Steal My Heart (Prosperity Ranch Book 2)

by Heather B. Moore

  “Why don’t you tell us, Carson?” Holt cut in.

  All eyes shifted to him. And that’s when Evie started praying that Carson Hunt wouldn’t tell the exact details of their first meeting. Because it had been mortifying enough. And her parents would probably be shocked to know that she’d been at such a wild party. No, her parents weren’t naïve, but college partying wasn’t something they needed to discuss at the dinner table.

  “Sure thing,” Carson started to say.

  Evie focused her full attention on him, wishing that he could read her mind. Don’t say anything. Make up something. I don’t care what.

  But Carson did say something.

  “We met through her roommate, Becca,” he said.

  Evie’s breath nearly left her chest. He wasn’t going to bring up Devon and the football party?

  “Becca and I study at the library every morning,” Carson said. “Not together, but in the same area. And the other day, Evie showed up with her.” He shrugged as he picked up his water glass. “It became a really small world when I found out Evie was from Prosper.”

  His grandad slapped him on the back. “Small world, indeed, boy.”

  “How about that? A really small world,” Lane said, an edge of suspicion in his tone. Didn’t he believe Carson?

  “Right,” Evie said, and all eyes shifted to her now. “The library. I don’t usually go in the mornings because I’m a night owl, I guess.”

  “How nice that you decided to go with Becca, then,” her mom said.

  Evie had no idea why Carson had covered for her, but she owed him, big time. He and Holt started talking about the horses Holt was training, but Evie knew that Carson was aware of her. Did he understand how much of a bullet he’d helped her dodge?

  The last thing she wanted to do was explain who Devon was and how she’d gotten into a situation that could have been much, much worse if it wasn’t for Carson Hunt forcing that door open.

  The rest of the meal was a blur as Evie’s thoughts raced. She was more curious now than grateful. Why had he said what he’d said? When dinner ended, she was still feeling antsy. Not so much for Carson to leave, but for her family to mind their own business, so that she could go over to his grandad’s property and talk to Carson alone.

  But the evening continued surrounded by people, even though Holt, Macie, and Ruby had gone back to Holt’s house in town, and Carson and Mr. Hunt left. She listened to her mom talk about a new quilt she was starting up while Lane and her dad did the dishes. Then her dad went off to some meeting, and that left Lane and her mom choosing a historical western movie to watch.

  Evie didn’t feel like she could bow out without another round of questions, so she settled on the couch and half-watched a jilted son try to get revenge on his father.

  The night sky seemed to swallow the earth, and the stars were impossible to count. It was something that Carson had forgotten about over the last few years of school and football and figuring out how to see a future that didn’t include Rhett.

  “You lock up when you come to bed,” Grandad hollered through the screen door. “I’m heading off to bed. I’m not as young as I used to be.”

  “Okay, Pops, will do.” Although, Carson was sure locking up wasn’t entirely necessary. There was nothing at this old homestead to steal, and Prosper didn’t strike him as a place where burglars abounded. But he was used to his grandad’s odd ways, and it was always better to agree with him. For the most part.

  Carson returned his attention to the vast sky from where he sat sprawled on a wooden deck chair on the back patio. He should get to bed soon, too. It had been a long day, and if his grandad still had his old habits, they’d both be up by dawn, working on one thing or another.

  The glittering stars above brought a peace that was hard to explain. It was more than welcome, especially after witnessing that motorcycle crash earlier that day. Evie had helped him out more than she could know, and he didn’t know if he could explain it to her, ever, but just driving the rest of the way and not asking questions had been exactly what he needed.

  Now, looking back and having some emotional distance, Carson realized that he’d been triggered. PTSD, or something? He wasn’t sure. He wasn’t the expert. But the accident had hit close to home, and all he’d been able to think about was if someone had been there to help his brother sooner, then maybe Rhett would still be alive.

  The sound of car tires on gravel caught Carson’s attention. Someone was pulling up to the house. It was late, especially for a sleepy little town, and he didn’t want his grandad bothered unless it was necessary. A lifetime of living with the old man had taught Carson not to wake his grandad—the man became something fierce when startled from sleep.

  So Carson rose and walked around the house. He reached the front corner of the house just as someone climbed out of a car. The silhouette against the moonlight told him it was a woman.

  “Evie?” he said in a soft voice.

  She jumped. “Carson. You scared me!”

  He walked toward her, hands in his jeans pockets. “You’re the one who’s here in the dead of night. You scared me.”

  She watched him approach, and in the moonlight, he couldn’t read her eyes, but her mouth had curved upward.

  “Sorry about scaring you,” she said, her tone teasing. “I didn’t realize how late it was. Were you . . . asleep?”

  Obviously not, but he’d play along. “Not yet. I’m stargazing. Wanna join me?”

  He felt her surprise rather than saw it.

  “Right now?”

  “Well, the stars are out,” he said. “So there’s no time like the present. Plus, it seems that neither of us are sleeping, so . . .” He held out his hand—why, he didn’t know. Because it was dark, maybe, and she wasn’t familiar with the landscape?

  She hesitated, as he suspected she would, then she placed her hand in his. Her fingers were cool and smooth. And he wrapped his larger hand around hers and pulled her with him.

  “Come on,” he said. “The best place is on the back patio. There’re a couple of chairs there, too.”

  “Okay.”

  He led her around the side of the house, and she didn’t pull away from his grasp. What was she thinking? What was he thinking? He liked this. Spontaneous as it was. He liked it very much.

  When they reached the patio, he motioned toward one of the chairs, and she released his hand and sat down. By the time he settled into the nearby chair, she’d tilted her chin up and was staring at the sky. So he did, too.

  He could make out a few of the constellations, the major ones, but he’d never paid much attention to astronomy. Maybe that would change if he decided to live in Prosper. Neither of them were speaking, and he wondered how long he’d have to wait before Evie told him why she’d come over. It wasn’t like he should be flattered or anything—okay, so maybe he was a little. Or a lot.

  She’d come to see him, right? Talk to him? Ask him for a favor? Discuss what had happened at her family’s ranch? Tell him why she’d come unglued on her brothers in front of him, over him? Carson hadn’t minded in the least. Warmth buzzed through him at the thought.

  It took maybe four minutes, or five, before she started talking. “Why did you tell my family that we met in the library?”

  Ah, that.

  “Well, I weighed my options, and you seemed to already be bothered by your mom asking you the question, so I decided I’d take the neutral approach.” He paused. “Should I have told them about the football party?”

  “No,” she said quickly. “I don’t need to feel like an idiot more than I already do.”

  “You’re not an idiot,” Carson said.

  Evie scoffed. “I followed after Devon like a lost dog, and when he asked me out, I thought I’d be different. You know, different from the party girls he always dates. I thought he’d see me. Be interested. Intrigued. And not treat me like all the other flighty women after him.”

  Carson blew out a breath. “Guys like that don’t
grow up for a long time. Some of them never do. They end up hurting others and leaving hurricane-like destruction in their paths.”

  “Yeah, I understand that now,” Evie said. “Loud and clear. I mean, I almost had my first kiss from a guy who probably doesn’t even know my last name.”

  She covered her mouth and mumbled, “I didn’t mean to say that.”

  Carson glanced over at her. Had she just said . . . was it possible? “What part didn’t you mean to say? The not knowing the last name part or . . .”

  Evie bolted from the chair and took off around the house.

  “Evie,” Carson said. “Where are you going?” He followed, jogging around the house to barely catch up with her as she reached for the handle of her car door.

  She opened the door, but before she could slip inside and drive away, Carson grasped her arm. “Evie?”

  She turned to face him, and he dropped his hand. Her eyes were wide, as if she were spooked about something.

  She folded her arms. “I don’t know why I told you that. Becca barely found out the other day. If you say anything, to anyone, so help me . . .”

  Her voice was trembling, and Carson didn’t know what to make of it. “I won’t say anything. Besides, who would I tell?”

  “All you have to do is tell one person in Prosper, and everyone will know it,” Evie said, her voice cracking.

  Carson raised both his hands. “I swear, I won’t say a thing.”

  Evie stared at him, and he gazed right back.

  “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  She exhaled and unfolded her arms. Then she wiped at her cheeks.

  Was she crying now? Carson had no idea what to do.

  “You probably think I’m overreacting,” she said in a quiet voice, wiping at her cheeks again, “and you probably think I’m a bratty sister to my brothers. But they . . . they’re part of the reason that I never dated before college, except for one lousy prom that went completely wrong. And it’s probably why I’m making poor choices about guys now.”

  Carson wanted to dry her tears, maybe pull her into a hug, but he could feel the tension radiating from her. And he didn’t want her to think he was coming onto her, even though she looked beautiful in the moonlight. “I don’t think you’re a bratty sister, Evie. You should have seen how my brother and I fought. I mean, we were always bickering about something.”

  She seemed too distressed and caught up in her own emotional turmoil to catch onto his past tense referral of his brother. Her gaze had slipped away, and she was biting her lip.

  “Look,” Carson said. “I don’t want to stir up things between you and your brothers. If you don’t want me over at the ranch tomorrow, then I’ve got plenty to do with my grandad.”

  Her gaze lifted, and her brows arched. “They invited you over?”

  “Yeah.”

  She bit that pretty lip of hers again, and Carson wondered how in the world, whether in high school or in all her years at college, this woman had never been kissed. But right now, he knew it wasn’t a question he could pursue. She was still upset.

  “Hey,” he hedged. “Your brothers are good guys from what I know, and they’re just protective, even though it comes across as strong. I mean, they wouldn’t drill a guy you’re going out with unless they cared.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I know. They care too much, though.”

  Carson tried not to smile, but failed.

  “You’re laughing at me,” Evie said, her eyes narrowing.

  “I’m not laughing at you,” he said. “You’re just adorable when you scrunch up your face like that.”

  Now, she glowered. “You did not just say that.”

  Carson was grinning now. Glowering was better than crying. “I did just say that. But really, you’re a beautiful woman, Evie, so no wonder your brothers are protective. There’s a lot of jerks out there.”

  “You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

  Had Carson ever met a more stubborn person? “I do want you to feel better, sweetness, but that doesn’t mean I’m not telling the truth.”

  She studied him. “I already know the truth. I’m awkward, and apparently naïve, when it comes to dating. I don’t know where I’ll be living in two months. I cave to pressure and can’t seem to stand on my own two feet. I’m pathetic, really.”

  Carson would have never guessed in a hundred years that all of these thoughts ran through Evie’s mind.

  “Can I see your phone?” he asked.

  Lines appeared between her brows. “Why?”

  “So I can text you something, and then you can read it over and over and not forget it.”

  She hesitated, and he could practically see the arguments flitting across her face. Her beautiful face.

  Finally, she pulled out her phone from her back pocket and handed it to him. He opened the contacts and added his name and number, then he texted his own phone, which he’d left in the house. He handed it back.

  “Do I get the grand tour of Prosper tomorrow?” he asked. “Or what?”

  She slipped her phone into her pocket again. “Maybe.”

  “Okay . . .”

  She shrugged. “I’m helping my mom with her quilt, and Macie wants to hang out at some point, but I might have ten minutes to show you the rest of Prosper.”

  He chuckled, and he loved when she smiled. How Evie didn’t know how beautiful she was, when she smiled, laughed, cried, or even yelled at her brothers, Carson couldn’t figure it out. “Well, let me know when you have ten minutes free. I’ll take a break from whatever Grandad has on his list of chores for me.”

  Evie looked at the house, and Carson saw what she saw: a rundown homestead in need of a major facelift.

  “I’m sure your grandad is grateful you’re here to help.” Then she looked at him. “Thanks, Carson, for, uh, covering for me. I’m glad I don’t have to explain to my family about the football party. As you know, they’re nosy and overprotective enough.”

  “Sure thing.”

  She stepped away then and slid into the driver’s seat.

  Carson moved back from the car and watched her drive down the road that connected to the street leading to her family’s ranch. Then he went inside the house to find his phone. He waited a few minutes before he sent a text to her number so that it would go through when she wasn’t still driving.

  After another minute, her reply finally came.

  You can hang out with my brothers if you want.

  He grinned. What about our ten-minute tour?

  I think I can work you in around noon.

  Evie could hear the early-morning movements about the house as she stayed burrowed beneath a quilt. Holt had already arrived, and it sounded like he must be having coffee with her dad and Lane. Her mom wasn’t up yet, and it surprised Evie. And worried her, too. Was it because of the cancer? Her mom was in remission now, but there was always the fear that it would come back.

  Evie slipped one hand out of the covers and snatched her cell phone, then brought it into her cocoon of blankets. She looked at the recent activity on her phone. Nothing more from Becca. They’d texted a couple of times last night—before Evie had gone over to Carson’s. Instagram was filled with vacation pictures from everyone she followed at college.

  Apparently, no one had gone back home to their family ranch.

  Evie checked her email and found that a couple of her assignments had been graded. She opened up the links. B+ and A-. Good enough. She wasn’t a straight-A student like Becca, and never would be, but graphic art could be subjective, anyway.

  Evie should shut off her phone now, maybe go back to sleep for an hour. It was barely after 6:00 a.m., and if her mom wasn’t awake yet and didn’t need help with something, then it was a reprieve for Evie. After all, it was spring break.

  Instead, she didn’t shut off her phone, but pulled up the text from Carson. The one he’d sent last night, and the one she’d read at least a dozen times, or two dozen, before finally
falling asleep.

  You want the truth? Here’s the truth. The most beautiful women are the ones who don’t realize it. You’re not only beautiful on the outside, but you’re beautiful on the inside. If you didn’t have a good heart, you wouldn’t feel so torn about choosing where to work after graduation. Even though you say you don’t want to live in Prosper, I can see how much your family means to you. You aren’t awkward, not in the least. You’re finding your footing. Big decisions are looming, and you’re testing the waters. If you’re naïve, it’s because you see only the good in people and trust too much. And if you think you cave to pressure, you don’t. You’re choosing what you think is the best thing for everyone. I should be thanking you, Evie Prosper, because it’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed the company of a woman who didn’t have an agenda. Maybe it’s even the first time. I’m not lying when I say you’re beautiful, and you should know that you’re stronger than you think.

  Okay, so she was teary again—had been last night, too, when reading it over and over.

  Carson should be a professional letter writer or greeting card creator—was there such a profession? On one hand, the text was completely cheesy; on the other hand, it had reached her deepest insecurities. His words were perhaps the most sincere she’d ever heard from a guy—from anyone, really.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, ignoring the sounds about the house as she absorbed all that was Carson. His smile that she was seeing more and more of. The way he was so direct in his words. His surprising vulnerability. That motorcycle accident had been rough on him, and she was glad she could help him by driving.

  She liked how he seemed at ease with all types of people. He hadn’t been fazed by anything in her family—not her brothers’ intrusive questions or their apparent instant friendship. She’d made it clear to her brothers that Carson was just a random ride, nothing more. But now . . . Stop, Evie! She had a problem, and she knew it. A guy paid a little attention to her, and suddenly, she was dreaming up a happily ever after. She had to stop doing that. Especially with Carson. He knew her family. His grandad was their next-door neighbor, and Carson could very well be a Prosper resident soon.