Page 28 of The Cowboy's Surprise Return

And last night, after she’d won him in the auction? She could have baked a pound cake in the heat pouring off them as they’d stood there, trying to act like two reasonable adults who weren’t thinking about kissing each other.

Or maybe that had just been her.

Although Cole had had that smoldering look that seared her every time. The man was too hot for his own good.

She needed to have a word with Karen. Maybe even Daisy-Mae and Laura. Because as a proven matchmaker with a sizeable bag of tricks, she knew her friends had somehow rigged the auction.

Jackie parked her car and climbed out, promising herself she would not kiss Cole today.

Cole’s grandfather was sitting on the front porch swing as though waiting for her. “Hi, Carmichael,” she called cheerfully as she climbed the steps. A trio of dogs came around the corner of the patio, racing up to say hello. She bent to pet them all. Levi’s Australian shepard, Lupe, Maria’s new rescue, Bingo, and Myles’s black-lab-and-Rottweiler mix, Buckey. Brant, now living with April, had his dog Dodge there, along with their new puppy.

“So? You and Cole,” Carmichael stated, taking a sip of coffee.

“He’s fixing my bumper today.”

“Is that what the kids are calling it now?”

Jackie choked, and a twinkle appeared in the old man’s blue eyes. “Have you been talking with Daisy-Mae?” she asked, thinking of how that same joke had played well at the auction last night.

“Most of those parts are plastic these days.”

“I’m pretty sure all of Daisy-Mae is still what God gave her.”

“I was talking about your car. You got a new bumper?” He eyed her vehicle as though judging whether she’d crammed the large replacement part inside the little sportster.

“No.”

“Well, maybe the wrecker’s open.” He set the swing moving with a push from his scuffed cowboy boots. “There used to be a kid zipping around these parts. Same car. Same color, too. With any kind of luck he ran into issues with it, and it’s sitting there waitin’ for you with a good front end.”

“That would be nice,” Jackie admitted, moving toward the door. “Is Cole inside?”

“I reckon he’s here somewhere.” Carmichael was silent for a beat. “You know, if anyone can reach that boy, it would be a sweetheart like you.”

Jackie backtracked from the door. “Sorry?”

The seventy-nine-year-old gave her a look, bushy white eyebrows raised. “Maybe there’s a reason the two of you have been dragging your heels.”

“Dragging our heels?”

“You’ll be good for him. He needs some healing from a good woman.” He peered at her with those startling clear blue Wylder eyes. “And you could use some healing, too, I reckon.”

“Um, but we’re not—”

“Don’t look so surprised. Everyone thinks the world of you, JackieLynn. And Cole isn’t half as bad as the rumors say.”

“I know.” She blinked back unexpected tears that had dampened her eyes at hearing her full name. There was something endearing in the old man’s tone, and a sense of loss hit her hard. Her father used to call her JackieLynn when she needed encouraging. He’d bolster her with a few quick words, and had always possessed a sixth sense about when she needed them.

But these days she felt lucky if he recalled who she was when she visited. Every day she was thankful he hadn’t turned aggressive with his Alzheimer’s, as she was certain she’d be unable to bear it if he did. And even though it could be worse, it still wasn’t easy.

“If I was the hugging type, I’d give you one,” Carmichael muttered gruffly. His chin tipped upward, a display of stubbornness as he gazed out over the yard’s expanse of dry grass.

“And if I was the type to take sympathy, I would accept it,” she said, dishing it back.

Carmichael let out a grunt, the corners of his mouth twitching as though fighting a smile. She opened the front door, expecting it to stick despite Levi having repaired it several months ago.

“Get in there, and give that man a run for his money,” Carmichael called after her.

That’s what she was hoping tonotdo today.

---