to find Brooke just closing a stall door nearby. She gave him a searching look.
“You overheard,” he said.
She glanced toward the barn doors, and although they were open, he could see no one in the yard beyond. She came to him, put her arms around his waist, and gave him a gentle kiss.
“You’re good with him.”
He shrugged. “Not much to figure out. I’ve been there. At least his mom cares. Mine didn’t even want to be a mom. Condom broke.”
She winced. “And she actually told you that.”
“Oh yeah, every time she was furious I didn’t get her a beer or, later on, cook them some food. I’m glad Tyler’s got a better mom. Makes me think he’ll be all right.”
She kissed him again, slowly, sweetly, and he found himself so hungry for the taste of her, the scent of lemons and coconut in her hair. He almost pulled it out of its braid before he remembered himself.
They heard a casual whistle from the yard and just broke apart in time.
Josh came strolling in. “So how’d it go?”
Brooke grinned. “It was so fun, Josh! You could have joined in, you know.”
He raised both hands. “Just like you, I’ve got to prove I can do two jobs. Lots of purses to make—which sounds a little strange coming from a cowboy.”
Adam grinned. “You said it first.” He glanced at Brooke. “Good night, boss—bosses,” he added for Josh’s benefit.
Brooke gave a wave, and Josh glanced over his shoulder as if making sure Adam had gone.
Brooke’s relief was quickly replaced by tension. “Something wrong?”
Josh eyed her. “You seem to think so, by the way you’re hiding what you’re doing with Adam.”
Brooke tried one more bluff. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw you kissing. I backed out and gave a whistle because I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
Brooke winced. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?” Josh asked, surprised. “Why would I care if you’re dating him? Why the secret?”
She lowered her voice. “So if Nate had some hot new secretary, and you decided to go after her, you don’t think Dad would have a problem with that?”
He hesitated. “I don’t know. So you’re going after Adam?”
“No, not like that.”
Josh’s brows came together. “So he went after you?”
“Of course not. We both felt it, and we both resisted, then we caved. But it’s temporary. I don’t want anyone else to find out. Can you keep this between us? Please?”
He sighed. “Of course. As long as you don’t frighten the horses, guess I shouldn’t care what you do. You kept enough of my secrets.”
“You bet I did. I remember Jill.”
“Oh, come on, we were seventeen!”
“And you kept sneaking out of the house at night and riding off to meet up with her. I never told a soul.”
“And I’ll never tell your secret. But Brooke, how do you know it’s temporary?”
“I just know,” she said, feeling bleak at just the thought, and that scared her. “He’ll be leaving when he thinks his grandma no longer needs him.” And if he found out she was faking her decline—he might leave even sooner. She didn’t want to feel anything more for Adam, knew it wasn’t a good idea. But more and more, she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
Chapter Twenty
The sun was already below the mountains, the sky an ominous gray after such a gorgeous day. Brooke finished closing up the barn for the night after calling in the couple riding horses that spent nights indoors. She petted horse noses and dog noses, then headed toward the house. She’d already checked the weather for the night—more snow. Great for the ski slopes as the tourism season truly began to kick in, but not so good for barrel-racing lessons. She’d already canceled her morning lesson with Steph, and it made her feel discouraged. Much as she wanted to teach, it would difficult through the winter.
She caught another glimpse of the ruined barn, black beams sticking up through the snow like an animal carcass.
And then she came to a stop and just stared at the piece of land that was waiting for a new purpose. They’d been having nightly conversations about what to do when they could clear the wreckage come spring. It had been all about building another barn closer to the house, or adding on to the one they already had.
That still left this land. Everyone had been behind her idea of giving riding lessons—what if they took the insurance money and built an indoor riding arena? She got a shiver of excitement that she