AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There’s that crease again,” Macie said, reaching up to touch him between the brows.
“What crease?”
Macie trailed her finger along his skin, moving closer, which only sent his heart thumping. “You get this little crease when you’re worried, and I’ve seen it more and more. What’s bothering you, Holt Prosper? Is it me?”
Holt captured her hand and kissed her palm. “It’s not you, and I don’t want you to worry your pretty head about it.”
Macie moved closer, so that they were only inches apart. “That’s not how it works, Mr. Ranch Manager. I’ve confessed all my problems to you.” She rested her hands on his shoulders. “If you can’t tell me, then who can you tell? Your parents?”
“Definitely not my parents.”
Macie held his gaze. “Holt . . .”
“All right,” he said. “Come into the kitchen in case someone pops into the house. I don’t want them to catch us kissing in the hallway.”
Her smile appeared. “Is that what will happen?”
“You know it will.” He bent to give her a quick kiss to prove his point, then pulled away and headed into the kitchen.
She laughed softly and followed.
Once in the kitchen, Holt knew he’d been right about coming here. He also knew he could trust Macie with the information about the ranch’s finances. Maybe her entrepreneur’s mind would give him some new ideas.
So with her sitting at the table and him leaning against the counter, he explained how the ranch had gotten into hot water.
“Your parents are sure generous folks,” Macie said at the end of his long explanation. “Makes me feel guilty for infringing upon their hospitality.”
“You’d never be infringing, and I hope you know that, darlin’.”
Macie nodded, and he had to be satisfied with that.
“So what are you going to do?” she asked.
“Well, having Knox more independent would sure help,” Holt said. “I mean, if he ever paid back his loans. And my younger siblings becoming more independent would be great. It’s just life right now, I guess.”
Macie rose to her feet and crossed to him. Linking their hands together, she said, “If anyone can figure it out, it’s you.”
“How did you come up with that?”
Macie raised up on her toes and kissed him. He obliged in the stolen moment, but the sound of an arriving truck drew them apart.
Macie skedaddled across the room and picked up one her jewelry kits from the side counter, then settled at the table again.
Holt filled up a glass of ice water. “Want some?”
She shook her head and opened up her kit, so by the time Rex Prosper walked into the kitchen, she’d already laid things out.
His dad’s gaze went from Macie, then to Holt, then narrowed.
Holt had the sense that his dad had noticed a shift with Macie, but he was still determined to not give away his true feelings for her. Not until they figured out what was going to happen when Knox arrived.
“You’re both here,” Rex said, uncertainty in his voice. “That’s probably better.”
“Better for what?” Holt drained the last of his water.
“Sit down, son, we’ve got something to discuss.”
By the time Holt sat across the table from his father, a knot had formed in his stomach.
