Heart Of A Cowboy Read Online Free Page B

hit, especially when he did have a child although he didn’t know it. “I’m sorry I said that. It’s obvious children respond to you. The kids enjoyed the ride today, especially Nicholas.”
    â€œAnd that’s why he’s welcome to come out here and ride. He doesn’t have to be part of the homeschooling group for him to be included. I saw how much he enjoyed it.” His tightly clasped hands attested to how much that invitation had cost him.
    â€œCan I get back to you on that?”
    â€œSure. I’m here most days.” He shoved himself away from the railing and turned toward her. “For the lessons you can just leave Nicholas and come back in an hour. Most parents don’t stay.”
    There had been a time they had spent every possible moment together. Now it was obvious he didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Which was the way she wanted it. What would he do when or if he discovered Nicholas was his son? For a few seconds she considered telling him and just getting it over with. The words were on the tip of her tongue. But she peered to her left and saw her son making a beeline for them. She didn’t want everything to change with that revelation. She needed to do some thinking, praying.
    â€œThanks for the riding lesson. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.”
    If she had been thinking of refusing Zachary’s invitation, her son’s declaration stopped that.
    â€œYou’re welcome to come anytime.”
    â€œReally? Great!” Nicholas beamed. “Mom, can I come next Saturday? The others will.”
    â€œWe’ll see. Right now we need to get home. Nana’s gonna wonder where we disappeared to.” Jordan started for her car.
    â€œBut Aunt Rachel knows. She’ll tell her.” Nicholas halted his progress toward the Camaro, swung toward Zachary and waved. “Bye. See you Saturday.”
    Jordan wanted to tell Nicholas no, but she knew she couldn’t deny him an opportunity to ride, especially since it was his father who would be teaching him. As she pulled away from the barn, she glimpsed Zachary leaning back against the railing, studying her with those intense green eyes.
    His last expression, totally unreadable, stayed with Jordan the whole way home. Twenty minutes later shepulled into the driveway of the two-story house where she’d grown up. Her sister lived down the street. After years away, she and Nicholas were finally surrounded by family members—more than she’d counted on when she’d decided to return to Tallgrass.
    â€œI need to take care of Tucker. I’ll be out back.” Nicholas hopped from the car and raced toward the backyard and the dog that had been his companion through his ordeal to fix the hole in his heart.
    Inside she found her mother lying down on the couch in the den with a cold pack on her forehead. Jordan started to back out of the room when her mom shot up.
    â€œHow did it go riding?”
    Jordan sank into a chair, her muscles protesting the afternoon ride, her head pounding with tension from dealing with Zachary. “Why didn’t you or Rachel tell me Zachary owned the ranch?”
    Her mother’s eyes widened. “Maybe your sister knew, but I didn’t. I’d heard he was back in town, but that’s all.”
    â€œWell, then, why didn’t you tell me that at least?”
    She swung her feet to the floor and faced Jordan. “Because I was afraid you wouldn’t come home. Isn’t he the reason you’ve stayed away?”
    â€œMy work kept me in South Carolina.”
    â€œYour graphics design business can be done from anywhere. You had a few clients there, but you’ve managed to serve them from here, haven’t you?”
    â€œOkay, you’re right. Most of my clients are from all over.”
    â€œSee, I knew it.”
    Jordan removed the rubber band that held her hair off her neck. She shook her curls