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She’d almost fainted when he’d come out of the barn. He was the spitting image of Duke, as if her imagined hero had come to life. He had the same crystal blue eyes, the just too-long thick sandy brown hair, even down to the black cowboy hat and the charming grin he wore as he’d sauntered toward her in a pair of jeans and square-toed cowboy boots.
But he wasn’t Duke. Because Duke wasn’t real. He was the made-up man she’d created. A hodge-podge of all her favorite classic Western heroes and celebrity crushes: a dash of John Wayne, a little Robert Redford, some Sam Elliott, a bit of Kevin Costner and Cole Hauser, and a whole lot of Chris Hemsworth.
Luke was Faye’s brother—herbrother. Not some eye-candy cowboy for Kaylee to be drooling over and fantasizing about.
Wait. Who said anything about fantasizing about Luke?
Get it together, girl.
Kaylee’s thoughts about Duke—er, Luke—were forgotten as she stepped into the old farmhouse. The inside must have been renovated at some point, because it now had an open concept, with a big kitchen on one side and a large family room on the other. A huge stone fireplace went up the far wall, flanked by shelves bursting with books. An overstuffed tan sofa and a couple of recliners circled a square coffee table and faced toward the fireplace.
The walls were painted a soft moss green, and the decorations were modern farmhouse mixed with log cabin. The kitchen held modern appliances, but the wide countertop of the center island seemed to be made from some type of reclaimed wood, its surface smooth from sanding. A sign proclaimingFaith, Family, and Friends Welcome Herehung above the archway leading down the hallway.
“Wow. I love your house,” Kaylee said, following Luke into the kitchen and setting the mangled cake box on the counter. She nodded toward the sink. “May I?”
“Sure, cost you a quarter though,” he said.
She pulled her hands back from reaching toward the faucet then laughed as she realized he was teasing her. Was he flirting with her? Or was she just so used to being alone in her house that she was misinterpreting the attention of the first man she’d spent any time with in months?
“I’m just kidding,” he said, setting down her bag and holding out a towel.
She lifted the faucet with her arm then squirted a pump of soap into her palm. Rubbing her hands together under the water, she looked up and gasped at the amazing view of the mountains from the big window above the sink. In the forefront, the sun sparkled off the pond, and Kaylee could see wild roses climbing along the split-rail fence surrounding the backyard.
“It’s so beautiful here. This view is incredible.”
Luke stepped nearer, and her skin warmed at the closeness of him as he peered out the window. “Yeah, it is. I guess I spend so much time here, I sometimes forget to appreciate what a pretty sight it is.”
“Oh gosh, I can’t imagine ever taking this view for granted. I live in a third-floor apartment, and all I can see out my kitchen window is the red brick of the apartment building across the alley and maybe on a good day, I can catch a glimpse of the dumpster down there.”
He laughed. “Well, at least for the next few days, you can look at something new. And no dumpsters in sight.” He pointed outside. “You’ll have this same view from your room. The windows in there face the same direction. You can wake up to see the mountains every morning you’re here.”
She let out a sigh as she dried her hands. “Amazing.”
He picked up her bags again and led her down the hall and into the first room on the right. “I put you in here. This is Faye’s old room.”
Kaylee stepped inside. The walls were painted a light tranquil gray, and the furniture consisted of a dresser, an antique roll-top desk, and a bed with a thick padded headboard. A pink and white quilt covered the bed, its squares a burst of floral patterns, which somehow seemed to match the large print of a pink peony hanging above the headboard. A white milk glass vase filled with blue and purple wildflowers sat on the side table next to what looked like an original pink rotary dial phone. Gauzy lace curtains fluttered around a large picture window that boasted the view Luke had told her about.
She let out a sigh. “It’s lovely.”
“Thanks.” Luke shrugged. “Pink’s not really my thing, but my wife decorated it, and she wanted it to feel new yet still keep Faye’s personality and some of her things, so she’ll feel at home when she comes to visit.”
Kaylee stilled.
His wife?
