Grumpy Cowboy (Single Dad Collection)

“Joey,” Rhett says, his voice a whisper of authority mixed with a bellow of amusement. “What did I tell you about knockin’ on our door before you come in?”

Joey smiles, contesting cutely, “I knocked.”

I have to bite my lip to keep from snorting as Rhett’s eyes narrow. “Knock and wait, doll. One loud bang before you shoot through the door does not count as a knock.”

“Oh. You really should’a been more spe-fis-ic then when you told me the first time.”

“Josephine Jameson,” Rhett chastises, and I smile.

“It’s specific, baby,” I correct gently, making her head whip to me as her cheeks lift up toward the ceiling.

“Spe-cif-ic,” she says, sounding out each syllable until I nod. I’m not naïve. I know she’s using my lesson as a very specific tool for avoiding her daddy’s ire, but I don’t mind. In fact, I pretty much love it.

Not that that’s a surprise—I love everything about being a parent to Josephine.

Rhett rolls his eyes and climbs out of the bed with a shake of his head. He’s used to the two of us girls ganging up on him by now, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t scowl about it every now and then, reminding me that he’s still the handsomest grumpy cowboy I’ve ever met.

Ernie comes trotting in the door, barking his request to be put on the bed since he can’t climb up on his own, and Rhett obliges, tossing him right on top of Joey and me before disappearing into the bathroom.

Ernie fake snarls and barks and licks all over Joey’s face until she dissolves into a fit of giggles. I pull them both into a hug and try not to react when my stomach roils at the movement.

What in the world is going on with me lately? I just can’t seem to find my equilibrium anymore. I wonder if I have vertigo?

“I’m so excited to go to Target today,” Joey tells me, rocking Ernie back and forth in her arms like a baby. “I love shopping for school clothes.”

“I’m excited too, Jo-Jo.”

Joey and I always have the best time on our shopping outings together, and we do them with a tiny bit more frequency than Rhett would like. Still, he never suggests we don’t go.

“I’m not,” Rhett comments from the bathroom—from the sounds of it, while brushing his teeth. I roll my eyes and laugh as he continues, “Who knows what you’ll come home with this time.”

“We only brought home a dog one time,” I contest. “And Ernie here thinks it was one of the best things we’ve ever done.”

Rhett chuckles as he exits the bathroom and flips off the light before leaning into the bed to give both me and Joey a kiss. They’re both sweet, but mine lingers longer and promises all sorts of sexy things he intends to do to me tonight. I can’t wait.

“Promise me,” Rhett whispers against my lips. “You won’t bring home any more living creatures than you leave home with this morning.”

“I promise,” I say sweetly before pecking him on the lips one more time.

“You’ll call me if you aren’t feelin’ okay?” he asks then, making my heart flip over in my chest. Rhett Jameson, if you can believe it, is the most caring man I’ve ever met, despite how grouchy he was when everything started.

“Yes. But don’t worry. I mean, I’m a doctor, for heaven’s sake. What’s the worst that could happen?”

He shakes his head at me slightly, before leaning down and kissing me one more time, ruffling Ernie’s head and chucking Joey under the chin, and then heading out to take care of business.

One thing is for sure—my man knows how to run a ranch, but it’s the least of all of his talents.

Because, hands down, Rhett Jameson is the best husband and father in the world.

Rhett

The screen door slams behind me as I set my lunch cooler down by the door and kick off my boots. One of the rules of living with a grown woman is that you take off your boots when you come in the door.

One of the rules of living with a grown woman named Leah, is knowing that she won’t kick up a fuss if you don’t—it’ll just cost her time and energy in cleaning.

And because I care about her and her time, I do my best to make her life easier rather than harder.

It’s normally bustling in here by the time I get home at the end of the day, so the glaring quiet of the house right now seems eerie. They’re home, I know, because Joey called me on the radio to let me know that dinner was at seven and I wasn’t to miss it.

She’s a bossy thing, but man, I love that about her. Last thing I want my kid to do is eat shit from other people. Sometimes, I’ll be around to make sure she doesn’t. But others? She’s gonna have to have the skills to ward it off herself.