on her wrinkled white shorts, then placed her hand in his. She swore she felt a sizzle of heat when his hand closed around hers.
"Thank you so much for bringing Katie to us. I know it was a lot to ask of you."
He smiled and the sun seemed to get a little brighter. She nodded, then shook her head, unable to get a word past her lips. He placed a hand on her back and guided her to the house, and Carol followed behind them, holding Katie's hand.
***
Logan perched on the arm of the couch, his arm around his daughter. As he listened to her story about how she'd traveled from Louisiana to Texas by bus, his heart lodged in his throat. His baby girl, alone on a bus, then in a taxi across Dallas. It was a miracle she was alive and unharmed.
He could tell she'd left something important out of her story by the way she refused to meet his gaze. But he didn't want to start their reunion with a lecture. He'd save that for later. It was enough that she was here.
He glanced at Megan, who sat in his mother's old rocking chair, shapely legs crossed at the ankles. She was petite, slim, and looked like she'd break if caught in a strong wind. She was pretty enough with her auburn hair caught up in a plastic clip, tiny gold balls in delicate earlobes, green eyes the deep, dark color of emeralds. But he'd been around prettier women. So why couldn't he take his eyes off this one?
"Daddy! You're not listening to me." Katie tugged on his shirt and demanded his attention.
"I'm sorry sweetheart. I was thinking about how glad I am to have you with me, and how thankful I am that you're safe. But I should paddle your butt for making a trip like that by yourself."
Katie blushed and ducked her head, then looked back up at him. "Did you hear what I said?" When he shook his head, she put her hands on her hips and sighed dramatically. "I want to know if Megan can stay with us for a few days. She said she's always wanted to live in the country, so I thought she could stay with us and see what it's like."
"Well, honey, I don't think…."
"No, really, I couldn't. That would be an imposition," Megan said quickly.
"What a wonderful idea!" Carol said, raising her voice above the others. "I'd love to have you stay for a while. I've missed you. We have an extra bedroom, so you wouldn't impose at all."
Logan turned to his sister and gave her his sternest glare, but she smiled sweetly in return. Damn it! The last thing he needed was another female around to watch out for. This was dangerous, rugged country, with rattlesnakes and spiders and coyotes lying in wait for the unsuspecting and uninitiated. And Megan was definitely both.
"Thanks, Aunt Carol. You're the best!" Katie hugged Carol, then turned to Megan. "Will you stay with us for a few days?"
Megan wanted to say yes, but the scowl on Logan's face told her he wasn't at all happy with the idea. "Well, maybe I could stay for the night. I don't like the idea of driving back after dark. I might even stick around and explore the town for a couple of days, but I'll go to a motel tomorrow."
"Nonsense. We have plenty of room. You'll stay here." Carol crossed her arms as if to indicate the decision was final.
Should she take Carol up on her generous offer? She'd love to look around the town, maybe visit the local veterinary clinic. She wanted to set up a country practice, and her plan was to find an old country vet nearing retirement age, then work for him until she could buy him out. Maybe what she was looking for was right here.
She wanted to live in a small town where people knew each other. Where they gathered at church on Sunday, greeted each other on the street as they passed, and knew everyone's business. From what she'd seen of the town as she drove through, it was perfect. Exactly like the town she'd pictured in her daydreams.
Megan sighed in contentment as she looked around the living room of the fifties-style ranch house. An old-fashioned sofa, back covered with a crocheted afghan, sat against
"Thank you so much for bringing Katie to us. I know it was a lot to ask of you."
He smiled and the sun seemed to get a little brighter. She nodded, then shook her head, unable to get a word past her lips. He placed a hand on her back and guided her to the house, and Carol followed behind them, holding Katie's hand.
***
Logan perched on the arm of the couch, his arm around his daughter. As he listened to her story about how she'd traveled from Louisiana to Texas by bus, his heart lodged in his throat. His baby girl, alone on a bus, then in a taxi across Dallas. It was a miracle she was alive and unharmed.
He could tell she'd left something important out of her story by the way she refused to meet his gaze. But he didn't want to start their reunion with a lecture. He'd save that for later. It was enough that she was here.
He glanced at Megan, who sat in his mother's old rocking chair, shapely legs crossed at the ankles. She was petite, slim, and looked like she'd break if caught in a strong wind. She was pretty enough with her auburn hair caught up in a plastic clip, tiny gold balls in delicate earlobes, green eyes the deep, dark color of emeralds. But he'd been around prettier women. So why couldn't he take his eyes off this one?
"Daddy! You're not listening to me." Katie tugged on his shirt and demanded his attention.
"I'm sorry sweetheart. I was thinking about how glad I am to have you with me, and how thankful I am that you're safe. But I should paddle your butt for making a trip like that by yourself."
Katie blushed and ducked her head, then looked back up at him. "Did you hear what I said?" When he shook his head, she put her hands on her hips and sighed dramatically. "I want to know if Megan can stay with us for a few days. She said she's always wanted to live in the country, so I thought she could stay with us and see what it's like."
"Well, honey, I don't think…."
"No, really, I couldn't. That would be an imposition," Megan said quickly.
"What a wonderful idea!" Carol said, raising her voice above the others. "I'd love to have you stay for a while. I've missed you. We have an extra bedroom, so you wouldn't impose at all."
Logan turned to his sister and gave her his sternest glare, but she smiled sweetly in return. Damn it! The last thing he needed was another female around to watch out for. This was dangerous, rugged country, with rattlesnakes and spiders and coyotes lying in wait for the unsuspecting and uninitiated. And Megan was definitely both.
"Thanks, Aunt Carol. You're the best!" Katie hugged Carol, then turned to Megan. "Will you stay with us for a few days?"
Megan wanted to say yes, but the scowl on Logan's face told her he wasn't at all happy with the idea. "Well, maybe I could stay for the night. I don't like the idea of driving back after dark. I might even stick around and explore the town for a couple of days, but I'll go to a motel tomorrow."
"Nonsense. We have plenty of room. You'll stay here." Carol crossed her arms as if to indicate the decision was final.
Should she take Carol up on her generous offer? She'd love to look around the town, maybe visit the local veterinary clinic. She wanted to set up a country practice, and her plan was to find an old country vet nearing retirement age, then work for him until she could buy him out. Maybe what she was looking for was right here.
She wanted to live in a small town where people knew each other. Where they gathered at church on Sunday, greeted each other on the street as they passed, and knew everyone's business. From what she'd seen of the town as she drove through, it was perfect. Exactly like the town she'd pictured in her daydreams.
Megan sighed in contentment as she looked around the living room of the fifties-style ranch house. An old-fashioned sofa, back covered with a crocheted afghan, sat against
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