brides for brothers 02 - cowboy daddy by judy christenberry Read Free Book Online Page A

necessities…like chocolates.” A big grin accompanied her teasing.
    Janie smiled back, but she started pushing her cart again.
    “Well, if that ain’t a coincidence,” Mrs. Fisher exclaimed, drawing Janie’s attention. The woman was staring over Janie’s shoulder, and she couldn’t resist turning around.
    “Hi, Janie, Mrs. Fisher,” Pete said. “I just came into town to pick up a few things for Red.”
    “Really?” Mrs. Fisher said, her eyebrows soaring. “I thought Red always did his shopping on Mondays.”
    “He forgot some things.”
    Janie decided escape was the best plan while Pete was still talking to Mrs. Fisher. She resumed pushing her cart only to have one of Pete’s big hands grab hold of the push bar.
    “See you around, Mrs. Fisher,” he said with a nod before turning to Janie.
    “Turn loose of my cart,” she whispered. To her surprise, he did as she asked, but he strolled along beside her.
    “Why won’t you talk to me, Janie?” he asked.
    “We have nothing to talk about.”
    “You haven’t thanked me for the candy and flowers.”
    “Oh, yes. How could I forget? Half the town has reminded me. Do you think they will have forgotten by the time I’m in maternity clothes?”
    “Why the hell do I care? Do you still think I don’t want to be known as the baby’s father?”
    “Shh!” It felt as if everyone in the store was following their progress, staring at them.
    “Janie, what can I do to convince you—?”
    “Hi, Janie.”
    They both whirled around. Janie recognized her second suitor’s voice with a sinking heart.
    “Hi, Bryan.” She paused, sent an apologetic look to Pete and added, “Thanks for the candy and flowers.”
    Bryan beamed, and she could feel Pete tense beside her.
    “I wanted you to remember what I said.”
    “I wouldn’t forget. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish shopping before the snowstorm arrives.”
    “Is it going to snow again? What’s on the ground hasn’t melted yet.”
    Pete snorted. “Well, it is Wyoming. If you don’t like snow, come back in late spring.”
    Again Janie moved her cart, stopped and reached around Pete to pick up a large jar of peanut butter, her father’s favorite late-night snack.
    “Here, I’ll get it for you,” Bryan hurriedly said, and almost bumped heads with her to pick up her choice.
    She drew back with a smothered sigh. “Thanks, Bryan, but really, I can manage.”
    “I like doing things for you,” he assured her, an eager grin on his face.
    Pete, beside her, scowled at the man before asking Janie, “What’s next on your list?”
    “Mother wants some cans of baked beans,” Janie finally said. She sent him a look that said Please back off. But she knew he wouldn’t. Not with Bryan hovering at her side.
    For the next few minutes, they toured the grocery store, each man dashing from one side to the other to gather the groceries on Lavinia’s list. All over the store, the other customers watched, gathering in twos and threes and whispering, big grins on their faces.
    Janie felt as though she were leading the Fourth of July Parade. Only it was winter, they were in a grocery store, and there were only three of them. And she wished she wasn’t one of the three.
    Finally she reached the checkout stand. “Really, it was nice of you to help, but that’s all my shopping.”
    “How about a cup of coffee?” Bryan asked.
    “Sorry, the storm, you know.”
    “I’ll follow you home to be sure you make it all right,” Pete offered, but the caring that remark might have evoked was erased by the one-upmanship glare he sent Bryan’s way.
    “I could follow her home.”
    “No, Bryan, but thanks for the offer. You might have trouble getting back,” Janie hastily said. The thought of Bryan having to stay at her house during a snowstorm was more than she could take.
    During their discussion, Elizabeth, her old highschool friend, had been checking her out, ringing up each item and then staring at the three of