The Reluctant Wrangler Read Free

his past and his future. No flings, no involvements, no attachments until he discovered who he really was and what he should do with the rest of his life. Jules and Tanner understood that his job at the Bent Tree was only temporary, but even he didn’t know for how long.
     
    N IKKI’S KNEES WERE a little weak as she sank to the easy chair in the sitting room of her tiny apartment. She had vowed at a young age never to be taken in by good looks. But she would have had to be blind not to notice that Mac was a very attractive man, although she wouldn’t have called him the ranching type. Still, he was definitely stunning, in an arrogant and smooth sort of way. There was a cool detachment about him, more polished than the men she’d met, and—
    She slammed her hands down on the arms of the chair and shoved to her feet. Enough! She might have to work with him and live in the same building, but that didn’t mean she had to be distracted by him. There were other, more important things she needed to focus on.
    Checking her watch, she saw she had time to either take a look at the horses or decide what could be done with her apartment. Because she hadn’t even taken a peek at her bedroom, she decided to wait until later to get acquainted with the stock. By waiting, maybe she would get lucky and miss running into Mac.
    She opened the door Jules had pointed to anddiscovered a small room with a single bed and a bedside table. To her delight, the wall next to the door was devoted to closet space, with shelves for foldable clothes. Not that she needed a lot of room. Her clothing consisted of jeans and tops, with two or three dresses thrown in for special occasions, which were rare.
    The bathroom was tiny, but every inch of space had been utilized with shelves and cupboards for personal items. The shower was roomy enough, and she made plans to take a long, hot one when the day came to an end.
    Hearing a knock on her door, she hurried to open it and found Mac waiting in the hallway.
    “The boys are out of classes early and ready to meet you.” His gaze skimmed over her, sending tiny shocks through her, but his expression revealed nothing of his thoughts and neither did his eyes.
    Eager to meet the boys and be around others, she stepped into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her and locking it before following Mac. They walked silently to the outdoor dining area, where she could see six boys of various ages standing near a long table. As she and Mac drew closer, she saw that the table held trays of double-decker sandwiches and fresh vegetables and fruit, along with two large pitchers of milk.
    “Boys,” Mac called to them. Four of the six turned to look at him, while the other two continued to pile their plates high, laughing and talking. “All of you,” he said more sharply.
    The two boys stilled, then turned slowly, wide smiles on their faces. “Mr. Mac,” the taller of the two said, and raised his hand in a salute.
    Glancing at Mac, Nikki saw him nod and noticed he still wasn’t smiling. Did he ever? Did it matter? Not toher, but it might to the boys. The two boys’ smiles had dimmed, but they didn’t seem to be affected by Mac’s chilly attitude. She was also aware that the boy who had spoken was looking her up and down. She ignored it. Boys would always be boys.
    “This is Miss Johannson,” Mac told them. “She’s your new housemother. Please show her the respect she deserves.”
    “Hi,” she said when no one spoke.
    “She’s an Indian,” one of the other boys said.
    “Native American,” another said. “So what? I am, too. Well, half, anyway.”
    Nikki smiled, hoping it wouldn’t take long to win their trust. “And so am I. My name is Nioka, but you can all call me Nikki. I’ll also be teaching you all how to ride.” She noted that they stood watching her closely and obviously needed some prodding. “Now it’s your turn to tell me your names.”
    “I’m Billy Norton, and I’m twelve,” said