Page 171 of Her Boss, Her Rancher: Sunrise On The Ranch

Yvonne took her hand and squeezed. “I think you’ll find a way. You’re strong, Francesca. Just like someone else I know.”

Bella smiled. Maybe Yvonne, with the shapely figure and long blond hair, wasn’t a mother figure to her, but they could be friends, and that went a long way in making her feel better. “Thanks. I want to make this a good holiday for Sienna. I’m trying...”

Jared sat in the great room in Cooper’s house, watching a football game. Lauren had taken pity on him and invited him over to dinner. His face was a mess, but he’d let his beard grow to hide the scrapes. His leg still ached like a son of a bitch from his most recent crash. But nothing compared to the emptiness in his heart. He was hollowed out inside and pretty bad company.

Lauren sat next to him, offering him a plate of homemade cookies, while Cooper helped Marie with the dishes.

“No thanks,” Jared said.

“Hey, when a pregnant woman works all afternoon baking, you need to humor her.”

“Okay. Thanks,” he said, grabbing one chocolate-chunk cookie. His appetite lately was on the blink. He wanted a Bella-original meal and every time he would think it, he’d cuss himself out for being a fool. If only he could stop thinking about her. Bella, Francesca, whatever the hell she was calling herself lately.

“Coercing you into eating a cookie wasn’t the reason I invited you over,” Lauren said. “I have news.”

“What kind of news?”

“Bella called me. We had a long talk. She’s concerned about you. Wanted to know how you were feeling.”

“Like crap. But she doesn’t need to know that. I’m...not interested.”

“You don’t want to know what she had to say?”

“No.”

“She put Sienna on the phone and she asked for Tared.”

Jared’s eyes squeezed shut. He was on his third bottle of beer and ready to gulp down the whole damn six-pack. “That’s hitting below the belt.”

“Yeah, a real sucker punch to your gut. I’m that good.”

Jared eyed his sister-in-law. “And I thought you liked me.”

“I do. I want you to be happy.”

“I can’t get over how she deceived me, Lauren. It’s like déjà vu all over again. But I thought Bella was different. I called her my angel. I thought...we had a chance.”

“She is different. Think about this. She didn’t deceive you to cause you harm. She didn’t want anything from you. She actually had to be talked into taking the job. With her father threatening to sue her for custody, her back was up against the wall. Can you imagine how frightened she was? Marco Forte is a powerful man and she didn’t know who to trust. She was protecting Sienna. I can understand that. I haven’t met my baby yet, but I’m already a protective mama bear when it comes to my child.” Lauren put her hand on her baby bump. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for the ones I love.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. She doesn’t approve of me.”

Lauren laughed, a hearty chuckle that rankled his nerves. “I can’t blame her for that. We’re all down on your hobby. Why can’t you just build things, like Cooper does?”

“I’m not Cooper, that’s why.”

“But you’re not stupid, either.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” Cooper said, walking in and handing him another beer.

“Shut the f-up, Coop.”

Lauren shook her head. “Cooper you’re not helping.”

His brother plunked down on a chair and faced his wife. “Did you ask him yet?”

“I haven’t gotten to that,” Lauren answered.

“Gotten to what?” Jared asked.