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about. She didn't think they'd put Josh up to it, but she was beginning to think they were a couple of
matchmakers, which, in a convoluted way, made sense. If something got going between them, Annie
would have a half-sister on the ranch, and Ryan would have a brother, except that Josh had no
intention of settling in one place because his goal was to trail along after rodeos like a vagabond
cowboy.
Annie stood. "While you two figure it out, have some veggies and I'll stir the beans." She shoved
the platter between Genie and Josh and went over to where Ryan was basting the salmon, leaving
Genie staring across the table at Josh, which was awkward because he was waiting for her answer to
his suggestion about going riding, and she was fighting the urge to say she would, knowing it was a
bad idea. She was already far too enamored with the man for her own good.
While she was deliberating, the sound of Cody crying came from inside the house.
"I'll get him," Josh said. He left the table and went into the house.
Genie eyed the closed door for a moment then looked at Annie, and said, "Is Josh always like
that with Cody?"
"Yes," Annie replied. "He takes his role as uncle seriously."
Genie tried to picture Josh with a baby in his arms, which wasn t all that hard now. He'd looked
comfortable with Abby, maybe too comfortable, like he could be a potential step-father someday, the
someday being once he gave up dancing with bulls, which of course he wouldn't do, which brought
her back to reality. "Cody's bound to be wet after a nap. Will Josh change him?" she asked, curious.
"It's no problem if Cody's wet," Annie replied, "but if he's pooped that's where Josh and Ryan
draw the line."
Ryan looked askance at Annie standing beside him, and said, "I've done my share of pooped
diapers."
"Only when you're into forced servitude because I'm not around," Annie replied, "but when I'm
handy he's definitely passed over to me. That's okay though, honey, I'm not complaining, just
clarifying."
A few minutes later, Josh returned with Cody nestled in the crook of his arm and sat in a chair
angled not more than a foot from where Genie was sitting. Cody immediately started nuzzling Josh's
chest, to which Josh laughed, and said, "I'd whip out a boob if I could, little buddy, but you'll have to
settle for a bottle instead."
Annie turned from the grill, and said, with a chuckle, "One more month and the whipping out of
boobs will be over, though it's been a good thing. I firmly believe in breast feeding."
"Yeah, so do I," Ryan said, and gave Annie a wicked grin.
Genie found herself glancing over at Josh, but instead of smiling he was looking at her soberly,
like he was pondering something serious, something that had her wondering if he too was thinking
what she was thinking, not about husbands taking their turns with nursing mothers, but about her as a
mother to a nursing baby, maybe his baby?
Catching herself, she reeled in her absurd pipedream. They'd spent three days together in the
hospital where she'd tended his body in the most intimate way a nurse was obliged to do, while at the
same time fantasizing over the man. His family had also been there much of the time, and from their
conversations outside the room she'd learned things about Josh she never would have known he'll
do anything for anybody& he's always positive& I don't know anyone who doesn't like him& he
makes people feel better and leaves them with a smile and everything she'd learned rounded him
out as a man she knew she could love, except for the fact that he was, at that time she'd been hearing
the comments, lying in a hospital bed because of a badass profession he'd never give up&
Josh, who had Cody sitting up straight on his lap, with his little hands curled tightly around Josh's
index fingers, said to Cody, "You've got a good strong grip."
"Don't get any ideas," Annie said. "Cody will not be using that grip to hold onto a bullrope."
Josh laughed, and said to Cody, "In a few years you and Uncle Josh are going to have a man-to-
man talk about life, love, and female-dominance."
A long stretch of silence had Genie looking over at Annie and Ryan, who were both glaring at
Josh. It was obvious that Josh's comment hit a raw nerve with both of them, Ryan because it was an
affront to his decision to give up bull riding for a woman, and Annie because she was standing by her
man. When the silence became awkward, Josh looked over at them, then said to Cody, "Okay, little
buddy, I'm outnumbered. We'll have a long talk about life and love."
"You haven't exactly struck pay dirt in those areas either," Ryan said in a voice that held no
humor. An inscrutable look crossed Josh's face, which had Genie wondering what that was all about.
Whatever it was, there were definitely barbs being tossed between the brothers.
Deciding an intervention was needed, Genie said, "How about you guys call a truce for now and
I'll entertain you with a magic trick." Everyone looked Genie's way.
Fixing her gaze on Josh, she said, "You guys think you're tough because you can ride bulls and
play around with them in the rodeo arena, but how tough are you when it comes to little things like
getting a shot when you see the needle coming?"
Josh let out a short laugh. "Are you kidding? Getting a shot?" He eyed her with amusement, like
what she was trying to do was too obvious to respond to.
"Okay then, how about giving yourself a shot?" Genie said. "Have you ever stuck a needle in
your own arm?"
"No," Josh replied, "but that's nothing. I've cut myself when a snake bit me and prodded around
with a knife to get thorns out of my leg."
"Then it shouldn't bother you to watch someone else stick themself with pins," Genie said.
Josh eyed her with uncertainty. "I hope you don't plan on doing something stupid."
"It's magic," Genie said. "But why would sticking myself with pins be any different from you
sticking yourself? Is self-infliction only reserved for macho men?"
"You said you were going to show us some magic," Josh said, his voice a blend of curiosity and
irritation.
"I will," Genie replied, "if Annie will get me a packet of sewing needles and a handkerchief or a
piece of cloth."
"I'll get them," Annie said, then disappeared into the house.
While Annie was fetching the needles, Genie reflected on her last visit to the ranch and the image
of Josh bent over the pool table in the multi-purpose lodge and the shot he'd missed when she walked [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]