The Cowboy's Lullaby. Judy Duarte
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Название: The Cowboy's Lullaby
Автор: Judy Duarte
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Контркультура
Серия: Mills & Boon Cherish
isbn: 9781408904671
isbn:
“Then I’ll have to kiss up to Mrs. Davies, since she’ll be the one looking after the dog for me.”
“That’s left to be seen.”
They were heading for a face-off, which wasn’t appropriate here and now. A glance into the backseat told him Brianna was happy with her pet, so he decided not to make an issue out of it…yet.
“By the way,” Jake said, as Chloe turned to open the driver’s door of her car. “That’s the ugliest mutt I’ve ever seen. If you’re going to turn the ranch into a zoo, why not choose a better-looking critter?”
Her motions slowed, and she turned to face him again, her stance softening this time. Their gazes locked, and her eyes glistened. If he didn’t know better, he’d suspect she was tearing up. Hell, maybe she was.
The breeze sent a strand of her hair across her cheek and she brushed it aside. She cleared her throat, and her voice came out softer than he expected. “Because that little dog needed a home more than the rest of them. His number was up today.”
Jake had never been an animal person. Well, not as a grown-up, anyway. He’d found a stray shepherd-mix once, but his mom had refused to let him keep it. And he couldn’t blame her. She lived in a town house in the city.
And so did he.
“That dog—” he began.
“Sweetie Pie,” Chloe corrected. “He has a name.”
Jake crossed his arms. “Either way, my place isn’t geared for pets.”
She leaned her hip against the car door and crossed her own arms. “Whatever.”
Damn that woman. She was going to be the death of him.
“Listen,” she said, softening again, it seemed. “A pet will be good for Brianna. Especially now.”
“She already has fish.”
“She can’t cuddle with them.”
“Yeah, well, she won’t get flea bites from them, either.”
Chloe stood there for a moment, eyes glaring and rigidity returning to her stance. Then she chuckled softly. “Six weeks won’t be long enough, will it?”
It seemed too long to him. But he wasn’t entirely sure what she meant. “What are you talking about?”
“You and I are going to have a heck of a time learning how to compromise and put Brianna’s best interests ahead of our own.” Then she tossed him another smile and climbed into the car.
Jake stood silently by, as he watched her drive away.
Something told him she was right.
Even so, he realized, in spite of his objections and reservations, Brianna was sitting in Chloe’s backseat. And that ugly dog was heading back to the ranch.
So how come it felt more like a loss than a compromise?
And what was he going to do about it?
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