Page 20 of A Cowboy Takes A Chance

“Jax?”

Turning, he saw Reid striding into the barn so he smiled at his cousin and his cousin’s stepson, Zeke. He stacked the bale of hay he was holding, pulled his leather gloves off, and smiled, as they got closer.

“Hey, Reid. What’s up, Z-man?” Jaxon squatted down as Zeke ran toward him. Jaxon caught him and tossed him in the air making the little boy squeal with laughter. He looked at Reid. “What are you two doing out this way?”

“We’re heading back from town. Tomorrow is Lucy’s birthday, so we had to do some shopping,” Reid told him.

“What did you get your mama for her birthday, Z-man?”

“I got her a pretty blouse. Daddy says it looks like her eyes.” Zeke shrugged.

Jaxon chuckled. “It looks like her eyes?”

“It’s blue.” Zeke shrugged again.

Reid laughed and winked. “I said itmatchesher eyes.”

Zeke frowned up at him. “I don’t get it.”

Jaxon grinned. “You will when you get older.”

“Anyway, Zeke wanted to stop in and say hi to his uncles. Where’s Dev?”

“Working with some of the guests around the ranch.”

“We’ll have to see him some other time, Zeke. Let’s get going before your mama wonders where we are.”

“Okie dokie. Bye, Uncle Jax.” Zeke waved and ran off.

“Bye, Z-man,” Jaxon called out to him then looked at Reid. “I don’t know how you keep up with him.”

Reid chuckled as he watched Zeke running. “I sleep well at night. I’ll see you soon. Tell Dev, we dropped by.”

“Will do. He’ll be disappointed he missed you.”

“We’ll see him at the wedding. See ya,” Reid said as he ran to catch up with Zeke.

Jaxon laughed. He envied his cousin. Reid had a great wife and son, and he adored them. He knew he’d never have that. It had been snatched away from him in an instant. Presley’s image rose in his mind. No! Shaking his head, he strode from the barn to head home. A cold beer on the front porch sounded good about now.

Chapter Six

After getting back to the cabin from swimming, Presley showered to wash the chlorine from her hair, then changed into shorts and a T-shirt and decided to take a walk. If she had time, she walked four times a week back home. If it were raining or snowing, she’d head to the mall to walk inside.

Strolling down the road that led from the cabins toward the registration building, she turned to the left to follow the path that passed the barns. She didn’t know where any of the roads, other than the ones leading to the cabins, headed. Walking in a brisk pace, she noticed it started up an incline. As it started a downgrade again, she came around a bend, stopped in her tracks, and stared at the beautiful log home sitting on a rise in front of her. Slowly, she walked toward it. Although surrounded by a log rail fence, the gate was open.

A set of wooden steps led to a porch that reached across the entire front of the home. On the end closest to her, she could see a large stone fireplace. A green tin roof covered the house, and she knew it wouldsound wonderful when it rained. She was about to continue her walk when she heard a deep familiar voice.

“Are you coming up or just stand there and stare at the house?”

“Jaxon?” Presley frowned, shaded her eyes, and saw him sitting on the porch with his booted feet propped on the wooden railing that wrapped around the porch.

“Yeah, come on up. I’ll get you a beer.”

“No beer, thanks. Water would be great, though,” she said as she walked up the drive then climbed the steps. Would she ever understand him? Now he was being nice and inviting her up to his porch when earlier, he’d run as fast as he could when he’d spotted her by the pool.

Jaxon stood, entered the house while she took a seat on the top step. A black and white dog came running from around the house and ran up the steps to her.

“Hi there. You sure are pretty.” She rubbed his ears.

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