Kate let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah. You always were the dreamer, Luc. No. He doesn't feel the same. How could he?"
"How could you?"
"But maybe I don't, you know? Maybe it's not real."
"How so?"
"Do you remember when I was little, I was always bringing hurt animals home? Always rescuing strays, fixing their wounds… Maybe this is the same. Devin . . ." Kate clamped up. She wasn't sure how much to say and she didn't want to betray Devin's confidence.
"I know he has trouble sometimes," Lucy said, parking next to the cottage and then turning to look at Kate. "He lost his best friend, Carter. There was an ambush, I think. Carter was Hildie's handler and she nearly died too. She was shot trying to protect Carter—that's why she retired—and Devin pulled them both to safety, but it was too late. Carter was already gone. Ian has bad memories, too, lost friends... But they're coping. This place, being here on the estate helps. And James, when he gets out, he'll need time to adjust and deal with everything too. Look, Devin might be quiet and reserved, but he's strong. He has to be to get up every day and forge ahead despite what he's seen and been through. Maybe you're not attracted to the wounded parts. Maybe what's got you falling is way, way more than that."
Kate stared out the window. So much for finding an excuse to question her feelings. Lucy was right, of course. She was more attracted to Devin's strength, his character, his quiet way, and love of animals. The way he worked with his hands. The way he looked at her, like he could brand her as his with one glance.
"Sucks when I'm always right, doesn't it?" Lucy said.
Kate rolled her eyes and shared a smile with her cousin. "Still, it doesn't change the fact that I'll leave and it'll be over whether I want it to be or not. Not thatithas even begun." Kate groaned and put her head in her hands for a second. "I'm doing the same thing I did with Holden. Falling for someone who isn't on the same page as me. God," she shook her head and felt tears thicken her throat. "I'm such an idiot."
Lucy leaned over and grabbed Kate's hand. "No. That would be Riley, groveling after Mark when the jerk doesn't deserve her. Don't tell her I said that."
"Oh, she knows how we feel, trust me."
"Yeah. We did make our feelings clear I guess. Our Riley is nothing if not stubborn," Lucy said on a sigh, then went quiet for a moment. "Kate, you're not an idiot. You have no idea how Dev feels. Didn't he run after you just now? I'm not even going to ask why he was in his undies."
"It's not what you think," she said lamely. Though if she hadn't high-tailed it out of there, it might be exactly what Lucy thought.
"Doesn't matter. I saw the way he looked at you when we all had lunch. Intensity like that doesn't come along every day."
"That's because he saw me naked in the barn—he was probably having flashbacks." Kate shook her head at the ridiculousness of it all. What a way to meet someone. She leaned over and hugged Lucy. "You're nuts, Luc, but I love ya."
"And right. Don't forget right."
Weariness settled over her. She'd had enough emotional ups and downs for one morning, thank you. After saying goodbye and taking a rain check on Lucy's lunch offer, she got out of the car and closed the door. Kate waved and then headed into the cottage, undressed, and climbed beneath the bed covers.
Chapter 9
Dev usually had a good idea about what he wanted in life. He took his time making decisions and hardly ever second-guessed those decisions once made, going after what he wanted with his usual steady mindset. Until now.
Until Kate.
He stood there in his driveway watching the Rover speed away and ran a hand over his face, wondering what the hell had just happened and why he felt like the world had tilted off its axis a little. Everything was off. Unsettled. Unbalanced.
Both Hildie and Terry stared up at him, waiting for some direction, someone to take charge. He snorted. Hard to take charge when it felt like he was losing his mind.
Dev was pretty familiar with rise, shower, eat, work, eat, and sleep. He'd been on that routine for months without much deviation at all. And he liked routine. He liked simple. Not this . . .chaos.
"Stick with what you know, kids," he told the dogs, turning toward the house.
Thirty minutes later he was showered, dressed, and on his way to the main house to eat breakfast in Fran's kitchen. The usual. The way things weresupposedto be.
"You're later than usual, lad. Feeling all right?" Fran asked from her position at the stove as he came through the door.
"Fine." Dev crossed the stone floor, kissed her cheek, and then grabbed a plate from the shelf. "And you?" He held the plate as Fran loaded it with eggs, bangers, a slice of quiche, and biscuits.
"Brilliant." She smiled at him. "Ellie, Robert and Mary's granddaughter, starts working here today. She's minding things while I go visit my Sara. Just a few hours every week to start."
Dev sat at the table. "Name sounds familiar," he said before shoving a large bite of eggs into his mouth.
Fran poured a cup of coffee and set it in front of him. "Should. Hamish tried like mad to set you two up, remember? I kept telling him she wasn't the right lass."
