Read Online The Rancher's Bride by Stella Bagwell - Free Book Online

daughter, then looked at Rose. “This is between you and Emily.”
    “Then you wouldn’t mind if she came over to the ranch a few days a week?”
    So far this summer Emily hadn’t shown any interest in finding a job. Of course with the closest town being twenty miles away there wasn’t much point in looking. But Harlan intuitively knew this thing with Rose had nothing to do with a job. His daughter simply wanted to be with her newfound friend. And how could he deny her the female companionship she so badly needed?
    “No. I wouldn’t mind.”
    Before another word could be said, Emily jumped to her feet and raced around to her father’s chair. “Oh Daddy, you’re so wonderful! Thank you! Thank you!”
    She rained kisses on both sides of his face until he laughingly set her back from him.
    “Okay, I get the message. You’re willing to slave for Rose and leave your dear old dad with a sinkful of dirty dishes.”
    “Oh, no! I promise I’ll help here at home, too, Daddy,” she exclaimed as she hurried back to her seat at the table.
    Harlan smiled. It was the first time in a long while he’d seen his daughter excited over anything and it made him very happy.
    “I’m just kidding, Emily.”
    As Rose chewed a bite of pizza, she watched the affectionate exchange between father and daughter. Being from a large family herself, it was hard for Rose to imagine how it must be with just the two of them. To say the least, raising a daughter alone would be daunting. Harlan had done it for six or seven years. She figured most men wouldhave given up long before that and married the first woman they could find to say yes.
    “Do you know anything about babies, Emily?” Rose asked.
    “Babies? You mean baby animals?”
    Rose smiled. “No. I mean baby people.”
    Emily was suddenly intrigued. “Oh. I’ve never been around any babies hardly. Why?”
    “Because we have twin babies on the ranch. I thought you might enjoy looking after them a bit.”
    Emily’s eyes grew wide. “Babies! Are they yours? Are you married?”
    Harlan was looking at her as though she’d just metamorphosed and Rose couldn’t stop the hot blush from pouring into her cheeks. Surely he didn’t think she’d given birth to the babies! One kiss with him wasn’t enough to make her appear that promiscuous!
    “No, I’m not married and the babies aren’t mine. At least not technically speaking. They’re twins and they’re eight months old.”
    “Twin babies! How wonderful!” Emily exclaimed. “I can’t wait to see them!”
    Emily continued to chatter about the babies and her plans to visit the ranch. In a matter of minutes, the pizza and salad were gone and it was time for Rose to head home.
    As she told Emily goodbye and climbed into the pickup with Harlan, she wished his daughter was going with them. She didn’t want to be alone with the man for five minutes, much less fifteen or twenty. But she had little choice in the matter.
    “I want you to know how grateful I am to you, Rose,” Harlan said as they drove away from the ranch onto the dark dirt road.
    His unexpected words caused her head to swivel his way.“Grateful? I can’t imagine for what. You loaned Daddy lots of money. You’re more than entitled to our water.”
    Harlan shook his head. “I’m not talking about any of that.”
    Dear heaven, he wasn’t talking about that kiss, was he? She wished he’d forget it. She wished she could wipe it completely from her mind. But how could she, when just sitting here beside him in the dark was making her heart pound?
    “Then what—”
    “I’m talking about Emily. She’s taken to you. And I’m…more than grateful that you didn’t push her away tonight.”
    Rose sagged with relief. She could talk about Emily. She couldn’t talk about what had happened between the two of them down by the barn.
    “Emily is a lovely child. I wouldn’t push her away for any reason.”
    He sighed. “That’s very generous of you. Especially after the