The Cowboy's Claim Read Online Free PDF

with the understanding that things between them would go slow. He’d respected her wishes, and their romance, such as it was, had progressed at a snail’s pace.
    With Garrett soundly sleeping in his crib and coffee made, they sat across from each other at the tiny table under the single hanging light in the room and talked about the hot weather, the plans the town had for a summer festival in the next couple of weeks and their own plans to enjoy that day together.
    “The bank is sponsoring a stand offering free soda and bottled water, and I’m assigned to work it from nine to eleven that day. But after eleven I’ll be all yours,” Grant said in the soft voice he always used so as not to awaken the sleeping child.
    “Sounds like it’s going to be a wonderful day, although it doesn’t seem right to be looking forward to a festival with two unsolved murders in the town.” As she thought of Shirley’s murder, she fought off a shiver that threatened to waltz up her spine.
    “We just have to stay focused on the positive,” Grant replied. “Sheriff Evans is a good man and he’ll figure out these crimes eventually.”
    “I hope so,” she said fervently.
    Even though she was hoping that it was mere coincidence that both Candy and Shirley had worked at the café, there was no question the fact that two of her coworkers had been murdered unnerved her more than just a little bit.
    Grant glanced at his watch. “I’d better get out of here. I have to go into the bank early tomorrow.” He got up from the table and carried his empty cup to the sink.
    “Thank you, as always, for a lovely evening,” Courtney said as she walked him to the door.
    He kissed her on the forehead, the scent of his expensive cologne a bit overpowering. “I’ll call you tomorrow?”
    “I’d like that,” she agreed. “The only thing I have planned is maybe taking Garrett to the city park, but I’ll probably wait until early evening when it cools down a bit.”
    He frowned. “Take a friend with you. I don’t like the idea of you out and around all alone, especially if you plan on being out after dark.”
    She smiled, touched by his concern. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back here long before dark.”
    They murmured their goodbyes, and then he left and Courtney carefully locked the door behind him. She’d just carried her cup to the sink when a knock fell on her door.
    As she hurried to answer she assumed it was Grant who had either left something behind or had forgotten to tell her something.
    She unlocked the door and pulled it open to see Nick leaning casually against the doorjamb. “What on earth are you doing here?” she asked in surprise, praying that Garrett stayed asleep and quiet in his crib.
    “Is that who you’re dating now? Grant Hubert?” he asked, as if he had a right to know anything about her or who she might be seeing.
    “That’s really none of your business.” She stepped outside and pulled the door halfway closed behind her so that he couldn’t see into the room.
    “Your parents must be so proud of you. Grant has a good position with the bank, a real air of respectability about him. Is that why you moved here? To be closer to him?” Although his features betrayed nothing, his voice held just the faintest edge of resentment.
    “Exactly what part of ‘it’s none of your business’ don’t you understand? And I’ll repeat it again, what are you doing here?”
    “Can I come in for a minute?”
    “Absolutely not,” she replied and tightened her grip on the doorknob of the half-closed door. The last thing in the world she wanted was for this man to know about his son.
    Garrett didn’t need him in his life. Garrett didn’t need a man who had left her without a backward glance, a man who would probably blow back out of town again before too long.
    “I heard about the murder of the waitress this morning, and about the other murder before that,” he said. In the shadows of the night the cleft in his chin looked