“This has happened before,” Mac said.

“What do you mean?”

He hesitated, gazing out over the fairgrounds, and she could tell he was debating whether or not to elaborate. “When we were in high school,” he said at last. “My prom date was a good friend of his, and he got upset about it. At the time, I wrote the whole thing off. I told myself he was just jealous, and that if he was interested in her he should have asked her out first.”

“I’ve never known Jeff to get jealous,” El said.

“No, I don’t think that was it either,” Mac said. “Jeff goes for what he wants. He was afraid I was going to break his friend’s heart.” He glanced at El. “He thinks I’m going to do that to you.”

El’s heart raced. “Which is ridiculous,” she said, hoping that he couldn’t hear the tremor in her voice. “I’m not your prom date. I’m your ranch hand.”

“Right,” Mac agreed. “Exactly.”

“Jeff’s always been protective,” El said. “I think it’s because he’s so much older than I am. He sees himself almost as a parent figure to me.”

“I remember him being pretty fired up when you had your first boyfriend,” Mac agreed. “Or maybe it wasn’t your first boyfriend. I don’t know. That guy you were dating in high school. Steve something.”

“You remember that?”

“I mean, Jeff talked about it a lot,” Mac said. “He was always going off about what an idiot he thought that guy was.”

“Well, he was,” El agreed with a little laugh. “But we were sixteen. I was an idiot too back then. Most relationships between kids at that age are probably doomed to fail.”

“When Jeff saw us here together, it probably looked to him like we were on a date,” Mac said. “I recognized that expression on his face. Thesomeone’s messing with my sisterlook. Never thought it would be directed at me.”

“Well, it shouldn’t be,” El said. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

“No, I don’t mind,” Mac said quickly. “I think it’s really nice that he takes such good care of you, you know? I think if I had a sister I’d probably be the same way. And… well, it probablydidlook like we were on some kind of date. Walking around the fairgrounds, that giant stuffed animal… I mean, I’m not going to lie to you. I’d bring a girl here on a date, if I was going to date someone.”

“You’ve never actually done it?” She wasn’t sure how she’d feel if he had. There was no denying it would make everything that had happened tonight a little less special if it was his usual date routine. There was a part of her that really wanted to believe this was something he had done just for her. But she knew better than to trust that impulse. She shouldn’twantthings to be special and unique between the two of them.

Right?

Mac shook his head. “It’s like I said,” he told her. “I don’t really have time for dating, and I’ve never had the inclination tomakethe time. Besides, the only women I meet tend to be fans. And dating a fan is almost always a mistake. I know people who’ve done it, and they tend to regret it.”

“I guess I shouldn’t become a fan of yours, then,” El joked.

Immediately, she could have kicked herself.

What on earth had she meant bythat? She shouldn’t become a fan of his because then he wouldn’t want to date her? They weren’t going to have a romantic relationship anyway, for God’s sake!

But he chuckled and said nothing.

El’s heart hammered. It felt as if she was on the verge of falling right off this Ferris wheel.

“I’m glad you brought me out tonight,” she ventured quietly. “I’m having a really good time, even if we did run into my crazy brother.”

“It’s good to see Jeff,” Mac said. “Don’t get me wrong. But… yeah, I do kind of wish he hadn’t been here tonight. It hasn’t been quite as relaxing as I would have hoped.”

“He’s not here now, though,” El said.

It felt like such a daring thing to say. Calling attention to Jeff’s absence, to the fact that they were on their own together — what point was she making? What did she hope he was going to take away from that?

She didn’t know.

The wind gusted around them and she found herself leaning closer to Mac for warmth. She felt him hesitate for a moment, and then his arm settled around her shoulders.

“Is this all right?” he asked her quietly.