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“I’d be interested in hearing more about the kind of help you’re looking for,” he said.
She looked at her babies, tried to turn off the zip of sex appeal that was overruling her ability to think clearly. “Why would you want to work here? There must be a lot of ranches hiring.”
He nodded. “I’m sure I can find a job if this doesn’t work out. But Ty seemed to think you could use a foreman.”
“A foreman position would be a long-term proposition.” She looked at him, curious. “Somehow you don’t strike me as a long-term kind of man.”
“Things change.”
Okay. She’d noticed he had a bit of a limp, and there was probably a story to that. In fact, there was no doubt a story to Justin in general, but she wasn’t looking for a colorful background. She needed help here, and the fact was Ty’s reference counted for a lot. There was no doubting that Justin didn’t want to answer a lot of questions about himself, which was fine because she could ask Ty whatever she wanted to know. She could simply negotiate an open-ended employment offer with Justin.
“Yes, things do change. Thanks for helping out with the babies. If you give me ten minutes to get them settled and grab the books, I’ll go over the job requirements with you.”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
She gazed into his hazel eyes, seeing nothing there but appreciation for a chance of employment. No attraction, no flirtation; just level honesty.
Whatever it was she’d felt from the moment he’d walked into the room, he didn’t seem to be affected by it.
Which was fine.
She went to find Mrs. Harper to watch the babies while she talked to Justin. If she hired him, she was going to call Ty.
Whether Mackenzie thanked him or yelled at him about the cowboy in the other room remained to be seen.
* * *
TWO WEEKS HAD gone by, and Mackenzie hadn’t seen much of Justin since he’d moved into the foreman’s house. But evidence of his presence was obvious: the gutters no longer hung sad and neglected, the paint on the house gleamed, the paddocks were mown and hay was bundled into round bales that studded the landscape outside her window.
It was beginning to look like the Hanging H of old, which brought back a lot of happy memories.
Jade came into the kitchen, peering over her shoulder at the paddocks. “Looks like a postcard, doesn’t it?”
Mackenzie nodded. “Maybe I should have thanked Ty for sending Justin my way.”
Jade laughed. “You didn’t thank him?”
“I was too annoyed when I found out he’d put my name in a dating registry.”
“To be fair, that was a tiny fib on his part. He didn’t really do that. It was just a little intrigue he threw in for Justin’s sake.”
Mackenzie shook her head and returned to the babies, who sat in carriers, all four of them, on top of the wide kitchen island. They gazed at different things around the room or their toes, content for the moment. “Ty can get a little crazy at times. But, yes, I should thank him now. The ranch looks like it’s in recovery mode.”
“And then there’s other kinds of recovery,” Jade said, still staring out the window. “Is this your daily view?”
Mackenzie turned to see what Jade was goggling at.
Justin. Hot, dark skin gleaming with sweat, bare to his blue-jeaned waist. Muscles for miles. Mackenzie stared at the man wearing a straw Resistol, amazed to feel her heart beating like mad. “Actually, no. That’s never been the view.”
“Too bad.” Jade laughed. “If it was, I’d be eating lunch over here every day with you.”
“You do eat lunch with me almost every day. You make the lunch.” Mackenzie tore her gaze away from Justin and sat at the island. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I feel like things are much more under control. You and your mom don’t have to come over here every day anymore to help me out. I’m going to be okay.” She smiled at Jade. “You’ve been amazing friends. You and everybody who’s sent food over.”
“Pooh,” Jade said. “Don’t think you’re going to run me off now that you’ve got a bona fide beefcake on the ranch. I’m single, you know.”
Mackenzie held Heather’s tiny foot in her hand. “By all means, come by if you want to. I just hate to keep taking up your life.”
“Believe me—this is a joy and pleasure. And it would kill Mom if you cut off her visiting privileges.” Jade stood beside her. “She dotes on these babies. Says they may be the only grandchildren she has because I’m so slow about finding a husband.”
“You could try Ty’s matchmaking registry.”
Jade laughed. “I’ll meet my handsome prince when it’s meant to be.” She went back to staring out the window. “Did you notice his limp?”
Mackenzie sighed. “Yes. It’s more pronounced when he doesn’t know I’m watching him, which tells me he doesn’t want to talk about it. So I don’t ask.” She tucked the blankets around the babies and smiled. “He does his job. I don’t see him. He came into the kitchen last Friday, and I handed him an envelope with his pay in it. Your mother gave him a lunchbox, so I think she’s feeding him. That’s the relationship we have, and now you know everything I know.”
Maybe that would settle Jade’s curiosity.
“You have to wonder about that matchmaking story, though. Something brought that handsome stud here. He could have gotten a job where he came from, right?” Jade asked, curiosity clearly not abated.
“Don’t ask me. I took Ty’s word as a reference and didn’t ask too many questions. As you may have noticed, I needed help around here, and if he was looking for a job, I was happy to give him a try.” It had nothing to do with the fact that he was, as Jade mentioned, quite handsome. Sexy. Breathtaking, if a woman was looking for a man.
But she wasn’t.
“I had a husband,” Mackenzie said, looking at her babies with adoring eyes. “And while I wouldn’t say I wish I’d never met Tommy—I have him to thank for my sweet children—I can’t say a husband is something I’m looking to put on my shopping list. But speaking of shopping, I’m taking you up on your offer to babysit while I go into town to grab some things.”
Jade gave up watching Justin and picked up a baby. “I was hoping you were still going to let me babysit. An afternoon out will do you good. And my first-timer’s nerves will be calmed.”
“You’ll do fine! You’ve helped me almost every day with the babies.” Mackenzie hugged her friend.
“My nerves are due to my suspicion that you might not be able to leave your babies for the first time,” Jade said, laughing. “Mom’s coming by for backup. We have everything under control. Go.”
A knock sounded on the kitchen door, and Jade pulled it open. “We don’t knock on the back door—just come on in,” Jade said, and Justin entered. Even a little sweaty and a bit dirty, he was a sexy, handsome man—just as Jade had noted.
“Ladies,” he said, removing his hat.
“Hi,” Jade said. She poured him a glass of tea from the pitcher on the counter. “I’m going to put these babies down for their nap.”
She left the room carrying Hope. Mackenzie smiled at Justin as he put the empty glass back on the counter. “Would you like some more?”
“No, thank you.”
He had the most amazing eyes, the nicest hands—
Mackenzie pulled her gaze back where it belonged. “The house looks great. And it’s nice to see the lawn mowed. Thank you.”
He nodded. “I was going to head into town. I figure there’s a hardware place and maybe a tractor supply in town so I can get some parts.” He glanced at the remaining two babies on the kitchen island after Jade came in and removed Heather. “I thought I’d see if there was anything you need.”
Him, maybe? “Thank you. Actually I’m being sent into town myself.”
“That’s right,” Jade said, sailing into the kitchen to pick up Haven, cuddling the baby to her. “It’s high time my friend got out. She’s a wonderful mother, but everybody needs a break. Although I’ll believe that she leaves these babies behind when I see it. Try to help ease her out the door, will you?” She grinned and left.
Justin shrugged. “I can drop you off in town.”
Mackenzie hesitated. “That’s all right. I can drive.”
“I could use a tour.”
She looked into his eyes, surprised. “Haven’t you been into Bridesmaids Creek?”
“Just ran in to grab some feed for the horses.”
There was a lot of lore in Bridesmaids Creek. She was half tempted to go with him so she could tell him all the wonderful stories.
On the other hand, she was tempted to go with him simply because he was the hottest man she’d ever laid eyes on.
Which wasn’t the best reason, but it was a reason. She could feel herself melting under his gaze. He seemed so solid, so strong...so unlike Tommy.
“I really—”
“Go,” Jade said, coming back into the kitchen to collect the final baby. She cradled Holly as Mrs. Harper came in the back door bearing a pie.
“Hello, everyone,” Mrs. Harper said. “I brought something for Justin because I know how much he likes apple pie.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Justin said. “I can find room for that.”
Jade handed Holly to her mother after she put the pie on the counter. “Justin and Mackenzie are just leaving.”
“Oh, good,” Mrs. Harper said. “That will give me time to make up some fried chicken to go with it for later.”
“I think we’re not getting any of that pie until we get our chores done,” Justin said, his gaze turning to Mackenzie again.
“I think you’re right.” She also sensed a heavy helping of matchmaking, too, but forewarned was forearmed. She gave Jade a wry look, who returned that with an innocent look. When Justin opened the kitchen door, Mackenzie went out, telling herself that all the matchmaking in the world wasn’t going to make her fall in love again.
* * *
“AFTER HEARING TY sell Bridesmaids Creek,” Justin told Mackenzie as he drove into town, “I’m anxious to get the tour. Ty brags about the Bridesmaids Creek swim, he talks about the Best Man’s Fork, and a few other bits of lore, but I was never sure if he was just pulling my leg or not. Ty likes to hear himself talk, and talk big.”
“There’s a lot of history in BC,” Mackenzie said. “Some good, some bad. Just like any place, I guess.”
He nodded, pulling his truck into a parking spot in the wide-set, clean town square. Families with kids milled in front of the shops, but not as many as one might expect to see if one were in a city.
Still, it felt like a comfortable town where everyone knew each other, celebrated each other’s hopes and joys. “The Wedding Diner?” Justin peered at the white restaurant with its pink-and-white-striped awning, big windows and flashing pink Open sign.
“Home cooking, and, if you’re interested, Mrs. Chatham will tell your fortune for you.”
Justin grunted. “I don’t believe in fortune-telling.”
“Oh, she doesn’t do read-your-palm kind of stuff. Mrs. Chatham has a completely different method.” She got out of the truck and he followed suit, meeting her on the pavement.
“So, shall we meet back here at four?” Mackenzie asked. “I know you said you wanted to go to the feed store. By the way, Ralph Chatham, Jane Chatham’s husband, runs that.”
“Does he tell fortunes, too?” Justin asked, telling himself to relax and enjoy the small-town ambience.
“Not exactly. But he does do a Magic 8 Ball kind of thing where you pay a small fee, his steer drops a cowpat on a square for you and you win a prize. Or you can trade the prize for one of Mrs. Chatham’s sessions.”
Justin laughed. “Cow-pie-drop contests are done in lots of places.”
“You laugh,” Mackenzie said, “but Mr. Chatham’s steer is well loved in this town. The steer’s name is Target thanks to his aim and the fact that he’s made some folks a good bundle of money. Target always hits a mark. See you at four.” She smiled and walked away, stunning him when she walked into a shop with a bouquet-shaped shingle that read “Monsieur Unmatchmaker. Premier Unmatchmaking Service.”
Was the whole town backward? Off its collective rocker?
It was none of his business why Mackenzie would need an unmatchmaking service. Ugh.
The unforgiving rodeo circuit had been more sane than this town.
Still, he’d been serious about getting a grand tour from Mackenzie, though she obviously hadn’t thought he’d meant it. How better to learn about Bridesmaids Creek than from one of the town’s favorite daughters?
He glanced toward the unmatchmaking service, seeing that next door to Monsieur Unmatchmaker’s dove-gray-painted shop was a pink store with a cheery window and painted scrolling letters that read, “Madame Matchmaker. Premier Matchmaking Service. Where love comes true.”
He laughed out loud, startling some passersby. Suddenly he understood why Ty had worked so hard to sell him on this town: the whole place was set up on gigs. Sleights of hand. Fairy tales. From the rumored special steer with excellent aim to The Wedding Diner with the fortune-teller owner to the matchmaking–unmatchmaking rivals— everybody had a gig.
So did Mackenzie, now that he thought about it. Her parents had run a successful haunted house for years, and, according to the talkative fellow at the feed store, parents from miles around had brought their very young kiddies to enjoy the place. No real spooky stuff was allowed. Just down-home bobbing-for-apples fun. Puppet shows, piñatas, a parade with characters.
Until a local murder near Mackenzie’s place had spooked folks. That year, attendance had gone way down. So far down they’d had to close the haunted house. They’d been virtually bankrupted, or so the story went.
“You still here?” Mackenzie asked, shaking him out of his reverie.
He snapped his gaze to hers. “Yeah. Your errand was fast.”
Mackenzie nodded. “I just wanted to check in on Monsieur Lafleur. He had gall bladder surgery recently.”
“Rough.”
“It was rough.” She started walking and he followed, more out of a desire to be with her than to hear about Mr. Lafleur’s funky gall bladder. “It was gangrenous and they couldn’t get to it laparoscopically, so they had to do it the old-fashioned way. Not much fun.”
He felt a little sympathy for Mr. Lafleur after all.
“But his wife is wonderful and she took good care of him. They bicker like crazy, but they’ve been married for fifty years and love blooms in spite of the bickering.” She looked up at him, and Justin felt something hit him somewhere near his gall bladder—not his heart—that felt suspiciously like something bordering on attraction.
All this talk of wonky gall bladders was stirring up his desire to eat. That was all it was. He glanced toward The Wedding Diner, wondering if it was safe to go inside and eat without prognostications of marital bliss being preached at him.
“Madame Lafleur runs the matchmaking service,” Mackenzie said, snapping his attention back to her and away from the people filing inside the diner.
“The Lafleurs run rival businesses?”
“Complementary businesses. Some people want love, and some people want relationships ended. Monsieur Lafleur doesn’t get as many clients as his wife, of course, so he teaches French at the high school and tutors privately in his shop.”
“If the divorce rate is around fifty percent, how is it that Monsieur Lafleur has to supplement with teaching and tutoring and his wife doesn’t?”
“Because this is Bridesmaids Creek. When matchmaking occurs here—and it occurs often—the relationships tend to stick. Madame Lafleur takes great pride in her ability to bring people together who are perfect soul mates.”
He idly wondered if Mackenzie had utilized the services of Madame Lafleur. If so, she didn’t seem bothered by the irony of her marriage not lasting. He looked away for a moment, trying to shake off the charm of the town. His rational side said it was just all so ludicrous, and the first chance he got he was going to tell Ty that he’d sent him to a place where people were clearly just one car short of a crazy train.
“Can I buy you a snack? Seems a shame not to take my boss to get a soda and a slice of pie, or whatever is served in The Wedding Diner.”
“Sure.” She looked at him curiously. “You realize you’ll be setting yourself up for the gossip mill.”
“Putting myself right in the line of fire.” He opened the door for her. “After you.”
Chapter Three
Mackenzie and Justin were greeted warmly by the proprietress of The Wedding Diner, an amply shaped woman with a big smile.
“Jane Chatham,” Mackenzie said, “I’d like to introduce you to Justin Morant. He’s been helping out at my place.”
Jane’s smile widened as she swept them over to a bright white booth inside the diner. “Welcome, Justin. Those four darlings running you off your boots over there?”
He removed his hat and took the seat she indicated. “It’s a nice place.”
“Sure it is.” Jane laughed. She looked at Mackenzie with a fond smile. “I’m sure you’re happy for the help.”
“You have no idea.”
Justin felt a slow warmth steal up the back of his neck. It was just a job like any job. He rubbed his knee surreptitiously under the table, glad it wasn’t aching much today. It wouldn’t matter if Mackenzie had twelve kids—he was glad for the work.
And the chance to work for himself. Under a blue sky with no one talking to him.
“Still thinking about selling the place?” Jane asked Mackenzie, and Justin listened hard in spite of himself.
“We’ll see what happens,” Mackenzie murmured. “In the meantime, can we talk you out of some of that delicious pie I smell?” She looked at Justin, and he felt a tiny zap hit him around his chest cavity again. Really weird, because he’d never been much of a heartburn sufferer.
He told himself he’d grab some antacids later.
“You order what you like,” Mackenzie told him, “but I’m not about to pass up that blackberry pie.”
“I’ll have a slice.”
“Two, please,” Mackenzie said, and Jane ambled off with a pleased nod.
“You didn’t mention you were selling your ranch,” Justin said, so startled by the news he forgot he’d intended to mind his own business.
She nodded. “It would probably be best. It’s hard for me to keep up with on my own, to be honest, and since I’m not working, I need to keep my savings for my daughters.” She smiled. “Selling the Hanging H would mean college educations and a few other things comfortably. I’d like to not stay awake at night worrying about money.”
He cleared his throat. “Your ex doesn’t pay any child support?”
She shook her head. “Hard to squeeze blood out of a turnip, especially a turnip that stays on the move to avoid child support.”
Ouch. Justin sipped the coffee Jane brought over, glad for the dark steaming brew. He then busied himself with the flaky, rich blackberry pie, delicious enough to draw a sigh of pleasure from him if he weren’t so caught by Mackenzie’s story.
Her plans made total sense. A woman with four brand-new babies, who’d been born with some challenges, was going to need cash. A lot of cash. She was being wise, had clearly given her situation a lot of thought. It was what he’d do were he in her boots.
Seemed a shame to sell a family home, though. He thought about his childhood home, and how much it had hurt when it was gone. He and his rowdy brothers had grown up there, enjoyed the benefits of living and working on a family ranch. When his father had taken up with another woman, scandalizing the town, his mother had booted him out of the house and sold the family ranch—her right as it was the home she’d grown up in. Though his father had tried to make amends, Dana Morant was made of sterner stuff. She’d taken her boys to Montana to be near her sister, and life had changed forever. Mainly for the better but always with the lingering shadows of what might have been. Jensen Morant now lived on a thousand acres of rich Montana ranchland. Justin didn’t go near the place.
He looked at Mackenzie’s soft hair and gentle smile.
“You were way far away,” she said.
He took another bite of pie, sipped his coffee. “Let me know what I can do to help.”
“You have already. I can put the ranch on the market now, thanks to the wonderful shape you’re getting it in. I really appreciate it.”
A sudden pound on his back had him looking over his shoulder. “Ty!”
“Me in the flesh.” Ty slapped him on the back again and nodded at Mackenzie. “Jade told me I’d find this devil here.”
“I have things to discuss with you, Ty,” Mackenzie said, and he grinned.
“You can thank me later for sending you this guy,” Ty said.
“That’s just it,” Mackenzie said. “You really shouldn’t have.”
“Getting attached to him?” Ty teased, and Justin decided the conversation had gone far enough.
“Join us,” Justin said.
“No. No time.” Ty looked at him. “I’m in town for one thing and one thing only. And that’s to help you back to the rodeo circuit.”
Justin frowned. “How am I going to do that? I’m a bit physically challenged at the moment.”
“In a different capacity than riding,” Ty said. “You and I are going to travel the country recruiting talent.”
“Talent for what?” Justin didn’t like the idea of that at all. Correction: once upon a time he might have jumped on it enthusiastically. Traveling the country with one of his best buddies, seeing his friends on the rodeo circuit, giving back to the sport he loved so much—dream-come-true stuff.
His gaze slid to Mackenzie, who watched him with gently smiling eyes as she listened to Ty go on and on with his plans. Justin couldn’t work up the same excitement.
He felt like he had plenty to do here in Bridesmaids Creek that was important. Mackenzie smiled at him, a slow, sweet smile. Her big eyes were looking at him, so trusting, and that heartburn he’d been experiencing felt more like his heart was melting into a big soupy puddle.
Dang. This was new. Different.
Maybe hitting the road with Ty was the right idea.
He looked at his friend. “Why don’t you stop by the house later and tell me about this harebrained plan of yours?”
Ty looked at Mackenzie. “Would you mind? I know you’ve got a lot going on over there.”
“You’re welcome anytime.” Mackenzie got up. “Just know that if you take my cowboy, who has become indispensable to me, I’m going to offer you up as a candidate for the Best Man’s Fork run. All in the name of charity, of course.” She winked at Justin. “I’m going to talk to Jane for a moment.”
She headed toward Jane at the cash register. Ty studied his friend.
“You’ve got the strangest look on your face,” Ty said as Justin returned his gaze to Mackenzie. He just couldn’t seem to get enough of looking at her. “I’d say you have indigestion, except you’re smiling.”
Justin relaxed his mouth so the smile would disappear. He had been smiling, because his muscles ached a bit. Like he’d been smiling a long time—watching Mackenzie walk and chatter with some friends who came over to talk to her.
“I’m not smiling, but I may have indigestion.”
Ty snorted. “I see what’s going on here.”
“Do you.” He made the comment as flat as possible. His buddy’s opinion didn’t really matter. Ty had no idea what was going on, because Justin had no idea.
“You’re tired,” Ty said. “Being around those babies and that falling-down farm has worn you out. You better hit the road with me. You’ll be back to your old self in no time.”
“What was my old self?”
Ty put his hat on, prepared to leave, which was fine with Justin. Then he could go back to surreptitiously staring at Mackenzie. “Grumpy, cranky, annoying.”
Justin grunted. “Thought that was you.”
“Not me.” He peered at Justin. “I really hope this wasn’t too much for you, old buddy. I didn’t mean to bring you down. Figured some time in a small town with a real job would do you good.”
Justin put his hat on, too, because if he didn’t get out of there, people were going to notice that he couldn’t stop staring at his beautiful boss. “That’s what you get for thinking. See you at the house. Don’t get there too soon. I’m taking the boss lady shopping.”