The Cowboy's Surprise Baby (Cowboy Country Book 3) by Deb Kastner

obvious discomfort.
    “We’re putting you in charge of overseeing their ranch discovery outings. You’ll be responsible for leading them in their interactions with the animals, teaching them the care and feeding of the stock, how to tack up a horse and other aspects of country living. It’s an interesting position that I think you’ll enjoy once you get used to the idea. I can guarantee it will be the most rewarding work you’ve ever done.”
    Cole shook his head. Tessa couldn’t imagine how he felt right now. He was no doubt still overwhelmed in his new role as a single father, and now Alexis and Griff were throwing delinquent teenagers at him.
    “Think of it as an art,” Alexis encouraged him. “Very few of these kids have been within arm’s length of a horse. You’ll be starting from scratch and can make true horsemen and women out of them.”
    Cole’s brow furrowed, and he shoved his fingers through his hair, rubbing at the knots at the back of his skull. Tessa linked her fingers in her lap, trying not to remember the times she’d rubbed the knots from his neck when he was facing a tough test or a new challenge. He’d always been muscular, but years in the navy had defined the muscles in his shoulders and arms. Just for a moment, before reality reclaimed her, she ached to ease his tension, even after all these years and all that had transpired between them. She shook her head, nipping her misplaced wistfulness in the bud.
    “You’ll be a wonderful mentor,” Alexis assured him. “You have so much to give. The kids will be blessed, and I believe you will be, as well. That’s why I was so quick to snap you up once I knew you were coming home.”
    Cole’s neck turned red, then his chin, his cheeks, his forehead, until there wasn’t an inch on his face that wasn’t flushed. “I think you’ve got this all wrong. I’m a simple cowboy, not a teacher. Yes, I joined the navy, but those skills don’t transfer to this kind of situation. And I didn’t even go to college. I couldn’t teach a fly, much less a teenager.”
    Everyone around the table laughed—except for Tessa and Cole.
    “Maybe not,” Marcus said, which earned him a glare. Marcus just brushed it off. “But it sounds to me like you’ve got some skills. You’re going to be a music teacher to these kids, right?”
    Tessa cringed. No matter what her personal differences were with Cole, she didn’t think it was fair for everyone to be sharing a laugh at his expense. Clearly the man was ruffled, and why wouldn’t he be? He’d been expecting the somewhat reserved and quiet life of a wrangler out on the open Texas plains, probably a welcome change from his navy days. Instead, he was getting herded into what must seem like babysitting a group of juvenile delinquents—which wasn’t all that far from the truth. The one thing she
could
guarantee was that it would be anything but calm and peaceful.
    It was her fault he was only learning this now and not when he’d first accepted the job. She’d interrupted him that day and thrown everyone’s world off-kilter.
    Without thinking, she reached across the table and laid her hand on Cole’s forearm. It was as muscular and strong as she remembered it. Even more so. “I know it might sound overwhelming to you right now, but trust me on this—working with young people and knowing you’re making a difference in their lives—well, there’s no better feeling in the world. You’re going to be a real
mentor
to these kids, Cole. Think of all the teenagers you’ll be able to help by sharing your skills and expertise with them.”
    Cole shook his head, and she knew from the way the muscles in his forearm tensed that he was on the brink of bowing out entirely. Jobs were scarce in Serendipity, but she was certain he’d be hired on somewhere, either wrangling or else using whatever skills he’d learned in his years as a sailor—and he wouldn’t have to deal with a bunch of juvenile delinquents.