Montana Cowboy Daddy by Linda Ford

Author:Linda Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Dawson worked on the end of the schoolhouse and had only to move to his right to see the doctor’s house. When he heard the door slap shut next door, he leaned that direction and looked up. Isabelle carried out a bucket and dumped water on the bush. Done, she straightened and looked up at the blue sky. He saw only her profile but could tell she smiled as if enjoying the view. She slowly turned. He held his breath as her gaze came toward him. Their eyes connected with a jolt that shook his whole body. She lifted a hand in a wave and went back inside.

He jerked back. He’d chosen this position solely so he could keep an eye on Mattie when she came over after school, but that was hours away and he couldn’t keep his attention off the house. If Grandfather could see him, he would point out how slowly the building was progressing. Dawson wanted to be done more than Grandfather could guess, and he set to work with complete concentration.

After school, Mattie stopped by on her way to see Isabelle. His daughter was still cautious around him and that stung like a thousand bees attacking.

“Have fun,” he said as she sidled away, not letting him toss her in the air and tickle her as he usually did.

She nodded and crossed to the back door, where Isabelle opened the door and greeted her.

Dawson felt alone and tense when the door closed behind them. His thoughts were all tangled. Last evening Grandfather and Annie had kept up a running commentary on Isabelle’s virtues and delivered a scathing assessment of Dawson’s flaws in not seeing those virtues for himself.

Not that he wasn’t aware of many of those virtues. She was gentle, kind, and from what he could see, she worked hard at keeping the doctor’s house. None of that negated his fear of a city woman and his conviction that she would soon tire of Bella Creek and head back to the city and its attractions. What chance did a cowboy have against such things?

He pressed his hat tighter to his head. What was wrong with him? Why did he feel such a strong attraction to Isabelle? Did he have a character flaw that caused him to be drawn toward women who didn’t fit into his life? He forced his attention back to his task. What did it mean if he did? That he should give up his dreams of having his own ranch and become a city dweller? He shuddered at the idea. All he knew was ranching. What would he do in a city but wither up and die?

Twice he was so distracted by his wandering thoughts that he had to cut another board because of a mistake. Good thing he was working alone or he might have had to explain himself. Not that he didn’t wish some of the men around town would lend a hand on this project. After all, many of them had children.

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