Page 73 of One Lucky Cowboy

“Um, yeah. Quite a few. We’ve got a few hundred head of cattle—cows,” he added in case Ren wasn’t familiar with the term. “This barn houses about a third of the horses, and the north fields have the other two thirds we use to go on cattle drives.”

“Whoa. You mean you really ride horses and chase cows like in Yellowstone?”

Jax chuckled. “Yeah, without the rivalry or bloodshed, though. Just regular old ranching.”

“So cool.”

“I think so.” Where did that come from? He didn’t mind the ranching part of MBE, sure, but when was the last time he’d actually thought about how cool his life was? In most ways, he was a cowboy, his childhood dreams come true. “Anyway, you’ll see feisty chickens, a grumpy old goat you’ll need to watch your flannel shirt tails around, and some dogs between our property and your aunt Maggie’s.”

“I thought she lived here, with Uncle Bennett.”

“She does, but she grew up next door, and she and Benny were sweet on each other in high school. But they lost touch during college, and she left for San Antonio. When her dad died, she came home, and she and Bennett picked back up again. She never officially made the property part of MBE, maybe to keep her dad’s legacy. But anyway, her friend is staying there now, helping out. Wanna check it out?”

“You bet. That’s where the dogs are?”

Jax nodded.

“Sweet. I always wanted a dog, but my mom wouldn’t let me. Neither would my grandpa when I moved in with him after she died.”

Jax stumbled, his foot catching on a root while his heart tripped over itself at hearing his son’s pain put so matter-of-factly.

He cleared his throat. “Follow this path. We’ll take their little shortcut between the houses.”

First things first, he was getting his kid a dog the second he found a place in Austin. It was a dog-friendly city, and there wasn’t any reason not to let the boy, who clearly loved animals, have one of his own. He couldn’t imagine his own childhood without the brood of beasts on Marshall Ranch.

“Hey, boys. What’re you doing in these parts?” Jill asked as they popped through the dirt path and bushes that lined it. She had her legs crossed and kicked up on the fence, a laptop propped on her knees. She closed it and stood, avoiding Lily, who lay at her feet. Gander wasn’t around, in a rare moment of not sticking close to his paramour.

“Came to introduce Ren to the neighbors.” Jax reached out a hand and Jill shook it, smiling when he gave her a subtle squeeze indicating—hopefully—how excited he was to see her later that evening. Not so excited that Ren would catch on, though.

“I’ve heard so much about you, Ren. I’m Jill, the right-hand woman to your aunt Maggie.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ren said. “And thanks for the box of stuff. I laughed pretty hard at that book, but I think it’ll help.”

“I’m so glad. It helped me, for sure. You’d never know I was from the city now, right, Jax?” She tossed him a smile and a wink, and his heart did that whole tripping on itself thing again, but for an entirely different reason.

“I’m pleading the fifth.”

She laughed.

“Is that your dog?” Ren asked. He sat down next to Lily just as Gander ambled up, his gaze wary about the new guy next to his pregnant bride.

“It sure is. This is Lily, who is going to have puppies with that guy, Gander.” Huh. She didn’t mention the whole step-parenting thing this time.

“Holy smokes. There’s two of ’em,” Ren remarked. “And puppies? That’s so cool.”

“He loves animals,” Jax whispered as Ren rolled around in the dirt with Gander, who’d decided the boy was okay after all. “We may have to talk about one of those pups for him when the time comes.”

“I’ll put you at the top of the list. I still haven’t decided whether to adopt out the rest, but he’s definitely gotta have one. Look at him.”

Ren scratched both dogs behind the ears at the same time, earning kisses from both.

“It’s kinda awesome. Not once has the kid pulled out a smartphone. I think I’ll keep him.”

“Hmm. Good plan. He sounds like a guy I know.” She nudged Jax with her hip. “Like father, like son?”

His smile widened until it pulled at the corners of his eyes. Huh. He hadn’t been around the kid longer than a week and a half and, yeah, even he’d say there were things that reminded him so much of his own teenage self. As Ren would say, wasn’t that the freaking coolest?

Jax’s hands were shoved in his pockets, save a pinky finger that he let trail along Jill’s waist.

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