Page 158 of Her Boss, Her Rancher: Sunrise On The Ranch

“Let’s do it.” He smiled at his mom, then strode to the tree and bent next to Sienna. “Where do you think it should go?”

Sienna looked at the tree then ruffled a few branches until she found her spot. “Tere.”

“I think that’s a very good place for it.”

Hand in hand, he helped Sienna hook the ornament onto a branch. “Wow, Sienna. You did it.”

“I did it,” she parroted.

Bella clapped her hands. “Good girl. I’m so proud of you.”

Sienna’s face beamed.

Veronica and Marie smiled, too.

“Babies bring so much joy into the home,” Veronica said.

Then she looked straight at Jared with knowing eyes.

Jared sat for dinner at Cooper’s house, breaking bread with his brother and his wife and, of course, his mother.

“Too bad Bella couldn’t come,” Lauren said. “I invited her and little Sienna.”

“You did? She didn’t mention it.” It was news to Jared. His mother had insisted on all the family being together. It happened too rarely and he hadn’t been about to disappoint her by not showing up.

Lauren was feeling great these days, having passed some pregnancy milestone that meant no more nausea or exhaustion. She was almost five months along now. And to think Coop had almost blown it with Lauren, plotting a scheme to stop her wedding to her sleazy fiancé. All during that time, Coop never planned on falling in love with her. Now Coop was married and going to be a father. There was no doubt he would make a damn good one.

“Maybe Bella needed a night off,” Cooper said.

“It sounded more like she didn’t want to impose,” Lauren said. “Even though I insisted she wouldn’t be. She did me a big favor today and I feel bad I didn’t press her harder to come by.”

Jared scratched his chin. He wanted Bella here and was at a loss without her. But it hadn’t been his place to invite her. “What did you ask her to do?”

“You’ll see. It’s a surprise,” Lauren answered.

He’d spent a good amount of time catching up with his mother today, and while she’d rested this afternoon he’d finished up on the day’s work and hadn’t seen Bella after that.

“She seems like a lovely girl,” Veronica said, giving Jared another one of her expectant looks.

What did she want him to say? That he was falling for his personal chef? Hell, it was true. Bella was unlike any other woman he’d ever met. And that was a good thing. Instead of revealing his feelings, he simply nodded. “Seems to be.”

Lauren put a delicious rib roast on the table with white potatoes, creamed asparagus and biscuits and gravy. No salad, no fresh fruit. And the veggie that was smothered in heavy sauce.

He smiled. Bella would be analyzing this meal and figuring out a way to make it healthy, substituting things and completely removing others. He was getting used to eating her way...healthy with cauliflower everything.

“Are you in la-la land or something, bro? You’re smiling silly.”

“Am I?”

Lauren eyed him. “Yes, you are.”

“I’m feeling fit. Got an appointment on Tuesday with the doctor and I’m hoping he’ll give me the okay to get back to my life as usual.”

“That’s wonderful, Jared,” his mother said. “I hope so.”

“Yeah, it’s been hard doing all the heavy lifting with the company,” Cooper added, winking at his wife.

“Don’t be an ass, Coop. You know darn well I’ve been holding up my end.” He’d been putting in some useful hours in his office and keeping up his part, when he wasn’t playing with Sienna or admiring her mother.