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“Loan her the money?” Daisy asked.
“Pop will never go for it. As much as my mother likes Amanda, I doubt she’d support the idea, either.” He stared down at his half-finished plate, inhaling a deep breath. Releasing it, Wyatt fell into an unusual silence.
Sam sat back, hands resting in her lap. “Whatever the answer, it won’t be easy for anyone.”
“Have you heard anything about Miguel?” Logan snagged Sam’s hand as the two walked to her cabin.
“No. I wonder if he left Brillance.”
Both knew what Miguel leaving the area meant. If he’d moved on, they were free to end the engagement.
“How would we find out?” Logan stopped on the porch of her cabin.
“I’m not sure. We could ask around. I wonder if he’s still living in the room in town.”
“I’ll drive into town in the next few days and find out. I know where it is.”
Sam’s chuckle held little humor. “That’s right. You followed him.”
“Just the one time.”
“If he’s gone…” Sam’s voice trailed off as her gaze once again settled on the guests.
Logan didn’t need to hear the rest to know where her thoughts were going. Was he ready to end the engagement? What if he admitted his feelings for her? Did he want to take the risk she felt nothing for him?
He’d rather walk away as friends. Maybe the best path was to let their misadventure end.
“I should get inside. Tomorrow’s going to be busy with the last group of guests for the season.”
Relieved to move off the subject of Miguel, he nodded. “I have a long day tomorrow, too.”
Leaning in, he kissed her. It was brief. Nothing close to how he wanted to kiss her.
“Goodnight, Logan.”
“Have a good one, Sam.”
He could feel Sam’s eyes on him during the short trek to his truck. Logan wondered what was going through her mind.
They were at a precarious point in their relationship. He was, anyway. She might be more than ready to relinquish the fiancée title and return to being a friend. The thought of not seeing Sam almost every day felt wrong. Logan wanted the right to be with her whenever he wished.
First, he had to determine if Miguel had left town. And if he was gone? Logan would figure out what to do next.
Sam stared at the ceiling, switched to her right side, then her left, before counting cracks in the ceiling…again. She’d be surprised if she got three hours of sleep.
Brushing her short black hair, she tried to tame a stubborn cowlick with a touch of gel. “Darn thing,” she muttered, twisting the lid back on the jar. Giving up, she grabbed a hat, shoving it over her head. Pushing her feet into a pair of well-worn boots, Sam lifted a lightweight jacket from a hook and headed outside.
Laughter from the corrals drew her attention. A group of twenty-somethings watched Barrel and Owen tack up their horses while telling stories of previous trail rides. Sam had heard the tales before. They never got old.
“Now, folks, this will be a short ride. Maybe an hour.” Barrel slid the bit into his horse’s mouth. “You might be thinking an hour is hardly worth the trouble. Believe me, if you haven’t ridden in a while, you’re going to be sore. I won’t say where, ‘cause I’m certain you can guess.”
Sam laughed along with the others. In truth, Barrel was right. The guests getting ready to ride wouldn’t be up for a second trip for two, maybe three days. For now, an air of excitement settled over everyone…except her.
Retrieving her horse, she tacked up within minutes and led the mare outside. She always loved getting to know the guests, where they were from, what activity most interested them.
Today, she asked the questions, even though none seemed important. Sam couldn’t get her mind off Miguel.
It had been weeks since she’d seen him. Maybe he had left without bothering to let her know. She didn’t care as long as he didn’t create problems for her, Logan, or anyone else.
