The Rancher and His Unexpected Daughter by Sherryl Woods

Author:Sherryl Woods
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781460380321
Publisher: MIRA

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Janet took one look at the assembled members of Harlan Adams’s family as she drove up to the house on Monday and very nearly turned tail and ran. She didn’t have a doubt in the world that she and Jenny were the main attraction that had drawn them onto the porch at daybreak. All of the family, she guessed from the size of the gathering, right down to the youngest grandchild. Even her intrepid daughter seemed a little awed by all the attention riveted on them.

“Who are all those people and why are they staring at us?” Jenny asked, regarding the bunch of them warily.

“Now you know how Custer must have felt when he made his last stand,” Janet said dryly, then added, “My guess is they’re all here to try to figure out if we have designs on their father.”

“You mean like wanting to marry him or something?” Jenny asked, astonishment written all over her face.

“That would be my guess,” Janet confirmed.

Jenny’s mouth gaped. “You don’t, do you?”

“I don’t,” Janet said emphatically.

She wished she could speak with as much certainty about Harlan’s intentions. He was the first man in aeons who wasn’t the least bit put off by her prickly, independent nature. Even after she’d turned moody on him on Saturday, he’d remained flirtatious and placid.

In fact, if anything, the glint in his eyes burned even brighter in the face of her contrariness. He wanted her and that, in his opinion, was that. He clearly thought it was just a matter of time until he got his way.

Apparently his sons thought as much, too, or they wouldn’t be here this morning trying to check out the woman who’d caught their father’s eye.

“Go on and hop out,” she advised Jenny.

“You’re going to leave me here alone with them?” her daughter protested, clearly aghast at the prospect. “I don’t think so.”

“Jenny, I’m sure they’re all very nice people.”

“Then why are you running away?”

“Because they obviously have an agenda I don’t want to deal with,” she said.

She cast a quick look to see if she could turn her car around in this unoccupied corner of the driveway or if she was going to be forced to circle all the way around in front of the house, in front of all those fascinated, prying eyes.

Jenny folded her arms over her chest and lifted her chin. Defiance radiated from every pore. “I am not getting out of this car without you.”

“Sweetie, please,” she implored.

“No way.”

“You’ll embarrass Harlan.”

“And your taking off won’t?” Jenny flung back. “Get real, Mom. They’re here to check you out even more than me. Maybe you should prepare a little speech denying any interest in Mr. Adams. Maybe then they’d go away.”

Janet sighed and threw the car into park and shut off the engine. “Traitor,” she muttered at her daughter.

“Don’t blame me. Blame Mr. Adams.”

Janet glanced in Harlan’s direction. He looked every bit as miserable as she felt. “I seriously doubt that this was his idea of a good time,” she observed.

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