LITMIR.BIZ

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laughed. “Them? No way. They’re just replacing you, which I think is fair, considering I brought you here. I couldn’t leave Mackenzie without help.”

      Justin leaned against a post, crossed his arms. “Why are you so interested in Mackenzie’s welfare?”

      “It’s not just her. It’s you, too. And Bridesmaids Creek, if you really want to know.”

      “You’re trying to bring men into Bridesmaids Creek.” Justin shook his head. “They have a matchmaker here, you know. Aren’t you kind of bumping the competition?”

      “Just giving the matchmaker some material to work with.”

      “Why?” Justin’s curiosity was getting the best of him.

      “You’d had to have grown up here to understand.” Ty shrugged. “The Haunted H was a great draw. Lots of jobs were lost when the Hawthornes had to close it down.”

      “That’s what this is all about? Bringing jobs back to your hometown?”

      “Not exactly.” Ty wouldn’t meet his gaze.

      “Oh, I get it.” Justin thought he suddenly saw into the cracks of his buddy’s mercurial brain. “You’re trying to find a man for Mackenzie.”

      Ty shrugged. “It’s complicated.”

      “Not that complicated.” Justin snorted. “When did you decide to play guardian angel to Mackenzie?”

      “Since I was the guy with the not-too-swift idea of setting her up with her ex. My onetime good buddy, who turned out to be a weasel of epic proportions.”

      Justin stared at his friend. “Have you ever considered that maybe Mackenzie doesn’t want another husband?”

      Ty snorted. “Don’t be silly. She’s a woman. A woman needs a husband to feel complete.”

      “I’m not sure I ever saw this chauvinistic side of you before.”

      “Yes, you did. You just didn’t recognize it, because you and I were thinking alike.” Ty laughed. “Don’t worry, good buddy. I’m not including you in my plan. Just the opposite. I’m clearing you out to make room for some cowboys who don’t wear the rebel badge as enthusiastically as you do.”

      If being a hard-baked bachelor earned him that honor, he supposed he’d go with the rebel badge. “And that’s why I’m being dragged on a recruiting tour? You want me out of the way so your matchmaking has a better chance of succeeding?”

      “Look. The idea came to me after I’d sent you here.” Ty looked at him patiently. “I realized that Mackenzie didn’t just need help bringing back the old place—she needs a husband and a father to those children. I’m the man who fixed her up with the loser, so I’m going to put it right.”

      “Why don’t you just put your own neck into the marriage noose and save everybody some agony if you feel so guilt-ridden?”

      Ty put up his hands as if to ward off the very idea. “My conscience is guilty but not stupid.”

      Justin stared at his friend. It was true. Ty wasn’t husband material.

      Neither was he.

      Justin sighed heavily. “I think you’re nuts. But whatever. It’s not my town. Nor are these my friends.”

      Ty brightened. “So you’ll do it? The lead stallion agrees to head off and leave the pen to the lesser junior stallions?”

      “You make it sound like Mackenzie’s ever looked my way twice in a romantic way, which I can assure you she hasn’t. We haven’t spoken that much since I’ve been here.”

      “Call it a hunch. Clearing out the pen, as they say. The ladies always want the one they can’t have. Mysterious types seem romantic. Like Zorro.”

      Justin shrugged. “I think you took one too many falls off the mechanical bull, Ty, but whatever. I’ll go with you,” he said, “but you better hope Mackenzie never finds out what you’re up to. I have the feeling that little lady doesn’t think she needs any man to rescue her.”

      “Mechanical bull! I was no dime-store cowboy,” Ty said, following Justin as he headed back to work. Justin couldn’t stand around examining the holes in his friend’s head any longer. Mackenzie hadn’t given one signal that she might be interested in him in more than a foreman–boss lady relationship.

      Still, he had a slightly uneasy feeling about leaving her to the romancing of the Three Dating Daddies—a thought that totally brought him up short.

      That’s what one of those men might become: a dad to Mackenzie’s four little girls.

      Maybe the most troubling thought of all.

Chapter Five

      “You’re going to have to keep an eye on Daisy,” Jade told her as Mackenzie settled her daughters down for an afternoon nap. Late-day sun filtered through the windows of the family room, twilight just arriving at nearly seven o’clock. Mackenzie loved summer days when there was so much cheery sunshine.

      She couldn’t be bothered to think about Daisy Donovan.

      “I’m not going to keep an eye on Daisy. I don’t care what she does.”

      “You do care. All of Bridesmaids Creek cares. Her and her band of rowdies are bent on making certain this town drops off the map for families. That way Daisy’s father can keep buying up the land around here in his quest for mineral rights and selling huge land parcels to the government. Or worse.” Jade flopped down onto a flowered sofa, fanning herself. “As our town bad girl, Daisy lives for herself. My guess is she didn’t come here today to bring you a gift, but to check out the new foreman. Everyone is town has been chattering about the hot guy you’ve got working the place.”

      “It doesn’t matter. I’m not even going to think about Daisy’s shenanigans. Even if Justin decided to hop on the back of her motorcycle and roar off into the sunset, I wouldn’t think about Daisy.”

      Jade laughed. “Methinks you protest a bit too much. So what did you think about the three new guys?”

      “That Ty and I are going to have to talk. The men are welcome to stay here and bunk in the bunkhouse, but I don’t know if I have enough work here for three more men.”

      “Not unless you reopen the haunted house.”

      “Which I’m not going to do.”

      “It’s August. We have plenty of time until October,” Jade said.

      “I know. But my only priority right now is my babies. We’ll do fine living in a small cottage in town.”

      “There might be a miracle. You never know.” Jade got up to stare out the window. “She bugs me—I swear she does. Why are men always so blinded by Daisy?”

      “Because she’s beautiful and has a wild streak. There’s nothing blinding about it. It’s human nature.” Mackenzie smiled at her babies. “You girls, however, must promise your mother to grow up to be teachers, nurses and librarians. No motorcycles for you!”

      “My goddaughters won’t be Daisies,” Jade said, laughing. “However, I think Daisy may be about to kiss a frog.”

      “Not Frog?” Mackenzie hurried to the window. “Poor Frog! Of all of the new cowboys, I’m pretty sure he’s the least suited to Daisy’s charms.”

      “Hate to watch a good man fall.” Jade walked away from the window. “In fact, I can’t look.”

      “Can’t look at what?” Justin asked, entering the room.

      Mackenzie glanced over her shoulder, struck again by how handsome Justin was. She’d gotten a little used to him at

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