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 out 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.
