Page 15 of Her Cowboy Baby Daddy
She was also in command of the situation, and he was not. Interesting turn.
Hayley unlatched the door and it whipped open, slamming against the wall of the barn. She winced at the noise, then said, “You’d better get home before a tree comes down on the road.”
Spence stepped out into the wind and waited while Hayley latched the barn door, turning his head against the roar of the wind.
“I’ll be in contact,” she yelled.
He nodded and then walked around his truck and got inside, taking care not to let the wind rip the door out of his hand and damage the hinges. Hayley was already on her way to her house, the beam of the flashlight bobbing on the ground in front of her. She stopped at the gate, apparently waiting for him to drive away, which he did, masterfully missing the gatepost.
But he had to admit he really hated to go. Hated to leave her there alone.
And that might be something to think about. Was it the past or present that gave him the feeling that this new Hayley was getting under his skin?
Chapter Four
After meeting withKen Willard and catching him up on the ranch happenings and assuring him that she was doing well, Hayley learned that there was nothing to stop her from leasing water to the Kellers if she so chose.
The Lone Tree Ranch, her ranch, was one of the oldest on that side of the valley, and had both surface and subsurface water rights. Because she had fields laying fallow that year, it was the perfect time to lease—and the money from the lease would be useful for her baby project.
Ken started drawing up the paperwork, promising to have it ready the next day, and Hayley walked down the street and around the corner from his offices to grab a cup of coffee with her old friend and fellow geek, Bella Knight, who’d moved back to Marietta a few months ago.
Hayley spotted Bella’s dark curls, and she would have waved, except that Bella’s nose was deep in her book. She looked up as Hayley approached, then pushed her glasses up, reminding her of Vince, which caused a pang.
“I’m at the good part.”
It was a joke they’d shared since high school, when they’d both rather read than participate in whatever was going on around them. A survival skill at the time. They looked studious, which in turn had people giving them a wide berth.
“I’m sure you are.” Hayley sat as the server cruised by with the coffeepot. He held up the pot, both Bella and Hayley nodded, and a second later, Hayley was dumping a small container of half-and-half into the dark brew.
“Are you settling into your new place?” Hayley asked before lifting her cup. Bella had just purchased a small house—a cottage, really—on the edge of town, having taken a job at the local clinic.
Bella pushed her book aside. “I’m making progress. I have a three-day break coming up. I’ll be painting when I’m not sleeping.” She leaned her elbows on the table. “Before you offer to help, because I know how much youlovepainting, I’m taking my time, enjoying audiobooks while I work.”
Having just painted almost every building on the ranch over the course of the past year, Hayley could say that she was no fan of painting, but she was good at it. Brush, roller, sprayer. She was a master of all. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, you probably shouldn’t be exposed to paint fumes if you’re going to try to get pregnant.” Bella leaned forward before glancing first right, then left, as if making certain they were not overheard. “Any closer to a decision?”
The decision was not if, but when and how.
“Getting there, but I want to make certain I have all my ducks in a row.”
Bella’s gaze came up to look past Hayley, who shifted in her seat to see what had caught her friend’s attention. A young woman in her early twenties, dressed in worn jeans, a western shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a battered felt hat with a feather in the band, approached. The light-brown braids she wore reached nearly to her waist.
“Excuse me... Hayley Parker?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Andie Landry. I think you have my dog.”
Bella’s eyebrows rose as she met Hayley’s gaze.
“I adopted a dog from the shelter,” the woman continued. “And she got loose while I was at work and ran off.”
“Where do you work?”
“Iworkedon the Hunt Ranch.” Andie’s expression tightened. “First my dog disappears, then they fire me. Not a good week, but I can take care of Greta. I’d feed her before feeding myself.” She lifted her chin. “I just want her back.”
“You got fired?”
