Page 54 of Kayla's Cowboy
“My foreman managed everything. He could operate without me being around most of the time, but I’m a hands-on rancher. Probably drives him crazy.”
Kayla wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, I almost miss the days when I was needed more intensively at Smooth Billings. But it leaves me freer to do things such as...uh...take unexpected vacations.”
He stopped a short distance from the others and looked at her. “How much longer are you staying?”
“At least another two weeks.”
“Then, the kids’ friends from Seattle are coming?”
“Yes, I’ve talked to their parents and they’re making travel arrangements.”
Originally Jackson had been dismayed that Alex wanted his best friend to come for a visit—after all, it would be one more person to grab the boy’s attention. Then he’d realized it could result in a longer stay in Montana, so he’d subtly promoted the idea.
Laughter erupted from the picnic area, and Jackson tried to discern the cause. Morgan was sitting with DeeDee while they studied an iPad. Hank Garrison was talking with Jackson’s father; the two had always gotten along well. Elizabeth was doing something with food, and his mother was standing with Alex.
“Now that we’re all here, it’s time to start cooking burgers,” Parker McGregor called. “Son, do you want to jump in here?”
Jackson accepted the long-handled utensils and took over at the barbecue grill, where Elizabeth handed him a container.
“I found soy patties at the market this morning,” she explained. “Don’t know what they’ll be like, but at least Alex will have something on his bun. Kayla suggested portobello mushrooms, but the grocer doesn’t carry them.”
“I knew that someday one or more of my kids or grandkids would travel the vegetarian route,” Parker said with a wink at Alex. “I’ll even give you a fair chance to win over this old cattleman.”
Alex grinned. Jackson knew if he’d said the same thing, the teen would have just stared, or rolled his eyes and walked away. Discouraged, he grilled the burgers and heaped them on a platter. The soy patties went on another plate, which Alex examined silently.
“You’re welcome to cheat,” Sarah McGregor told him. “You know what they say—what happens in Schuyler stays in Schuyler.”
Sarah’s comment didn’t seem to affect Alex. He looked briefly at Jackson before taking the vegetarian option. “No, thanks, these are fine.”
He sat next to Morgan at the end of the table. Jackson stepped forward, intent on sitting opposite, when he saw a warning shake of Kayla’s head. Silently he got his food and sat at an adjacent table. A moment later, she slid onto the bench across from him. Elizabeth and Hank joined them and Jackson appreciated the support.
“Everything is delicious, as usual, Elizabeth,” he said. “You’re a wonderful cook. I’ve never eaten so well on a camping trip.”
“The RV kitchen helped.”
“I’ve always been a fan of roughing it, but you may have changed my mind about that.”
“I need pickles,” Kayla interjected. “Anyone want anything while I’m up?”
She slid gracefully from the bench and Jackson determinedly concentrated on his plate, glad the lower half of his anatomy was hidden by the table. His attraction to Kayla was becoming a real distraction to focusing on Alex. He had to get it under control, whether it took a date with another woman or an ice-cold shower.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MORGAN COULDN’T BELIEVE she was still getting up early to run, even though Kayla wasn’t at the ranch to go with her. Not that she was getting up that early. By seven thirty Kayla had probably already finished and was back at the house. She was bringing Alex and DeeDee to the Crazy Horse later, though.
Alex hadn’t wanted to come, but at the picnic yesterday he’d finally agreed, as long as DeeDee and his mom were there, too. That was fine with Morgan; she liked the Andersons.
With Cory at her side Morgan set off, trying to run slow at first, the way Kayla said worked best for her, before building up to a faster speed.
Her brain kept buzzing.
Alex resented doing anything with his birth dad, and she sort of got why he felt that way. After all, it was lousy to discover a huge thing about yourself wasn’t actually true. And the way his creepsville stepbrother had jeered must have made finding out even worse.
At the same time, Alex thought it was odd she didn’t get along so great with her dad. Well, she hadn’t told him everything. Maybe she should, but the whole thing was stinky.
After she sped up, thoughts clouding her brain seemed to go away for a while, so she made herself go an extra mile before slowing to cool down.