Read Online Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
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serious topics—horse injuries and his own broken collar bone from being thrown from a horse not yet ready to give in to breaking, interested her. With the mention of his children, a sadness crept into his eyes and he’d pause and look away. She’d love to hear more about his son and daughter, but it was obvious how it pained him to speak of them.
He was nothing like the same person she met in the parking lot last night. His pleasant company was expected. No, it was more…better than she had expected or anticipated. He was an entrancing kind of man, and she’d take pleasure in spending more of the day with him. So engrossed in his tales, time got away and lunch was over.
“Before we go, teach, I’m giving you a homework assignment.”
“What? I’m on vacation.” It was so cute the way he called her teach . Sure, she’d been called that many times, but coming from his lips made it all different. “And what is my homework assignment, rancher?”
“Study the mountain, the history, and maybe I’ll take you panning for gold…if you can figure it out.”
“I accept your challenge, Mr. Bright Lights Carlson.”
“You won’t see those lights anymore, baby. You ready?” He grabbed the bill and her hand and they were off. Jase still wouldn’t let her pay, even after she begged standing at the cash register. But…baby?
***
On the way to their vehicles, he held her hand until he unlocked his truck. Brenna didn’t make an attempt to release his either. She hadn’t known how much she missed the closeness that came from another person. Almost two years, being alone was the norm now.
“So, Brenna Page, are you riding with me into town?”
She had to think about it a moment. What would it hurt? “What about my car?” She didn’t feel good about leaving it sitting here in a parking lot while she left. Wasn’t that why she paid the high cost of insurance though?
“I’ll follow you home and you can park in your parking lot.”
Now he’s a mind reader. “All right.” She unlocked it and he opened her door.
“You remember how to get back?”
The straightforward expression on his face said he wasn’t teasing. “Yes, I do. Thank you.” She dropped down into the fine leather seat and stuck her key into the ignition. “Behind or ahead of me?”
“Oh, I’ll stay behind you this time.”
Something special about him in her rear-view mirror this time caused her to smile. He drove with his parking lights on, right close to her bumper like a shadow. She was proud of herself for knowing where to go without looking at a map or GPS. When she pulled into her parking lot, he pulled up beside her, jumped out and went around to open his passenger side door.
Brenna got into his truck. Quite a difference from her low car. “Thank you,” she said, when he went to close the door. Jase was a gentleman among other things. He went around and got inside.
“We’ll grab a cone and do that walk I talked about. It’s a decent night.” He shifted into first gear and drove out toward Canyon Junction. “The ice cream place closes early most nights, but they’re open later on the weekends. Well, maybe not Sunday. The whole town closes early, for that matter.”
“It’s perfect.” Brenna’s entire insides acknowledged how happy she was on the outside. When she got off that plane in Phoenix, she had no idea life like this existed. And especially had no experience with a cowboy…a real one. She still didn’t, but maybe that was all changing right this minute. The way she smiled when she looked out the side window, it was about to happen. She had to rephrase that thought. It had already happened. She was happy. Mainly, because of him. Oh, boy …
Jase slowed down when he got into town and found a parking spot in front of the ice cream shop. “Come on.”
There were two customers inside and he nodded to them. “Hey, Holly. You home for summer break? I thought you worked at the Coffee
He was nothing like the same person she met in the parking lot last night. His pleasant company was expected. No, it was more…better than she had expected or anticipated. He was an entrancing kind of man, and she’d take pleasure in spending more of the day with him. So engrossed in his tales, time got away and lunch was over.
“Before we go, teach, I’m giving you a homework assignment.”
“What? I’m on vacation.” It was so cute the way he called her teach . Sure, she’d been called that many times, but coming from his lips made it all different. “And what is my homework assignment, rancher?”
“Study the mountain, the history, and maybe I’ll take you panning for gold…if you can figure it out.”
“I accept your challenge, Mr. Bright Lights Carlson.”
“You won’t see those lights anymore, baby. You ready?” He grabbed the bill and her hand and they were off. Jase still wouldn’t let her pay, even after she begged standing at the cash register. But…baby?
***
On the way to their vehicles, he held her hand until he unlocked his truck. Brenna didn’t make an attempt to release his either. She hadn’t known how much she missed the closeness that came from another person. Almost two years, being alone was the norm now.
“So, Brenna Page, are you riding with me into town?”
She had to think about it a moment. What would it hurt? “What about my car?” She didn’t feel good about leaving it sitting here in a parking lot while she left. Wasn’t that why she paid the high cost of insurance though?
“I’ll follow you home and you can park in your parking lot.”
Now he’s a mind reader. “All right.” She unlocked it and he opened her door.
“You remember how to get back?”
The straightforward expression on his face said he wasn’t teasing. “Yes, I do. Thank you.” She dropped down into the fine leather seat and stuck her key into the ignition. “Behind or ahead of me?”
“Oh, I’ll stay behind you this time.”
Something special about him in her rear-view mirror this time caused her to smile. He drove with his parking lights on, right close to her bumper like a shadow. She was proud of herself for knowing where to go without looking at a map or GPS. When she pulled into her parking lot, he pulled up beside her, jumped out and went around to open his passenger side door.
Brenna got into his truck. Quite a difference from her low car. “Thank you,” she said, when he went to close the door. Jase was a gentleman among other things. He went around and got inside.
“We’ll grab a cone and do that walk I talked about. It’s a decent night.” He shifted into first gear and drove out toward Canyon Junction. “The ice cream place closes early most nights, but they’re open later on the weekends. Well, maybe not Sunday. The whole town closes early, for that matter.”
“It’s perfect.” Brenna’s entire insides acknowledged how happy she was on the outside. When she got off that plane in Phoenix, she had no idea life like this existed. And especially had no experience with a cowboy…a real one. She still didn’t, but maybe that was all changing right this minute. The way she smiled when she looked out the side window, it was about to happen. She had to rephrase that thought. It had already happened. She was happy. Mainly, because of him. Oh, boy …
Jase slowed down when he got into town and found a parking spot in front of the ice cream shop. “Come on.”
There were two customers inside and he nodded to them. “Hey, Holly. You home for summer break? I thought you worked at the Coffee
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