He Warned Her He Came With Four Children — The Cowgirl Said, “Good This Ranch Needs a Family”

Chapter 1

The youngest child was still crying when Thomas Reed stopped his horse outside the ranch house.

He had four children behind him, one saddlebag of belongings between them, and nowhere else left to go.

The woman on the porch looked at the wagon, then at the children.

She did not ask where their mother was.

Perhaps she already knew.

Thomas removed his hat.

“I should warn you, Miss Mercer.”

The woman leaned against the porch post.

“About what?”

He glanced toward the children.

“I don’t come alone.”

She looked at the four small faces.

The oldest girl was perhaps twelve.

The next was a boy of nine.

Another little girl sat beside a sleeping toddler.

Thomas swallowed.

“They’re mine.”

The woman looked at him for several seconds.

Then she stepped down from the porch.

“Good.”

Thomas blinked.

“Good?”

She nodded.

“This ranch needs a family.”

He had expected pity.

Perhaps rejection.

Maybe even anger.

He had not expected that.

“My name is Clara Mercer,” she said. “And if those children are hungry, they can eat before we discuss anything else.”

Thomas stared at her.

“You don’t understand.”

Clara looked at the wagon.

“I understand four children have traveled half a day without supper.”

“No. I mean you don’t understand what comes with them.”

Her expression changed.

“Then tell me.”

Thomas lowered his voice.

“They are not all mine by blood.”

Clara waited.

“The eldest two are my sister’s children. Their mother died in the winter. The youngest two are mine.”

Clara looked toward the children again.

“And their mother?”

Thomas said nothing.

That silence was answer enough.

Clara’s eyes softened.

“Bring them inside.”

Thomas shook his head.

“You don’t know us.”

“No.”

“You could regret this.”

“Perhaps.”

“You could lose the ranch because of us.”

That made her smile.

“Mr. Reed, I’ve already lost almost everything this ranch could take from me.”

She opened the door.

“So I suppose I have little left to fear.”

Thomas climbed down.

The children followed.

None of them knew that before another sunrise, someone would arrive at Clara’s ranch asking for those children.

And this time, Clara would discover that Thomas had not brought four children to her door because he needed a home.

He had brought them because someone was hunting them.