Cole weighed his choices. He should have known that she wouldn’t sit complacently behind the walls of the ranch house. There were numerous tasks he knew she felt responsible to complete, both around the ranch and in preparation for the Festival. If he wanted her to fight him less, he would need to allow her to do what she had to do, within reason. Insisting that she remain on the ranch wouldn’t endear him to her, and he did promise he would protect her. He had a permit for the sidearm in the truck. Studying her determined countenance another moment, he stood.
“Alright. Let me take a look at your list. Going to the JAR-C and then to town to drop off pies is doable. Maybe we can check on the progress of the volunteers setting up for the Festival. No guarantee I’ll agree to the rest of your
