LITMIR.BIZ

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she said. “You’ve been so wonderful to us and this is such a beautiful day. I can’t believe there was ever a storm last night. It’s getting hot already.”

      “It’s always that way here in the mountains.”

      “Yep,” Johnny piped up from the back as they drove off. He had big ears. As usual, he was multitasking and could take in every word the grown-ups had to say, while maintaining a conversation with his new friend. “Hey, Jenny? Do you want to go swimming later?”

      “Yes. I love swimming.”

      Buck smiled to himself. “You mean, after you’ve shown her your pony?”

      “Yeah. I think she should ride Mitzi. Have you ever been riding?”

      “Yes.”

      “Do you like it?”

      “It’s okay, but the horses are so big. Frank’s friend owns horses and he’s taken us a lot of times.”

      “Oh. Who’s Frank?”

      “Nana’s boyfriend.”

      “I didn’t know grandmas had boyfriends.”

      Buck burst into laughter. He couldn’t help it. Thankfully, Alex joined him.

      Buck heard whispering coming from the backseat. Alex turned her head. “Jenny? It’s not polite to whisper in front of other people.”

      “I’m sorry.”

      Johnny had always amused Buck, but he couldn’t remember ever being this entertained before. He turned onto the highway leading into the town of Jackson. The place was crowded with every kind of four-wheel-drive vehicle loaded up with kayaks, bikes and rafts. After he made a left down one of the streets, they passed a movie theater.

      “Hey—” Johnny cried out. “Can we go see that after we get her a cap gun?”

      “Could we, Nana? See The Big Blue Macaw? It’s that show about those birds from Brazil! My teacher said we should go.”

      “Sweetheart, we came to a dude ranch. Buck has more exciting things for us to do than watch a movie.”

      “Actually I haven’t been to see a movie in a theater in years. It sounds fun.”

      “Yippee!” Johnny exclaimed.

      “Mandy says it’s really good.”

      “Who’s Mandy?”

      “One of my friends from school. But we’ve been off track for a week and I haven’t seen her. I have to go back to school after our trip.”

      “My school doesn’t start for another month.”

      “You’re lucky.”

      Alex shot Buck a glance. “Do you think the theater would even be open this time of day?”

      He nodded. “They have matinees. You’d be surprised how many guests at the dude ranch take in a show while they’re in town. When you’re on vacation, you should be able to do whatever you want.” For the moment, this was exactly what Buck wanted to do.

      One more corner and they came to the Boot Corral. He shut off the engine and they all climbed out. Johnny led the way inside the store. The college-aged girl at the counter broke into a smile when she saw Buck. “Hello again, you guys.”

      “Hi,” Johnny greeted her. Buck followed suit.

      The brunette was cute and flirted with him every time he came in, but there was no chemistry and she was too young for him. “Today we need a cap gun, a holster and enough ammo to last a week.”

      “It’s for Jenny,” Johnny explained.

      “I see. Well, let’s get her outfitted. Is there anything else you need while I’m at it?”

      “Do you have any cowboy boots?” Johnny asked Jenny.

      “No.”

      “Then she needs boots and a hat!” Johnny was starting to sound more like Carson every day.

      “Could I have a white one?”

      “I think there’s one your size.”

      “Maybe I’ll get some cowboy boots, too,” Alex spoke up.

      Buck had been on the verge of suggesting it.

      “Great. Come on and follow me to the other end of the store.”

      Before long, they’d bought everything they needed. Buck enjoyed sitting back while he watched Alex try on several different kinds of boots. With those legs...

      When all the decisions had been made, he threw in a white hat for her. “Now you and Jenny will be the good guy twins.”

      After flashing him a smile that lit her eyes, she walked to the front desk and pulled out her credit card.

      “Sorry.” Buck picked it up and handed it back to her. He felt her warmth when their hands brushed in the process. “These purchases are compliments of the ranch. They go with the territory.”

      She shook her head. “I don’t feel right about it.”

      “Too bad, because that’s the way it is.” He turned to the clerk. “Put it on my bill.”

      “You bet.”

      “Would it be all right if we leave the bags here? We’ll come back for them a little later.”

      “No problem. I’ll leave them behind the counter.”

      “Thank you.” Excited for what was to follow, Buck left his cowboy hat with their purchases and walked the four of them out to the Jeep. When he’d flown into Jackson last evening anticipating the Forresters’ arrival, he couldn’t have imagined this happy scene or a woman like Alex. Although Frank was waiting in the background, Buck refused to think about that right now.

      Chapter Three

      Alex had noticed the way the clerk who’d waited on them only had eyes for Buck. That didn’t surprise her. There were a lot of guys walking around the store and out on the streets, but none of them had captured Alex’s attention, either.

      And although he was nice to the attractive girl who’d looked to be in her early twenties, he didn’t give off any signals that he was interested. If Alex had been that clerk, it would have been disappointing not to make any headway with him. A man with his appeal and charisma didn’t come along often.

      Alex couldn’t remember the last time she’d found a younger man so attractive. In fact, it frustrated her that he’d been on her mind this much since their arrival in Jackson.

      After Christy was born, Alex had lived with her parents and had gotten a job so she could afford day care for her baby. Later on, when Christy started kindergarten, Alex went to college on student loans at night and worked during the day while still living at home.

      Once she’d graduated with a degree in finance, she started a new job at a bank near her parents’ house and eventually earned enough money to move into an apartment with Christy. Over those years, she’d dedicated herself to her child and her work. She’d gone out on the occasional date, but getting married hadn’t been her focus.

      Her teenage love affair resulting in a child had changed her life and priorities. She’d worked so hard at everything and was so grateful for her parents’ help that her mind hadn’t been on guys. To her chagrin, her teenage daughter fell in love at seventeen, too. Since she and Daniel wanted to get married, Alex gave her permission. It was a good thing because they had a baby right away and Alex helped them all she could so they’d have a stable home. Soon after Jenny came along, Daniel joined the marines.

      It was about the same time that Frank lost his wife. While Alex commiserated with him at work, their friendship grew. Then came double tragedy. Alex lived to console her

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