The Rebel Cowboy’s Quadruplets

Mackenzie watched as Mrs. Harper fed the big men seated on the wooden barstools around the island. Her gaze wandered to Justin. “If I thought there was a way, I might give it a shot.”

“You don’t want to get rid of the family home, do you? Wouldn’t you like the girls to grow up here?”

“It’s just me and four babies,” Mackenzie said. “I have to be practical. My folks were a team, and they only had me for many years before my sister was born. My focus needs to be on my children, not running a business and a ranch.” She knew from experience that good times could be few and far between when it came to running what amounted to an amusement park.

“You’re overlooking one small detail,” Jade said. “According to Ty—”

“And that reminds me, you seem to be getting chatty with Ty.”

“Not chatty. We talked once. I let slip about the baby spit-up bothering you. Sorry about that.”

“I’m past that now,” Mackenzie said. “I don’t get queasy anymore. I think it just scared me because Hope did it so often.”

“The thing you might not be aware of is that these men are looking for a place to stay,” Jade said, glancing at the muscled hunks at the kitchen island. “Ty told them they had to pay rent. You’d essentially be a landlord. In other words, money coming in right away. They’d throw in some ranch work, some babysitting, for their meals.”

Mackenzie looked at her. “Why is Ty so involved in my business?”

“He says you need help. He needs help. They need help.” Jade went to the counter, then returned with two pieces of pumpkin spice cake in one hand and a baby in the other arm. She handed a plate to Mackenzie. “Ty says that if you sell, some developer is going to grab this place and cut it up into tiny lots for houses. I’m pretty sure he’s right. You’re sitting on five hundred acres, Mackenzie. If each house is put even on a large one-acre lot, that’s five hundred homes. A thousand homes if they built smaller.”

“Is that a bad thing? More housing for Bridesmaids Creek?” She got the image Jade was trying to draw.

“Not necessarily. You think about whether that’s what you think should happen in our small, friendly community.”

“We don’t know that would happen.” Mackenzie took a bite of the cake. As always, Mrs. Harper’s cake was scrumptious. “The land might go to a hospital, or we could use a new elementary school. Something more beneficial than the Retirement Home for Beat-Up Riders Ty seems to have in mind.” She studied the cowboys. Fit, handsome, hunky. But definitely not young enough to keep up on the circuit. And that’s what this was really all about. “Justin says he’s not going anywhere. So this is all really moot. I don’t need help with the babies, and I don’t need any more help than Justin.” If he was planning on staying.

“Are you counting on him too much?” Jade asked.

Her gaze slid to Justin. She was startled to find his eyes on her. “I don’t know,” she murmured. “Maybe.”

Jade had a good point. It was a mistake to count too much on another person. Witness her ex. She couldn’t allow herself to get overly comfortable again.

She heard a motorcycle roar outside, glanced at Ty. Was he having yet another buddy come by? She looked at the cowboys having a great time eating Mrs. Harper’s food and regaling her with rodeo stories. Maybe one couldn’t have too much of a good thing.

A knock on the paned window of the back door sounded above the laughter. Jade opened the door and Daisy Donovan sashayed in, long brown hair spilling from her helmet, short black leather skirt swinging, black cowboy boots showing off shapely legs even Mackenzie had to admire.

Daisy Donovan had always had radar for hot guys.

“Hello, fellows,” Daisy practically cooed. She basked in the sudden stares from the hunks. Ty’s buddies had ceased eating, ceased talking and maybe ceased breathing, stunned by the wild-child vision that was Daisy Donovan.

“I brought you a baby gift, Mackenzie,” she said, handing her a pink-and-silver wrapped box she pulled from the band of her skirt. The men’s gazes never left her. “Hello, Mrs. Harper. Jade.”

The guys jumped off their stools to allow Daisy to sit. She smiled and went to stand beside Justin. “I’d love a piece of your delicious cake, Mrs. Harper,” Daisy said, her eyes on Justin. She then made certain every man in the room got the full benefit of her smile. Mackenzie was astonished that they all didn’t faint from the feminine firepower launched at them.

“Thank you for the gift, Daisy,” Mackenzie said. She unwrapped it to find four engraved silver teething rings. A very nice gift, indeed—for a woman who had never really been her friend. Daisy was a natural-born competitor for the male eye, and guys adored her.

“It’s just a little something for those sweet babies of yours,” Daisy said, smiling at the men. She took a bite of her cake, Marilyn Monroe–sexy, and Mackenzie imagined she heard hearts popping in the kitchen.

“Wonder what the Diva of Destruction wants?” Jade muttered under her breath.

The answer to that was obvious. Daisy was manhunting. And by the looks of how she was staking her claim, she appeared to be hunting Justin.

Mackenzie told herself it didn’t matter if Daisy was hunting Justin or not.

She didn’t quite convince herself.

* * *

“WHAT ARE YOU up to, buddy?” Justin had managed to catch Ty in an unguarded moment in the barn, where he was showing the three new guys the layout of the Hanging H. “It’s time you share the plans that are buzzing around in that brain of yours.”

“The plans are for you and me to hit the road,” Ty said, giving him a genial thump on the back. “I told you—we’re going to hunt up recruits.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t say what we’re going to be recruiting talent for.” Justin glanced toward Sam, Squint and Frog. “Did those guys make your recruitment list?”

Ty laughed. “Them? No way. They’re just replacing you, which I think is fair, considering I brought you here. I couldn’t leave Mackenzie without help.”

Justin leaned against a post, crossed his arms. “Why are you so interested in Mackenzie’s welfare?”

“It’s not just her. It’s you, too. And Bridesmaids Creek, if you really want to know.”

“You’re trying to bring men into Bridesmaids Creek.” Justin shook his head. “They have a matchmaker here, you know. Aren’t you kind of bumping the competition?”

“Just giving the matchmaker some material to work with.”

“Why?” Justin’s curiosity was getting the best of him.

“You’d had to have grown up here to understand.” Ty shrugged. “The Haunted H was a great draw. Lots of jobs were lost when the Hawthornes had to close it down.”

“That’s what this is all about? Bringing jobs back to your hometown?”

“Not exactly.” Ty wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Oh, I get it.” Justin thought he suddenly saw into the cracks of his buddy’s mercurial brain. “You’re trying to find a man for Mackenzie.”

Ty shrugged. “It’s complicated.”

“Not that complicated.” Justin snorted. “When did you decide to play guardian angel to Mackenzie?”

“Since I was the guy with the not-too-swift idea of setting her up with her ex. My onetime good buddy, who turned out to be a weasel of epic proportions.”

Justin stared at his friend. “Have you ever considered that maybe Mackenzie doesn’t want another husband?”

Ty snorted. “Don’t be silly. She’s a woman. A woman needs a husband to feel complete.”

“I’m not sure I ever saw this chauvinistic side of you before.”

“Yes, you did. You just didn’t recognize it, because you and I were thinking alike.” Ty laughed. “Don’t worry, good buddy. I’m not including you in my plan. Just the opposite. I’m clearing you out to make room for some cowboys who don’t wear the rebel badge as enthusiastically as you do.”

If being a hard-baked bachelor earned him that honor, he supposed he’d go with the rebel badge. “And that’s why I’m being dragged on a recruiting tour? You want me out of the way so your matchmaking has a better chance of succeeding?”