The Cowboy's Surprise Baby. Deb Kastner

tending to what he would consider a bunch of squawking adolescents, most of whom knew zero about horses and frankly had a negative mindset about life in general and horsemanship in particular. The city kids didn’t know anything about horses and really didn’t want to know, and it would be Cole’s assignment to ignore their attitudes and walk them around at a sluggish plod, their horses head to tail with the next.

      Tessa couldn’t see how that would work out well for anybody. Cole was a man who craved excitement. He’d bucked bareback through high school rodeo and seen the world on board a naval cruiser. Even when he’d taken an afternoon job wrangling cattle in his youth, he’d had more than his fair share of moments when he would get to ride like the wind. The slow pace of trail rides would be like a death sentence to the active cowboy, and as for working with the teenagers, Tessa couldn’t imagine that to be high on his bucket list.

      It was as if Alexis was trying to sandwich the unfamiliar and no doubt unwanted duty between those with which Cole was comfortable. Not that he’d be comfortable interacting with the teenagers in any regard, but she suspected teaching ranch life and how to care for the animals would be superior to leading trail rides, at least in Cole’s mind.

      “We need you to ride along with us to make sure all the kids are following their safety rules.”

      It took Cole a moment to respond. “Like a dude ranch, you mean?”

      Tessa wasn’t overly surprised that he didn’t sound too enthused about the prospect.

      “You want me to load the kids up on horses, lead them out on the trail and show them some of the property. Make them feel like real cowboys.” He shrugged. “All right. I guess I can do that,” he said with a conceding wave of his arm.

      “Well...” Griff hedged.

      Cole arched his left eyebrow. “There’s more?”

      “Yeah, there’s more. We don’t run Redemption Ranch exactly like a dude ranch,” Griff said. “We’re hoping you’ll take up all the challenges inherent in your position. You’ll be interacting with the teenagers on trail rides—” He paused and cleared his throat. “And then some. Our hope is that you’ll find both challenge and pleasure showing the youth what ranch life is all about, helping them connect with God and the country.”

      Cole’s gaze widened noticeably, but Griff continued, either unaware of the shift of tension in the room or choosing to ignore Cole’s obvious discomfort.

      “We’re putting you in charge of overseeing their ranch discovery outings. You’ll be responsible for leading them in their interactions with the animals, teaching them the care and feeding of the stock, how to tack up a horse and other aspects of country living. It’s an interesting position that I think you’ll enjoy once you get used to the idea. I can guarantee it will be the most rewarding work you’ve ever done.”

      Cole shook his head. Tessa couldn’t imagine how he felt right now. He was no doubt still overwhelmed in his new role as a single father, and now Alexis and Griff were throwing delinquent teenagers at him.

      “Think of it as an art,” Alexis encouraged him. “Very few of these kids have been within arm’s length of a horse. You’ll be starting from scratch and can make true horsemen and women out of them.”

      Cole’s brow furrowed, and he shoved his fingers through his hair, rubbing at the knots at the back of his skull. Tessa linked her fingers in her lap, trying not to remember the times she’d rubbed the knots from his neck when he was facing a tough test or a new challenge. He’d always been muscular, but years in the navy had defined the muscles in his shoulders and arms. Just for a moment, before reality reclaimed her, she ached to ease his tension, even after all these years and all that had transpired between them. She shook her head, nipping her misplaced wistfulness in the bud.