LITMIR.BIZ

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it,” Sarah said as she stirred stew on the stove. She gave a slight smile. “It sure has been nice ignoring the phone today, hasn’t it?”

      “Yes, it has,” Coco said as she began to feed Emma. The baby kicked her feet in anticipation of her green beans.

      Coco smiled at the baby’s puckered lips. “Compared to yesterday, it’s been heaven.”

      “I’m thinking after word of Benjamin’s message gets around, the phone won’t be ringing near as much tomorrow,” Sarah said.

      “Why is that?” Coco asked, giving Emma another spoonful of beans.

      Sarah chuckled. “It’s not exactly a welcoming message.”

      “I haven’t listened to it,” Coco said and decided to do that as soon as she finished feeding Emma. “I can’t imagine what he said.”

      “Something along the lines of how you wouldn’t be back in touch until after the turn of the next century and trespassers would be prosecuted to the full extent of Texas law,” Sarah said, then chuckled. “It’s fun when Benjamin gets a little huffy. He’s usually not the pushy type. Like his father, he doesn’t get riled unless the occasion calls for it.”

      Sarah made Coco curious. “What was his father like?” Coco asked.

      “He was a good, solid man. The ranch was his life. Except for Benjamin, his boys went in different directions. I think Benjamin fought it for a while, but once his father died, he knew his destiny. Except for that crazy affair with Brooke Hastings.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “But we all have our foolish moments. This one turned out pretty good when you look at that baby.”

      Coco smiled at Emma, and Emma gave her a toothless smile in return. Sheer delight rushed through her. “She is adorable, isn’t she?”

      “When she isn’t screaming bloody murder,” Sarah said.

      “She’s still adjusting,” Coco said, feeding Emma another spoonful. “What about Benjamin’s mother? I haven’t heard much about her.”

      “Well, that’s another story,” Sarah said as she adjusted the temperature on the burner. “Georgia is her name and you’ve probably heard she lives in Costa Rica. At the moment, anyway,” Sarah said. “Georgia wanted to travel. Benjamin’s father, Howard, couldn’t and wouldn’t. I’m not sure which of those were first.”

      “It does seem that ranch life is very absorbing.”

      “It is,” Sarah said. “A rancher is married to his ranch and his wife needs to understand that. Georgia went along with it for a long time, but as she and Howard grew older, she wanted them to take vacations. He was resistant. Sometimes, she went on her own. Don’t dare repeat this, but their marriage was turbulent because of it.”

      Coco frowned. “It must have been difficult for both of them if she wanted to travel and he didn’t.”

      Sarah nodded. “Yep. It was. Some people thought she was flighty, but she hung around until her boys were grown.”

      “What do you think?” Coco asked, knowing Sarah had been employed by the Garners for a long time.

      “It’s not my place to comment one way or another, but when I saw her, she was a good mother and a good wife. She just got a little wanderlust and some empty-nest syndrome. I know she’s grieving now. Traveling won’t fill the loss, but it might provide a distraction. Sometimes we all need a distraction.”

      Coco absorbed Sarah’s words. “Very true. You’re a wise woman, Sarah.”

      Sarah smiled, her face creasing in a thousand wrinkles. “Well, thank you very much, your royalness.”

      Coco laughed. “You know I’ll be changing a dirty diaper within thirty minutes.”

      Sarah nodded. “You’re a good girl. You’re better than any princess—I’ll tell you that much. And you work magic with that baby. It’s no wonder Benjamin is willing to do almost anything to protect you. If you ever meet those royal people, you remember they’re not better than you. Hear me?”

      Coco’s heart twisted and her throat swelled with emotion. “I hear you.”

      “Good, and don’t forget what I said,” Sarah said.

      * * *

      Later that evening, Benjamin found Coco wading through the flowers and messages she’d received during the day. She pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and shook her head in frustration. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered.

      He took a drink of water from his glass. “Long day? You didn’t have any visitors, did you?”

      She shook her head and looked up at him. “No visitors. Just deliveries and the phone ringing off the hook. It’s these crazy requests. These men don’t even know me, but they’re asking for dates, offering to take me on trips. I feel like I need to put out a press release saying, I’m broke. You can stop calling now.”

      Benjamin chuckled at her, but at the same time, he felt sorry for her. She hadn’t asked for any of this. He admired her for keeping her feet on the ground. Many women would have been demanding a tiara and breakfast in bed if they’d learned they had royal blood in them. But not Coco.

      “You don’t have to answer them,” he said. “These offers you’re getting are completely unsolicited.”

      “I know,” she said. “I just wish I wasn’t getting them at all.” She shrugged. “If I were engaged or married, these men wouldn’t be making all these offers.”

      “True,” he said and his mind wandered to his assistant foreman, Jace. Jace would be more than happy to act as Coco’s love interest. He scowled at the thought.

      “Why are you frowning?” she asked.

      “Just thinking,” he said and took another drink of water. He walked to the other side of the room then walked back. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if Coco had someone looking out for her. She was a smart girl, but probably too sweet and trusting for her own good. If people knew they would have to deal with a protective man in her life, they might be less likely to try to take advantage of her.

      He watched as Coco opened another card. She sighed.

      He gave in to his curiosity. “What’s that one?”

      “A mother wants money for her sick child,” she said, her voice miserable.

      “It could be valid, but it may not be,” he said.

      She looked at him in shock. “You mean, you think someone would lie about that?”

      He nodded. “Oh, yeah. Especially in this situation.”

      “That’s—that’s—horrible,” she said. “I mean, what if I were a real princess and I got these kinds of requests?

      “They would be screened by your staff,” he said.

      “I don’t have staff,” she said. “I am staff.” She opened another envelope attached to a bouquet of roses. “Oh, goody, another invitation. This one from David Gordan in Dallas inviting me to a Christmas ball?” She lifted her hands helplessly.

      He frowned. The name rang a bell. “Let me see that,” he said and she handed him the typed note. “David Gordan. That’s my stockbroker’s son.” He shook his head. “This is out of control.” He sighed. “Well, damn. I guess I’m gonna have to be your fiancé.”

      Coco dropped her jaw. “What?”

      “It won’t be real,” he said quickly, as much for himself as for her. After the debacle of his relationship with Brooke, the idea of an engagement nearly gave him hives. “It’s just for the sake of appearances until the insanity dies down. This way it won’t look like you’re all alone and ready to have someone take advantage of you. If someone approaches you, they’ll have to deal with me, too.”

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