A Family of Her Own. Brenda Novak

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СКАЧАТЬ her whole life. She’d once told him herself, flat out, that she wanted to marry Mike Hill someday. But Booker hadn’t taken her too seriously. He’d never seen Mike show any interest in her, couldn’t imagine them together. They were both…good. In his opinion, they each needed a counterbalance.

      But Mike was rich and dependable. Maybe the best thing Booker could do for Katie and her baby was to throw them into Mike’s lap. A friend would do something like that, right?

      Picking up the phone, he called Rebecca at the salon.

      “Hello?”

      “Is Rebecca there?”

      “Hi, Booker.”

      From the voice, it was Ashleigh Evans. “How’s it going?”

      “Good. Where’ve you been? I’ve missed you.”

      They’d danced last Friday at the Honky Tonk, but Booker knew if he pointed that out, she’d just say Friday seemed too long ago. “I’ve been busy.”

      “You promised me a ride on your bike, remember?”

      How could he forget? She reminded him whenever he talked to her. “I’ll stop by the salon sometime.”

      “I’m looking forward to it.”

      The phone changed hands and he heard Rebecca’s voice. “I think she has a thing for you.”

      “Ashleigh?”

      “Yeah.”

      Booker already knew that. She’d been coming on to him ever since she’d broken up with that bull rider from Boise. She’d even invited him to her place last Friday night, but his response had been decidedly lukewarm. “I need a favor,” he said.

      “Really? Wow! You’ve never asked me for anything before,” Rebecca said. “You must be desperate.”

      He ignored her teasing because it hit a little too close to home. He didn’t like asking for favors. He didn’t like needing anything. But this wasn’t for him—exactly. “Katie’s looking for a job.”

      “I heard she’s pregnant.”

      Booker braced himself for her reaction. “That’s true.”

      “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice filled with accusation.

      “I figured you’d find out soon enough.”

      She released a long sigh. “Some people have all the luck.”

      Booker pictured how rumpled and dispirited Katie had been sitting up in her bed last night and doubted she was feeling very lucky. “I’m sure Katie would be surprised to hear you say that.”

      “I’d do anything to have a baby, Booker. Especially Josh’s baby. Sometimes I love him so much I can’t even breathe, and yet I can’t give him the one thing we both want most in the world.”

      Bill Peterson arrived to pick up his Camaro. Booker could hear Chase talking to him in the garage, and started searching his desk for the work order. “You’re too tense about it, Rebecca.”

      “But I’m nearly thirty-three.”

      “A lot of women have babies at thirty-three.”

      “And everyone else is having one.”

      “Everyone?”

      “Delaney’s pregnant again.”

      “She is?”

      “She’s been holding off telling me, hoping I’d get some good news, too. But she’s gaining weight, and I guessed.”

      “You’ll just have to keep trying,” Booker said. “I’m sure Josh doesn’t mind that.”

      “No, he likes all the trying. He just doesn’t like how upset I get when it doesn’t work out.”

      “It’s that watched-pot thing. You need to forget about it, and then it’ll probably happen.” Finding the paperwork he was looking for, Booker waved to let Mr. Peterson know he’d be right out.

      “I don’t think it’s the watched-pot thing. I’m going to start taking fertility drugs,” Rebecca said.

      “Do whatever works, Beck.”

      “A lot of people have fertility problems.”

      Fortunately Chase came in and took the paperwork out to get Bill on his way.

      “I know.” Booker cleared his throat. “About that job…”

      “I already offered Katie a job,” she said. “She came by here a couple of days ago. But she told me she can’t be on her feet.”

      “I wasn’t thinking of having her work at Hair and Now.”

      “Where, then?”

      “What about the resort?”

      “It’s wintertime, Booker. The resort’s overstaffed as it is because Conner and Delaney won’t lay anyone off. They’re trying to limp by until summer, but I have the impression that finances are getting tight. They need to be careful.”

      “Do you think Josh and Mike might have an opening out at the ranch, then? She could do bookkeeping or answer phones behind a desk, couldn’t she? Katie’s a good friend of their family’s. Surely they can help her out until she has the baby.”

      “They could probably come up with something for her to do but…I never would’ve suggested it because of you. Are you sure you want her working with Mike, Booker?”

      Booker shoved away from his desk and stood. “I think it’s time Katie got what she wants.”

      Silence. “What about what you want?”

      “I already have what I want.”

      “O-kay.” She didn’t sound convinced, but after a moment she said, “I’ll call Josh and get back to you.”

      

      BOOKER REFUSED TO GO AWAY. He stood over Katie’s bed, scowling at her. When that didn’t work, he started pulling off blankets.

      “Leave me alone,” she grumbled. “I’m tired.”

      “How can you be tired?” he asked. “It’s nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, and you’ve been sleeping for two days.”

      “I think there’s something wrong with me.”

      “It’s called depression.”

      “I’ve never had trouble with depression.”

      “Then get up.”

      She curled into СКАЧАТЬ