A Baby on the Ranch. Stella Bagwell

County tax assessor crazy about her was not what she really wanted. Richard Marek was a very nice guy and he’d been a wonderful boss to her, but she’d not once given him any indication that she was interested in him personally. Still, she knew that Althea was right. He did like Katherine, a lot. In fact, he’d asked her out on more than one occasion. A woman who was clearly pregnant with another man’s child! She’d declined each time of course, but his interest in her had clearly forced her to be much more guarded around her boss.

      “I’m not going to exploit the feelings he has for me, Althea. It wouldn’t be right. Especially when I have no interest in him.”

      Althea rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Katherine, you are so prim that sometimes I wonder how you ever got pregnant! And why aren’t you interested in Richard? He’s good-looking and nice. He has social prestige, not to mention the fact that he could give you financial security.”

      Frowning, Katherine looked up at her friend. “You make him sound like the perfect man.”

      “Well, he’s certainly at the top of the list of eligible bachelors around here. And you could have him if you wanted him. Your baby would have a daddy. A real daddy.”

      Maybe she was crazy, Katherine thought, for not liking Richard more, for not giving him the opportunity to have a lasting relationship with her. But he wasn’t the sort of man she wanted to live the rest of her life with.

      “I don’t want a perfect man, Althea. I don’t want money or social prestige or an impressive house. I just want a man to love me. Really love me.” A man like Lonnie Corteen, she thought. A big, tough man that made her feel like a woman by just looking at her, a man who would fight to the death to protect her and never ever desert her or their child.

      Althea laughed mockingly. “And you think Richard doesn’t? You won’t know until you give him the chance.”

      Glancing at her wristwatch, Katherine rose to her feet. “I gave Walt a chance and he let me down—big-time. I’m not ready to give anybody a chance again. I’m not sure I ever will be,” she muttered bitterly.

      Clicking her tongue with disapproval, Althea rose from her chair, also. “I’m sorry, honey. We shouldn’t have gotten off on that subject. You’ve got enough on your mind already.”

      Yeah, like who were her real parents? Amelia Tucker and Noah Rider? If that was true, then why had they deserted her? And why did the thought of seeing Lonnie Corteen again make her break out in a nervous sweat?