Page 82 of North

“Rosie!” Gerri headed for a hug.

But standing in the great room—and who knew how long he’d been there?—was North. He met Selah’s gaze, just stared at her a second before smiling, slowly.

She frowned.

Another man had come in with him. Tall with dark hair, a big Montana aura about him. He wore a denim shirt and jeans. “Hey, Ma. Knox is heading up here with his new breeding bull. Just wanted you to keep Rosie out of the yard while he’s unloading it.”

“Will do, son. Is Hardwin out there?”

“He’s setting up the chute.” The man nodded at Selah, grinned at RJ. “Sis.”

“Reuben.”

“Gilly will be up later, with Winston.” He glanced at North. “Thanks for the help with the goat.”

The goat.

North nodded and walked over to the counter. “Baby goats in the barn. They got out. The mama didn’t quite want to go back in.”

“Sit down, North. Need an elevensie?” Gerri said. She’d already propped Rosie onto a chair, was pouring her chocolate milk from the fridge.

Oh, to have this wonderful, big, chaotic life. The sense of it swept through Selah, and as North pulled up a chair next to her, looking a little rumpled but rested, all she could think about was his kiss last night.

The one that had her also thinking of forever.

Gerri poured North a cup of coffee. “Cream?”

He shook his head. “Gorgeous spread here. How many head do you run?”

“About twelve hundred, give or take. It’s mostly Hardwin and Reuben and a couple hands. Knox runs his breeding business here too.”

“Breeding?”

“Bulls, for the rodeo market. He’s director of livestock operations for NBR-X, the professional bull-riding tour. But he sells the bulls around the world. He and his wife, Kelsey, and my grandson live just down the road.”

“Did you sleep in the RV?” Selah asked.

North glanced at Gerri. “She offered me a room, but…I just…maybe it’s not a good idea for everyone to be in one location.”

Oh.

Please, let her not have brought trouble here. Although, it had been RJ’s idea to come here. And why would Alan Martin follow them here? If the story was right, he wanted York, not RJ. And certainly not Selah.

“I still can’t believe that James and Alan Martin are the same person.”

“Believe me, you’re not the first woman he’s deceived,” said RJ. “My cousin Iris was nearly killed by one of his plots. As was Tate, who was shot because Alan set him up.”

“Your family has quite a history with this man.”

“You have no idea,” said Gerri. She pulled a warmed cinnamon roll from the microwave and set the plate in front of North.

He dug in. “This is amazing, Mama G,” he said.

Gerri grinned. “I like him.”

“Because he eats like a ravenous bear?” Selah said, grinning at him.

“Yep. You’re welcome anytime, North. And you know, you don’t have to sleep in that old RV. I have plenty of room upstairs. Reuben and Knox’s old room is empty, as well as Tate and Ford’s room⁠—”