His Christmas Cowgirl by Cari Lynn Webb

Author:Cari Lynn Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-08-14T15:10:31+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

JOSH PARKED NEAR Marlena Doyle’s greenhouses. The row of buildings was like a timeline of structural advances through the decades. It started with the two original wood-framed gabled greenhouses and ended with the newest steel-framed pair. Those, Josh had helped Marlena’s late husband build. He cut the truck engine, yet nothing cut his urge to throw the truck in reverse, hightail it off the property and away from his memories.

He’d already spent yesterday with his ex-wife and his past. Fortunately, the one place Isabel and Josh had always found common ground was in the arena. Yesterday had proven no different. He and his ex-wife saw eye to eye on horses and competition strategy. Outside that, all bets were off. Still, Josh wasn’t particularly in the mood for any more reminders of everything he’d long ago filed under “better off forgotten.”

The door to the middle greenhouse opened. The Baker sisters swept outside, followed by Marlena. But Josh’s attention skipped over the trio and stuck on Vivian. The fading sunlight surrounded her as if seeking her warmth. Or perhaps that was Josh. Drawn to the cowgirl, despite all his arguments to keep his distance.

Breezy, Gayle and Marlena gave Vivian a wave and turned for the main house. Vivian walked toward the parking area. Uncertainty washed over her face. Josh reached for his cowboy hat, dropped it on his head and collected himself.

He knew the Baker sisters and Marlena would keep his confidences. As longtime friends of his Gran Claire, they considered Josh and his brothers their own. And they were as protective of Josh as his grandparents had been. No, they would not outright reveal his pain points. Yet that wouldn’t stop them from dropping hints in a misguided attempt to help him get over his past. But Josh didn’t need help. There was nothing to get over if he never revisited those memories.

Still, he climbed out of his truck and kept his focus on Vivian. No sense letting his gaze wander only to find himself stumbling down memory lane. Besides, he wasn’t about to take Vivian along with him.

Vivian stopped at the end of the gravel walkway. “Josh.”

“Vivian,” he said, matching her formal tone. Her fingers twitched and flexed at her sides, hinting at her nerves. He grinned at her. “So, Marlena’s greenhouses are your hidden gem.”

She blinked and studied him, opened her mouth, then seemed to catch herself. “Yeah. What do you think?”

I think I want to kiss you. Stamp a good memory over the bad. Would you consider me too selfish if I did just that? He tapped the rim of his cowboy hat up and stepped closer to her. “I think you were right. It’s unconventional.”

“If we had power in the greenhouses, I could really show you.” She ran her hand over the back of her neck and across her cheek.

He really wanted to capture her hand and tug her into his embrace. Instead, he turned away. He might be drawn to her, but he wasn’t foolish enough to believe theirs was a good pairing, like his grandfather claimed.

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