Page 28 of One Summer Day (Prosperity Ranch 1)

Holt drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove to Steven Pinkney’s farm. He had grown used to seeing Macie in the kitchen every morning, and every evening for that matter. This fact alone told him that he’d better get out of the house and off the ranch for the day before he said or did something he might regret.

Macie was vulnerable and beautiful, and she was invading his thoughts way too much. The tilt of her head, the curve of her lips when she was amused, the way she cared for her daughter. The uncertainty in her eyes . . . that’s what tugged at his heart the most.

He told himself it was because he was the uncle to her kid. Of course, he was going to care about family. Protect family. It was all completely natural and understandable.

The ringing of his cell brought Holt out of his ruminating. Knox’s name flashed across the screen. Holt bit back a groan. It was too early for his brother to be awake, which meant that Knox was calling because he needed something.

“Yeah?” Holt answered, hoping that Knox hadn’t already blown his way through the last loan.

“Hey, bro,” Knox said in a cheerful tone.

Way too cheerful for the crack of dawn. The unease only built inside Holt. “What’s up?”

“Just calling with some good news.”

“You can pay me back?” Holt blurted.

Knox chuckled. Whatever it was, the guy was in a good mood. “I didn’t call to talk money. The news is way better than that.”

Holt checked his blind spot then changed lanes. “Spill it, then.”

“I’m coming to Prosper,” Knox said.

The bottom fell out of Holt’s stomach. “You are?”

Knox obviously didn’t hear the deadpan tone, and Holt really should be pleased . . . right? Knox coming home after all these years?

“Just registered for the rodeo,” Knox said. “It will be like the good ole days. Besides, the ten thousand dollar grand prize looks pretty tempting.”

Every word spoken by his brother was like another cut to Holt’s skin, because he knew that the coincidence was too great. Knox might say he was coming for the rodeo, but Macie was here . . .

“That prize money is dependent upon the rodeo selling out,” Holt said. “Right now, we’re not even half-sold. But I’m sure that Mom and Dad will be thrilled to see you.”

Knox’s tone remained upbeat. “And I’ll be right pleased to see them. Besides . . . summer, rodeo, pretty women—what’s not to love?”

Holt’s stomach roiled. Was Knox going to pick up on women when his ex-wife and kid were in town?

“Of course, there’s only one pretty woman I’m interested in,” Knox continued.

The conversation was moving forward like a freight train, and there was nothing Holt could to do stop it.

“Macie better watch out,” Knox said. “I’m a new man, and see if I can’t get her back before the rodeo’s wrapped up.”

Get Macie back?Knox was planning on reconciling? Holt swallowed, his throat dryer than Texan dirt. The rodeo was only a couple of weeks away. “When are you coming out?”

“That’s the thing,” Knox said. “I’m sort of stuck in Montana with no transportation. Truck’s in the shop.”

Holt gripped the steering wheel. “What’s wrong with the truck?” He bit back a groan as Knox rattled off a few things.

“What’s the damage?” Holt asked next.

“Thirteen hundred,” Knox said. “But I’m going get some of that knocked off.”

Holt exhaled. He was sick of this, but Knox was his brother. And his parents—well, his mother—would be overjoyed to see Knox again. Holt wasn’t sure about his dad. But what about Macie? “You really think she’ll take you back?”

They both knew who he was talking about.

“I haven’t lost my touch, bro,” Knox said. “I just lost my focus for a bit. We were married, for heck’s sake. And we’ve got that kid.”

---