The Rancher's Twin Troubles by Laura Marie Altom Page A

the hall.
    Josie was finally on her own, greeting students as they entered her room.
    â€œAbout Friday night…”
    â€œGood morning, Thomas. Have a nice weekend?”
    â€œUh-huh,” the boy said with an exaggerated nod. “We went to the Tulsa state fair and saw a gigantimous pumpkin the size of my dad’s truck!”
    With plans to go Wednesday night, the monster pumpkin was at the top of Dallas’s girls’ to-do list.
    â€œWhoa,” Josie said to her student without missing a beat. “That must’ve been amazing. Did you bring me a fried Twinkie?”
    â€œNooo!” he said with a giggle. “Mom said those cost, like, a million trillion dollars and we’re not rich.”
    â€œMe, neither.” Loudly sighing, she shook her head and smiled. “But when I win the lottery we’ll go nuts. Buy all the fried food our stomachs can hold.”
    â€œPromise?”
    Nodding, she rubbed the top of his head before pushing him into the room. “But before we start eating, you need to get to work on your review letters.”
    â€œOkay…” Head drooped, he marched off to put away his things.
    Suddenly alone with Josie, Dallas found himself in the unfamiliar position of feeling like a five-year-old, vying for teacher’s attention. “Where were we?”
    Her smile pinched, she said, “Not sure, but regardless, I’ve got a long day ahead of me.”
    â€œI know—” he moved between her and the door “—and I’m sorry to barge in like this, but please, just tell me what I did to make you run off like that.”
    â€œDallas…” The way she glanced at the ceiling and then back into her room, even the first grader skipping down the hall while playing with his zipper would’ve been smart enough to recognize Josie was trying to avoid him.
    â€œI’m sorry. Whatever it was.”
    â€œNo.” Eyes pooling, she swallowed hard. “It’s me who should be apologizing.” Hand on his forearm, she managed, “I do need to get to my class, but—”
    â€œIf that’s the case—you being in the wrong—make it up to me by going with Betsy, Bonnie and I to the state fair Wednesday night.”
    â€œI couldn’t,” she said. “I’m sure the girls have been looking forward to it and the last thing they’d want would be for their teacher tagging along.”
    Clearing his throat, Dallas reminded her, “Weren’t you just telling me how I should be the grown-up? I wantyou to come. Plus, what better place for you to show me how to be the best possible dad.”
    â€œDallas, thank you, but no.” Edging around him, she’d almost made it through her door, only all of his work with calf wrangling had finally paid off in that he was a fraction of a second faster.
    â€œWrong answer. Agree to help me or when the girls show up for school on Thursday, they’ll be so hopped up on cotton candy and caramel apples it may take you the rest of the week to get them off the ceiling.”
    She might’ve crossed her arms, but her frown showed signs of cracking.
    â€œWorse yet,” he persisted, “with me in charge, they might run wild, letting loose all of the livestock and pitching gum at all of the rides. It could damn well turn into an international incident.”
    Rolling her eyes, laughing but somehow not looking happy, she finally relented. “Okay, I’ll go. But only because at this point, you sound as if you need more help than your girls.”
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    â€œH OW ARE YOU?” N ATALIE asked the Wednesday afternoon before the fair, during their biweekly spa pedicures and manicures. The Korean family who ran the place spoke just enough English to do business, making it the perfect place for indulging in nice, long talks. “And I don’t mean your polite version.”
    â€œNot going to lie…” Josie winced while her