Yes.Oh, Liv, they’re perfect for you.Smart and hard working but not pretentious.Well, Garrett can be sometimes, but they teach that at law school.And Keane isthe sweetest guy.Honestly, they remind me a lot of Aidan and Lucas.
Didyou mention me to them?
Iwouldn’t do that.I was going to talk to you about them at brunch, but I losttrack of time.It’s so quiet in the hotel room.No chaos.It was beautiful.Ithink I want to stay here forever.
Her sister lived on a bustling ranch.Three of her four kidsstill lived there as adults, working the ranch, and they could be a lot tohandle.She didn’t get much sleep.Or rest.Or quiet.
Youcould have said something to me so I would have known who to avoid.
There was a pause and then bubbles.
Avoid?There was a rumor that you might have had some fun on the night of the wedding.Was it them?
There was a flurry of emojis, and Olivia realized she’d madea terrible mistake.
Ilove you.Stay out of my love life.
Even as the bubbles showed Lexi was writing her back, sheslid her phone into her Prada bag and stood as they came to a stop.
Keane let out a deep breath of relief.He ceased grippingthe arm of the seat and seemed to calm.
She would give it to the man.He didn’t complain once.Heapologized for his midair problems and just seemed to survive the flight.
It made her want to take care of him.She’d quietly told theflight attendant to make sure he had some ginger ale and crackers.Keane hadbeen extremely sweet in his gratitude.
“I’ll make sure you have a car when you need to get back toDeer Run,” she promised and then looked the two of them over.“I want to talkbefore we get off the plane.”
Garrett gave her a smile.“Of course.Although it might bemore fun to get some lunch somewhere and talk over margaritas.Lucas told methere’s a great Mexican place in town.”
“I don’t think it’s a fun talk,” Keane said, his eyes grim.
It was almost enough to make her sayyes, let’s go tothe Mexican place on the squareand with enough tequila she could forgetall her good intentions and fall into bed with them.They could start thehands-off stuff tomorrow because surely all she needed was one more night withthem.Then she would be satisfied and ready to move into her life where sheworked and was everyone’s fun aunt.
She forced herself to do what she intended.Distance.Thatwas all she needed.Some carefully placed distance.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to share my house.It was the original plan because I do have room for you, but I think it wouldbe awkward,” she explained.“I know I mentioned it earlier, but I want to makesure we’re all clear on that.”
Keane nodded.“We can handle the bunkhouse, or Garrett mightget a place in town.I assume you have an office off the ranch.”
“I’m staying with you,” Garrett said quietly, and he was nottalking to her.
“It’s okay,” Keane assured him.“It might be easier for youto stay in town and work.It might be easier for me.”
Garrett’s eyes went sad.“Is that what you want?”
They seemed to have some conversation without words.Theycommunicated through looks and raised brows, the language of a friendship thatwent back decades.Finally, Garrett turned to her and gave her a tight smile.
“I’ll get a room in town.”Garrett fumbled with his phone.“I don’t suppose you have ride shares out here.”
“We have one, but I believe she’s at church right now.Pretty much everyone is.”She did not like the guilt she was suddenly feeling.They looked like puppies she kicked.Gorgeous, muscular, manly puppies who knewhow to top a girl.
She needed to stop.It was getting weird.
“Well, I’ll see if there’s somewhere I can wait.”Garrettstood and looked stoic.Like he was facing a fate worse than death, but he wasdetermined to do it with dignity and be kind to his executioner.
She bit back a groan.“I’ll give you a ride, Garrett.I havean SUV here.You don’t have to sit and wait for someone to help you.”
He ignored her sarcasm and merely gave her a nod.“Iappreciate that.I would also like access to the office and the records I’msupposed to go over.Can I walk from the motel?”
