her water. “Does your grandmother live here in Cauldron Valley too?”
He grinned softly as he stretched his booted feet out underneath the table. “She did, yeah. At the ranch. She and Pops raised us from the time we were all five years old. When she died a few years back, we were all pretty messed up for a while.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “That must’ve been hard.”
“Cancer is horrible.”
She nodded sadly. “It really is.”
He remembered she’d lost her mother recently, and had to resist the urge to reach across the table and comfort her.
You don’t know her well enough to do that yet, cowboy.
That was true, and he couldn’t afford to scare her away.
But one day soon, you will be able to hold her. Forever.
He blinked. Where had that thought come from? He’d just met the woman, and yeah, she was pretty and interesting, but he was thirty minutes into their first date. Words like forever didn’t need to get involved just yet, did they?
But…
He couldn’t help remembering a conversation he’d had with Cade about his first date with Jami, and how Cade was already thinking of marriage before it had even begun.
It was Pops’ fault, probably, for putting the idea of forever in their heads.
“So…” When Bobbi smiled, it appeared forced, but if she wanted to change the subject, he’d go along with it. “Your grandparents raised you and your brothers?”
“Yep.” This was an easier topic. “My parents and my aunt and uncle died when we were five. We all lived on the ranch with Grams and Pops, so it was easy enough to move in with them—all six of us.”
Her mouth had dropped open. “That’s horrible.”
He shrugged. “It sounds pretty callous to say, but none of us remember them well. We don’t even know how it happened, because Pops always refused to tell us. We were young and resilient, and Grams made sure to take good care of us.”
“Still…” She shook her head and reached across the table to place her hand atop his. “I’m sorry.”
The tingle of her touch climbed up his arm, and it was a simple motion to turn his hand over and twine his fingers through hers.
“Thanks.” Was his voice rough? It sounded rough to his ears. “Apparently, I had the hardest time transitioning, and Grams fought pretty hard to get me counselling in school once I started.” She’d always said he was her most sensitive grandson, and she wanted to make sure he wasn’t hurt long-term. “I remember very little of it, so I guess that means it worked.”
She shook her head. “That’s remarkable. I can’t imagine suddenly having to take care of six five-year-olds and make sure they’re all happy, with all their different personalities.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” He smiled, thinking of CJ’s love of adventure. “And we’re all different. Bob likes things just-so, and Grams always went out of her way to make sure he had everything the way he wanted. I imagine that caused some strife when he got married,” he added with a chuckle. “His brother Ted is pretty serious and latched on to Pops early on. Jim—you met him—is the jokester in the family. I remember she had her hands full with all the lizards he’d sneak into her folded laundry, and the salt he’d mix in with her sugar.”
They both chuckled, then he shook his head.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t talk so much about my family.”
“Are you kidding?” An excited grin on her face, she sat forward. “I’m an only child, so this is amazing. Tell me about your brothers!”
Well, if she really wanted to hear about them…
He moved his water out of his way with his free hand—no way was he letting go of her!—and leaned his weight on his elbow.
“Wyatt was always the most independent of us, always bucking authority. I remember him and Pops butting heads on more than a few occasions, especially as we became teens. He manages the racetrack up on the ranch; we do big races a few times a year to highlight the ranch’s horses. That’s what we’re famous for, you know: producing the fastest horses in the state.”
More like the entire west, but he didn’t want to come across as too much of a braggart.
“Do you all work with the horses?” she asked with wide eyes.
“In some way or another. Ted manages the ranch as a whole, and Bob studies bloodlines. You met Jim, our horse-whisperer. And Cade is in charge of nutrition. He has the magic touch when it comes to