The Cowboy Next Door Read Free Page B

wasn’t in town this time of day. Something must have gone wrong with dinner. He smiled because something usually did go wrong.
    He parked in front of the store and reached for the truck-doorhandle. He could see his mom inside; she was talking to Lacey Gould. He let go of the door handle and sat back to wait.
    He sat in the truck for five minutes. His mom finally approached the cash register at the single counter in the store. She paid, talked to the cashier for a minute and then walked out the door. Lacey was right behind her.
    Talk about a day going south in a hurry.
    â€œJay, you remember Lacey.” Wilma Blackhorse turned a little pink. “Of course you do, you saw her this afternoon.”
    â€œMom, we’ve met before.” He had lived in Springfield, not Canada. He’d just never really had a reason to talk to Lacey.
    Until today.
    â€œOf course you have.” His mom handed him her groceries and then leaned into the truck, resting her arms on the open window. “Well, I just rented her your grandparents’ old house. And since you have tomorrow off, I told her you would help them move.”
    â€œThat really isn’t necessary.” Lacey, dark hair framing her face and brown eyes seeking his, moved a little closer to his truck. “I can move myself.”
    â€œOf course you can’t. What are you going to do, put everything in the back of your car?” Wilma shook her head and then looked at Jay again.
    Lacey started to protest, and Jay had a few protests of his own. He didn’t need trouble living just down the road from them. His mom had no idea what kind of person Corry Gould was.
    Not that it would have stopped her.
    He reached for another protest, one that didn’t cast stones.
    â€œMom, we’re fixing that house up for Chad.” Jay’s brother. And one summer, a long time ago, it had been Jamie’s dream home. For one summer.
    It had been a lifetime ago, and yet he still held on to dreams of forever and promises whispered on a summer night. Hismom had brought Jamie and her family to Gibson, and changed all of their lives forever.
    â€œOh, Jay, Chad won’t be out of the navy for three years. If he even gets out of the navy. You know he wants to make it a career.” She patted his arm. “And you’re building a house, so you don’t need it.”
    He opened his mouth with more objections, but his mom’s eyes narrowed and she gave a short shake of her head. Jay smiled past her.
    Lacey, street-smart and somehow shy. And he didn’t want to like her. He didn’t want to see vulnerability in her eyes.
    â€œI’ll be over at about nine in the morning.” He didn’t sigh. “I’ll bring a stock trailer.”
    â€œI don’t want you to have to spend your day moving me.”
    He started his truck. “It won’t be a problem. See you in the morning.”
    â€œDon’t forget dinner tonight,” his mom reminded.
    â€œYou don’t have to cook for me. I could pick something up at the diner.”
    â€œI have a roast in the Crock-Pot.”
    That was about the worst news he’d heard all day. He shot a look past her and Lacey smiled, her dark eyes twinkling a little.
    â€œA roast.” He nodded. “That sounds good. Lacey, maybe you all could join us for dinner.”
    â€œOh, I can’t. I have to get home and pack.”
    He tipped his hat at her and gave her props for a quick escape. She’d obviously had his mother’s roast before.
    â€œThanks, Jay.” Lacey Gould backed away, still watching him, as if she wanted something more from him. He didn’t have more to give.
    â€œSee you at home, honey.” His mom patted his arm.
    â€œMom…”
    His mom hurried away, leaving him with the groceries andwords of caution he had wanted to offer her. She must have known what he had to say. And she would have called him cynical and told him to give Lacey