cowboy in the eye and hoped he would get the message as quickly as the patrolman had. “He’s so awesome that he can make himself invisible if he wants to.” She lowered Josh to the floor and took off his hat. “As a matter of fact, Josh, I happen to know he can sleep anywhere, because he told me so. He could even sleep under your bed if he wanted to, and be perfectly comfy.”
Josh’s forehead crinkled in thought. “You’re sure?”
“It’s one of his special tricks.” She glanced over at the cowboy to see if he was buying the story.
He was. His smile was gentle as he inclined his head just the faintest bit in her direction, letting her know he had Bob all figured out.
That soft, understanding smile made her insides quiver a little, reminding her of pleasures she hadn’t enjoyed in quite a while. And it would be a while longer, considering how her life was going these days.
“Then it’s settled,” the cowboy said. “You, the boy and…Bob can have unit six.”
“But what about you?” She desperately wanted the room, but she felt guilty taking him up on his offer.
“No problem.”
She gazed into his ruggedly handsome face. If they were in a movie, she’d suggest sharing the room, platonically, of course. Her tummy quivered again. But this was no movie. She turned to the clerk. “Is there anything else? Maybe a large closet, or—”
“I’ll be fine,” the cowboy said. “Don’t worry about a thing. The café’s open twenty-four hours. I’ll just stretch out in a booth and make myself at home.”
“But—”
“Hey. I’m used to such things. If the weather wasn’t so nasty, I wouldn’t have even bothered with a motel. I’d have slept in my truck, which I’ve done a million times. So it’s no big deal for me.” His gaze rested on Josh. “I want to make sure that little cowpoke gets his rest.”
Shelby’s heart swelled with gratitude. Right when she needed a knight in shining armor, one had appeared. “I can’t thank you enough,” she said, her voice husky from the lump in her throat. And those damn pesky tears kept trying to well up in her eyes. She blinked them back. “You’re a very nice man.”
“Don’t mention it.” With a touch of his fingers to the brim of his hat, he walked past her out into the snow, leaving behind the scent of leather and denim.
“What a gentleman,” she said, thinking how well it fit the tall cowboy. He was truly a gentle man.
“He is, at that,” the clerk said. He was gazing after the cowboy with an expression of great respect. “Those booths are made of molded plastic. I’d hate to spend the night in one.”
“I’ll have to find a way to repay him,” Shelby said as she fished in her purse for her wallet and took out her credit card. Belatedly she thought to glance at the registration form the cowboy had left on the counter. She caught the name Boone Connor printed boldly across the top line before the desk clerk whisked the form away and crumpled it up.
Boone. She smiled. What a perfect name for him. He’d definitely been a boon to her, that was for sure.
Josh tugged on the leg of her jeans. “Can Bob and me read those? They gots horsies.”
Shelby glanced to where Josh pointed and saw some western magazines on a table. She looked up at the clerk. “Is it okay? He knows not to tear pages out or anything.”
“Sure, it’s okay.” The desk clerk smiled down at Josh. “Go ahead and read the magazines, son.”
Shelby watched Josh go over to the table, carefully choose a magazine, and climb up in a ratty overstuffed chair before he started slowly turning the pages and muttering to himself, pretending he was reading. Every once in a while he glanced beside him and pointed out something in the magazine. Obviously he was sharing the experience with Bob.
“He’s a fine boy,” the clerk said. “You must be a proud momma.”
“Oh, I—” Shelby caught herself before she told the clerk she was not Josh’s mother. It was an automatic response, one she’d become used to giving because she’d taken care of Josh so much.
She’d once calculated that she’d spent more time with him than Patricia had. That had turned out to be a blessing, all things considered. If Josh had been closer to his mother and his grandparents, he would have been more grief-stricken when they had disappeared from his life. As it was, he seemed sad and definitely a little confused, but not overwhelmed.
Shelby was obviously the most important person in his world, but now was not the time to advertise the fact that Josh was her nephew, not her son. And besides, some day she hoped to be his mother, legally. If only Patricia had left a will, that wouldn’t be so damned complicated, either.
She brushed the thoughts away and smiled at the clerk. “I am very proud of Josh,” she said.
2
ALL SIX BOOTHS in the small café were full, but Boone had expected that. Later on, as people returned to their rooms, the place would empty out. Then he’d stake out a booth for the night.
He’d forgotten the bench seats were the hard plastic kind. Oh, well. He would have done the same thing, even if he’d remembered. He would have done the same thing if the seats had been made of barbed wire. A woman with a little kid needed a motel room more than he did. A pretty woman. He pushed the thought aside. He wasn’t in the market for a pretty woman.
Taking a stool at the counter, he ordered a cup of coffee from the café’s only waitress. Her name was Lucy according to the tag she wore, and she was definitely pregnant. She also looked worn-out, probably from handling a bigger crowd than usual.
“You live around here, Lucy?” he asked her as she poured him some coffee.
“Not too far away.” She moved with precision that came from experience. “Why?”
Boone glanced out the window before looking back at her. “The way it’s coming down out there, seems like you ought to head home while you still can.”
She gave him a weary smile. “That’s right nice of you to think of that. As a matter of fact, I am leaving in about another hour, after we get these folks fed. The couple who owns this place said they could handle everything. No need for Mr. Sloan to hang around the motel office now that the rooms are all rented, so he’s gonna come over here and help Mrs. Sloan so I can leave.”
Boone nodded. “Good. You got four-wheel drive?”
“Yeah. My hubby’s coming to pick me up in the Jeep.” She looked down shyly at her belly. “He’s sort of protective these days.”
“He should be,” Boone said.
Her cheeks turned a happy shade of pink. “I’m hoping for a boy, but Gary doesn’t care what we have, so long as the baby’s healthy. I—” She paused and broke eye contact as someone in a booth called her name. “Excuse me. Table two needs some looking after.” She bustled out from behind the counter and hurried over to the booth in question.
Boone
