Page 72 of Sunrise & Serenity

Her smile is slight. “You always say you’re not going to overthink things right before you do just that.”

I huff a quiet laugh despite myself. “Well. This time I mean it.”

She studies me, a line forming between her brows. “Fair enough. I’d hate to encourage you to do something you don’t want to do, so I’ll stay out of it. Unless you ask me for advice, of course.”

The relieved smile I offer her falters when she holds up a finger.

“But I have one thing to say before I butt out of it.” She scans our surroundings, then leans in closer. “There’s no way he wouldn’t be interested in having a good time with you. Holden isn’t the type to go around randomly kissing women. At least from what I’ve heard. If he backed off, it’s because he has concerns, like you do. But don’t you dare think he ran because he doesn’t like you. Got it?”

Her vehemence is enough to wring a laugh from me. “Got it. And thank you for the pep talk.” I reach across the table and squeeze her hand, grateful as always for her support.

But even though my wounded pride can’t help but hope she’s right, the part of me that still clings to rational thought tells me that might be even more dangerous.

She sips her coffee, then, true to her word, she changes the subject. “Can you believe Ruby’s starting school this fall?”

“Nope. It seems like you just brought her home from the hospital. How is that possible?”

She shakes her head in feigned dismay, but it doesn’t last long before her face lights up like it always does when she talks about her daughter. “She’s already picked out her school bag and lunch box, and she’s excited about making friends.” Her expression dims a little. “The hours I’ve put in to get up to speed with large-animal work have been hard, even with Greta keeping her company.”

“I’m sure she’ll love school,” I say. “With how outgoing she is, she’ll probably come home from her first day with a whole gaggle of new best friends.”

“I hope so.” A crease forms between her brows.

“Are you worried about something in particular?”

She sighs. “Richard’s been all over the place lately. He hasn’t come to visit her at all. And if I hadn’t reminded him, he would have forgotten her birthday. Then, a couple of days ago, he called me out of the blue and wanted to talk to her.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” I ask.

“It should be, but afterward, Ruby was upset. Apparently, he asked her if she’d like to spend some time with him in New York.”

That is odd. One of the reasons Mia left Richard was his workaholic tendencies. He often seemed to forget his wife and daughter even existed. His political aspirations dominated his life. “Maybe he’s just realizing what he’s been missing out on.”

She catches her lower lip between her teeth. “Maybe.”

“Have you asked him about it?”

“I called him that night after Ruby went to bed. He said now that she’s older and starting school, he thought she could spend some of her holidays in New York. To make sure she doesn’t run wild out here.”

I snort. After experiencing life out here, running wild seems to be a pretty great way to grow up.

“That was my reaction too.” She sighs. “He kind of blew it off after that, as if it was a random thought. But… I don’t know. I don’t like it.”

I don’t blame her. It’s hard to trust people who only figure out what matters after they’ve lost it. I can’t help comparing that with what I’ve experienced since I’ve been out here. Like the McBrides’ loyalty to each other. It’s messy and stubborn and impossible to mistake for anything other than genuine care.

The bell over the diner door rings, and a tall cowboy pushes through. My pulse jumps, but it slows almost immediately when he removes his hat and I recognize one of the Ashland brothers, though I can’t remember which one. His sister, Tessa, follows behind him.

The man doesn’t look around as he leans against the counter, speaking to Patty. But Tessa glances our way. This close, she’s even prettier, with her auburn hair framing a heart-shaped face. When she raises a hand in greeting, Mia waves back.

“How well do you know the Ashlands?” I ask, making sure to lower my voice.

“Not all that well,” she says. “I’ve been out there a couple of times with Doc, but when they call, they always ask for him. I don’t think they trust me yet.” She eyes me. “Why do you ask?”

“Apparently, their family and the McBrides have been engaged in a feud for generations. Something to do with water rights.”

Mia examines the two of them at the counter. “Doc mentioned that disagreements between ranchers are fairly common out here. He said that sometimes they lead to cattle being let out or stolen and fences being cut—that kind of thing. He didn’t mention any names, though.”

At the counter, Patty hands Tessa and her brother a to-go cup each, along with brown paper bags that probably hold pastries. Tessa smiles at her and leans in, speaking, and Patty laughs.