“Everyone good then?” Emmitt asked.
Andie hadn’t yet torn her gaze off Trenton. “Um hmm,” she assured.
“All right then,” her younger brother said, “because I’m getting back to the party.” And with that, he strode out of the room.
“I didn’t have the heart to tell him,” Betty said in a whisper after he left, “but the party’s likely already over. It’s a weeknight, after all. And I’ll be taking little Lucy to bed.”
Andie shifted her gaze to Betty as she swooped up the small dog who’d wandered back to the fireplace to bask in its heat on the rug.
“Goodnight,” she called.
Richard had his hands in his pockets, his eyes shifting from Andie and back to Trenton in turn. “Want me to walk you back to your place, Andie?” His chest puffed as he awaited her response.
Andie was about to shake her head no when she thought better of it. Richard probably had wild ideas of her staying behind to make out with their new business partner.
“Sure,” she said, nodding to Trenton before spinning toward the door. She glanced over her shoulder as she walked. “Goodnight.”
“Night, you two,” he replied.
She followed Richard down the wide hallway toward the foyer when a realization struck her—Richard wanted to talk to her about Trenton. Lecture her, was more like it, and she wasnotin the mood to hear it.
“Oh, shoot,” she blurted at the end of the hall.
Richard shot her a look when she stopped walking altogether. She could see in that scrutinizing gaze that he expected her to say she’d left something in the office.
“I’ve got to try and catch Betty before she leaves. I need to borrow a pair of her boots for tomorrow. Go on without me.”
With that, Andie darted toward the front entrance. She may or may not see Betty circling the front drive as she headed home, but it didn’t matter either way. She’d dodged Richard’s line of questions and that’s all that mattered.
The night air felt nice against her heated skin. She trailed slowly along the wraparound porch, glad to see Richard heading back to his cabin without her.
A sigh fell from her lips. He no doubt planned to ask what was going on between her and the cowboy. It’d be easy enough to say that nothing was happening at all. But she knew he wouldn’t believe it. Not even Andie believed it. There wasdefinitelysomething between them, that much was clear. Tension, chemistry, attraction. Maybe a mixture of all three. The trouble was, Andie had no idea what she could do about it.
* * *
Morning sunlight poured into the still breakfast nook of the inn, illuminating glass vases holding fresh daisies on tabletops. Whoever designed the place must have loved natural light the way Andie did. With its open layout and ample windows, the sun touched the inner parts of the inn whether sunrise or sunset.
And that was another thing she’d come to appreciate about The Homestead—its placement. It was a stroke of genius to build at the foot of two rounded hills. The valley between them allowed the sun to peek through as it set, a gorgeous globe casting tangerine light over the land as it moved.
At the same time, the massive mounds offered a sense of shelter, protection even, the dwelling nestled so close to the loyal hills as it was. Haven Hills was a suitable name for the place, and in the four days she’d spent at The Homestead Inn, Andie had come to appreciate the sheltered nature of her surroundings.
Her eyes wandered to the walkway Trenton had come through on her first morning there. On that day, she’d guessed, just by the distinct sound of his boots, that it was him coming. She wondered if, now that they’d gotten more acquainted, Trenton would join her at the table if he came in.
He probably wasn’t coming though, she realized, gaze set on the glossy floors. A sense of relief rushed in—she could eat her breakfast without the distraction of him in the room. But a dose of disappointment snuck in too, which only proved how messed up Andie was in all this; she wanted to run into him as much as she wanted to dodge him.
Andie sank the prongs of her fork into a ripe square of cantaloupe, brought it to her lips, and sighed as the sweet, delicious flavor filled her mouth. She’d have to give it to the kitchen staff. Everything she’d eaten here thus far had been surprisingly good. Not five-star resort good; things like caviar and alba white truffles weren’t even on the menu. But the selection was delicious all the same. Picking out good fruit was an art in itself according to her former private chef, and someone here had mastered it.
Her mind drifted right back to thoughts of Trenton. He’d mastered a few things of his own, hadn’t he? Days back she might have said he specialized in being moody and aloof. But she knew better now. He was as good with people as he was with horses. Not in a schmoozey sort of way either. Sure, he’d snapped at her at the tail end of their meeting when she brought up the shed, and that hadn’t felt good either, but when she’d called him on it, Trenton didn’t argue with her.
The physical attraction was one thing—she’d recognized that early on. But after watching him with the kids, the dog, and then hearing his passion for the staff at the inn, all of it only heightened her longing to know more. More of him.
How very different he was from the men in her past. She’d only ever dated politicians, after all. In their lives, each act was carefully measured by how the public would respond. That particular element made it hard for Andie to fully know the men she was with. Were they showing kindness to a child because the press was there with cameras rolling? Even when Vincent rescued the abused animals on that horse ranch, was it in response to a genuine passion to protect, or had he been driven by the motive to gain future votes?
There were no such motives behind Trenton’s actions, which led her to one simple conclusion—he was simply a good and decent man. And tonight, she’d get to see him in action while he and Betty played a duet. Would he stick around afterward, maybe ask her to dance? She figured he might; he’d appeared rather jealous when the ranch hands had asked. But if he didn’t, would Andie have it in her to ask him?
“So you and the cowboy, huh?”
Ugh. She thought she’d noticed someone at the buffet. Andie glanced up as Richard slid a plate of bacon, sausage, and eggs onto the table.
