Lone Star Father. Marin Thomas

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СКАЧАТЬ Scarlett waved a hand. “The movies were way before your time.”

      Jessie’s attention returned to the window. “What’s there to do here?”

      “Not much, but Paradise Ranch has a petting zoo, which might be busy next week when all the school kids are on spring break.”

      “I’m homeschooled.”

      This time Scarlett stared out the window. “Your father supervises your studies?”

      Jessie shook her head. “My mom did, then Mrs. Valentine helped me. She’s smart. She used to work at a bank.”

      “Who’s Mrs. Valentine?”

      “My foster mom.”

      Foster care. That explained the uneasiness between father and daughter.

      Jessie sat next to Fang and the dog climbed into her lap. “My mom died.”

      “I’m so sorry, Jessie.” Scarlett’s heart swelled with compassion. “How long did you live with Mrs. Valentine?”

      “Since September.”

      Six months. “I moved here from Wisconsin not that long ago. I’m a social worker in Mesquite.”

      “Mesquite?”

      “A town about fifteen minutes from here.”

      “Mrs. Delgado’s my caseworker. She’s nice.”

      Scarlett wanted to know why the young girl had been put into foster care after her mother had died, but if she asked too many questions, Jessie might shut down.

      “Fang belonged to Mrs. Valentine, but he liked me better, so she gave him to me.” Jessie rubbed the mutt’s head.

      “When I was your age, I had a dog named Charlie,” Scarlett said. “He slept with me in my bed.”

      “Fang sleeps with his head on my pillow. I wake up to dog breath in my face.”

      Scarlett laughed, then stopped abruptly when Reid entered the lobby. His hands were fisted at his sides and when his gaze landed on Jessie, the muscle in his jaw bunched. Scarlett had heard bits and pieces about Reid from her cousins but no one understood why the middle Hardell brother chose to keep his distance from the family. She’d always been a champion for the underdog and hoped Reid and his brothers could make peace with the past.

      “What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.

      “Nothing.” He uncurled his fingers and looked at Scarlett. “Sorry about all the commotion. Jessie and I should have stopped at a motel in Mesquite or Rocky Point.”

      “She works in Mesquite.” Jessie pointed to Scarlett.

      Scarlett came out from behind the desk. “It’s good that you stopped. Otherwise you wouldn’t have heard about the baby.” She spoke to Jessie. “Gunner and Lydia named their daughter Amelia after the older woman you saw in the parking lot.” Her gaze swung between Reid and Jessie. “Me and my cousins are named after our great-grandmothers, but Aunt Amelia never had children, so Lydia and Gunner thought it would be nice to name their little girl after her.”

      Reid appeared unimpressed with the story. He rubbed his brow, drawing Scarlett’s attention to the dark shadows beneath his eyes. “How far did you two drive to get here?”

      “We came from El Paso,” he said. “We got a late start.”

      El Paso? The last she’d heard Reid had been living in Albuquerque. “I’m sure you’re ready to turn in for the night.” Scarlett handed him a key card. “You’ll be staying in the High Noon room.”

      At his raised eyebrow Jessie spoke. “The rooms are named after old movies.”

      He pulled out his wallet. “What do I owe you?”

      “Nothing.” Scarlett smiled. “You’re family.”

      Reid grimaced as if she’d offended him, then put his wallet away.

      “Need help with your luggage?” she asked.

      “We’ll be fine, thanks.” He nodded to Jessie. “Grab the dog’s supplies and your backpack. I’ll bring the rest of our things.”

      Jessie carried Fang out of the office.

      “If it’s available,” he said, “I’ll need the room for a few days.”

      “You should stay at the ranch. I can move my things out of your grandfather’s room.”

      “Why isn’t my grandfather living at the ranch?” he asked.

      “When I moved here, Aunt Amelia insisted Emmett stay with her while I searched for an apartment. I was only supposed to use your grandfather’s room for a couple of weeks, but I’ve had so much fun with my cousin and nephews that I’ve been lazy about finding an apartment. Now that you’re here I’ll start looking again.” She moved closer to Reid, catching a hint of woodsy aftershave. “I’m sure it would be okay if I moved my things into Gunner and Lydia’s private room here at the motel.”

      “Private room?”

      Scarlett nodded. “They made one of the rooms into a combination office and nursery in case Gunner ever brings the baby to work with him.”

      “I appreciate the offer, but I’d prefer a motel room for me and Jessie.” He opened the lobby door, then motioned for her to precede him outside. “I should have asked first,” he said, “are pets allowed?”

      “They are.” She pointed to the walkway between the rooms and the office. “There’s a pet station stocked with plastic doggy doo-doo bags.” Scarlett wanted to talk to Reid longer, but Jessie waited for him in front of their room.

      Reid removed the suitcases from the back seat of the truck, then shut the door.

      Before he walked off, she said, “You don’t remember, do you?”

      The corner of his mouth curved upward. “How could I forget? I cut my lip on your braces.”

      Her heart flipped on its end and twirled in a circle before dropping back into place. Reid Hardell remembered their kiss.

      Scarlett’s very first kiss.

      * * *

      “WHERE’S ELMO?” JESSIE dug through the bag of dog supplies in the motel room.

      “It might be on the floor in the truck.” Jessie had asked Reid to buy the dog toy after he’d insisted they take Fang to a vet before leaving El Paso. The visit to the walk-in animal clinic had delayed their departure and caused them to get stuck in Friday rush-hour traffic. The busy roads and having to shell out four hundred dollars for vaccinations and a year’s worth of heartworm pills and flea-and-tick protection hadn’t helped Reid’s pensive mood.

      Jessie filled Fang’s water bowl. “Are you thirsty?” She spoke in a squeaky cartoon СКАЧАТЬ