at her. “For a few brief moments in my life, I thought I might actually leave Shiloh Ridge for a career in music.”
He shook his head at the stupidity of his youth. “I was a decent player, but not good enough to actually earn any money long-term. Thankfully, my father was a forgiving man, and he let me come back to the ranch, my tail tucked between my legs.”
“How long were you gone?” Sammy asked.
“Something like six months,” Bear said. “Maybe not even that long.” His memory was a strange thing, because he could distinctly remember the moment he’d driven back onto the ranch. His father had come out on the porch of the homestead and leaned against the pillar there, the toothpick in the corner of his mouth, as usual.
Bear had gotten out, and Daddy said, “Welcome back, son.” He’d hugged Bear and carried his guitar case inside, and by dinner, Bear had chores on the ranch that needed to be done before he went to bed.
“Do you wish you’d done something besides ranching?” she asked.
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No, I love the ranch. Sometimes I just get an idea in my head, and I forget who I am.”
Sammy watched him, her gaze heavy on the side of his face. Bear wasn’t sure what else he should say, and when he finally swung his head toward her, she looked away from him. The conversation stalled again, and Bear glanced at Lincoln.
“Do you play an instrument?” he asked him.
Lincoln looked at him with wide, brown eyes that were similar to Sammy’s. Not identical, but close enough to make him look like hers. Bear knew he wasn’t though, and he was glad she’d introduced him as her son, so he knew what to call him.
“I’m guessing not,” Bear said with a smile.
“No,” Sammy said. “He doesn’t play any instruments.” She twisted to look at Lincoln. “He wants to maybe try the piano, but…we haven’t done that yet.” She gave him a soft smile that made Bear’s heart beat shallowly, and she hadn’t even smiled at him.
He made the turn onto the road to Seven Sons Ranch, and Sammy said, “Look, Lincoln, they have the ATVs out.”
“Really?” Lincoln sat up straight and looked out his window. “Can I ride them, Sammy?”
“If they have a helmet the right size,” she said. “But they should. That little girl looks close to your age.”
Bear had no idea how old the children at Seven Sons were, but there was a girl that did seem close to Lincoln’s age, and another boy that was obviously a few years older than him too. Micah waved to Bear from the other side of the fence at the main homestead on the ranch, and he caught sight of the twins too, both of whom stood near the two ATVs while they talked.
Bear eased to a stop along the fence, and Sammy said, “I’ll take him. Come on, Link.”
Bear let them slip from the truck, and he couldn’t stop himself from watching Sammy walk across the lawn to Tripp and Liam. They smiled and shook her hand, and she put her arm around Lincoln, looking at him every few seconds.
Tripp took Lincoln from her, and the other little boy went with them too. Sammy stayed for another few seconds, then Bear watched her take a deep breath, her slight shoulders rising and falling in a visible motion.
She turned toward him and began the trek back. She got back in the truck, and Bear looked at her. “We’re good?”
“Yes,” she said, focusing on buckling her seatbelt.
Bear didn’t put the truck in gear, and Sammy finally looked at him. “We don’t have to go,” Bear said. “Or he can come with us.”
“It’s okay,” Sammy said. “Really, Bear. I just don’t leave him with anyone but my parents, and I’m a little worried about him. But it’s fine. He’ll be fine. He didn’t even look back at me.” She put a soft smile on her face. “Let’s go. Really.”
“Okay,” Bear said, so many questions piling up in his mind. He didn’t want to ask her if raising Lincoln was hard. Of course it was. He didn’t want to ask her how she felt about having to be his mother. She might not be able to put it into regular words.
He wanted to talk to her, because he liked the sound of her voice. He usually saw her in jeans or jean shorts, but tonight, she wore a pair of black slacks that