Free The Cowboy and the New Year's Baby by Sherryl Woods Page B

around, I’m sure Kelly can find some chores for you to do. Scrubbing floors and washing windows, maybe. Or maybe you’d like to ride out and round up some cattle with me?”
    He’d been teasing, but her expression immediately brightened. “Oh, could I? I’ve always wanted to do that.”
    He stared at her incredulously. “You actually want to bounce around in a saddle?”
    She winced. “Well, maybe not today, but soon. You won’t forget, will you?”
    Hardy had a hunch she wouldn’t allow him to. Since she didn’t seem to have a lick of common sense, he said, “Look, if you can wait till tomorrow evening to go into town, I’ll take you. We can grab some dinner and then cruise up and down Main Street to see if any property is available. I doubt there’s much. Most of the businesses have been there since the town was first settled.”
    “Then it’s time a new one came along to shake things up,” she said, undaunted by his deliberately discouraging assessment.
    They had reached the porch. Hardy stood at the foot of the steps, determined not to set foot insidethat house where all manner of schemers lurked. Where Laura might be around needing to be held, he conceded; that was the real threat.
    “The baby’s doing okay?” he inquired, forcing himself to act as if the question were no more than idle curiosity.
    “She’s fine,” Trish said, beaming. “The best thing I’ve ever done. Want to come in and see her?”
    “Not tonight,” he said a little too hurriedly.
    She gave him an oddly knowing look, then shrugged. “Whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow then. What time?”
    “Six o’clock okay?”
    “Perfect. I can get Laura fed and she’ll stay down for a few hours. I’ll make sure it’s okay with Kelly if I leave her here.”
    “Oh, I doubt she’ll object,” Hardy said dryly. In fact, if he had to put money on it, he’d bet that Kelly would do a little jig in the street when she discovered that Trish was thinking of staying and that it had been his idea.
    Obviously, he’d lost his mind.

Chapter Six
    M aybe he could still talk her out of staying in Los Piños, Hardy consoled himself as he drove over to pick up Trish the next night. After all, the decision hadn’t been carved in granite.
    He had told absolutely no one about his impulsive, ill-considered idea. He just prayed that it would come to nothing and no one would ever find out about it. He was taking enough ribbing about Trish and the baby as it was. If people found out he’d all but asked her to stick around town, they would make way too much of it.
    “Come on in,” Kelly said, greeting him at the door with a beaming smile.
    Hardy took one look at her expression and concluded he was already out of luck. She knew. EitherTrish had already blabbed about the reason for this excursion or Kelly had drawn her own conclusions. Either way, his goose was cooked.
    “I can wait out here,” he said, hoping to forestall a cross-examination. “Unless it’s going to be a while.”
    “No, she’ll be right down. She’s just checking on the baby one last time.” She gave him a knowing look. “You aren’t afraid I’m going to subject you to some sort of inquisition if you come inside, are you?”
    “Of course not,” he lied.
    “Well then, I don’t see any need for the two of us to stand out here freezing. Jordan’s away on business, so you’re safe on that front, too.”
    He forced a smile. “Not to be disrespectful, but you really are a handful, aren’t you?”
    She grinned. “I certainly try to be. It keeps marriage from getting stale.”
    Hardy stepped inside, then stood there, warily eyeing Kelly Adams. She was all but popping with curiosity. He figured her promise not to subject him to a string of nosy questions was likely to be as short-lived as his resolve to steer clear of Trish. She didn’t disappoint him.
    “I hear you suggested Trish open a bookstore right here in Los Piños,” she said conversationally.
    “It didn’t