by Jillian Hart
“The bigger question here is you.” Concern crinkled Honor’s unguarded blue eyes. “Were you hurt?”
“Nothing that didn’t heal.” More heat burned his face.
“Don’t believe him for a second.” Brooke looked determined to set the record straight. “He cracked a rib—”
“Why didn’t you write me about that?” Honor asked, her confusion in her eyes getting to him.
“—he got a mild concussion when his head hit the patio,” Colbie added.
“He was bruised from head to toe from the impact,” Bree chimed in.
“Not to mention scratched to smithereens thanks to Fluffy’s claws.” Brandi stopped by with a water pitcher in hand and leaned in to refill glasses. “He was a sight.”
“It wasn’t that bad. Or at least it didn’t seem that way.” He took a pull from his newly filled water glass. “I healed up. Brooke, you never answered me about Madge—”
“When did this happen?” Honor interrupted him, her gentle concern hitting him harder than any blow. Worry pinched her beautiful face. There was nothing more lovely than seeing her concern for him.
And her disappointment. He knew what she would say next. “Last month,” he admitted.
“We were emailing every day. You didn’t think to tell me?” Ever gentle, but reprimand steeled her words.
“It was no big deal.” His chest tightened up, realizing his sisters had gone silent and Brandi watched him carefully as she circled the table, pouring water. He swallowed only to find his throat felt like it had fifty pebbles stuck in it. How did he explain he’d been afraid of sounding like a fool? In his view, it was no way to impress a city girl like Honor. “I healed up, but I’m not sure about Fluffy. I think I traumatized him. Every time he sees me, he takes off and hides.”
“Even when he’s sitting in the windowsill,” Colbie added. “Madge says Fluffy dives behind the couch every time Luke pulls up in his truck.”
“Smart cat.” Brandi set aside the pitcher and began stacking empty plates and bowls. “He’s a sweetie, though. Long fluffy hair. Very snuggly.”
“I’m glad Madge adopted a pet. She seems happier with him around.” Brooke began stacking dishes, helping out. “It’s kind of quiet here tonight.”
“Quiet? It’s dead.” Brandi gestured to the span of empty tables. The few other customers had left and no one else had arrived. “Things have been getting slower and slower. I wasn’t going to mention this until later, but Ava is cutting back shop hours.”
“Oh, no. I was afraid of that.” Bree shook her head, scattering long blond locks. “That means fewer hours for us.”
“A lot fewer.” Brandi’s chin went up as if it didn’t bother her a bit.
He wasn’t fooled. He knew how tight the twins’ budgets were, both still in college.
“I know that look.” Colbie spoke up. “There’s more bad news, isn’t there?”
“All right. It gets worse,” Brandi admitted. “Business is down so much, Ava can’t keep both of us on. Not only will hours be cut, but one of us has to go.”
“That is bad news.” Luke knew what this meant. The girls were self-supporting. There was no help coming in from Dad or from their mother, who struggled with her own issues. Added to dwindling financial aid and rising college tuition, he worried they wouldn’t be able to complete their education. “What about your last semester?”
“I don’t know.” Brandi shrugged.
Bree hung her head for a moment, then straightened her shoulders. “We’ll work it out.”
“I could always use help on the ranch.” He and Hunter made hiring decisions together, but he knew Hunter would agree. “We’re short a field hand for haying. We start cutting tomorrow.”
“I’m in.” Brandi spoke over the top of her twin. “No arguments. Rent will be due before we know it and so will our tuition—”
“But you love working here.” Bree spoke louder, drowning out Brandi’s protests. “I wouldn’t mind learning to drive a tractor.”
“No way!” Brandi swirled away, loaded down with plates. “It’s already decided, right, Luke?”
“Uh—” He shook his head, liking the way Honor smiled at him.
“You’re not in charge,” she told him, amused.
“Apparently not.” He watched Bree leap from the table to follow her twin, the two talking rapidly, and disappear into the kitchen. “I wonder who will win?”
“Brandi,” Brooke decided.
“She doesn’t have a fiancé in town. Bree should stay here close to Mac,” Colbie agreed. “Well, I’ve totally destroyed my calorie quota for the day.”
“Me, too.” Honor didn’t seem too bummed about it.
“Me, three.” Brooke tried to smile, but Luke knew she was worried about the twins. The three of them shared an apartment not far from campus before Brooke got married.
He was worried, too. The seasonal work that he could offer Brandi would only be a short-term solution. Maybe he and Hunter could instigate a little private scholarship help. Their funds were tight, too, but surely they could dig up something to contribute. The girls needed to finish their degrees. It was as simple as that.
“Hey, you look worried.” A hand landed on his forearm. A sense of peace rolled through him from the impact of Honor’s touch. She’d taken Bree’s abandoned chair next to him. Looking into her caring gaze, he saw a friend’s concern.
Try not to let that get to you, he thought. Don’t let yourself wish it was more.
“I was so excited to learn the twins are both going to be teachers.” Honor stood, moving away, talking over the squeak of her chair and the clamor as Brooke and Colbie stood, too. “I hope they love it as much as I have.”
Somewhere along the line he’d missed that conversation. The women talked, chatting pleasantly as they called out goodbyes to Brandi and Bree. Neither twin reappeared. That troubled him as he held the door for the ladies.
There they were, talking away again and he’d missed what they were saying.
“I think so, too.” Honor looked happy about whatever it was. “Count me in.”
“For what?” he asked as she brushed by him into the evening’s long shadows. Cheerful sunlight peeked over the top of the roof, glaring into his eyes as he followed her along the sidewalk.
“Don’t tell him. Let him guess.” Colbie looked pleased as she ambled toward her SUV. “Honor, I’ll email you.”
“Let me give you my addy—”
“I already have it,” Brooke interrupted. “I’ll forward it to Colbie.”
“Good deal.” Honor waited by the truck. What a picture she made standing in the long streaks of the evening sun. It lit her up, highlighting her beauty.
He hit the remote and the locks popped. He opened the door to the sounds of the women’s goodbyes, the rev of engines and the beep of horns as his sisters drove off. Which made him think of the twins still inside the bakery, worrying over their futures. He’d call Brandi as soon as he dropped off Honor.
“What are you and my sisters up to?” he asked.
“Nothing good.” Her humor dazzled. She stepped into the truck, lost her balance and she grabbed his shoulder.
“See? I’m clumsy.” She blushed, righted herself and tumbled onto the seat. “Usually at the worst possible time.”
“At least I was here to catch you. Next time, who knows?”
“Right.” Her head spun. She felt breathless. Did she really want to admit why? At least she had a chance to catch her breath when he closed the door, leaving her inside the truck alone. Alone to deal with how solid his shoulder had felt. Like granite. Immovable. Unshakable. Like the kind of man who never wavered.
I really don’t want to see him as a man instead of a friend, she thought, tracking him as he crossed in front of the truck to the
driver’s side. His door opened and he swung in, his masculine strength and presence undeniable. Her stomach gave a tumble. That couldn’t be a good sign.
“You seem to really get along with my sisters.” He started the engine.
“They’re great. I feel like I fit right in.”
“And you’ve already agreed to do something with them. Shopping, probably, right?” He quirked a brow, looking dashing in a country strong kind of way. Golden good looks, boy-next-door honest. Hard to resist.
“Right.” She buckled up, acting like a woman who wasn’t noticing the man seated beside her. She was an unaffected woman. A woman made of steel. “Shopping.”
“Should have known.” Luke started the truck. “You women are going to hit the mall?”
“A girl’s gotta shop.”
“So I hear.”
She leaned back against the cushiony seat, trying to focus on the scenery out the window—reaching blue sky, sunshine glinting off car windows and leafy trees lining the parking lot, but where did her eyes sneak to?
Luke. “You’re troubled about the twins.”
“I am.” He wheeled down the street. “Not sure how easy it will be for them. They start student teaching in the fall.”
“Which leaves little time for an outside job, since it’s a huge job in itself.” She smiled, remembering that sweet time in her life. “When I was student teaching, I had a kind teacher who really believed in me. My students made it easy.”
“What grade?”
“Eighth. I know that’s a tough time for kids, but I love that age. Still part kid, not yet adult. It’s the grade I used to teach.”
“That had to be a hard job to lose.”
“Very.” That was what she liked about Luke. He understood. Always. “I miss it. It’s really something to watch your students grow and change throughout the school year. To make a connection with them and to help them, through learning, to take another step toward becoming the adults they are meant to be.”
“Sound like you’re in the right profession.” The way he gazed at her with a nod of approval and a gleam of appreciation made her warm inside. It was cozy, feeling as if she belonged right here, in this moment, with this man.
“You understand because that’s how you feel about your work.”
“I’ve worked with animals all my life. You don’t put in that kind of commitment and hard work if you don’t love it.”
“And you never get tired of living in the middle of nowhere? Don’t get me wrong. This is beautiful country, but it’s remote.”
“It’s the way I grew up. It’s all I’ve known.” He shrugged. “Hey, I see that look.”
“What look?”
“The appalled one. Bordering on horror.”
“Not horror.” Honestly. That man could make her laugh. “More like shock. You have to drive almost an hour just to go to a movie.”
“And after the movie, I have to be back before milking time.” He eased to a stop at an intersection. “Cows have to be fed and milked on time. That’s ranching life.”
“So, matinees only?”
“It’s not so bad.” He chuckled, a warm, buttery sound that made the sunshine brighter. The light changed and he motored into the intersection. “I’m my own boss, except when Hunter thinks he’s in charge. I get to work outdoors, unless I’m in the milking parlor. I like what I do. It’s a good life. The benefits make up for the shortcomings.”
“There are no jammed freeways. No smog. Not a crowd anywhere.”
“The scenery is great. It’s not the ocean, but it’s great.”
“It’s a good fit for you here.” She admired him for that. “You’re the outdoor type. You would be unhappy, say, as a lawyer or an accountant. For instance, I can’t imagine you working at my father’s firm.”
“Me, either.” He hit the blinker and turned, and the green lawns of the park came into view.
A sinking feeling settled deep in her chest. Her time with Luke was almost over.
“I’m definitely not a suit-and-tie city guy, but that’s okay. God’s made a different path for each and every one of us.”
“It’s being true to that path and to Him that matters.” There was her car, sitting in the shade. Aspens rustled as she opened the truck’s door. Why didn’t she want to leave?
“You’re right about that.”
She opened her door before he could move and slid off the seat, landing on her feet. “Paths can get tricky, though. Sometimes you think you can see where you’re going and then surprise. There’s a dip in the road you couldn’t see until you were right up on it.”
“I don’t know about you, but those dips tend to be tough.”
“Agreed.” Winding up in Montana, for instance. Just a dip in the road. Nothing permanent. Nothing but a pit stop on her journey. “But there are good dips, too.”
“Wait a minute. You didn’t just call me a dip, did you?”
“I’ll never tell.” She walked away to the sound of his amused laughter.
No doubt about it. She liked hanging out with Luke. She dug her keys out of her bag. “I’ll see you on Good Books tomorrow night, right?”
“Count on it. I’ve got to hurry up and finish reading that blockbuster we’re scheduled to talk about. I’m not even halfway.”
“Slacker. I have two more chapters to go.”
“Show off.” Affection warmed his words, making them sound wonderful.
What was she going to do about that? She didn’t know as she unlocked her car and settled behind the wheel. Luke waited until she had the engine started before he drove off with a tap of his horn and a tug on her heart.
Yes, she definitely liked that man.
She checked her phone, not surprised to find the text message Colbie had promised. I’ll keep you up-to-date on Luke’s birthday bash plans. Glad you’re on board.
Me, too, she thought, buckled up and put her car in gear. Her cell rang a few seconds after she’d left the lot. Turning onto the main road out of town, she slipped on her Bluetooth. “Hi, Kelsey.”
“Hey, I got lonely for you so I had to call.”
“What are you up to?” She trundled out of the city limits, where rolling meadows and farmland dominated.
“Sitting out by the pool. The apartment is lonely ever since my roommate took off for rural Montana.”
“What was she thinking?” Honor joked, since she was the roommate. She definitely missed the small two-bedroom unit she shared with Kelsey. Their friendship stretched all the way back to college, where they’d been on the same dormitory floor freshman year. “If it’s any consolation, I miss being there. I don’t know how many times in an evening I look up from planning lessons to say something to you.”
“I know. Old habit. I thought we’d share a place until one of us married. Worse, there are no single men in this complex.”
“Sure there are single men. Look harder.”
“Okay, there’s the guy from building A, but he’s such a player. I can hear him from across the pool trying to convince a new tenant that he used to be in Special Forces.”
“Maybe in a video game. I know just the guy you are talking about. Big bunchy, muscled arms?”
“That’s the one. Where are all the sincere guys? I think they went out of vogue somewhere in the last few decades and I’m protesting.”
“I think there are men like that.” Was it wrong that she immediately thought of Luke? As the road ribboned ahead of her through the waning sunshine, she couldn’t help remembering how gentlemanly he was and how sincere. “I think the real problem might be they all live in Montana.”
“Bummer. How could anyone move away from the beach?”
“Good question,” she agreed, thinking of jogging along the ocean, watching the wide stretch o
f blue. There were sunny afternoons at the beach club and shore-side picnics with her friends. She drove toward the setting sun, missing her life in Malibu so sorely, her soul ached.
Chapter Eight
“What are you doin’? Reading again?” Hunter crunched across the lawn in his cowboy boots, laying his hand on a grazing cow’s rump as he approached.
Betty lifted her head from grazing and mooed sweetly, long eyelashes batting. For a moment, Hunter’s
gruffness vanished and he tossed the bovine a grin as he passed.
On his porch swing, Luke closed his book. Hard to get any reading done with Hunter in the vicinity. “What are you doing over here? I thought you’d be putting up your feet for the evening. Morning comes early around here.”
“And I’m doing the morning milking. Don’t remind me.” Hunter clomped up the steps, stopping to pet Harry, curled up on the porch rail. The cat purred rustily. “I just got off the phone with Brandi.”
“Can she come tomorrow?”
“She’ll be here bright and early. We need help, and the hay doesn’t cut itself.” Hunter leaned against a support post and crossed his arms over his chest. “What about you? Can I count on you?”
“Why the question? You know I can drive a tractor. We grew up on a ranch, haying every season.” He knew his brother and he knew that look. “What’s on your mind?”
“You’re sweet on that city woman.”
“Honor? That’s a negatory.” Sweet didn’t come close to what he felt. And since his heart wasn’t Hunter’s business, Luke wasn’t obligated to divulge any further information.
“You’re hoping she’ll stay in Montana, aren’t you? I heard you whistling when you came home last night. I heard from Brandi she played volleyball with the girls.”
“They were a player short and she’s pretty good at it.”
“I know you. You’re going to get involved with her and get your heart broke when she leaves. Because she will leave.”
“I appreciate the concern, Hunter. We’re brothers. We’ve got to look out for each other.”