you?”
Lanie gave her a wry smile. “He’s Zack’s father. I suppose a part of me can’t help loving him. This would be a lot easier if I didn’t.”
“Hey, in ten years you’ll look back on all this and wonder what all the fuss was about. Well, my next group is here. Are you going to be okay?”
“In ten years, maybe. Need some help saddling up?” Lanie made herself hold the smile in spite of her dismay. Would she be able to look back and know she’d made the right choice? God, she hoped so.
“Nope. Already got the horses ready. You might want to take a look at that cut on Clipper’s leg, though. He keeps trying to chew the bandage off.”
“It’s probably starting to itch. I’ll put something on it.” She headed for the gelding’s stall as Sherry went to greet the carload of guests.
* * * * *
Quinn walked down the front steps to meet the maroon van that had pulled to a stop in front of the house. Before he reached it the door opened and Zack tumbled out, turning to throw a taunt at the other back seat occupant.
“See? I told you my Dad was here!”
A pretty brunette rounded the front of the van, smiling. “You must be Mr.
McAllister. Zack has been talking about you all day.” She held out a hand. “I’m Kelsey George. I work for the daycare center. And this,” she pointed back into the van, “is my son, Billy.”
Quinn glanced at the child staring at him. There was something vaguely familiar about the red hair, one sprig standing straight up in the back, and the freckle-strewn face.
“Hi, Billy.” He arched a brow at the woman. “George. Any relation to Ethan?”
Kelsey’s smile widened. “He’s my husband and he was thrilled to discover you’re back. He’s constantly telling Billy and Zack stories about ‘the good old days’ when you two were growing up. I suspect you’ll be hearing from him soon.”
“Great. I was planning on looking him up later this week.”
“Dad.” Zack tugged on his arm. “Can we go see the puppies now?”
“First, you need to go put your backpack up,” Lanie answered his question as she stopped beside them and ruffled Zack’s hair before he ran into the house.
6Quinn’s gaze met hers and he stifled a grin when her cheeks flushed. He’d made it a point to stay out of her way this afternoon, give her time to think about what had happened in the kitchen.
She looked away hurriedly. “Hi, Kelsey. How’s Billy?”
“He’s fine. The doctor said it was just a cold.” The brunette climbed back into the van. “Don’t forget, you promised to make some of your applesauce cookies for the kids tomorrow.”
“I won’t.” Lanie waved. “They’ll be ready in the morning.”
“Cookies?” Quinn kept his gaze on her hopefully as the van left.
“Yes.”
“Lots of cookies?”
She laughed. “Yes, lots of cookies. There will be plenty left after I box the ones for the daycare. You always did have a sweet tooth.”
“Only where your cookies are concerned. Can I lick the spoon?”
“You’ll have to fight Zack for it.”
Both adults winced as the front door slammed shut with a loud bang. Zack careened down the steps and grabbed Quinn’s hand, tugging him toward the path leading to the barn. “Come on, Dad. Let’s go.”
“Right behind you, champ.”
“I’ll walk with you. I’ve still got a few things left to do in the stable.”
“Need some help?” Quinn matched his steps to hers, watching his son dart ahead.
“No, I just have to turn the horses out to pasture for the night. Sherry usually does it, but I let her go home early this evening. Jonesy had a doctor’s appointment.”
“How is Jonesy?”
She smiled. “Cantankerous as ever. He lives with Sherry now that he’s retired.
Spends all his time fishing and talking with his friends about how ranching has gone to hell in a handbasket. He drops by occasionally to tell me I’m doing everything wrong.”
“That’s Jonesy.” Quinn laughed. “He’s another one
Lanie gave her a wry smile. “He’s Zack’s father. I suppose a part of me can’t help loving him. This would be a lot easier if I didn’t.”
“Hey, in ten years you’ll look back on all this and wonder what all the fuss was about. Well, my next group is here. Are you going to be okay?”
“In ten years, maybe. Need some help saddling up?” Lanie made herself hold the smile in spite of her dismay. Would she be able to look back and know she’d made the right choice? God, she hoped so.
“Nope. Already got the horses ready. You might want to take a look at that cut on Clipper’s leg, though. He keeps trying to chew the bandage off.”
“It’s probably starting to itch. I’ll put something on it.” She headed for the gelding’s stall as Sherry went to greet the carload of guests.
* * * * *
Quinn walked down the front steps to meet the maroon van that had pulled to a stop in front of the house. Before he reached it the door opened and Zack tumbled out, turning to throw a taunt at the other back seat occupant.
“See? I told you my Dad was here!”
A pretty brunette rounded the front of the van, smiling. “You must be Mr.
McAllister. Zack has been talking about you all day.” She held out a hand. “I’m Kelsey George. I work for the daycare center. And this,” she pointed back into the van, “is my son, Billy.”
Quinn glanced at the child staring at him. There was something vaguely familiar about the red hair, one sprig standing straight up in the back, and the freckle-strewn face.
“Hi, Billy.” He arched a brow at the woman. “George. Any relation to Ethan?”
Kelsey’s smile widened. “He’s my husband and he was thrilled to discover you’re back. He’s constantly telling Billy and Zack stories about ‘the good old days’ when you two were growing up. I suspect you’ll be hearing from him soon.”
“Great. I was planning on looking him up later this week.”
“Dad.” Zack tugged on his arm. “Can we go see the puppies now?”
“First, you need to go put your backpack up,” Lanie answered his question as she stopped beside them and ruffled Zack’s hair before he ran into the house.
6Quinn’s gaze met hers and he stifled a grin when her cheeks flushed. He’d made it a point to stay out of her way this afternoon, give her time to think about what had happened in the kitchen.
She looked away hurriedly. “Hi, Kelsey. How’s Billy?”
“He’s fine. The doctor said it was just a cold.” The brunette climbed back into the van. “Don’t forget, you promised to make some of your applesauce cookies for the kids tomorrow.”
“I won’t.” Lanie waved. “They’ll be ready in the morning.”
“Cookies?” Quinn kept his gaze on her hopefully as the van left.
“Yes.”
“Lots of cookies?”
She laughed. “Yes, lots of cookies. There will be plenty left after I box the ones for the daycare. You always did have a sweet tooth.”
“Only where your cookies are concerned. Can I lick the spoon?”
“You’ll have to fight Zack for it.”
Both adults winced as the front door slammed shut with a loud bang. Zack careened down the steps and grabbed Quinn’s hand, tugging him toward the path leading to the barn. “Come on, Dad. Let’s go.”
“Right behind you, champ.”
“I’ll walk with you. I’ve still got a few things left to do in the stable.”
“Need some help?” Quinn matched his steps to hers, watching his son dart ahead.
“No, I just have to turn the horses out to pasture for the night. Sherry usually does it, but I let her go home early this evening. Jonesy had a doctor’s appointment.”
“How is Jonesy?”
She smiled. “Cantankerous as ever. He lives with Sherry now that he’s retired.
Spends all his time fishing and talking with his friends about how ranching has gone to hell in a handbasket. He drops by occasionally to tell me I’m doing everything wrong.”
“That’s Jonesy.” Quinn laughed. “He’s another one
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