Page 8 of Curvy Girl and the Single Dad Cowboy

She shakes her head. "Only child. And my parents are both gone now."

"I'm sorry," I say, meaning it.

I know what it's like to lose parents—my father and mother have been gone for a while. But I can't imagine facing that without my brothers to share the burden.

"It's been a while," she says with a small shrug. "Makes it easier to relocate for jobs like this, I suppose. No ties."

We crest a hill, and the view opens up before us—rolling hills, distant mountains, and endless sky. I watch as Charlotte takes it all in, her eyes widening.

"It's beautiful," she breathes. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Born and raised in the city?" I guess.

She nods. "Chicago. Concrete and crowds as far as the eye can see. This is..." She gestures at the landscape. "It's like breathing for the first time."

There's something about the genuine wonder in her voice that softens something in me. Perhaps she's not just another city girl seeking a quaint cowboy experience before returning to civilization.

"Cedar Falls gets under your skin," I admit. "Can't imagine living anywhere else."

"I can see why," she says, still gazing out at the scenery. After a moment, she turns to me. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?"

"For not firing me on the spot when I showed up half an hour late and looking like I'd run a marathon."

I keep my eyes on the road, but I can feel the weight of her gaze. "You walked three miles because your car broke down. Hard to hold that against you."

"Still, I know first impressions matter. And Lily... She said something."

My hands tighten on the steering wheel. "What did she say?"

Charlotte hesitates. "She asked me if I was going to leave like her mother did."

The familiar anger flares hot in my chest—not at Charlotte, but at Sarah and the damage she left behind. "What did you tell her?"

"The truth. That I can't promise forever, but I can promise not to disappear, and to always be honest with her."

I nod slowly, appreciating the honesty even if it's not what I wanted to hear. "Kids need stability."

"They do," she agrees softly. "And so do their parents."

I glance at her, but her expression is open, without judgment. She's not taking a dig at me; she's simply acknowledging a truth we both know.

The truck bumps over a cattle guard as we approach the main road, and I shift into a higher gear.

"So, what brought you to Cedar Falls, Charlotte? Long way from Chicago."

She's quiet for a moment, and I wonder if I've overstepped. Then she says, "I needed a fresh start. My fiancé and I broke up eight months ago, and everywhere I went in Chicago had memories attached."

"I'm sorry," I say, though I'm suddenly, inexplicably glad to hear she's single.

She shrugs. "Don't be. Best decision I ever made, walking away from that relationship. But it meant reevaluating everything. I've always loved working with children, so when I saw the agency listing for a live-in nanny position on a ranch, I was excited.” She smiles. "It seemed like the perfect escape."

"Escape," I repeat, not sure I like the sound of that. "Is that what this is for you? A temporary getaway from real life?"

Her smile fades. "That's not what I meant."

"Isn't it?" I can hear the edge in my voice but can't seem to soften it. "Because Lily doesn't need someone who's just passing through while they figure out their next move."

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