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Chapter One

Noah

“Who’s at the fucking door?” I shout out as I leave ood excuse for continually ringing the doorbell like that

“I’m not deaf!” I shout as I start to walk down the stairs I’ve a killer hangover fro up today, especially with the sweet pussy that I had after the rodeo These cowgirls get a kick out of riding not only the horses but guys too

“Again!”

I’ing the bell They’re not saying anything—just ringing the da

I walk gluing the bell Obviously, it’s no one from the ranch They typically just walk in the house and shout my name It can’t be Harper who comes to clean the house every other day No, it must be someone I don’t know Maybe I should have pretended not to be in just so that they’ll go away and stop ringing the damn bell as if their life depends on it

As I open the door, I see so on the doorstep I wonder if I woke up drunk because I

I spot Carl sloughing by, so I point at it with my eyes half-open Shit, I can't even focus properly, because the sun’s shining hard I shout out, “Dude!”

I wish I would stop talking like that, but that’s what happens when you spend too much time in sunny California

“Who left this?”

He lifts up his shoulders in a half-shrug, as if it’s too much effort for him to do a proper one Why does he always look as if he’s been trekking around Auy always looks tired No uy looks the saet rid of him Not only because of his tired looks but because he’s just clueless He’s a hard worker, but everything has to be spelled out for hi out of the box, isn’t an option

“But, you must have seen someone come by and just…”

I can’t even get the words out I keep looking atto pretend that it isn’t there That this isn’t happening to me

My life’s si ranch, tease them and please them, and then when it’s all done, I tell them that I can’t commit I can’t Not now, not ever I tried a relationship once, but after my ex, Jessica, spat in ain would I ask a girl toand never take anything serious If that was the case, I never would have asked her to move in with me

“Oh, welcos as she coo inside and close the door This never happened No one left a basket outsideShit!

“Holy cow, Noah I thought that she was leaving a basket of fruit or so”

I grab hold of Aria’s ar that ive it back

“Who?”

She bends down and sighs, “Isn’t he the cutest?”

She’s joking Sure, it’s cute or that’s what people always say about their babies I steer well clear of them, which is why someone must have made a mistake when they dropped this one here But, ould someone just come and drop a baby at my doorstep?