Page 58 of One Lucky Cowboy

“Sorry. And it’s not all about you, you know. Either way, I’ll be bringing her home.” Jill’s voice was soft enough to slip through the defense he’d put up. He swallowed the feelings it drummed up.

“Saw that coming a mile away. I’ll warn Bennett he might not see his pup for a while. Because make no mistake, we Marshalls might be rough around the edges, but we’re loyal. Gander will follow where Lily goes, I’m sure.”

His chair screeched when he pushed it back against the cheap linoleum. The CAF was in a week, and they’d barely spoken in as long. Would they be able to keep both businesses afloat the way things were going?

One thing was for sure—he needed to get out of here now, the consequences be damned.

“Our meeting anything that can’t be handled in an email?”

She frowned but shook her head.

“Good. I’ll send you times I can be available for the local machinery drop off and what we need to coordinate to make sure this goes off without a hitch. Because no, this isn’t my dream—it’s my brother’s, Maggie’s, and yours. But I’ll be damned if I mess it up for you.”

He spun on his boot heels but turned back just before the door.

“You know, I’m not some hick off the street. I might have chosen a different life for myself, but I stood by my family when they needed me. And I’m doing the same thing now. So don’t go thinking you’re better than me because you work hard. I’m good at what I do, and I’ll be as professional as I need to be until my brother can replace me. Until then, let’s just find a way to work together that doesn’t leave one or both of us wishing we could hop a shuttle to Mars, okay?”

Again, she nodded but didn’t say anything.

“I’ll send Lily on home. Have a good day, Jill Henley.”

He strode out, regret close on his heels. Ranching may not be the life he’d dreamed for himself, but sure as hell he would do whatever it took to take care of the son who’d just walked into his life.

Maybe then he could stop disappointing everyone, including himself.

Chapter Eight

Jill had gone to the Deer Creek Public Library to work for two reasons. One, she wouldn’t have to watch Gander and Lily canoodle at Maggie and Bennett’s feet while they canoodled each other. Jill could only contain so much jealousy at the rest of the town’s good fortune. Fortune that seemed determined to allude her.

The second reason was because the afternoon light streamed through the stained-glass skylight, sending colors cascading down around her. It was one of about a dozen gems she’d discovered around town. Between the boutique cowgirl shop on Third Street that made Jill feel like she’d died and gone to fashion heaven, the convention center where the CAF would be held—a historic building with old-school Texas charm in every brick—and the high school engineering teacher who’d met with Jill twice to discuss the internship both women were equally excited about, there wasn’t much not to love about this town.

Mae’s obviously topped the list; Jill had even swung by there on the way to the library to see if Mayor of Deer Creek Gossip had heard anything about her handsome but elusive neighbor.

Nothing.

And now she wasn’t even working. If Mae didn’t know anything about Jax, no one did. Distraction won over. Jill dipped into the courtyard and dialed Maggie on video chat.

“Hey! Where are you? I don’t see any movement at your house, and I was starting to get worried. Is the work overwhelming you?”

“No. I’m good there. I just came to the library for a change of scene. Got a second?”

“Of course. Bennett’s grocery shopping, and I’m so bored. Give me all the dirt.”

She started with Gander and Jax’s disappearance, then dove into work stuff that was relatively benign.

“Okay. I’m confused. You mean to tell me your dog is knocked up by one dog but being cared for by another, my brother-in-law is missing, and my baler motor shipment is late?” Maggie asked.

Jill’s jaw twitched at my.

“That sums it all up. I’ve tried to fix the last one. I’ll keep you posted, but there’s nothing I can do about the rest and I’m going nuts trying to anyway.”

“Wow. Sorry, hon.”

“It’s fine.”

Jill stared across the courtyard. A bird hopped in search of something—food, perhaps? Jill felt like she’d been aimlessly wandering herself since she’d arrived in Deer Creek, but in a way that made her feel less lost and more like she was simply finding her own rhythm.

But now, with her faults listed out loud, she wasn’t sure what to do. Lily was one thing—the vet confirmed she was due later that week and that Gander latching on meant he’d be a good stepfather of sorts to the puppies. Never mind that meant her puppy now had a permanent follower at her ankles.

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