Page 84 of Headed for Home

“No, not to me.” When her features crumple, I rush to explain. “But it does to you. I can tell how much it bothers you. This has been holding you back. I also see how much Leita means to you. If she’s destined to be a great champion, only you can ride her to victory. But again, no pressure. Whatever makes you happy.”

The green in her eyes shines, turning glassy. Wildflowers and devotion float on the breeze. “You’re such a sweet man. Perfect, really. How do I deserve you?”

I tuck stray stands behind her ear, fresh from escaping her ponytail. “If you believe me to be perfect, it’s only for you. But for the record, I’m far from it.”

She leans into my touch. “You make me so incredibly happy.”

A rumble sounds from deep within my chest to announce my pleasure. “That’s definitely worth celebrating.”

“We’ll have to wait. My hay delivery is arriving.” Cassidy’s gaze flicks over my shoulder.

“Your what…?” The question trails off as I track where she’s looking. A massive tractor is puttering down the road, pulling two gated wagons stacked with bales. “That’s a wide load.”

“Sure is.”

“Is the delivery going to make the turn into your driveway?” Seems impossible from this angle.

“Don’t worry about him. It’s not his first rodeo.” The familiarity in her voice sits in my gut like a rock.

Kenzie races from the barn, arms and legs a blur. “He’s here!”

“Yayyyyyyy! Gonna be sooooo fun.” Charlie zooms behind his sister, equally as excited.

My mind struggles to focus. “Who is this guy? Why are your kids acting like he’s Santa? And where have they been hiding?”

“A lot to process, huh?” She bumps me with her hip. “The twins were probably chasing the dogs or goats. Maybe both. They’re free range farm kids. Crop up when they’re ready and make themselves scarce otherwise. It’s a smooth system.”

I cross my arms and study the glint in her gaze. “You skipped over the dude and his big rig.”

Cassidy squints, examining my expression in return. “Wait. Are you… jealous?”

“Just protective. I’ve never met him.”

“Uh-huh.” A snarky brow quirks. “Ease off the trigger, trouble. He’s harmless.”

“Like when Barbie offered to give me very private riding lessons?” I didn’t miss my girlfriend’s rabid reaction to the blonde. It pumped my junk a bit, not going to lie.

“That’s different.” She sniffs.

“Or exactly the same.”

The slap of her eye roll is diluted by a coy grin. “Scott is just a nice guy who lets the kids climb in the hay while he unloads it.”

“How cute,” I mutter.

Her attention slides to where Mr. Nice Guy is chugging up her driveway. “You don’t need to stick around. This will take an hour or so. I can text you when he’s done.”

As if she can get rid of me that easily. “Nah, I want to see what all the fuss is about.”

“Maybe he’ll let you slip into his tall stacks,” she coos.

“One can only hope.” A vibration from my back pocket gives me an excuse to unclench my jaw.

Unknown Number:Hello, Mr. Granger. This is Alan from Sutherland Homes. It was great meeting you in person several weeks ago. Your contribution and assistance to the Knox Creek project has been extremely valuable. We’re hoping to connect with you about another investment opportunity. Unfortunately, our calls and emails have gone unanswered. Is this a better method to contact you? It would be extremely beneficial for both parties. Please get back to me at your earliest convenience. Call or text. Thank you.

Aggravation distracts the potential rivalry on the tractor. I delete the message, similar to what I’ve done to their previous attempts to communicate with me. These leeches are sucking on a dry teat.

“Hey.” The angelic tune of my beautiful sunflower soothes the upset. “Are you okay?”

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