Second Chance Rancher

“Will you look at that?” her mother said with a sigh. “There’s just something about a man holding a child that’s so appealing.”

Laurel couldn’t stop staring when Kase hoisted his daughter high into his arms and kissed her cheek, then held her while Gus kissed her, too. She felt her own chest tighten on seeing the loving scene.

Kase looked toward her and waved. As his father moved slowly with his cane, the threesome made their way up the drive. Laurel and her mother met them halfway.

“Hello, Laurel,” Kase greeted.

Her heart raced. “Hi, Kase. Gus.”

Gus nodded and looked at her mother. “It’s nice to see you again, Diane.”

“Good to see you, too, Gus. It’s been too long.”

Kase turned to her mother. “How are you, Mrs. Quinn?”

Laurel watched as her mother blushed. “Oh, please, Kase, call me Diane.”

He nodded, but Addy said, “I get to call her Mimi, Daddy.”

The blush deepened. “I wasn’t sure what to have her call me.”

“That’s okay, as long as she’s respectful.”

“She’s been nothing but polite, and a sweetheart.”

“Did she talk you to death?”

Diane smiled brightly. “I’m used to it.” She hugged her daughter. “I raised this little chatterbox.”

Laughter rang out in the group.

Addy touched her dad’s face and made him turn toward her. “We made peanut butter cookies. I got to make the crisscross marks on top.”

“Wow, it sounds like you had fun today.”

Diane looked at Gus, leaning on his cane. “Gus, please come up to the porch and sit down.”

“We should go,” Kase said. “I’ve already taken advantage of your and Laurel’s time.”

“Nonsense,” Diane said. “In fact, I’d like to extend an invitation for supper.”

Laurel froze. What was her mother doing?

Kase spoke up first. “Oh, Mrs.... Diane, we can’t intrude.”

“You’re not intruding at all. It’s just a big pot of beef stew and some homemade bread.”

Gus groaned. “And peanut butter cookies for dessert?”

Addy nodded. “Daddy, I want to stay. I didn’t get to play with Laurel. She had to work all day.”

Laurel caught the mischief in Kase’s eyes before he turned to his daughter. “Maybe Laurel’s too tired to play.”

All eyes turned to her. What was she to do? As much as she didn’t need to get involved in Kase’s life, she couldn’t seem to help herself. “Maybe we can play for a little bit before supper.”

“Yeah.” Little Addy grinned at getting her way. She squirmed out of her daddy’s arms and walked ahead with Laurel’s mother and Gus.

He reached out and touched Laurel’s forearm. “I truly didn’t mean to tie up your entire day.”

She looked at his incredible eyes. Her breath locked in her lungs and she glanced away to gather herself. “Not a problem.”

She started toward the house. “Come on, they’ll wonder where we are.”

No matter how much fun she had with Addy today, it was not good to get any more involved with a man who’d already broken her heart once. But here she was back in line to let it happen again.

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