The Rancher's Wife. April Arrington

took off, his blond head bobbing out of view as he rounded the front of the truck.

      “It’s not a good idea introducing me as their aunt, Logan.” Amy unbuckled her seat belt. It snapped back with a clang. “I’m leaving for good soon.”

      “Maybe.” Logan met her hard stare with one of his own. “But you’re here now.”

      She shook her head, grabbed her purse and climbed out of the truck. Logan followed, strolling to the other side of the truck to find Kayden tipping his head back and staring up at Amy.

      “Gahlee, you’re tall,” Kayden said, mouth hanging open.

      Amy’s grin faltered as she teetered, her high heels sinking into the mud of the driveway. Logan stifled a laugh. The combination of melted ice and dirt had turned the path into slick mush. She yanked against it, attempting to jerk her shoes free, but the sludge won out.

      Kayden stepped closer, studying her sinking shoes, then observing the rest of her. He blushed and stuck out dirty fingers. “I’m Kayden. And that’s my brother, Jayden, over there. Good to meet ’cha.”

      Amy lowered with care, braced with one palm against the truck for balance and shook his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, too, Kayden.”

      “Boys,” a deep voice called.

      They all turned. Dominic ambled down the wide front porch steps of the main house and crossed the lawn toward them.

      “Uh-oh.” Kayden smirked.

      He tore off toward the house, Jayden and Traci following. Dominic swept the boys against his thighs as they passed, kissing their heads and shooing them toward the porch with a pat on the butt.

      Logan held Amy’s elbow and helped her regain her balance. “You gonna ditch those shoes now?”

      “No need.”

      She steadied herself by holding his forearms and yanked her heels from the suck of the mud. They broke free with a deep slosh. She lifted onto her toes, released her grip on his arms and straightened her purse strap on her shoulder.

      “Well, I’ll be damned,” Dominic drawled, smiling wide and knuckling his Stetson higher on his brow. He strutted over, landing a heavy pat on Logan’s back, then edging past him. “My partner in crime has returned.”

      Dominic wrapped his burly arms around Amy’s waist, lifting her in a tight hug and spinning in a wide circle. She laughed, pure contentment shining on her face and eyes welling with happy tears. Logan savored the sight briefly then shoved his fists in his pockets and looked away.

      “It’s about time your butt moseyed back, kid,” Dominic murmured. “Where the hell you been?”

      “Around.” She struggled to catch her breath.

      “I’ve missed you.” Dominic leaned back and studied her. “We’ve all missed you.”

      Logan’s skin tingled under the weight of Dominic’s stare. He glanced over, eyes locking with his younger brother’s.

      “Haven’t we?” Dominic asked.

      Logan nodded, dragging a hand from his pocket and kneading the back of his neck. That kink was back, the pain streaking from the base of his skull down between his shoulder blades.

      Amy cleared her throat, tapping Dominic’s ankles with the toes of her shoes. “You can put me down now.”

      Dominic’s lip curled, his tone teasing. “Don’t know if I should. Doubt you’ll make it to the house in those city-girl contraptions.” He frowned at Logan. “You let her run around in these things?”

      Logan opened his mouth but Amy beat him to it.

      “He doesn’t need to let me do anything.” She popped her knuckles against Dominic’s shoulder. “I do what I want when I please. Now, put me down.”

      Dominic chuckled. “Yep.” He nodded with pleasure at Logan. “This is damn sure our girl you brought back with you.”

      “Almost as good as new,” Logan said, voice catching.

      Amy’s cheeks flamed cherry-red and she shoved harder at Dominic’s broad shoulder until he lowered her to the ground. Logan stepped forward, keeping a close hold on her elbow until she steadied on the mud and shrugged away his touch.

      Amy nudged the bobby pins holding her updo into a more secure position and asked, “Were those your two misfits I saw earlier?”

      The pride in Dominic’s face was unmistakable. “Yep. Those are my boys. I adopted them last year after I married their aunt. Wished you’d been here for it, Ames.” He smiled. “Can’t wait for you to meet my wife. I know you’ll love Cissy as much as I do. And we’re expecti—”

      “That’s enough for now, Dom.” Logan’s throat tightened at the quiver in Amy’s chin. “It’s been a long drive back. Let her rest before you yap her ear off.”

      Dominic nodded, his smile dimming. “Sun’s dropping.” He waved a tanned hand toward the horizon. “It’ll be dark soon. ’Bout time I started rounding up the horses.”

      “I’ll help,” Amy said.

      She squeezed Dominic’s arm and brushed between them, making her way toward the paddocks grouped near the massive stable.

      Dominic crossed to Logan’s side, watching Amy’s slow progress across the field. “How is she?”

      “Better than she was four years ago,” Logan said, trying to ignore the hollow in his gut at the memories assailing him. Amy, pale and unconscious, lying in a hospital bed while he sat by her side praying she’d wake up. His relief at her pulling through had been short-lived. After losing their daughter, she’d become a shadow of her former self. Each failed effort at becoming pregnant again had caused her to grow more listless and depressed over the following months.

      Logan studied Amy’s careful steps toward the paddock. “She seems physically healthy at least but she’s still not herself.”

      The sun dipped sharply and an orange glow of light flooded the fields, silhouetting Amy’s lithe figure. The outline of her curvy form turned black, becoming a stark contrast to the fiery light bathing the landscape.

      “Y’all made any decisions about the future?” Dominic asked.

      Logan sighed. “Amy has. Says she’s moving again.”

      “Where to?”

      “Michigan.”

      “Damn.” Dominic shook his head, kicking the ground with his boot and squinting at the glare of the setting sun. “You talk her out of it yet?”

      “No.” Logan cut his eyes to Dominic. “And don’t go bringing it up. Betty doesn’t know yet, and Amy only told Traci she was moving to a new apartment, not where. Amy hasn’t had time to settle in. She gets to feeling cornered, she’ll pack up and leave. Then I won’t have a chance in hell of getting her to stay.”

      “Well, if you ever do need me to talk to her, just say the word.”

      Logan scoffed. “She’s my wife. If anyone talks to her, it’ll be me.”

      Dominic stilled, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Well, hell, bro. You’re getting hard-core in your old age, yeah?”

      A burst of laughter broke from Logan’s chest and the tension faded from his limbs. He loved having his brother back home again. He grabbed the back of Dominic’s neck and squeezed, giving him a playful shake.

      “Old? If you know what’s good for you, you’ll cut that shit out.”

      Dominic laughed and shoved him off. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

      Logan smiled and led the way over to the paddock to join Amy. She leaned further over the top rail of the fence