Harlequin Love Inspired January 2019--Box Set 1 of 2 by Mary Davis

Author:Mary Davis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Not good enough.

Not rich enough.

Not opportunistic enough.

His hard-hit town, the town his family helped build, wasn’t wealthy enough for Melonie.

You knew this. You knew it from the moment you set eyes on her, when she dismissed you with a single shrug of those pretty shoulders. You knew it and still you kissed her.

He knew better for a number of reasons, which meant applying the brakes one hundred percent.

He didn’t want to. That kiss—that amazingly beautiful, wonderful kiss—had set his head to thinking and his pulse to jumping, but it wasn’t just the kiss. It was seeing her with Ava, cuddled in that rocker. Seeing her pretend to nibble Ava’s baby toes, and play peek-a-boo and laugh at the little blue-eyed blonde that seemed to think Melonie was pretty special.

What if the toddler got too attached? Would that mess her up when Melonie left next year?

He leveled the concrete and set the new tub about the same time the electrician showed up to lay in additional wiring. He turned the bathroom over to him, and walked out back.

Bubba plodded his way. The old horse almost smiled, happy to see him. He wasn’t used to Jace being gone so much, and in his advanced years, the gelding liked routine. He bobbed his head and when Jace laid out apple slices, Bubba accepted them greedily. And when Jace reached out to stroke his neck, the trusty mount leaned in like a faithful dog.

“I’m done out front.”

He and the horse both turned toward Melonie’s voice as Bonnie came their way from the opposite direction.

“I’m going to head back to Pine Ridge.”

He nodded.

She indicated the horses with a look. “What will you do with them if you decide to move next spring?”

“Leave them.”

She didn’t look at him. Just them. His two old, loyal friends.

“I don’t have the money to buy acreage in Sun Valley. It’s much more upscale than this.” He swept the broad, beautiful valley a long look. “But there’s work there, so it’s a trade-off.”

She brushed her hands against her thighs. “Life’s full of those, I suppose.”

“How many trade-offs have you had to make, Melonie?”

He didn’t mean to sound harsh, but he did and she jerked slightly. Then she leveled a cool look his way, and shrugged one shoulder. “Practically none.” She walked away as Bonnie sidled up to the fence, looking for a handout.

He sliced another apple. They were from last year’s crop and wilted now.

The horses didn’t care.

They thought the less-than-perfect treats were wonderful.

Melonie’s engine started as Bonnie lapped at his hand, happy with such a small thing. How he wished the woman walking away felt the same way.

By the time he got to the ranch, Corrie had walked the girls back up to the big house. As he climbed the porch steps, shrieks of joy and giggles came through the wooden screen door. Ava and Annie were in the living room. Baby toys were scattered across the floor.

Melonie wasn’t inside. She wasn’t on the porch, and although he didn’t want to listen for her voice, he did.

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