into a brief account of her phone call. Taylor listened, her expression going grim by the end.
“I’m afraid that she’s going to keep doing this,” Jancey finished.
Taylor nodded, then studied the table between them for a few long moments, and Cole found himself halfway holding his breath as he waited to hear her take on matters. “You can confront Miranda on this, which is, of course, what she wants. People like her feed on that kind of stuff.”
“I wouldn’t mind confronting her,” Jancey muttered, peeling the top off the ice cream container.
“Or you ignore her. Continue job hunting in spite of her maneuverings.” One corner of her mouth tilted up. “I’ll bet money that Miranda hates being ignored.”
“I kind of need references,” Jancey said in a dark voice.
Taylor glanced up at Cole then back to Jancey. “I think you should call my grandfather and see what he suggests. Miranda’s not the only person with connections in this town.”
“Culver Ranch and Feed,” Cole said.
They both turned and looked at him.
“Culver’s was looking for a warehouse person when Taylor first showed up. They might have an opening.” Cole decided against telling Taylor that Cal had thought she should go to work there.
Jancey’s eyes widened. “I haven’t dropped off an application there.”
“Do it,” Taylor said. “Tomorrow.”
“I will.” Jancey started to smile, but it stalled out. Taylor pushed the ice cream toward her.
“You have to have faith in yourself and your ability to overcome, because no matter how many plans you make, life seems to happen.”
* * *
TAYLOR LEFT COLE and Jancey making plans as well as backup plans and walked across the drive to the bunkhouse that now seemed more like home than it really should have. As soon as she got inside and changed into her flannels and an oversize T-shirt, she dialed her grandfather.
He was doing well. Her aunt was doing well. He didn’t know when he was coming back. Dillon was growing on him, but he did miss his old friends.
“I have a favor to ask,” Taylor said.
“Yeah?”
She gave him a rundown of everything that had happened with Jancey and Miranda. “Do you think you could have a word with your friend who runs Culver Ranch and Feed? Make sure that Miranda doesn’t screw up this deal, too?”
“I can just about guarantee you that Jancey has a job.”
“That would be good, Grandpa. She’s a decent kid and just wants to make money for school.”
“I remember her as being about four years old with the cutest blond curls all over her head.”
Taylor laughed. “She’s changed. And I’m certain she’d do a good job for Culver’s.”
“How’s your job search coming?”
Taylor let out a sigh, and shifted so that her legs draped over the arm of the easy chair. “I interviewed in Bozeman today. I’m not certain how it went. I still want to go home.”
“Home meaning Seattle.”
“I like it here,” she said simply. “Things are…working out. But no one wants to hire a city girl who they know is going to jet back off to Seattle the first chance she gets.”
“Maybe you should work on coming off as more homespun.”
Taylor laughed at her grandfather’s choice of words. “I could. I’m driving the tractor again for Cole.”
“Don’t tell your mother,” Karl said in a mock-serious tone. “Speaking of which, has Cecilia been nagging you about living the rural life?”
“I think she knows that unless she makes room for me with her and Jess, that I’m here until I get hired.”
“Not such a bad thing, is it?”
A soft tap sounded on the door. Taylor smiled to herself. “No, Grandpa. I can honestly say it’s not all bad.”
Cole let himself in as Taylor hung up. She stayed where she was, draped over the easy chair, smiling at him, feeling strangely at peace with herself and this…situation. It couldn’t last. She wasn’t going to live in a bunkhouse across the driveway from a hot rancher/farmer forever. But this was where she was, what she was doing, right now and she was good with it.
“Thanks for giving Jancey the pep talk. She’s feeling a lot better.”
“No problem. I called my grandfather.”
“I kind of thought you would.” He cocked his head but didn’t move any closer, so she pushed herself to her feet and took a couple of lazy steps toward him, half smiling, holding his gaze. “I notice that I still have a small bed.”
“Mmm.” A faint smile curved his lips. “My sister said you can sleep over if you want.”
Taylor’s eyes widened. He wasn’t kidding. “That seems…”
He reached out for her, took her by the shoulders and eased her against his hard body, wrapping his arms around her. “I like the way we do things now.” He found her lips, kissed her gently. “Even if the bed is narrow.”
“Me, too,” Taylor murmured against his perfect mouth. “I like it a lot.” She kissed him back, a long, lingering kiss, more relaxed than the way they used to kiss, but just as hot. “I don’t want to change a thing.”
A scuffling outside on the gravel brought their heads up, and then Jancey yelled, “Cole! A little help!”
Cole hurried for the door at the sound of his sister’s oddly muffled voice, Taylor close on his heels. But when they got outside—no Jancey.
“Cole!” Her voice sounded distant, muffled.
Cole jerked his head. “Grain shed.” They rounded the corner of the bunkhouse, and then Cole skidded to a stop so fast that Taylor ran into his back. Jancey’s feet extended out from beneath the foundation where she’d apparently worked her way into Chucky’s hidey-hole. She was squirming but not really moving forward or back.
“Are you stuck?” Cole demanded.
“I’m not taking the air.”
Taylor put a hand up to her mouth to stifle a laugh. Things like this never happened in her family.
“I’ve got Chucky’s collar.”
“Let go,” Cole said.
“No. He almost got—” she squirmed again “—hit by a car. He might have gotten bumped. I want to—” she coughed as if she’d just inhaled some dirt “—make sure
