Page 11 of A Family With the Cowboy

“ELLIE’SYARNCOVE,” Laura read. “I love it.” She turned around to look at the window. “It’s on the window too—I missed it as I came in.”

“How can you miss it?” Ellie cried out. “It’s new and shiny and so pretty!”

Laura had to smile. “Sorry, I nearly had another unfortunate encounter with the bane of my existence since my arrival in Marietta.”

“You mean”—Ellie dropped her voice—“Carol Bingley?”

Laura grinned. “I’ve only met her once. No, this was the dad of one of the kids in my class. But…” She glanced at her watch. “I have a date tonight and there are still several things I need to do, but I’ll tell you all about it when we have our first book club-slash-knitting meeting. But now I need yarn. I was thinking of knitting a pretty, warm scarf—what can you recommend?”

“Over here.” Ellie motioned and walked toward one of the big baskets in which an array of yarn was displayed. “Wow, you already have a date? You’re a fast worker. How long have you been in town?” she teased as she pulled out the yarn.

“It’s not really a date-date. He’s just a friend. One of my neighbor’s sons. Becket Weston.”

Ellie’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, him I’ve heard of.”

“His own mother has warned me about him. Don’t worry,” Laura laughed. “Besides, I’m not looking for a relationship. I like dating, meeting new people, but I’m not interested in anything serious. I am, though, interested in the history of the town and the surrounding ranches, and Becket seems to know a lot about it. Once he understood I wasn’t falling for his baby blues, he dropped the Casanova act. So, what about you? Any dates lined up?”

Ellie shuddered visibly. “No, thank you. Let’s just say my experience with the opposite gender has put me off men for life. But—she grinned—“we are going to have so much fun with our book club. Text me, please? Then I’ll have your number too.”

Minutes later, Laura left the shop, her phone in hand and with much more yarn than she’d intended to buy. But how was a girl to choose from among all the pretty colors?

It was snowing lightly, and she covered her head with the hood of her parka. With a quick look to the right and then left, making sure the street was empty, she stepped off the curb while entering Ellie’s phone number into her contacts.

The next moment, tires screeched, followed by an angry honk, and her heart just about leapt from her chest. Stunned, she stared at the truck that had come out of nowhere. A door slammed, and quick, irritated footsteps made their way over to her. Seriously, she didn’t believe this. Grumpy. Again.

“I could’ve killed you!” he called out as he approached. Recognition dawned as he came closer. “You, again. What the hell are you doing standing in the middle of a street, texting?”

“You came out of nowhere,” she huffed and turned away. “And I wasn’t in the middle of the street.”

A hand closed around her elbow. “Damn it, Laura, you could’ve been seriously injured,” he growled.

Jerking her arm away, she stepped back, but one foot slipped. She was going to fall! Desperately, she looked for something else to grab on to except Hayden-freaking-Weston, but steel arms clamped around her before she could catch her breath and she ended up against Hayden’s warm body again. Her hands on his chest. Again.

“Let me go!” she said through clenched teeth while trying to wiggle out of his arms.

“Damn it, woman, hold still.” Taking her elbow in a firm grip, he walked her across the street.

Only when they’d safely reached the other side did he drop his hands. “That was the fourth time.”

“What are you talking about?” She huffed out of breath, hitching her bag over her shoulder.

“You’ve touched me again,” he said, his eyes narrowed. With a sigh, he rubbed his face. “Stay out of the damn street.” Before she could respond, he walked away.

Exhaling slowly, she moved toward the bank on unsteady legs. Her whole body was tingling, her insides were a shuddering mess, and had it been her imagination or had she felt…? Shaking her head and muttering, she entered the bank. These ridiculous thoughts were only popping up because she’d ended up against Hayden Weston’s body again.

Argh.She didn’t have time for this…this craziness, damn it. She was on her way to talk to the bank manager to try to sort out her financial affairs. That was what she should be concentrating on, not the musky, earthy smell of a sexy cowboy.

The fourth time she’d touched him, he’d said. Why was he counting? And why was she still thinking about him?

*

Hayden saw Becket’stext to the family chat group as he sat down to dinner.

Dining at the Graff with Laura tonight. Told Isabella so she wouldn’t keep a plate for me

The swear word slipped out before Hayden could stop himself. What the hell was Becket doing with Luke’s teacher? And why was it bothering him?

“People who swear don’t have a vo… vo’bulary, Miss Anderson says,” Luke said primly.

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