Redeeming the Rancher. Deb Kastner

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СКАЧАТЬ see,” Alexis murmured, chewing on her bottom lip as her thoughts flew in several directions. While it was typical of her flighty sister to offer help without really thinking through the consequences, it seemed a little extreme for Viv to lead Griff to believe the house was vacant. She knew perfectly well that Alexis lived on the premises—not to mention that the ranch was generally overrun with teenagers. And then there was the odd addition of Vivian referring to her as Alex. That just wasn’t right. She had never called her Alex before in her life.

      What possible reason could Vivian have for such a deception? Something wasn’t adding up. Unfortunately, Alexis never had been all that proficient with math, even the emotional kind. She was flummoxed.

      What a mess.

      The worst of it was the preposterous tug of guilt she was feeling for the way Viv had put the poor man out. Alexis almost felt as if she owed Griff something to make up for her sister’s lack of foresight. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had to clean up her ditzy twin’s messes.

      She glanced at the clock on the stove. She had a phone call to make—from an irate sister to an imprudent one. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

      But first she had to decide what she was going to do with Griff. He was definitely the most immediate problem. Vivian had given him some impossible promises, and it wasn’t Griff’s fault he’d been duped into believing her when she’d said he could stay at the supposedly vacant ranch house.

      Then again, it wasn’t exactly Alexis’s responsibility, either. Why should she suffer for her sister’s lack of common sense and be forced to try to find a place for this city slicker to stay?

      And yet here she and Griff were, both in a pickle, and Vivian was, as usual, nowhere in sight.

      One thing was certain. Griff couldn’t stay at the Grainger house.

      “What’s the frown for?” he asked, intently studying her face.

      “Just trying to figure out how to keep everybody happy here.”

      He chuckled. “Good luck with that. Talk about a sticky situation.”

      “No kidding.” Alexis ran a hand down her face. How was she supposed to tell him he’d come all this way for nothing?

      “You’re trying to figure out how to send me packing,” he guessed, though he made the statement with a smile.

      She hesitated. “Well—yes. Politely,” she admitted. “I’m sorry, but Vivian’s put me in an impossible situation here. Not to mention what she’s done to you. The way I see it, you have two options—go back to Houston or find somewhere else to stay in the area. And, quite frankly, there aren’t a lot of choices here in Serendipity.”

      “Cut to the chase, why don’t you?”

      Alexis cringed. “Sorry. I know I’m blunt. I’ve never been the type to beat around the bush when I have something to say.”

      “You call it like it is. Nothing wrong with that.”

      Unless you’re trashing a man’s plans.

      Alexis gulped at her coffee and struggled to regain her equilibrium.

      “Hotel?” he suggested, tipping his chair back onto two legs and threading his fingers behind his neck.

      “Sorry, no such thing in Serendipity. We don’t have enough visitors in town to warrant such an extravagance. You won’t find one within an hour’s drive. However, the Howells have a nice bed-and-breakfast located across town. It’s still a little early in the day, but I’m guessing they’re up for church by now. Would you like me to give them a call?”

      Griff nodded in agreement and rose to refill their coffee mugs while she stepped out of the room to phone the Howells. She was back less than a minute later with bad news.

      “Well, we can scratch that idea. The Howells are booked solid for the next month. It’s family reunion season, and if there’s one thing Serendipity folk celebrate, it’s family.”

      Griff set her refilled cup in front of her, slid back into his seat and stretched his arm across the back of the chair next to him. “I know this sounds unconventional, but do you have a spare bedroom I could use? I promise I won’t be in the way, and I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I can secure a place of my own. I’ll even cook you breakfast if you’d like.” The confident grin he flashed her exposed even teeth and a dimple on his right cheek. He looked like a man who never heard the word no.

      He was in for a disappointment.

      “Absolutely out of the question.” She didn’t even need a moment to think about it. The man had no idea what he was asking. Zero. Zip. None.

      He raised his eyebrows, a glint in his eyes. She couldn’t decide whether he was shocked by her outburst or was silently urging her to continue. Maybe a little of both.

      She pressed her lips together and shifted her gaze over his left shoulder. Out the kitchen window gray doves were clustering near a feeder on her deck. A sign of peace amid a moment of tension. God’s silent reminder. Alexis took a deep breath and prayed for guidance.

      There were dozens of reasons why Griff couldn’t stay at the house. She ticked them off in her head.

      He wasn’t family, for starters. Serendipity was a painfully small town where the gossip mill was concerned. Alexis didn’t want to risk even the appearance of impropriety. And despite his reassurance that he’d stay out of her way, she knew herself well enough to know she would feel obligated to treat him like a guest. Adding one more mouth to the supper table wouldn’t be much of a hassle, but squiring him around town while he got his bearings and keeping him entertained here at the ranch was another thing entirely. No matter what Griff said to the contrary, he would be a problem for her.

      Last—or maybe it should have been listed first—she had another group of teenagers arriving for boot camp on Monday. She ran Redemption Ranch as an alternative to community service for troubled teens facing misdemeanors, a chance to change their lives for the better. Her hands were full. And so was her life.

      She felt sorry for the man, but then, it really wasn’t her fault he was in this predicament, nor was it her problem to fix.

      At least in theory.

      In practice, she had a man curiously staring at her over the breakfast table, apparently waiting for her to pull a bunny out of a hat…or something. Unfortunately she was fresh out of rabbits. She clasped her cup in both hands and squarely met his gaze.

      “I’ve got to be honest with you, Griff. I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do with you.”

      * * *

      Griff locked gazes with the woman sitting across from him, her hands clenched so tightly around her coffee mug that her fingers were quivering. He was afraid the glass might shatter under the pressure she was exerting on it.

      She didn’t know what to do with him? He didn’t know what to do with her. The last thing he’d expected to find when he’d come to Serendipity was a woman living in the “vacant” house he was supposed to be borrowing. He didn’t know who’d been more shocked by their first meeting—Alexis thinking he was an intruder in her home, or him being СКАЧАТЬ