The Rebel Cowboy's Quadruplets Read online

  Justin studied the nameplates to make certain he picked up the right baby. Holly, Hope, Haven and Heather. All chosen, no doubt, to go with the Hanging H of the ranch, which was sort of a hopeless exercise because they’d all get married one day and their last names would change. To Thomas or Smith or whatever. Then he remembered that Mackenzie’s last name was Hawthorne, and she must not have ever changed her name when she got married.

  If she’d been married.

  Gingerly he picked up Holly, who had a pretty annoyed wail going, grabbed one of the bottles off a wooden tray and slipped it into her mouth. Oh, yeah, that was exactly what she wanted—food—and what he wanted—golden silence.

  “Thank you,” Mackenzie said. “They all decide they want to eat at once, every time.”

  He sank onto a sofa, carefully holding the baby. “My brothers and I were the same. It lasted through our teens and drove our parents nuts.” He glanced at the other two babies, who were now occupying themselves with listening to the adult voices in the room. “I guess these are all yours.”

  She smiled, and he noticed she had very shapely lips. He avoided staring at the blanket at her breast, not wanting to catch an accidental glimpse of something he shouldn’t see. He was a gentleman, even if he found himself at the moment feeling like a fish out of water.

  “They’re all mine.” She smiled proudly at her children. “We’re still working out some things, but the girls are coming along nicely now. They have a little better routine, and the health issues are more manageable.”

  He turned his gaze back to Holly so the doubt wouldn’t show on his face. The overgrown paddocks, the sagging gutters and the chipping paint stayed on his mind. These four children—was the father totally useless? Did he not care about the state of his property? Or these four sweet-faced babies? Not to mention the sexy mother of his children.

  “Their father is in Alaska,” she said, somehow reading his thoughts. “Working on an oil rig. And when he’s not working, he’s otherwise engaged. We don’t hear from him,” she said. “Not before the divorce or after. I’d been on a drug to help me get pregnant, and he was unpleasantly surprised by the results.” She put a now-content baby into the empty basket marked “Heather,” diapered her, kissed her and picked up Hope. “This one was born with lung issues, but we’re slowly getting past that. And Holly has struggled with being underweight, but time has been the healer for that, too.” She smiled at Justin, and he saw how beautiful she was, especially when her face lit up as she talked about her children. “So tell me what kind of work you do, and we’ll see if our needs match.”

  He held in a sigh, wondering how to extricate himself from this dilemma. He could help this woman and her brood, but he didn’t want to. Justin glanced at the four babies. They had calmed some as they were getting either bottles or a breast—there was a thought he had to stay away from.

  Mrs. Harper bustled in with a tray of food for him and took the baby he was holding. “I heard you say that you need to talk business. I’ll feed this one, and you eat. Your plates say you’re from Montana, so you’ve come a long way to talk about work. I know you’re starved.”

  No, no, no. He needed a job, but not this job. And the last thing he wanted to do was work for a woman with soft doe eyes and a place that was teetering on becoming unmanageable. From the little he’d seen, there was a lot to do. He had a bum knee and a bad feeling about this. And no desire to be around children.

  On the other hand, it couldn’t hurt to help out for a week, maybe two, tops. Could it?

  He ate a bite of Mrs. Harper’s chicken salad, startled by how good it was. Maybe it had been too long since he’d had home cooking. He smelled the wonderful cinnamon aroma of apple pie, and his stomach jumped.

  Mackenzie bent over to put the fed, diapered and happy baby she was holding back into the bassinet. He watched her move, looked at her smile, admired her full fanny and breasts—stopped himself cold.

  He had no business looking at a new mother. He really had been on the road too long. Glancing around him, Justin took in the soft white-and-blue curtains, the tan sofas, the chairs in a gentle blue-and-white pattern that complemented the drapes. A tan wool rug lay under a blocky coffee table, the edges rounded and perfect for children who would be learning to pull themselves up in a few months.

  Taking another bite of Mrs. Harper’s delicious meal, he focused on the food and not the homey atmosphere. That’s what was wrong: this felt like home. It could draw in a man who wasn’t careful, who wasn’t aware of the pitfalls.

  Maybe Ty hadn’t sent him here because of Mackenzie’s ad. Maybe she simply needed a grievous amount of help, and Ty had known he needed employment.

  He could do this job—or at least he was comfortable with the work he could see that needed to be done.

  But he needed to know.

  “So about your ad,” he said, and Mackenzie and Mrs. Harper looked at him curiously. “On the dating website.”

  She shook her head. “What dating website? I didn’t advertise on a website. I talked to some friends about the position for ranch foreman.” She straightened. “Are you saying you came all the way here from Montana because you think I’m looking for a man?”

  Chapter Two

  Mackenzie planned to give Ty a piece of her mind at the first opportunity. A phone call to express her dismay at his ham-handed matchmaking was tops on her list.

  The cowboy who’d clearly been sent on a mercy mission seemed supremely uncomfortable at the outraged question.

  “I thought you were looking for help around here,” Justin said. “So, yes, I was under the impression you were looking for a man. Though not in the manner in which you may have mistaken.”

  “Ty put me in a dating website, and you show up here. How would you feel if you were me?”

  Mrs. Harper drifted from the room with a baby in her arms. Mackenzie was too upset to cool her temper.

  “Probably grateful that one of my friends cared enough to reach out to try to get me some help. Incidentally, I haven’t seen the ad. Didn’t look.” He shrugged, dismissing it.

  That was a man for you. It was all about the practicalities, when the mousetrap was perfectly clear to her. You didn’t live in Bridesmaids Creek and not know that people plotted to get you married. Always done lovingly in your best interests, of course.

  Which was how she’d ended up married the first time—not that Tommy hadn’t been a sinfully gorgeous, totally lazy man more interested in pleasure than anything resembling work.

  There was a lot of work to be done around the Hanging H, so named when one of the Hawthorne H’s had partially fallen off the sign. The name had stuck—though she knew very well that Daisy Donovan—one of the town’s most notorious bad girls—liked to say the ranch was called the Hanging H because the Hawthornes were barely hanging on. Mackenzie did need help, which would have been quite obvious to the handsome cowboy meeting her gaze without hesitation. Tommy might have been handsome in a hedonistic sort of way, but this cowboy had him beat for raw sex appeal.

  “You’re right. If you’re here just for work, and not because of a matchmaking website, I’d like to talk to you more about the position.” She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Hazel eyes stared at her, unblinking. Justin didn’t look like he had romance on the mind. Broad shoulders complemented a trim waist, the sinewy body of a man who spent his time actively. He had a square jaw that hadn’t been shaved today—or maybe even yesterday—and shaggy dark hair that hadn’t seen a barber in many months.

  All in all, the kind of man who would turn women’s heads.

  “I’d be interested in hearing more about the kind of help you’re looking for,” he said.

  She looked at her babies, tried to turn off the zip of sex appeal that was overruling her ability to think clearly. “Why would you want to work here? There mus
t be a lot of ranches hiring.”

  He nodded. “I’m sure I can find a job if this doesn’t work out. But Ty seemed to think you could use a foreman.”

  “A foreman position would be a long-term proposition.” She looked at him, curious. “Somehow you don’t strike me as a long-term kind of man.”

  “Things change.”

  Okay. She’d noticed he had a bit of a limp, and there was probably a story to that. In fact, there was no doubt a story to Justin in general, but she wasn’t looking for a colorful background. She needed help here, and the fact was Ty’s reference counted for a lot. There was no doubting that Justin didn’t want to answer a lot of questions about himself, which was fine because she could ask Ty whatever she wanted to know. She could simply negotiate an open-ended employment offer with Justin.

  “Yes, things do change. Thanks for helping out with the babies. If you give me ten minutes to get them settled and grab the books, I’ll go over the job requirements with you.”

  He nodded. “Thanks.”

  She gazed into his hazel eyes, seeing nothing there but appreciation for a chance of employment. No attraction, no flirtation; just level honesty.

  Whatever it was she’d felt from the moment he’d walked into the room, he didn’t seem to be affected by it.

  Which was fine.

  She went to find Mrs. Harper to watch the babies while she talked to Justin. If she hired him, she was going to call Ty.

  Whether Mackenzie thanked him or yelled at him about the cowboy in the other room remained to be seen.

  * * *

  TWO WEEKS HAD gone by, and Mackenzie hadn’t seen much of Justin since he’d moved into the foreman’s house. But evidence of his presence was obvious: the gutters no longer hung sad and neglected, the paint on the house gleamed, the paddocks were mown and hay was bundled into round bales that studded the landscape outside her window.

  It was beginning to look like the Hanging H of old, which brought back a lot of happy memories.

  Jade came into the kitchen, peering over her shoulder at the paddocks. “Looks like a postcard, doesn’t it?”

  Mackenzie nodded. “Maybe I should have thanked Ty for sending Justin my way.”

  Jade laughed. “You didn’t thank him?”

  “I was too annoyed when I found out he’d put my name in a dating registry.”

  “To be fair, that was a tiny fib on his part. He didn’t really do that. It was just a little intrigue he threw in for Justin’s sake.”

  Mackenzie shook her head and returned to the babies, who sat in carriers, all four of them, on top of the wide kitchen island. They gazed at different things around the room or their toes, content for the moment. “Ty can get a little crazy at times. But, yes, I should thank him now. The ranch looks like it’s in recovery mode.”

  “And then there’s other kinds of recovery,” Jade said, still staring out the window. “Is this your daily view?”

  Mackenzie turned to see what Jade was goggling at.

  Justin. Hot, dark skin gleaming with sweat, bare to his blue-jeaned waist. Muscles for miles. Mackenzie stared at the man wearing a straw Resistol, amazed to feel her heart beating like mad. “Actually, no. That’s never been the view.”

  “Too bad.” Jade laughed. “If it was, I’d be eating lunch over here every day with you.”

  “You do eat lunch with me almost every day. You make the lunch.” Mackenzie tore her gaze away from Justin and sat at the island. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I feel like things are much more under control. You and your mom don’t have to come over here every day anymore to help me out. I’m going to be okay.” She smiled at Jade. “You’ve been amazing friends. You and everybody who’s sent food over.”

  “Pooh,” Jade said. “Don’t think you’re going to run me off now that you’ve got a bona fide beefcake on the ranch. I’m single, you know.”

  Mackenzie held Heather’s tiny foot in her hand. “By all means, come by if you want to. I just hate to keep taking up your life.”

  “Believe me—this is a joy and pleasure. And it would kill Mom if you cut off her visiting privileges.” Jade stood beside her. “She dotes on these babies. Says they may be the only grandchildren she has because I’m so slow about finding a husband.”

  “You could try Ty’s matchmaking registry.”

  Jade laughed. “I’ll meet my handsome prince when it’s meant to be.” She went back to staring out the window. “Did you notice his limp?”

  Mackenzie sighed. “Yes. It’s more pronounced when he doesn’t know I’m watching him, which tells me he doesn’t want to talk about it. So I don’t ask.” She tucked the blankets around the babies and smiled. “He does his job. I don’t see him. He came into the kitchen last Friday, and I handed him an envelope with his pay in it. Your mother gave him a lunchbox, so I think she’s feeding him. That’s the relationship we have, and now you know everything I know.”

  Maybe that would settle Jade’s curiosity.

  “You have to wonder about that matchmaking story, though. Something brought that handsome stud here. He could have gotten a job where he came from, right?” Jade asked, curiosity clearly not abated.

  “Don’t ask me. I took Ty’s word as a reference and didn’t ask too many questions. As you may have noticed, I needed help around here, and if he was looking for a job, I was happy to give him a try.” It had nothing to do with the fact that he was, as Jade mentioned, quite handsome. Sexy. Breathtaking, if a woman was looking for a man.

  But she wasn’t.

  “I had a husband,” Mackenzie said, looking at her babies with adoring eyes. “And while I wouldn’t say I wish I’d never met Tommy—I have him to thank for my sweet children—I can’t say a husband is something I’m looking to put on my shopping list. But speaking of shopping, I’m taking you up on your offer to babysit while I go into town to grab some things.”

  Jade gave up watching Justin and picked up a baby. “I was hoping you were still going to let me babysit. An afternoon out will do you good. And my first-timer’s nerves will be calmed.”

  “You’ll do fine! You’ve helped me almost every day with the babies.” Mackenzie hugged her friend.

  “My nerves are due to my suspicion that you might not be able to leave your babies for the first time,” Jade said, laughing. “Mom’s coming by for backup. We have everything under control. Go.”

  A knock sounded on the kitchen door, and Jade pulled it open. “We don’t knock on the back door—just come on in,” Jade said, and Justin entered. Even a little sweaty and a bit dirty, he was a sexy, handsome man—just as Jade had noted.

  “Ladies,” he said, removing his hat.

  “Hi,” Jade said. She poured him a glass of tea from the pitcher on the counter. “I’m going to put these babies down for their nap.”

  She left the room carrying Hope. Mackenzie smiled at Justin as he put the empty glass back on the counter. “Would you like some more?”

  “No, thank you.”

  He had the most amazing eyes, the nicest hands—

  Mackenzie pulled her gaze back where it belonged. “The house looks great. And it’s nice to see the lawn mowed. Thank you.”

  He nodded. “I was going to head into town. I figure there’s a hardware place and maybe a tractor supply in town so I can get some parts.” He glanced at the remaining two babies on the kitchen island after Jade came in and removed Heather. “I thought I’d see if there was anything you need.”

  Him, maybe? “Thank you. Actually I’m being sent into town myself.”

  “That’s right,” Jade said, sailing into the kitchen to pick up Haven, cuddling the baby to her. “It’s high time my friend got out. She’s a wonderful mother, but everybody needs a break. Although I’ll believe that she leaves these babies behind when I see it. Try to help ease her o
ut the door, will you?” She grinned and left.

  Justin shrugged. “I can drop you off in town.”

  Mackenzie hesitated. “That’s all right. I can drive.”

  “I could use a tour.”

  She looked into his eyes, surprised. “Haven’t you been into Bridesmaids Creek?”

  “Just ran in to grab some feed for the horses.”

  There was a lot of lore in Bridesmaids Creek. She was half tempted to go with him so she could tell him all the wonderful stories.

  On the other hand, she was tempted to go with him simply because he was the hottest man she’d ever laid eyes on.

  Which wasn’t the best reason, but it was a reason. She could feel herself melting under his gaze. He seemed so solid, so strong...so unlike Tommy.

  “I really—”

  “Go,” Jade said, coming back into the kitchen to collect the final baby. She cradled Holly as Mrs. Harper came in the back door bearing a pie.

  “Hello, everyone,” Mrs. Harper said. “I brought something for Justin because I know how much he likes apple pie.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Justin said. “I can find room for that.”

  Jade handed Holly to her mother after she put the pie on the counter. “Justin and Mackenzie are just leaving.”

  “Oh, good,” Mrs. Harper said. “That will give me time to make up some fried chicken to go with it for later.”

  “I think we’re not getting any of that pie until we get our chores done,” Justin said, his gaze turning to Mackenzie again.

  “I think you’re right.” She also sensed a heavy helping of matchmaking, too, but forewarned was forearmed. She gave Jade a wry look, who returned that with an innocent look. When Justin opened the kitchen door, Mackenzie went out, telling herself that all the matchmaking in the world wasn’t going to make her fall in love again.

  * * *

  “AFTER HEARING TY sell Bridesmaids Creek,” Justin told Mackenzie as he drove into town, “I’m anxious to get the tour. Ty brags about the Bridesmaids Creek swim, he talks about the Best Man’s Fork, and a few other bits of lore, but I was never sure if he was just pulling my leg or not. Ty likes to hear himself talk, and talk big.”