Free Buckhorn Beginnings by Lori Foster Page B

settled into the garage. He converted it to an apartment when he was around twenty because he’s something of a loner, more so than therest of us, but with his college bills, he couldn’t really afford to move completely out on his own. Now he could, of course, since there’s even more call for a vet in these parts than there is for a doctor, but he’s already settled. And Gabe has the basement, which runs the entire length of the house. He’s got it fixed up down there real nice, with his own kitchen and bath and living room, and his own entrance, though he usually just comes through the house unless he’s sneaking a girl in.”
    â€œHe’s not allowed to have women over?”
    â€œNot for the night, but that’s not really a rule or anything now, just something my mother started back when Gabe was younger and kept trying it.” Sawyer grinned, remembering how often he and his brothers used to get in trouble. “Gabe has always attracted women, and sometimes I think he doesn’t quite know what to do with them. Dragging one home for my mother to get rid of seemed to be a favorite plan of his.”
    Honey chuckled, and he could tell by her expression she didn’t know he was serious. He grinned, too. She’d get to know Gabe better, then she’d realize the truth.
    â€œKeeping women out is just something that we’ve all stuck to. Especially with Casey around. He’s old enough now not to be influenced, but he was always a nosy kid, so you couldn’t do much without him knowing. He has a healthy understanding of sex, but I didn’t want him to be cavalier about it.”
    She pulled her knees up and rested her crossed arms on them. Smiling, she said, “I guess your wifewouldn’t have liked it much, either, if a lot of women had been in and out of the house.”
    Annoyance brought him to his feet, and he paced to the French doors. The topic shouldn’t be a touchy one, and usually wasn’t. But Honey didn’t know all the circumstances, all the background. He said simply, “My wife never lived in this house.”
    She didn’t reply to that, but he knew she now felt awkward when that hadn’t been his intention. He glanced over his shoulder, saw her worried gaze and grimaced at his own idiocy. He’d opened a can of worms with that confession, and he didn’t know why. He never discussed his ex-wife with anyone except his family, and then only rarely.
    â€œI got divorced while I was still in medical school. In fact, just a month after Casey was born. She was still pretty young and foolish and she wasn’t quite up to being a mother. So I took complete custody. My mother and Gabe’s father really helped me out with him until I could get through medical school. Actually, everybody helped. Morgan was around nineteen, Jordan fifteen and Gabe twelve. In a lot of ways, Gabe and Casey are like brothers.”
    She looked fascinated, almost hungry for more information. He walked over to her and sat again. “What about you? You have much family?”
    â€œNo.” She looked away, then made a face. “There’s only my father and my sister. My mother passed away when I was young.”
    â€œI’m sorry.” He couldn’t imagine how he’d have gotten through life without his mother. She was thebackbone of the family, the strongest person he knew and the most loving.
    Honey shrugged. “It was a long time ago. I’m not very close with my father, but my sister and I are.”
    â€œHow old’s your sister?”
    â€œTwenty-four.”
    â€œHow old are you?”
    She looked at him suspiciously, as if he’d asked for her Social Security number. After a long hesitation, she admitted, “I’m twenty-five.”
    He whistled. “Must have been rough for your father, two kids so close in age and your mother gone.”
    She waved that away. “He hired in a lot of