“I understand.”
“She died years ago. But I still miss her a lot. And my dad does too. He married her thanks to the contract set up by her father, who started our company. My father’s so genuinely hopeful. He wants me to find the same kind of unconditional love with a partner as he had with my mom.” I smile. “He’s not thinking straight. But he means well. We’ve both been kind of lost without my mom.”
Declan runs his thumb over the inside of my wrist.
And that’s what we’re doing when Jamie Beth races into the living room. “Mia, did you want to step outsi…” I glance over my shoulder as she freezes, her gaze stuck on Declan and me holding hands. “Sorry! I’ll just…”
I detangle my hand from his. “I’ll come outside with you, JB.”
“Great!” She heads for the door, and we practically tumble outside.
“Forgot our coats,” I say as she drags me away from the house.
“No time—let’s go to the barn. I see it up ahead. It will be warmer there and we can meet their horses.” As we jog toward the barn, she adds, “And you and I can have privacy to talk.”
The barn is further away than it looked from the house. By the time we get there, I’m completely freezing in my little skirt and thin sweater.
We step inside the barn, and we spend a few minutes saying hello to the horses in their stalls.
“Do you miss it?” Jamie Beth asks without looking over at me.
I don’t stop patting the beautiful black shiny coat of the mare leaning her head over the door of her stall.
“I still visit with our horses,” I say instead of answering her question. “I stop by Uncle Ned’s whenever I want to.”
“That wasn’t what I asked,” she says quietly.
“I know.” I blow out a breath and step back from the mare. “Sometimes. I haven’t allowed myself to miss it much.”
“I know you visit ranches for work all the time, but living on one again will stir up some memories for you, I’m sure,” Jamie says as we find an empty office-type room and sink down onto an old, comfy couch.
I’m sure it will.It’s almost like getting a piece of my mother back, but I don’t say that out loud.
“Luke said this place is six hundred acres,” Jamie says to break the silence.
“Wow.” I’m going to love exploring the land once I move in.
“I can see how you slept with Declan,” Jamie Beth says abruptly.
I look at her sharply. “I’d rather not discuss this here.”
“Why not? He’s smoking hot, Mia.”
“I know he is.”
“But he’s also a good guy,” she says. “Like, he and his family are truly nice people. And friendly.”
“All true.”
The way Declan is with his family—it endears me to him even more. They all joke around and tease one another, but it’s obvious how much they care for each other.
I’m not used to a big family. It’s been just my dad and me for so long. Even though Ned and his wife welcome us to their ranch frequently, and we spend our holidays with them, it’s always just the four of us.
“This will be strange,” I murmur. “Having all these new people in my life. I’m usually so solitary.”
Jamie Beth leans over to hug me. “I know,” she says. “But you know what worries me more than that?”
“What?”
