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  The elderly woman smiled and patted Grant’s cheek with her fleshy pink fingers. “Dear boy. You are so very thoughtful. I’m sure we would not have missed the car if you had waited until the weather improved before returning it.”

  Grant turned his smile on Mrs. Givens and Zoe was able to collect herself enough to find his truck keys. “Here.” She handed him the keys. “We won’t keep you. I know you have better things to do than stay and have tea with us.”

  For whatever reason, her hormones were in overdrive today, and no way could she handle Grant’s presence at her tiny dinette table. Mrs. Givens frowned at Zoe.

  Grant just winked. He really wasn’t fond of Zoe’s landlady. “As always, my schedule is full.”

  She knew it was true, and didn’t understand why he had come to bring the car back himself. “Then I guess you had better go.” Zoe pushed him out the door. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  She closed the door on his rather astonished expression and turned to Mrs. Givens, who was trying to avoid stepping on one of the cats and frankly doing a better job of it than Zoe had earlier.

  She smiled at Zoe. “That Grant Cortez is such a nice boy. I remember we all worried when his daddy put him in charge of the ranch at such a young age, but he’s certainly made a success of it.”

  “Yes, he has.” Not to mention his other business interests. She often marveled at the fact that their friendship had survived childhood.

  Zoe wasn’t in a league with the Cortezes of the world any more than she was with the famous actors who now made up a good part of the winter and summer population of Sunshine Springs. It was the new Vale—only more exclusive in some ways, since many of the families had lived in the area for generations and land was hard to come by.

  Grant had been forced to pay her father premium rates for the ranch when it had been sold because an actor, a rock star and another cattle conglomerate had all been bidding on the property at the same time.

  “Still, a young man at twenty-two should have been dating, not running a spread the size of the Double C.” Mrs. Givens tsked her disapproval.

  Zoe agreed, knowing better than anybody what it had cost Grant to take over the ranch at age twenty-two, leaving his dad and stepmother free to move to Portland like Lottie had wanted. He’d given up his plans for a career on the east coast and lost his fiancée all in one devastating blow.

  He’d resurrected the career, on his own playing field…but not the relationship. And he hadn’t had another serious one since.

  “Not that he hasn’t done his share of dating these past six years. He’s very photogenic.” Which was the older woman’s way of alluding to Grant’s many pictures in the press with the supermodels and actresses who graced his arm socially.

  Linda was the daughter of an aging rock star who’d breezed into town and thought nothing of dating the area’s most eligible bachelor…until he’d gone into “protect Zoe” mode.

  Mrs. Givens smiled conspiratorially with Zoe. “I’m sure you know more than the tabloids even…”

  The woman was an inveterate gossip, and Zoe had no intention of responding to the thinly veiled hint to share what she knew of Grant’s lovelife.

  “It’s to be expected, I suppose.” She ushered her landlady to the table, where she had already laid out the tea things. “I’m trying a new apricot blend tea. I hope you like it.”

  “That sounds lovely, dear.” Mrs. Givens was a true tea connoisseur. She went to sit down and an ear-splitting yowl assaulted Zoe’s ears. Alexander must have been sitting on the chair again.

  Mrs. Givens shot up from the chair, stumbled one step forward, and fell over Princess. She gasped and crashed to her knees on the carpet. Her blond wig went askew and her thinning gray hair stuck out on all sides. Her polyester dress rode up so that the tops of her knees were exposed, and nausea climbed up Zoe’s throat.

  Not today. The tea had been an attempt to stay on the good side of her landlady, but now disaster loomed darkly on Zoe’s horizon. Feeling doomed, she rushed to the woman’s side and lifted Mrs. Givens to her feet. “I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

  The older woman took several gasping breaths. “I…I…”

  Zoe pushed her into the now empty chair. “Sit down. I’m sure you will feel better in a few minutes.” She patted Mrs. Givens shoulder, not at all sure the older woman would feel better in the next millennium. Her expression was not promising. “Let me pour you a cup of tea.”

  Mrs. Givens nodded, causing her wig to tip further over her left ear. “A cup of tea. Yes. That would be nice.” She rose unsteadily to her feet. “But first I think I’ll freshen up in your powder room.”

  “Certainly.” Zoe helped Mrs. Givens to the closet-sized bathroom—remembering the hamster hidden in there only when a truly awful sound emerged from behind the closed door.

  The landlady came tearing out of the bathroom, her eyes wild. She pointed a trembling finger at Zoe. “You have a rodent in your…your…”

  “His name is Bud. He’s a hamster. While technically still rodents, hamsters are domesticated and quite safe as pets.”

  The expression of horror convulsing Mrs. Givens’ features didn’t auger well for Zoe’s chances of explaining her way out of the situation. She tried anyway. “Please. It will be all right. Bud is harmless.”

  Mrs. Givens shook her head violently, causing her wig to fall to the floor. Princess and Alexander immediately attacked it with all the fervor of hunting felines left in a cramped apartment for too long.

  “My wig,” Mrs. Givens wailed. Her hands flew to her head as she tried to hide the gray and white hair.

  Wanting to cry, Zoe jumped to the rescue of the wig. She wrested it from the two cats and handed it to Mrs. Givens, who yanked it back on without much improvement in her appearance.

  She stood up, trembling with indignation. “I have been more than tolerant.”

  “Yes,” Zoe hastened to agree.

  “I have put up with large dogs, screaming parrots, annoying cats, and even allowed you to keep your goat in the old chicken coop. But I will not stand for rodents.”

  Zoe didn’t know what to say. Everything her landlady said was true. “I’m going to try to find a home for him. It won’t take me very long. Children love hamsters. I’m sure one of my students will be happy to take Bud home as a pet.”

  Their parents would be even happier to get the paraphernalia that went along with a hamster for free.

  Mrs. Givens sadly shook her head. “I know how much you love your animals, dear. But I simply will not abide a rat living in my home. Even if you found a home for him today, I would not feel safe. Who knows what you would bring home next?” She shuddered delicately. “You might even take it into your head to adopt a snake.”

  “I truly am sorry. I didn’t realize you had such an aversion to rodents. I won’t bring any more home. I promise. As for snakes—even I draw the line at reptiles.”

  Well, that wasn’t strictly true, and she was hoping Mrs. Givens had forgotten the iguana incident. The landlady’s narrowed eyes told her she hadn’t.

  “I seem to remember a very reptilian creature living in your bathtub not a month ago. I’m very sorry, Miss Jensen, but you are going to have to find another place to live.”

  “Please give me another chance,” Zoe pleaded, “It’s so close to Christmas. It’s almost impossible to find living quarters in Sunshine Springs.” Especially those that allowed pets.

  Mrs. Givens’ expression softened, and Zoe would have been home free if Snoopy hadn’t perpetrated his trick of opening doors and come bounding down the hall. Mrs. Givens was not fond of large dogs, and she found Snoopy intimidating. Unfortunately, Snoopy adored her. He jumped up on Mrs. Givens to give the landlady a kiss goodbye.

  Zoe shouted, “Down, Snoopy.”

  The dog obeyed, but the damage was done.

  Mrs. Givens wiped the dog slobber from her face, her expression murderous. “The time has come for you to find a home more amenable to your
soft spot for animals.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  ZOE rang Grant’s doorbell.

  It was a new experience.

  So was coming in through the front door. She took in the different perspective of the imposing portico while she waited for Grant to answer. Snow covered the ground around the impressive Spanish-style mansion with Christmas-card loveliness. The house was old for the county, probably the oldest one within a hundred miles, and still the most impressive. Wrought-iron grillwork decorated every window and doorway, while the stucco glowed in the moonlight.

  She took a deep breath of the frosty air, the faint scent of wood smoke teasing her nostrils. Grant must have built a fire in one of the many fireplaces. Probably the study. She could certainly stand being in front of that fire right now. She shivered and clapped her gloved hands together. Where are you, Grant?

  She heard a bump and a muffled curse. The door opened. Grant’s dark hair stood on end, and the imprint of three fingers marked his cheek. He’d been asleep, but he wasn’t undressed so he hadn’t gone to bed. He’d probably fallen asleep in front of the computer again. The man worked much too hard.

  His comical look of disbelief nearly sent Zoe over the edge into hysterical laughter. Although nothing about this situation was even remotely funny. She lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers in a quick wave. “Hi.”

  Brilliant. Hi. That was really going to convince him to let her stay. She had to look pathetic. She tried.

  Grant squinted at her. “Something wrong with your face?”

  She sighed. Of course she couldn’t do a good job at pathetic. It wasn’t in her nature. Grant was the only one who thought she needed a full-time keeper.

  “Mrs. Givens evicted me.”

  How was that for pathetic?

  Grant did not say anything. Zoe tugged at the ends of her wool scarf. “She detests rodents. Who would have guessed?” This time she tried for a look of innocent confusion. When Grant just stared at her, she gave up. Frustrated, she demanded, “Say something.”

  “You rang the front doorbell.”

  Zoe looked into Grant’s eyes. Were they bloodshot? She didn’t think so, but it was hard to tell with the hall light off. The outside light was on a timer, but its glow didn’t reach far into the entry hall.

  “I know I rang the bell.” She sighed. “It seemed appropriate.”

  Grant rubbed the back of his neck. He always reminded Zoe of her father when he did that. She frowned.

  “Why?”

  “It just did.” She chafed her arms and stamped her feet. “I thought you should have some say in the matter, after all.”

  “Some say in what matter?”

  “This matter.” Hadn’t he heard her say that she had been evicted? “The I brought one too many animals home and my landlady evicted me matter.”

  Grant straightened. “I heard that part. But why ring the front doorbell?”

  Couldn’t he think of anything besides the stupid doorbell? “Grant, I need a place to stay until I can find a home for me and my pets. I’ve tried everywhere in town and no one would even consider renting to me.”

  It hadn’t been easy coming to Grant. Not that she didn’t think he’d want to help. She knew he would. But she’d been making it on her own, proving that her parents selling off her home and defecting to Arizona did not matter. She’d refused Grant’s offer to let her continue living in the family home. Even paying rent it wouldn’t have felt right. She couldn’t afford the kind of rent the place would have gone for on her salary as a kindergarten teacher, and wouldn’t allow Grant to offer it to her for less than the going market rate.

  She’d come very close to regretting that decision today.

  “One apartment manager laughed so hard when I told him how many pets I had that I’m sure he had a seizure.” Zoe’s lips were getting numb. “Doesn’t it cost an awful lot to heat up the outdoors with your one little furnace?”

  He got the hint. Stepping back, he waved her inside. “Come on in. We can talk about your situation in the house.”

  “I’ve got to get everyone else.” She turned around and headed to her truck. Wayne at the garage had fixed the doo-hickey and it ran better than new. She lifted the canopy window and called back over her shoulder. “The cats are in the cab. Would you get them, please?”

  She ignored Grant’s less than pleasant rejoinder.

  He came out of the house just as Zoe led Snoopy inside, carrying her birdcage and Bud’s home. Grant took one look at her pets and grumbled, “I thought you would take care of Bud, not show up on my doorstep with a zoo.”

  She smiled. “Consider it a return on your investment.”

  He frowned at her before opening the cab door. He pulled out the cat carrier. Zoe went around to the back of the truck to get Maurice. The goat had not liked the ride out to the ranch. She pulled him toward the house. “Come on, Maurice, you’re going to like Grant’s place. It’s warm and cozy.”

  “And it is not open to goats. He can stay in the barn.”

  “But Grant…” Zoe let her words trail off at the implacable set of Grant’s features. At least he wasn’t sending her to the barn. “Let’s go, Maurice. I’ll get you some nice, snuggly hay to curl up in.”

  Grant snorted.

  Zoe led Maurice to the barn and settled him in as quickly as possible. She didn’t even stop to visit with the horses on her way out. Coming in through the back door, she felt warm air blast her. She looked around the kitchen. Grant had already put the teakettle on to boil. Smart man, not to mention self-sufficient. He kept a minimum of domestic staff, and none of them stayed over in the house.

  Though the foreman’s wife did most of the housework and cooking, she lived with her husband in a house on the ranch.

  Grant turned toward her and she nearly went back out the door. His expression could have tamed a grizzly. It didn’t take long for Zoe to get miffed herself. Some friend. She could not help it that she did not have a place to live. A tiny voice reminded Zoe that she could have refused Bud. It was Grant’s idea, she retorted to her conscience.

  “I put your suitcases in my old bedroom.” He did not sound nearly as mad as he looked.

  “Thanks.” She gave him a tentative smile. “I really appreciate this, Grant.”

  “What happened? When I left, you and Mrs. Givens were sitting down to tea. I can’t believe she would evict you this close to Christmas.”

  “Mrs. Givens hates rodents.”

  Grant’s expression did not lighten. “Bud is a hamster.”

  He was annoyed with Mrs. Givens. Zoe should have realized sooner, but she’d been in panic mode ever since her eviction notice.

  “Hamsters are rodents.”

  “Why didn’t she just tell you to get rid of the hamster?”

  “She hit the end of her rope with me, I guess. Said she thought the next thing I’d bring home would be a snake. She never got over the iguana in the bathtub.”

  Grant narrowed his eyes. “What about your classroom?”

  Zoe pictured the look on her principal’s face if she showed up with another animal and laughed. “I already have more class pets than any other kindergarten teacher this side of the Cascades.”

  “I still don’t understand why she would just kick you out like that. You have rights. Besides, Mrs. Givens likes you.”

  “Snoopy kissed her.”

  Grant’s eyes widened, and then he laughed.

  Zoe smiled, feeling hopeful for the first time since getting evicted. “I’m glad you find it amusing. Mrs. Givens didn’t. She thought it was time for me to find a place to live that would accept my weird need to have so many pets.”

  Grant’s laughter dried up like a creek bed. “She said your tender heart toward animals was weird?”

  The teakettle whistled. Zoe scooted around Grant to move it off the burner. “No, she didn’t call me weird. She didn’t have to. Grant, most people think my tendency to collect pets like other people collect dust bunnies is a bit strange
.”

  “There’s nothing strange about it. You have a soft heart, that’s all.”

  “Tell that to my dad.” She hadn’t meant to say that. She didn’t like to dwell on her relationship with her dad. He had never understood her, and she was not sure she would ever understand him.

  Grant squeezed her shoulder. “I did.”

  “Yeah, I know. Always my protector.”

  Grant brushed a finger down her face. It took every speck of self-control she had not to lean into his touch.

  “Always.” The warm promise in his voice soothed her.

  “So, I can stay?”

  Grant stepped back. “We’ll start looking for a new place for you tomorrow.”

  Zoe frowned. “What’s the rush? Can’t we wait until after the holidays?”

  It would be perfect. She and Grant could entertain their parents together, and she would not have to spend any time alone in the company of her father. With Grant around, even Zoe’s mom would not be able to finagle such a meeting.

  Besides, finding a place wasn’t going to be all that easy. Hadn’t he heard what she’d said about already looking? She hated facing it, but she’d have to get rid of the goat and the parrot. Someone might rent to her with a dog and two cats, but even that was pushing it.

  Grant shook his head. “This is Sunshine Springs, not Portland. Among the year-round residents, kindergarten teachers don’t cohabitate with men—not even their best friends.”

  “We wouldn’t be cohabitating. I’m just staying here until I can find another place.”

  He reached around her and started mixing two mugs of hot cocoa. “You and I know that, but the busybodies of Sunshine Springs don’t.”

  “But—”

  “No buts.” He handed her a cup of hot cocoa. “I know what we’ll do.”

  Zoe took a sip of sweet, steaming beverage and waited for Grant to tell her about his brainstorm.

  “Frank and Emma Patterson went across the mountains to Portland to visit family for the holidays. My ranch foreman is keeping an eye on the place. I’m sure they won’t mind if you stay there while you’re looking for a new home.”