Page 109 of The Guy Who Stole My Ranch

Brooke said hello to each horse. She also gave Frank plenty of attention. By the time I was almost finished brushing Bert, she’d stopped to watch me.

I’d spent plenty of time observing her in her natural habitat and now felt a prickle of self-doubt as she observed me in mine.

Did she like what she saw?

Gary tugged Bert away from me as Brooke approached. My eyes couldn’t stop memorizing her, and when she reached for my hand, I greedily took hers.

“So, this is your horse barn?”

I nodded.

She craned her neck to look overhead and then around. “How did you not laugh when you walked into mine?”

“Why would I laugh?”

“Because ours is a wreck compared to this.”

I waved my free hand. “Nothing a new paint job couldn’t fix.”

She laughed at that. “Uh, no. If this is the quality you’re going for, you should tear ours down and start fresh.”

I led her the rest of the way through the barn. “I have considered it.”

“Good, because now I’m not sure I can take you to ours again.”

“Why?” I met her gaze. “I like your barn.”

She indicated the room around us. “We’re Hickville compared to this.”

I stopped, turned her toward me, and took her other hand. “Brooke, I never once thought of you or your ranch as inferior, and I never will.”

Brooke pursed her lips.

“Your ranch has character. It has history. The sheer volume of memories made there makes the place feel real.” I pointed at a nearby stall. “While this building is state-of-the-art, it lacks the same depth.” I gave her a grin. “I might update parts of the ranch, but I want to leave some of it intact. To remind me where it started.” I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek again, reveling in the fact that her breath hitched when I did so, before resuming our walk. “I might even do the barley harvest each year.”

“Really?” She squeezed my hand. “I figured that was your least favorite memory of me.”

“It’s part of our journey. I’ll always cherish it.” Something inside my chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak.

I would always cherish my days with her in Texas. Even if this, for some reason, was the last time I saw Brooke, I would probably plant a small patch of barley so I could harvest it by hand. Anything to keep her alive in my mind. Anything to keep the way she made me feel alive.

Brooke let go of my hand and slid her arms around my waist as we walked. “You’re a good man.”

“Thank you, Brooke.” She’d never know what it meant to have her say that to me. “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

She chuckled, and the sound traveled through her body and into mine.

Then the red alert fromStar Treksounded.

I groaned and let Brooke go. “Sorry, I have to take this.”

“Your mom?”

I nodded.

“Good luck with that.” She patted me on the shoulder then walked to the next stall to give me some space.

I wrapped my business persona around me before I said, “Hello?”

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