Harlequin American Romance October 2013 Bundle: Twins Under the Christmas Tree\Big Sky Christmas\Her Wyoming Hero\A Rancher's Christmas (8 page)

“After tonight I wouldn't trust Sasha to find you a date,” he said.

“I need a friend to set me up, because I'm not the kind of girl who asks guys out.”

“I'll find you a date,” Conway said.

“Seriously?”

He nodded.

“It would be nice to go on a date before Thanksgiving.”

“Done.”

She didn't know whether to be miffed or appreciative that Conway was eager to push her off on another guy. “No jerks.”

“Don't worry. The man I find for you will be harmless.”

* * *

H
E
WAS
IN
TROUBLE
.
Big trouble
.

Conway sped down the highway toward Stagecoach, putting as many miles between him and the Desert Valley Mobile Home Park as fast as possible.

He'd been a fool to kiss Isi, but her sad eyes had begged him to erase the bad memory of her date with jerk Mason.

Don't blame Mason
.
You've been waiting for an excuse to kiss Isi for a long time
.

He clenched the wheel tighter until his knuckles ached. He'd wanted to kiss Isi since he'd begun watching the twins. It wasn't a big deal. He'd kissed her before—

A long time ago
.

Maybe, but he hadn't forgotten how great that kiss had been.

You got it out of your system, now forget it
.

Easier said than done. Their kiss tonight had proven that the attraction he'd felt for Isi the first time he'd met her hadn't faded with time as he'd believed.

Why Isi? She'd be the perfect woman for him—if she didn't have the twins. He felt sorry for the boys growing up without a dad. Conway knew what it felt like and he wished differently for the boys. It was because he felt protective of Isi and her sons that he wanted to find her a decent man.

You mean possessive, not protective.

The damned voice in his head playing devil's advocate irritated the hell out of him.

Conway ran through a mental list of his rodeo buddies not sure who he could trust with Isi. They were good guys, but they were rodeo cowboys—anything could happen. There had to be a man who'd treat Isi like a lady and not push her into doing more than she was ready for.

Will.

Finally the voice in his head had said something worth listening to.

Why not his older brother? Will had quit chasing after buckle bunnies years ago. He was older than Isi, mature and harmless. He'd treat her right and show her a good time without coming on strong.

Problem solved. Now all he had to do was convince Will to go along with his plan.

* * *

S
UNDAY
MORNING
C
ONWAY
poked his head inside the bunkhouse door. Will sat at the table, leafing through the Home Depot ads while Buck and Porter played a game of chess. “Hey, Will, you got a second?”

“Sure.” Will scooted his chair back then stepped outside. “What's up?”

“I have a favor to ask.” Conway motioned for his brother to follow him to the barn where they could talk in private.

“Let me guess.” Will chuckled. “You've got too many women chasing after you and you want me take one of them off your hands?”

Conway skidded to a stop. “How'd you know?”

Will sobered. “I was joking.”

After they entered the barn, Conway took a seat at the workbench. “You're not dating anyone, are you?”

Will leaned against the tractor tire and crossed his arms over his chest. “No.”

“I want you to take a friend of mine on a date.”

“I'm almost thirty-four, Conway. I quit dating buckle bunnies a long time ago.”

“That's why you're the perfect date for this woman.”

Will narrowed his eyes. “What's wrong with her?”

“Nothing. She doesn't have time to meet guys, because she works, goes to school and she's a single—”

“Oh, no.” Will shoved away from the tractor. “If you're referring to that gal from the Border Town Bar & Grill then—”

“Isi's a great catch.” Conway stood and paced in front of his brother.

“If she's so perfect, you date her.”

“I can't.”

“Why not?”

Conway leveled a meaningful glare at his brother. His siblings knew how he felt about being a father.

“Oh, yeah. You won't date her because of the twins.”

Bingo
.

“How old is Isi?” Will asked.

“Twenty-four.”

“She's way too young for me.”

“Johnny married Shannon, and he's nine years her senior. Besides, Isi acts older than her age. She's responsible, independent and—”

“Forget it.”

Conway went on as if Will hadn't spoken. “Isi had a date with a jerk the other night and now she's down in the dumps.”

“Then you take her out and cheer her up,” Will said. “You don't want kids but that doesn't mean you can't date a single mother.”

His brother's suggestion made Conway squirm.

“You like her, don't you?” Will said.

“Of course I like her. She's a great person.”

“But you're afraid to date her, because you might start liking her too much.”

“Quit trying to psychoanalyze me. It's better for both Isi and me if we remain friends.” Conway shoved his fingers through his hair. “I want you to make her feel special for one night.”

Will quirked an eyebrow. “How special?”

“Not
that
special.” Conway scowled. “C'mon, Will. You owe me.”

“Owe you, how?”

“You never help on the farm, so you can pay me for all the work I—”

“Watch yourself, buddy.” Will motioned to the bunkhouse visible through the open barn doors. “I built that without much help from you or Porter. I think we're even.” Will walked away. “Ask Porter to take her out. He's easy-going and gets along with anyone.”

Conway dogged his brother's heels. “Porter's too immature for Isi.”

“When do you plan to harvest the pecans?”

“Around Thanksgiving. Quit changing the subject.” Conway tugged his brother's shirtsleeve. “You're the only one I trust to not take advantage of Isi.”

“Fine.” Will jerked his arm free. “I'll take her out next Friday.”

“She doesn't get off work until midnight,” Conway said.

Will's mouth dropped open.

“I know it's late, but can't you pick her up at the bar after her shift and go for a bite to eat?”

“Whatever. We'll figure it out. Give Isi my cell number in case she gets off earlier.”

“Thanks, Will. I knew you'd come through for me.”

As soon as his brother went inside the bunkhouse, Conway phoned Isi and left her a message. Now that he knew she'd be in good hands, he could relax and stop worrying.

Chapter Eight

“Hey, quiet down in there and go to sleep,” Isi hollered from the kitchen Sunday night. She and the boys had spent most of the day outside, and she didn't understand how they weren't tired after all that fresh air.

She'd finished drying the last of the supper dishes when she heard a faint jingle. She cocked her head, trying to identify the noise. She'd heard the same muffled sound earlier in the day, but had been too busy chasing after the boys and doing chores to think much of it.

Cell phone
.

Good grief, she'd left her cell in her backpack by the front door. She rummaged through the bag and discovered Conway had left her a voicemail message.

Her heart gave a little jolt. No matter how hard she'd tried to keep busy, she hadn't been able to forget the kiss she and Conway had shared last night. She dialed her inbox and listened to his deep voice.

“I've got a surprise for you,” he said.

What kind of surprise?

“You're going on a date Friday night.”

I am?
She held her breath.

“I set you up with my brother, Will.”

The excitement fizzled out of Isi.
Thanks, but I can find my own date
.

“Will's going to pick you up after your shift at work.”

She had a whole week to think about dating Conway's brother.
Yee-haw
.

“Here's Will's cell number in case you get off early from work on Friday.”

While Conway repeated the number, it occurred to Isi that he really didn't want to start anything between them. She'd been an idiot to hope that their kiss meant more to Conway than it did. It was probably best they stayed friends since she already knew how he felt about being a father.

“Will's a great guy, Isi. He'll enjoy hearing about the boys and the classes you're taking at the community college.”

She racked her brain, trying to recall conversations she'd had with Conway about Will, but he'd talked mostly about Johnny—the eldest Cash brother who Conway idolized.

“Call me if you can't go out with Will Friday night. See you tomorrow.”

End of messages
.

Isi set the phone on the kitchen table. She'd go out with Will if only to stop Conway's meddling.

* * *

L
ATE
F
RIDAY
NIGHT
Isi sat in a booth across from Conway's brother at the All-American Diner in Yuma and ignored the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She'd been a nervous wreck since Will had picked her up at the bar. And she had no one to blame but herself for her anxiety. Will was a polite, well-mannered, handsome man—exactly the kind of guy she wanted to date.

But he's not Conway
.

“I hear my brother's a regular at the Border Town Bar & Grill,” Will said.

“I've known Conway almost two years.” She forced a smile, hoping Will would stop talking about his brother.

“I think we should get it out of the way,” Will said.

“Get what out of the way?”

He leaned over the table, his mouth closing in on Isi's. Caught by surprise, she froze. A moment later, his lips pressed against hers. The kiss was warm and firm. Squeezing her eyes closed she analyzed the feel of Will's mouth against hers. There was no zing, zip or zap like she felt when Conway kissed her. The breath she'd been holding in her lungs escaped in a dramatic sigh and she opened her eyes to Will's devilish grin.

He cocked his head. “Nothing?”

Startled by his bluntness she answered honestly. “No.”

“Didn't think so. My loss.”

She laughed. “You're too much of a gentleman to admit that you didn't feel any sparks, either.”

“Now that we got the kiss out of the way, we can relax and enjoy ourselves.”

The queasiness Isi had felt since Will had picked her up at the bar magically disappeared. “I'm sorry you were coerced into taking me out tonight, but Conway's determined to find a man for me.”

“Hmm.”

“What?” She noticed a sparkle in his eye.

“I'm trying to figure out why Conway's so invested in your love life.” Will frowned. “You're sure you two are only good friends?”

“Sure.” She dropped her gaze.

“C'mon, Isi. Tell me the truth.”

Face flushing, she said, “Conway and I hit it off when we first met, but—”

“Then he found out you had the twins.”

“Yes.”

“How well did you two hit it off?”

“Well enough.” She resisted the urge to press her fingers against her burning cheeks.

“Did you kiss?”

“We shared a few kisses.”

Will grinned.

“But nothing happened after that,” she protested.

“Tell me if I've got this right,” he said. “You two were attracted to each other. You kissed a few times, maybe several. And you were working your way toward the bedroom when he found out you were a single mother. Then he backed off and you settled for being friends.”

“Wow. You're good.”

“After all this time being friends, what rocked the status quo between you two?”

Will wasn't going to drop the subject, so Isi spilled the details of her date with Sean and how Conway had kissed her later that night, because he'd felt sorry for her.

“I think I know what's going on.” Will's smile stretched into a full grin.

The waitress arrived with the food, halting their discussion. After she promised to return with drink refills, Will spoke. “Conway wants you for himself, but he's afraid things might get serious between the two of you and—”

“That wouldn't be good,” she said. “Because Conway doesn't want to be a father.”

“You nailed it.”

“I like Conway a lot.” Her feelings went deeper than “like” but she was afraid to voice them. “And I don't want to lose his friendship.”

“Hate to break it to you—” Will shoveled a forkful of omelet into his mouth, chewed then swallowed. “As soon as Conway finds the perfect woman, she'll put a stop to his visits to the Border Town Bar & Grill when she finds out you're the reason he goes there.”

Isi hadn't considered how Conway's “the one” might feel about her friendship with him. The thought of him not visiting her wherever she worked in the future depressed her. She changed the subject. “Conway said you're thirty-three.”

“And still single.”

“Confirmed bachelor or playing the field?” she asked.

“I don't play the field anymore, but I haven't found the right woman yet.” He sipped his water. “I proposed to a woman a few years back but things didn't work out.”

“Conway never mentioned anything about you or any of his brothers being engaged.”

“My brothers didn't know about it,” he said.

“What happened?”

“The night I'd proposed, I had a dream about a girl I'd gone on a date with my senior year in high school.” He shook his head. “Craziest thing. After that dream I couldn't get her out of my head.”

“Did you try to contact the girl?”

“No. We have nothing in common. The last I heard she was living in California.”

“But the memory of this girl was enough to break things off with your fiancée?”

“I'm afraid so.”

“I'm a believer in fate,” Isi said. “Things happen for a reason.”

“Maybe, but I also believe we control our own destinies,” Will said. “I hear you've been working your way through college and you have a job. That's no easy feat with twins.”

“I've had help along the way,” she said. “My boss has been great about adjusting my work schedule so I can take the classes I need to graduate. And when my babysitter moved out of town, Conway offered to watch the boys.” She smiled. “They love being with him.”

The diner waitress returned with their drinks then asked if they needed anything before she disappeared again.

“It's because of Conway that I decided I should start dating. The boys need a male role model in their lives.”

“Speaking from experience, I'd wished my father would have wanted to be involved in my life.”

“Conway spoke highly of your grandfather,” she said.

“Grandpa Ely was a good man, but it was Johnny we all turned to as we grew older. He kept us in line and taught us how to defend ourselves against the bullies.”

“I'm envious of you and your brothers,” she said.

“Why's that? You always wanted to fight six siblings to use the bathroom?”

“I've dreamed of being part of a large family.” She shrugged. “It's just me and my sons.”

“You've got a lot going for you, Isi. You'll find a man who'll love your sons as much as you do.”

They finished their meals in silence and Isi ordered coffee instead of dessert. “Conway mentioned you work in construction. Do you do any handyman work on the side?”

“Need a few repairs?”

“There are always things that need to be fixed in the trailer. My elderly landlord charges me next to nothing for rent, so I don't pester her about sticky windows and leaky faucets.”

“I'll stop by your place next week,” he said.

“That would be great.” She smiled. “Thanks.”

When they ran out of things to talk about, Isi pulled out her cell phone and said, “Oh, dear.”

“What?”

“Conway sent a text message an hour ago, asking when we'd be back.” She texted him saying they were on their way. Will drove her to the bar to pick up her car then followed her to her trailer.

When Will got out of his truck, she said, “You were a good sport tonight. I enjoyed getting to know you.”

“Me, too, Isi. You're easy to talk to.” He followed her up the porch steps.

When she walked into the trailer, Conway said, “'Bout time you got home.”

Will ignored his brother's comment and spoke to Isi. “Dixie and Shannon are putting on a big spread for Thanksgiving. You and the boys should come out to the farm and spend the day with us.”

“That's nice of you to offer, but we couldn't interfere in a family—”

“You won't be interfering,” Will said. “Besides, it will give me a chance to get to know the twins better.”

Conway's mouth sagged. Isi smothered a laugh behind a fake cough then said, “If you're sure, the boys and I would love to come.”

“Great.”

“Thanks again for the nice evening,” Isi said.

“See you next week.” Will closed the door behind him.

“What did he mean he'll see you next week?” Conway asked.

“Will offered to fix a few things around the trailer,” she said.

“Why didn't you ask me for help?”

“I didn't think you did home repairs.” The glower on his face worried her. “Did the boys misbehave tonight?”

“No, they were fine.” Conway's gaze zeroed in on her mouth.

Was he thinking about the kiss
they'd
shared or imagining the one Will gave her tonight?

“I guess you and Will hit it off,” he said.

“Your brother's very nice.”

“What did you talk about?”

She yawned. “It's late, Conway, and I'm beat.”

He grabbed his keys off the kitchen table. “I'll see you Monday.”

“Conway?”

He stopped at the door and faced her.

“Thank you for setting up the date with Will.” She smiled. “He was a big improvement over yucky Sean.” She waited for Conway to speak but he remained silent, his brown eyes glowing with an emotion she couldn't identify.

Then he was gone. She crossed the room and flipped the lock on the door then thought about the twists and turns her relationship with Conway had taken the past couple of months. If anything good had come out of her date with Will, it was that they'd become friends. Once Conway found “the one” and moved on from her life for good and she'd need all the friends she could get to fill the hole he left behind.

* * *

T
HE
THIRD
WEEK
of November had ushered in a dip in temperatures, nature's way of signaling the beginning of the pecan harvest. Conway stood at the edge of the grove, deciding how best to collect the nuts.

“Getting ready to start up the shaker machine?”

Startled, Conway spun and came face-to-face with Will. “I thought you were at a job site with Ben.”

“We finished early.” Will held out a key.

“What's that for?” Conway asked.

“Isi's trailer.”

Isi had given Will an extra house key? “You're moving awfully fast with Isi, aren't you?” That his brother was spending time at the trailer when Conway wasn't there rubbed him every which way but right.

“I stopped by her place this afternoon to fix the window over her bed.”

Will had gone into Isi's bedroom? Hell, Conway had yet to venture inside her private quarters. “Was Isi there?”

“Why all the questions?”

Conway wanted to wipe the smirk off his brother's face but refrained from throwing a punch. Isi would have a fit if he picked a fight in front of the twins. “I hope you know that Isi's not ready for anything serious.”

“That's funny,” Will said. “She told me she thought the boys needed a male role model in their lives.”

Frustrated, Conway walked over to the shaker machine and adjusted the settings.

Will followed him. “You surprised Johnny.”

Grateful for the change in subject, Conway asked, “How's that?”

“Johnny wasn't sure you meant it when you said you wanted to take over the farm.”

If the eldest Cash brother had doubts, why hadn't he said anything to Conway? “I wouldn't have volunteered if I didn't intend to follow through.”

“Grandpa would be proud of you.”