He grasped that welcome straw. “Yeah, like a walk or something. But I don’t know the lay of the land.”
“Tell you what. I’ll go with you, but I won’t say a single word.” She handed over his hat. “I’ll just make sure you don’t get lost. I’ll be your guide dog.”
Despite his inner turmoil, that concept made him smile. And gave him another idea. He looked at Desiree. “Can we take Sam?”
“Of course.”
“Where’d he go?” He’d lost track of the collie when Desiree had started to cry.
“He’s here. Sam, come.”
He appeared, trotting around the furniture, tail wagging.
“Where was he?”
“On his bed over by the fireplace. You can’t see it from here. I sent him over there when we first came in.”
“Missed that.” He held out his hand to Sam. “Wanna go for a walk, boyo?”
Sam’s ears shot up and he danced in place.
Desiree smiled. “That’s a yes.”
“Then let’s go.” Kieran motioned toward the door and glanced at Sara. “Ready?”
She nodded, and true to her word, stayed silent as they followed Sam down the hall. Put him in mind of Granny’s saying —A silent mouth is sweet to hear.
But he wouldn’t care if she wanted to share her thoughts. She must have some. “You can talk, you know.”
She shook her head.
“Suit yourself.” He opened the door. Sam, who’d obviously been taught to be a gentleman, waited for Sara to exit first.
He motioned to the dog. “Go on with you, Sam.”
The collie bounded out and down the steps to join Sara. She paused and glanced back, waiting for him.
He couldn’t think of any face he’d rather see right now than hers. Her bright spirit calmed him in ways he couldn’t explain. He just liked looking at her, being with her.
The minute he closed the door behind him, he exhaled. As he crossed the porch, tension slipped from his shoulders and the knot in his chest loosened. “That’s better.”
She gave him an understanding smile that said more than any words. Maybe they didn’t have to talk, after all.
At the top of the steps he took a quick survey of the peaceful scene in front of him. A red hip-roofed barn sat off to the left and a pasture of grazing horses lay straight ahead, although it was farther away than the barn.
Beyond the stretch of pasture, a stand of pines glowed velvet green in the afternoon sun. To his right, the dirt road they’d come in on made a slight bend to the left and disappeared. Any direction she chose was fine with him.
Clattering down the steps, he put on his hat. “When did you take charge of my hat?”
She shrugged.
“Good thing you did. I might have mangled it.”
Sam pranced around them, his tongue hanging out.
“Looks like Sam’s getting impatient. Lead the way.”
Adjusting the fit of her hat, Sara took off in the general direction of the barn. He fell into step on her right and Sam took her left, keeping pace with her, his head high, his ears at attention.
