Page 17 of Texas Temptation

How sad he pushed other family members away. They might help him remember the good times and get past the immediate pain of loss.

Amelia said it had been two years—not that there was a time limit on grieving. But he needed to move on and find happiness where he could.

Jordan knew this from the death of her own parents, and more recently, Aunt Maggie. She had only Caleb. She’d have welcomed family rallying around when her elderly aunt died.

Cade looked up and caught her gaze, then saw the plate.

“Thanks. I’m hungry.”

“Rosita piled it high, saying you needed to eat it all.”

“If I ate all Rosita gave me, I’d need to bunk in the barn. None of the beds in the house would hold me.”

Jordan grinned. Maybe he wasn’t such a somber man after all.

“I can watch the papers for you if you want to eat. Will the machine jam?”

“No, I’m just waiting for the full report so I can read it.”

“Go eat, I’ll bring it in when it’s all here,” she said, holding out the plate.

Cade took it and went into his office. He was hungry enough to eat everything Rosita had sent. As he ate, he looked into the outer office. By angling his chair just so, he could see Jordan standing by the printer. She was faithfully watching each sheet as it came out, taking it and stacking it with the rest. Her jeans were loose on her. Had she lost weight because of being ill, or was she naturally thin?

A few weeks of Rosita’s food and she’d plump up a bit.

He looked away. He didn’t care if she did or didn’t fill out. She was merely a stranger who was going to help him out until Penny came back. A stranger with silky blond hair and sparkling silvery eyes. Her skin was flawless, and surprisingly pale for someone who lived in a beach town in Florida. Or was it because of her recent illness?

He took another bite of the spicy taco salad and tried to banish his thoughts. He didn’t care what she did or didn’t do in Florida. As long as she didn’t fly out of here in a huff like the last two temps, he’d be satisfied.

She brought in the printed pages, placing the stack near the plate on the desk.

He nodded, but she didn’t leave. When he looked at her, she appeared nervous.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t think so.”

She cleared her throat, glanced down at the report, then met his eyes.

“Your aunt invited us to stay here while I’m working for you. I asked her to recommend a place in town where we could live but she insisted we plan to remain here. I’m sure room and board aren’t in the deal, so maybe you could recommend a place for us to look at in Tumbleweed. I could try to get something lined up this afternoon.”

He’d never thought about housing. Of course, she had no place to stay in Texas. She was from Florida.

If she had to get a place in town, it’d have to be furnished, inexpensive and without a lease. Nothing like that came to mind.

There was the added worry about who would watch her son—especially after the surgery, when Cade was sure he’d have to be kept quiet for a while. Jordan Carhart knew no one in town. How would she keep her mind on business when a stranger was watching her convalescing child?

Amelia and Rosita would spoil the child in their delight to watch him.

“Staying here makes the most sense,” he said. “If you don’t like the lilac room, ask Rosita to give you another.”

She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“I can’t stay here.”

He leaned back in his chair.

“Why not?”

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