Mitch laughed softly. “Just checking in to see if the girls want to come out to the ranch tomorrow. Tess is planning a family lunch. If they’re coming, tell Jake to pick them up because he’s bringing T.J., too, and I’d like to get the lessons done early, weather permitting...but you could come by later. You in?”

  “Sure,” he replied and explained that he hadn’t taken the girls to Rapid City for the weekend because the weather had looked to be turning worse. “I didn’t want them to get stuck there and miss school.”

  “Everything okay with Lara’s parents?” his brother asked.

  “Yeah,” Joss said. “They want to see more of them, but Sissy is at an age when she’d rather stay home and hang out with her friends. And you know I’ve never really been able to do anything right when it comes to Lara’s folks.”

  “They’re still grieving, I guess,” Mitch said quietly. “Understandable.”

  Of course Joss knew his in-laws were trying to fill the void left by Lara’s death—but he wasn’t going to be railroaded into forcing the girls to spend more time with them, which included their recent demand that they spend two weeks with them over spring break.

  “I imagine they will always grieve,” Joss added. “Lara was their only child, so they’ve only got the girls now. I get it.” He sighed.

  “You’re a good dad,” Mitch assured him. “You’re doing the best you can.”

  Joss was touched by his brother’s words. Knowing Mitch had his back meant a lot. There were only four years between them, but his eldest brother had guided him through adolescence and had always been there for him. From his young marriage to Lara’s death, Mitch had always been there to offer advice and support. “Thanks. See you tomorrow.”

  He ended the call and cleaned up the tiling equipment, locking the house before making his way home. When he opened the front door he heard voices coming from the kitchen and walked directly down the hallway.

  “Daddy!” Clare exclaimed when she saw him. “We’re making cupcakes.”

  They certainly were. With one of his daughters on either side of her, Marnie Jackson had one hand hovering with a spoon over a bowl, and the other hand pointing to the flour and sugar and other assorted ingredients on the counter. It was a scene that smacked of familiarity. A scene he’d imagined countless times over the years. A scene he knew his daughters longed for. And it triggered something inside him. Resentment, maybe? Which was stupid because Marnie had done nothing other than be kind to his daughters—at his own request, too. But resentment was what he felt, and mixed with that, Joss was feeling something else. Something...unbidden.

  Awareness.

  Attraction.

  Which was stupid, because she wasn’t his type at all. He didn’t like bookish types. And he didn’t like blondes. And he wasn’t in the market to be distracted by anyone, either. Still, he liked curves. And she had the most amazing blue eyes. And he also liked her perfume and the way her hair swished when she walked.

  Fine, maybe she wasn’t exactly his type, but there was enough awareness to hike his interest up a notch or two. Or maybe a little more than that.

  “Hey,” he said, meeting Marnie’s gaze.

  “Hi, there,” she replied, her cheeks flushing a little, and it made him grin just a bit.

  “How did they swindle you into this?” he asked, moving around the countertop.

  “No swindling required,” she said and smiled. “I love baking. In fact, I love all cooking. But making cupcakes is one of my favorite things to do.”

  “Dad’s really the worst cook ever,” Sissy announced, throwing him under the bus without batting an eyelid.

  “Ever?” Marnie remarked, still smiling. “Surely he’s not that bad?”

  “He always burns the toast,” Clare chimed in before he could defend himself. “And remember the pancakes from this morning?” she reminded everyone and rolled her eyes.

  “Hey, I thought we agreed they weren’t that bad,” he said teasingly.

  “They tasted like rubber,” Clare supplied.

  Joss raised a brow and looked at Marnie again. “Is that true?”

  She dipped her chin and shrugged one shoulder. “A little. But to be fair, I’m more of a toast and bagel kind of gal, so perhaps not the best judge.”

  Joss’s gut did a stupid sort of roll and he shook himself a little, trying to get the flirty edge to the interaction out of his thoughts. He didn’t want to be distracted by flirting, or cooking, or anything else. She wasn’t his type—end of story. And he wasn’t looking for anyone who was his type, either.

  “So, rather than cook, I guess I should order pizza tonight,” he suggested.

  His daughters gave an approving yay and Marnie shrugged again. “I’m easy.”

  He was certain that she wasn’t. In fact, he would bet his boots that Marnie Jackson was as complicated a woman as he’d ever find.

  He nodded, willing that roll of his stomach to quit. “Well, I’ll leave you all to your baking for a while.”

  “Okay, Dad,” his daughters said in unison and he figured he wouldn’t be missed if he disappeared and took a shower. Or in a puff of smoke, given how absorbed they were in Marnie and their baking activity.

  Back in his bedroom, Joss glanced at the photo of Lara he kept on the bedside table. Taken a few months after their wedding day, she looked so lovely in the black-and-white shot, with her dark long hair a little windblown and her smile as captivating to him in that moment as it had been back when the picture had been taken. He’d loved her with all of his heart and knew she’d loved him in return. Those were long-ago days, but happy ones, and a familiar melancholy pitched in the center of his chest. He didn’t like to dwell on all that he’d lost, but some days it was harder than others. Lara would have told him to snap out of it and get on with things—and he always did—but he held on to the memory for a moment longer, remembering the wife he’d loved and the blissful life they’d had together. Logically, he knew it was possible to feel that again, for someone else. But he didn’t want to screw it up, either. It was risky—and Joss didn’t risk much in life—and with two kids and a business to run, he couldn’t afford to make a mess of things.

  Unexpectedly, his thoughts strayed to his houseguest. The girls had looked so happy in the kitchen, laughing with a woman they barely knew...and clearly longing for female company. Mrs. Floyd helped when she could, as did his sister-in-law Tess and his sister, Ellie. But Joss knew it wasn’t nearly enough. He worried that they were craving things he couldn’t give them. Sure, he did the best he could and believed he was a good father, but there were times when being both a mom and a dad was hard work.

  He brushed off the thought and headed for the shower. When he returned to the kitchen a while later he discovered Marnie was alone, clearing away dishes, a pile of cupcakes sitting on a plate on the countertop.

  “Where are the girls?” he asked, remaining in the doorway for a second.

  She looked up from her task. “Sissy said she had some homework to do and Clare wanted to finish the last chapter in the book she’s reading.”

  Joss walked further into the room. “You know they said that to bail on doing the dishes, right?”

  She grinned. “I figured.”

  “Want me to get them back so they can finish the chores?”

  She shook her head and he was sure he could pick up the scent of her shampoo as her hair bounced around her shoulders. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. I’ll just finish up here and go to my room.”

  Joss sat on a stool and rested his elbows on the counter. “You don’t have to hide in there.”

  She met his gaze for a second and shrugged. “I know, but I feel like I’ve intruded enough already and—”

  “You’re not intruding,” Joss said quickly and picked up a cupcake. “The girls like your company.”

  She looked at him. “That’s not exactly what I mean.”

  Joss ate the cupcake in two bites and when he was finished spoke again. “I know. Look, the house will be ready in a couple of days. The plumber is coming Monday to finish off the pipe work and you can move in Tuesday. It’s three nights, tops.”

  “If you’re sure...”

  “Positive,” he replied. “I’ll take you through the house in the morning, if you like, so you can work out what other furniture and things you might need. Unless you’ve got things on the way here.”

  “No,” she said quickly. “Just me and whatever I have in my suitcases.”

  “You travel light.”

  She glanced his way again. “It’s a short stay, just a six-month contract. I have an apartment in Bakersfield that I’ll return to when this job is over.”

  “Have you done this before?” he asked, suddenly curious.

  “This?”

  “Move to a different state for a short-term teaching gig.”

  “No,” she replied and then paused a moment longer before she continued. “But I needed to take a break from my life in California, and Cedar River seemed as good a place as any to regroup.”

  “Regroup,” he echoed. “Or run away?”

  “A little of both.” She shrugged. “Like I said, I was seeing someone. A colleague at the college where I worked. And as it turns out, he was seeing other people.”

  “Sounds like you had a lucky escape.”

  “Well, hindsight is a good thing. At the time I thought my heart would be broken forever.”

  “Hearts heal, haven’t you heard?” Joss said quietly.

  “Spoken from experience?”

  He nodded, surprised by where the conversation had gone, but oddly, not experiencing his usual discomfort when digging into his feelings. “Absolutely.”

  “Was your wife sick, or was it an accident?”

  Joss swallowed. “Cancer. But it happened quickly. Which I suppose was a blessing...although, back then it didn’t seem like it.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she said quietly, head bowed a little. “I can’t even imagine how hard that was for you all.”

  “It was devastating,” he admitted. “Some days, it still is.”

  Oddly, Joss didn’t want to take back his words or change the subject. There was something about Marnie’s earnest compassion that touched him deep down. Usually, he closed up when talking about Lara to strangers. Of course, his family knew how much they had loved one another, and how broken he’d been when she’d passed away. How broken he still was, in many ways—like his inability to let himself really feel an emotional connection to another woman. He dated casually and it never lasted past a few weeks or so. In fact, he hadn’t hooked up with anyone for well over six months.

  “You and your wife—did you know each other long?”

  He met Marnie’s level gaze. “We went to school together,” he explained when her brows rose a fraction. “We dated through junior and senior year. We’d planned on going to the same college, but...” His words trailed off.

  “But?”

  “Lara got pregnant.” He shrugged. “So, instead we settled down and made our life together in Cedar River. It’s weird, but getting married so young always felt like a blessing—like it meant we had more time together. As it turned out, we didn’t have anywhere near enough time.”

  She sighed and offered a tiny smile. “You know, I think I envy you. I’ve never loved anyone like that. I’m not sure I’d know how.”

  Joss’s insides contracted. “I’m sure you do... I think it’s just allowing someone in.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed. “There’s the tricky part—that means trusting someone not to break your heart. And I’m all out of trust at the moment.”

  “Not all men cheat,” he said quietly. “And if your ex did that to you, then he wasn’t worth having, right?”

  She nodded. “Of course, logically, I know that. But logic isn’t always in line with the heart.”

  “True,” he replied, feeling weirdly at ease. As though they’d been friends a long time and talking about things so insanely personal was just normal, everyday. Which it definitely wasn’t. He cleared his throat. “Thanks for spending time with the girls today, by the way. They looked really happy when I got home.”

  “They’re terrific,” she said and smiled. “You should be so proud of them.”

  “I am, and thanks again. For the chat, too. I don’t usually get to talk about Lara to another woman.”

  Her eyes widened a little. “Why not?”

  Joss hesitated. “Ah...because I don’t have female friends.”

  She gave him a curious look. “You don’t?”

  He shrugged, heat crawling up his neck. “That’s bad, huh?”

  She smiled a little. “I’m not sure I have any male friends, either,” she admitted. “Work colleagues, of course, and acquaintances, but no real friends. So, I take it you’re single at the moment?”

  The heat returned. “Yep.”

  “I wouldn’t think that someone who looks like you would stay single for long in a small town,” she said as her smile broadened. “I mean...if you were looking.”

  * * *

  Marnie couldn’t quite believe the words were coming out of her mouth. She also couldn’t believe she was having such a personal conversation with a man she hardly knew. A man who was pure temptation, with his green eyes and unbelievably broad shoulders.

  “I’m not,” he said quickly and got to his feet. “So, I should think about ordering the pizza. Any toppings I need to avoid?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  He nodded and left the room and she let out a long breath the moment he disappeared.

  Sheesh, girl, could you be any more obvious?

  Marnie covered the cupcakes with some plastic wrap, quickly finished tidying up and then hid out in her room for a while, and called her cousin Shay, who picked up on the fourth ring.

  “So, how’s it going?” her cousin asked.

  Marnie quickly detailed the events of her arrival in Cedar River, including the car accident and her unexpected living arrangements. “So, yeah, it’s been quite an eventful couple of days.”

  “And you’re living with this guy and his kids?” Shay asked, her voice dropping an octave.

  “Just for a couple of days.” She quickly explained about the house she was leasing. “I’ll be in my own place soon.”

  “I feel like I should come and visit to support you,” Shay said. “Especially when you meet your grandmother for the first time.”

  Marnie’s insides crunched up. Of all the friends she had, and all the family she loved, Shay was special. She was kind and considerate and always on hand to help others. But Marnie knew that as a successful singer, her cousin had a busy and complicated life.

  “I’ll be fine. And don’t you have three more weeks of touring before you head back to the studio?”

  “Yes,” her cousin said. “But I’d drop all that in a heartbeat if you needed me.”

  Her heart warmed. “I promise to call if I need you. I’m just going to take things slowly and see what happens.”

  “And the hot single dad?”

  Marnie’s skin heated. “I didn’t say he was hot.”

  “You didn’t say he wasn’t hot,” Shay replied and laughed. “And I know you, cuz...you never comment if they’re attractive. It’s like you think they’re out of your league, or something. Which is ridiculous because you are gorgeous and smart.”

  Shay was always her staunchest supporter. “Thanks. I’ll call you in a few days once I’ve settled into the new house.”

  “Sure,” her cousin replied. “And don’t forget I’ll be there if you need me.”

  Marnie ended the call, brushed her hair and left the room. The girls were in the living room with their father and she hovered in the doorway for a moment, unsure if she should intrude. Clare was sitting on the sofa, a book in her hands, while Sissy was curled up on the love seat by the window, doing something on her cell phone. Joss was perched on the edge of a chair, flicking though a small stack of papers on the coffee table at his knees. She looked around, noticing an array of pictures on the mantel, some of the girls in dance costumes or riding a pony. Others of them with Joss, and then a few that told a sad and poignant story of loss. A pretty young woman, holding a newborn in her arms, her expression one of pure and unadulterated joy. For a moment, Marnie wondered if she had ever experienced a moment like that. And when she realized she hadn’t, a wave of envy rolled through her like water curling over sand.

  I’ve reached a new low... I’m jealous of a dead woman.

  She shook herself off, cleared her throat a little and headed into the room.

  “Hey,” he said in acknowledgment.

  Marnie managed a tight smile, staying where she was, and his gaze quickly reverted back to the papers in front of him.

  “You can sit next to me,” Clare suggested with a grin. “I can tell you all about the kids in my class.”

  “No gossiping,” Joss said, without looking up.

  Clare chuckled. “Daddy hates gossip.”

  “Me, too,” Marnie replied as she walked further into the room, thinking about how she’d been on the receiving end of way too much gossip back when Heath had cheated on her. “But you can tell me what you like most about school.”

  “I like art class,” Clare replied. “And we’re learning about France this term, and we’re going to be learning some French words, too.” Then she screwed up her face. “Or at least, we were with Mrs. Corelli. Can you speak French?”

  “Actually,” Marnie said, sitting down, “I can.”

  She wasn’t going to add that she also spoke Spanish, German and Italian, for fear of sounding like some kind of bragging know-it-all. Languages were a passion, but she knew people were often put off by what might be considered her overachievement. Growing up, she’d always been at the top of her class, always asking her teachers for more work, more books, more learning to stimulate her mind.