“Clara!” Greg called. “Special delivery!”
I twisted around and nearly toppled off the step ladder. My sixteen-year-old brother stood at the entrance to the maze, with Ronan right behind him. Greg was grinning from ear to ear, but Ronan’s expression was blank, his intense gray eyes locked on me.
“Careful.” Striding forward, he gripped the edges of the step ladder and glared up at me. “You could break that pretty neck if you fall.”
“I’m fine. I’ve been up on ladders decorating this corn maze since I was twelve.”
“Yeah, but you’re leaving out the part where you fell off and?—”
I narrowed my eyes at my brother and interrupted, “Aren’t you supposed to be in the store with Ella right now?”
Greg only smiled wider. “Yeah, yeah. I can take a hint.”
“Then go.” I pointed toward the store. “Now. Before I make you untangle the lights.”
Greg laughed but started backing away. “Fine, but I’m telling Ella you’ve got a boyfriend!”
“He’s not—” I started, then snapped my mouth shut when I realized it was too late. He’d already turned and took off running.
Ronan shook his head with a deep laugh. “Kid’s funny. Shoulda known he was up to no good when I realized the maze was a straight shot from the store.”
“Let me guess…he insisted on walking you over. And his twin sister backed him up.”
“Yup,” Ronan confirmed. “Said he wasn’t sure I’d be able to find it on my end, and Ella just nodded.”
“That little punk,” I mumbled.
The corner of his mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile. “Your family’s nosy.”
“I wish I could say Harper, Greg, and Ella are the worst of the bunch, but then I’d be lying.” I climbed down from the step ladder, brushing fake cobwebs off my jeans.
“Means they’re a good source of information.” He tilted his head in the direction my brother had gone. “Like that story he was about to share. What happened when you fell off the ladder?”
I sighed, my cheeks heating. “I broke my wrist when I was thirteen. Put my hands out to break my fall, and it snapped.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.” I huffed out a laugh. “But my dad is big on getting back on the horse to overcome your fear, so I was right back up there helping to take down decorations when I got the cast off.”
“Explains some of your sass.”
“My sass.” I planted my hands on my hips. “Is that why you’re here, Ronan? You didn’t get enough of my sassiness the last two times you saw me?”
His eyes darkened at the sound of his real name on my lips. I liked that reaction more than I probably should.
“Wanted to see you.”
He said it like his explanation was obvious, but the simplicity of his response blew me away.
Before I could reply, the rumble of Dad’s tractor cut through the air. He was hauling the last load of hay bales from the barn so that we could stack them along the maze walls for seating and extra atmosphere.
Ronan glanced over, then headed in his direction.
I blinked. “Wait?—”
He didn’t stop until my father parked the tractor. Then he grabbed the nearest bale and waited for Dad to tell him where to put it. The two of them quickly fell into rhythm, tossing and stacking hay like they’d done it a hundred times.
I tried not to stare at the way Ronan’s biceps flexed as he lifted bales that would’ve made most guys grunt. Dad said something too low for me to hear, and Ronan answered with a short laugh. The first real one I’d heard from him.
