Mikey’s sigh was loud and long in answer to Jake’s question. “A couple every month.”
Jake whistled.
“I get the mail before gran or Connor see it, and the phone’s been cut off, so they can’t ring.”
“It’s a small town, Mikey, eventually the school will give up sending letters and call ‘round to see your gran.”
Branna watched Jake’s large, steady hands handle the Mustang with ease as he questioned the boy. She didn’t want to feel any degree of comfort or companionship around this man. Branna had a feeling that if she did, she’d be in all kinds of trouble.
“It’s boring,” Mikey said.
She was impaled by Jake’s dark gaze once more, and then he looked at the road, which meant Branna could breathe again.
“Sound familiar to you, Rosebud? If my memory serves, you were bored in school too.”
She had been, even though Mr. Hope had tried to keep her brain busy. What she hadn’t realized was that anyone else had noticed.
“He needs some accelerated classes, and if they’re not available, then they need to give him some work above the general class stuff,” Branna said.
“Molly and her friends will laugh at me more.”
“Not if she doesn’t know.” Branna had had her fair share of teasing when she’d been given extra work, but she’d make sure that didn’t happen to Mikey, even if she had to go to the school to sort it out herself. “What’s your teacher like? Surely she’d be happy to help”
“Miss Todd is okay, I guess, but she gets angry with me if I answer all the questions, so I don’t answer any now. Plus, the work she gives is so easy I have it done before the others, which makes them get angry and makes her think I cheat.”
“You may want to duck down in that seat, sport, we’re just about in town, and if people see you, word will get back to your gran,” Jake said.
Looking over the seat as Jake pulled into a parking spot, Branna noted Mikey was now slouched so low, only the top of his head was visible. She wouldn’t let this sweet little boy suffer because he had a brain; she’d find a way to help him.
“What flavors are we all having?”
“Lemon,” came a small voice from the backseat.
“Lemon!” Jake scoffed. “Men don’t eat lemon.”
“Good thing I’m a boy then.”
Branna giggled, the sound slipping from her mouth before she could stop it.
“I’d forgotten about your laugh.”
“What’s wrong with my laugh, McBride?” Branna questioned.
“Not a damned thing.”
She dropped her eyes as heat filled her cheeks. No, no, no, she would not be enamored with this man again; she simply refused to.
“Be back soon.” He got out of the car while she was scrambling with her thoughts and made his way to the store in that slow gait that looked as if he’d just ridden in from a day on the ranch.
“Why is Connor dumb?” Branna asked.
“He just is.”
“How old is he?” Branna watched Jake bend to pick something up and the material of his old shorts pulled tight across his butt, which she had to admit was fine.
“Twenty-two.”
“I can’t believe he’s dumb if he’s your uncle.” Jake was reaching into his back pocket for his wallet now. It was the gesture of a trillion people, mainly men, every day, but on him, it was sexy. After today, she was steering clear of that man, Branna vowed. Maybe she needed to have an affair that would push him from her head.
