It had nothing to do with the big, burly cowboy she’d asked out four months ago. Or his cute daughter. Nope.

Okay, so it did. She couldn’t even lie to herself. Truth was, she was mighty curious about him. Not in a creepy way; she just wanted to see how things were going. See if he was still around. If he was as intimidatingly large as she remembered.

She also remembered him having really nice eyes and a firm mouth, but that might have been her hormones playing him up. Then again, everyone probably looked amazing after Greg, and wasn’t that catty of her?

She hoped Greg was very, very happy with the new teacher, she thought bitterly as she rang the doorbell, and then realized Doc probably would have a heck of a time getting up to answer the door. So she knocked and then opened the front door, sticking her head in. “Doc? It’s me, Becca Loftis. I brought your groceries. Hannah was busy.”

There was no answer.

“Are you . . . here? Hello?” The lights were on in the front parlor area, and the kitchen looked messy enough that someone was in the house. But no one came out to greet her.

Well, perhaps he was taking a nap. Becca set the groceries down in the kitchen and then began to put them away in the fridge. She straightened up the counters, filled the dishwasher, and plated the doughnuts. A quick touch told her that the coffee was lukewarm, so she made a fresh pot, humming to herself as she scooped grounds into the basket. Even if Doc was asleep, he’d appreciate a fresh cup of coffee—

“What are you doing here?”

The deep, growled words startled her. She yelped, whirling around and sending coffee grounds flying everywhere. Behind her, in the doorway, was her cowboy.

Well, not her cowboy. Someone’s cowboy.

But it was the same man that had brought the little girl to the salon. And her memory had not done him justice. He loomed over her, all black brows and thick beard, and she noticed absently that she didn’t even come up to his shoulder. He’d have to stoop over to kiss her—not that they were going to be kissing, of course.

Great. Now she was thinking about kissing this mountain man instead of fearing for her life.

He stared down at the coffee grounds she’d rained all over the clean tile floor.

“You startled me.” Becca clutched at her chest. “My goodness. Warn a girl if you’re going to sneak up on her.”

He scowled in her direction. “Why are you here?”