.

“I want to use the acreage for trail rides and a petting zoo.”

The coffee mug halted halfway to his lips, then returned to the table in slow motion.

“Before you tell me to jump in a lake, let me explain.” Amelia held up one finger. “First, you don’t have to invest a dime of your own money. I’ll pick up the entire tab. Second—” another finger popped up “—everyone knows the land bordering the Los Lobos Ranch is useless rocky terrain, which makes it perfect for trail riding.” A third finger appeared. “A petting zoo will interest families with children.” Four fingers wiggled in front of his face. “And the attractions will bring in extra income for you and your grandsons.”

Emmett didn’t say a word and Amelia pushed harder. “Gunner and Lydia have a child on the way. Wouldn’t you like to start a college fund for them?”

Her aunt had left off the fifth reason, but Sadie could guess what it was—Amelia hoped having to cater to tourists would breathe life back into her old flame.

“What do you think?” Amelia asked.

“You know what I think. It stinks,” he said.

Her aunt crossed her arms over her chest. “Stampede would be the first town in the area to offer trail rides and a petting zoo. Rocky Point and Mesquite don’t have anything similar.”

“If you’re bored, find a new hobby and stop messing with Stampede,” he said.

“You can’t afford to be your stubborn self—not when the ranch is at stake.” Amelia drew in a deep breath. “This is a win-win situation. Paradise Ranch stays in your possession and brings in added income, and the town has a new tourist attraction.”

“What man in his right mind would agree to turn his ranch into a three-ring circus?”

Amelia’s face softened. “A man on the verge of losing what he’d hoped to keep in his family for generations to come.”

Emmett’s cheeks drooped as the reality of his situation sank in. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to let your niece have a look at the books.”

“Aunt Amelia.” Sadie jumped into the conversation. “Reviewing the finances of a large ranch will take hours or even days, and I have the boys to think about.” The twins were too much for her aunt to handle for more than a couple of hours at a time.

“We’ll figure out what to do with Tyler and Tommy later,” Amelia said.

Emmett nodded to Sadie. “Logan will have to show you where everything is. I don’t go into the office much anymore.”

It was one thing to have a grumpy old man breathing down her neck while she pored over bank statements and ledgers, and another to have a handsome man close to her age watching her every move.

Emmett got up from the table and walked outside. As soon as the door closed behind him, Amelia clapped her hands together. “That went well, don’t you think?”

“I’m not comfortable prying into Emmett’s finances.” Besides, her trip to Stampede was supposed to be a chance for her and the boys to catch their breath and spend time together while she figured out her next steps.

“Nonsense.” Amelia walked to the door. “With your experience it won’t take long to uncover the truth, and then Emmett will have no choice but to go along with my plan.”

“I apologize if I’m stepping out of line,” Sadie said. “But it’s not like you to bully someone, and Emmett doesn’t want you digging around in his private affairs.”

“I may have come on a little strong, but it’s for his own good.”

“You still have feelings for him, don’t you?”

Amelia pressed her hand over her heart. “I’ve never stopped caring for Emmett, not even when I was married to Robert.”

Back in the day, Emmett and their aunt had broken up after an argument. A few days later Uncle Robert, an oil executive, had passed through Stampede on business and had swept Amelia off her feet.

“Let’s find out what time Logan will be available to help you in the office tomorrow.”

Sadie followed her aunt out the door and they cut across the yard. The sound of laughter met their ears as they approached the barn and they paused in the doorway to take in the scene.

Emmett sat on a hay bale in a corner next to Tyler, grinning as he watched Logan trot down the center of the barn pushing a wheelbarrow with Tommy seated inside. At the end of the aisle Logan applied the brakes and her son catapulted through the air and disappeared into a gigantic pile of hay. A moment later his head popped into view and he gasped for air between giggles.

“I want a turn!” Tyler shouted.

Sadie gaped in astonishment. Tyler hadn’t smiled since Pete said his goodbyes and left town.

“Give the other young’un a turn,” Emmett said.

Her aunt stepped forward, but Sadie grasped her arm and pulled her back into the shadows, then pressed a finger against her lips.

“That was cool, Uncle Logan!” Tommy crawled out of the hay.

Logan set Tyler in the barrow and backpedaled down the aisle, then said, “Ready?”

Tyler nodded.

“Go, Tyler!” Tommy yelled when Logan took off running. Tyler flew into the hay just like his brother had, his giggles warming Sadie’s heart.

“Your turn.” Tommy yanked Emmett’s shirtsleeve.

“I’m too old for that nonsense.”

Tommy tugged harder. “It’s fun!”

Aunt Amelia’s mouth dropped open when Emmett said, “Maybe I’ll give it a try.”

“Look out, Gramps wants a turn,” Logan said.

Tyler walked over to Tommy’s side and both boys planted their hands against Emmett’s backside and pushed him forward. “Don’t be afraid, Gramps,” Tyler said. “You won’t get hurt.”

Sadie’s throat grew tight when Tyler called Emmett “Gramps.”

“You think you can push me?” Emmett asked Logan.

“Uncle Logan’s got big muscles. He can push you,” Tommy said.

Sadie’s eyes skimmed over Uncle Logan and agreed that he looked plenty strong enough.

Logan helped his grandfather climb into the wheelbarrow. Once the old man was seated with his knees pulled up to his chest, Logan spoke. “You boys want to help me push?”

Tommy stood on Logan’s right, Tyler on his left, both grasping the handle behind Logan’s grip. “On the count of three,” he said. “One...two...three!” They took off running.

“The old fool is going to break his neck,” Amelia whispered.

Emmett went flying face-first and landed with his butt sticking up in the air. The boys jumped in after him, pushing the hay away from his head.

“Was it fun?” Tommy asked.

Emmett chortled, his chest shaking. Sadie watched her aunt’s lips curve in a soft smile—she definitely had a crush on the old man.

“Give Gramps another ride!” Tommy and Tyler helped Emmett stand.

Amelia cleared her throat loudly and stepped out of the shadows.

“Busted,” Logan said.

“Mom! Did you see what Uncle Logan did? He gave us a ride in a—” Tommy looked at Logan. “What’s it called?”

“Wheelbarrow.”

Tyler ran up to Sadie. “I got to read in the hayloft.”

Sadie locked gazes with Logan. “Who knew barns could be so much fun?”

Logan’s gaze dropped to Sadie’s mouth and remained there too long to be considered a casual glance. “I better get back to work.”

“What time should Sadie return tomorrow?” Amelia asked.

Logan nodded to his grandfather. “What’s going on?”

“Amelia’s niece is gonna look over the ranch books,” Emmett said.

Sadie couldn’t be sure the shadows in the barn weren’t playing tricks with her eyes, but she swore Logan’s face grew pale. “I don’t understand.”

“I’ll explain later,” Emmett said. “When’s a good time you can help Sadie in the office?”

Logan rubbed his gloved hands down the front of his pants. “Late afternoon.”

“Can I come, Mom?” Tommy said.

“Me, too,” Tyler whispered, his eyes pleading.

“Not tomorrow, boys.” A deafening “Pleeeeease” threatened to damage her eardrums.

“I’ll watch the boys,” Emmett said.

“Gramps can play with us.” Tommy raced over to Emmett’s side.

“What are we gonna do?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t keep up with two four-year-olds,” Amelia said.

Emmett planted his knuckles on his slim hips. “I might have one foot in the grave, but I ain’t dead yet.”





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