Healing the Rancher by Melinda Curtis

Author:Melinda Curtis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-03-02T18:10:01+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

KENDALL WOKE TO the phone alarm in the wee hours of the morning, Boo’s small paw on her cheek, and the memory of warm, scarred skin beneath her finger. In the drowsy state between waking and sleep, she imagined tracing the scars on Finn’s cheek, leaning forward for a tender kiss, then Finn’s melting gaze flaring into shock.

Her eyes flew open.

“He knows we’re not meant to be.” Kendall sat up, oblivious to the morning chill, consumed with one question. Why did he think she was wrong for him? She rolled her eyes.

That’s so me. Placing blame at my door.

It could just as likely be his hang-up. Maybe he still loved his wife.

“Boo, this is why I need to learn how to be a ranch boss and move on. The man is more irresistible than chocolate to me. And I’m like day-old bread to him.” She slid her feet into her pink fuzzy slippers, shoved her arms into her champagne-colored bathrobe and shuffled across the barn to the bathroom.

Along the way, horses snorted or poked their heads over stall doors.

“Don’t gawk,” she told them. “And don’t beg for breakfast. I’ll be back after I get coffee.”

Toothpaste and a hairbrush had Kendall feeling more like herself, although she’d applied a facial mask to combat the dark circles under her eyes. While it dried, she headed back to the bunk room to change.

“Oh...” A petite, older woman with short gray hair stood in the main barn doorway. She held a big mug of coffee and stared at Kendall in a way that was reminiscent of Finn. “I was looking for... Ken?”

“Um.” Kendall touched the stiff mask drying on her face. “That’s... Ow.”

Boo had been hiding behind a feed barrel and pounced on one of Kendall’s pink fuzzy slippers as if it was her prey.

“Boo, stop.” Kendall shook her foot, trying to thwart the kitten’s attack. “Sorry. That’s me. Ken. Kendall. You must be Finn’s mom. I’m new.” If not for the kitten on her foot, she might have walked over and offered to shake Mrs. McAfee’s hand. Instead, Kendall shook her foot harder and wished she wasn’t vain enough to apply a facial mask.

At least, she can’t see me blush.

Boo leaped free, raced to Rebel’s stall, turned and did a full-body wiggle, preparing for another attack.

“Oh.” The woman looked Kendall up and down, and then said more significantly, “Oh.” Her smile grew. “I brought you coffee.”

“Thank you.” Kendall moved quickly to accept it. The coffee was black and smelled strong enough to grow hair on her chest. “I’ll get dressed and—”

Mrs. McAfee’s smile showed no signs of abating. It was alarming, that smile. It was the expression a parent made upon meeting their child’s significant other and approving of their choice.

There was no choice. There hadn’t even been kisses.

The older woman swayed up on her toes, practically giddy. “I’ll go back to the house and make you breakfast.”

This wasn’t good. Didn’t she know there were rules about breakfast?

“Please don’t go to any trouble on my account.

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