Free Stroke of Fortune by Christine Rimmer Page A

talkin’.”
    Josie patted Alva’s hand some more. “I didn’t want to worry you.”
    â€œYou’ll worry me more now by not telling me who the man is.”
    Josie swallowed. Why not tell her mother? Alva only wanted to understand. “It’s Flynt Carson.”
    â€œOh, my,” said Alva, shaking her head.
    â€œKeep it to yourself, Mama.”
    â€œDon’t you worry. I will.”
    â€œI can see it in your eyes. You think I’m making a big mistake.”
    â€œIt’s all right,” her mama said. “You follow your heart now. You’re wiser than I ever was. And your heart does know the way.”
    Â 
    Josie didn’t get back to the ranch until after seven. Cara was watching Lena by then.
    â€œJosie.” Cara had kind eyes—eyes that made no judgments. “We’ve missed you. Good to have you back.”
    â€œGood to be here.” And it was—though it was a little bit nerve-racking, too. She kept thinking how she’d be sleeping right down the hall from Flynt. And taking care of the baby he still believed to be theirs.
    â€œYou’ll need time to put your things away,” Cara suggested. “I’ll stay here with Lena. Go ahead and get settled in.”
    â€œThanks.”
    Cara waved a hand as if to say that thanks weren’t needed. “What about dinner? Did you eat? Call the kitchen and have something sent to your room.”
    Josie spent a half an hour or so putting some of her clothes into drawers and hanging the rest in her new room’s small closet. She also set out the few personal things she liked to have with her wherever she stayed—a framed picture of herself and Alva, a little chipped Hummel statue of a shepherd boy holding alamb, some big quartz crystals she’d found on a trip to Arkansas and, of course, her computer.
    The housekeeper brought up her tray just as she got everything in order. She carried it into the baby’s room, thinking she’d tell Cara it was okay if she wanted to go.
    But Cara had already slipped out, probably gone home to the small caretaker’s cottage not far from the main house, where she’d lived since before Josie first came to work for the Carson family. Josie entered the nursery room to find Flynt bending over Lena’s crib.
    He straightened and turned to her. He’d changed his clothes since that afternoon. Now he wore gray slacks and a dress shirt the same color as his eyes. It almost hurt to look at him, he was so handsome.
    Heartbreaker, she thought, and wondered again at the wisdom of returning here.
    â€œEverything all right?” he asked.
    She frowned. “All right?”
    â€œYour room. Is it all right? Did you find everything you need?”
    â€œIt’s great.” She thought of her computer. “There’s a desk in there, and I’m glad about that. But there is one thing…”
    â€œName it.”
    â€œAbout the phone…”
    â€œRight. Works like an office phone. If you pick it up, it buzzes Anita and the kitchen. If you want to dial out, just dial 9 first.”
    â€œWell, I figured that out. Problem is, I have a phone modem for my computer and—”
    He didn’t let her get the whole sentence out. “Cable modem’s better. I’ll see you get a line in there first thing tomorrow.”
    â€œThere’s no need for that. I’ve got a server. It’s all set up. All I need is—”
    â€œJosie, take my word. You’ll be happier with high-speed service.”
    She opened her mouth to argue further and then decided against it. Why not just take the cable hookup, since he was offering one? She’d still have her server, if she needed it later—if this crazy scheme of hers to give the two of them another chance together didn’t work out. “All right. Thanks.”
    Because Lena was fussing a little, Flynt lifted her from the crib. He carried her over