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“I get it. Trust me.” This was a small community—and a beautiful community in many ways. But everyone did know everyone else’s business. She’d hardly been acquainted with Brad and his ex-wife, and yet even she’d heard about their ugly divorce. “How about Sunday afternoon, around two?”
“We’ll make it happen.” His smile evened out. “Thank you again for being so understanding. Callie’s changed a lot this year, I’m afraid. She could use a good friend right now.”
Good friends were the only way Tess made it through the last two years. Her people had picked her up and carried her along until she was able to walk on her own two feet again. Now she was in a place where she could do the same for someone else who needed support. “We all can use good friends.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” The man’s pocket started to buzz. “I’d better take this call. I’ll see you this weekend.”
Not even one second after Brad walked away, Kyra was by her side. “Who wasthat?”
Tess ignored her friend’s exaggerated eyebrow raise. “That was Brad Kline. He’s the father of a girl from Morgan’s class.”
Kyra watched the man walk along the storefront windows all the way to his truck. “Is he single?”
Here we go.“Yes. Recently.” She glared, daring Kyra to make any inferences. “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know.” Her friend popped her shoulders into an overly dramatic shrug. “Just wondering, I guess.”
Uh-huh.“Well, don’t get any fancy ideas in your head.” Seriously. That was the problem with people who were in love. They wanted everyone else to fall in love too. “Morgan and his daughter have had some issues at school so we’re going to get them together to try and work through things.”
“I think that’s great.” Her friend linked their arms together. “There’s nothing wrong with hanging out with an attractive cowboy once in a while.”
Brad had a nice face—receptive hazel eyes complete with smile lines, a nicely angled jaw, and an easy demeanor. The man had a certain charm. But there was only one cowboy occupying her thoughts lately.
“There wouldn’t be anything wrong with it if I actually felt something for said attractive cowboy.” Brad was good-looking. He seemed nice. And that was it. Nothing extra happened inside of her when she looked at him or talked to him. No sparks. No distinctive urges or anticipation. Not like when she looked at—
She had to stop thinking about Silas. But she couldn’t deny that in the last two years, he was the only one who had managed to light a spark.
“Oh, there’s Lynn.” Her friend waved at the woman across the room. “I need to go ask her how her oven burn is healing.” Kyra hurried away. As the only nurse practitioner in town, she was always on call.
“Nice job up there tonight, Sis.” Aiden joined her, a beer glass in his hand. “I know you don’t like public speaking, but I was impressed.”
“Thanks.” Now that she had her brother alone, she didn’t want to make small talk about her speech. “What’s going on between you and Silas?”
“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” Aiden rolled his eyes and gave his head a good shake. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. Of course he didn’t tell you.”
Unease spilled through her stomach. Silas had something to tell her? “What’d you mean?”
“He didn’t tell you about his plans?” Her brother scanned the room with annoyance. “Looks like he’s already gone home. He’s probably avoiding everything like he always does.”
“He’s in the kitchen helping Minnie and Louie.” She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to defend Silas. Why was her brother being such a jerk? “What was he supposed to tell me?” She thought through their conversations that week. “Oh wait. You mean that he plans to take some time off, go on a vacation?”
“He’s hardly going on a vacation,” Aiden muttered. “Look, it’s not my place to say. But he’s being typical Silas. Acting with no thought for anyone but himself.”
In truth, she happened to think Silas always thought about everyone else. He’d certainly shown her a lot of consideration—taking all of that time to help her with Legacy. And he didn’t have to be standing in Minnie and Louie’s kitchen right now doing the dishes. “I don’t understand.” She tried to read her brother’s eyes. Maybe it wasn’t anger she saw there. Maybe it was hurt.Plans.Aiden had said something about Silas’s plans…
A different kind of panic set in. “Is he leaving Star Valley? Did he take another job or something?” He couldn’t be leaving. He wouldn’t make plans to leave without telling her, would he?
Her brother’s jaw tightened. “You’ll have to ask him that.”
“Okay. I will.” Her voice got too high and shaky, but she didn’t even care. Right now, she didn’t care if her brother caught on to her emotions because she couldn’t control them—not the ache in her heart or the apprehension simmering in her stomach. “I’ll ask him what’s going on the next time I see him.”
But she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.
CHAPTER NINE
Silas drove into the café’s cramped parking lot and squeezed his vintage Bronco in between two massive trucks.
It was early as hell—barely seven o’clock—but when your friend texted you,Need to talk. Meet me at the café ASAP, you hauled your ass out of bed and showed up. Where was Thatch anyway? He didn’t see him sitting in any of their usual booths by the windows. He must’ve had to settle for a table in the back.
