A Rancher’s Bride: The Stones of Heart Falls: Book 3

by Arend, Vivian

  Kelli held him to his promise and took over training Chili Pepper. Three days later, Luke rested his arms on the rail and watched as she leaned over the saddle, arms hanging on either side of the filly’s neck as Kelli drooped like a rag doll.

  “I guess that position makes hitting the ground a little easier,” he teased.

  Kelli’s head was turned toward him, and she stuck out her tongue briefly but remained silent, patting Pepper carefully on the withers before tapping with her heels to get the mare moving again.

  One of the hands who had been spotting Kelli as she worked stepped up and joined him at the rail. Alex eyed Kelli before looking Luke over with great curiosity.

  “So,” Alex said.

  That was it. Funny how many questions could be put into one word depending on the tone of voice. This one had held both a warning and a what the fuck?

  “Yes?” Luke had seen the hands looking them over with interest, wondering what exactly was going on. He had no plans of hiding their relationship, but as he’d pointed out to Ashton, this wasn’t anyone’s business except his and Kelli’s.

  Alex leaned an elbow on the fence. “I figure because you’re still breathing, that Kelli’s on board, but just so you know, we’re keeping an eye on you. Me, and the rest of the crew.”

  Luke was tempted to use Kelli’s pet phrase and spout off a good grief, but he was more entertained than upset.

  Besides, there was no use getting indignant. Whether they liked it or not, he and Kelli had the starring positions in the Silver Stone romance of the season.

  So he tipped his hat back and looked Alex over, keeping his expression as stonelike as possible. “Good for you.”

  Alex’s lips twitched. “If she decides she wants an upgrade, a dozen or so guys are ready to dig a deep hole.” Kelli might not have parents around, but she sure as hell had a ton of family on her side.

  Luke offered Alex his hand. “You ever feel a need to dig that hole, I’ll come and lie in it willingly.”

  Alex laughed as he smacked Luke on the shoulder. He glanced into the arena where Kelli was still draped over Pepper’s back.

  “By the way, what’d you do to her? Fuck her boneless?” Alex asked.

  “I heard that,” Kelli said with a snap as she slid off Pepper’s back, rotating smoothly until she stood beside the horse, lead in hand.

  “I hope so. No matter what weird shit you were up to, it shouldn’t have involved your ears.”

  She snickered before forcing a glare. “Be careful about teasing someone who knows the woman you’re dating,” she warned.

  “And on that note, if you’re done training for the day, I have a chore list as long as my arm to get back to.” Alex tipped his hat at Kelli before marching rapidly toward the barn.

  Kelli led Pepper to the railing, the horse slipping her head over the top to nuzzle Luke, knocking his hat off with her enthusiastic greeting.

  Kelli swooped down to grab it before climbing the fence, reaching up to press the hat onto his head. She perched on the top rail like a little kid, delight in her eyes. “Hey.”

  He leaned forward, one hand on either side of her body as he brought their lips inches part. “Hey. Interesting training technique, but it looks as if it might work.”

  “Might work? Did you see my ass on the ground like yours was the last time you tried to ride her? I think not.” Her expression twisted slightly before she admitted, “Diane gave me a few ideas, and they’re really helping.”

  Luke slid a hand up her back as he adjusted position to ease in closer. “She’s a damn good friend. Things will be okay.”

  He knew Kelli was worried about having lied to Diane and Jack, and he’d done his best to reassure her without making any comments that would freak her out.

  Their fake-relationship had already become a reality. He figured they were one step closer to it being even more. It was far too soon, though, to push Kelli.

  But in his head? Plans and plots were evolving at such high speeds he was getting a little frightened. Truth was, them being together made sense. That it had taken him this long to figure it out was a mistake he wasn’t about to repeat.

  He’d learned from his earlier misstep and wasn’t going to assume anything, though. Nope. She needed to be able to buy into this deal one hundred percent, and some other component was still missing. Something itched at the back of his brain that would help make the next stage happen.

  Luke just needed to figure out what.

  * * *

  Kelli arrived at Tansy and Rose’s place, was ushered in with hugs like usual, and peppered with a set of totally innocuous questions. Her friends showed amazing restraint, asking for details about the gala hotel, what the food had been like, and all the fancy outfits she’d seen the night of the ball.

  But there was a limit to their patience.

  Now that she was wrapped in a soft throw blanket, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, two faces peered back at her, wild curiosity on both of them.

  “I like that you close the shop on Tuesdays,” Kelli said. “This staying up late on Monday nights makes me feel naughty, like I’m breaking curfew.”

  Tansy and Rose glanced at each other.

  “She changed the topic,” Rose said. “That was not remotely about the gala, or Luke, or anything interesting.”

  “Someone is trying to avoid sharing any juicy details,” Tansy replied blandly.

  “I don’t know why she’s attempting to prevaricate. It’s not as if news didn’t spread like wildfire the minute someone spotted her and Luke smooching in the barn.” Rose faced Kelli. “Alex told me Luke is being all he-man possessive and stuff, too. Grrr, and snarl, and that kind of thing, when the guys are around.”

  “Oh, now that’s just bull.” Kelli jerked upright. “Luke is not acting possessive. And we have not been smooching. Good grief, what are you guys, twelve?”

  “Pretend we are, and you can give us lessons. What exactly happened while you were gone? Because—”

  The doorbell rang. Rose shot to her feet.

  “Drat. You were late, and my date is right on time.” She grabbed her coat and purse from where they lay over the arm of the couch. “I will hear all the good bits at some point, yes?”

  “Maybe,” Kelli retorted. “If I hear the play by play of what you and Alex get up to.”

  Rose had been in the middle of swinging the door open, and he had to have overheard, because the dark-haired man offered the room a wide grin.

  “Dancing. That’s all I’m going to say.” Alex focused on Rose, whistling in appreciation as he hurried to help her with her coat. “You look pretty.”

  “Thanks.” Rose put a hand on his chest, pushing him back into the hallway. “We need to leave now, before Snoopy Thing One and Snoopy Thing Two get their hooks into you.”

  “Bye, ladies,” Alex offered with a chuckle.

  “Bye, Alex. Bye, Rose. Don’t do anything I wouldn— Never mind,” Tansy said dryly. “I forgot who I was talking to.”

  Rose swooped to grab a boot. Tansy ducked as the chunky object flew past her head.

  Kelli laughed softly. As usual, the sisters also tossed each other a quick air kiss and a finger wave before Rose closed the door.

  Which left her and Tansy sitting in the suddenly quiet room.

  It would have been easy to share some of what had gone down between her and Luke when both Fields sisters were there—the two who lovingly called each other twins even though they were adopted from vastly different backgrounds.

  But while the three of them were friends, Kelli and Tansy had things in common at a more intimate level than anyone else. This conversation wasn’t going to be just—holy cow, you’re dating Luke—it would go deeper.

  That was scary, no matter how much Kelli wanted it.

  Tansy wiggled back in her chair before turning a knowing smile in Kelli’s direction. “You want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked. “If you say no, I won’t poke. You know that. Your secrets are you
r own. Even after you tell me, I will never share. I am the Fort Knox of Secret Keeperdom.”

  Which was true. Until this past week and her confession to Luke, Tansy was only person who had heard the full story about Kelli’s past—she knew everything, including the stealing money and running away. The only thing Kelli hadn’t outright shared was her crush on Luke.

  Looking back, it appeared she might not have done as good a job of keeping the Luke part as secret as she’d thought. At least not around the female portion of the population.

  Thank God Luke had never suspected.

  Kelli went, as usual, with honest. “I want to tell you about it, only everything is really mixed up and twisted in my brain.”

  “Talk it out,” Tansy suggested. “I can take twisted.”

  Words poured out of Kelli as if she’d broken through a dam.

  “I went into the event thinking we might have a secret, short-term fling, but people there thought we were engaged. Luke had signed us up as a couple. I got mad at him for that, but then I kind of forced him to make us a couple anyway, and he didn’t get mad at me. And we had the most amazing time, not just the fling part—although, oh my god, that was wild—but the people were so nice, and Diane was fantastic. You would love her, and she would love you, but she thinks Luke and I are engaged, but we’re not, only”—Kelli took a deep breath—“when we got back, Luke said we are dating now and I’ve moved into his house, which sounds impossible when I say it like that. It can’t be real, and yet it is.”

  Tansy’s expression was unreadable, but her eyes were bright, and she nodded sharply before replying. “Twisted is right. And I can see you’re in the middle of trying to find all the knots so you can unravel the mess. Figuring it all out. But it really doesn’t matter, you know.”

  Kelli paused. “What doesn’t matter?”

  “How mixed up the whole situation is. Because the important parts are clear.” Tansy leaned forward, her perceptive gaze piercingly bright. “You look happy. Like super happy. And you’re usually a happy person to begin with, so whatever it is that’s going on with Luke is not hurting you.”

  “I hate that we lied to people. And you have to promise you won’t say a word about the engaged thing to anyone. We definitely need to figure out how we’re going to explain that away.” Kelli felt her bubble of happiness fading. “Like I said, it’s twisted and a total mess. How can I be so happy and still feel miserable?”

  “Because people are complicated and capable of feeling more than one emotion at a time?” Tansy shrugged. “I mean, really. That annoys the hell out of me.”

  Usually it would have Kelli, too.

  She paused. Thought it through. This time Kelli spoke slower, but with as much honesty as her earlier spew. “I’ve been pretending that all I wanted was a fling, but that was to protect myself in case I didn’t get what I really wanted. But I don’t know if what I think I want is what I really want, and until I untangle that part, I’m going to stay confused.”

  “You don’t want a fling.” Tansy’s face stilled in concentration. “You want more. You want to be with Luke for real? You want to be with the St— Oh…”

  Her friend was far too astute. Kelli let her misery out. “Tamara says I’m like family already. And I have had a crush on Luke forever. But how much of me caring for him is because I’m crazy in love with Silver Stone and the Stone family? How much is because I can’t fathom living anywhere else? Because they’ve been my family for so long now? I needed a family so much when I arrived here.”

  “Of course you did. We all do.” Tansy’s eyes flashed with indignation. “The woman who was your birth mother was not family. It’s not about shared blood. Family is about choice. One hundred percent. You know that.”

  “Your family is a good example, I know. It’s just that…” Kelli paused. “I guess I don’t want to screw this up for anyone. Me, him or Silver Stone.”

  “Oh, honey.” Tansy slid across the space between them. She sat on the coffee table and took Kelli’s hands in hers. “Do you love him?”

  “I don’t know if I dare to love him,” Kelli admitted. “Because if he doesn’t love me back…”

  She couldn’t finish.

  Tansy wasn’t going to let it lie. “Because if he doesn’t love you back…what?”

  “I might stay with him anyway because it means I would also be with the Stone family.” The words were a whisper. A confession of all her fears. “And while that’s not exactly the same as my mom, who stayed with guys who hurt her, it’s still not being around for the right reasons.”

  “Oh boy.” Tansy squeezed her fingers tightly before letting go and sitting back. “You did tangle this one up good, girlfriend.”

  “Doing a job well is something I take pride in.” Kelli forced out the joke.

  They grinned at each other. Then Tansy rose to her feet. “You know what? You’re trying too hard. This relationship is brand new to you, and to Luke, and while it’s complicated because you work with him and have a relationship with his family, stop focusing on those bits.”

  Easier said than done. “And do what?”

  “Focus on him. On being a couple.” Tansy planted her fists on her hips and stared down, lecture mode on her face. “Do you really think you’d have a crush on someone who was an asshole? Because I don’t. You’re too smart for that.”

  “My mom stayed with assholes—”

  “Hell, no, girl. Don’t you go there. The only thing you share with that woman is a bit of DNA. You were smart enough to get out.”

  “I suppose.” Kelli took a deep breath, starting to feel hopeful again.

  Tansy pushed her advantage. “You know what’s right and what’s wrong, which is why you ran away when you did. Give this time. Enjoy yourself and figure out the next steps together. Truth is, you have a lot of family by choice around. You have the Stones, you have me and the Fields—so no matter what happens, you’re not alone. But you also deserve to be loved in ways we can’t give you, but maybe Luke can.”

  “I want him to. I think.” Kelli wrinkled her nose. “Okay, I’ll be patient and focus on us as a couple going forward. I can do that.”

  “Of course you can. I only have smart people for friends.”

  Kelli laughed. “We need to find you a boyfriend.”

  “In time. I’m having fun being single.” Tansy nodded firmly. “I mean it, Kelli. I know from experience that real love is more than doing the right thing. Real family, the people who have real love inside them—they’re the ones who love you in spite of your faults. They want you and keep loving you, even when you screw up. You deserve that, and I hope Luke is the one who can give it to you.”

  “Me too.” Kelli collapsed back on the couch. “Enough. I’m emotionally wiped out. You need to feed me sugary treats and catch me up on all the gossip I missed this past week.”

  Tansy pulled out the goodies, and Kelli soaked in the happiness of friendship. And at the end of the night when they’d finished the turnovers and chips and talked and eaten to their hearts’ content, she headed home with a seed of hope planted.

  While she was still worried about troubles that needed to be solved, having a new focus was a good thing. She was doing this. She would try for love in the hopes it would be worth it in the end.

  She wished a good Kelli-ism would come to mind. Something that she could recite over and over as a personal mantra, but all she could think of was Diane’s advice of how to work with Pepper. To relax and let trust build over time.

  Time. Kelli needed to wait.

  So, like she had already for many years, she waited.

  19

  On Saturday, Kelli burst into the barn and raced up to Luke, interrupting his discussion with Caleb. “Sorry, but you’ve got to see this right now.”

  She shoved a piece of paper into Caleb’s hands.

  He eyed it suspiciously. “What’s this?”

  “Stud-fee contract.” She slid a finger along the top line as if it was obvious.
/>
  Luke wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned over Caleb’s shoulder to read the paper.

  Caleb whispered softly as he pointed at a number that seemed to have extra zeros behind it. “Is that a typo?”

  “Not a typo.” Kelli fanned another set of extra papers to show there were a half dozen more just like it. “Look. Look at them all,” she said, bouncing with excitement.

  “But that’s not what we charge for Nemo’s fee.”

  Her grin widened. “You missed the results from the Pegasus World Cup.”

  “Kelli, we don’t have any horses represented,” Caleb pointed out, checking his watch. “And the event hasn’t even run yet.”

  “Finished an hour and a half ago. You forgot about the time zone difference. And we don’t know why, but for some reason, one of the four-year-olds entered was a filly out of Nemo. Remember Outside Darling? She came from behind riding wild odds and placed second. Tamara and I were watching live on YouTube, and as soon as the results were in, Tamara told Lisa to adjust Nemo’s fees. And the website still went crazy.”

  Luke glanced over the pages, swearing softly at the outrageous numbers on each of the contracts. “If these are legal and binding, he’s about to earn a shit-ton of money.”

  “Completely legal,” Kelli assured him. “You know that automated system Lisa put into place on the website? Almost all the open stud dates are booked for this coming year at that higher fee. These pages are just the people who Silver Stone already preapproved. You still have to approve the new mares, Luke, but stables really want Nemo. Stables with lots and lots of money in their pockets.” Kelli bounced another couple of times, her gaze darting between his and Caleb’s faces. “Does that help? Does that help Silver Stone deal with finances for a little longer?”

  Caleb caught hold of her, surprised delight escaping her in a squeal as he spun her in a circle. “It helps,” he agreed as he put her back on the ground. “It helps a damn lot.”

  Then it was Luke’s turn to pick her up, but after a quick spin he held her against him, brushing their noses together. “You girls were brilliant.” He lowered his voice. “And once again, you did more than your share, considering those names I’d preapproved were breeders we met in Kananaskis Country who you sweet-talked into getting on a short list.”