Twin Secrets

He shrugged. “You’re the yin to my yang. Sounds like we’re going to get along perfectly in the stables.”

“Stables?” she repeated, with a quirk of a brow.

“I’m short a stable hand and you need a job. You can start tomorrow and I’ll use your wages toward the payments.”

Annabelle pulled in a breath and shook her head. “I can’t work long hours. I have another commitment and I need a job that offers some flexibility.”

He leaned forward, pleased when her eyes flared. “The way I see it, you don’t really have a choice. So, if this other obligation is going to get in the way, I suggest you give it up now.”

For a split second Colt was convinced she was going to cry. He didn’t like being played and he figured she’d try to get his sympathy by weeping. But when she blinked and glanced away, Colt realized she was simply trying to control herself.

Yeah, Annabelle was quite a strong woman to come here and face her father’s problem. Colt despised the man for putting his child in such a position. Everyone had their breaking point and Colt figured she’d dealt with her father’s addiction for far too long.

The strength she projected was quite the turn-on. Too bad all this business got in the way of him getting her into his bedroom. Soon, he vowed.

“Whatever this other commitment is, you’re going to have to let it go.”

She shoved her hair behind her shoulders and turned her attention back to him. “I can’t. I will work here, but you have to understand there are times I will have to adjust my schedule. I can give you a few hours at a time.”

Colt considered her ultimatum. He wasn’t one to give in to demands, but he had to admit, he liked what he saw with his new neighbor. Someone with that much grit would be a fun way to break up his days. Besides, remaining somewhat on her good side would only aid in his seduction plan.

“Fine. I’ll pick you up at seven tomorrow morning,” he informed her.

Annabelle laughed. “I can drive myself.”

“If you hit another section of my fence, I’ll have to take the repairs out of your check and you’re indebted to me already. The transportation is nonnegotiable.”

When she let out an extremely unladylike growl, Colt forced himself not to crack a smile. Not even a little one. He may hang out with cowboys all day and make business deals all other waking hours, but he knew how to treat a woman. His father had instilled manners in him—somewhat—and Colt wasn’t about to laugh in her face. But he couldn’t resist the fence jab or the scheme to get a few minutes of alone time with her each day.

“Fine,” she gritted out between her teeth. “I’ll be ready.”

When she turned to leave, he couldn’t help but take in the fine sway of her skirt and imagine what lay beneath.

“Oh, one more thing.” He waited until she stopped, throwing a glance over her shoulder. “Be sure to wear old clothes. We tend to get dirty.”

Her eyes flared before narrowing. “Did I mention that I hate you right now?”

“It will pass,” he informed her with a smile. “See you first thing in the morning.”

Three (#u772d19fa-6018-5aaa-bbbb-500eeadf27da)

“You don’t have to do this, honey.”

Annabelle pulled in a deep breath and attempted to count backward from ten. She moved off the last step and met her father’s worried gaze.

Neil Carter stood next to the front door, his hair messed from more than just sleeping. She hadn’t expected her father to be waiting on her so early, but that’s the type of man he was. Neil may be a professional gambler, losing pretty much all he’d worked for and all he’d provided, but he loved his family. He’d been the rock when her mother passed while Annabelle and her sister had been in grade school—well, until it all became too much and he turned to gambling. But he hurt, too, and Annabelle knew he was devastated after Trish’s death only weeks ago. They both were. But for now, she could only deal with one crisis at a time.

The mourning would have to come later, at least for her...because she had to get over the betrayal first and she truly didn’t even know if that was possible.

“I do have to do this, dad.” Now was not the time to get into her arrangement with Colt, not when her ride was due any minute. “You left me no choice since we have no other way to pay.”

Her father had lost his job at the factory one county over when he couldn’t make it to work on time. He’d been embarrassed to tell her, but now that she was back, there was no way to hide anything. She needed to be aware of every ugly truth so she could make things right.

Her father raked a hand down his face and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m sorry, baby girl.”

Wasn’t he always sorry after the fact? This time, though, she had to put her life on hold and dig them both out of this hell. She didn’t know what he would’ve done had she not come home.

“I can’t do this right now, Dad. Between you and Colt, I’m pretty stuck. But we’ll get through this.”

“I’ll talk to him,” her father vowed, his gaze seeking her once more. “I can make this work, Belle. I can stop gambling. I’ll get another job and help out. I know you and—”

“No.” She held up a hand, not ready for him to take this conversation in another direction or make promises he couldn’t keep. “We’re going to be fine. I’ll still do everything I’d planned to, it’s just going to be on a different timeline.”

As in, years away. The family life, the bed-and-breakfast...those plans would have to wait.

The doorbell rang and Annabelle jerked her attention to the old oak door. Her father turned, but Annabelle stepped forward to cut him off.

“I’ll get it.” Closing the space between them, she put her hand on her dad’s shoulder. “Maybe you shouldn’t be in here right now.”

“But—”

“No. You and I will talk, but not now and you’re not talking to Colt. You’ve done enough.”

Her father cringed, but she refused to feel guilty. This was a mess—a mess he’d gotten them into. Perhaps he needed a dose of reality.

Finally, her father nodded and headed toward the steps. Annabelle waited until he was gone before she pulled in a breath and opened the front door.

Colt stood on her porch with his black hat in hand, as if he were there to ask her on a date. Damn that man. As if his Southern charm and manners would make her not loathe him on sight.

But he was a sight to behold. A black T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and those well-worn jeans fit in all the right places. She’d never seen a finer cowboy. If she were to pass Colt on the street, she’d never guess him to be a billionaire rancher who swooped in and stole properties while trying to charm the panties off unsuspecting women. There was no way he didn’t have his own agenda with her family’s land, and regarding this little matter of him giving her a ride. If that wasn’t the worst use of a euphemism, she didn’t know what was.

Colt raked his eyes over her and she forced herself not to fidget. Someone like Colt probably had eye candy for every night of the week, one on each arm. No doubt leggy blondes with big hair and big boobs, hanging on his every word. They probably wore booty shorts and cowgirl boots, too.

“I see you dressed for the day.”

She’d found her oldest jeans and a simple tank. Any girl from Texas had a great pair of worn boots, so she’d thrown those on and pulled her hair into a ponytail. No makeup, no fuss. She was there to save her home, not get marks for her grooming.

Behind her, Annabelle heard the familiar sounds she’d grown to love over the past few months. Before she could turn or say a word, Colt’s gaze widened and she knew exactly what he saw.

Not that she wanted him to have any part of her personal life, but she was pleased to render him speechless for a bit. Maybe Colt Elliott could be shaken and knocked down a peg.

“And who are these pretty girls?” he asked, still keeping his eyes over her shoulder.

Annabelle smiled. “Emily and Lucy. My twins.”

* * *

Colt was rarely at a loss for words, but seeing Neil hold two mini versions of Annabelle was quite shocking. She hadn’t mentioned having a baby—or babies. Now he understood why she needed a flexible work schedule...and he felt like a complete jerk.