Redheaded Stranger: A Cowboy Love Story (Bluebonnet, Texas) by Amie Stuart Page A

wondering what he was thinking.
    Tim chuckled. "You should have seen Zander and Daddy arguing over who was going to give Darrach his first ride."
    "I can imagine," I muttered.
    "I thought Tim would have to step in," Maggie added.
    "I’m surprised you even remember how to sit a horse," Tim said with a chuckle.
    "Fu—"
    "Hey!" I frowned at Alex, my displeasure clear. "No swearing in front of the baby. Or your mother."
    "Yes, ma’am. Sorry." He nodded to me, clucked his tongue and the horse picked up his pace. My heart struggled to climb up my throat and come out my mouth, but Darrach just laughed like it was the best thing ever.
    "Open the gate, Dad." Alex's voice was gruff and low instead of his usual clear deep tone.
    "You sure that’s a good idea?" Jerrod asked, maneuvering his horse around so he could reach the latch.
    "I can handle her."
    "Been a long time since you got on the back of a horse."
    "Open the gate, Dad."
    Jerrod did, and I watched as Alex and Darrach took off across the field. My grip tightened on my coffee cup as they disappeared from view.
    "Well now that we’ve all lost a morning’s work, I suppose I should get busy." With a cluck of his tongue, Jerrod wheeled his horse around and took off in the same direction as Alex.
    "I got a Christmas horse to deliver." Looking up toward where Rene still hung, Tim shouted, "I’m going to the Mobley’s. Wanna ride with me?"
    "No, thanks."
    "Okay, well come down out of that barn. You’ll fall and die before anyone sees ya."
    Today was apparently my day for heart attacks. I quickly covered my eyes as she grabbed the hook above her head and swung down. Maggie slipped an arm around my shoulders and gave me a reassuring pat. "Relax, honey. You’ll get used to it."
    "Good lord, no wonder you’ve got gray hair," I murmured at Tim.
    "Yes, ma'am." He grinned and winked at me before turning to his daughter, who’d crossed the small fenced area and slipped between the fence slats. "Do you remember your manners?"
    She was a tall for her age, a lanky and athletic-looking young girl who was dressed almost identical to her father and grandmother. Her thick boots could only be described as ugly, but considering some of the places she probably walked in them, they were probably a necessary evil.
    She yanked off her leather gloves and tucked them under her arm before sticking out one hand. "Hello, I’m Rene Caldwell. Nice to meet you. You look too nice to be married to Uncle Zan."
    "Well, Alex has many fine qualities." The least I could do was defend my husband even if he wasn’t real high on my happy list right now.
    Her lips twisted thoughtfully. "Why do you call him Alex?"
    Tim butted in with a laugh, nudging her away. "Okay, Miss Nosey, I’m outta here. Don’t let her pester you too hard," he warned.
    "I won't."
    "And before you answer that, why don’t we go in the house where it’s warm."  Maggie patted my shoulder. I glanced toward where Alex and Darrach had disappeared, grimacing in disappointment when I didn’t see them returning. "Okay."
    "Relax." Rene moved to slip an arm around her grandmother’s other side.  "They’ll be fine."
    I wished I felt as confident as she did.
    We all headed inside and settled around the kitchen table with cinnamon toast and more coffee—even Rene, who, with a father who stood well over six feet, didn’t really need to worry about stunting her growth.
    "I call him Alex because I always have."
    "Well that’s kinda lame-o."
    I chuckled. "He introduced himself as Alexander. On our first date I asked if I could call him Alex, and he said yes."
    "Where’d he take you on your first date?" She wrinkled her nose as if the idea of boys and dating were still not a high priority.
    "Miniature golf, and he beat the pants off of me."
    "Figuratively speaking, of course," Maggie added as the front door slammed.
    "Of course."
    "Gram says you’re Hawaiian. Do you know any Hawaiian cuss words?" Rene asked as Delaney came creeping into the