corral. James and Michelle conferred on the animal and then released him into the confined area. Dandy immediately whisked away, bucking across the fenced area.
Everyone helped pitch the tents. She chose an area outside the clearing, close to a growth of white birch saplings. Beside the small corral was a pipe with a tap that made use of an underground spring.
"Coffee's on," James said.
Donny had already started a fire. She dropped to sit cross-legged beside the small blaze, holding her cold white fingers out to the flames. "That was quick work, Donny." She threw the long-haired teenager a smile.
"Can I get you coffee or tea, Ms. Turner?" Donny asked shyly, brushing a stray lock of dark blond hair off his forehead.
"Make it Jacie, and I'd love tea."
"Sure thing."
She held the warmth of the mug between her fingers as he prepared eggs, bacon, potatoes and ham.
"Have you worked at Timber Falls long?"
"The last two summers." He flipped the eggs, then looked up at her. "This is the first summer Sloan let me help on the overnight trips."
Her interest perked up another notch at the mention of Sloan. She hadn't seen him since he’d taken Bill to see the doctor yesterday.
It had been James who told her the gas leak at her place had been due to a fitting that had worked its way loose. It had been taken care of and she had been able to move back into her cabin.
She ran a finger along the rim of her mug. "It must be like a working vacation," she said to Donny. "Living and working up here."
"I love the summers," he said. "Everyone at Timber Falls is like family."
"Especially Michelle?" she asked impishly.
Donny looked at Michelle where she stood across the clearing talking with James. His ears immediately became red. "Um, yeah, Michelle is okay."
Realizing she had inadvertently embarrassed him, she said casually, "I like Michelle too. Does Sloan ever do the overnights?"
"Sure. James expects Sloan to show up. He got back late last night from a buying trip. I heard he picked up twenty new heifers."
"I didn't know that." She kept her voice level, trying to tamp down feelings of anticipation. She had missed him.
"Hey, Donny, we're starving!" James called out good-naturedly.
The rest of the party gravitated toward the campfire.
"Pass me a cup, will you, Jacie?" James said.
She reached over and picked up a mug, then handed it to him. "You've lived here all your life?" she asked him now.
"I was born here in the Catskills. Sloan, on the other hand is a transplant. Our dad moved here permanently from Texas when Sloan was little."
"Yes, he mentioned that."
James looked surprised. "He told you that? My mom married Everett Wright when Sloan's mother died. Sloan was around nine. I came along about a year later."
"You seem very close. That probably has a lot to do with the success of Timber Falls."
"I have to admit the last two years have been the best yet. Dotty, that's my wife, well, she thinks we should expand and build a dozen more cabins."
"You sound like you don't favor the idea?"
"Not entirely, Sloan and I think Timber Falls is fine the way it is. I want to bring in more revenue, but not to the extent that the ranch loses its quaint appeal."
"I agree with you, James. You might lose something if you catered to too many at once."
Emma joined them as she precariously balanced a full plate of ham and eggs. "Hey James, what's on the agenda for today? If I don't get moving soon, I won't want to."
"We'll hike to the falls then meet back here for lunch. By then Sloan should be here."
Jacie was aware of heat enveloping her from head to toe at the mention of Sloan's name. Tensely, she ran her palms over her jeans. Disturbed by her reaction, she spied a bright growth of Morning Glory and walked across the clearing to inspect the delicate blue flowers. They had wound themselves tightly around a nearby sapling and the effect of the flowers against the slim trunk was startling and unexpected.
"Penny for them." A pair of dark brown boots appeared beside her. She lifted her eyes slowly . . . dark jeans, silver belt buckle, faded green shirt, stopped at devil blue eyes.
"Hi, Sloan."
Sloan had a slight smile curving his lips. Leaning close, he plucked one of the blossoms and offered it to her. She looked at the fragile bloom lying in his calloused palm, her heart turning over. The gesture was