Twins for the Rancher

by Trish Milburn

  “You’re welcome. I doubt you have any more trouble from them, but if you do let me know. We’ve got enough Hartleys to form a posse.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think we have to go full-on Old West.” She had her door open in the next breath, then stepped out. “Good night, Adam.”

  “Good night, Lauren.”

  He didn’t move until he was sure she was safely inside. It wasn’t until he was halfway home that he realized he’d been replaying how his name sounded when she said it. And that he’d been imagining her standing much closer to him, looking up into his eyes with the type of interest that had nothing to do with business contracts.

  Yep, he was up crazy creek without a paddle.

  Chapter Five

  As Lauren stepped into the lobby of the inn, she was startled to come face-to-face with Papa Ed. He nodded toward the door, and quite possibly where Adam still was to make sure she got inside safely.

  “Who was that?”

  “One of the vendors I met earlier in the week. I took a walk through the downtown area, and he gave me a lift back up here.”

  “That was nice of him.” There was no mistaking the tone of her grandfather’s voice. It was much more a question than a statement of fact. But she wasn’t about to tell him what had happened to precipitate the front-door drop-off.

  “Yeah. You were right. People are nice here.” With the exception of the two guys who were now hopefully either spending the night in the drunk tank, or were at least in need of a ride of their own because the sheriff had taken their keys away.

  Papa Ed gave her one of his looks that said he knew there was more to the story and if he just watched her long enough she’d reveal all. She pretended she didn’t notice and instead nodded at the package of little chocolate doughnuts in his hand.

  “Munchies?”

  He lifted the package and looked at it, then lowered it again as if disappointed in himself. “I know it’s not fine eating, but they’re a guilty pleasure.”

  “Plus you already ate all the snacks I brought along.”

  “It’s your fault. If they weren’t so good, there’d be plenty left.”

  She smiled and laughed a little. “And I wouldn’t have the career I do.”

  “True. But at least those little girls give me plenty of ways to stay active and keep the weight at bay.”

  “Speaking of, I better go relieve Mom. I was gone longer than I anticipated.”

  “Any particular reason why?”

  She’d opened herself back up to the questioning she’d managed to divert him from, dang it. Might as well tell the truth—at least the nonscary part of it.

  “I wanted to walk along Main Street when there weren’t a lot of people around, and I ended up stopping by the music hall. Thought it was a good idea to start meeting other local business owners. I did meet the owner of the local bakery, Keri Teague, and we talked longer than I planned to be gone.”

  No need to mention the dancing with Tim or how she’d headed to the bar in order to say hello to Adam, or how the night could have come to a very different end were it not for his fortuitous timing. She barely controlled a shiver down her spine at that train of thought.

  “So, your chauffeur back—he the one you said was a little too full of himself, or the one who helped you move the furniture?”

  Evidently Violet had spilled the details Lauren had shared with her during one of their phone calls.

  “Furniture.”

  “Hmm, he is a nice guy.”

  Thankfully, Lauren yawned then, and she hadn’t even resorted to faking it. Her long day was catching up with her.

  “I need to hit the hay. I have an early meeting with an electrician in the morning.”

  Papa Ed and his processed snack accompanied her down the hall. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before opening the door to her room. By the quiet that greeted her, she knew the girls were already asleep. Her mom was sitting in bed wearing her pajamas and reading the latest mystery in a series she liked about a baker who solved crimes. Lauren always found it odd that a baker happened upon so many dead bodies.

  Lauren eased her way over to the crib and her heart filled at the sight that greeted her. Harper and Bethany were sound asleep with their little hands touching. She couldn’t imagine it being possible to love another human more than she loved her babies. She longed to kiss them both, but she didn’t want to risk waking them—especially in a hotel room where the other occupants might not be thrilled with the sound of crying infants.

  When she turned away from the temptation of snuggling the girls, she said, “Sorry I was gone so long.”

  “It’s no problem, hon. See anything interesting?”

  Adam Hartley.

  In another life, maybe.

  “Some nice shops downtown I’ll explore when I have some time.” She almost laughed at the idea of having free time before giving her mom the same version of events at the music hall that she’d given Papa Ed.

  “Sounds as if Dad might be trying to edge you back into the dating game.”

  Surprised by her mom’s assessment, Lauren looked over at her. “Why would he do that? He knows men aren’t high on my favorites list right now.”

  “He believes people shouldn’t go through life alone. He did the same thing to me a couple of years after your father died. It took Dad a long time to realize I wasn’t interested in dating again. I had my girls, my teaching career, a life that was satisfying if, admittedly, sometimes a little lonely.”

  Lauren’s heart squeezed. Her mom hadn’t ever admitted to that loneliness before.

  “But what happened to me wasn’t the same thing. Dad didn’t choose to leave you.” It had been an accident on an icy road, not anyone’s fault unless you chose to blame Mother Nature or God.

  “I think Dad felt guilty, or maybe just sad, that what your father and I had was cut short while he and Mom were happy all through their long marriage. He was happy and so he wanted everyone around him to be happy, too.”

  The pain Papa Ed must be going through without Nana Gloria hit Lauren anew. Still, she couldn’t imagine her grandfather thinking she’d be the least bit interested in a new relationship, even a casual one. When would she even have time for such a thing?

  And yet there was that little flicker of attraction that had led her to the bar in search of Adam Hartley. How did she explain that? Maybe it was possible to still feel physical attraction without wanting anything to come from it. If she was being honest, she didn’t know how a woman couldn’t be at least somewhat attracted to Adam. Based on her few interactions with him, he was a very pleasing blend of handsome, kind, helpful and dedicated to family and honest work. That was a difficult cocktail to not want to drink in one delicious gulp. Not that she had much opportunity for cocktails these days, either.

  “Considering everything, I’m happier than people might expect. Who could complain when they have an awesome job, a great family and two beautiful, healthy baby girls?” And if she sometimes felt lonely while lying alone in her bed, it was a small price to pay for all the other positive things in her life.

  “I might seem a hypocrite for saying this, but don’t rule out having more when you’re ready. Contrary to what Dad may think, I didn’t. I just never met anyone else I could imagine spending my life with. I suppose I still could, but I stopped thinking that way quite some time ago. But you’re still young.”

  “With two babies. Most guys aren’t into instant family.”

  “Maybe not, but someone might surprise you.”

  That would be a surprise indeed. But then she thought about the look on Adam’s face when he talked about his family, about his nieces and nephews. Maybe guys who didn’t mind being around other people’s kids did exist, but it would have to be a special man indeed to make her willing to take a chance again. He might have to b
e miraculous.

  * * *

  INSTEAD OF TURNING right out of the inn’s parking lot, Adam drove back down into the main part of town. There was no sign of either of the guys who’d frightened Lauren in front of the music hall anymore—or law enforcement for that matter. So he headed toward the sheriff’s office, intent on making sure those two didn’t pose a threat to Lauren or anyone else. Though he’d wanted to teach them a lesson they wouldn’t forget, he’d had enough sense to know he was outnumbered. If only his brothers had been with him. He wasn’t by nature a violent person, but he’d seen bright red when he’d realized what was happening when he stepped outside the music hall. Thank God he’d left when he had. It didn’t escape him that Lauren—or rather his reaction to seeing her with Tim—was what had made him decide to vacate the premises.

  As he cruised up to the sheriff’s office, he spotted Simon coming out of the building. When he pulled in next to the sheriff, he rolled down his window.

  “Please tell me those idiots are sleeping it off in a cell tonight.”

  Simon crossed his arms. “I’ll do you one better. They managed to get themselves arrested. The bigger fella decided it might be fun to take a swing at me. I disavowed him of that notion.”

  Adam smiled wide. “You just made my night.”

  “Any reason you’re extra interested in them?”

  “When I came out of the building, they were about to attack Lauren Shayne.”

  The look on Simon’s face hardened. “I should talk to her.”

  Adam instinctually shook his head. “They never touched her, just scared the living daylights out of her. But it looked like it was about to go further when I intervened. Honestly, I was probably about to get my ass kicked, but some other people came out before anything happened.”

  “So I get the impression Miss Shayne doesn’t want to be involved any further in this?”

  “No.” She hadn’t actually said that out loud, but he’d somehow managed to read that in her body language. She’d only wanted to leave. “I just wanted to make sure they wouldn’t be a problem anymore, for anyone.”

  It wasn’t only about Lauren. His sisters sometimes had a night out at the music hall. Also female friends, tourists and barrel racers in town for the regular rodeos.

  “I suspect when they sober up, they’ll make bail and go back to Johnsonville and choose to party elsewhere next time around.”

  “Good.”

  “So, you already making a move on the pretty baker lady? Got to say from experience that being with a woman that good with desserts is not a bad bonus.”

  “No, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help her out.”

  “Her knight in shining armor, huh?”

  Adam rolled his eyes. “Good night, Simon,” he said, then drove away.

  As he passed by the inn, he glanced over as if he might catch a glimpse of Lauren. But he doubted after her experience with the drunks that she’d step foot back outside until the sun was well above the horizon.

  And when that time came, he needed to be hard at work doing anything but thinking about how he’d been wishing she was dancing with him instead of his biggest rival.

  * * *

  LAUREN DIDN’T THINK she’d ever been so happy to see a sunrise, despite the fact her night had been filled with some of the worst, most interrupted sleep ever. If she wasn’t having nightmares about what could have happened outside the music hall if Adam hadn’t shown up when he had, she was being awakened—likely along with everyone else in the hotel—by not one but both of the girls crying. It seemed her precious girls were similar in more ways than one, including when they were upset by hunger, wet diapers or the pains of teething. The challenge was trying to get them to stop crying at the same time. Neither seemed to want to be first in that regard. At home it was one thing, but knowing their upset was bothering other people trying to get a good night’s sleep frayed Lauren’s nerves. Keeping a hotel full of people awake wasn’t the best way to win friends and future customers.

  When her mom came out of the bathroom, she looked as worn out as Lauren felt.

  “Pardon me for saying this,” Lauren said, keeping quiet since the girls were actually sleeping peacefully now, “but it doesn’t look as if the shower helped much.”

  Her mom rubbed her hand over her face. “It’s been a few years since I’ve had babies crying their lungs out, and I only had one at a time. You, my dear, are a saint.”

  She didn’t feel like a saint. More like exhausted before the day even started.

  “I hate to leave you here with them again today.”

  Her mom waved off her concern. “I’ll let them sleep now, then we’ll come down to visit later. Dad and I can lend a hand if you’ll let us.”

  “Normally, I’d say I’m good, but today I may take you up on it.” Though it might be nice just to have the quiet and solitude for a few hours. She loved her girls more than life itself, but she’d bet every cent she had that there wasn’t a mother alive who didn’t want to run away from her children for a little bit every now and then.

  Though when she arrived at the restaurant building a few minutes later, she didn’t immediately get out of her car. Instead, she fought an uncharacteristic wave of anxiety. What if those guys were inside waiting on her to finish what they’d started? She thought about Adam’s business card in her wallet and considered texting him to see if he knew what had happened to the men after they left. But why would he? He’d been going home after he dropped her off, and it wasn’t as if the drunks had actually attacked either of them. Thus, no need to have further contact with the sheriff’s department.

  Taking a deep breath, she told herself that the faster she got in that building and to work, the sooner she and her family could go home. And the thought of letting any other man halt her forward progress sent enough anger through her that it propelled her out of the car and into the blessedly empty building.

  She did lock the door behind her this time, but keeping out anyone who could just wander in made sense. Despite her lack of sleep, she managed to get some of the windows cleaned before the electrician arrived. By the time he finished his inspection, however, she was back to wondering what she’d gotten herself into. It was going to take more work to bring things up to code than she’d hoped. The news knocked what little energy she’d mustered right out of her. After the electrician left, she sank onto an old metal bench outside the front door and dropped her head into her hands.

  She didn’t look up until she heard footsteps approaching. The shot of fear was quickly replaced when she noticed her visitor was Adam. Again, he’d arrived on foot.

  “Don’t tell me you hit another deer,” she said.

  “No.” He motioned diagonally across the street to the Shop Mart. “Coming back from Austin. I had to stop and get a couple of things for my dad.”

  She recognized his truck at the edge of the other lot.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he sank onto the identical bench on the opposite side of the front walkway from her. “Excuse me for saying so, but you look as if you didn’t sleep last night.”

  “That’s because I didn’t, not much anyway.”

  “Maybe you should take a day off.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t have the time.”

  “Then how about some help? What do you need?”

  “Adam, you’ve already helped me more than anybody in town.” She hadn’t consciously realized just how much until she said it out loud. “I’m sure you have your own work to do.”

  “Not so much that I can’t spare a few hours.”

  “I wouldn’t feel right—”

  He held up a hand. “You’re not going to win this argument, so you might as well put me to work.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “And here everyone has been telling me you’re a nice guy, but you’ve got a bo
ssy streak.”

  He smiled, and she tried to pretend she hadn’t felt a flutter in her middle.

  Lauren gave up. And if she admitted the truth, she liked having him around. Though he caused her to have unexpected reactions, he was also easy to be around. With each interaction, she was beginning to believe more and more that everyone who said he was a genuinely nice guy was telling the truth. He’d given her no reason to believe otherwise. As long as she didn’t allow herself to admire him too much, she’d be okay.

  “So, do you do windows?” she asked.

  Lauren couldn’t believe how much quicker her work progressed with just one extra set of hands. And though she’d still had the same pitiful amount of sleep, having Adam there to talk to made her feel more awake. Granted, that could be the bit of adrenaline still zinging its way through her body after they’d nearly bumped into each other and he’d instinctively placed his hand on her bare arm to steady her. It had been nothing more than a brief touch, and yet she’d swear in a court of law she could still feel his strong, warm fingers against her flesh.

  She glanced up to where he stood on the ladder, washing the windows up high. Well, he was supposed to be washing them. It appeared that he was instead writing in the accumulated dust with his finger.

  “What are you doing?”

  Instead of answering, he shot her a mischievous grin. She pictured a little-boy version of him smiling that same way after some naughty misadventure.

  Lauren took a few steps back in order to read what he’d written. I should get free meals for life for doing this. Including dessert.

  “I don’t know. That would depend on how long you’re planning on living. What’s the longevity like in your family?”

  His smile dimmed, and she felt like kicking herself. Life and death wasn’t something to joke about, especially when there was the possibility of loss associated with the subject. She ought to know that from experience.

  “I’m sorry.” She wasn’t even sure how to articulate the rest of what she was thinking.

  “It’s okay. I’m adopted so my parents’ genetics don’t have any bearing on mine.”