Read Online The Cowboy's Twins by Deb Kastner - Free Book Online

the door, assuring him she had everything under control and he should get out and enjoy the sunshine.
    Right. The sunshine.
    Nothing would come of her overt attempt at matchmaking, but it was nice to see her smiling again. Besides, he owed Faith his time and labor. She had purchased him at the auction, after all, and for far more money than he was worth.
    Jax knew the Dennys’ spread hadn’t been kept up over the past couple of years, but he never imagined the sorry state of the ranch he encountered as he drove up and parked in front of Faith’s new home. Rotted shutters hung half off the hinges, and the screens covering the windows were torn through. It looked as though some animal or another had made use of the ranch house while the Dennys were elsewhere. The house needed a fresh coat of paint and new shingles on the roof. The wraparound deck was weatherworn and needed varnishing, and the flower beds in front were overgrown with weeds.
    And that was to say nothing of the outbuildings and land around the house. He guessed the barn must have been red once, but now it was a muted orange color. The fences that were supposed to contain the corral and what he could see of the pasture land were in dire need of repair. The hay field was so overgrown it would take a season, maybe two, to set it right, and that was assuming Faith owned the appropriate farm equipment, which he highly doubted.
    He wasn’t even sure she had the right shoes.
    It took him less than a minute of perusal before he knew that, on his own, his labor wouldn’t be nearly enough for Faith to get this place into shape as quickly as she wanted. A community workday might be in order, and soon. She’d soon find her neighbors in Serendipity were generous with their time and talents.
    One thing was certain—the property was in no way ready to host horses, especially wild ones.
    He approached the front door, careful to avoid the rickety step, and rang the bell. When that yielded nothing, he knocked twice. When she still didn’t answer, he decided to have a better look around the place. Faith’s enormous, beat-up black SUV was parked in front of the house, so presumably she was around here somewhere. Searching for her was the perfect excuse—er— opportunity to take a closer look at the barn and surrounding countryside.
    Get the lay of the land, so to speak.
    Babies might not need spreadsheets, but it looked as if Faith’s ranch was going to take a lot of them. This was a huge, huge project. He suspected she had no idea how big.
    It didn’t take him long to locate Faith. He called her name as he circled the barn, and she popped her head up from behind a wall of hay bales. She’d tied her platinum-blond hair into a loose bun held together with what looked like a pencil. Wisps had broken free to frame her exertion-reddened face. She wiped her elbow across her brow and smiled.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” Her question might have sounded abrupt but instead held a tone of pleasant surprise.
    He saluted sloppily. “Jax McKenna, reporting for duty, ma’am.”
    She shook her head. “Oh. I wasn’t expecting you. You don’t have to do this, you know.”
    Having seen the state of her ranch, he had to disagree. “I think I do.”
    â€œThere’s no need to feel obligated. I’m sure you’re up to your ears caring for your twins.” She absently brushed hay strands from her jeans. “How are they, by the way?”
    â€œActive,” he answered. “Noisy. Up at all hours. Adorable. Perfect. And you were right about Mom—she’s gone nuts over them. This is the happiest I’ve seen her since before Dad got sick.”
    â€œI’m glad,” she replied, sincerity beaming out of her warm smile. “So why are you here, instead of home with them?”
    â€œI owe you.” Did she think he was the kind of man to renege on his debts?
    Her gaze widened