couldn’t she put this craziness out of her mind? The onslaught of the press didn’t help, but she just wished she could turn it all off at night when she went to bed. So far, no luck.
Suddenly, Benjamin appeared by her side, walking with her. “Something bothering you?” he asked in his low drawl.
“It’s been a strange day,” she said a little breathlessly. She inhaled quickly, superaware of his height and muscular frame.
“I’ll say,” he said. “Which bothered you most?” he asked. “Eunice and Timmy? Or the reality competition for your hand in marriage?”
She shot him a dirty look. Ordinarily, she would have been more careful with her reaction to her boss.
He chuckled and gave her a quick elbow. “Looks like you’ve got some extra energy. You need to run,” he said and started to jog.
She couldn’t not accept his dare, so she quickened her stride. Coco noticed that Benjamin wasn’t breathing hard. “Were you a football player when you were in high school?”
“And college,” he said. “Why do you ask?”
She shrugged and upped her speed a bit. “Just curious. You’re big, but fit,” she said.
“Big?” he echoed. “I was one of the little guys on the team. But thanks for the compliment. It helps to move around a lot during the day. You should know with all the moving you do for Emma.”
She nodded, concentrating on her pace and breathing.
“You still didn’t answer my question about why we’re running,” he said.
“I don’t know why you are running,” she said.
“Okay, I can settle that. I’m running to keep up with you. Why are you running?”
She ran several more steps. “I don’t want to have to deal with all this right now. I just started taking care of Emma. Sarah has been a good sport, but it’s not fair to her to have to answer all these crazy phone calls.”
“Yeah,” he said. “What else?”
She continued jogging then slowed. Then walked. “I don’t want to want to meet them,” she said, her heart pounding in her chest. “I don’t want to care if I ever see one of them face-to-face.”
“But you do want to meet them. I would want to,” he said, walking beside her.
“You said that before,” she said, looking at him.
“Sure. I’ve got brothers, but I’ve always known them,” he said.
She nodded, taking a deep breath. “The trouble is I don’t want to go by myself, and I can’t think of anyone to go with me.”
“Hmm,” he said.
Her heart twisted. “And it’s such bad timing.”
He rubbed his chin. “It could be worse.”
“How?” she asked.
“It’s not calving season,” he said and met her gaze. “How would you feel about having Emma and me tag along for your trip to Chantaine?”
She gaped at him in amazement. “Are you joking?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart,” he said. “You’re the best one for Emma, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep you.”
Coco blinked while his words sank in. Allrighty. She was totally confused for an entire moment, until she realized that Benjamin was still desperate to keep Emma happy, even though his daughter had stopped screaming at the very sight of him.
The next day, numerous bouquets of flowers, invitations and fruit baskets arrived. The arrivals kept Boomer busy as he tried to greet each deliveryman. Benjamin made a new message for the voice mail and no one was required to pick up the house phone. His men kept all visitors at bay.
Coco breathed a sigh of relief several times throughout the day. Sarah was more relaxed. Even the baby seemed more at ease. The conversation she’d had with Benjamin made her feel alternately uneasy and anxious. Was she really going to Chantaine to meet her half siblings? Had Benjamin really agreed to go with her? And take Emma?
Coco wondered if she’d dreamed it.
“There’s no way we can use all this fruit,” Sarah said. “Even if we give it to the men.”
“Is there someone in the community who could use it?” Coco asked as she slid Emma into her high chair for dinner.
“I could call the church. They might know someone who could take it,” Sarah said as she stirred stew on the stove. She gave a slight smile. “It sure has been nice ignoring the phone today, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, it has,” Coco said as she began to feed Emma. The baby kicked her feet in anticipation of her green beans.
Coco smiled at the baby’s puckered lips. “Compared to yesterday, it’s been heaven.”
“I’m thinking after word of Benjamin’s message gets around, the phone won’t be ringing near as much tomorrow,” Sarah said.
“Why is that?” Coco asked, giving Emma another spoonful of beans.
Sarah chuckled. “It’s not exactly a welcoming message.”
“I haven’t listened to it,” Coco said and decided to do that as soon as she finished feeding Emma. “I can’t imagine what he said.”
“Something along the lines of how you wouldn’t be back in touch until after the turn of the next century and trespassers would be prosecuted to the full extent of Texas law,” Sarah said, then chuckled. “It’s fun when Benjamin gets a little huffy. He’s usually not the pushy type. Like his father, he doesn’t get riled unless the occasion calls for it.”
Sarah made Coco curious. “What was his father like?” Coco asked.
“He was a good, solid man. The ranch was his life. Except for Benjamin, his boys went in different directions. I think Benjamin fought it for a while, but once his father died, he knew his destiny. Except for that crazy affair with Brooke Hastings.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “But we all have our foolish moments. This one turned out pretty good when you look at that baby.”
Coco smiled at Emma, and Emma gave her a toothless smile in return. Sheer delight rushed through her. “She is adorable, isn’t she?”
“When she isn’t screaming bloody murder,” Sarah said.
“She’s still adjusting,” Coco said, feeding Emma another spoonful. “What about Benjamin’s mother? I haven’t heard much about her.”
“Well, that’s another story,” Sarah said as she adjusted the
