Page 20 of A Montana Secret Admirer
“We’re looking at the animals,” Jessi answered for her.
She nodded. “He couldn’t get back to sleep this morning. Already I can tell it will be a long day.”
For the briefest of moments, it appeared as though he was concerned for her—like he might even offer to take Jessi off her hands. Or it could be wishful thinking on her part. Because what reasons would he have for wanting to offer such a thing? Ridiculous.
“Did you know that Bo just got a couple ducks?”
Jessi made strangled, excited sounds. “Really?”
“Yep. They’re still babies, but they’ve been wandering around near the pond out back behind the main house.”
“There’s a pond?” Serenity asked, immediately wondering if there were lotuses growing there.
Reese’s eyes swept over to her. “Yeah. Haven’t you seen it?”
She shook her head. If there was a pond with lotuses growing there on this property, that would narrow down her list of people who might want to bring her flowers. “Can we see them?”
Jessi jumped up and down. “Yeah. Can we see them?”
“Sure, I’ve got a few extra minutes before I have to meet up with Leo about something.” Reese grinned at Jessi. “From what I know, we haven’t named all of them yet. Should we find out?”
And that just about had Jessi’s heart exploding. Serenity could see it from where she stood, even if Jessi hadn’t released her to hold Reese’s hand instead.
Their eyes locked, and once again, all she could think about was when he’d nearly kissed her and what her sister had said about meeting someone.
Funny how the note she’d gotten with her flower was so similar to her sister’s statement. Maybe Jane was hiding the fact that she was the secret admirer and trying to get her out of her comfort zone.
“You okay?” Reese murmured as they rounded the side of the house.
She flashed him a reassuring smile—one she didn’t feel in the slightest. “Perfect.” She let her focus shift to her son for a second before she lowered her voice even more. “Thank you. You really are very good with him. I think it helped to learn some of that stuff from a real cowboy.”
If his charming grin wasn’t bad enough, the way his eyes crinkled with amusement was enough to do her in. “It’s not a problem at all.”
She didn’t know what it was about the way he said it, but this time, she found it easier to believe that he was telling the truth.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“I mean it Sammie.You can’t say a single word. Not to Serenity, not to Noah, and definitely not to Jane.”
Sammie eyed Reese, her hands on her hips. She was married to his cousin—Noah’s oldest brother—and she’d managed to fit in with the family better than any of them had anticipated after the sort of upbringing she’d had. “You seriously want me to promise secrecy on something I know nothing about? I don’t think I can do that.”
Reese groaned, glancing over his shoulder at the car that was currently waiting for the crew who would be heading out to New York in just a few minutes. “Yes, you have to promise not to breathe a word about it to anyone. I can’t have it getting back to me.”
A single brow arched. “And it’s not going to hurt anyone?”
He wanted to tear his hair out. “No, it’s not going to hurt anyone.”
“Then why does it have to be a secret?”
Reese threw his hands into the air. “Forget it. I don’t care.” He managed to spin around and take two steps before he heard Sammie’s laughter and her amused voice.
“Fine. Whatever it is, I swear I won’t breathe a word to a single soul. There. Is that good enough? Or do we need to make a pinky swear or blood oath?”
He stopped on the second step of the porch, breathing a sigh as he turned to face her. “Ha, ha. Very funny.”
She shrugged. “What? I have to get my kicks somewhere. What’s the favor? You’re only going to be gone for like two days. I can’t imagine there is anything that can’t wait for you to get back.”
Marching back to where she stood, he pressed a small note into her palm. “Don’t read it. Leave it on Will and Tana’s doorstep after it gets dark. After midnight, preferably.” He didn’t know if Serenity had been trying to catch him, so he’d been setting an alarm to bring her the flower when he knew she’d be asleep. There had been one time he’d nearly gotten caught, and that had scared him enough to change tactics.
