Page 7 of A Family With the Cowboy

Laura was sostunned, she just stared at the faces in front of her. She hadn’t been expecting anyone, and she probably looked awful. Arlene was her neighbor, that she knew, but who were these other people and why were Hayden Weston and his son also on her porch? Grandma, Luke had said. So this…?

Arlene smiled. “Ah, so you’re the new teacher Luke can’t stop talking about? I should’ve made the connection.” She motioned to the other people. “My children, Laura. That’s Willow—she makes beautiful art, if I have to say so myself. And that one is Becket, a notorious womanizer. I’m sure you’ve already heard that, but he actually has a heart of gold, as you will see when he’s with his dogs, Harper, Jack, and Sadie. This is Connor, happier talking to animals than people. He has so many dogs, I can’t remember all the names. And the grumpy one here is Hayden, my oldest. His dear Madeline passed away two years ago. And you know Luke. We’re here to help and to hopefully persuade you to have dinner with us afterwards?”

Laura was deeply grateful that the older woman was talking, because, for a few moments, she couldn’t even think, let alone string logical words together. Every single brain cell she had had ceased to function.

Hayden Weston was here. On her porch. And within minutes, he’d be inside her house. She’d thought she had time before seeing him again. To prepare herself for those amber eyes, that penetrating look, the strange currents in the air when he was near. Here he was, though, whether she was ready or not.

By the time Arlene stopped talking, a few of her brain cells seemed to have recovered. Quickly pushing her feet into her shoes she’d left next to the door, she smiled and walked out on to the porch. “Thank you so much, but it’s not necessary. Except for the bed, most of the furniture has been placed where I want it. Thanks, really, but I—”

But that was as far as she got. In the nicest possible way, Arlene moved her to the side and motioned to her children to follow her. “Nonsense, dear. You work during the day. Besides, you’re such a slip of a thing, you’ll need a hand moving the bed. And here are three muscled boys who are willing to help. Let them help you with that, and Willow and I will unpack things in the kitchen.”

Boys. The three Weston brothers were tall, muscled, ridiculously attractive men. “Boys” was so not the word to describe them.

Luke tugged at her hand. Dazed, she looked down. She hadn’t realized Luke was still holding on to her.

“Grandma always gets her way,” he said, clearly mimicking one of the grown-ups. “So you may as well do as she says.”

Everyone chuckled.

“Um…I…you…” Laura stuttered, but by this time everyone had already moved inside her house.

Willow grinned. “Luke is so right. Let’s do this. What do you want where?”

Acutely conscious of Hayden’s gaze still on her, she tried to think. She’d thought she’d have to plan what she wanted to go where and then she’d figure out who she could ask to help her move the furniture.

“If I could make a suggestion?” Arlene smiled. “Which room are you going to make your bedroom? Let’s start with moving the bed to that room so that you can make it. I’m a firm believer if your bed is made, the rest will be easy. And if you can show Willow and me where the boxes are you want in the kitchen, we can start unpacking for you?”

Groaning out loud, Laura laughed. “Okay, thank you, but on one condition. I’ll use an hour of your time and not a minute more, okay? There really is no rush to unpack everything tonight.”

“You heard her, boys.” Arlene grinned. “Come on, Willow. Let’s see what you and I can accomplish in an hour.”

Luke tugged at her hand again and she crouched down. His eyes were shining, and he was smiling. “What can I do?” he asked shyly.

“Tell you what,” she smiled back. “Would you like to unpack some books for me?”

His grin widened. “Yes! Where?”

Jumping up, she steered him toward a bookcase and a box. “I can sort them out later, but if you can put them in here, it will be easier for me later. Think you can do that?”

“Yes, I’m eight,” he said proudly, and kneeled next to the box. His eyes widened when he saw the book lying at the top. “This is also one by Dr. Seuss?” he asked in awe and picked up the book.

“Yes, he wrote a number of books…”

“Where do you want the bed?” Hayden asked behind her, his voice anything but friendly.

Luke’s smile slipped and, ignoring the gruff voice behind her, she leaned closer to the boy. “If you want to, you can also just sit and read. I can put the books away later,” she said softly. A ghost of a smile returned.

Fed up with the big cowboy, she turned around and glared at him before she walked past him to the furniture in the middle of the room. Smiling at Cooper and Becket, she pointed toward the big double bed she’d bought just before she’d moved. “If we can move this to the last room down the hall? It has an en suite bathroom and doors leading to the back garden. I think that’s where I’ll make my bedroom.”

Hayden moved past her to help his brothers, leaving the whiff of musk she’d picked up on before in his wake. Oh, my goodness. What was up with her and the big cowboy?

Tonight, he was without a hat and wore black jeans and a T-shirt under a leather jacket. The jacket he’d removed as they’d entered the house. Tall, dark, sinfully handsome…Flustered, she turned away to find Arlene’s amused gaze on her.

She hastily picked up a box. A very heavy one, she discovered seconds later as she staggered forward.

A big hand cut in front of her and took the box from her as if it weighed next to nothing. “We’re here to help. Ask, damn it,” Hayden bit out.

“I had it,” she snapped.

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