Read Online Asking for Trouble by Jannine Gallant - Free Book Online
Authors: Jannine Gallant
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planted once the thundershower passed.”
Jenna set the soup bowl on the table and lowered her bulk onto a chair before eyeing her with a steady blue gaze. “Are you going to explain that bandage on Jackson’s head? Your long story remark along with the mention of your ex promises high entertainment value, and I could use a smile. I swear this baby is kicking me on purpose today.”
Miranda crunched a bite of pickle then swallowed. “Jackson took a header down the porch steps while Cole was distracted. He called me on the way to the ER, begging for help, and I couldn’t turn him down. Luckily, the poor baby just had a nasty gash and nothing more serious, like a concussion.”
“That’s not a long story. Get to the good part.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “How do you know there is a good part?”
“Because you’ve been wandering around all morning with an absent look on your face, and I’m guessing Cole’s the reason. Spill the details.”
“I stayed the night at his place.”
Jenna straightened, and her brows shot up beneath wispy blonde bangs. “Now we’re talking!”
“Nothing happened.” She picked at the crust on her bread and bit her lip. “Well, only a couple of kisses, but I might as well have slept with him. One look into those bedroom eyes undid six months of trying to get over him.” She dropped the sandwich, scattering lettuce. “How stupid am I to love the man when there’s no chance of a future together, at least not one that includes a family.”
Leaning forward, Jenna covered her hand where it rested on the table and squeezed. “Are you sure about that?”
She sighed. “Yes. It’s why we broke up, and nothing has changed.”
“And you wouldn’t consider compromising?”
Jerking her hand back, she pressed it to the ache in her chest. “I’ve thought about it, but is making a sacrifice like that fair? I wouldn’t ask him to change his lifestyle for me.” She drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. “Maybe it would work for a while, but I can’t stand the thought that I’d grow to resent him. We’d both end up miserable in the long run.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“He wants to be friends, but I can’t. I just can’t.” When her voice rose on the last word, she cringed, but the room behind them remained quiet. “I have to find some way to get over him.”
Jenna squared her shoulders and pulled her phone out of the pocket of her smock. “What you need is another man to distract you.”
“I tried that with Brett. It didn’t work.”
Scrolling through her contacts, she glanced up and made a face. “Brett was boring. You need a really hot guy to take your mind off of Cole. Sizzling.”
“Redemption isn’t exactly loaded with single men oozing sex appeal, although it’s a lovely thought.” Shrugging, she picked up her sandwich and took another bite. “Eat your soup before it gets cold.”
“In a minute. Ha.” She pushed a button and lifted the phone to her ear, then glanced up at the ceiling as she waited. “Hey, Gabe, it’s Jenna. Can you give me a call when you get this? Thanks.”
“Gabe? Gabe who?”
“Gabe Tyler, my friend Nora’s brother. I’m sure you’ve seen him around town. Really tall with dark hair and the cutest dimple, owns the Rocking T ranch. He’s one of those all-work-and-no-play type of guys, but he definitely meets the hot criteria.”
“Are you kidding—”
“Shh, you’ll wake the kids.”
“I know who Gabe is, but the man never opens his mouth,” she hissed. “Talk about strong and silent…”
“Maybe you’ll be the one to get him to open up.”
Miranda clutched her head with both hands. “If he calls back, tell him you had a brain fart and dialed the wrong number.”
Choking on her soup, her friend gasped for breath. “You’re funny and beautiful. That’s a combo no man, including tall, dark and silent Gabe, can resist.”
“I’m mildly amusing and passably pretty, but I’d die
Jenna set the soup bowl on the table and lowered her bulk onto a chair before eyeing her with a steady blue gaze. “Are you going to explain that bandage on Jackson’s head? Your long story remark along with the mention of your ex promises high entertainment value, and I could use a smile. I swear this baby is kicking me on purpose today.”
Miranda crunched a bite of pickle then swallowed. “Jackson took a header down the porch steps while Cole was distracted. He called me on the way to the ER, begging for help, and I couldn’t turn him down. Luckily, the poor baby just had a nasty gash and nothing more serious, like a concussion.”
“That’s not a long story. Get to the good part.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “How do you know there is a good part?”
“Because you’ve been wandering around all morning with an absent look on your face, and I’m guessing Cole’s the reason. Spill the details.”
“I stayed the night at his place.”
Jenna straightened, and her brows shot up beneath wispy blonde bangs. “Now we’re talking!”
“Nothing happened.” She picked at the crust on her bread and bit her lip. “Well, only a couple of kisses, but I might as well have slept with him. One look into those bedroom eyes undid six months of trying to get over him.” She dropped the sandwich, scattering lettuce. “How stupid am I to love the man when there’s no chance of a future together, at least not one that includes a family.”
Leaning forward, Jenna covered her hand where it rested on the table and squeezed. “Are you sure about that?”
She sighed. “Yes. It’s why we broke up, and nothing has changed.”
“And you wouldn’t consider compromising?”
Jerking her hand back, she pressed it to the ache in her chest. “I’ve thought about it, but is making a sacrifice like that fair? I wouldn’t ask him to change his lifestyle for me.” She drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. “Maybe it would work for a while, but I can’t stand the thought that I’d grow to resent him. We’d both end up miserable in the long run.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“He wants to be friends, but I can’t. I just can’t.” When her voice rose on the last word, she cringed, but the room behind them remained quiet. “I have to find some way to get over him.”
Jenna squared her shoulders and pulled her phone out of the pocket of her smock. “What you need is another man to distract you.”
“I tried that with Brett. It didn’t work.”
Scrolling through her contacts, she glanced up and made a face. “Brett was boring. You need a really hot guy to take your mind off of Cole. Sizzling.”
“Redemption isn’t exactly loaded with single men oozing sex appeal, although it’s a lovely thought.” Shrugging, she picked up her sandwich and took another bite. “Eat your soup before it gets cold.”
“In a minute. Ha.” She pushed a button and lifted the phone to her ear, then glanced up at the ceiling as she waited. “Hey, Gabe, it’s Jenna. Can you give me a call when you get this? Thanks.”
“Gabe? Gabe who?”
“Gabe Tyler, my friend Nora’s brother. I’m sure you’ve seen him around town. Really tall with dark hair and the cutest dimple, owns the Rocking T ranch. He’s one of those all-work-and-no-play type of guys, but he definitely meets the hot criteria.”
“Are you kidding—”
“Shh, you’ll wake the kids.”
“I know who Gabe is, but the man never opens his mouth,” she hissed. “Talk about strong and silent…”
“Maybe you’ll be the one to get him to open up.”
Miranda clutched her head with both hands. “If he calls back, tell him you had a brain fart and dialed the wrong number.”
Choking on her soup, her friend gasped for breath. “You’re funny and beautiful. That’s a combo no man, including tall, dark and silent Gabe, can resist.”
“I’m mildly amusing and passably pretty, but I’d die
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