A Family For The Rancher. Allison Collins B.

now it would always remind him of limitations.

      And desperate need.

       Chapter Five

      Kelsey couldn’t settle down, even hours later, after catching Nash in the pond.

      Naked.

      Scars notwithstanding, his body was perfection. Muscles that in no way came from a gym curved under tight, tanned skin. Even with the scars, he was perfect.

      And not someone she should be thinking of in this way. He was her patient.

      She’d had her happiness before, even with the heartache. Didn’t want to be with another man. Couldn’t take that chance. Not with her heart, or her daughter’s.

      Her mother rushed into the living room. “Are you ready? Is Maddy ready? I don’t want to keep Angus waiting.”

      “Mom, calm down. We’re all ready to go.” They’d been invited to dinner with the family at Angus’s house that night. She wondered how much of that invite was finagling on her mother’s part, and how much came from Angus being smitten with Bunny.

      She grabbed her mother’s hand, hoping to instill some reality. “Mom, you know we won’t be here all that long.”

      “I know, pumpkin. But can’t we make friends while we’re here?”

      Suppressing an eye roll, Kelsey packed up Maddy and her bag of toys, and they all piled in her car. She turned the key, heard nothing but grinding. Please, not now. Behave till I can save up some money!

      She switched the ignition key off, waited a beat, tried again. This time it groaned to life, protesting the whole way.

      Reaching the main lodge a short time later, they were invited inside by a beaming Angus. She scanned the big rustic living room, really hoping Nash wasn’t in attendance. She had the feeling from something Hunter had said at the barbecue that Nash didn’t do many family things since he’d been discharged from the Army.

      “Glad y’all could make it tonight,” Angus said.

      “It was nice of you to invite us.”

      He pulled her aside, away from the laughter of his sons. “How’s my son doing with therapy?”

      “We’re working hard every day. He’s really coming along.” At least she hoped so, at this point.