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His dad had opted to keep his wife—unlike when Grant’sto the east coast, where they had met on one of his frequent business trips She hadn’t liked life as a rancher’s wife either Living without the glittery nightlife she’d been used to had been too difficult an adjustone

He pulled into a parking spot in front of the take-and-bake pizza place

Zoe gave hied with sadness “That’s not what you meant and we both know it”

It took hi about When he did, he felt his insides tighten “What I know is that I’ritted his teeth, but could not stop the words fro out “I need you, Zoe”

She frowned “You have Carlene You don’t needher I heard you in the bar”

“You heard Carlene ask me to reschedule our date?” Could that be what this cold shoulder was all about?

“Yes”

“You didn’t eavesdrop long enough, then”

She huffed “I was not eavesdropping”

He grinned “Right Look, niña, if you had stuck around a few seconds longer you would have heard me resort to dishonest measures to avoid another date with Carlene”

Her soft brown eyes mirrored wary hope “I would?”

“Yes I told her that I couldn’t leave your pets alone”

Zoe laughed with disbelief “Didn’t she think it was odd that you were in to if that were true? Not to mention the fact that you have a ranch full of hands, even if quite a few are spending tied “I don’t know”

The laughter died “You gave her roses”

“I explained that I bought them yesterday Before”

She measured him with a look “Before what?”

“Before we made out on the counter”