by Sabrina York
By the time the waitress, a pretty brunette with a long ponytail named Crystal, came to their table, Veronica had settled on a salad, because she really wasn’t hungry after that lemon bar.
Sam ordered a cheeseburger with a side of onion rings for the table.
Crystal left to go place their order and Veronica turned to Sam. “So,” she said. “How’s your family?”
“Good,” Sam said. “Pretty much the same. Except Luke.”
“Luke?” He was the youngest of the Stirling boys, but still a little older than Sam. “What happened to him?”
“Ah, well, he went and joined the Marines. He was in Afghanistan and...” Sam shook her head. “There was an explosion. An IED. Luke survived, but he was badly hurt. He spent months in physical therapy, learning to walk again.” Her face went pink. “Oh. Don’t tell anyone that. Luke swore me to secrecy. Just like him, you know. He doesn’t want anyone to know how rough it really was. He hates sympathy. He equates it with pity.”
“Of course not.” Veronica shook her head, but her mind was reeling.
She had also spent months in physical therapy learning to walk again. To feel like herself again. The hardest part had been learning to do makeup—without looking like a child playing with her mommy’s lipstick—due to the tremor caused by damage to the tendons in her left wrist. She was recovering, but the process was both a physical and an emotional one. Thankfully, it hadn’t kept her from the baking she so loved—as long as she wore the wrist brace her doctor had recommended, she could go on with her activities in the kitchen.
“I-I’d like to see him again,” she said, easing back to give Crystal room to deliver their drinks.
Sam grinned. “You will. It’s a small town. And he lives just around the corner.”
Veronica gaped at her. “He doesn’t live at the ranch?”
“That’s a tender point, as I am sure you can imagine. For some reason, he refuses to live in the old man’s house. They never got along, you see.”
“But your grandfather’s dead, isn’t he? Gram told me he died.”
“Doesn’t matter to Luke.”
Veronica sat back and thought about her experiences, and she had to admit, she understood why Luke might want to isolate himself. “He probably just wants his privacy.”
“Privacy, schmivacy. Hell, when Mark decided he wanted his privacy, he at least had the good sense to move into one of the cabins on the ranch.”
At the sound of his name, Veronica’s pulse spiked. “He, ah, moved out of the house?”
Sam looked a little sheepish. “Well, we might have told him to move out. His dogs were annoying our grandmother.”
“His...dogs?”
“Ugh. Don’t ask.” She took a slug of her iced tea. “Oh, I told him you were in town. He seemed excited.” Sam offered a conspiratorial wink.
Why did her breath catch at that? Why did her hopes rise?
There was no reason for hope. No need for it. She’d made her choice. She’d come here to heal. To find herself again. The last thing she wanted or needed in her life was another man.
The last one had nearly killed her.
Chapter Two
Mark picked up his pace as he rounded the corner from the parking lot to the B&G. He knew better than to be late for a lunch with Sam, but he’d been in the middle of the back forty repairing a fence and he’d lost track of time. Besides, whatever she wanted to talk about couldn’t be more important than repairing the fence before they moved the herd, could it?
Something caught his eye in the window—something red—and he stopped short. His heart gave a hard ker-thump; something tingled in his solar plexus. It took his brain a second to catch up and it hit him like an anvil.
Roni. It was Roni.
Lord, she was pretty. No. She’d been pretty as a kid; she’d blossomed into beautiful. Her skin was a creamy hue, and her smile dazzled, even through the window of the B&G. Her hair was a deeper shade of red now, and pulled up into a casual bun with escaping strands that wisped around her face. The look definitely suited her. He knew he needed to stop staring, but it took effort.
Damn it. Sam should have given him a heads-up. It would have been nice to have been prepared for this. He was dressed in work clothes. He hadn’t taken a shower. He probably smelled like...cow manure or something. He should turn around, get into his car and go back to the ranch. Call Sam and tell her he’d been delayed. Or the heifer had gone into labor. Or the barn had burned down. Anything to avoid meeting Roni again in this cowboy-ugly condition. First impressions were important. This was almost like a first impression, wasn’t it? After thirteen years?
If she saw him like this, she’d—
Damn it. Just then Sam spotted him and jerked her head, gesturing to him as if to say “get in here, doofus.”
Well, hell. There was nothing for it. He sucked in a deep breath, tucked in his shirttails, raked back his hair and pushed through the door. As he neared the table, his pulse sped up. He’d imagined how this reunion would go since Sam mentioned Roni was in town. But now that it was happening, his mind went utterly blank. The closer he got, the more stunning she seemed.
Even though it had darkened a bit over the years, her hair still highlighted her green-and-amber eyes. The freckles still danced over her nose and her bow-shaped lips set his imagination on fire.
What would he say to her? What could they talk about? What—
The awkwardness melted in the face of another emotion swelling from the well of his being. What if her husband was here, too? How would that conversation go? The thought made him feel a little ill.
“Well, hey there,” Sam said, lifting her glass as he came up to them. “Look what the cat dragged in.”
“You asked me to have lunch today,” he reminded her.
“Roni, you remember Mark, don’t you?”
Roni’s striking eyes met his. They were distressingly blank as she gave her head a little shake. “Um. No. You have a brother named Mark?” she asked Sam.
His heart plummeted. It had never occurred to him that she might not remember him. After all they’d shared? That meant she didn’t remember the kiss, either, didn’t it? That kiss that he’d held so close to his—
And then he saw it, the sparkle in her eye. The slight quirk of her lips. Indeed, she slid out of the booth and faced him. Laughing.
“Of course I remember you, goofball!” she said, before she bounced her fist off his shoulder.
Without a thought, he gathered her into a hug. She seemed to stiffen at first, as though he’d surprised her, but then, with a sigh, she relaxed into his embrace.
She smelled...divine, fresh, like lemons. Her body was warm and soft in his arms. A tingle shot up his spine.
He pulled back, waggling a finger. “Never do that again,” he said in a gruff voice.
She threw back her head and laughed. “Did you really think I forgot you? How on earth could that ever happen?”
He shrugged. “Well, it’s been a long time.”
“Sit,” Sam commanded, stolidly not making room for him, then waving at the banquette as Roni slid in and scooted over.
Mark slipped in; the space where she’d been was warm. He turned his attention to Roni, taking her in from a closer vantage point. Yup. Still freckled. Still clear-eyed. And, damn, she was all grown up. He offered her a sincere smile. “It’s so great to see you again,” he said.
Her lips quirked up. “You, too.” She shifted sideways in the booth so she could face him better.
“So,” he said in the face of her expectant expression. “Thirteen years. Wow.” Jeez, Mark. Way to make sparkling conversation. “What, ah, what have you been up to?”
For some reason, she paled a bit and glanced away. But then she flashed a brilliant smile, yet somehow, it was a shadow of her former smile. This one didn’t seem to reach her ey
es. “Not much. How about you?”
“Ah, you know. This and that.” Well, apparently neither of us are good at this. The thought was somehow comforting to him. But it didn’t erase the awkwardness that had settled between them. He didn’t like the feeling.
“Mark has a new hobby,” Sam offered, but not before she snagged one of the onion rings Crystal dropped off.
Roni waited until after Crystal had taken Mark’s order before she asked, “And what’s your new hobby?”
Sam answered before he could. “He adopts stray dogs.”
“I don’t adopt them,” he clarified. “I foster them. And it’s not a hobby. It’s a calling. I work with an organization that places the pets no one else wants.”
“He has a herd of them,” Sam interjected.
“I think the proper term is pack,” Mark said. “You know. A herd of cattle, a pack of dogs, a bristle of sisters—”
Sam made a face. “That’s not a thing. Anyway—” She turned back to Roni. “I’m convinced he’s using them as a surrogate for children, since he can’t seem to land a female of childbearing age.”
Mark glowered at Sam. “Maybe they’re like kids to me. Did you ever think of that?”
Sam tsked. “That’s not sad at all.”
Mark blew out a breath and turned to Roni, who, it appeared, was enjoying this banter at his expense. “Don’t listen to her. My dogs are awesome.” He narrowed his gaze. “By the way... We’re always looking for good homes for our fur babies. Hint, hint.”
“Gadzooks,” Sam interrupted. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Forget I said anything about dogs,” she said in a credible Jedi-Master cant.
It didn’t work. It never did.
“Do you like Chihuahuas?” Mark asked Roni, mostly to annoy Sam.
“To be honest,” she said, though he could tell she was teasing from the smile she couldn’t hide, “I believe that if it fits in one’s purse, it is not a dog.”
“It’s not a dog if it can’t knock you down,” Sam said and they all laughed.
“Are you crying?” Sam asked when Roni dabbed at her eyes with her napkin.
She sighed. “I just forgot how much fun you guys are.”
“Yup, that’s us.” Sam grinned. “We’re a barrel of laughs.”
And then, apropos of nothing—other than wanting Roni’s attention back on him—Mark blurted the thought that had been buzzing in his mind like a hungry mosquito. “I heard you got married.”
She went still and paled.
Oh, crap. Maybe he shouldn’t have blurted that question.
Roni drew in a breath; she toyed with the buttons of her sweater. “That was a long time ago,” she said softly. “I’m divorced now.”
Through his chagrin, exhilaration rose.
Sam grunted around an onion ring. “Good for you.”
Roni glanced at Mark from beneath her lashes. “Are, ah, any of you married?”
She wanted to know if he was available. He couldn’t hold back his grin. “Free as a bird.”
They all leaned back to give Crystal room to deliver their plates. Both he and Sam had ordered Chase’s bacon jam cheeseburgers, while Roni had ordered a salad.
Sam took a big bite of her burger, and Mark followed suit. They moaned in concert.
“Good?” Roni asked over her salad.
“Chase makes a killer bacon jam,” Sam said through a mouthful.
“Bacon jam?” Roni’s eyebrows came together.
There was no earthly way to explain bacon jam, so Mark held his dripping burger out to her. “There. Taste.”
You would have thought he’d offered her raw mountain oysters the way she reared back.
“Go on,” he urged. “It’s really good.”
Roni gave him the side-eye and then reached out and took Mark’s burger. Their fingers touched, just barely, but it sent a bolt through him...and through her, if her widening eyes were any measure. She delicately nibbled from the side of the burger he’d not touched.
“So good, isn’t it? Go on, take as much as you want,” Mark said.
Roni sucked in a breath and tried another bite. This time she got more than bun. “Oh, my God,” she said, closing her eyes, obviously glorying in the flavors of grilled meat, toasted bread and that incredible bacon jam. “That is so tasty.”
“We told you so...” Sam tucked in to her own burger again, not offering anyone a bite, Mark noticed. But he wasn’t surprised. She had grown up with a houseful of hungry men, after all.
“We do have some exciting news to report,” Mark said. Again. With the blurting. It was worth it when Roni turned her attention away from his burger and fixed it on him. “We have a new brother.” It was the biggest piece of news that had hit BR in decades.
“She already knows about Danny,” Sam said, successfully dampening his enthusiasm.
“I do?” Roni’s brow rumpled.
“Remember when I introduced you to Lizzie?”
“Sure.”
“Well, she’s Danny’s wife.”
“Danny’s our new brother. He’s from Vegas,” Mark added.
“That is fascinating,” Roni said, pretending to be utterly entranced as she rearranged her salad. Mark noticed she wasn’t really eating it, and wondered why. But he kept quiet. “How did you find him?”
Sam stole a french fry from Mark’s plate and slathered it in ketchup. “When Granddad died, Danny was named in the will.”
“We had no idea he even existed,” Mark added.
“Well, we did once we clapped eyes on him.” Sam leaned in and stole another of Mark’s fries. “He looks just like Dad.”
Roni’s eyes widened. “That’s amazing.”
Mark nodded. “It was pretty cool.”
She gave a soft sigh. “I would have loved to have had a sibling growing up.” He knew she was an Army brat who’d grown up all over the world. He couldn’t imagine how lonely that must have been as an only child.
“Trust me,” Sam said. “Siblings are a pain in the ass. Especially brothers.”
“Danny’s a great guy. You’ll like him,” Mark said, on his way to inviting her over for Sunday supper.
Before he could, Sam scuttled his intent once again. “We’re having a family supper on Sunday afternoon. Why don’t you come and meet him?” she asked.
Roni’s eyes lit up, but then her expression fell. “I couldn’t. I have to stay with Gram.”
“Seriously?” Sam rolled her eyes. “Bring her along.”
“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”
“Why would we mind?”
“We love Milly,” Mark added. Hell, she’d been like a mother to them for years. Especially after their own mother died.
Sam, like a dog with a bone, continued. “It’ll do her good to get out. And it would be great for Grandma, too. Everyone needs friends their own age.”
“You should bring her,” he said, because he really wanted Roni to come.
Sam nodded. “Show up around noon.” And, at Roni’s surprise, she chuckled. “We start early.”
“It’s a family tradition,” Mark added, feeling obliged to explain. “We’re all so busy, it’s a chance to check in with each other.”
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“You’re not intruding,” Mark said, meeting her gaze. “We’d love the company. Honestly.”
Sam pulled out her phone and grimaced. “Damn it. I need to get back to the ranch. You two stay. Chat. Mark, get the bill, will you.” It was not a question. Normally he’d squawk at being invited to lunch and left with the bill, but he really wanted to spend more time talking to Roni. Also, he would normally ask his sister what was up at the ranch that might drag her away from lunch, since the whole family was really serious about their food, but frankly, he didn’t care. He re
ally didn’t want her to stay.
“Bye.”
“I guess I’ll see you on Sunday, then,” Roni said, waving goodbye. Sam wrapped up what was left of her burger—the onion rings were long gone—and left, looking pleased with herself. Mark figured she was, since she’d engineered this reunion. For now, he had Roni alone.
Trouble was... Well, they both had trouble thinking of something to say. Mark madly searched his brain for topics, but nothing came up. It was like that irritating spinning circle on his computer when it was caught in a time loop. Thank God she stepped into the awkwardness first.
“It’s so strange seeing you all grown up,” she said. “Making the connection to the boy I knew.”
He nodded. “I know what you mean. We’re different people, but we’re not.”
“Your face is the same,” she offered cheerfully. “Those dimples when you smile. But...”
“But what?” he asked in a teasing tone.
A flush ran up her cheeks. “Well, your body is...”
Is...what? What?
“You’ve certainly filled out.” She gestured at his T-shirt-clad chest. He tried not to flex, but it was hard. She’d been his childhood confidante, but she was still an attractive woman.
He forced a friendly smile instead. “That’s working on a ranch for you.”
“Slinging hay bales, punching cows and all that?”
“Right.”
“And what do you do when you’re not ranching? Other than fostering dogs?”
“Oh, the dogs don’t take much time. Well, maybe they do, but I enjoy taking care of them, so it doesn’t feel that way.” She continued looking at him expectantly. What more did she want to hear? He hadn’t done anything worth that kind of expectation. Not like his brother DJ, who managed the business of the ranch now that Granddad was gone, or Luke, who’d joined the Marines and done two tours in Afghanistan. And Sam was a three-time winner of the annual county calf-roping contest. What had he really done with his life? “I’m a volunteer firefighter.”
To his relief, this impressed her. Her eyes widened. “You fight fires?”
He nodded, then shrugged. “It’s mostly trainings.”
