When a Cowboy Loves a Woman by Jennie Marts

Author:Jennie Marts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2021-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

They dropped Milo off at the library, then stopped at the vet clinic to get Brody’s truck. Mandy stayed in the back seat with the dog while her dad followed them out to Bryn’s farm.

Brody stopped his daughter before she got out of the car. “Why don’t you let Elle and me go in first? We’ll get Grace and her puppies fed and settled down a little before we bring this one into the chaos.”

“Good idea,” Elle told him. “We can make up a little bed, and she can sleep in my room with me tonight.”

She looked a little calmer now that she had a plan. He swore the color had drained clean out of her face when Mandy had suggested she take the mama dog home with her. He didn’t know all the details of what had happened with Elle and Ryan and the car accident, but the things he’d overheard and the presence of the empty nursery were enough to tell him everything he needed to know.

He was proud of Elle. He could tell this was hard on her, but he admired the way she pulled back her shoulders and lifted her chin once she’d made the decision to take the dog. She was braver than she gave herself credit for.

He followed her into the house and into the cacophony of five puppies yipping and barking as they crawled over each other to get to him and Elle. They quickly changed the papers in the makeshift pen and let Grace out the back door and gave her some fresh water, all while dispensing love and cuddles to five squirming, nipping puppies.

Brody caught Elle’s tortured look as she cuddled two of them close to her. “It’s gonna be okay. This is the circle of life, especially in a ranching community. Coyotes are assholes, and it breaks my heart that they took those pups, but the dog will get through it.” And so will you. He didn’t say it, but he wanted to.

She nodded. “I know.” Her words were soft, spoken into the furry heads of the pups.

Dang. This woman was killing him. He just wanted to pull her into his arms and take away all her pain. He would give anything to erase the sadness and grief in her eyes. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “You good?”

She turned to him, pressing her face into his chest while still cradling the puppies between them. “No. Yes. I don’t know. I will be.”

He lifted her chin and peered down at her, trying to pour his reassurance into her eyes. “Yes, you will be. You’re stronger than you think.”

Elle offered him a fragile smile. “That’s the same thing I told your daughter earlier today.”

He shook his head, his fingers curling into fists as knots of fury roiled in his gut. “That’s the next thing I’ve got to deal with. What am I supposed to do about this mean girl who is bullying my kid? I can’t let this one go.

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