Page 30 of Her Last Chance Cowboy

“No, but I look like a bigmouth, with you and Julia both offering jobs.”

“Julia did, too?” She smiled. “Water? Tea?”

He shook his head.

“That was very nice of Julia, don’t you think?”

“That’s not really the point.”

“You were just being a good neighbor. Any decent human being would stand up for someone who needed it. You just got tangled up in her situation, and I thought I’d offer some help, since we can afford to.”

“What kind of job did you offer her?”

“Oh, just a few hours cleaning house, once a week.”

“Seriously?”

“Hey.Icleaned houses.” Her cheery attitude quickly turned to a defensive frown. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“Mom, can’t you see where I’m coming from? A complete stranger asks her to clean their house, right in the middle of church? She doesn’t know your background. All she knows is that you’re some rich woman who lives in the big house on the hill.”

“Someone from her community offering her support is a bad thing?” She shook her head. “I see you two have something in common.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“You’re both stubborn, and holding onto your pride with both hands.”

“Mypride?”

“You won’t even give Ted a chance.”

“Here we go.” He rolled his eyes, wondering how he could stop this train from pulling out of the station. “Do we really have to bring Ted upeverytime?”

“Well, if you’re here to give me a hard time for trying to help a woman in my church, then I’ll give you a hard time for not trying with Ted, who’s a part of your own family.”

“Do you judge him the same way?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Ted was raised not to show his emotions,” she said, her typical excuse for his stepfather.

“I was raised by a strong woman who taught me not to take crap from anyone.”

It was a low blow, and he could see she felt it. “If that’s what you think Ted did by giving you a home, and paying for everything, sports, clothes, and...”

“He told me to be gone at eighteen.”

“He did the same to Josh. And James.” She shook her head. “Jake, stop and consider that maybe he treated you exactly how he treated his other children. No one told you to go into the Marines. You signed up without anyone knowing.”

This was true. No one had pushed him to sign up, but Ted hadn’t exactly offered a place of refuge, either.

“He’s not a perfect man,” she said. “But he’s provided for you and me. He took us in when the world spit us out. Just like you’re doing for that girl.”

“Hannah,” he corrected her. “Notthat girl. You make her sound like a stray dog.”

“You and Ted are more alike than you know.”

He shook his head. “I am nothing like Ted.”

She squeezed his arms, then reached around to give him a hug. “You are a good man, Jacob, just like your stepfather.”

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