Free The Rancher's Twin Troubles by Laura Marie Altom Page B

sitting in wet clothes for a good portion of the day.
    Traffic for the children whose parents drove them to school was heavy. More than a few wrecks were narrowly avoided and typically well-mannered drivers had resorted to honking and rude gestures in futile attempts to escape the crowded lot.
    When a familiar black truck pulled alongside the curb, Josie’s stomach lurched.
    â€œHi, Miss Griffin!” Bonnie, decked out in sunny yellow rain garb, hopped out. “Betsy lost a tooth.”
    â€œI wanted to tell her,” Betsy complained, her raincoat, hat and boots pink. “You ruin everything!”
    â€œAt least I’m not ugly!” Bonnie hollered.
    An ear-splitting whistle came from behind the driver’s seat. “Ladies, remember what I told you about bickering? Especially at school. Now, get inside.”
    â€œBye, Daddy,” they said in unison, chins drooping.
    â€œCall if they give you any more trouble.” Warmth blasted from the truck’s heater vents. Even better, was the heat radiating from his smile.
    â€œI will.” Why was she suddenly breathless?
    â€œYou look cold—but in a cute way.”
    â€œThanks?” Cute was good. At least it had been back in high school. But she felt a million years from that girl.
    â€œNeed me to bring you anything? Coffee? Hot cocoa?”
    â€œSounds delicious, but I’m on duty. Ten more minutes before I can even think about getting warm and dry.”
    He nodded. “I understand. Well…hope the rest of your day goes better.”
    â€œMe, too.”
    As the crowd dwindled outside, the more Josie was left on her own with her thoughts. Lately, a place she didn’t like to be. When she’d seen his truck, she’d dreaded meeting Dallas again. Then he’d wowed her with his smile and she’d been a goner. What was it about the man that left her off balance? Making her doubt her carefully placed emotional walls that thus far had served her so well?
    The bell rang, and she no longer had time to think of anything other than squeaky sneakers on the hall floors and her squirming class complaining of being cold and wet. With everyone miserable, she abandoned the usual lesson in favor of story time in the nap corner.
    Midway through the tale of a dachshund who hates his brothers and sisters, Natalie entered the room. She carried a steaming, extra-large paper cup from the town’s only coffee shop. As surreptitiously as possible with so many eyes on her, she knelt to whisper, “A certain father of twins left this in the office for you. He said seeing you shiver made him sad.”
    Accepting the drink, sampling it to find hot chocolate so sinfully rich and yummy she felt guilty drinking it infront of her students, Josie tried drawing less attention by getting back to the story. No such luck.
    Still in whisper-mode, Nat said, “Care to explain why a guy like Dallas Buckhorn would even care if you’re shivering?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat about my dad?” Bonnie asked.
    â€œNothing, sweetie.” Josie cast Nat her most stern Teacher Glare. It only broadened the size of her friend’s smile.
    Â 
    â€œY OU FINALLY WARM?” D ALLAS asked when he saw his call was from the girls’ school. He assumed it was Josie, because the girls were in music class at this time on a Monday.
    â€œYes. Anyone ever told you you’re crazy sweet?”
    â€œNot lately,” he said, followed by a laugh loud enough to startle his horse. With a couple of cows ready to calve, despite the rain, he made the long ride out to the south pasture to check them. He could’ve driven, but he liked being out on days like this. Made him feel closer to all of the cowboys who’d worked the land before him. “How have my little deviants behaved this morning?”
    â€œSurprisingly well. Ever since leaving the fair, I’ve expected to be blamed for them having to go home early, but they