Page 26 of Sweet Surrender

I’ve got to get her into a safer vehicle before it starts to really snow,he thought to himself before remembering that her car was none of his business. A moment later, she was getting out and stretching, her eyes on the mountains he’d been looking at just a few seconds ago. He didn’t blame her. He’d seen it a thousand times and he still got caught up by how gorgeous the view was.

“Hi,” he said, feeling stupid.

“Hello,” she said, heading over to him. “I wasn’t sure if you still wanted me to come. But I said I’d be here, so…”

Her eyes weren’t quite meeting his, and he could feel her apprehension as if it were his own. Guilt wrapped a fist around his lungs, and he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to speak at all.

“I’m sorry,” he managed. “About yesterday. It’s me that was out of line. You were only trying to help.”

Her brows lifted slightly as her gaze finally met his. And Zane knew in that instant that he could look out over those mountains a thousand more times, and the sky would never be as blue as her eyes were right now.

“I know that I overstepped by going to the principal instead of talking with you first,” she told him. “I’m so sorry for that.”

“Well, I didn’t mean to make you think you weren’t welcome here,” he went on, wondering if he’d ever talked this much before in his whole life. His mouth was so dry. Was this how Tripp always felt? “The boys are really excited to see you and show you around.”

“I’m excited too,” she confessed, smiling up at him. “I’ve never seen a cow up close before, but they look so cute.”

“They are pretty cute,” he said, smiling in surprise.

For most people who hadn’t been to a dairy farm before, the smell was the first thing they noticed. Zane had grown up around it, so his nose got used to it pretty quickly every time he came home. He figured she was only being polite by not mentioning it.

The thought flitted through his mind that he was glad he’d showered and changed so at leasthedidn’t smell like a dairy farm.

But that was nonsense. She hadn’t come here to smell him.

“Want to come in and meet—” he began.

“Miss Hawthorne,”the boys cried, pouring out the door.

“Hi there, Nick. Hello, Cal,” she said, sounding just as happy to see them. “Thanks so much for letting me come visit.”

“Do you want to see a baby calf drink from a bottle?” Nick demanded as soon as they were down the steps.

“I think I would love that,” she said. “I didn’t know you fed the calves bottles.”

“Only if their mama doesn’t want them,” Cal said softly.

Zane couldn’t help but think back to when he was bottle feeding his own tiny boys in the darkness, and his chest ached at the idea.

“They’re calledbottle babies,” Nick announced, seemingly oblivious to the comparison. “And they grow up to be the friendliest cows. You’ll see.”

“Maybe you can feed one, Miss Hawthorne,” Cal offered quietly.

“Wow,” she said. “I wouldn’t know where to begin. But let’s go see them. If it’s okay with your dad.”

“That’s just fine,” he said. “The barn is a great place to start.”

The boys took off, and he and Miss Hawthorne followed behind. He glanced down at her again and was happy to see that she was wearing real boots under her wool coat today.

“Thank you again for letting me visit,” she told him with a warm smile. “I have to admit I have a bit of an ulterior motive with this project. I know the kids will enjoy it and learn a lot, but I honestly wanted to learn more about Sugarville Grove myself.”

“There’s not much to know,” Zane said automatically.

“That’s what everyone says,” she told him, shaking her head. “But actually, there’s a lot going on here. Maybe we can all learn something interesting from this project.”

“They’re in here, Miss Hawthorne,” Nick yelled, waving to her from the barn door.

Cal stood beside his brother, grinning at his teacher.

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