Page 83 of A Rancher's Heart
They and the girls were headed north to Rocky Mountain House for the annual Boxing Day Coleman clan gathering, which included his sister’s new family and Tamara’s family.
Shockingly, he was looking forward to it, which wasn’t like him. The idea of a crowd, with so many strangers, usually would put his back up and make his protective instincts go into overdrive. Take his little girls into that situation? Never…before now.
Because while it would be loud and noisy and full of people, he was fairly certain they would care and tease andlovehis girls and make them feel welcome.
This trusting business was addictive in a way. It seemed every time he’d opened up a little he’d been rewarded—
He wondered if he should plan on ducking soon, because nothing went this well, for this long, without coming back and kicking him in the teeth.
But that hollow, empty place inside him had filled up over the past hours, and he knew the reason why.
More specifically, he knew the reasonwho, and she was watching him closely. Her face smooth and content, but a question in her eyes.
He broke eye contact, hoping his feelings weren’t written too clearly on his face. He nodded politely, then rose and joined Walker and Dustin who were trying to convince Ashton to play some more fiddle.
Maybe…
Maybe Tamara was right about something else. Maybe it was time for him to do something that would makehimhappy. He didn’t need to know what came a year down the road.
Tomorrow would be a good enough start.
