Page 13 of Rancher to the Rescue

“Yesterday,” he said by way of explanation.

“Makes sense I don’t know, considering I have no memories of the past three days,” she said low and under her breath. “I wonder what else I’ve been missing.”

“Not much. You were right about it being June. Even if you did take a blow to the head, you’re speaking clearly. You seem to have your wits about you now,” he said.

“What about the ER?” she asked.

“Do you feel queasy?” He’d grown up with eight brothers and nine cousins. He knew a thing or two about concussions.

“No,” she said.

“Is your sight blurry?” he continued.

“Only when I take off my glasses.” She did, and he was struck by her high cheekbones and silky skin. Her eyes stood out even more, if that was possible, framed by thick lashes. And those lips rounded an oval-shaped face that caused his heart to skip a few beats when he stared at it too long.

How had he walked right past her and never noticed?

Crazy how much he’d missed by keeping his head down and never looking around. To be fair, he knew just about everyone in town and usually kept his eyes forward rather than risk long conversations with people. Adam almost laughed out loud at the thought. If he didn’t know any better, he’d call himself an introvert.

Give him a clear day, an endless sky, decent weather, and not another human for miles. That sounded like perfection until now. He’d never thought of his life as lonely before. Not even in the past ten months when he’d been licking his wounds. What was the sudden difference?

Losing the Marshall was playing with Adam’s head. Or was it something else? Because suddenly, looking at Prudence holding that baby in her arms, it seemed like there was more to life that he’d been missing by keeping his eyes on the ground.

The sound of Lawler’s boots shuffling across the tile in the hallway interrupted the moment.

“Jenn is all set,” Lawler said.

“How about you?” Adam walked over and placed his hand on Lawler’s shoulder. “Are you good with this arrangement?”

“I better be. I just sent my only social worker home.” Lawler laughed at his own joke. “Seriously, Baby X is lucky to stay here on the ranch. I couldn’t find a better overnight situation for her if I tried. I have complete faith the two of you will take excellent care of her.”

Prudence’s face lit up at the compliment, and it warmed Adam’s heart. He’d just volunteered to keep a newborn overnight along with letting a stranger with no memory of the past three days stay in the Marshall’s home. Maybe Adam was the one who’d lost his mind.

5

Prudence rocked the baby. Her arms were ready to fall off. Her back hurt. And, strangely, she’d never felt better in her life.

Unless, of course, she factored in the reality she had no memory whatsoever of the last three days.

“I know the way out,” Lawler said after asking a few more routine-sounding questions for his report. The man had been thorough.

He disappeared down the hallway as Adam caught her gaze.

“For tonight, it’s probably best if we stay here. There haven’t been any kids in this place in years and we’ll have privacy since I doubt anyone will want to stay at the Marshall’s house. Anyone who wanted one has a home on the property,” Adam said. “And I know a bedroom with a crib already set up. I don’t think the room has been used since my brothers were little.”

“Why is there two of everything?” Prudence asked, remembering her question from earlier. At least her mind was working now.

Adam stopped cold. His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

“When Luna brought us here. I noticed two sets of barns and—”

“Oh, right.” Adam nodded. “It’s because my father and uncle fight so much. Have all their lives. So, the Marshall built two separate but equal homes and barns for them. The whole place is divided down the middle.”

The dread in his voice struck her.

“It sounds like a rough situation to grow up in,” she said. Looking around at all the grandeur, she’d assumed living here must be a dream. The family had plenty of money. At least, that’s how it looked from the outside.

“Believe me, you don’t want to know.” He issued a sharp sigh before holding out his hand. “How about we talk about that later? I’m not sure how long one of those things sleeps, but Casey comes back from his weekends at home more tired than if he’d spent all day on fences.”