HEART OF A COWBOY

Coming home is hard enough without ranch manager Quinn Solomon making Lacey Duggan feel like an unwanted guest. She’s only here until she figures out what to do with her one-third ownership of Crooked Valley. But Quinn’s irresistible daughter is giving Lacey ideas about being part of a family. And though they don’t even like each other, Lacey’s having crazier notions about the widowed single dad.

Does Lacey think she can waltz in and turn Quinn’s life upside down...only to leave again? The pretty accountant knows nothing about running a ranch, yet she’s making the Montana homestead feel like a home. Quinn isn’t looking for love again. Until a woman who’s all heart and a determined little girl help one lovestruck cowboy see the light.

Her breath came quick and shallow, and when she looked up and their eyes met...

Let me go, Lacey thought. Let me go because we can’t do this.

Quinn’s hand tightened until she was sure he had to feel her pulse hammering against his fingertips. “You’ve done nothing but help today. You even thought to pick up things for my daughter just in case, and you cooked for all of us, and I know you must hate having us intrude on your space...”

“It’s fine—”

“...and the first chance I get I’m snapping at you.”

“It’s been a challenging day.”

“And now you’re making excuses for me. When what I should be doing is saying thank you.”

She was certain her heart was going to beat clear through her chest when he pulled her closer and folded her in a hug.

Dear Reader,

When I was writing The Cowboy’s Christmas Gift, I had a really hard time making sure I didn’t give someone too much “screen time.” That someone was Amber Solomon, the sweet little daughter of ranch manager Quinn Solomon. I just had to remind myself that Amber and Quinn would be able to share their story in the next book—this one, The Cowboy’s Valentine.

The scenes with Amber seemed to write themselves. In many ways, it took me back a few years to when my own girls were little, with big eyes and gorgeous curls and an innocence that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. You see, Quinn’s wife, Marie, died when Amber was very little, and it changed both of them forever.

Lacey Duggan has some wounds of her own to overcome, and I realized as the story unfolded that Lacey and Quinn and Amber all had the power to help heal each other’s wounds. In the end, it was a really rewarding story to write, and one of my favorite happy-ever-afters.

Happy reading,

Donna

The Cowboy’s

Valentine

Donna Alward

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters and the family dog), DONNA ALWARD believes hers is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist. An avid reader since childhood, Donna has always made up her own stories. She completed her arts degree in English literature in 1994, but it wasn’t until 2001 that she penned her first full-length novel and found herself hooked on writing romance. In 2006 she sold her first manuscript, and now writes warm, emotional stories for Mills & Boon.

In her new home office in Nova Scotia, Donna loves being back on the east coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta, where her career began, writing about cowboys and the West. Donna’s debut romance, Hired by the Cowboy, was awarded a Booksellers’ Best Award in 2008 for Best Traditional Romance.

With the Atlantic Ocean only minutes from her doorstep, Donna has found a fresh take on life and promises even more great romances in the near future!

Donna loves to hear from readers. You can contact her through her website, donnaalward.com, or follow @DonnaAlward on Twitter.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

The last place in the world Lacey Duggan expected to find herself was back at Crooked Valley Ranch.

It had only been a month since she’d shared the Christmas holiday with her brother Duke at the ranch they’d once called home. Those days were a lifetime ago. She’d never wanted to return to the small town of Gibson, Montana. Instead she’d made her life in Helena, working for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. She wasn’t a farmer, or even much of an outdoor girl. Her work for the department was spent in an office. It wasn’t that she didn’t care; she genuinely enjoyed working with grant proposals and budgets. She just didn’t need to be out there in hip waders or rubber boots doing all the digging around. The desk job suited her just fine.

Or at least it had. Past tense.

She stood on the porch of the main house, hesitating. All it would take was the slightest reach and she could open the door and step inside. But right now it seemed like too much to ask. The moment she did that was the moment she admitted every single aspect of her life had fallen apart. First it was the diagnosis that had killed her dreams. Then it was the divorce. She’d made it through both of those, holding on to what she had left—her job. Then came the kicker. The new budget had come down and her position had been made redundant. After six years in the same department, she was out of work.

And one-third owner of a ranch she didn’t want.

A gust of wind swirled up the steps and around the porch, icy cold on her legs. This was ridiculous. It was just a door. It signified nothing, really. Except that it was warm in there and cold out here. With a frown she reached for the knob, only to have it ripped out of her hand the moment she touched it. She stared blindly as the door opened and a large figure stood in the doorway, blocking her from entering.

Quinn Solomon.

Her hand was still stretched out, hanging in thin air as she looked up to see the ranch manager staring down at her. Quinn. Quinn with the startling blue eyes and broad shoulders and long legs and cute daughter—and a low opinion of Lacey Duggan.

“Are you coming in or are you going to stand there all day?”

His harsh voice interrupted her assessment and despite the cold she felt her cheeks heat. “Sorry...”

“We’re not paying to heat the outdoors. Get in here, you foolish woman.”

Her pride blistered as she obeyed, sliding past him into the warmth of the foyer. The house wasn’t huge but it was welcoming, and she dropped her purse on the floor and rubbed her arms a bit. Exactly how long had she stood out there?

She glanced up and met his probing gaze. “I didn’t expect you to be here,” she said, not meaning it to be an accusation, but it sounded like one just the same.

“I work here. My office is here. But don’t worry, Lacey. I’ll stay out of your way.”

“I didn’t mean it that way.” She sighed. Duke and Quinn were good friends now, and she was sure her brother had told the ranch manager all about her situation, which was humiliating enough. “Look, Quinn, I’m not that happy about being here, either.”

“I’m pretty sure I already knew that. So why did you come, Lacey?”

From the moment they’d met, he’d never beat around the bush with her. He always said exactly what was on his mind and she might have found that refreshing except that she was usually on the receiving end of a criticism. Her pride already smarting, she decided she’d meet bluntness with bluntness.

“The truth is, if I’d been wise and built up a better savings, I could have had cash flow to keep my place while I looked for another job. As it is, I had to cover my month’s rent with my last paycheck and my unemployment won’t kick in for another few weeks. My furniture is in my mom’s garage while I figure things out, and I already feel like a big fat failure, so you don’t have to go out of your way to exert your authority. I get it. You’re the boss.” She didn’t even mention the car repair that had cost her nearly a thousand dollars. A thousand bucks might have at least afforded her a buffer. She couldn’t seem to catch a break, and she’d die before going to Carter for money. She was pretty sure she was sick of the “throw good money after bad” speech.

He took a step closer, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body emanating from beneath his plaid work shirt, smell the clean, fresh scent of his soap and see the particularly attractive bow shape to his lips. Determined, she stood her ground.

“This,” he said darkly, “has absolutely nothing to do with my authority but a hell of a lot to do with yours. You own one-third of this ranch, but you’ve made it clear that you hate it and that it’s a last resort for you. Forgive me if that doesn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy.”

“I didn’t mean it that way...”

He shook his head. “Yes, you did. And that’s fine. Let’s just not pretend it’s anything other than what it is. You need a place that’s free and Duke needs time to convince you to hang on to your third. My job? Is to run the place as if your family drama didn’t exist.”

She swallowed. He was absolutely right. Instead of appreciating the fact that she actually had an alternative, she was showing up with a big ol’ resentful chip on her shoulder. It just so happened that Quinn seemed to be able to get her back up without even trying. He had from the moment they’d met.

“I don’t want to keep you from your job, then,” she replied, mollified. “I’ll just get settled. And find Duke.” She didn’t know what would happen after that. She owned a third of Crooked Valley, but she knew absolutely nothing about running a ranch. What had her grandfather been thinking, anyway, leaving the place to the three of them? Duke had been in the Army when the will had been drafted, and Rylan...well, Rylan was never in one place for long. She supposed leaving the place to the three of them was the old man’s way of getting them on the ranch since he hadn’t succeeded in doing that when he was alive.

“Duke and Carrie are both out, moving the herd to a new pasture. They won’t be in until midafternoon.”

“Oh.”

“You’re a big girl. I’m sure you can find a way to amuse yourself. If you’ll excuse me...”

She stepped aside, took off her coat and hung it on a hook in the entry. Quinn, on the other hand, pulled on boots, a heavy jacket, hat and thick gloves. “You’ll find the door’s rarely locked here, Lacey. All you have to do is turn the knob and come in.”

It might have been a welcoming sort of sentiment if it hadn’t made her feel stupid and foolish. With a huff she turned her back on Quinn and walked away, heading towards the kitchen and main living room. A few moments later she heard the door open and close and she finally relaxed her shoulders. Good riddance.

She had to admit, the house was cozy, despite its size. The downstairs contained a huge kitchen, living room, formal dining room, and the ranch office as well as a half bath and large doors exiting onto a deck that offered a view of rolling hills and the mountains in the distance. Upstairs, as she’d learned at Christmas, were four large bedrooms. All of them were vacant at the moment, though at Christmas they’d been partially occupied by her mom and stepdad, David, and her brother Rylan who’d surprised everyone by showing up. And for one night, Quinn had shared another with his daughter, Amber, who was a total sweetheart.

Lacey wondered if it mattered which room she took as hers during her stay. It was just temporary; there was no question of this being permanent. Maybe Duke thought he’d be able to convince her to take on her share, but Lacey had a plan. Sort of. She was going to take a few days off to refresh herself, and then she was going to spruce up her résumé and start applying for positions. Surely someone needed a person with an accounting degree to do their accounts payable or something.

There were logs by the fireplace but it was unlit, so she took a few moments to set up some kindling and light a match. It took a while for the dry wood to catch, but when it did Lacey was pleased with herself. She’d check the fridge, maybe make some coffee or tea and chill in front of the fire for this afternoon. She added a stick of wood to the growing flames and wished she’d worn a thicker sweater. Which reminded her that she hadn’t brought in her bags...

A loud thump startled her, making her jump as she pressed her hand to her heart. The door opened down the hall, followed by stomping of feet and a general commotion. When she stepped around the corner, she saw two of her suitcases standing guard at the bottom of the stairs, and Quinn’s retreating back as he went to her car a second time, retrieving her last suitcase and an overnight bag.

She wished he’d just left it alone. She didn’t want to be beholden to him for anything. Ever.

He stomped in again and put down the bags. “Your hatchback was unlocked. I saw the bags through the window, and...”

“Thank you, Quinn. I was just going to get them. I appreciate you bringing them in.”

Her polite voice seemed to take him off guard and he stared at her for a moment. “You’re welcome.”

The civil exchange made for an uncomfortable silence between them. A log snapped on the fire and he raised his eyebrows. “You built a fire?”

“It was a little chilly in here. I thought I’d make some tea, get settled, that sort of thing.”

“Right.” He lifted a finger to his hat. “Well, I’ll be off. I’ll be in the horse barn if you need anything, and by the time I take off for the day, Duke will be back.”

“You have to pick up Amber at day care,” she supplied, smiling a little. It was hard not to smile when thinking about the little chatterbox—even if it did cause a pang of sadness in Lacey’s heart. It was totally unfair that Amber was left without a mother and Quinn without his wife. By all accounts, Marie Solomon had doted on her child and been a perfect mom. Something Lacey would never be.

“Yeah. Anyway, I’d better go. Work won’t do itself.”

She shut the door behind him, then scooted to the office window and watched him walk across the yard, long strides eating up the distance between the house and the barn. He’d touched his hat, such an old-fashioned, mannerly gesture, that she was momentarily nonplussed. She wasn’t sure they even made men like that anymore. Certainly Carter had never been like that. Not unless there’d been an audience, and then he’d been all chivalry and sweetness. But when they were alone? The walls went up between them again. By the time they’d divorced, she’d been relieved—even if she did still blame herself for how it all went wrong. She’d held on too tight, fought too hard and driven him away.

Then again, there was a limit to Quinn’s chivalry. He hadn’t offered to carry her bags upstairs, had he? Just put them inside the door and expected her to get on with it. She was glad. She was a big girl and could look after herself. Including making a few trips up and down stairs to transport her luggage.

She was huffing and puffing by the time the last bag was settled in what she assumed was the master bedroom. The heavy pine furniture was solid and sturdy, the quilt on the top she suspected was homemade—perhaps by her grandmother, Eileen? She was a little sad that she didn’t know, that the connection to the Duggan side of the family had faltered so much after Lacey’s father’s death. All in all, this was her new temporary home and she felt like a square peg in a round hole.

But she’d make the best of it. She always rallied after being kicked around, and this time was no different. She sat on the bed, fell back into the soft covers, and stared at the ceiling, wondering exactly where she should start.

* * *

QUINN HAD KNOWN she was arriving today. He’d thought it would be later, that he’d finish his work in the house and be gone outside by the time she arrived and they could avoid that awkward first meeting. Lacey Duggan had every right to be at Crooked Valley—she owned a third of it.

It was the fact that she didn’t value it that got under his skin. She’d rather sell the place and be rid of it entirely. The only reason she hadn’t pushed for that solution to the inheritance dilemma left by her grandfather, Joe, was that Duke had come home first and wanted to make a go of it. The whole family looked at Duke as some hero...a military vet with a permanent hearing disability who stepped in when everything went wrong.

Quinn had been skeptical, but he’d liked Duke right away. Humble and not afraid to admit he didn’t know what he was doing. Willing to learn and work. Ready to lead.

But Lacey? That woman had waltzed in here at Thanksgiving and come right out and told Duke that he should unload the place. As if it and the people who worked it and loved it meant nothing.

Things had to be really desperate for her to agree to move in for a while.

He opened the front door to Sunshine Smiles Day Care and let his troubles drift away. It smelled like sugar cookies and fruit punch and there were happy squeals coming from the playroom. He smiled at the young woman at the front. “Hey, Melanie.”

“Hey, yourself. Amber’s helping clean up from after-school snacks. I’ll get her.”

His daughter was the light of his life. She attended preschool for half days and spent the balance of the day at the day care. There were times he felt guilty about the amount of time she spent with people other than a parent, but it couldn’t be helped. Being a single dad was a hard job. He’d had to get good at things like pigtails and bows. There’d been a lot of tears before he got a handle on the tiny elastics and learned how to make a bow so that the ribbons didn’t sag and droop. Marie had always done the little girly things. She’d known Amber’s favorite colors, foods and preferred toys, sang to her at night and read her favorite stories. It wasn’t that Quinn hadn’t been involved—of course he had. But Marie had been the anchor. The details person, the one who held them all together.

He still missed her every damn day. And not just for the details and day-to-day jobs he’d had to assume. He missed having someone to laugh with, missed hearing her breathing when she slept, her voice when she called out for him to do something, the way she ran her hands through his hair. He was damned lonely and struggling to get through every day.

“Daddy!”

He smiled suddenly as Amber came charging out of the playroom. “Hey, princess! How was school?”

“It was good. We gots to paint pictures of our favorite thing to do in winter.”

He knew what hers was, but he asked anyway. “And what did you paint?”

She twirled in a circle. “Skating!”

Quinn’s skating expertise was limited to hockey skates and a pond scrimmage now and again. This year Amber had wanted to learn, so for Christmas he’d bought her little white figure skates and signed her up for weekly lessons at the rink in town.

“Nice,” he commented, reaching for her backpack while she shoved her arms in her coat. “Come on, let’s go home and get some supper on.”

She was jamming her hat on her head as she peered up at him. “Can we go see Duke and Carrie? I want to show them my picture.”

“Maybe another time.” Quinn swallowed, thinking about Lacey being at the house by herself tonight. She’d looked sort of...lost, he thought. It didn’t really matter that he wasn’t overly fond of her. Losing your job was stressful, especially when you didn’t have a backup plan. She’d been making ends meet on a mediocre salary. He knew how upset he’d be if he lost his job and had Amber to support.

Maybe he was being too hard on Lacey.

“Please, Daddy? I haven’t seen Duke all week.” She pouted prettily as she took his hand and they walked to the door.

“Duke was still out in the pasture when I left. He might not even be back yet. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He helped her buckle into her booster seat in the backseat of his truck and then got in and started the engine. “Hey, pumpkin? Do you remember Lacey, Duke’s sister? The one that was here for Thanksgiving and Christmas?”

He looked in the rearview mirror. Amber was nodding vigorously. “The pretty lady,” she announced. “With the long red hair. Like Ariel.”

Quinn blinked. He wasn’t sure that Lacey looked like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, but there was no question that she had gorgeous hair—when she didn’t have it all pulled off her face and shoved into a tail or bun or braid. He’d only seen it down once, but Amber had hit the nail on the head. Her hair was long and thick, a rich burnished color with just a hint of natural wave. Even disheveled in the morning, as he’d seen her on Christmas Eve, it was stunning.

“Daddy? What about her?”

He was pulled back from his musings. “Oh,” he replied, turning at a stop sign. “Just that she’s going to be staying at the big house for a while. I know I take you with me a lot, so when you’re there you’re going to have to be extra good. It’s not just you and me now.”

“But Lacey is nice. She played with me lots.”

“But she might not want to entertain you all the time, sweetheart. Do you understand?”

Amber shrugged. He could see the exaggerated movement in the rearview mirror and his heart gave a sad little thump again. The gesture was so like Marie. Amber had parts of Marie that she didn’t even realize, because her memories of her mother were already beginning to dim. They should have had Marie longer. She should have been here through all of this. They were like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing. Pieces that could never be replaced.

“How about spaghetti for supper?” he asked, suggesting one of Amber’s favorites. There had to be at least one more container of frozen sauce in the freezer. It wouldn’t take long to thaw it and cook some noodles and throw some garlic bread in the oven. Cooking was something else he’d learned to do over the past year and a half.

“Spaghetti! Yum! I’ll help!”

He smiled then, pushing the maudlin thoughts aside. He might miss Marie, but he was still a lucky man. He had a job he loved, a roof over his head and a daughter he adored. They could muddle through the rest if they had each other.

Lacey, on the other hand, would be sitting at the ranch house tonight all alone. And for the first time, he truly felt sorry for her.

Chapter Two

Lacey was up, showered, and dressed by the time Quinn arrived just before eight. She’d made a point of setting the alarm for six-thirty, though it hadn’t mattered. She’d awakened shortly after five, cold, and had thrown another quilt over top of the blankets in an effort to warm up. By six she gave up trying to go back to sleep and got up, cranked up the heat and ran a hot shower.

Now she had her laptop open, a cup of coffee beside her, and her glasses perched on her nose when she heard the truck drive in and the door slam.

There was a knock on the door.

Frowning, she got up to answer it. Maybe it wasn’t Quinn arriving for the day? When she put her eye up to the peephole, she could see his scowly face on the other side. What the heck?

She opened the door. “Quinn. Why on earth did you knock?”

He stepped inside, bringing a gust of icy air with him. “You live here now. I don’t have any desire to walk in and take you by surprise.”

Her face heated as the possibilities of “surprise” sank in. “Well.” She took a step backward as he toed off his boots. “Thanks, but this place is really more yours than mine.” She realized they needed to set some boundaries with each other and it might as well start this morning. “Tell you what. During work hours, this place is yours. You should be able to come and go as you please and not worry about knocking.”

“It’s a ranch, Lacey. Not exactly a nine-to-five job.”

Did he always have to be so contrary?

“I realize that. But you have to admit, most days you come and go at regular hours. Let’s say...between eight and six, you’ve got free run of the place and I’ll work around you. The rest of the time, it just takes a knock. Okay?”

He gave a short nod. “Okay.”

She smiled. “Good. Now, do you want some coffee? I put on a pot and I shouldn’t drink the whole thing or I’ll be bouncing off the walls by noon.”

He looked surprised that she’d asked, and his face relaxed a little. “That would be good.”

“What do you take in it?”

“Cream and sugar.”

Same as her. Go figure.

She retrieved a mug from a cupboard while he put a lunch bag in the fridge. When he turned around he noticed her laptop on the dining table. “What are you working on so early?” he asked, accepting the steaming mug from her hands. The pads of his fingers brushed against her knuckles.

She withdrew quickly, alarmed that the thoughtless touch felt so intimate. “I’m sprucing up my résumé. Then I’ll log on to the Wi-Fi and start searching the job sites and boards. I’m a CPA. Surely someone between here and Great Falls could use my considerable accounting skills.” She waggled her eyebrows, trying to keep the mood light. Maybe he could at least give her points for trying.

“I could ask around.”

Another surprise. “Why would you do that?”

He took a sip of his coffee and looked at her over the rim of his cup. “The faster you get a job, the faster you can resume your old life.”

The whisper of intimacy disintegrated. “Harsh.”

“We both know you don’t really want to live here, Lacey. No sense pretending otherwise.”

He was right. But it didn’t mean she hated it entirely. “You realize that you give me crap for judging ranch life but you do the exact same thing with me? You’re just as prejudiced, you know.”

Quinn looked slightly alarmed at that assessment and put his coffee cup on the island. “What?”

“I’m just saying, that sure, I’ve made it no secret that this is not the life I’d choose for myself. But you’re judging me for that. Quinn, I respect that this is your home and your livelihood and you like it. But just because it’s not for me, and I know it, doesn’t make me less than you, okay?”

He stared at her for a long moment. “I just got schooled,” he admitted. “You’re right. I shouldn’t judge. You just...”

“Drive you crazy?”

“Yeah.”

“You push my buttons, too.” Their gazes connected and that strange intimate feeling happened again. She swallowed. “It must be because we’re so different. Oil and water.”

“I’m sure that’s it.”

Another heavy silence. Finally Quinn picked up his cup. “I need to make a few calls before heading out again. And you look like you need to get back to your work. I’ll see you later.”

“Sure.” She folded her arms around her middle, still a bit chilly. “Quinn, one more thing. Do you always keep it so cold in here? I woke up at five this morning darn near freezing.”

He stopped at the entrance to the hall. “I never thought about that. We keep the thermostat turned down, just keep enough heat on to keep pipes from freezing, really. I use a space heater in the office.”

“I don’t mind turning the heat down at night, though maybe not that far down.” She briefly considered an electric blanket, but that wouldn’t solve the entire problem. And she didn’t want to blast the heat in the whole house and run up a huge bill.

“I’ll speak to Duke about it, maybe get some programmable thermostats,” Quinn promised. “In the meantime, do you want me to light a fire for you?”

“I can do it. And I turned up the heat in these rooms anyway. Forget I mentioned it.”

He walked away to his office and she resumed her seat at the table. Even with the heat on, she was glad she’d put on warm leggings and the long sweater. Her coffee was gone before long so she got up and refilled her cup then went back to it.

She was just prettying up her margins and spacing when she looked up and saw Quinn at the end of the hallway, putting on his outerwear. He didn’t realize she was watching, and she let her eyes roam over his long, strong legs and wide shoulders as he put on his boots and jacket. Then his hat and a heavy pair of gloves...and her mouth watered.

Maybe they did get along about as well as cats in a sack. But she was still woman enough to appreciate a fine male form and it was hard to find fault with Quinn’s.

She hurriedly glanced down at her monitor as Quinn looked back towards the kitchen. It wouldn’t do to get caught staring. They could hardly agree on anything. Heck, at Christmastime they’d argued about the correct way to mash potatoes, for heaven’s sake. If he had the smallest inkling she found him physically attractive...well, things were already super awkward around here.

“I’ll be back in later to grab my lunch,” he called, and he was out the door before she could reply.

Surly, she thought. That was the problem with Quinn Solomon. He was surly. It was hard to like a man who hardly ever smiled.

She wondered if he’d smiled more before his wife had died, and her heart turned over a little at the thought. Whether she liked him or not, losing his wife and the mother of his daughter had to be terribly sad. He must have loved her a lot...

She and Carter hadn’t had that sort of love. She’d thought they had, at first. But when put to the test, they didn’t have what it took for a successful marriage.

She pushed her glasses up her nose and focused on the spacing of her résumé. There was no sense worrying about a past that couldn’t be changed. The only thing she could do was look to the future. There were days when even that was difficult, but she had a clean start now. It was up to her to make the most of it.

She was in the middle of bookmarking employment sites where she could upload her CV when Duke blustered in. Without knocking. Ah. Big brothers. Funny. When Quinn had knocked, Lacey had felt she was imposing on him. When her brother entered without knocking, his sense of entitlement got on her nerves a little.

“You made it.” He shrugged off his coat and hung it on the hook.

“Yesterday, as a matter of fact. Thanks for noticing.” She sent him a cheeky grin, making sure to face him straight on. Duke’s hearing was compromised, and he often watched lips to fill in any gaps of clarity, especially if his head was turned a bit the wrong way.

“I was going to come over last night, but Carrie and I didn’t finish until late. By the time supper was over, we were tuckered out.” He’d removed his boots and came into the kitchen in his stocking feet. His face got this weird, soft, moony look about it. “Especially Carrie. I keep telling her not to overdo it, but she’s stubborn.”

Lacey liked Carrie a lot. The former foreman of the cattle operation, Carrie had fallen for Duke hard and fast when he’d come back to Crooked Valley. Now she and Duke were married and she was expecting his baby. Duke was so happy and protective, and Lacey was happy for them. Even so, their happiness and future plans did serve as a painful reminder of the life she would never have. The dream of an adoring husband and a house full of kids was long gone.

“Is Carrie feeling okay?” Lacey sat back in her chair and took off her glasses, putting them on top of her paper tablet.

“The odd morning sickness, but nothing major. And she’s tired a lot. Otherwise, she’s great.” He pulled out a chair and sat down, resting his elbows on the table. “I can’t wait for the ultrasound. We’ll get pictures and everything.”

It was like a knife to the heart, but Lacey never let on. No one except their mother knew that Lacey’d had to undergo surgery—the kind that prevented her from ever having children.

“I’m glad you’re so happy.” That, at least, was the truth.

“And you’re here. That makes me happy.” He grinned at her, his blue eyes sparkling at her. “I always love having a little sis around to torment.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. I appreciate the place to stay, but I’m not really interested in becoming a rancher. Gramps was crazy to split this place up the way he did.”

Duke tapped his fingers on the table. “I used to think that, too.”

“Well, you’re not me. I’m not a rancher. I belong behind a desk somewhere, working with columns of numbers. Not shoveling manure or whatever it is you guys do outside all day.”

Duke laughed. “I forgot you’re such a girlie girl.”

“Yes, well, you haven’t exactly been around much the last few years.” She realized that sounded a bit harsh, so she tempered it a little. “You were deployed, Duke. I don’t blame you in the least. But you must realize that life went on while you were overseas. We all went our own ways.”

She let him off the hook and smiled. “Anyway, I do really want to say thank-you for letting me crash. Losing my job was a big blow. I was living paycheck to paycheck and really couldn’t see how I could keep up with the rent on the town house.”

“What about Carter? Doesn’t he pay you any alimony?”

She nodded. “Yes, but it’s not much. Carter’s alimony is peanuts, really. He’s got his own troubles. I wouldn’t ask him for anything more.”

“You’d be within your rights. He walked out on you and left you with everything—including all the debt.”

As Lacey thought about how to answer her brother, she got up and poured him the last cup of coffee from the pot. She put it down in front of him and then put her hand on his shoulder.

“It was a mutual decision, Duke,” she said softly. “It just wasn’t working. We were both unhappy.” She didn’t feel like mentioning that the debt Duke spoke of was mostly due to her and all her medical tests and treatment that weren’t covered by her insurance. “I just want you to know that I appreciate the chance to stay here while I figure out what’s next.”

Duke smiled down into his coffee.

“What?”

He looked up and his eyes crinkled around the edges. “You sound like me a few months ago.”

She knew Duke wanted her to take on her third of the ranch. If she did, and if they could convince Rylan to take on his third, the ranch stayed as is. But if they didn’t...well, Duke would either have to find a way to buy them out of their thirds, or the place would be sold. It was an annoying thing, what their grandfather had done in his will. And it would have been much easier to brush off if Duke hadn’t decided to stay on.

“I’m not taking on my third, Duke. I’ll help you in any way I can, but not that.”

Duke took a long drink of his cooling coffee. “Well, there’s lots of time to think about it. What are you doing today?”

His whole dismissal sent out a message of “give me time to change your mind” and she ignored it. “I’m sending out my résumé, seeing if I can find any leads to a new job. It’s not an ideal commute to Great Falls, but spring will be here soon and the bad weather is mostly done. I can do it for a while, until I build up some financial reserves. And who knows? Maybe I’ll find something closer.”

“Have you seen Quinn yet?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Of course I did. He was the welcoming committee.” She smiled saucily.

“Oh, great. You weren’t too hard on him, were you?”

She gave him a swat. “So much for family loyalty. What about how grouchy he might have been to me?”

Duke’s frown deepened. “Was he?”

“Of course not.” No matter her issues with Quinn, she wouldn’t put Duke in the middle of it. He relied on Quinn too much. She wasn’t here to stir up trouble.

“Hey. If I had one reservation about you staying at the house, it was that you’d be sharing space with Quinn. I know you don’t get along. I don’t know why, but you don’t. I’m hoping you can coexist peacefully.”

“We’ve laid out some ground rules.” She sat back down at the table.

“Well, try not to kill each other. This place doesn’t run without him.” Duke raised his cup, drained what was left of his coffee, and stood. “Thanks for the coffee. I’d better get back.”

“Anytime. This is your place, after all.”

“No, it’s yours. For as long as you want it, Lace.” He put his hand over hers on top of the table. “I mean that. I wasn’t around a lot, definitely not when you were going through some rough times. I’d like to be there for you now.”

The backs of her eyes stung and she nodded through blurred vision. “That means a lot, Duke.”

“Right. Better be off.” He went down the hall and put on his gear again. “Oh, Lace?”

She looked up.

“Maybe next time you can have some cookies to go with that coffee? Carrie’s on a ‘no sweets’ kick with the pregnancy. And somehow her kale chips just aren’t cutting it for me.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll see what I can do,” she replied. “Now go, so I can find a job, will you?”

With a wink he disappeared.

Lacey turned her attention back to the document on the screen but didn’t really focus on it. Instead she was thinking about what Duke had just said, and thinking about how it felt to be here. It felt good. It felt...right. Somehow being with family, having that support, was exactly what she needed.

She just had to be careful not to get too used to it, or use it as a crutch. This time she was making her own decisions and standing entirely on her own two feet. At least if she relied on herself, she wasn’t being set up for disappointment.

* * *

JACK, ONE OF the regular hands, was out with the flu so Quinn spent the rest of his morning mucking out stalls in the horse barn. It was a job he actually enjoyed. The slight physical exertion kept him warm and he usually talked to the horses as he worked. Even the scrape of the shovel on the barn floor had a comforting sound to it, and he worked away with the radio playing in the background, just him and his thoughts.

He had a lot of thoughts, as it happened. Most days it was about what needed to be done at the ranch, or worries about being a good single dad to Amber as she got older. He already knew far more about Disney princesses and ballet slippers and hair ribbons than most dads. And it wasn’t that he minded. It was just...he knew Marie would have done a much better job. A little girl needed a mom. And Quinn wasn’t sure how to solve that, because he wasn’t really interested in getting married again.

Not when it had hurt so much the first time.

Thankfully he had Carrie and Kailey. Carrie was around even more now that she and Duke were married, and Amber loved spending time at Crooked Valley. Kailey was Carrie’s best friend and lived at a neighboring ranch. Between the two of them, they provided Amber with some great girlie time. On Sundays, too, they visited with Quinn’s mom, who lived in a little one-bedroom apartment in Great Falls. She’d moved there after his dad had died and she had a vital, happy life in the assisted-living complex, and help with the arthritis that sometimes made her day-to-day living a challenge.

Visits and special time were great. The girls were great. But they weren’t her mother, and Quinn couldn’t help but feel like he’d somehow let Amber down even though Marie’s death had been a freak accident. A heart defect that had gone undetected until it was too late. One morning she’d been laughing with him over breakfast. Two hours later she’d just been...gone.

At noon he ventured back to the house and lifted his hand to knock at the door, then pulled it back again. Lacey had said to come and go as he pleased, and he should. This was, after all, a working ranch. He was pretty sure she wasn’t going to be running around the house in her Skivvies at twelve o’clock in the afternoon.

The thought gave him pause, because he pictured her that way and his body tensed in a familiar way. Oh, no. That would be too inconvenient. He had no business thinking about Lacey Duggan in her underwear and even less business liking it.

He reached for the doorknob and resolutely turned it. He stepped into the foyer and heard a radio playing, heard a soft female voice singing along. He was transported back two years earlier, when he’d still had the perfect life, and the joy he felt coming home to a scene much like this one. There was the sound of something opening and closing, and the rattle of bake ware. The aroma of fresh-baked cookies reached him and his stomach growled in response.

After hanging up his coat, he wandered to the kitchen to get his lunch out of the fridge. He’d just go eat in the office, out of Lacey’s way. It was a lonely-sounding proposition but he realized that if he stayed in her little sphere of existence, they’d probably end up arguing. They always did.

“Don’t mind me. I’m just here to get my lunch.”

He forgot that she had music on. That she probably hadn’t heard him come inside. But he remembered now as she squeaked and jumped with alarm, jerking the spatula which held a perfectly round, warm, chocolate chip cookie. The cookie went flying and landed with a soft splat in the middle of the kitchen floor.

“Cripes, Quinn!” Her brows pulled together in annoyance. “Do you have to creep up on a person like that?”

She looked so indignant he had the strangest urge to laugh. “I wasn’t trying to be quiet. I came in like I always do. I guess you didn’t hear me because of the music.”

“Whatever.” She bent to pick up the cookie, which broke into pieces as she lifted it off the floor. She put the remnants on the counter and then went for a piece of paper towel to wipe the little dots of melted chocolate from the tile.

Quinn went to the fridge and took out his lunch bag. “Well, if it’s any consolation, they smell great.”

He turned around and headed back towards the hall.

“Where are you going?”

He paused and looked over his shoulder. “I was going to eat in the office.”

“Is that where you normally eat?”

He didn’t know how to answer. He usually grabbed his lunch, made himself a coffee, used the microwave if he had leftovers to heat. Today he had leftover spaghetti, which he’d planned to eat cold.

“I assume your lack of a fast reply means no. You normally use the kitchen, don’t you?”

He sighed. “Sometimes.”

“Truly, Quinn, I don’t want you to alter your routine for me. Pretend I’m not here.”

It was pretty hard to pretend because she was there, with her burnished curls caught up in a ponytail, her blue eyes snapping at him. He noticed, not for the first time, that she had the faintest dusting of freckles over the bridge of her nose. Duke was thirty, so that had to make her, what, twenty-eight or so?

Twenty-eight, with a career job behind her, married, divorced. Quinn was thirty-three, and he knew exactly how life could age a person so that numbers were insignificant. He tried to remember that Lacey had faced her share of troubles. Duke had made it plain that the family wasn’t too impressed that her ex had walked out on her.

He went back and put his lunch bag on the island, unzipped it and took out the plastic container holding his lunch. “Do you mind if I use the microwave?”

She rolled her eyes. “What did I just say?”

Saucy. At least she was consistent.

He popped the container in the microwave and started it up, then stood awkwardly waiting for it to beep. Meanwhile, Lacey finished removing the cookies from the pan and began dropping batter by the spoonful on the parchment.

His stomach growled again.

When his meal was hot, he took it to the kitchen table—no laptop in sight now—and got out his knife and fork. The pasta didn’t look as appetizing as it might have. He was an adequate cook only, but he was getting better. Trying new things now and again. The trouble was that by the time he got Amber from day care, he had to cook stuff that was relatively fast if they hoped to eat before her bath time.

He was nearly through when Lacey put a small plate beside him and a glass of milk.

“Uh, thanks,” he said, looking up. She was smiling down at him, and for the first time there was no attitude in her expression.

“I’d be pretty heartless if I didn’t offer you fresh cookies,” she said. “Besides, I don’t dare eat them all myself. I’m counting on you and Duke to eat the lion’s share.”

She went back to the sink and ran soapy water to wash the dishes.

Quinn bit into a cookie and sighed in appreciation. God, the woman knew how to cook. He’d realized that at Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas when she’d bustled in with all her bossiness. He and Amber had both enjoyed the home-cooked meals they’d shared here at the ranch. It had actually stung his pride a little when Amber asked if they could go back to “Uncle Duke’s” because Lacey was there and doing a lot of the family cooking along with their mother, Helen.

“They turn out okay?” Lacey called from the sink, her hands immersed in the water. “I didn’t have my recipe with me and went from memory.”

He bit back a sarcastic comment. Why did she push his buttons so? Instead he reminded himself that she’d gone out of her way to be nice. To be accommodating. “They’re delicious,” he replied honestly. “Maybe the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had.”

She dried her hands on a dish towel, then grabbed a cookie and her coffee cup and joined him at the table. “Can I tell you a secret, Quinn?”

They were sharing confidences now?

“Um, sure. I guess.”

She bit into the cookie, chewed thoughtfully and swallowed. “I bake when I’m stressed. I think it’s a combination of things, from focusing on something other than what’s going on, to the process of making something and maybe even the aromas. They’re comforting smells, you know?”

He did know. He missed them around his place, and the absence of them sometimes made his chest ache.

“You’re stressed?”

She broke off another piece of cookie. “Of course I am. Know what they said when I packed up my desk at the office? ‘Oh, no, who’s going to bring us treats all the time?’ I mean, it’s been better up until a few months ago, but when Carter first left...”

Right. Carter. That was the bastard’s name.

“When Carter left it was weird, being all alone. We’d planned to be together forever, you know?”

His last bite of cookie swelled in his throat as a heavy silence fell over the table.

“Oh, God,” she whispered, and to his surprise she put her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry. That was so thoughtless of me. Of course you know.”

He forced the cookie down and looked up at her. Her eyes were soft with sympathy and understanding and her hand was still on his wrist. Something passed between them, something that, for a flash, felt like shared grief. It was gone in the blink of an eye, but it had been there. He got the feeling that she understood more than he realized. Still, could divorce be as bad as a spouse dying? As bad as a child without a mother?

Lacey pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “It’s been so quiet here that I’ve talked your ear off. I should let you get back to work.”

He cleared his throat. “Yes. Thanks for the cookies.”

“Anytime. They’ll be in Grandma Duggan’s cookie jar if you find yourself snackish.” She gestured towards a stone crock that she must have unearthed from somewhere, now sitting on the counter next to the toaster.

“Will do.”

Quinn put the lid on his dish and shoved everything back in his lunch bag, then put it in the fridge, empty, where he’d collect it at the end of the day.

Back in the office he pulled up a spreadsheet and tried to wrap his mind around the numbers in the columns, but nothing was fitting together right. His focus was shot. He kept getting stuck on the look on Lacey’s face when she admitted she using baking as a coping mechanism. She’d looked lonely. Vulnerable. Feelings he could relate to so easily that when she’d put her fingers on his sleeve, he’d been tempted to turn his hand over and link his fingers with hers.

Ludicrous. Crazy. Duke Duggan’s sister, for Pete’s sake. His boss’s pain-in-the-butt sister who hated anything to do with ranching.

With a frown he tweaked the column again, fixing the formula at the end. It wouldn’t do to start thinking of Lacey Duggan in a friendly way. Certainly not in a kindred spirits kind of way.

A few hours later he heard her go out the door, heard her start her car and drive away. He let out a breath. Working here while Lacey was living at the house was going to be tougher than he thought—and not for the reasons he expected.

She wasn’t back yet when he got his lunch bag from the fridge and left to pick up Amber. But when he got home, and as supper was cooking, he opened the bag to take out his dirty dishes. To his surprise, the container that had held his lunch was perfectly clean, and a little bag was beside it, full of cookies. A sticky note was stuck to the front. “For you and Amber,” it said.

Quinn swallowed. Lacey had to stop being so nice, trying so hard. She was going to make it difficult for him to keep disliking her if she kept it up.

Chapter Three

Lacey had only been at Crooked Valley three days when she got her first phone call, asking her for an interview. A company in Great Falls was looking for someone to do their payroll. When Quinn came in for lunch on the day of the interview, she was running a lint brush over the dark material of a straight skirt. For some reason little bits of fluff kept sticking to the fabric, and she wanted to look perfect.

Her head told her it was just an interview at a manufacturing company, not a high-powered lawyer’s office or anything. Neat and tidy business wear would have sufficed, but she was determined to put her absolute best foot forward. She’d brought out the big guns: black pencil skirt, cream silk blouse, patent heels.

She was turning into the kitchen from the downstairs bath at the same time as Quinn entered from the hall. Both of them stopped short, but Quinn just stared at her. “Oh. Hi.” He sort of recovered from the surprise but his expression plumped up her confidence just a little. It was definitely approval that glowed in his eyes for the few seconds before he shuttered it away.

“I have an interview this afternoon,” she said, grabbing some hand lotion from the windowsill above the sink. She rubbed it into her hands as Quinn opened the fridge. “In Great Falls.”

“That’s good news,” he answered, but now she noticed he was avoiding looking at her.

She frowned. Maybe she’d misread his expression before. “Do I look all right, Quinn? Should I maybe wear a different top or something? Are pearls a little too much?” She touched the strand at her collarbone. They were her grandmother Eileen’s pearls. As the only granddaughter, they’d automatically gone to her. She rarely wore them, but it seemed appropriate somehow now that Lacey was living in the farmhouse. Like a good luck charm.

“You look fine,” he answered.

Her frown deepened. He hadn’t looked up when he said it, just stuck his lunch in the microwave and set the timer.

“I was hoping for something more than fine. More like, ‘Wow, let’s hire this one on the spot.’”

He turned and looked at her then, his face set in an impersonal mask. “You look great, Lacey. Very professional.” He paused. “Very pretty.”

It might have meant more if it didn’t seem as if it pained him to say it.

“Thanks,” Lacey replied, and then felt a bit silly. She hadn’t really been fishing for a compliment, but it felt that way now.

She wanted a splash of color, so she transferred her wallet and necessary items from her black purse to a turquoise handbag. “I made a coffee cake this morning,” she said, doing a check for her car keys. “It’s under the domed lid. Help yourself.”

The microwave dinged and Quinn took out his lunch. “You trying to fatten me up with all this baking?”

“Not much chance of that.” The words came out before she could think. She’d noticed Quinn’s build. A little on the slim side, and she wondered if it was because he found it hard to work and be a full-time dad and do all the household things that needed to be done. “Like I said, I enjoy doing it. And I don’t really have anyone to cook for. Duke’s started coming in for coffee break each morning, and sometimes Carrie comes with him, but she’s really watching her diet with the baby and all.” Once again, the little pang of envy touched her heart but she pushed it away.

She’d never have a big family to cook for. She might as well accept it.

She took a minute and looked at Quinn. Really looked at him, and wondered what it must be like to lose a spouse and try to raise a small child on your own. Certainly he was doing a good job, but at what cost? She noticed he didn’t smile all that often, and his eyes had lines at the corners. He wasn’t that old, either. Maybe midthirties at the most. It seemed more like life had aged him.

“Quinn, how’s Amber doing?”

He shrugged and twirled some spaghetti noodles on his fork. “She’s fine. Likes preschool. Does okay at the day care.”

“It must be rough, bringing her up on your own.”

He looked up at her sharply. “We get by.”

“Oh, of course you do. I just thought that...” She hesitated. What was she thinking, anyway? She didn’t really want to get involved with Quinn’s life, did she? They’d sort of formed a truce since she’d moved in. Less criticizing and arguing, and that was good. Still slightly awkward, but good.

Truth of the matter was, Lacey was lonely. She didn’t know anyone in Gibson, didn’t have contact with colleagues since she was out of work, and she was going just a little bit stir-crazy here at Crooked Valley.

“I just thought that since cooking for one is a real pain, maybe I could send some food home with you. It’s stupid. I make a recipe and then end up either freezing or throwing out half because it’s more than I can eat.”

“Didn’t you cook for one before?”

She did, but it was different. “To be honest? I froze some, and I often gave some to a neighbor. She was elderly and alone and struggled to cook for herself and eat enough.”

Quinn’s eyes snapped at her. “So what, Amber and I look like we need charity, is that it?”

“No!” She twisted her fingers together. “I didn’t mean that.”

“We get along just fine, thanks.” His lips were set, and Lacey dropped the subject. She hadn’t meant to insult him or imply he was, well, lacking in any area.

“I’d better get going, then,” she said quietly, and picked up her handbag.

“Good luck. I hope you get it,” he answered, but his voice lacked any warmth and the encouragement stung. Sure he hoped she got it, so she’d be out of his hair. Message received loud and clear.

She reached for her coat and keys and left him sitting there at the table. Maybe he was lonely and bitter but she didn’t have to be! She was starting a new chapter in her life, and Quinn Solomon was not going to bring her down.

But fate had other ideas that afternoon. The directions that had seemed so clear earlier were suddenly not, and she got turned around. It was five minutes after her scheduled appointment time when she pulled into the parking lot. In her rush, she snagged her panty hose getting out of the car and there was no time to change or take them off, just hope that it wouldn’t be visible once she was seated.

She stopped outside the office door, blew out a breath, rolled her shoulders, pasted on a smile and walked in.

“Hi,” she greeted the receptionist. “I’m Lacey Duggan, here for the interview?”

The receptionist looked at her over the top of her glasses. “Just have a seat for a minute. Can I get you anything? Coffee?”

If she were any more hyped up she’d explode. “Maybe some water? That’d be great.”

The woman returned with a small glass of water. Lacey removed her coat and hung it on a nearby coat tree and she reminded herself to calm down. It had only been a few days. This was her first interview. She took a sip of water and at the same time, her cell phone buzzed in the purse on her lap. It startled her enough that she jumped, and splashed water on the front of her silk blouse.

For the love of Mike.

An office door opened just as she was reaching in her bag for her phone. She dropped it back into the purse and stood up as a friendly-looking woman came out and smiled at her. She would get herself together and ignore her bad luck so far...

“You must be Ms. Duggan. I’m Corinna Blackwood. We spoke on the phone yesterday.” She held out her hand and Lacey shook it.

The head of HR. And she looked approachable. Maybe Lacey could turn this around.

“I tried to call you about an hour ago,” Ms. Blackwood said, stepping back. “I’m sorry you drove all this way. We filled the position earlier this afternoon.”

Lacey swallowed, so surprised she didn’t know how to respond. “I see.” She licked her lips and tried not to sigh. “I drove in from Gibson. I must have just missed you.”

“Yes, I spoke to someone at your home number. He said he’d try to reach you. I’m assuming he was unsuccessful.”

Lacey felt her cheeks heat and struggled to keep her composure.

“I’m very sorry to disappoint you, Ms. Duggan.”

Lacey blinked and got herself together. She called up a smile. “Me, too, but perhaps you can keep my résumé on file? In case anything else comes up in your accounting department in the future.”

Ms. Blackwood’s face lightened. “I certainly will. Can we offer you a coffee or something?”

“I’m fine,” she answered, trying to mask her disappointment. “But maybe I’ll leave you my cell number as well as my home number.”

Ms. Blackwood seemed to appreciate the wry sense of humor and nodded. “Give it to Jane, here, and she’ll put it on your résumé. It was nice to meet you.”

They shook hands again, and then Lacey found herself back outside the office door.

She walked across the parking lot, the winter air freezing against her legs. Stupid shoes...she’d worn them for vanity and now it was for nothing and she was freezing her toes off. She turned on the car and finally looked at her phone. There were two text messages, one from Quinn and one from Duke.

The first one said Call home as soon as you get this. Q.

The second was the one that Duke had sent while she was in the office. Did Quinn get in touch with you?

She texted Duke back right away and let him know she was on her way back. Then she texted Quinn and simply replied that she’d just received his text and thanks.

Quinn already knew, then, that she didn’t get the job. Great. She loved looking like a failure in front of him.

Worse, his truck was still in the yard when she got home. She would have preferred to lick her wounds in peace, but apparently today was just not her lucky day. Wearily she turned the key in the door and walked in, only to hear the television going and some very girlish laughter.

Amber was here.

Lacey tried to be annoyed but she couldn’t. Amber was a total doll, clearly more like her mother than her father. She smiled easily and had gorgeous curls that set off a pair of impish blue eyes. Lacey shut the door and put her handbag on the first step of the stairs, then slipped off her heels. The office door to her right was closed; Quinn was probably in there working. She went through on stocking feet and found Amber sitting at the table, coloring some sheets that Lacey guessed were from school, and watching cartoons.

“Well, hello,” she greeted. “Whatcha got there?”

“Lacey! Daddy said you were here!”

To her surprise, Amber hopped down from the chair and hugged Lacey’s legs.

Suddenly the day didn’t seem so gray.

“Okay, okay. No day care today?”

“Miss Melanie was sick today. Daddy came to pick me up after school, but he said he had some work to do first so I could watch TV.” She looked up at Lacey, her eyes troubled. “Is that okay? You live here. Maybe Daddy should have asked p’mission.”

God, if the kid were any more sweet she’d be made of sugar. “It’s perfectly fine. You go ahead and carry on with the coloring. I’m going to change out of my clothes, okay?”

“But why? You look pretty.”

Now there was a compliment that was heartfelt and Lacey smiled a little. “Why, thank you. But I think I’ll put on something a little more comfortable so I can cook some dinner.”

Instead of getting back in her seat, Amber followed Lacey down the hall to the stairs. “What are you going to make?” she asked, and Lacey hid a smile.

“If you were me, what would you make for supper?”

Amber followed her up the stairs. “I would make...fried chicken and ’tato salad.”

It sounded like a strange order, and Lacey looked down at her companion. “Really?”

Amber nodded. “’Cause it’s Daddy’s favorite only he doesn’t know how to make it and I’m too little.”

And just like that Lacey’s heart did a little turn. Quinn and Amber did the best they could. It wasn’t hard to forgive him for his earlier sharpness. After all, he’d tried to pass on the message right away and it was her own fault she hadn’t gotten the text. That she’d gotten lost.

“Now, what a coincidence! I was just going to make that!”

Amber turned her head sideways and peered up at Lacey as they reached the top step. “What’s a coinc’dence?” She struggled over the word.

Lacey smiled. “Well, it’s like taking two things that aren’t related at all and connecting them together.”

“Like me and my best friend, Emma? We’re not related but purple is both our favorite color.”

Bad grammar and all, Lacey was enchanted. “Well, sort of like that.”

Amber actually followed her right into the bedroom and plopped up on the bed while Lacey went to the closet for a pair of sweats and an old hoodie. Not sure how Quinn would feel about Amber’s intrusion, she did a quick change right in the closet and came out in her comfy clothes.

“Ta-da! Presto chango!”

Amber fell over on the bed in a fit of giggles.

“Amber? Where’d you go?”

“Uh-oh,” the girl whispered, crawling off the bed. She stuck her head out the bedroom door. “I’m up here, Daddy.”

“You’re not supposed to wander around upstairs. You know that.”

Lacey was right behind her. “That’s okay. She came up with me.”

Quinn’s face changed, adopting that impersonal mask again that Lacey was starting to hate. “Oh. I didn’t know you were back.” He looked at Amber again. “Don’t you go bothering Lacey, now.”

“Sorry, Daddy.”

Lacey put her hand on Amber’s curls. “It’s okay. I had a cruddy afternoon and Amber’s a real ray of sunshine.”

“You’re sure?”

Lacey nodded. “I’m sure. Tell you what.” She squatted down beside Amber. “Sometimes when you come over, I might not have time to hang out. If I tell you that I’m busy, you’ll respect that, right?”

Amber’s little head bobbed up and down. “I won’t get in your way.”

Lacey got the feeling that Amber’s life revolved a little too much around being out of the way. Her heart ached for the little girl. Lacey wasn’t a stranger to that sensation, either. Being the middle child in a single-parent home, she’d often felt invisible. Superfluous.

She held out her hand and they went down the stairs together, with Quinn waiting at the bottom. She could tell by the set of his jaw that he was tense about it. “Amber, why don’t you go tidy up your crayons? Then you can help me in the kitchen if you want.”

“Yay!” Amber raced off, while Lacey faced Quinn at the bottom of the stairs.

“You don’t have to babysit her,” he said quietly, so his daughter couldn’t hear. “She’s used to amusing herself while I finish up.”

It hurt a little to say, but she did it anyway. “Quinn, I like kids. Amber’s sweet. I mean it. If she’s in my way, I’ll speak up. But you know I had a rotten afternoon. She really did perk it up.”

“You didn’t get my text, did you?”

She shook her head. “Not until after I’d gotten lost, ripped my panty hose, spilled water down my front and was told the position was already filled.”

He laughed then, a dry chuckle that made her smile. “I know. It sounds ridiculous,” she added.

“I’m sorry,” he offered, and this time she knew he meant it.

“Ah well, it was my first nibble and it’s only been a few days. Something will turn up.”

“Yes, it will.” His gaze was warmer as he looked at her and there was a moment where she got the feeling they almost...understood each other. But that was nuts. Oil and water. That’s what they were...what she had to remember.

And she remembered the way he’d told her she looked pretty and got a little whoop-y feeling in her stomach.

“I’d better finish up,” he said softly, and for the briefest moment his gaze dropped to her lips. Oh. Oh, my. She sucked in a breath.

“Okay.”

Quinn left her standing there, still reeling from the split second where he’d stared at her mouth. He couldn’t be attracted to her. Couldn’t have thought about kissing her. He didn’t even like her!

She didn’t like him, either, but if she were honest, the thought had crossed her mind that kissing him might not be so bad.

The door to the office closed and she shook her head. Fried chicken. Potato salad. She’d better get on it if they planned to have a decent dinner.

* * *

AMBER WAS AS much a distraction as a help in the kitchen, but Lacey didn’t mind. She cut up the potatoes and Amber put them in the pot, and then while they waited for them to cook, Lacey set the girl to work mixing dressing for the salad while she put together seasoning for the chicken. Together they decided on frozen corn for a side, with a dish of sliced cucumbers, Amber’s favorite raw vegetable. Potatoes were drained and rinsed repeatedly in cold water to cool them down, and Lacey started frying the chicken while Amber poured corn kernels in a casserole dish for heating in the microwave. They agreed on celery and a little red pepper in the salad but no onion, and by the time Quinn came out of his office, the chicken was frying merrily in a pan, the salad was in a pretty scalloped bowl, and the microwave was running.

“What on earth is all this?” he asked, staring at the mess on the countertops.

“We made dinner! I helped! It’s your favorite, Daddy. Fried chicken!”

She looked up at him so happily that Lacey could tell he didn’t have the heart to scowl.

“Fried chicken? How did you know that’s my favorite?”

“Chicken and ’tato salad! Everyone knows that.” She rolled her eyes and Lacey laughed.

“You’re expected to stay, you know.” She said it softly, holding a pair of tongs in her hand. “I made enough for all of us. This way you don’t have to go home and worry about supper.”

She could tell that Quinn was torn. After their conversation at noon, this was exactly what he said he didn’t want. She lifted her chin. “It was Amber’s idea,” she added.

His gaze held hers. Momentarily she felt guilty for putting his little girl in the middle, but Amber was very hard to resist. Couldn’t he see how happy his daughter looked right now?

“Amber, why don’t you set the table? Do you know where everything is?” she asked, breaking the connection.

Amber nodded and raced for a step stool that allowed her to reach the plates and glasses in the cupboard. Lacey turned the chicken in the pan, putting the splatter screen over the top again to keep the grease from dotting the top of the stove. She heard Quinn behind her, helping Amber put things on the table in preparation for the meal.

It felt homey. It felt...like everything Lacey was sure she’d been missing. Only this wasn’t her family. Not her husband, not her daughter, not her home. It was just pretend. Something to make her feel better, to fill the gap until she got her life in order again.

And if now and again it gave Quinn a hand, all the better.

When had she started caring?

The chicken was perfectly done and she removed it from the pan and put it on a platter. The salad was placed in the middle of the table, and she added a sprinkle of paprika for color, then put the bowl of corn on a hot mat and stirred in just a little bit of butter. “There,” she said, stepping back. “All done. Let’s eat.”

She took the spot at the foot of the table while Quinn sat at the head, where he normally ate his lunch, and Amber was in between them on the side. Lacey watched as Quinn helped Amber put salad, corn and cucumbers on her plate, and then chose a drumstick for her to eat. Her eyes were huge as she looked at all the food and then, just as Lacey was about to taste her first bite of potato salad, Amber dropped her fork with a clatter.

“Daddy! We forgot to say grace!”

He put down his fork. “So we did.”

Amber turned her face to Lacey. “Do you want to say it, Lacey?”

Lacey struggled to answer. Grace was not really her thing. They’d never said it at home at mealtime and she wasn’t quite comfortable right now, being put on the spot.

“Why don’t you say it, sweetie?” Quinn came to the rescue and made the suggestion.

“Okay.” When Lacey sat still, Amber held out her hand. “We hold hands, like this,” she said, wiggling her fingers.

Hesitantly Lacey took the little fingers in her own, and watched as Quinn held Amber’s other hand. Her heart melted a little bit as Amber’s eyes squinted shut.

Lacey was expecting a scripted blessing, sort of the “God is great, God is good” thing she remembered from vacation Bible school when she’d spent time here at Crooked Valley when she was little. But instead, Amber took a few seconds to think before she offered up a simple prayer.

“Dear God, thank you for fried chicken and ’tato salad and for my daddy and for my friend Lacey. Amen.”

When she was done she dropped their hands, picked up her drumstick and took a bite, utterly unconcerned.

But Lacey met Quinn’s gaze and saw something there she wasn’t prepared for. She saw beyond the ranch manager and her biggest critic and the single dad to the man beneath.

And that man made her catch her breath.

Chapter Four

January turned into February. Lacey had two more interviews and no callbacks, which was highly discouraging. After the dinner at the ranch, she hadn’t seen Amber. Miss Melanie was feeling better and Amber went back to day care after school each day. Quinn made an obvious effort to stay out of Lacey’s way, too—eating his lunch in the office, or taking it out to the barn and eating with the hands around the coffee break table.

Lacey got the message loud and clear. If Quinn had been feeling any attraction, he certainly didn’t want to act on it.

She occasionally sent home dinner with him. Some sliced baked ham and scalloped potatoes, or a dish of chili, or a casserole of lasagna for him to share with Amber. Quinn always protested, and she always answered the same way: she wasn’t going to eat badly just because she was cooking for one. He might as well take the extra because she was going to cook it anyway.

The fact that he reluctantly agreed told her that he was glad to have the help even if he wouldn’t admit it.

One sunshine-y day she printed out a few ads and drove into Gibson, hoping to put them up at the supermarket and post office and anywhere else she might find a bulletin board. Truth was, her unemployment checks were covering her expenses so far, but her real problem was having too much time on her hands. She needed something to keep her busy or she was going to eat too many brownies and fancy breads and end up requiring a whole new wardrobe. Taking on odd accounting jobs wasn’t ideal but it was better than nothing. The businesses in Gibson were small, independently owned ones rather than big chains. Surely someone would be in need of some bookkeeping help.

She pinned up her notice on the community board at the grocery store, the drugstore, at the post office and at the office that housed the Chamber of Commerce. Then she ventured across the street to the library in the hopes of posting one there, which she left with the librarian. At the diner, she grabbed some lunch at the counter and asked if she could leave one there. Before going home, she stopped at the town’s one and only department store, looking for some new dishcloths and some replacement pairs of panty hose just in case she got any more interview calls. She stopped in front of a Valentine’s Day display and smiled a little at the boxes of kids’ cards generally featuring characters from the latest animated movies or TV shows. She picked up one set that was from Amber’s favorite cartoon. Amber would probably have her first school party this year and give cards to all her classmates. On a whim, Lacey put the box in her basket and also snagged a few paper decorations and craft kits.

She was just adding a small bag of foil-wrapped chocolate hearts when she ran into Kailey Brandt, wheeling a cart full of towels that were on sale, cleaning supplies and a box of file folders.

“Lacey! Hey there.” Kailey stopped the cart and smiled at Lacey, though Lacey thought she could see some strain around the other woman’s eyes. “What brings you into town?”

“Oh, this and that,” she replied, suddenly feeling rather awkward that she was still out of work.

“Paper Valentines?” Kailey grinned. “Amber’s been around some, huh?”

“Not much. But I saw them and I couldn’t resist. It’s been a long time since I handed out Valentine’s Day cards.”

Kailey nodded. “If you were like the rest of us around here, you decorated shoeboxes for a mailbox and ate way too many heart-shaped cookies at the class party.”

They both laughed a little. “Those were the days, right? Far less complicated.”

“Tell me about it,” Kailey said, her shoulders slumping. “I’m trying to keep the tax stuff straight and I ran out of file folders. I swear to God, I can work with ornery horses all day long, but doing paperwork is like the seventh circle of hell.”

Lacey’s ears definitely perked up at that, but it seemed presumptuous to offer her services during a friendly, neighborly exchange at the department store. She paused and then cautiously asked, “Have you considered outsourcing it?”

Kailey nodded. “A few times. I only took over a few years ago after my mom got thrown and hit her head. She does okay most of the time, but she struggles with numbers now and deals with migraines a lot.”

“I didn’t know. Your poor mom.”

Kailey smiled. “She manages, and she just does other stuff. But she’s slowed down a lot and Dad doesn’t have the patience for accounting. That leaves me, unless I hire an accountant. The office in town is pretty expensive and I’d have to take the stuff there, you know? It’s more trouble than it’s worth, so I suffer. Usually not in silence.” She laughed at herself a little.

It would be the perfect situation. “You know I’m an accountant, right?” she asked.

“Yeah, but I figured you’d be looking for something full-time. We don’t have a huge operation, Lacey. It’s just a few hours here and there, with a little more at tax time.”

Lacey shrugged. “So? If I can do a few hours for you, and find some other businesses with the same needs...it would at least get me out of the house and doing something other than going crazy.”

“I can’t imagine wanting to do math rather than be in a barn,” Kailey said. “Let me talk it over with my dad. How much would you charge?”

Lacey named her hourly rate—a little on the low side, taking into consideration that budgets were probably a little tight in a small ranching community.

“You’re staying at the house? I’ll give you a call. Because honestly, you’d be doing me a huge favor if I didn’t have to worry about this stuff.”

“Yep. If I don’t answer, just leave a message and I’ll get back to you.” For the first time in weeks she felt a sliver of hope. Even if she ended up getting a position somewhere on a more permanent basis, she could manage a single client after hours.

At that moment Kailey’s cell phone rang and she frowned. “Weird. Hardly anyone ever calls me. Most of the time they text.” She dug around in her purse and found the phone. “It’s Carrie. I hope there’s nothing wrong.” She answered it at the same time as Lacey’s phone began to ring.

A strange feeling crawled through Lacey’s stomach. She looked at her phone and saw Duke’s number on the display. She swallowed as she hit the accept button. She hoped it was nothing with the baby. That would be terrible for them and a little too close to home for her.

“Duke? What’s wrong?”

“Thank God I got you. Where are you?”

“In town, shopping.”

“Can you stop by the preschool and pick up Amber rather than her going to day care?”

The crawly feeling intensified. “What’s happened? Is Quinn all right?”

“He’ll be fine. There was a fire at his place, though. He tried to stop it while he was waiting for the fire department.”

Gibson was so small that the department was volunteer-based. Response time could be slow...

“Is he hurt? What about the house?” Dread spiraled through her. Please let him be okay, she thought. And poor Amber. She didn’t need any more upheaval, either...

“The house will be fine, eventually. Quinn kept it confined to the kitchen area and the department got there in time to knock it down. It’ll need gutting, though. And Quinn...he got a few burns. He’s on his way to the hospital now.”

She lowered her voice. “How bad, Duke?”

“Not that bad,” he assured her. “But he needs proper treatment and the burns are going to be tender for a while.”

She closed her eyes, thinking of Quinn in pain, picturing him trying to fight the fire all on his own. Stupid, brave man.

“I’ll get Amber. Should I come to the hospital?”

“No.” Duke’s voice was firm. “I don’t know how much she remembers from when Marie died, but there’s no need to freak her out. Just take her back to the house after school. I think she’s done at noon.”

Lacey caught Kailey’s worried gaze and knew they were getting the same information.

“Don’t worry about it, Duke. I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks. We’re going to head in to the hospital now.”

“Then come to supper at the house. I’ll cook for everyone. Amber can help and it’ll be good to keep her busy. She likes helping in the kitchen.”

“You’re a gem, Lace.”

Gem, huh? Truth was, she was more worried than she cared to admit about Quinn and she would benefit from being occupied. “Don’t worry about it. Just text me with updates, okay?”

“Can do.”

She hung up at the same time as Kailey and they looked at each other. Lacey wondered if her face looked as worried as Kailey’s.

“You heard the news,” Kailey said quietly.

“Yeah. Duke asked if I’d pick Amber up after school. I hope he’s right, that Quinn’s burns are minor.”

“Me, too. Gosh, that family has been through enough.”

Lacey remembered what it was like to lose a parent at a young age. And she remembered how frightening it was to think that something might happen to the one left behind. “This might be the perfect day for some Valentine’s Day planning,” Lacey said tightly.

“I’ve got to head home for a bit, but I offered to help the guys with the chores tonight. That way Duke and Carrie can look after Quinn.”

Lacey had nearly forgotten what it was like to live in a small town, but the current crisis reminded her. “Listen, I’m going to cook for everyone. You’re welcome to stay too, if you don’t have to rush back home.”

“Thanks.” Kailey tucked her phone back in her purse. “I’ll play it by ear, see when things get finished.” She reached out and squeezed Lacey’s arm. “Give Amber my love, okay? She’s a sweetie.”

“I will. See you back at the ranch.”

Kailey rushed off to pay for her items and Lacey checked her watch. She still had some time before she needed to pick Amber up from school, so she added a few more craft supplies to the cart, and then threw in what she guessed to be the right size pajamas and set of yoga pants with a matching shirt, just in case Amber needed a change of clothes. Once she’d paid for those, she headed to the grocery store and picked up whatever was missing from the pantry for tonight’s supper. There would be at least five of them to eat, six if Kailey was there, so she picked up a large roast and an extra bag of carrots. Fresh green beans were on sale, and she bought whipping cream and a bag of apples. On the way out, she snagged a couple of bottles of red wine. Once her groceries were stowed in the trunk along with her other purchases, she found it was nearly dismissal time and made her way to the school.

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