Wrangling the Cowboy's Heart by Carolyne Aarsen

Author:Carolyne Aarsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Friday afternoon Jodie pulled into an empty spot in the shade of a maple tree and looked out over Mercy Park, its gazebo sheltered from the midmorning sun by the cluster of ash trees.

A vague memory surfaced. Of her father, getting her to smell her ice cream, then tapping the bottom of the cone. Her nose had hit the ice cream and they all laughed. Then he’d pulled a hanky out of his pocket, wiped her nose and gave her a big smile.

She let the memory settle like a warm blanket over the colder, harsher ones. This, too, was part of her past with her father.

She got out of her car, locked its doors, then laughed at herself. In a town like Saddlebank, it was hardly at risk of being stolen, but she didn’t want to take the chance. This car was her way out of here.

Or was it?

What should happen when she left Saddlebank?

Would she be staying in Wichita? Moving on? Waiting for the ranch to sell so she could finance another trip abroad?

She couldn’t work up any enthusiasm for the ideas. However, the thought of meeting Finn at the Grill and Chill did. Was she being smart about this? Did she dare?

Ignoring the endless questions swirling in her head, she smoothed her hands over the bright blue silk tunic she had bought in a bazaar in Bangkok, paired with blue jeans she had put on for her date. Trying to straddle the line between her identity and what she thought it should be?

Maybe she should have worn the baggy pants she had picked up in Thailand. Just to remind herself who she was.

As she stepped up onto the sidewalk, someone called her name. She turned around to see Aunt Laura walking toward her, arms outstretched, her poufy gray hair tossed about by the spring breeze.

“Hello, my dear girl,” her aunt called out. “I haven’t seen you for ages,” she chided. “What are you doing in town?”

“Sorry, Aunt Laura, I’ve been lying low at the ranch,” Jodie said, returning her tight hug, but not directly answering her question. She pulled back, smiling at the faded ring of lipstick on her aunt’s mouth, the smudge of mascara around her eyes, her eye shadow gathered in the creases of her eyelids. Aunt Laura always managed to look vaguely put together, but not quite hitting all the marks.

“Doing what?”

“Helping Finn with the horses. Getting stuff sorted in Dad’s office.”

Aunt Laura made a face. “That will be a job and a half. That man was turning into a pack rat.”

“There’s enough paper there, that’s for sure.” Jodie hadn’t even begun to get it all sorted out. “I hope to have it filed and organized before Lauren comes. And deal with the horses, too.”

“Speaking of horses, how is the arrangement with Finn going?” Laura asked, giving her a broad grin.

“It’s coming,” Jodie said, ignoring the speculation in her aunt’s eyes. “I think Finn has Roany behaving how he wants her, and now he’s working with Spot.

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