Read brides for brothers 02 - cowboy daddy for Free Online

she give in to Pete’s determination?
    With a sniff of her nose, she answered those questions. No, she wanted the best for her baby…and for her. Pete would be a good daddy. But she wanted a husband, too. Someone like her father, who loved his wife more than anything.
    She’d never doubted her father’s love for her, his only daughter, but she had always known that he loved her mother even more. And that was as it should be.
    When Pete loved her, not just their baby, then she’d accept marriage with him. Until then, she’d hold out. Even if it meant being alone.
    “W HERE’D YOU GO ?” Jake asked when Pete appeared in the big barn housing the indoor arena where they worked their animals away from the harsh Wyoming winter.
    “I followed Hank back to his place. I figured he’d need help with Janie.” He pulled his Stetson down farther over his eyes, hoping his brother wouldn’t read the turmoil he knew was there.
    “And?”
    “And what?”
    “Are we going to have a wedding?”
    Pete looked anywhere but at Jake. He loved his brother, but he was going to have to disappoint him. “Not yet.”
    “So what are you going to do?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Pete, you only have a few more months. Don’t you think you ought to make some plans?”
    He whirled around to stare at Jake. “I’m trying to figure out what to do. But you know how stubborn Janie can be.”
    Jake nodded. “We’ll think on it together. There’s got to be some way.”
    “Some way for what?” a throaty feminine voice asked behind them.
    Both men spun around to face B. J. Anderson, the new veterinarian to the area. She and her aunt and four-year-old son lived in a house on the Randall ranch. Though she’d only been there a week or two, already she was fitting in well.
    “Hi, B.J.” Pete said, forcing a smile in greeting.
    Jake simply nodded.
    “Is there a problem I can help with?”
    “Nope,” Jake said emphatically.
    B.J. didn’t seem to take offense at his blunt dismissal of her offer, but Pete had another reason for apologizing.
    “Don’t mind Jake. He’s not used to being around females.”
    “That’s all right. I didn’t intend to stick my nose in where it’s not wanted.”
    “Well, actually I might ask you a question or two, if you don’t mind. I mean, you being a female and all.” Pete watched her carefully to see if she would mind offering advice.
    Though her gaze fell first on Jake, as if to determine whether he would forbid any exchanges, she smiled at Pete. “Well, I’m definitely female, so ask away.”
    Now that he had someone to advise him, Pete didn’t know exactly how to begin. He looked helplessly at Jake.
    “Don’t expect me to lead this discussion. It wasn’t my idea to drag a stranger into it.” Jake glared at B.J.
    Pete saw B.J. stiffen, and he figured she’d walk away, but instead her chin rose just slightly and she turned a little more pointedly toward Pete. It reminded him of Janie’s stubbornness.
    “What’s the problem? Something to do with a female?” B.J. asked encouragingly. “You have a cow with a problem?”
    “No! No, it’s not about a cow. It’s not professional. I mean, for a vet. I—I’m going to be a daddy.”
    Though B.J. was momentarily stunned by his words, she quickly offered her congratulations. “That’s wonderful, Pete. When’s the wedding?”
    Jake snorted, and B.J. looked at him in surprise. “Did I say something funny?”
    “You could say that,” Jake drawled.
    “That’s the problem,” Pete hurriedly said. “She won’t agree to marry me.”
    B.J. tilted her head to one side, as if seeing him for the first time. “Did you ask her?”
    “Of course I did. She—she said no.”
    “Is there someone else she’s going to marry? I haven’t seen you dating anyone since I’ve been here, so—”
    “No! She’s not going to marry anyone else!” When Pete realized he was shouting, he drew a deep breath before explaining, “She’s been seeing someone