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A Rancher's Honor
Ann Roth


One Night With A CowboyThere's no room in day-care owner Lana Carpenter's life for casual flings. After all, her dream of adopting a baby is closer to becoming a reality than ever. So why is she still mooning over the sexy cowboy who made her forget everything but the strong, sure feel of his arms around her?It wasn't supposed to be more than one unforgettable night between consenting strangers. But when Sly Pettit spots Lana's photo in the local paper, he grabs at the chance to see her again. The guarded rancher is falling hard for Lana, but it can only end in heartbreak. Unless Sly can trust her with the secrets that keep him from believing that, just maybe, they could have a future together.







One Night With A Cowboy

There’s no room in day-care owner Lana Carpenter’s life for casual flings. After all, her dream of adopting a baby is closer to becoming a reality than ever. So why is she still mooning over the sexy cowboy who made her forget everything but the strong, sure feel of his arms around her?

It wasn’t supposed to be more than one unforgettable night between consenting strangers. But when Sly Pettit spots Lana’s photo in the local paper, he grabs at the chance to see her again. The guarded rancher is falling hard for Lana, but it can only end in heartbreak. Unless Sly can trust her with the secrets that keep him from believing that, just maybe, they could have a future together.


“I usually don’t spend the night with a man I just met. You were the first and the last.”

“I’m honored that you picked me. I enjoyed our time together.”

Her warm eyes flashed that Lana had, too. She had a mouth made for loving. Plump, soft lips that were naturally pink. They parted a fraction, just as they had seconds before he’d kissed her the other night.

Sly definitely wanted to see more of her and explore that heat, unleash her fiery passion and enjoy a repeat of their memorable night together. He moved closer and tucked her hair behind her ears with hands that shook.

He wanted her that much. Too much.

The strength of his need scared him. If he was smart, he’d turn around and leave. But his legs refused to budge.


Dear Reader,

This is the first book in my Prosperity, Montana miniseries. Prosperity is a fictitious town in north central Montana—gorgeous country. With ranches, great places to hike, wonderful restaurants and stunning Prosperity Falls, the waterfall that draws tourists and locals, what’s not to love? I had fun creating the town and look forward to further developing it as I write new stories.

Sly Pettit, a successful rancher, hasn’t had life easy. The oldest of three siblings (don’t worry, they’ll get their own books), Sly had to grow up fast. Except for his little sister, he doesn’t trust anyone. He likes living alone.

Lana Carpenter owns a day care. Almost six years ago, Lana married and settled into what she thought was her happily ever after. Her dream ended when her husband left her for someone else. Lana longs for a family of her own.

I loved writing Sly and Lana’s story, and hope you’ll enjoy reading about them.

Enjoy!

Ann

P.S. I always appreciate hearing from readers. Email me at ann@annroth.net, write me c/o P.O. Box 25003, Seattle, WA 98165-1903, or visit my Facebook page. And please visit my website, at www.annroth.net (http://www.annroth.net), where you can sign up for my newsletter and enter the monthly drawing to win a free, autographed book! Be sure to visit the Fun Stuff page, where you’ll find my blog, recipes and other fun stuff.

For even more, check out my Ann Roth Author page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter: @Ann_Roth (https://twitter.com/Ann_Roth).


A Rancher’s Honor

Ann Roth






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ann Roth lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband. After earning an MBA she worked as a banker and corporate trainer. She gave up the corporate life to write, and if they awarded PhDs in writing happily-ever-after stories, she’d surely have one.

Ann loves to hear from readers. You can write her at P.O. Box 25003, Seattle, WA 98165-1903, or email her at ann@annroth.net.


To my wonderful readers. You’re the best!


Contents

Chapter One (#u174a4a1f-104b-5cb4-9030-b9d125238732)

Chapter Two (#udb09435a-9f04-50c0-88f7-d7e654fe44dd)

Chapter Three (#u7bf72716-d19a-52a6-aaaa-ed1dbedc1d9e)

Chapter Four (#u69180f59-8d74-5359-837a-d7de674d2d04)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)


Chapter One

Lana Carpenter woke up with the worst headache ever. With a groan, she cracked one eye open to glance at the clock on the bedside table. But there was no clock, and the dark wood table was nothing like her oak furniture.

She wasn’t in her queen-size bed at her town house—she was in a king-size bed in a hotel room, and judging by the monogram on the sheets, it was the Prosperity Inn, one of Prosperity, Montana’s, four-star hotels.

Both eyes were open now. After stealing a peek at the other side of the bed—it was empty, but a dented pillow lay close to hers—she sat up quickly, grimacing at the sudden thundering in her temples.

The clock on that side of the bed said it was just after ten. She never slept this late—even if it was Saturday!

She pulled the dented pillow to her face and the lingering scent of a man’s spicy aftershave tickled her nostrils. One whiff and everything flooded back.

Kate picking her up and commiserating with her over the fact that Brent and Julia had had their baby. Driving to the Bitter & Sweet Bar and Grill for dinner and dancing to a live country-and-western band. Consuming too little dinner and too many cocktails in an effort to forget her ex’s betrayal. The handsome cowboy at the table across the way, and the strong attraction that had flared between them from the first moment of eye contact.

On the way to the bar, Lana hadn’t even thought about meeting a man. She was still recovering from the divorce and had only wanted to forget that Brent’s new wife had given him the one thing Lana couldn’t—a baby.

Then the sexy cowboy had asked her to dance, and they’d kept on dancing, with short stops for drinks and casual chitchat in between. After a while Kate had grown bored and left. Lana had stayed, with the intention of finding a cab later to take her home. But she’d soon forgotten all about the cab when dancing progressed to long, passionate kisses and the haste to rent a room within walking distance so that she and the cowboy could...

“Oh, dear God, I didn’t!” she muttered, shattering the quiet.

Her clothes lay in a telltale trail that started just inside the door and ended near the bed.

She definitely had.

Which was so unlike her. Another groan escaped from her. Normally, she wasn’t much of a drinker. Oh, sure, she enjoyed an occasional glass of wine with dinner, but that was pretty much it. She’d never picked up a stranger, either.

Sly, that was his name, had assured her that he was clean—Lana recalled that. She’d stated that she was clean and healthy, too. Shortly after Brent had left her for Julia some eighteen months ago, she’d had herself tested. She hadn’t been with a man since.

Until last night.

She and Sly had more than made up for her year and a half of celibacy. Boy, had they.

Her cheeks warmed. Then she remembered that sometime during the night, as they lay tangled together after making love, he’d explained he’d have to leave for work early in the morning. Lana was glad he’d let her sleep instead of waking her to say goodbye, because facing him this morning would have been, at best, uncomfortable.

Mother Nature called. Clutching her head, Lana made her way to the bathroom. There on the counter she found a bottle of aspirin and an unopened half liter of water. Under the water, a note.



Last night was great. This should help with the hangover.



Bless the man for his thoughtfulness. After swallowing several pain tablets with a healthy quantity of water, she studied herself in the mirror. Despite her headache, she looked radiant, as if she was still basking in the afterglow of a night of unbridled passion. Sly was right—last night had been great.

A long shower helped revive her, and by the time she dried off, fixed her hair and dressed in last night’s clothes—clean clothes would have been nice, but Lana didn’t have any with her—she felt almost normal.

She was shrugging into her coat to leave when her cell phone chirped “It’s Raining Men.” Kate’s favorite song. Lana picked up right away. “Hey there.”

“You were supposed to call this morning with the scoop. Tell me that handsome cowboy you were dancing with gave you a ride home.”

Lana glanced at the unmade bed, winced and plopped onto a chair. “Not exactly.”

“You’re saying you turned him down and took a cab instead? That’s a crying shame, Lana, because for the first time in forever, you were actually having fun with a really hot guy.”

Kate was right about the hot part. Tall, lean and muscled, with startling silvery-blue eyes and a killer smile, Sly was every woman’s cowboy fantasy. Lana caught herself in a dreamy sigh and frowned. “He never offered me a ride.”

“Well, shoot. And he seemed so into you. How much longer did you dance before you parted company?”

“Um...actually, we didn’t part company. I’m at the Prosperity Inn.” Which was only a few short blocks from the Bitter & Sweet.

“What are you doing at a hotel?” Kate asked, then answered her own question with a singsong “Oh.” Her voice softened to an excited whisper. “You should have said something sooner. Call me later.”

“It’s okay—he’s not here.”

“You mean he’s in the shower?”

“No, I mean he had to leave early this morning to go to work. I slept in.”

“It’s not like you to spend the night with a guy you just met.”

“Tell me about it.” As a rule, Lana waited for that level of intimacy until she was in a relationship. “I can’t believe I did this.”

“Hey, it happens. Did you at least enjoy yourself?”

Lana didn’t have to think long about that. Now that her headache was all but gone, other things bubbled into her mind. Good memories that made her whole body hum. “It was pretty special.”

“Ooh. Gonna share some details?”

“No!”

“At least give me his name? Maybe what he does for a living?”

“His name is Sly and I assume he’s a rancher. He must be, right? Who else has to get up at the crack of dawn to go to work on a Saturday? I don’t know his last name or anything else about him, except that he’s never been married. I said I was divorced.”

In the heat of the moment, she’d also mentioned that she couldn’t have kids. “We agreed that this was a night to forget our troubles and keep things fun and light.” They’d accomplished both goals, in spades. “I don’t think we’ll ever see each other again.”

“That’s so unlike you.”

“So you said.” As unforgettable as last night had been, Lana regretted what she’d done. She massaged the space between her eyes. “Remind me to never drink again.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Look on the positive side—you’re back in the saddle, and a darned handsome cowboy put you there.” Kate hooted at her joke. “Besides, you needed to be wild for one night. Once you adopt a baby, you won’t be able to overdo the alcohol or stay out all night on a whim.”

“I never do either of those things.”

“You did last night. Listen, I have to leave for my mani-pedi, but if you need a ride, I can come pick you up in an hour or so.”

Lana supposed she could order breakfast downstairs and wait, but she wanted to change into fresh clothes. She also had a jillion things to do today—clean her house, grocery shop, do laundry, et cetera. “I’ll take a cab, thanks. Send me a picture of your nails.”

“Will do. Talk to you later.”

* * *

EARLY APRIL IN western Montana usually brought mornings cold enough to see your own breath. Yet this morning, Sly Pettit was sweating like a son of a dog. He also felt like crap. At thirty-five he was no longer able to shake off a hangover with a couple of aspirin as easily as he’d done at thirty.

“Sly? I said, if you’re feelin’ poorly, Ollie, Bean and I can handle the rest of the branding.”

Ace, Sly’s longtime foreman, was staring at him oddly, and Bean, a grizzled cowhand, wore a frown. Ollie, a rangy twenty-year-old kid Sly had hired for the spring and summer, shot him a curious glance.

Sly realized he was grimacing and smoothed his expression. When he’d met his attorney at the Bitter & Sweet Bar and Grill for dinner last night, he’d planned on staying about an hour, then heading home. Instead, he’d arrived home just shy of dawn. “I’m okay,” he said.

“Well, you look like you’ve been run over by a tractor and left for dead.” Ace blew on his hands to warm them and then shook his head. “It’s that trouble with Tim Carpenter, isn’t it?”

Bean said nothing, but now he appeared intrigued. Ollie, too.

Sly and his lawyer, Dave Swain, had met to discuss whether Sly should sue Carpenter. The whole idea left a bad taste in Sly’s mouth. Dave didn’t enjoy it either, and thought Sly should try to work things out with his neighbor, who owned the Lazy C Ranch, which was adjacent to Pettit Ranch. But Carpenter’s refusal to sit down and talk had left Sly without much choice.

“I’m not happy about it,” Sly said. “But that’s not why I look like hell. I’m hungover.”

The crew members chuckled.

“Been there more than a few times myself,” Ace said. “The way you’re sweatin’ out that alcohol, you’re sure to feel better in no time.”

Sly lifted the gate of the holding pen and Ace slapped the rump of one of the January calves they’d culled from the herd earlier.

As the calf loped from the pen and Sly herded her toward the calf table, he thought about the mess with his neighbor. Tim Carpenter had a chip on his shoulder a mile wide, mainly because Pettit Ranch was profitable. Not enough to replenish Sly’s all-but-empty savings, but enough to pay the bills. It wasn’t his fault the Lazy C continually struggled to stay solvent.

He and Carpenter had never been friends. Now they were enemies. All because a few months back, someone had poisoned Sly’s cattle. Two of his heifers had miscarried and had lost any chance of future pregnancies, and three others had died. As a grown man, Sly rarely felt powerless, but he had then. He hated his inability to help his animals as they sickened, as he’d watched them die and feared that others could, too.

Autopsies and tests had proved that his animals had been poisoned with arsenic. Neither Sly nor his crew had any idea who’d do something so heinous. Then by chance, Ace had spotted a small pile of white powder just inside the northernmost pasture fence off the private service road that ran between Pettit Ranch and the Lazy C. He’d tested the powder and determined it to be arsenic. Both ranches shared the road, and no one else had access. Who else but Carpenter could have set the arsenic there?

Still, Sly had given his neighbor the benefit of the doubt. He’d driven to Carpenter’s and attempted to question him. The first time Carpenter had ordered him off his land. On Sly’s next try, he’d pulled out a rifle and aimed it at Sly’s chest.

Which sure made it seem as if the man had something to hide. That was when Sly had quit trying to straighten things out himself and hired a lawyer. Not with the intention of suing, but to get Carpenter to cough up information that could shed light on what had happened. That plan had also failed, and now he really was on the verge of suing.

“Sly?” Ace was waiting for Sly to say something.

“I need to get to the bottom of this poisoning.”

Ace rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “You’re suing, then?”

Ollie and Bean looked down, as if the subject made them uncomfortable.

Join the crowd, Sly thought. “You all know how much those vet bills, tests and autopsies cost, and the cows we lost...” Sly shook his head. He wanted to be reimbursed for his losses.

The money he’d spent on all those things had been earmarked for a badly needed new drainage system. The existing one, installed some thirty years ago, functioned on a wing and a prayer. The next big rain could result in heavy flooding and wreak havoc on valuable low-lying pastureland. Sly and his men could do some of the grunt work, but they needed to bring in an expert. He’d considered taking out a loan to cover the costs, but as it was, the monthly payment on his mortgage was a strain. Any more debt and he’d be in over his head. He wasn’t about to jeopardize everything he’d worked for by borrowing more.

“The way things stand,” he said, “I don’t see any other options.”

“He’s a tough nut to crack, all right.” Ace pulled off his baseball cap and scratched one of his sideburns. “The Bitter & Sweet always brings in a live band on Friday and Saturday nights. I hope you spent some of the evening dancing off your troubles with a pretty girl.”

Lana was no girl. She was all woman. “I danced a time or two,” Sly admitted.

His foreman, who’d been married umpteen years, nodded approvingly. “Now and then a man’s got to cut loose and have some fun.”

Ollie, who knew his way around branding and, according to him, around women, too, grinned. “Me and my girlfriend, Tiff? We sure put the f-u-n in our Friday night.” He made a lewd gesture with his hands. “But we’re doin’ that almost every night.”

Fun didn’t come close to describing Sly’s night with Lana, but he wasn’t about to talk about that. “Let’s get this job done so Ace can take the rest of the weekend off,” he said. When time and weather allowed, Sly and his foreman alternated weekends off. This was Ace’s weekend, and he and his wife had planned a trip to Billings to visit their college-age son at Montana State.

“Ready with that iron?” Sly asked Ollie.

“Ready, boss.”

The four of them spent the next few hours herding the calves one by one to the calf table so that the cows could be marked with the Pettit Ranch brand and then vaccinated. It wasn’t exactly rocket science, allowing Sly’s mind to replay the previous evening.

Over dinner, Dave had reluctantly agreed to prepare and file the lawsuit, but he was tying up loose ends for several other clients and needed ten days to put the suit together and file the papers. Shortly after the lawyer had finished his coffee and dessert, he’d left to get home to his wife and kids.

Sly didn’t have a wife or kids, or anyone to hurry home to. His life was uncomplicated, which was exactly how he liked it. He spent his days working hard to keep his ranch profitable and successful, and enjoyed spending his evenings either going out or relaxing alone in his quiet house. But the whole lawsuit business was unsettling, and last night he’d wanted to take his mind off his troubles. So he’d hung around the Bitter & Sweet, waiting for the band to play.

As soon as the cute blonde and her friend had sat down at a table across the way, Sly had forgotten all about his problems. He’d always enjoyed an attractive woman, and when the blonde had looked at him and smiled, something had sizzled between them. He had to meet her.

From the start, they’d hit it off. Lana was fun and easy to talk to, and her eyes had telegraphed that she was attracted to him. Best of all, she’d only wanted a good time. They’d agreed not to share their last names and had steered away from deep conversation.

A dozen dances and several drinks later, Sly had kissed her. Her warmth and enthusiasm had just about blown his socks off. Neither of them had wanted to stop, and before Sly knew it, he was walking her to the Prosperity Inn and paying for a hotel room.

Under regular circumstances he wouldn’t have acted so rashly. He rarely picked up a woman he’d never met before and taken her to bed. But his decision had turned out to be a damn fine one.

The sex had been phenomenal.

His only regret was that he hadn’t gotten her number. He’d thought about waking her and asking her for it before he left at the crack of dawn. But neither of them had gotten much rest, and she’d been sleeping so peacefully that he hadn’t had the heart to disturb her.

Just then, Sly’s daydream was interrupted when on the way to the calf table, one of the calves turned renegade and tried to run off. “Come back here, you,” Sly called as he and Ace cut her off.

When they caught her and steered her back, Ace took up the conversation where they’d left off. “The gal you danced with—you gonna see her again?”

“Probably not.”

The more important reason Sly hadn’t asked for her number was that getting involved with her would be a bad idea. His last girlfriend had accused him of avoiding intimacy, and then dumped him. Not because she’d taken up with some other guy, but because she was fed up with his so-called emotional distance.

She wasn’t the first woman to accuse him of that, but Sly had always been confused as to what “emotional distance” meant. In bed, he demonstrated plenty of emotion.

Maybe it had something do with the fact that he rarely brought the women he dated to his place. All his former girlfriends had complained about that, but hell, his home was his sanctuary and his bedroom was his private space, off-limits to all but his housekeeper, who cleaned it.

After his last breakup and a few months of self-imposed celibacy, Sly had finally figured out what women meant by emotional distance. He admitted to himself that outside the physical stuff, he’d never had a truly intimate relationship with a woman. Sure, he enjoyed giving and receiving pleasure, but he wasn’t about to put his heart on the line. With good reason.

People he cared deeply about tended not to stick around. First his parents, then his brother, then the girl he’d wanted to marry.

Why take the risk of getting too close? Sly wasn’t about to set himself up for that kind of heartache again.

“Now that you sweated that hangover out of your system, you’re lookin’ a sight better,” Ace commented some hours later, when they’d finished the branding.

“I suppose I’ll live,” Sly replied. “Go on now and have a nice weekend—all three of you.”

He headed for the house. Mrs. Rutland, his part-time housekeeper—with just him to feed and clean up after, he didn’t need her full-time—left at noon on Thursdays and Fridays, but cooked enough meals to last until Monday. After showering and changing, Sly filled his belly and then headed outside again to tackle the late-afternoon chores. He fed and watered the horses, giving Bee, his bay, her usual carrot. He checked on the stock and noted additional chores that needed doing the following day.

Then he flopped on the sofa with the remote. Nothing on the tube interested him, and his mind kept wandering to last night. As worn-out as he was, he felt oddly restless—too restless to hang around at home. He considered grabbing a beer someplace, but after last night he needed a rest from alcohol.

He called his sister to ask if she wanted to catch a movie. Dani didn’t answer, which wasn’t surprising on a Saturday night. She was probably out with her boyfriend of the month or her friends.

Sly hung up without leaving a message. He almost wished he had Lana’s number...until he reminded himself that it was better he didn’t.

Moments later he grabbed his keys from the hook by the door and left through the mudroom. He wasn’t sure where he was headed, but anyplace was better than sitting around here, thinking about a woman he didn’t plan on ever seeing again.

* * *

IT WAS LATE Sunday when Lana parked in front of the house where she’d grown up. It was a beautiful afternoon; the sun was slowly sinking toward the horizon, casting the distant, snow-covered Cascade Mountains in rosy hues. Spring was her favorite time of year, when the air smelled fresh and sweet, and life seemed to bud and surge everywhere.

Usually she looked forward to the noisy Sunday night dinners with her parents and her younger sister and family. But tonight, Lana was dreading it.

All because last Sunday, she’d finally told her parents about her decision to adopt a baby. She’d waited until two months after the social worker had cleared her as a prospective parent, and six weeks after she’d begun to actively search for a pregnant woman wanting to give up her baby for adoption. The social worker had given her the web address of a county-wide site called AdoptionOption.com, which put prospective parents in touch with pregnant teens who wanted to give up their babies. Although Lana visited the site daily, she had yet to make a contact that might work out. Discouraging, but she understood that the process would take time. Eventually she’d find someone.

Not wanting to keep such a big decision to herself, she’d told her sister first. That had been easy. Telling her parents, who tended to be old-fashioned, not so much. Lana had known they wouldn’t approve. Not of adoption itself, but of her decision to adopt as a single woman.

Apprehension had ruined her appetite and she’d barely managed to eat her mother’s delicious meal. She’d waited to spring her news until after dessert, when her niece and nephew had scampered off to play. She’d quickly delivered the news to her parents, then left while they were still digesting the news.

The fallout had come later, in a series of increasingly upset phone calls, one from her dad and too many to count from her mother. All of them about finding a husband and then adopting. With their old-fashioned values about raising kids—values Lana had supported until Brent had divorced her—they didn’t understand.

“I would love to have a husband to help me raise a child, but I’m not even dating right now,” she’d explained. “Besides, I’m thirty-two years old, and I know in my heart that this is the right time for me to adopt.”

No amount of reasoning had changed their minds. So Lana was cringing at the prospect of another of her mother’s lectures tonight. She was banking on her parents having to behave in front of their grandkids.

Which was why, knowing Liz et al usually arrived about five, Lana was pulling up to the house a little later.

Crossing her fingers for a pleasant evening free of judgment and criticism, she crossed the brick stoop, wiped her feet on the welcome mat and walked into the house. She hung her jacket on a hook by the door.

The living room was empty, but through the window that faced the backyard she noted her brother-in-law, Eric, and her father lighting what looked to be a new barbecue grill. Connor, age six, and Emma, who had just turned four, were racing around the same pint-size log cabin Lana and Liz had once played in. There was no sign of Lana’s sister or their mother. They were probably working on dinner.

Lana was about to slip back out the door and head around the house to play with the kids when her sister called out. “Is that you, Lana? Mom and I are in the kitchen.”

No chance of sneaking away now. “I’ll be right there,” Lana replied.

Shoulders squared, she headed down the hall. Liz understood Lana’s aching desire to have a child, and supported her decision. Why couldn’t her parents be as accepting?

She forced herself to be cheerful, declaring, “Something smells really good,” as she entered the big, homey kitchen.

Her mother was sautéing mushrooms and didn’t look up. “I’m just finishing the rice dish. Why don’t you toss the salad, Lana?”

Not even a hello? Lana exchanged a glance with Liz, who shrugged. “Um, hi, Mom, it’s nice to see you, too?”

“Hello,” she said in a cool tone.

Liz scanned Lana up and down. “You look fantastic. Doesn’t she, Mom?”

At last her mother turned her attention to Lana. Bracing for whatever she might say, Lana sucked in a breath.

“You are wearing a certain glow.” Her mother gave her a curious stare, as in, “Where did that come from?”

This was good, much better than another criticism about choosing single motherhood. Maybe her mother had decided to lay off the awful lectures tonight. Lana crossed her fingers. And thought about the “certain glow” that apparently was still with her.

It had been almost forty-eight hours since her night with Sly. By now any afterglow should have faded. Yet inside, Lana was still purring like a satisfied cat. Turning away from her mother’s and sister’s curious expressions, she washed her hands. “I caught up on my sleep last night—that must be the reason,” she said over the hiss of the water. “Did Dad get a new grill?”

“Yesterday, and this one has more bells and whistles than the old model—it does everything but shine shoes,” her mother answered. “He’s as excited as a boy on Christmas morning. He couldn’t wait to show it to Eric.”

“Men and their toys.” Liz shook her head, her ultrashort bangs and chin-length hair making her appear twenty instead of thirty. “If I know Eric, he’ll want one exactly like it, just to keep up.”

“With Eric’s construction business doing so well, you can certainly afford a new grill,” their mother pointed out.

The kitchen door opened and Connor and Emma rushed inside. “Aunt Lana! Aunt Lana!”

They raced straight for Lana. Her heart swelling with love, she leaned down and hugged them both. She envied Liz, with her loving husband and two adorable children. “It’s been a whole week since I saw you. What’s new?”

“Daddy’s gonna sign me up for T-ball in June,” Connor said proudly. “When is that, Aunt Lana?”

“Let’s see. Today is April 6,” Lana said. “After April comes...?”

Connor screwed up his face. “Summer?”

Lana laughed. “Summer isn’t for a little while yet, buddy. After April comes May, then June.”

Emma gave an enthusiastic nod. “When I’m five, I get to play T-ball, too.”

“That’ll be next summer—how exciting.” Lana made a mental note to get the dates of the games so she could cheer Connor on.

“How are Daddy and Grandpa doing with the hamburgers?” Liz asked.

“Good,” Emma replied. “We’re ’posed to tell you that they’re almost ready.”

“Then you’d both better hang up your jackets and wash your hands.” Liz pointed to the powder room.

The men brought in the hamburgers, greeted Lana and helped set the food on the dining room table. Dinner was the usual chaotic but fun affair, with Connor and Emma causing lots of laughter.

Lana finally relaxed. She was almost home free. With any luck she would skate through the rest of the evening with a smile on her face and then head home filled with the warmth borne out of family harmony. Or so she thought.


Chapter Two

At the end of the Sunday meal, Emma and Connor scampered into the fenced backyard to play. The adults lingered at the table, sipping coffee and chatting.

“I keep forgetting to mention, I ran into Cousin Tim at the grocery yesterday,” Lana’s mother said.

Lana’s cousin from her father’s side was nine years her senior, but he seemed much older. Always a brusque man, he’d grown even more difficult after his wife had divorced him less than a year after their wedding. Having grown up in a bustling city, his ex had decided that the ranching life wasn’t for her. Or maybe the problem lay with Cousin Tim himself. Lana wasn’t sure. Her cousin rarely smiled or laughed, which made being around him a chore. After eleven years, it was long past time for him to get over his ex and move on.

“We haven’t heard from him since last Christmas,” her father said. “How is he?”

“Not so good.” Her mother looked solemn. “He told me that a few months ago, some of the cows at Pettit Ranch died suddenly. It turned out they were poisoned. Sly Pettit has accused Tim.”

Two men named Sly in the same town.... What were the odds? Lana had gone to high school with yet another. Apparently the name was popular among the sixty-thousand-odd residents here in Prosperity. She imagined Cousin Tim’s neighbor, who she’d never met, to be as beefy and bowlegged as her cousin.

“That’s terrible—unless Cousin Tim actually did it,” Liz quipped. Both parents stared at her, appalled. “Well, he isn’t the nicest person.”

Their father frowned. “I don’t care, he’s family, and—”

“Family sticks together through thick and thin,” Lana, Liz and Eric replied in unison.

They meant it, too—especially when times were tough. When Brent left Lana, they’d wrapped her in so much love and warmth, they’d nearly smothered her. But now that she wanted to adopt a baby by herself... Her parents’ disapproval ruled out their support.

Liz made a face. “Just because the man is family doesn’t mean we have to like him. He’s never exactly been fond of us, either.”

“Ranching is a tough business,” her father said. “Tim inherited the Lazy C from your great-uncle Horace, and it never has been a moneymaker. That kind of stress would make anyone grouchy.”

“Living all alone on that big ranch...” Lana’s mother shook her head. “I wouldn’t like that at all.”

“He has a crew and foreman to keep him company,” Liz pointed out.

Under her breath she muttered, “They probably can’t stand him, either.” Then, in her normal voice, she said, “He could sell the ranch and find a job in the city, where he’d collect a regular paycheck,” Lana suggested.

“With acreage prices at record lows, this isn’t the smartest time to sell,” Lana’s dad said. “Besides, Cousin Tim is a rancher through and through. As bitter and rough around the edges as he is, at heart he’s a decent man. He wouldn’t poison anyone’s cows.”

Lana frowned. “Then why would Mr. Pettit accuse him of such a thing?”

“God only knows, but I’m sure Tim is eager tell me all about it. I suppose I’d better call him, since he hasn’t called me.” Her father’s heavy breath indicated it would be a chore.

“Changing the subject...” Lana said. “Remember the reporter from the Prosperity Daily News who took pictures of the day care and interviewed me back in early March? He’s going to highlight the story as the Small Business Profile of the Month. It’ll run in the paper a week from Tuesday.”

Her father beamed. “That’s terrific, honey. My daughter, the businesswoman. Just like your old man.”

Prosperity wasn’t just a ranching town. Thanks to heavily wooded areas, the Ames and Missouri Rivers, Prosperity Falls and the Cascade Mountains beyond, during spring and summer the town attracted thousands of outdoor enthusiasts. Lana’s father had cashed in on those tourists with a popular recreational-equipment business that rented and sold camping, hiking and fishing gear.

“Eric’s good at business, too,” Liz said.

Lana’s father smiled at his son-in-law. “That goes without saying. Eric, you know I’m damn proud of you, son.”

Eric grinned. “I do, sir.”

“You’re the best, Eric,” Lana said. “I never could have opened Tender Loving Daycare without your help. I had no idea how to remodel an old dance studio into a day care.”

“That profile in the paper is sure to drum up business, so you’ll probably need his help again soon for a second day-care center,” her father said.

“I’ve been thinking the same thing—when the time comes.” For now, Lana’s main focus was finding a baby to adopt. But she wasn’t going to mention that. She didn’t want to set her parents off.

“That sounds exciting.” Liz gave her a pleased look. “Any ideas where you’d put it?”

“Someplace downtown.” Home to insurance and title companies, two banks, a library, a hospital, museums, shops, department stores and restaurants. “Think of all the people with kids who work in or around the downtown area. Wouldn’t it be convenient if they could drop off their children near where they work?”

Her father nodded approvingly. “That’s a great idea.”

Everyone started talking excitedly, except for Lana’s mother, who frowned. “You’re already so busy, Lana. If you expand, you’ll only be busier. I don’t know why that social worker cleared you as a suitable mother when your day care takes all of your energy.”

So much for steering clear of any controversy. Lana rolled her eyes. “Don’t start, Mom. I’ve made my decision and I’m happy with it. Because I’m focusing on finding a baby, I’m not going to expand just now.”

“If I was pregnant and wanted to give up my baby, I’d choose a married couple,” her mother said.

Lana was determined to prove that she would be as good as any couple. “I’d make a great mom, and I’ll do whatever I can to convince people that I’m the best choice.”

Her mother’s lips thinned. “You have enough trouble meeting men without bringing a baby into your life.”

Lana’s back stiffened. Her mom just wouldn’t quit. “Just because I’m not dating right now doesn’t mean I can’t meet men.” She’d had no trouble with Sly.... But they weren’t going to see each other again, so she wasn’t going to think about him. “As I’ve explained at least a dozen times, this isn’t a decision I made lightly. I’ve been contemplating adoption for ages.”

For nearly two years now, in fact, after having spent four years trying to get pregnant, first the usual way, and then with the help of fertility drugs.

There had been nothing wrong with Brent. Lana had been the problem, the fertility doctor had explained before delivering the staggering blow that their odds of having a biological child were slim to none.

That still hurt, and always would.

Longing for a child, Lana had suggested adoption. But Brent had wanted to father his own child, and a few months after learning of Lana’s inability to conceive, he’d left her for Julia.

“I’ve always wanted a houseful of kids,” she continued. “It would be nice if I was married, but with or without a husband, I’m going to do this, and I would really appreciate your and Dad’s support.”

Her mother’s mouth tightened. “I don’t—”

To Lana’s surprise, her father cut off her mother with a warning look. “Leave her alone, Michele. I’m not happy about this either, but arguing with Lana isn’t going to work. She’s always been single-minded about what she wants and is not afraid to go after it. It’s one of the qualities that makes her a good businesswoman.”

“I just want her to be happy, Chet. If she could just get over Brent...”

“I’m right here, Mom and Dad, and FYI, I’m totally over him.”

To Lana’s amazement, she was. Sometime in the past few days she’d stopped hurting. Come to think of it, Friday evening. Lana marveled over how she’d changed. As recklessly as she’d behaved, that night with Sly had helped her heal.

“I’m glad to hear you say that, honey,” Lana’s mother said. “Now that you’ve finally gotten Brent out of your system, why not make an effort and put yourself out there before you act on this crazy idea to adopt a baby by yourself.”

As much as Lana needed her mom’s support, she wasn’t going to get it tonight. Unable to bear one more negative comment, she gave up—for now.

“I still have things to do tonight to get ready for tomorrow. I’m going home.” Ignoring her mother’s shocked expression, she stood. “Thanks for dinner.”

So much for that warm, all-is-well-with-my-family feeling. She would keep moving forward with her plan and hope that in time, her parents would come around. If not, she’d go it alone.

* * *

“WILL YOU LOOK at that,” Sly murmured as he scanned the morning paper over breakfast on a Tuesday morning in mid-April.

Mrs. Rutland, his forty-something housekeeper, stopped working on whatever she was making for dinner to peer over his shoulder. “Ah, you’re reading the Small Business Profile of the Month. I read it earlier, while the coffee percolated. I’ve heard great things about Tender Loving Daycare, TLD for short.”

“Have you,” Sly said distractedly.

Because he recognized the owner of the business from the photo accompanying the article. It was Lana, the woman he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about. Even now, more than a week after their night together, a mere glance at her smile caused his body to stir.

Hell, just imagining her did that.

After a week, he realized he wanted to get to know her. Nothing serious or long-term, but a chance to explore their attraction.

Now he had her full name. Lana Carpenter. Sly grimaced at that. He hoped she wasn’t related to Tim Carpenter, the man he was suing. According to the attorney, Carpenter should receive the notice sometime today.

“These monthly profiles put small businesses on the Prosperity map, both for us locals and the tourists,” Mrs. R said. “With hundreds of businesses to choose from, I think it’s wonderful that the Daily News picked a day care this time. You don’t have any kids yet, Sly, but someday you will. Maybe you’ll send them to TLD.”

Sly had already raised a kid—his brother, Seth. And look how that had turned out. The experience had soured him on having his own children. He’d have to be nuts to put himself—or some poor kid—through that again.

He went back to the article, his eyes on the photo. Lana looked happy and beautiful, as did the boys and girls gathered around her. But, hell, if she had her arms around Sly the way she did around those little ones, he’d be grinning just as widely.

“How do you know about the day care, Mrs. R?” he asked. “Your son and daughter are grown. When they were little, Lana Carpenter was probably in day care herself.”

“A couple of my kids’ friends take their children to TLD. They’re always talking about how great Lana Carpenter is. She has a special way with children. They love her.”

She also had other special ways, private things that made a man wild. Sly’s body hardened. He wished he could stop thinking about her, but so far he hadn’t had much luck with that.

Which was why he’d decided to see her again, casually. He’d returned to the Bitter & Sweet last Friday night in case she was there.

She wasn’t. He’d danced with a couple of different women, both of them signaling that they were open to more than dancing. But neither could compare to beautiful, funny, sexy Lana, and after an hour or so, he’d left.

Hands on her ample hips, Mrs. Rutland looked worried. “Is something wrong with your omelet?”

Sly realized he was frowning. He curled his mouth into a smile. “It’s real good.” He glanced at his watch and was surprised to discover how late it was. “I told Ace I’d help him and the others move part of the herd today,” he said as he shoveled in big bites. “I’d best finish and get out there.”

* * *

COUNTING LABOR, FENCING, feed and vet care, cattle cost a bundle to raise, nearly three thousand dollars per animal per year. Growing his own summer and fall pasture grass cut down on food costs, and the nutrient-rich crop helped keep the animals strong and healthy. But in winter and spring, Sly relied on vitamin and mineral supplements for that. Supplies were running low, so late Tuesday afternoon he headed out to pick up more, as well as a roll of barbwire for the fences, which always seemed to need mending. But instead of turning east toward Drysdale’s Ranching and Farm Supplies, he headed west.

Before he knew it, he was driving along River Drive, a pretty street that followed the Ames River through town and ended at Prosperity Park and the awesome Prosperity Falls. The cascading waterfall was a popular site for marriage proposals and outdoor weddings, and drew visitors from all over.

Miles before reaching the park, though, Sly turned off, onto Hawthorn Road. The colorful Tender Loving Daycare sign immediately drew his attention. So this was Lana’s day care. He slowed way down to study the square clapboard building. Painted a soft green, it had purple shutters and window boxes. April was too early for flowers in the boxes, so colorful windmills stood in their stead. On one side of the building, a big fenced yard marked a kids’ paradise of swings and slides and all sorts of climbing toys. On the other was a parking lot.

Sly had to find out if the attraction between them was as strong as he remembered, so he pulled in, noting that the lot was empty except for a minivan, a light green sedan and his truck. But then, it was after six. Sly was debating whether to go inside or take off, when the door opened. Amy Simmons—no, Amy Watkins now—sauntered through it holding the hand of a pint-size little girl. Lana followed behind them without a coat, as if she didn’t expect to stay out long.

Amy noticed him right away. “Well, hello there,” she said, approaching him with a dazzling smile. “What brings you here?”

Sly had no choice but to slide out of the truck. “Hey, Amy.” He nodded at Lana. “I’m here to see her.”

Lana had moved to stand beside Amy, her eyes wide with surprise. “Sly—uh, hi,” she said.

Amy gave them both speculative looks. “I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”

They knew each other, all right, in ways that would make Amy blush if she realized.

Lana met his gaze, her green eyes warning him to say nothing about how they’d met. He gave a subtle nod, then smiled at the girl peering from behind Amy’s knees. “Is that your little girl, Amy?”

“Yes, this is Courtney. She’s three now.” Amy scooped up her daughter and kissed her. “Say hi to Sly, sweetie.”

The girl giggled. “Hi, Thly.”

She was about the cutest thing Sly had ever seen. “Hey there, Courtney.” He patted her head. “How’s married life?” he asked Amy.

“I’m enjoying it. Jon and I are having so much fun with Courtney that we’re having another baby in the fall.” She touched her softly rounded abdomen. “Well, I’d better get this little one home. See you tomorrow, Lana, and thanks for keeping her a few minutes late.” Amy flashed a sly smile. “You two have fun.”

“How did you and Amy meet?” Lana asked as the woman buckled her daughter into her car seat.

Sly watched the minivan roll out of the parking lot. “We dated years ago.” Amy had wanted to get serious, but he hadn’t and they’d broken up. “Coming here now is bad timing on my part,” he added. “She’s a big gossip.”

“Tell me about it.” Lana fiddled with the cuff of her blouse, her expression both curious and openly pleased that he was there. “How did you find me, and what are you doing here?”

“I saw your business profile in the paper. Great article.” He dug his copy from the hip pocket of his jeans and handed it to her. “In case you didn’t get a hard copy.”

“Thanks, Sly.”

As she took it from him, her fingers casually brushed his. Heat shot straight to his groin, and by the sudden flush of her cheeks, she, too, felt the powerful connection between them. Yes, the pull between them was as strong as he remembered.

He cleared his throat. “I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye before I left you that morning.”

“I’m glad you let me sleep in. Oh, and thanks for the aspirin. It helped.”

“No problem.”

Silence.

In the uncomfortable moments that stretched between them, Lana glanced over her shoulder at the day-care door, as if she wanted to slip through it. “I—”

“You—” he said at the same time, then paused. “Go ahead,” Sly insisted.

“I want you to know that I usually don’t spend the night with a man I just met. You were the first and the last.”

“I’m honored that you picked me. I enjoyed our night together.”

Her warm eyes flashed that she had, too. She had a mouth made for loving. Plump, soft lips that were naturally pink. They parted a fraction, just as they had seconds before he’d kissed her on the night they’d spent together.

Sly definitely wanted to explore that heat, unleash her fiery passion and enjoy a repeat of their memorable night together. He moved closer and tucked her hair behind her ears with hands that shook.

He wanted her that much. Too much.

The strength of his need scared him. If he was smart, he’d turn around and leave. But his legs refused to budge.

Finally Lana swallowed and backed up a step. “Is there anything else you wanted?”

Besides kissing her and more? At the moment Sly couldn’t think of a thing. He was debating whether to ask her out or walk away while he still could when she spoke.

“Okay, then,” she said. “It’s chilly out here and I left my coat inside. I also need to get ready for tomorrow. Thanks again for the article.”

She left him standing in the parking lot, feeling both relieved and confused.

Clearly he’d misread her. She wasn’t so happy to see him after all.

Actually, that made sense. He wasn’t supposed to think about her and he sure wasn’t supposed seek her out. They’d agreed on that.

Yet here he was standing in the parking lot of the business she owned, aching for her, even though getting involved with her could be dangerous.

What the hell was wrong with him?


Chapter Three

Lana made a practice of responding to TLD emails by the end of the same day she received them. She usually took care of that chore before leaving work, but thanks to Sly, today she’d been too rattled.

If that wasn’t enough, her father had called to say that Cousin Tim was being sued by his neighbor. No one in the family had ever been sued, and they all were upset and banding around Cousin Tim. They offered to be character witnesses, lend him money for an attorney and whatever else he needed. Cousin Tim was too proud to accept their money, but said he’d let them know if character witnesses would help.

Still a little flummoxed, Lana stood in the kitchen, waiting for the kettle to whistle so that she could make a cup of herbal tea. For days now, she’d tried to push the night with Sly from her mind, without much success. She assured herself that she’d eventually forget the handsome cowboy who dominated her waking thoughts. She certainly hadn’t expected to see him again, and had been both surprised and elated when he’d shown up at the day care.

But her feelings had quickly turned to disappointment. Sly hadn’t asked for her phone number or a date. He hadn’t asked her a single question or said more than a sentence or two. In fact, he hadn’t seemed interested in getting to know her at all, or wanting her to know anything about him. Instead, his heavy-lidded expression had told her exactly what he wanted.

More of what they’d shared on that wild night.

Against Lana’s better judgment, she’d wanted that, too. The attraction between them was more potent than anything she’d ever experienced, even during her honeymoon days with Brent. To the point that when Sly had moved close to her, her mind had all but emptied.

She frowned. How could she feel so strongly about a man she’d just met? She had no idea what his last name was or whether he really was a rancher, where he worked or anything about his family. Although she had a hunch that Amy would fill her in tomorrow when she picked up Courtney after work.

At last the kettle whistled, and Lana pushed Sly from her mind. Tonight she had better things to do than fantasize about the sexy cowboy. She carried her steaming mug to her home office, which doubled as the den.

The only positive thing about his visit this afternoon was that he’d distracted her from dwelling on the lack of interest her profile had generated at AdoptionOption.com. With input from the social worker, Lana had carefully created the online profile with her photo and other information. Although many girls had contacted her, nothing had stuck.

Lana wished she could figure out why. Was it because she was single, or something else? The lack of any serious interest was discouraging, and she wished she’d waited to share her decision with her family until she’d formed a promising relationship with an expectant mother.

Not about to give up, she decided tonight she’d check the website after she checked her email. She sat down and scrolled through her inbox. There were ten—ten!—inquiries from parents who’d read the profile in the paper and wanted to visit TLD. Her friend Kate had also emailed, whining about an upcoming blind date her mother had orchestrated. Several other friends had sent the usual jokes and gossip.

But one email stood out. “Baby,” the subject line read, from Sophie@AdoptionOption.com. Hardly daring to breathe, Lana opened the email.



I got your name from the AdoptionOption website. I’m Sophie and I’m four months pregnant. I’m looking for the right person to adopt my baby. When I saw the article about you in the paper today and read your online profile at the website, I couldn’t believe it. You seem to really care about kids, and I would like to meet you. Text me at 406-555-2223.



This was the chance Lana had waited, hoped and prayed for. Sucking in an excited breath, she jotted down the number with shaky hands.

Yet as badly as she longed for a baby, she had to admit that she was also a little scared. Raising a child without a partner was going to be a huge job.

Too antsy to sit, she paced to the window and looked out. Despite the lights from the other town houses and the shade tree in her yard, she could see the crescent moon and the stars studding the sky like diamonds. Tonight they seemed especially bright. Lana took that as a good omen.

Regardless of the challenges ahead, she wanted a child with all her heart. She wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass by. She grabbed her cell phone and texted the girl.



Hi, I would love to get together. How about Big Mama’s—my treat. Tell me when and I’ll be there. Looking forward to meeting you,

Lana



She’d chosen Big Mama’s Café because everyone loved the restaurant’s food. Less than a minute later, Sophie texted back. Saturday @ 10?

Gleeful, Lana replied. Sounds perfect. I’m 5’6” and have longish blond hair.

Sophie texted. I know what u look like from yr profile and the pic in the paper. CU.

A baby of her own!

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Lana cautioned out loud.

Sophie might decide she wasn’t the right person to raise her child, and allowing herself to imagine otherwise would only set her up for heartache.

Still, she was too excited to worry about that now, or to read the other emails. She logged in to AdoptionOption.com and checked Sophie’s profile. The girl was sixteen and a junior at Jupiter High School on the far side of town. She had short hair, dyed white-blond with neon-pink streaks and bangs that fell into big, soulful eyes lined in thick eye pencil. Despite the alternative look, she was very pretty, and Lana guessed that the baby would be beautiful.

“She’s not the mother of my child yet,” she reminded herself.

Not that it calmed her down. Laughing, she danced around the room while she speed-dialed Kate. After three rings, her friend answered.

“It’s happened,” Lana said, skipping the usual pleasantries.

“You have a blind date, too? Ugh. You know that sewing circle my mom belongs to? That’s where it happened. I cannot believe she went behind my back and fixed me up with her friend’s sister’s son. That sounds like a really bad joke, doesn’t it? Too bad it’s real. Save me, please.”

The whole thing did sound awful. Lana’s mother had her faults, but she wouldn’t set up a blind date without first checking with Lana. Bonus points for her. “You never know,” Lana said. “It could work out.”

“With the son of the sister of some woman in my mom’s sewing circle? Puh-leeze. You said it happened. Don’t tell me Sly finally found you.”

“He did, but this is about a baby. Tonight I got an email from a pregnant girl who saw the article on TLD in the paper.” Lana squeezed her eyes shut and squealed. “She wants to meet me.”

“Wow, that’s great. But back up a minute. Did you say that Sly found you? I knew he would! Why didn’t you phone me?” Kate sounded hurt.

“Because it happened late this afternoon, and I haven’t had a chance to call until now.”

“I want details.”

“Okay, but first let me fill you in about Sophie—the pregnant girl.”

“Believe me, I want to hear all about her. After you spill on what happened with Sly.”

Realizing Kate wouldn’t let up until she got the information she wanted, Lana threw up her hand. “All right, but there isn’t much to say. He read my business profile in the paper. That’s how he learned where I work.”

“That piece was terrific, by the way, and look at the results you’re already seeing. A pregnant girl contacts you and Sly shows up at the day care. Why can’t they run an article about me in the paper?”

“Start your own business and it just might happen.”

“I like managing the Treasures Gift Shop at Prosperity Falls just fine, thanks. Back to Sly. What did he say, and what did you say?”

“He apologized for leaving the morning after without a goodbye.” He’d seemed so sincere and contrite that Lana had almost melted. “And he brought me a copy of the newspaper article.”

“What a sweetheart. When are you two going out?”

“He didn’t ask me out,” Lana said. “I never had a chance to find out his last name or anything else about him. He was only interested in kissing me.”

“Ooh. Did you let him?”

“Of course not.” But Lana had wanted to. Badly.

“Are you crazy? If you don’t want to kiss Sly Whatever-his-last-name-is, send him my way.”

“Ha, ha, ha. I didn’t let him kiss me because he’s only interested in one thing.”

“I thought you liked doing that one thing with him.”

Lana gritted her teeth. “You’re not helping, Kate. I don’t want a sex-only relationship. I want more than that.” Especially now, when she just might have a chance at a baby....

She wanted a relationship based on shared mutual interests and honest conversation, things that formed a basis for something that lasted. True, those very things had failed to hold her marriage together, but that was because Brent had found her lacking.

“But he’s so darned hot,” Kate said. “And he seemed very into you that night....”

She was right on both counts. Sly had seemed just as into Lana today, but not in the way she wanted. “If he was that interested, he’d have at least asked for my phone number.”

“You mean, he didn’t?”

“Nope. Unfortunately, his attraction to me is purely sexual.”

“Bummer,” Kate said. “Just once, I’d like to meet a man interested in getting to know me before he tries to jump my bones. You keep saying he’s out there. If he is, I sure haven’t met him.”

“Yeah, well, I haven’t found my Mr. Right, either.” Lana had thought she had with Brent, but he’d turned out to be Mr. Wrong instead. “Wouldn’t it be funny if your blind date turns out to be ‘the one’?”

Kate snorted. “Don’t hold your breath. Now tell me about the pregnant girl.”

“Her name is Sophie, and we’re meeting Saturday at Big Mama’s. I’m treating her to brunch.”

“How exciting! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. Good luck.”

“Do you think I need luck?” Lana bit her lip.

“It’s just a figure of speech. Be yourself, and Sophie will love you, like everyone else who knows you.”

More than anything in the world, Lana hoped her friend was right.

* * *

“SO, LANA, HOW long have you and Sly been dating?” Amy asked when she arrived to pick up Courtney on Wednesday afternoon.

Amy was a great mom, but as Sly had pointed out the other day, she was also a big gossip. Lana was glad that her two assistants had gone home for the day and that only she, Amy and another mom named Sheila were at the day care. “Actually, we’re not dating,” she said.

Amy lifted a skeptical eyebrow. “Sly sure didn’t stop by yesterday to pick up a child. He doesn’t have kids of his own, or any nieces or nephews that I’m aware of. He said he was here to see you.”

In the act of helping her four-year-old son with his jacket, Sheila widened her eyes. “You must be talking about Sly Pettit. He was here?”

Amy grinned. “In the flesh.”

Wait. Sly Pettit—the rancher who was suing Cousin Tim? Lana tried not to show her shock.

“What’s wrong, Lana?” Sheila asked.

“I’m just surprised that you both know him.”

“We certainly do,” Amy said with a smirk. “We both used to date him, though not at the same time. I haven’t seen him in a good four years, and he’s still as gorgeous as ever,” she told Sheila. “I’m guessing he’s still a heartbreaker, too.”

Sheila zipped her son’s jacket and directed him to get his lunch box. “We dated about six years ago. By our second or third date I was head over heels for him. I was sure I’d be the one to snag him.” She gave her head a sad shake. “Unfortunately he didn’t feel the same way about me. I couldn’t even get him to show me his ranch. After a few months, we broke up.”

Amy nodded. “My story is similar. Sly showed me the ranch, but only because I asked. I’d heard that his bedroom was off-limits to the women he dated, but I always hoped I’d be the one he fell for, the one he’d invite to his bed. He never did—we always ended up at my place. I tried everything to make him love me, but no luck.” She let out a sigh, followed by a shrug. “I guess I ended up lucky after all. I met and married Jon, and we’re so happy.”

“Sly has dated a lot of women and broken a lot of hearts,” Sheila said. “Be careful, Lana.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Lana said, but she wasn’t worried. She and Sly weren’t dating, and now they never would.

Not with him suing her cousin.

* * *

SLY AND HIS sister, Dani, were close, and as busy as they both were with their jobs, they made sure they got together a couple times a month. On Wednesday night they met at Clancy’s, a bar and pool hall south of town. Clancy’s was always crowded, but boasted a dozen pool tables—enough so that he and Dani were usually able to snag one.

“I met a woman,” Sly told his sister over the loud country-and-western music adding to the noise. He hadn’t planned on saying anything and wasn’t sure why he’d made the confession. Especially when lately, he hadn’t dated much and she’d been bugging him about it. Now she’d really bug him.

But Lana... Sly was still thinking about her, even though she’d shut him down. There was something about her, and he needed to tell somebody.

In the middle of placing the balls, Dani swiveled her head his way. “Oh?” Her eyes, the same silver-blue as Sly’s and Seth’s, sparked with curiosity.

Not wanting to make a big deal out of what he’d said, he tugged on her ponytail like he had when she was four. Before life had knocked them both upside the head.

“Stop that.” Hiding a smile, she batted his hand away. “I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m twenty-eight years old.”

Dani was seven years younger than him, and one of the few people he trusted. He flashed a grin. “You’ll always be my baby sister, even when you’re fifty.”

“By then you’ll be an old man, and probably too frail to pull my hair.”

Sly scowled, but Dani thought that was real funny. “I’ll take solid, you take the stripes,” she said.

While she eyeballed the table, aimed her cue and broke the balls, Sly thought about how far they’d come since he was eleven and their mother had died. Two years later their father had followed her, leaving them orphans. Sly had wanted to take care of his siblings, but he’d been too young.

Their only family had been an uncle Sly and his siblings had never met, a man who lived in Iowa. Uncle George had grudgingly taken in Sly and his younger brother, Seth, who was ten at the time, but he hadn’t wanted Dani.

She’d entered the foster-care system in Prosperity. Sly had worried about her constantly and vowed that someday he would reunite their little family.

But it turned out that he and Seth had gotten the raw end of that stick. Their uncle had disliked kids and had mostly ignored him and Seth, which was better than the alternative. His idea of attention had been to yell and raise his hand. Sly and his brother had quickly learned to steer clear of him.

Sly had become his brother’s caretaker and parent of sorts, raising Seth as best he could. His best hadn’t been so great, though. A kid with an independent streak, Seth had fought him on everything. By the time Uncle George had died just before Sly’s eighteenth birthday, his relationship with his brother had deteriorated badly. Hoping that returning home and reuniting with Dani would help mend the damages, Sly had brought his brother back to Prosperity. Unfortunately, nothing had changed. After several minor scrapes with the law, Seth had dropped out of high school and left town. A few months later, Sly and Dani had received a postcard letting them know he’d settled in California. He’d failed to provide the name of the city, and the postal stamp had been impossible to decipher. Seth hadn’t spoken to or contacted them since.

Dani had ended up with a much better deal. Big Mama, her foster mom, had loved her from the start and eventually had adopted her.

Dani hit the ball into a side pocket. Another ball slid into a different pocket. She did a little dance. “Dang, I’m good.”

“Cocky, too,” Sly teased. “Wait until it’s my turn.”

She missed the next shot. Sly chalked his cue. “Watch and learn, little sister.” He took aim and dropped a striped ball into the corner pocket. He put away four more, then missed.

Before Dani took aim, she angled her head at him. “I’m glad to hear you met someone, big brother. How and where did it happen?”

“Remember that dinner meeting with my lawyer a couple weeks ago at the Bitter & Sweet? She was there with a girlfriend. We ended up dancing the whole night.”

“The whole night?”

Sly wasn’t about to answer that. “Are you ever going to move that cue?”

Dani ignored him. “Her girlfriend must’ve been bored silly.”

“Yeah. She went home.” Sly nudged her aside. “I’ll shoot for you.”

“No way.” She gave him a friendly poke in the ribs. “Does this woman have a name?”

“Lana Carpenter.” The words rolled off Sly’s tongue and left a sweet taste in his mouth.

“That sounds familiar. Where have I heard of Lana Carpenter?” Dani wondered, tapping the cue with her finger. “I don’t think she’s one of my regulars.”

Dani worked at Big Mama’s Café, a popular place open for breakfast and lunch that Big Mama had started some thirty years earlier. Someday when Big Mama retired, the restaurant would be Dani’s.

His sister finally took her shot, pocketed one and missed the next shot. “Shoot,” she grumbled. “You’re up. Is Lana related to Tim Carpenter?”

Sly sure as hell hoped not. “Haven’t asked her.”

“She doesn’t know you’re thinking about suing a man who could be related to her?”

“I’m definitely suing.” Sly was still unhappy about having to take legal action. He missed his shot, too. “He should have gotten the papers yesterday.”

“I’m sorry it had to come to that.” Dani made a face. “Have you heard anything back?”

“It’s all going through my lawyer. When he hears, he’ll call.”

She nodded. “Where does Lana Carpenter work?”

“She owns a business called Tender Loving Daycare.”

“Now I remember where I’ve heard her name. Her day care was profiled as small business of the month in the paper. Customers have been talking about it a lot. Her picture was in the paper. She’s pretty.” Dani gave him a speculative look. “So where are you taking her this weekend?”

Sly almost told her about stopping by the day care to see Lana, but he didn’t want to stir up his sister’s curiosity any more than it already was. “We’re not dating,” he said.

“Why the heck not?”

Because something told Sly that Lana was the one woman who could cut right past his defenses. He wasn’t about to let anyone do that.

“Let me get this straight,” his sister said when he didn’t answer. “The weekend before last you danced the night away with Lana Carpenter. Now you mentioned her to me, but you haven’t asked her out. You must like her a lot.”

Sly snorted and shook his head, but Dani had a point. He did like Lana. No, he lusted after her. It was easy to confuse the two, but he knew the difference. “I’m getting awful hungry,” he said. “Let’s finish this game and then grab a couple of burgers. The winner treats.”

“You’re on.” Dani lined up her cue and shot. The ball sailed neatly into a pocket. She missed the next one. “Why haven’t you asked her out?”

Darn, his sister could be a pit bull about some things. He should have figured she wasn’t through with the subject of Lana Carpenter just yet. “I don’t have her number,” Sly said.

“That’s what phone books and the internet are for.”

“Things are pretty busy at the ranch.”

“Excuses, excuses.”

Sly took his shot and missed. He swore softly. “I missed that because I’m half starved to death.”

“As soon as I sink the eight ball, I’ll let you buy me that burger.” The remaining solid balls disappeared into the pockets. Dani eyeballed the table. “Eight ball, corner pocket.” After lining up the cue, she executed the shot perfectly. Her fists shot into the air. “Hot damn—I won!”

“I’ll beat you next time,” Sly said. “I keep meaning to ask—how’s that guy you’re dating?”

“You mean Cal?” Her smile faded. “We broke up on Sunday.”

“Can’t say I’m sorry.” His sister seemed to gravitate toward guys who treated her poorly. “You want me to punch him for you?” He was kidding, but if she wanted him to, he’d do it.

“Absolutely not.” She made a face. “I’m a big girl, Sly. I can take care of myself. I just wish that I could meet a guy and have something that lasted more than a couple of months.”

Sly hoped she found what she wanted. So far, she hadn’t had much luck. “You and I are alike that way—both of us suck at relationships.”

“Sad but true.” She gave him a somber look. “The difference between us is that I want to find someone, get married and have kids. You don’t.”

Sly shrugged. “I’m happy the way I am.”

“Well, I’m tired of going home to my apartment and cooking for one. It gets lonely.”

Another voice cut in—a lowlife named Paul. “Hey, Dani. Sly.”

He gave Dani a blatantly sexual look that made Sly see red. He managed a terse nod.

His sister perked up. “Down, big brother,” she murmured for his ears only. “Remember, I can take care of myself. Besides, I happen to have a little crush on that cowboy.” She tossed Paul a flirty smile. “Hi. What are you up to?”

“Lookin’ for you. Can I buy you a beer?”

Dani glanced at Sly. “Rain check on that burger?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really. Hey, why don’t you come to Big Mama’s for lunch on Saturday, my treat.” She stood on her toes and kissed Sly’s cheek.

“You won the game. I’m supposed to treat you.”

“But I’m standing you up for Paul. Leave me a big tip on Saturday and we’ll call it even.”

“If that’s how you want it.” Sly resisted the urge to tug on her ponytail again. “You want me to wait around and give you a ride home?”

“I’ll drive her home,” Paul said, giving Dani a winning smile.

“I’d appreciate that.” She took his arm and winked over her shoulder at Sly. “I’ll see you Saturday.”


Chapter Four

Saturday morning, Lana and Sophie sat at a booth by the window in Big Mama’s Café. Locals and tourists loved the busy restaurant, which served great food and was always packed on weekends.

Big Mama’s Sinfully Satisfying Frittata, a favorite of Lana’s created by Big Mama herself, sat on the table in front of her, slowly growing cold. Having been up since dawn without eating a thing, she should have been famished. Instead, her stomach felt queasy. Nerves, and they showed. Usually she had no problem meeting new people and making decent conversation, but sitting here with Sophie, she couldn’t come up with a single thing to say.

If only she were as calm as the girl, who was devouring her cheese-and-bacon omelet as if she hadn’t eaten in days. She looked just like her profile picture, and was on the thin side, with a lean, boyish shape...until you saw her rounded belly. A snug black Mumford & Sons Live! T-shirt hugged her torso and emphasized her condition. At four months along, she definitely looked pregnant.

She stopped eating to shoot Lana a quizzical glance. “What are you smiling at?”

“When my sister was pregnant, she ate like you—as if she had hollow legs.”

“I’ve always eaten a lot, only I wasn’t fat before.”

“You’re not fat now—you’re pregnant.”

“Well, I feel fat.” Sophie slathered a cinnamon roll with butter. “Why aren’t you eating your food?”

Though Lana had never been less hungry in her life, she forced herself to take a bite of the frittata. “It’s delicious.”

After that, the conversation died.

“You’re not at all like your photos,” Sophie said after a moment.

“Is that good or bad?”

“It’s just different. In the pictures you wore pants and a shirt. Now you’re wearing a dress with little blue-and-white hearts all over it.”

Wanting to make a positive impression, Lana had spent almost half an hour deciding what to wear. She’d chosen the dress because it was fairly new and she felt pretty in it. Now she wondered if she’d gone too formal. “A dress is bad?”

“Well, no, but why wear one when you don’t have to?” Sophie wrinkled her nose, causing her tiny silver nose ring to stick out.

“Normally I wear jeans on weekends. In fact, I was wearing my favorites earlier. But I cleaned house this morning, which I do every Saturday,” Lana explained, wanting Sophie to know she kept a tidy home. “Since this is our first meeting, I wanted to wear something a little nicer.”

Sophie gave a slow nod and polished off the cinnamon roll. “I clean the apartment where my mom I and live on Saturdays, too. She works fifty hours a week for us, and it’s only right that I do my part. That’s what she says anyway.”

Lana nodded. “That seems fair.”

“I guess.”

Lana racked her brain for something else to say. “Do you have an after-school job?”

“Not every day. I work part-time at the movie theater near the apartment. I take tickets and collect trash from under the seats. My shift is five to ten on Thursdays and Fridays, and one to ten on Saturdays. That’s how I met Jason. He works in the concession area.”

“I’m guessing Jason is the baby’s father?” Lana asked.

Sophie nodded. “He doesn’t want to be a father, just like I don’t want to be a mom. We’re too young. Now that I’m pregnant, he makes me go straight home after work to get my rest.” She eyed Lana’s frittata. “Are you going to eat the rest of that?”

“It’s all yours. Jason sounds like a sweet guy.”

“Sometimes. Last night he gave his two-week notice. He just got a new job at the candy store at the mall.”

The girl’s carefully blank face made Lana wonder. “Is everything okay with you two?”

“We sort of broke up last night,” Sophie said to her empty plate.

She was obviously hurting. Lana felt bad for her. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Breaking up is never fun.”

Sophie picked at her nail. “I was getting tired of him anyway.” She gave Lana a sideways look. “Did you and your boyfriend break up, too?”

“At the moment, I don’t have a boyfriend and I’m not dating anyone, but I used to be married.”

“Did he cheat on you? That’s what my mom’s last boyfriend did.”

There was no reason to sugarcoat the truth. “As a matter of fact, he did,” Lana said. “He wanted a baby, and when we found out that I couldn’t give him one, he found a woman who could.”

“That’s really jacked up. Is that why you want to adopt—because you can’t have a baby of your own?”

Lana nodded. “I love children, and I’m so ready to be a mother. I know I’ll make a really great one.” Another long silence. “Tell me what you want to be someday.”

“I’m not sure. Maybe a cosmetologist like my mom. She makes decent money.”

“That’s a great career.”

The waitress, a friendly woman named Dani, stopped at the table with a coffeepot. “Ready for your coffee now?”

Lana considered asking for the check instead and putting an end to the uncomfortable meeting. But she wanted a chance to end on a more upbeat note. She smiled. “That depends on Sophie. Do you want something else to drink?”

The girl cast a wistful gaze at the coffeepot. “Coffee, but now that I’m pregnant, I’m not supposed to.”

“How about cocoa?” Dani asked. “We make ours homemade and it’s excellent.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I’ll have that, too,” Lana said.

“Two cocoas it is.” For the first time, Dani really looked at Lana. “You’re the woman in the paper. Lana Carpenter.”

“That’s right.”

“It’s very nice to meet you.”

When Dani left, Sophie was grinning. “You’re kind of a celebrity.”

“Am I?” Lana laughed. “I never thought of myself that way.”

“You are. Because of your picture with that story, people know you.” Sophie fiddled with her napkin, then squinted slightly at Lana. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Do you ever wish you had a boyfriend?”

Lana’s mind flashed to Sly. Now, there was a terrible choice for a boyfriend—as Amy and Sheila had pointed out. Lana hadn’t heard from him since he’d stopped by the day care several days ago. He wasn’t boyfriend material. Even worse, he was suing her cousin. At the very thought, she felt cold and sick at heart. Angry, too. Cousin Tim wasn’t the nicest person, but killing Sly’s cattle? No way would he do that.

“Occasionally I get lonely,” she admitted. “But most of the time I’m fine by myself. Between the day care and home projects, I keep pretty busy. Now I want to ask you something.” She cupped her hands around her water glass and waited for Sophie’s nod. “How do you feel about a single woman raising your baby?”

“It’s no big deal.” The girl shrugged. “That’s how my mom raised me.”

And here she was, a junior in high school and pregnant. Lana silently vowed to closely supervise her child throughout his or her teen years—provided she got the chance to be a mother.

“Do you ever see your dad?” Lana asked.

The girl shook her head. “My mom isn’t even sure who he is.”

Sophie seemed okay with that, but Lana was sad for her. She couldn’t imagine not knowing her own father. And what about my baby’s father? Lana was counting on her dad to help make up for that. Her parents weren’t supporting her decision right now, but she wasn’t going to lose hope. Once she had the baby, surely they’d rally. After all, she was family, and her baby would be, too.

“You should know that I’m planning to bring my child to work with me every day, and when he or she is old enough—let’s call the baby a she for now—I’ll enroll her in my day care. Then when she starts kindergarten, I’ll cut back my hours so I can be with her after school.”

“But if you do that, you’ll make less money. My mom has always worked ten hours a day.”

Lana nodded. “Money is important, but to me, being there for my child is even more important. I have savings that will allow me to work a little less.”

The girl appeared thoughtful. “I would have liked for my mom to be around when I got home from school. I could tell you’d make a good mom when I read the article. It’s why I picked you and Mr. and Mrs. Anderson as my top two choices.”

“I’m not the only person you’re considering?” Lana said, her voice squeaking.

She should have guessed as much, had cautioned herself to not make any assumptions. But she’d been so excited, so sure that today’s meeting would be perfect and that Sophie would like her, that the idea of other potential parents had never entered her mind.

Dani returned with the cocoas. Unaware of the utter chaos her announcement had caused inside Lana, Sophie glugged down a great deal of her drink before replying, “My social worker said I should talk to more than one person so that I can make the best choice. I’m having lunch with the Andersons tomorrow, at Baker’s.”

An upscale restaurant with fancy food that cost twice what it did at Big Mama’s, Baker’s was sure to impress the girl. “That’s um, nice,” Lana said.

“I’ve never eaten there before, have you?”




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