Cowboy Daddy by Carolyne Aarsen Read Free Book Online Page A

mother’s voice trailed off, putting voice to the questions that had plagued Kip for the first two months after Scott had died.
    â€œScott begged me, Mom,” Kip reminded her. “He begged me to keep the boys on the ranch. I owed him. It was because of my horse—” he stopped himself there. He still couldn’t think of his brother’s death without guilt. He wondered if that would ever leave. “Besides, if Nancy had really loved me, she would have been willing to take on the boys as well as me.”
    Mary nodded, but Kip could see a hint of sorrow in her assuring smile.
    â€œI know you really liked her, but the reality is anyone who wants me will have to take the boys and the ranch as well—”
    â€œAnd your mother and your little sister,” Mary added. She shook her head. “You took too much on when you took over the ranch after Dad died. You take too much on all the time.”
    Kip gave her a quick hug. “I do it because I love you, and anything taken on in love isn’t a burden.” He heard the noise of the boys’ excited voices coming closer. “And now I’d better deal with Ms. Williams.”
    He gently squeezed his mother’s shoulder, squared his own and went out the door.
    Nicole was leading the boys up the walk, holding both boys’ hands. She looked up at him and Kip felt a jolt of surprise.
    She had completely transformed. Gone was the suit, the tied-back hair, the high-heeled shoes. The uptight city woman had been transformed.
    She wore blue jeans, a loose plaid shirt over a black T-shirt and cowboy boots. And she had let her hair down. It flowed over her shoulders in loose waves, softening her features.
    Making her look more approachable and, even worse, more appealing.
    He put a brake on his thoughts, blaming his distraction on his mother’s mention of his old girlfriend. Though he didn’t miss Nancy as much as he’d thought he would, there were times he missed having someone special in his life. Missed being a boyfriend. He’d always wanted a family of his own.
    â€œHello,” Nicole said, her voice as cool as it had been in Ron’s office.
    He acknowledged her greeting with a curt nod. “Okay boys, let’s go work on that tractor.”
    â€œYippee.” Justin jumped up and down. “Let’s go, Tristan.”
    Kip glanced at his other nephew who was staring up at Nicole, looking a little starstruck. “I want to play with the puppies,” Tristan said. “Can you play with the puppies with me?” he asked Nicole.
    â€œI thought you wanted to help me,” Kip said to Tristan with a forced jocularity. Tristan was never as adventurous as Justin, but he always came along.
    Tristan shook his head still looking up at Nicole. “I want to be with Auntie Nicole.”
    Auntie Nicole? The words jarred him, and he stifled ashiver of premonition. She had already staked a claim on his boys.
    â€œSo do I,” Justin shouted out.
    Nicole glanced from Kip to the boys. “Your Uncle Kip said I had to help him with the tractor.” She shot him an arch look. “Unless he was kidding.”
    â€œNope,” he said, deadpan. “Absolutely serious.”
    â€œThen I’ll come,” Justin said, turning on his allegiances as quickly as he turned on his feet.
    â€œWhat are those,” Nicole asked, as they walked past two of his wagons parked beside the barn. Grass had grown up a bit around them. He’d parked them there last fall and hadn’t touched them since.
    â€œChuck wagons.”
    â€œWhat do you use them for?” Nicole asked.
    â€œUncle Kip used to race them,” Tristan said. “Before my daddy died.”
    â€œRace them? How do you do that?”
    â€œYou don’t know?” Justin’s astonishment was a bit rude, but Kip didn’t feel like correcting him.
    â€œI’m sorry. I do not.”
    Kip wasn’t surprised.