for us to get out here.”
He chuckled. “I’m laughing, but only because it’s true.”
Elle gathered her things as Brody walked around the front of the truck and opened the passenger door. He held out his hand to help her from the truck. She slid her palm into his—an innocent enough gesture, yet the touch of his hand sent a dart of heat down her spine. He held on just a fraction of a second too long, making her wonder how it would feel to hold his hand and walk up to the porch, to have him pull her into the circle of his arms and lean down to kiss her goodnight as if they just arrived home from a date.
The screen door flew open, and Elle dropped Brody’s hand as Bryn and her fiancé, Zane stepped onto the porch. Bryn came flying down the steps, saving Elle from delving any deeper into her date-night fantasies with the dashing cowboy.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been worried half to death,” her friend cried, throwing her arms around Elle. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. There’s no need to make a fuss.”
“Oh, this little fuss is only the beginning. I’ve got the kettle boiling water for tea, and I can make you anything you want to eat. I’ve already been setting out food.”
A grin tugged at her lips as Elle snuck a glance at Brody. He was grinning back, causing a battalion of butterflies to take flight in Elle’s stomach. She tried to focus on Bryn as she told her, “That’s so nice of you, but we just stopped at McDonald’s, and I couldn’t eat another bite.”
Bryn’s shoulders sagged. “Okay, but I have to pamper you somehow. How about a nice hot shower? Or a bath? Or are you sure I can’t make you something to eat? It would only take me a few minutes to put together a casserole.”
“I promise I’m fine. I don’t need a bath or a casserole,” she said, sneaking another grin at Brody. What was happening? She barely knew this man, had only been around him a few hours, and yet, they were already sharing secret smiles and private jokes?
“All right, give the girl a little space,” Zane said, sauntering off the porch and leaning down to pull Elle into a hug. “You okay, darlin’?”
“Really, I’m fine,” she said, her words muffled against Zane’s broad chest.
“Good,” Bryn said, muscling her way between them and wrapping her arm around Elle’s waist. “Because space is the last thing I’m giving you. First, you’re getting at least six more squishy hugs, then I’m wrapping you in a cozy blanket on the sofa, and I may sneak into your room to snuggle you in your bed tonight. I was so scared for you. It took everything I had not to race out of the diner and drive to your house. If we hadn’t been so busy, I would have done it. Thankfully, Brody had stopped in for some pie and was willing to come in my place. Then it killed me to come home and just wait after my shift ended.” She held a hand up to Brody. “Yeah, I know having half the town show up to a fire only makes it harder for the firemen to do their job. Blah. Blah. Blah. I’ve heard it before. But it’s never been my friend whose house was on fire.”
“My house wasn’t on fire,” Elle explained. “It was just the kitchen.”
“Only you would bring up that distinction. Now come inside and tell me everything.” She waved to Brody as she led Elle up the steps. “You too, Brody. I’ve got coffee on and enough food to feed half of Creedence. Unless you need to get home to Mandy.”
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “I’m good. She’s staying at her grandparents’ tonight.” He jerked a thumb toward the barn. “We saw Shamus and Otis standing in the driveway when we pulled in. I was gonna try to round them up before I came inside.”
“I think they already beat you to it,” Bryn said, pointing toward the corral where Shamus, Otis, and the new colt, Mack, stood peering at them through the fence.
Mack, short for MacGyver, so named for his skill at stealthily escaping the stable and corral, was the usual culprit in a breakout.
Beauty and Prince were standing at the trough, more interested in eating the fresh pile of hay than spying on the newcomers. Beauty, the gorgeous, brown