The Cowboy's Ready-Made Family Read Online Free PDF

said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the cow.
    â€œWas she out? I fixed the fence just a few hours ago.”
    â€œI saw her jump over the fence where the wires were slack. She was intent on the wide-open spaces.”
    â€œWhat am I going to do with her?”
    â€œYou could try tethering her.”
    She hadn’t meant the question for him but if he knew how to keep the cow home, she would like to know. “How do you do that?”
    â€œI’ll show you.” He led the cow toward the barn.
    â€œYou tell me and I can do it myself.” Susanne followed hard on his heels, intent on making it clear she didn’t need his help. She did not want him to think he could take advantage of her failures.
    â€œYou’re back,” Robbie called to Tanner.
    The four children stood in the doorway of the barn, their faces eager.
    â€œI brought your cow home.”
    â€œShe won’t stay,” Frank said.
    â€œThat’s our problem,” Susanne pointed out, not wanting Tanner to think she couldn’t manage. Never mind that there was plenty of proof she wasn’t doing well on her own.
    Ignoring her protests, Tanner handed the rope to Frank and went into the tack room, picking his way over the items on the floor.
    Susanne’s cheeks burned. She’d been meaning to clean up that mess. Another of the chores that never seemed to get done.
    Tanner returned, a halter in his hands, and went to the cow, five people watching him, four with keen interest, one with reluctance. Okay, maybe she’d let him do it this time, while she watched and learned. After that, she’d do it herself.
    â€œLet’s see if we can train her to stay home.” He slipped the halter over her head, found a length of rope on a nail by the door and hooked it to the halter.
    â€œIt’s long enough we can secure it to anything solid enough to hold her. Which might have to be a tree with a girth of at least six feet.”
    The children giggled at his explanation as they followed him from the barn. The cow balked, but he leaned into the rope and persuaded her to walk along.
    Could this control the stubborn animal? It must. She had no other choice.
    â€œThat tree will do.” He led them to the spot where the grass was green and the tree stout, and tied the rope about the tree. “Now she needs water.”
    â€œI’ll get it.” Frank ran back to the barn and dragged out a small trough. He put it beside the tree and then hurried to fill it with water.
    Tanner stood by and let the boy do it. Robbie insisted on helping and, even though he could only carry half a bucket of water, Frank let him.
    Susanne secretly smiled her approval at how the children worked together. Helping each other was the only way the five of them would manage to run this farm.
    â€œThat ought to do,” Tanner said with some satisfaction.
    â€œThank you,” she said to him. He might have saved her several hours a day by showing her a simple remedy. “I’m sure I can do it in the future.” Hopefully her voice didn’t sound as uncertain as she felt.
    The cow jerked at the end of her rope and mooed a protest.
    Little Janie pressed her fingers to her mouth. “Daisy doesn’t want to be tied up.” Tears pooled in her eyes.
    Tanner squatted in front of the little one and wiped the tears from her face. “She’ll get used to it. In a little while she’ll even learn to like it. Just like we all learn to adjust and even like changes.”
    Susanne could well argue otherwise but before she organized what she would say, Janie’s eyes cleared and she smiled. The little girl reached out and touched his cheek.
    â€œI like you.”
    Tanner straightened quickly and gave Susanne a dark look.
    She pulled Janie to her side. He’s only here for a short while , she wanted to warn her niece. Don’t get fond of him.
    Frank spoke, his voice breaking the tension. “My pa