Читать книгу Cowboy Daddy - Angel Smits - Страница 14

CHAPTER SIX

AMANDA COULD TELL she was getting better. Today she was bored and itched for something to do. Thanks to Tara and Juanita and half a dozen helpful cowboys, she’d gotten plenty of rest.

Fortunately, the maternity leave from her job as office manager for one of Dallas’s largest Realtor offices gave her plenty of time to recuperate and be with Lucas. She missed the pace, the purpose and structure of the office, but she wasn’t ready to face the prospect of putting Lucas in day care. The very idea gave her hives.

Still, she was going stir-crazy sitting around waiting for—for what? For nothing. That was the problem.

No one would let her help in case it tired her out. Juanita didn’t need or really want her help in the kitchen. Besides, if she ever required help cooking, Tara the “cook du jour” was around, except for the three days a week when she worked at a small diner in town.

And Amanda didn’t know much about horses, except how to enjoy riding them. And cattle? They scared her half to death. She didn’t want to go near them, much less work with them.

Since Lucas was asleep after a fitful night, Amanda knew she should get more rest, but pent-up energy kept her roaming the house. Sleep wouldn’t come anyway.

She ended up in the front room where she and Lane had talked the other night. Lane’s words came back to her and she nearly left—until she saw Wyatt sitting at the massive desk, his back to her.

The huge picture window on the far wall provided a lovely view of the ranch and, while it looked as if he were enjoying that view, she knew better. He was too busy mumbling curses.

“Problems, brother dear?”

“Yes. No. I hate technology.” He hit a key on the computer’s keyboard with just a bit too much force, filling the room with a loud click.

She moved closer and peered over the piles of papers lined up on the desktop. “You still use the hunt and peck method?”

“Hey, it works fine,” he said defensively and punched out another word.

“Uh-huh.” She picked up a few sheets of paper and automatically straightened them. “I thought you were going to town today.”

“I was.” He didn’t elaborate.

Amanda might not be the closest in age to Wyatt, but she’d learned long ago to read all of her siblings. Serious frustration blanketed his face.

“And?” she prompted, perching a hip on the only clear spot on the desk.

He leaned back, and this time he at least looked up at the beautiful view stretched out in front of him. “I love running this business, but this—” He waved at the desk and piles of paperwork. “Not so much.” He sighed.

Amanda bit her lip as an idea occurred to her. Should she? This was Wyatt, her big brother. The one always in charge. She took a deep breath. “You know, I run a large office for Mark and Tim. I could easily help you around here.”

Even before she finished, he was shaking his head. “You’re here to recuperate, not work.”

She laughed. “This is nothing compared to the amount of work I do there. And I’m about ready to go crazy, Wyatt. I need something to do.”

“What about Lucas?”

“What about him? I can run—well, not run so much—but go down the hall if there’s a problem. His swing will fit right...” She turned. “There.” She pointed to the open spot by the fireplace. “It’s not like you would make me punch a time clock.”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, come on.” She stood and walked to stand beside the big leather desk chair. “Wouldn’t you rather be out there helping the men? Communing with nature?”

“Laying it on a bit thick, don’t you think? Communing with nature?” He looked up at her with an arched brow.

“Okay, okay. I work with salesmen. What can I say?” When he remained quiet, she pushed on. “Come on. Let me help.”

“It’s tempting.” He leaned back in his chair. “You won’t like my filing system.”

“What filing system?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, I can create one for you. I know the business and how you think.”

Wyatt rose to his feet, towering over her. “You actually like doing this kind of stuff?” He glared at the disastrous desk.

“I don’t hate it.” She shrugged. “And I’m good at it.”

“I dunno.” He crossed his arms, one hand rubbing his chin.

“Oh, for God’s sake, I’m offering. I won’t beg.”

Wyatt laughed. “Hey, I’m in favor of it. I’m just trying to figure out the downside. I’m not sure how Addie or Tara will react.”

Amanda rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re afraid of our sisters?”

“I wouldn’t say afraid. Mindful...yeah, that’s it.”

“Oh, please.” She couldn’t help but laugh. “Say yes. Then go to town and have dinner with Emily. You know that’s what you want to do.”

“I still don’t know—”

“Go!” She pushed him toward the door. “Besides, this will endear me to my future sister-in-law.”

“Who told you?”

“Ah-ha! Gotcha.”

Wyatt cursed and Amanda laughed. “There are no secrets in this family. You know that.” She gave him another gentle shove. “Give me the job and go.”

“Okay, okay.” He walked to the doorway, then stopped and turned back. “If you find it too much, you better ’fess up.”

“One rancher cannot be nearly as much work as six Realtors, believe me. Now go.” She pointed to the front door.

Wyatt didn’t have to be told again. He headed out to his truck and was gone without looking back.

Was he really going to pop the question to Emily? It had been only nine months since they’d lost Mom. How long had he known Emily? Six months? Was that long enough? Amanda shook her head. Who was she to question love’s timeline. She’d known from that first night on Haymaker’s beach that Lane was special, that he was someone she wanted in her life.

In high school, the attraction between them had been so hot that she’d wondered how they hadn’t set half the prairie on fire. That night, the summer after her senior year, in the hay loft, she’d given him her virginity and her heart.

He’d been as drawn to her as she was to him, but nothing seemed to stick. Time. School. Life. It all got in between.

Then Mom had died.

That night seemed so very long ago, yet the pain of losing her mother was as real as yesterday. Closing her eyes, she imagined the warm comfort of Lane’s arms.

It had been as if nothing had changed since high school. The heat was back, strong and intense. She’d thought—foolishly—that he’d felt the same, but she’d been wrong and had no idea what to do about it now.

Forcing her mind from that pain, Amanda wandered to Wyatt’s overloaded desk and her fingers itched. How did he stand this mess? And how could he possibly know if he had everything done—and correctly?

She glanced at the mantel clock. Lucas had just fallen asleep. She had at least a couple of hours before he needed to be fed again, and Wyatt was gone for the rest of the day.

Feeling a sense of purpose she hadn’t felt in months, since she’d found out about the baby and gotten so caught up and worried about her future as a single mom, she scooted behind the massive desk and sat down on the thick leather chair. It groaned softly, as if to say, “Who are you? I don’t recognize your backside.”

She was surprised to find two more stacks of papers on the floor at her feet. Was Wyatt crazy? But there was no other place to put them, so they’d have to stay where they were.

After getting her bearings at the desk, she took a look around the room. Hidden behind the open French door was a tall file cabinet. Dread had her opening the top drawer slowly, and then the resulting relief made her laugh out loud. The top two drawers had a few files but were otherwise empty. The whole thing rattled, and sure enough when she opened the bottom two drawers they were empty.

Unfortunately, the cabinet didn’t even have the tools to put everything in order. A little more rummaging and she found a blank notepad and a working pen.

She started a list of office supplies to have Chet pick up on his next run into town. Wyatt might see her as the pesky little sister, but she needed something to do to earn her keep around here, and Wyatt definitely needed an assistant. This was going to work—it was a win-win.

Sitting back in the chair, she swiveled around to gaze out at the yard and ranchland beyond the wraparound porch. She couldn’t believe this amazing view didn’t distract Wyatt. The pretty green color of the land and the trees that were eons old, the hills and valleys beyond.

Horses and cattle dotted the grasses in the distance. The silhouettes of the men at work were distant, yet from here she knew exactly which one was Lane’s. He sat taller in the saddle than the others.

She didn’t know how long she watched them, fascinated by the rhythm of their work and the cohesiveness of their movements. When one small calf took off across the thick grasses, Lane was there, low over Midnight’s neck to steer the little one back to its mama and the rest of the herd. And then the whole lot of them were gone over the ridge, the cloud of dust sent up by all the hooves the only sign they had ever been there.

Why had a sense of loneliness slipped over her? Damn Lane. Though she saw him every day at meals and like this, across the ranch, she didn’t feel as though he was really here. Was that how he wanted her to feel?

The sound of a tiny whimper came from down the hall. She glanced at the clock, surprised that the afternoon was nearly gone. Juanita would be here soon to set up dinner. Thankful for a reprieve from her thoughts, she shut everything down for the day. She had tomorrow to look forward to.

And a son to feed. She smiled. She had Lucas. And though she probably still shouldn’t lift, she couldn’t resist carefully picking up her baby boy. As she passed the flight of stairs that led to the second floor, she cringed. Her doctor had given her the okay to climb stairs, but she’d try those later. Much later.

Not surprisingly, Juanita came in just as Amanda settled in the wooden captain’s chair with Lucas in her arms, a bottle to his greedy little lips.

“My, he’s hungry today.” Juanita leaned in to softly stroke the baby’s head. “You going to keep me company while I work?”

“I’ll help if I can.”

“Just enjoy your little one and we can chat.” Juanita pulled off her jacket and hung it by the door before launching into stories of her own four boys, now grown and out of the house.

An hour later, Lucas was in his baby swing, watching the world with a newborn’s curiosity while Amanda helped Juanita dish up all the food. Heavy pounding footsteps sounded on the back porch and Amanda’s pulse jumped. She should be pleased that Lane barely noticed her these days. It would make leaving easier when the time came.

Amanda wasn’t watching for Lane. Really, she wasn’t. But when he came in, it was as if the rest of the world receded. Their eyes met and his gaze held hers, almost too long.

He looked dirty, tired and as good as ever. She hastily tore away her gaze and went back to helping Juanita. If she didn’t, she was afraid what the others would think or do or say.

His private rejection was bad enough. She couldn’t face a public one.

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