Abigail gave a muted squeal, every muscle in her body contracting in delight. “And
“I didn’t know how you’d feel.”
Abigail drew back. “I feel great. How could you not know we’d be thrilled?”
Lisa gave a self-conscious laugh. “Because I didn’t know you. That first day, I was just going to check you out. And you all assumed I was a campaign volunteer, and it seemed easier to go along with that. And then I found out about your dad, and that your mom was away. And then Seth hired me, and I loved the job, and I started to get scared that if he knew…”
“You thought Seth might fire you for being our cousin?”
“I thought he might fire me for secretly spying on him.”
Seth’s dry voice interrupted. “He might fire you for lying to him.”
Lisa jerked back, her attention shifting to where Seth had silently appeared on the deck. “I never lied.”
“You never told the truth.”
“I was working up to it.”
Seth crossed his arms over his chest. “And you pumped me for information.”
“I did,” Lisa admitted. “Your mother wasn’t around, and you were the only one old enough to remember Nicole.”
“I was six when she ran away.”
Abigail glanced from one to the other. “I don’t understand. When she died, why didn’t they bring you to us?”
“About a week before the car accident, she left me with the Sisters of Charity-anonymously.”
“You were abandoned? Raised by nuns?” Abigail couldn’t help asking, her brain scrambling about a hundred miles an hour as she cataloged the revelations.
Lisa shook her head. “I was adopted by a wonderful family. It was only two years ago when I started looking for you. Records were sketchy, so it took a while-”
“And you’re positive it’s us?” Seth challenged.
Abigail socked her brother in the arm. “This is
“I’m not after your money,” Lisa protested.
“But you were after a job.”
“Go away, Seth,” Abigail ordered tartly, grasping Lisa’s hand. “If you can’t play nice with our new cousin, you can go do something else.”
“I’m not going away.”
“I’m sorry,” Lisa offered to Seth. “I was scared.”
Seth’s expression seemed to soften. But there was a moment of meaningful silence before he spoke. “I do get it.” Then he sighed and his arms dropped back to his sides, while the corners of his mouth turned up. “I knew there was something I liked about you.”
A tremulous smile grew on Lisa’s face, and she blinked rapidly. “Yeah?”
“It must be the stellar genes.”
“It must be.”
Seth’s hand went to his chin. “I’m not sure how I feel about Travis and me being outnumbered four to two.”
Abigail laughed in relief. “I can’t wait to tell my sisters Mandy and Katrina.”
Just then, the puppy scampered out the open door, skidding on the deck as it clumsily rounded the corner.
“So, you’re heading back to the ranch tomorrow?” Seth asked Abigail.
“Yes.” Abigail’s own complex life came back to her in a rush. She hoped it was true. She hoped she could map something out for Zach in one night, catch a nap at Rose Cottages then head home. If not, well, she’d have to make up a new excuse for tomorrow night.
“Good,” said Seth, reaching down to scoop the gawky puppy up in one hand. “Take this guy with you, will you?” He rubbed his chin on the top of the puppy’s head. “He’s the last of the litter, and they were going to put him down. He has a gimpy leg, blind in one eye, and he’s got one ear up and one ear down. Nobody wanted him.”
“Uh…” Abigail didn’t know how to refuse. What the heck was she going to do with the puppy between now and when she went back to the ranch?
But Seth dropped the puppy into her arms. “Butch and Zulu will make a man out of him.”
“He is a bit skittish,” Lisa put in as she reached out to pet the pup.
Abigail tried to protest. “I’m not sure I can-”
“We named him Ozzy,” said Seth.
“Now, that’s just mean.” Abigail felt a sudden rush of protectiveness for the pathetic puppy.
“No, I like it,” Lisa interjected. “It’s not like we could name him Spike or Killer.”
“I guess not,” Abigail slowly agreed. She had to admit, Ozzy would probably be happy at the ranch. As long as he learned to stay away from the horses and the cattle, it was pretty much doggie heaven. And Butch and Zulu were good with smaller animals. They didn’t even bother the cats.
But she wasn’t going back there for at least twenty-four hours. “Can I pick him up tomorrow?”
Lisa gave her a curious look, and she could see the wheels turning inside her newly discovered cousin’s head. The last thing Abigail wanted to do was reprise their conversation about her plans.
“Never mind,” Abigail quickly said. “He can sleep in my cottage tonight.”
She hoped Zach liked dogs. And she hoped Ozzy liked road trips. They had a ways to drive before she could settle him in his new home.
Five
The pathetic little puppy scampered across the hardwood floor of Zach’s compact suite on the third floor of the castle. He sideswiped the sofa, canted out of control and bumped his head against the ottoman, giving a little yelp.
Abigail glanced up from where she was typing on Zach’s laptop. He’d set her up at the small dining table in one corner of the living area and logged her onto the company network.
“He’s blind in one eye,” she explained.
“He’s also a little lopsided,” Zach noted, observing Ozzy’s odd gait. One front leg was shorter than all the others. The puppy sniffed his way along the fireplace hearth.
“That’s why nobody wanted him.” Abigail paused in her typing and turned in her chair.
Zach let his gaze rest on her pretty face. She’d changed into a feminine blouse and a pair of snug-fitting black jeans that showed off her curves. Her shoes were sexy now, too. She’d told him she’d stopped by her brother the mayor’s mansion in Lyndon. He supposed the mansion had a stricter dress code than Craig Mountain. Or maybe it was because she liked her brother enough to dress up for him-unlike the way she felt about Zach.
“Do you always take pity on strays?” he asked.
The puppy plunked himself down at Zach’s feet, gazing hopefully up at him with big brown eyes. Since Zach’s heart wasn’t made of stone, he lifted Ozzy into his lap.
“One more out at the ranch won’t make a difference.”
“You could have said no.”
She shrugged. “Why would I?”
Zach felt a sudden curiosity about this welcoming family utopia that was apparently the Jacobs ranch. He speculated how much of her description translated into real life.
She turned back to the laptop. “How many new jobs will the Craig Mountain expansion create?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Got a guess?”
“Why?”
Ozzy settled into Zach’s lap.
