Love All Out - The Complete Series (A Stepbrother Romance) by Alice Ward

her a chance? Surely you don’t want me to grow old alone.”
    “You’re not alone,” I argued. “You have me.”
    Daddy smiled. “Yes, I do. But you’ll have a family of your own one day. You won’t want your old dad hanging out with you all the time.”
    “That’s not true,” I said quickly, then realized how selfish I was being. “But if it’s that important to you, I promise I’ll keep an open mind about Renee.”
    “Thank you, pumpkin. That’s all I ask.”
    ***
    “Willow, you look stunning,” Bradley said as Daddy and I took our seats in the ballroom. It was Saturday night, a week after Daddy brought James and Renee to the ranch. We were joining Bradley and his parents at a benefit for the ASPCA.
    “Thank you,” I said as I smoothed the bodice of my ice blue gown.
    “I just love what you’ve done with your hair,” Bradley’s mom, Jan, added.
    “It does look lovely, doesn’t it?” Daddy said. “Renee did it.”
    “So Renee and James are still at the ranch then?” Bradley asked. The hostility in his voice filled the air, but if Daddy noticed it, he didn’t let on.
    “Yes… it’s been great having them there. Renee has been a godsend, and I think James is finally starting to heal,” Daddy told them.
    Bradley frowned and looked at me. “Have you been spending much time with the bull rider?” By the tone of his voice, he may as well have asked if I’d been spending time with Satan.
    I resented the fact that Bradley thought who I spent time with was any of his business. I was about to open my mouth and tell him so when Daddy spoke again.
    “Don’t worry, Bradley, no one’s moving in on your girl,” he said with a casual laugh.
    “I’m no one’s girl,” I reminded everyone.
    “Not yet anyway,” Dale said. “But I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before my son’s won you over for good.”
    Why the hell did I agree to come to this? I told Daddy Renee could have my ticket. I’d much rather be back at the ranch with James… I wonder how he’s doing.
    All of the new arrivals at the ranch had made for a busy week. We had a total of one hundred and three calves and sixty-four foals. Just checking the pastures and making sure all of them were still alive took six hours a day. I’d barely had time to sleep, much less go to the cabin to check on James. I’d hoped he would call and ask me to visit, but I hadn’t spoken to him since the day he got out of the hospital. Daddy and Renee gave me updates on his progress, and I tried not to seem too eager for the news.
    “Now now, Dale,” Daddy said. “I want the kids together as much as you do, but we can’t force it.”
    Then why do you keep trying?
    A waitress appeared at the table and I ordered a Jack and Coke.
    “Since when do you drink whiskey?” Bradley asked.
    I ignored the question and turned to Jan. “Thank you so much for the basket of produce you sent over. With everything that’s been going on lately, we didn’t have time to plant our garden this year. Renee says that vegetable beef soup is James’s favorite. I thought I’d use what you sent me to make him some tomorrow.”
    “You’re more than welcome, Willow,” Jan said with a smile. Unlike Daddy and Dale, Jan didn’t seem to care if I dated her son or not. “I over planted this year, so I’ll keep the baskets coming.”
    I thanked her again just as the waitress returned with our drink orders. The MC took to the stage, introduced the guest speaker for the evening, and explained that dinner would be served during his presentation.
    Thank God… that means I won’t have to carry on small talk. Maybe I can convince Daddy to leave after dessert is served.
    The guests lingering around the open bar made their way to their tables as uniformed servers carried large trays into the room. Dr. Wilma Baker, the president of the charity’s Colorado chapter, took to the stage and began her lecture.
    “Welcome, and on behalf of all the animals you’re helping, thank