Free The Rancher's Lullaby (Glades County Cowboys) by Leigh Duncan Page B

before. Not that he wanted to think of her. Not when his son needed him. He trotted up the stairs, eager to put his newfound determination to be a better father into play.
    LJ’s cries grew louder when Garrett opened the door into a room that had been painted blue and decorated with cowboys. His unhappy little boy stood in the crib, clinging to the same top rail Garrett had held on to when he was LJ’s age.
    “Hey, Little Judd,” Garrett cooed. “Don’t be sad. Daddy’s here.”
    LJ didn’t clap. He didn’t smile. He only screamed louder.
    Uncertainty rumbled through Garrett’s middle. His mom would know what to do, but she’d already lost one night’s sleep. He refused to disturb her. Should he play his guitar for the little guy? He felt around in his pocket for his pick without finding more than a stray piece of lint. Sizing up his son, he took a deep breath. He’d broken many a rambunctious horse with a firm hand and a soft voice. Maybe the same tricks would work on a child.
    “Hey, now.” Garrett lifted the blubbering baby to his chest. Almost at once, he realized he’d made his first mistake as a large, wet spot spread across his shirt. The boy had drenched himself. “Okay, then. First step, let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”
    He grabbed the necessary supplies from under a nearby changing table. Stripping the baby down to bare skin, he dodged as a stream arced toward the ceiling.
    “What the...?” Garrett cupped his hand over the offending member. “Man, where do you hold it all?” he asked. How long was it before kids started to go to the bathroom on their own? He shook his head. He had no idea.
    But something he’d said, or the way he’d said it, had tickled the boy’s fancy. LJ’s tears shifted into laughter. Garrett grinned as he blotted the kid with disposable wipes and awkwardly taped a new diaper in place.
    “Partner, we’re gonna have to come to an understanding.” He made a game of capturing the boy’s legs in a one-piece blue outfit. “You quit spraying that stuff, and I’ll buy you some boots and your first pair of Wranglers.”
    Lifting the boy, Garrett held his son close enough to breathe in the heady mix of talc and baby shampoo. He smiled when LJ ran his little fingers over his grizzled cheeks. “Daddy needs a shave,” he admitted. He poked LJ’s belly, loving the sound of the boy’s giggles and wondering why he’d denied himself the joy of holding his son in his arms for so long.
    * * *
    “N O , M RS . A MES ,” Lisa said into the phone. “You don’t have to buy a guitar right away. I can provide a rental until Shelby decides whether or not she wants to stick with it.” Though investing in the instrument would make the girl’s success much more likely.
    The bell over the door announced a new arrival, and Lisa looked up from the call. Her mouth went dry as Garrett Judd entered the store. She cupped one hand over the mouthpiece. “I’ll just be a minute,” she whispered to the man who’d all too readily agreed to her request for a friends-without-benefits relationship.
    Aware that the woman on the phone had continued speaking, Lisa turned her back on Garrett. “I’m sorry. What was that, Mrs. Ames?” She listened, hating herself for letting the rancher distract her. “That will work out perfectly. I’ll look forward to seeing Shelby after school next Wednesday.”
    Lisa scribbled the appointment for her first music lesson on her calendar. She counted out four beats before she turned to face Garrett again. Yep, tall, dark and not nearly as brooding as she’d first thought him to be, he towered over her. Looking up at his handsome features stirred a very feminine reaction, and she quashed it. Didn’t the man have a ranch to manage? she asked herself crossly. Sighing, she took a moment to regain her composure while she mustered a much friendlier, “What brings you to Pickin’ Strings in the middle of the day?”
    He stuck one hand in the pocket of