Her Texas Family. Jill Lynn

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СКАЧАТЬ bills. Lucy’s first priority in town was to find a job that did. Scratch that. Her first priority was to get to her sister’s house. The second would be to make sure she could pay for rent and groceries.

      But at least she knew she was doing the right thing in moving. After the trouble with her old boss, she’d prayed for an out. Olivia had called about the dance-instructor opening a few days later. Moving to Texas had been an answer to prayer and just the kind of adventure Lucy craved.

      She reached out and gently touched the mark on his head. “I’m sorry about hitting you with my shoe. Does it hurt?”

      He flinched as if her hand inflicted more pain than her boot had. “It’s fine.”

      “But it looks so red.” A perfect match for the color of her shoe. And it was forming a rather large bump. “How do you know? Maybe you should get it checked out.”

      “I’m a doctor.” He tenderly touched the spot. “I’m not worried about it.”

      “Okay.” She shrugged. Why did she care so much? Sure, her shoe had caused the welt, but he obviously didn’t want her interference. Fine by her.

      She could say the same back to him. Since he’d so nobly stopped to help her, she would reassure him she didn’t need his assistance. He could keep heading wherever he’d been heading, and she’d figure out how to get to her sister’s or change the tire on her own.

      Graham Redmond didn’t need to fill the role of dashing hero in her life. Because, as the residents of Fredericksburg would soon find out, Lucy wasn’t a damsel in distress who needed to be rescued.

      She could rescue herself.

      * * *

      Usually people worried about pulling over to help with a stranded vehicle because a dangerous person could be planning some kind of highway robbery...not because they feared shoes falling from the sky and almost knocking them out cold.

      The place where Graham’s forehead had been introduced to a high heel still smarted, but he ignored the throbbing in order to figure out the woman in front of him. She seemed...young. Flighty. And not just because she’d been up a tree when he’d pulled over at the sight of her stranded Volkswagen Beetle. She twisted long, blond curls over one shoulder as she bent to pick up her shoes, sliding them back on her feet and then tying the small black laces. Skinny jeans met with a blue-and-white-checked shirt extending from under a navy sweater. How old could she be? Early twenties? She acted a bit like a teenager, though her looks didn’t support that theory.

      And neither did the math. If Graham remembered correctly, Olivia’s sister was just a few years younger than she was.

      He pointed up the tree she’d just climbed down like some kind of gymnast. “Did you say you were making a phone call?”

      “Yeah.”

      “If you were calling for help, I can change the tire for you.”

      She huffed, crossing her arms. Had he said something offensive?

      “I know how to change a tire. At least, I’m sure I could figure it out,” she said, voice quieter. “There’s probably instructions. How hard can it be?” She motioned to her car. “I was calling my brother-in-law because my car’s packed full. Every inch of it. I’d have to unpack the back to get to my spare, and since I’m almost to my sister’s house, it made more sense to see if they could bring the truck. That way I could load everything into it, and I wouldn’t have to move all of my stuff onto the side of the road.”

      Her convoluted logic made sense. Graham must be losing his mind.

      “So, you need a ride to Cash and Olivia’s? That I can do.”

      Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Were you...headed in that direction?”

      “No, but it’s not far.”

      The toe of her boot tapped as she contemplated. A quick shake of her head was coupled with tight-pressed lips. “No, thank you.”

      No? What did she plan to do? Walk? Hope for cell reception? She was crazy to think he’d leave without helping her.

      “I don’t want to interrupt your plans.”

      What plans? Graham hadn’t done anything social in the past...five years or so. Not since Mattie was born and then losing Brooke. He didn’t exactly have a busy social life. Work? He had plenty of that. And colored pictures on his fridge. He had lots of those. Plus, he played a mean game of Go Fish on Saturday nights.

      “My daughter and I were just headed home. It will only take us a few minutes to drop you off.” If he had to be direct or demanding in order for her to accept his help, so be it. Anything to make this encounter go a bit faster. Lucy made him feel...uncomfortable. As if he wanted to loosen his tie, even though he wasn’t wearing one today.

      After a minute of contemplation, she let out an earth-shaking sigh. “Fine.” The word came through gritted teeth. “I appreciate your help.”

      He got the impression she didn’t like his offer of help one bit, especially when her forced tone was accompanied by crossed arms and eyes that flashed with displeasure. Their bright blue color punched him in the chest. Unique. Brilliant. He wasn’t sure exactly how to describe them. Not that he needed to write a report. What he needed to do was drop this woman off at her sister’s and then head home to get his week organized before the craziness of Monday hit. No doubt his medical office would be slammed tomorrow morning as it was almost every Monday. But at least there he felt useful. At least there he was too busy for the images of his past failures to haunt him.

      “Let me grab my purse.”

      While Lucy did that, Graham opened the trunk to his car and checked the bolt pattern on his spare. It didn’t match the one on Lucy’s wheels. Just as well. Graham wasn’t sure he’d live through the experience of changing a flat tire with this woman. He’d seen what Lucy could do with a shoe. What harm could she accomplish with a lug wrench?

      He started his BMW and pulled up parallel to her car. She came over with full hands, so he leaned across the seat and popped the passenger door open. Lucy slid in, dropping a purse and jacket on the floor of his car. When she shut the door, the scent of lime and coconut came with her.

      It was the end of January, and she smelled like summer. Graham hadn’t known the season had its own scent before.

      He motioned to the backseat. “This is my daughter, Matilda Grace. Everyone calls her Mattie.”

      Lucy buckled and twisted to face the backseat while he put the car in Drive. “Hi, Mattie Grace. It’s nice to meet you.”

      In the rearview mirror, Graham could see the name earned a smile from Mattie. A shy one.

      “I’m Lucy.”

      “Ms. Lucy,” he said.

      Those eyes of hers jutted to him, giving off a spark of something close to annoyance before she softened and turned back to Mattie. “What grade are you in?”

      “Kindergarten.”

      Graham could feel the mix of interest and shyness oozing from Mattie in the backseat. His daughter СКАЧАТЬ