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He got to his feet and held out his hand to her. She stared at it with surprise.
“Don’t you want me to change into jeans first? Maybe sweats aren’t the best choice.”
He shrugged. “That’s up to you. I would never dream of telling you to change into something else. I think you look good no matter what.”
She smiled, and this time it reached her eyes, making them sparkle bluer than the sky. “You’re sweet.”
Simon jerked his chin toward the door. “How about we take that walk, then?”
Katrina looped her arm through his, and his heart leaped into his throat. From the age of sixteen, he’d had the biggest crush on this woman. She was everything he’d wanted for his future. She cared about her family, she was driven, and she was the smartest person he knew. If he were honest, he was secretly thrilled that she was back home. He’d missed her more than she would ever understand.
While he hated seeing her in pain over the loss of her job, he knew being home would do her good. The problem was that seeing her again only made his feelings for her intensify. And the way she would lean into him and tell all her deepest fears made him want to do everything in his power to make them go away.
He had to make sure not to let his feelings get the best of him. There was a certain distance he needed to maintain, and Brianne pushing Katrina to go on dates was just the thing to do it.
Except he hated it.
Already, he knew that watching her go on dates with the local guys would tear him up inside. None of the single, eligible men around here were good enough for her. They didn’t understand that she needed more than just a ranch to run. Katrina needed to feel like she was the one in charge. And she needed everyone to know she was in control.
No one would be able to do that for her. Certainly not Jackson Duncan.
They exited the house and made it past the barn toward a trail that was frequented more by joggers than horse riders. The second the barn was out of view, Simon slowed his pace.
Katrina stopped and stared at him uncertainly. “What is it?”
“I have to tell you something. It’s really important and I wanted to make sure we were completely alone.”
Her eyes widened, searching his face. His heart hammered. The second he’d gotten off the phone with the lawyer, he knew he needed to call Katrina. But Brianne had called him first. She’d insisted they had to meet at the Reeses’ ranch because she needed his help to convince their friend to finally go on that date before Jackson left.
There was only one problem. He wasn’t sure what path he wanted to take, so he couldn’t tell Brianne without first getting Katrina’s advice.
Inhale.
Exhale.
He could do this.
Simon swallowed hard. “I know you’re dealing with a lot right now, and it isn’t fair to?—”
She placed her hand on his forearm. “Whatever it is, I’m here for you. Just like you’re here for me.”
He nodded. “I know. It’s just a lot to think about.”
Katrina laughed softly. “Just tell me. It can’t be as bad as what’s been going on with me lately.”
“So, you know how my grandfather had a small farm.”
“Yeah,” she drawled.
“But I was too young when he died, and they couldn’t leave it to me.”
“I know,” she murmured.
They both knew how much he had wanted to keep his family’s farm. It wasn’t something his mother had wanted, which was why she’d moved to the city, and he’d made his peace with it. Only now, something had changed.
“Do you remember Mr. Granger? He owned a small farm on the other side of town. He was friends with my grandpa.”
She nodded.
