Page 16 of Sweet Temptation

Hot damn. If all went well, tomorrow they’d be one step closer to saving the ranch—or a year of hell. Maybe hehadlost his mind.

Chapter Seven

Keeping an eye on Jacqueline’s rental car in the rearview mirror, Garret pulled up the long drive to the ranch house. Parking in front, he hopped out of his truck and hurried around, waiting for Jacqueline to stop and unlock the door. Holding the driver side door open for her, Garret focused on her face, the reaction to the two-story home making him smile.

“So this is what a Texas ranch looks like?”

“Ours at least. Home sweet home.” He tried to see it through the eyes of a city person—the barn, the paddock where Blaze and the other horses grazed, the vast expanse of Texas dirt. “Not like Houston.”

“No.” Her gaze scanned from left to right. “It’s beautiful.” The wonder in her voice was genuine, and something in Garret’s chest loosened.

“I probably should have asked sooner. You’re not allergic to dogs, are you?”

Her gaze still taking in the massive home, she shook her head.

“Do you like them? Because we have two.”

Again she silently shook her head before dragging her gaze away from the house. “I love dogs. Not a smart thing to have in a big city, but I love them.”

He hoped she meant real dogs and not those little nippy things that women kept in their handbags. Before Garret could ask, the front door swung open and Mason bounded out, Brady at his heels.

“Uncle Garret!” Mason called, racing toward the truck. “Dad said you went to town and—” He skidded to a halt when he spotted Jackie. “Who’s she?”

“Is that any way to address a lady?”

The boy toed the dirt and shook his head. “Sorry, ma’am. Nice to meet you.”

She leaned over, smiling, and extended her hand. “My name is Jackie, what’s yours?”

Jackie? He needed to remember to call her by the nickname for Jacqueline.

His nephew brightened. “Mason.”

“And who is your friend?” Down on her heels, she turned her hand palm up under Brady’s muzzle, scratching behind his ears when the dog dipped his head into her palm. Apparently, Brady approved of Garret’s choice for a wife. Temporary wife.

“This is Brady.” Mason grinned proudly.

“He’s a sweet boy,” she said softly.

Mason giggled under his breath. The kid was smart. He caught the unintentional pun.

It took Jackie a moment, but in the middle of scratching the dog, her fingers stilled and she rolled her eyes heavenward, realizing she’d called the Sweet family dog, sweet.

“You three planning on having dinner in the front yard?” Carson called from the front doorway, his smile softening the harshness of his words.

Garret guided Jackie toward the house with a light touch to her elbow. She crossed into the house first, and as Garret passed his brother, Carson raised a questioning brow at him. Explanations would have to wait.

Inside, the house buzzed with activity. Delicious aromas wafted from the kitchen, and Garret could hear his sisters’ voices mixed with his mother’s laughter. Jackie hesitated at the threshold, and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod.

“Heads up. We’ve got company,” Carson announced as they entered the living room. “Everyone pretend you weren’t raised in a barn.”

“Carson,” his mother’s voice carried crisply from the kitchen.

Chuckling, Carson walked over to his mother and kissed her temple “Sorry, I’ve always wanted to say that.”

Their mom rolled her eyes and shook her head, staring up at the ceiling, a smile on her face. “Where did we go wrong, Charlie? Where?”

Everyone cracked up. They’d finally reached a point in time where the mere mention of their father didn’t weigh on them like a lead blanket.

---