the horse, Matt leading her by the reins. “After lunch, I’ll go hunt down that cow and take care of her legs.”
Gloria shook her head. “I’ll do it.”
“You’re better at medical care than I am.”
She gave him a smile, and Matt thought he saw a hint of interest in her eyes. “Can I ask you something?” she asked.
“Go ahead.”
“You don’t wear a wedding ring.”
That wasn’t actually a question, but Matt heard plenty of others stemming from the statement. “No,” he said. “My wife and I divorced in March.” He couldn’t quite look at her.
“I’m sorry.”
Matt took a deep breath. “I’m slowly moving on. Learning how to take care of the kids by myself.” He glanced at her then. “She’s an alcoholic, and I got full custody.”
Gloria nodded, her head bent against the wind.
“What about you?” he asked. “Ever married?”
“No.” She shook her head, and he wished he could see her full expression.
“Never met anyone?”
She looked up then, meeting his gaze. “Not that I wanted to marry. You know how some cowboys are.”
Matt wasn’t sure what she meant, but he agreed anyway. “Why—What happened in Montana to bring you here? I didn’t think you’d ever leave Tailwind.”
Gloria’s face fell, and she looked away. Not down, again, but over toward the row of cabins where they both lived. “My father died,” she said.
Confusion pulled at his eyebrows. “I’m sorry,” he said. “You and your daddy…I know he meant a great deal to you.” He’d raised Gloria alone after her mother had died when she was ten. She’d worked at Tailwind, a huge cattle ranch just outside of Sugar Pond, for her entire life.
“I’m still not sure why you’re here,” he said. “Surely your daddy left the ranch to you.”
She didn’t answer until they were almost back to the stable. “There was a will, but it didn’t say what we all expected it to.”
Matt really wanted to know what it had said, but he didn’t want to pry. Gloria wouldn’t appreciate it, and he liked talking to her. “Do you want to come to lunch with me? I’m making grilled cheese sandwiches to go with that chicken noodle soup Bev made yesterday. I take everything over to their place and eat with Chris and Bev.”
She swung her attention toward him. “You do?”
He nodded. “They like it, and I like it, and….” He shrugged. “You’re welcome every day, if you’d like.”
“I’ll get Cotton out in the paddock and come over,” she said.
Matt smiled at her and touched the brim of his cowboy hat. “Sounds good.” He left her in front of the stable and crossed the pasture back to his cabin. He’d bought a big bin as soon as he’d realized he’d have to haul ingredients from his cabin to the generational house where Chris and Bev lived.
He loaded bread, sliced cheese, butter, and garlic powder into the bin and started out the back door this time.
“Chris,” he called as he opened the door. “Here for lunch.” The scent of salt and something roasted hung in the air, and Matt’s stomach rumbled for meat instead of a grilled cheese sandwich.
“Come in,” Chris said, pushing hard to get himself out of the recliner. He wore a big smile as he greeted Matt. “Bev’s got roast beef coming out.”
“I was going to do sandwiches with the leftover soup,” Matt said, taking the bin into the kitchen. He wasn’t sure where Bev was, but she sometimes took a nap in the morning. Over the summer, he’d often find her in the small flower garden in front of the house, but it had been cleared already.
“Have you ever put roast beef on your grilled cheese?” Chris’s eyes were still bright and alive, and Matt grinned at him.
“I haven’t, but it sounds amazing.”
“It is.”
They worked together in the kitchen, warming soup and making sandwiches. When a knock sounded on the door, Matt quickly wiped his hands on his apron. “I invited Gloria.” He hurried toward the door to let her in, while Chris called that he’d go get Bev.
Upon opening the front door, Gloria met his eyes and said, “Hey.”
“Come on in.” He stepped back to make room for her, and she passed him with a smile.
She gazed around the generational home. “Wow. This place is beautiful.”
“Single level,” he said. “Easy access. Your dad had a generational house, I think.”
“He did,” she said. “Never used it, though.”
Matt wanted to say he would’ve had he lived longer, but he had enough tact not to. “We added roast beef to the