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“She’ll be fine. She’s strong-willed.”
Bo chuckled. “Oh, I can tell. She all but told off our boy here,” he told Cash. “Had that sexy little chin up in the air, all huffy and confident. Mmm. It’s a good look on the woman.”
Cash laughed.
“Shut. Up,” Tripp growled.
Cash grabbed him by the sleeve and yanked him back down into his chair. “Calm down. We’re just giving you shit. Is she really running Mrs. Gram’s place alone?”
“She’ll be fine.”
“Mrs. Gram is a seasoned farmer and knows her land. A newbie coming in with no experience is going to struggle. Plus taking care of her grandmother? Bo’s right. That’s a lot.”
Tripp took a deep breath. He knew it was. And he loved Mrs. Gram. She was the kindest woman he’d ever known. She had moved to the farm right after his life imploded, and immediately started bringing him food and watching Gracie. When Tripp was no more than a struggling, scared man with a newborn and no experience, the older woman had been a lifesaver. She loved Gracie like a great-grandchild, she’d said, which was why he’d been happy to help while she was laid up, but she insisted “Charlie” was coming to help. Tripp had thought that’d be her male kin. Not Charlotte. With that sexy mouth or endless legs.
Shit.
He needed to help. It was the right thing to do. And Mrs. Gram would do it—had done it—for him.
Charlotte was in over her head, even if she didn’t know it yet. Trying to find a dog looked to be more than she could handle.
“I’ll make sure things run smoothly over there,” Tripp conceded.
Bo and Cash cheered like they’d won some battle. He knew what his friends really wanted, but going after the woman was not on his agenda.
“I’m not budging on the Gracie thing. I don’t want her getting attached.”
Both guys nodded.
Now it was up to Tripp to not let himself get too deep, either.
…
Charlotte staggered through the front door and let out a heavy sigh. Princess Peanut Butter bounded past her and straight into Grammy’s room.
“Oh, there’s my precious baby,” she heard Grammy coo, accompanied by the jingle of Princess Peanut Butter’s collar. Sounded like she was getting all the pets. The dog was so animatedly loud, Charlotte could hear every pant and slurp and shake from the front room.
Precious baby, my ass.
That thing was a beast. Sweet, but a beast.
The thing thankfully followed her back home, keeping pace with the four-wheeler.
But Charlotte’s nerves were fried more because of the encounter with Tripp and the entire Montgomery crew.
She slipped off her boots, dusted her hands, and went into her Grammy’s room. Princess was taking up half the queen bed and Grammy lay beside her, lazily petting the dog.
“You feeling okay? You ready for a pain pill?” Charlotte asked.
“Not just yet,” she said. “Thank you for getting Princess. I was worried.”
“She was easy to find. Right by the pears,” Charlotte said. She shifted from foot to foot. “So…I ran into the people on the next ranch over.” She tried to sound casual, but her mind was closer to tense than calm.
“Oh, the Montgomerys. Such kind young men. Their little Gracie is adorable. Reminds me of you when you were young. Smart, feisty little thing.”
Charlotte smiled, but held her tongue. She wanted to ask more, but didn’t want to rouse her grandmother’s suspicions. It was clear Tripp was not happy with her. But why? It’s not like she thought she’d ever see him again. Wasn’t like she was a crazy stalker chick after his ranch fortune.
The more she thought about it, the madder she got. He’d been a dick for no reason.
