Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

into the passenger side. “We can take my truck any time, you know.”

“That would give you entirely too much control and besides, I still don’t know if you’re a good driver.”

“How can we find out if Uncle Ross is a good driver, if you never let him drive?” Madison asked.

“Hmm. You’ve got a good point there.” Stacia made eye contact with the twins in the rearview mirror. “Maybe we can follow him to church tomorrow.”

A worthy adversary. She’d just kicked him out of riding with them in the morning.

They’d made strides at getting along, at her trusting him. Until he’d tried the whole Adrian angle. He could kick himself. Not the way to win her trust at all.

“Two kids—check, ten towels—four for each sopping twin and one for each adult—check, dry clothes for two kids—check, dry clothes for me—check, sunblock—check. I think we’ve got everything.”

Along with an unwanted cowboy, he could almost hear her thinking it.

“Do you have towels and extra clothes, Uncle Ross?” Madison asked.

“I do.”

“Then let’s go already.” Mason bounced in his car seat.

The fifteen-minute drive to Bandera was filled with the twins’ chatter about what all they wanted to do once they got to the dude ranch. From the sound of it, they’d have to stay a whole week to get it all done.

“Here we are.” Stacia turned into a drive with a petting zoo along the side filled with sheep, ponies and rabbits. A chapel sat off to the other side with a large barn-looking structure on down the drive.

As she parked beside the barn, he caught a glimpse of the putt-putt course—dotted with barrels, wagon wheels and enormous cowboy boots.

“What do y’all want to do first?”

“Swim.” Both young voices blended.

“They always want to swim first.” Stacia chuckled. “And then they’re cold while we play putt-putt because their hair is wet. But it’s supposed to be eighty-eight today, so maybe that will help.”

“Aunt Stacia always wants to play putt-putt.” Madison unbuckled her seatbelt. “But she’s terrible at it.”

“Hey.” Stacia’s tone dripped with insult. “You don’t have to win to have fun.”

“Well that’s good. Cuz you’ll never win, Aunt Stacia.” Mason was already loose and trying to open the door, but apparently Stacia had the child locks engaged in the back of the car.

“Hold up, partner.” Ross climbed out, heard a click, then helped Mason out, but held on to the child’s hand.

“Let’s go.” Mason tugged toward the barn structure.

“Slow down, Mase. We’ve got all afternoon,” Stacia cautioned as she helped Madison out of the car, then opened the hatch and pulled out a large drawstring bag stuffed to the brim with something.

“He’s always in a hurry.” Madison rolled her eyes. But Stacia must not have seen since there was no admonishment.

“I guess the pool is in the barn?” Ross took the bag. Felt like towels.

“It is.” Stacia rounded the car holding Madison’s hand. “They have an outdoor pool on the other side of the putt-putt course and I think it’s still open, but all three of us burn easy, so we usually stick with the indoor facilities for swimming since we’re in the sun during mini golf.”

He matched her stride, probably making them look like a family. If only they could be. If only his folks lived right down the street and they could all visit whenever they liked, sharing the twins without disrupting their lives.

As they reached the barn, glass doors offered a glimpse of a pool with lots of slides and chutes on one end. Inside, a teenage girl stood in a booth near a turnstile entry.

“Let me get this.” Ross fished his wallet out of his back pocket.

“You don’t have to do that.” Stacia dug around in her huge beach bag–style purse. “Two adults, two kids. All day please.”

The girl quoted a price.

“I want to.” He slipped the bills through the window.

“Thank you.” The girl smiled. “Once you change, you can come back here to put your things in a locker if you like.”

“Thanks.”

They entered through the turnstile one at a time.

Stacia dug in her purse, then doled out the twins’ swimsuits. “Now go change, but no running.” Her tone turned stern. “Remember last time you ran, Mason, and the lifeguard made you sit in the corner.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Everyone else is already here.” Madison scanned the pool.

Stacia waved at someone. “We’ll wait right here until you’re both changed.”

The kids scurried into dressing rooms with individual doors and Ross followed the direction of her gaze. Two couples. He’d seen them all at church. The women had huddled up with Stacia at church Sunday and Wednesday. And he’d gotten the distinct impression they’d been talking about him. Maybe from the furtive glances cast his way.

“Remind me what your friends’ names are. I remember Jayda and her folks, but I can’t come up with their names.”

“Larae and Rance Shepherd. Her mom and mine were friends, so we’ve been friends forever. The brunette is Lexie Parker and that’s Clint Rawlins, her fiancé. Lexie’s folks work at Larae’s ranch, so Lexie and I became friends through Larae.” Her attention turned to the pool. “With Jayda, the biggest boy in the kiddy pool is Cooper and the little girl with him is Charlee. They’re Clint’s nephew and niece.”

He’d never get all the names straight. “Did you know they were coming?”

“Since Veronica reworked her schedule so she can be in the store on Saturdays until we get the B and B order finished, I called them last night. Even though Jayda’s a couple of years older, Cooper is about the same age as the twins, and I think Charlee is three, but they all play well together.”

Ross took a minute to scope out the place.

Kids flew down the slides and chutes landing in giggling splashes. On the other end of the pool, there was plenty of room for swimming, along with a small kiddy pool and a second large pool for adults. A few swam, but most sat in lawn chairs circling the kids’ end, either watching their children or reading.