Читать книгу The Rebel Cowboy’s Quadruplets - Tina Leonard - Страница 11

Chapter Three

Mackenzie and Justin were greeted warmly by the proprietress of The Wedding Diner, an amply shaped woman with a big smile.

“Jane Chatham,” Mackenzie said, “I’d like to introduce you to Justin Morant. He’s been helping out at my place.”

Jane’s smile widened as she swept them over to a bright white booth inside the diner. “Welcome, Justin. Those four darlings running you off your boots over there?”

He removed his hat and took the seat she indicated. “It’s a nice place.”

“Sure it is.” Jane laughed. She looked at Mackenzie with a fond smile. “I’m sure you’re happy for the help.”

“You have no idea.”

Justin felt a slow warmth steal up the back of his neck. It was just a job like any job. He rubbed his knee surreptitiously under the table, glad it wasn’t aching much today. It wouldn’t matter if Mackenzie had twelve kids—he was glad for the work.

And the chance to work for himself. Under a blue sky with no one talking to him.

“Still thinking about selling the place?” Jane asked Mackenzie, and Justin listened hard in spite of himself.

“We’ll see what happens,” Mackenzie murmured. “In the meantime, can we talk you out of some of that delicious pie I smell?” She looked at Justin, and he felt a tiny zap hit him around his chest cavity again. Really weird, because he’d never been much of a heartburn sufferer.

He told himself he’d grab some antacids later.

“You order what you like,” Mackenzie told him, “but I’m not about to pass up that blackberry pie.”

“I’ll have a slice.”

“Two, please,” Mackenzie said, and Jane ambled off with a pleased nod.

“You didn’t mention you were selling your ranch,” Justin said, so startled by the news he forgot he’d intended to mind his own business.

She nodded. “It would probably be best. It’s hard for me to keep up with on my own, to be honest, and since I’m not working, I need to keep my savings for my daughters.” She smiled. “Selling the Hanging H would mean college educations and a few other things comfortably. I’d like to not stay awake at night worrying about money.”

He cleared his throat. “Your ex doesn’t pay any child support?”

She shook her head. “Hard to squeeze blood out of a turnip, especially a turnip that stays on the move to avoid child support.”

Ouch. Justin sipped the coffee Jane brought over, glad for the dark steaming brew. He then busied himself with the flaky, rich blackberry pie, delicious enough to draw a sigh of pleasure from him if he weren’t so caught by Mackenzie’s story.

Her plans made total sense. A woman with four brand-new babies, who’d been born with some challenges, was going to need cash. A lot of cash. She was being wise, had clearly given her situation a lot of thought. It was what he’d do were he in her boots.

Seemed a shame to sell a family home, though. He thought about his childhood home, and how much it had hurt when it was gone. He and his rowdy brothers had grown up there, enjoyed the benefits of living and working on a family ranch. When his father had taken up with another woman, scandalizing the town, his mother had booted him out of the house and sold the family ranch—her right as it was the home she’d grown up in. Though his father had tried to make amends, Dana Morant was made of sterner stuff. She’d taken her boys to Montana to be near her sister, and life had changed forever. Mainly for the better but always with the lingering shadows of what might have been. Jensen Morant now lived on a thousand acres of rich Montana ranchland. Justin didn’t go near the place.

He looked at Mackenzie’s soft hair and gentle smile.

“You were way far away,” she said.

He took another bite of pie, sipped his coffee. “Let me know what I can do to help.”

“You have already. I can put the ranch on the market now, thanks to the wonderful shape you’re getting it in. I really appreciate it.”

A sudden pound on his back had him looking over his shoulder. “Ty!”

“Me in the flesh.” Ty slapped him on the back again and nodded at Mackenzie. “Jade told me I’d find this devil here.”

“I have things to discuss with you, Ty,” Mackenzie said, and he grinned.

“You can thank me later for sending you this guy,” Ty said.

“That’s just it,” Mackenzie said. “You really shouldn’t have.”

“Getting attached to him?” Ty teased, and Justin decided the conversation had gone far enough.

“Join us,” Justin said.

“No. No time.” Ty looked at him. “I’m in town for one thing and one thing only. And that’s to help you back to the rodeo circuit.”

Justin frowned. “How am I going to do that? I’m a bit physically challenged at the moment.”

“In a different capacity than riding,” Ty said. “You and I are going to travel the country recruiting talent.”

“Talent for what?” Justin didn’t like the idea of that at all. Correction: once upon a time he might have jumped on it enthusiastically. Traveling the country with one of his best buddies, seeing his friends on the rodeo circuit, giving back to the sport he loved so much—dream-come-true stuff.

His gaze slid to Mackenzie, who watched him with gently smiling eyes as she listened to Ty go on and on with his plans. Justin couldn’t work up the same excitement.

He felt like he had plenty to do here in Bridesmaids Creek that was important. Mackenzie smiled at him, a slow, sweet smile. Her big eyes were looking at him, so trusting, and that heartburn he’d been experiencing felt more like his heart was melting into a big soupy puddle.

Dang. This was new. Different.

Maybe hitting the road with Ty was the right idea.

He looked at his friend. “Why don’t you stop by the house later and tell me about this harebrained plan of yours?”

Ty looked at Mackenzie. “Would you mind? I know you’ve got a lot going on over there.”

“You’re welcome anytime.” Mackenzie got up. “Just know that if you take my cowboy, who has become indispensable to me, I’m going to offer you up as a candidate for the Best Man’s Fork run. All in the name of charity, of course.” She winked at Justin. “I’m going to talk to Jane for a moment.”

She headed toward Jane at the cash register. Ty studied his friend.

“You’ve got the strangest look on your face,” Ty said as Justin returned his gaze to Mackenzie. He just couldn’t seem to get enough of looking at her. “I’d say you have indigestion, except you’re smiling.”

Justin relaxed his mouth so the smile would disappear. He had been smiling, because his muscles ached a bit. Like he’d been smiling a long time—watching Mackenzie walk and chatter with some friends who came over to talk to her.

“I’m not smiling, but I may have indigestion.”

Ty snorted. “I see what’s going on here.”

“Do you.” He made the comment as flat as possible. His buddy’s opinion didn’t really matter. Ty had no idea what was going on, because Justin had no idea.

“You’re tired,” Ty said. “Being around those babies and that falling-down farm has worn you out. You better hit the road with me. You’ll be back to your old self in no time.”

“What was my old self?”

Ty put his hat on, prepared to leave, which was fine with Justin. Then he could go back to surreptitiously staring at Mackenzie. “Grumpy, cranky, annoying.”

Justin grunted. “Thought that was you.”

“Not me.” He peered at Justin. “I really hope this wasn’t too much for you, old buddy. I didn’t mean to bring you down. Figured some time in a small town with a real job would do you good.”

Justin put his hat on, too, because if he didn’t get out of there, people were going to notice that he couldn’t stop staring at his beautiful boss. “That’s what you get for thinking. See you at the house. Don’t get there too soon. I’m taking the boss lady shopping.”

Ty stared at him, stunned. “What’s happened to you?” he whispered. “You’re a shadow of your former self!”

Well, that was a question he didn’t care to ponder too much. Mackenzie came to stand beside him, smiling up into his face, and his poor stupid heart felt like it took the final dive into his stomach.

What had happened to him, indeed.

Mackenzie and four babies were happening to him, and they were going to require a great deal of consideration. This was a bad idea, this tiny woman with the big eyes and her sweet family. A very bad idea, because he wasn’t a family man; he wasn’t a staying man.

“You ready?” he asked Mackenzie, and she nodded.

“If you’re not going to chicken out,” she teased.

Oh, he might. He was thinking about it. Thinking about it hard.

But something told him he probably wouldn’t.

* * *

FOUR HOURS LATER, when Ty stopped by the house, Mackenzie wondered what her old friend was really up to. Ty had sent Justin to her, now he wanted him to hit the road?

It all seemed very convenient. As if Justin might have conned his buddy into helping him escape the Hanging H with a good reason.

“Anyway,” Ty said as the three of them sat at the wide wooden kitchen table, “the reason I stopped by is to get a game plan going with Mackenzie.”

“Game plan?” Mackenzie glanced at Justin. If Justin had been part of Ty’s game plan, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know what the next play was.

“I wouldn’t leave you here without backup,” Ty said. “I know that in spite of his knee—”

“My knee’s fine,” Justin said, clearly annoyed.

Mackenzie glanced at him. Occasionally she saw Justin favor his knee, but it did seem as if he’d been limping less since he’d arrived at the Hanging H. The doctor in town had given him a soft knee brace, which he wore without hesitation. Now there were days when Justin walked like he wasn’t in any discomfort at all.

“I know your knee’s getting better,” Ty said. “I’m just saying that in spite of your knee, you’ve been a big help here. I can see a lot of improvement.” Ty shook his head. “Still, I wouldn’t leave Mackenzie in the lurch, so I was wondering if you mind, Mackenzie, if I swap cowboys on you.”

Mackenzie hesitated. “Swap cowboys?”

“Replace Justin, in a manner of speaking,” Ty said. His words ceased entirely when the kitchen door opened and Jade walked in.

“Howdy,” Ty said. He stood up to greet the tall, sexy redhead, removing his hat for a moment. “Jade Harper, long time, no see...and clearly I’ve been missing out.”

Jade laughed. “No sweet talk from you, Ty.” She gave him a hug and he might have tried to pinch her bottom, but Jade was too fast for him. “Hi, Justin. Mackenzie, who are the three hunky guys who just pulled up in the black truck outside?”

Mackenzie got up to look out the window.

“That’s the game plan,” Ty said with a glance at Justin. “I don’t want you to miss my buddy Justin when I take him with me, so I thought I’d trade you, three for one.”

“Wow,” Jade said. “Grab this deal, is my advice, Mackenzie.” She laughed at Justin’s smirk.

“Ty, I don’t know if I need three—” Mackenzie began.

“You need help out here,” Ty said.

Justin didn’t say anything, and a bit of unease began to hit Mackenzie. Did he want to leave? Maybe he’d told Ty that he wanted to. She looked at his face, hazel eyes giving away nothing, his dark hair awry as he ran a hand through it. He looked distinctly uncomfortable.

As Ty had noted, Justin’s knee was better—not well enough to ride or run a fast race, maybe, but better—and the last place he wanted to be was stuck here with her and four little baby girls.

“I’ll get that,” Mackenzie said when knocking erupted on the front door. “Might as well give the candidates a grand tour, let them know what they’re getting themselves into.”

Justin glanced at her, his eyes widening like he was surprised by her comment. She went through the den, checking the babies quickly—still sound asleep, as was Mrs. Harper in the corner chair—and opened the front door.

Whoa. So much testosterone, so many muscles. “Hi,” Mackenzie said, a little startled by all the masculinity crowded on the front porch.

They took off their hats.

“Ty sent us,” the tallest one said with a rascally grin. “He said the Haunted H was looking for help to get ready for the county’s biggest haunted house and pumpkin patch for miles around.”

Mackenzie blinked. What had Ty meant by that? She was selling the place, not going back into business.

“Hello, fellows,” Justin said from behind her. “If you’re looking for Ty, you’ll find him in the side paddock.”

“Thanks.”

They tipped their hats to Mackenzie and left the porch. Mackenzie turned to look at Justin.

“I don’t want to get in the middle of things,” Justin said, “but if you want me to leave, just say the word.”

“I don’t want you to leave.” That was the last thing she wanted. “Do you want to go?”

“No. Not if you don’t want me to.” He shrugged as if he could go either way, whatever she decided. Still, she had the feeling her answers mattered. “I’m not going to say that I know everything about your town or your ranch. But so far things have been working pretty smooth. Or at least I thought they were.”

“Ty seems to think he needs you with him.” Mackenzie stepped off the porch.

“I’ll make that decision.” Justin followed her. “Or you will.”

Something about this whole thing felt like a setup. Ty’s story to the three hunks who’d come riding into town in their big black pickup, that she needed to restart the old family business, felt fishy. Never had she mentioned breathing life back into the haunted house to anyone. It was a dream she’d kept buried, knowing it wasn’t practical. She couldn’t run that kind of people-intensive business herself, and especially not with four newborns. The small remaining funds she had needed to go into their care—not the vague hope of bringing back the Haunted H.

And yet she had to admit restoring all her family traditions would be a wonderful way to raise her girls. She had had a storied childhood, full of wonder and magic and fairy tales.

But for a fairy tale, one needed a prince.

She looked at the five men leaning against the corral, studying her, waiting for something, some signal. Big, strong, handsome men. They all had rugged appeal, Justin most of all, in her opinion.

A prince had no reason to stay in Bridesmaids Creek—not unless there was a quest, something to make him stay and fight.

“So, Ty,” Mackenzie said slowly as Jade came to put her arm through hers for support, “maybe you’d like to explain why you’re offering me three cowboys for the price of the one I’ve already got?”