Free Cowboy Tough by Joanne Kennedy Page A

freshness of Dora’s grief that had turned her into a grim-faced zombie, but it looked like nothing in her niece’s attitude had changed. Who could say how long it would take a fifteen-year-old girl to get over the death of her mother? Trying to help her grieving niece was like navigating an unknown country without a map.
    At least Cat was making an effort. Her brother-in-law, Dora’s father, was so lost without his wife and playmate that he could barely spare a glance for their only child. Couldn’t he see Dora was the one part of Edie that was left?
    Cat turned over the notion that had been fermenting in the back of her mind ever since the funeral. Maybe Dora’s dad wasn’t capable of caring for a teenaged girl. Maybe she should be with her Aunt Cat all the time.
    She pictured the two of them living in Chicago. Painting together, going to museums. Shopping for school clothes. She hadn’t spent nearly enough time with Edie, and she was determined to do better with the little family she had left—which was standing here in front of her.
    Dora bent down and poked a stick of kindling into the bottom of the pile. A few logs collapsed and fell to one side. Mack touched her shirtsleeve.
    â€œLeave it alone. It’s fine.”
    To Cat’s amazement, Dora gave Mack the same tight little sideways smile she’d always given her mother when she’d admonished her for some misstep. Cat had been hoping to dig that smile out from under Dora’s grief on this trip. She’d figured a change of scenery would help, but Dora wasn’t smiling at the scenery. She was smiling at the rakish cowboy who’d kissed Cat senseless within hours of her arrival.
    Things were getting complicated.
    Raking her hair back from her face, Cat bunched the wavy mass in her fist while she glanced from Mack to Dora and back again. Dora was supposed to arrive on the airport shuttle van tomorrow, along with Trevor and five other students who were scheduled to arrive on various flights between nine and noon. The shuttle had been scheduled weeks ago as part of a carefully thought-out plan that was apparently already in tatters.
    â€œHow did you get here?” she asked again.
    â€œI took the shuttle.”
    â€œThe shuttle? By yourself?” Cat was trying not to screech, but she couldn’t help herself. “The airport’s three hours away. It must have cost you a hundred dollars! Dora, your dad said you were only supposed to use the credit card for emergencies. You can’t…”
    â€œDad doesn’t care.” She grimaced. “He didn’t even care about the money the airline charged to send me a day early.”
    â€œHe sent you a day early?”
    Dora shrugged. “He had to go to Costa Rica. He’s buying a beach house.”
    And that mattered more than his only daughter. Who had lost her mother only six months ago, and was clearly troubled. Cat had told herself to give Ross a break. He was healing too. But right now, what she wanted to break was his bones. Every one of them.
    â€œThe shuttle wasn’t that expensive,” Dora said. “Would you rather I rode with that guy?”
    â€œWhat guy?”
    â€œThat Trevor guy. I met him at the gate. He said he’d take me here, but I said no.”
    â€œWhat?”
    Dora rolled her eyes. “I saw his art supplies, put two and two together. We were going to sit together on the plane, but… I don’t know, he’s kind of weird.” She quirked a mischievous smile. “But he rented a Lexus. That’s way better than one of those skanky airport vans.”
    â€œI don’t care if he rented a Cinderella carriage and flying monkeys.”
    â€œSo you’re glad I took the shuttle.” Dora looked triumphant.
    â€œWell, you can’t go getting into cars with strange men.”
    The crunch of gravel made her look up to see Trevor approaching from the house.
    â€œI beg your