Second Chance At The Ranch. Maxine Morrey

mentioned her concerns to Juliet, who had apparently then mentioned them to her new family, as the subject had soon come up one night over dinner. Hero had given Juliet a bit of a look, feeling awkward and worrying that the Websters might think she was spoiled and full of herself, assuming people would automatically want to talk about her. She could understand an outsider thinking that. But she operated within that world, and she knew how it worked.

      Thankfully, the Websters had been very understanding, telling her not to worry about it, and that they would do their best to make sure everyone’s privacy was protected. That was apart from Nick. Throughout the whole conversation, he’d kept his eyes down, concentrating on his food, staying out of the conversation. It was clear that he was as keen for her to leave as she was.

      Pete’s parents had been very kind at introducing her to people at the wedding venue and then again this evening, but it was their son’s wedding and they had plenty of their own mingling to do. The Websters were well known and well liked in the area, and Juliet was already becoming a favourite in her own right.

      Glancing around the room earlier, Hero had noticed a few jealous looks being thrown her sister’s way. It was understandable. Pete was handsome, solvent and a decent man – an ideal combination, and one that wasn’t always that easy to find in a busy city, let alone in a remote location like this, she imagined. Even if she saw them, Juliet wouldn’t take it to heart. She understood that all they saw was that an outsider had come along and snapped up one of the few eligible men in the area. In time, they’d get used to it, and her. Hero had pulled a face at her answer when they’d talked about it yesterday, wondering at the ability her sister had to always see the best in people. Hero’s nature and life path had combined to make her see things differently. It was one subject that they had agreed to disagree on, several times:

      ‘The trouble with you, Jules, is that you think everyone is like you.’

      ‘And the trouble with you is that you don’t.’

      The reception was heaving, and Hero took the opportunity to step outside, breathing in the warm air of the evening as she looked up, gazing at the huge sky, stars now appearing, sparkling like diamonds on the deep blue canvas of twilight. It was years since she’d last looked up at the stars and really been able to see them as she did now. The light pollution in London, and all the other major cities she’d worked in around the world had meant she’d almost forgotten they were up there. But there they were. Hero breathed in deeply, as if by doing so she would be able to take away some of the peace and beauty with her when she left. As if by photographing this moment in the camera of her mind, she’d hold on to the feeling of calm she felt settling around her as she gazed up at them.

      She jumped as a door burst open behind her, the sounds of the party within tumbling out in the night.

      ‘All right, love.’ One of the many people Gill had introduced her to earlier tapped her on the shoulder as they passed, before taking one of the chairs under an awning nearby. Next she heard the click of a lighter, and then the rhythmic movement of an ash glowing, then cooling as it moved up and down in the smoker’s hand. She was thankful he’d not stopped to chat, as unsociable as she knew that sounded. Hero had never been good at small talk, a quirk that worked fine in her usual surroundings. Most people, she found, were more than happy to talk about themselves ad infinitum. Their compliments about her being such a good listener, which Hero always waved off with a smile and a headshake, felt unwarranted. She knew the truth was that she should be thanking them. The less she had to talk about herself, the better. Magazines and social media, not to mention Anya, had told her that apparently she was looked upon as mysterious. Hero knew that others were less kind, thinking her behaviour spoke more of snobbishness and that she considered herself far too high and mighty to ever engage with those outside her immediate circle. If only they knew, Hero thought. What she’d give to have the easy-going, sociable nature of her sister, instead of the awkward, shy confines of her own.

      The door behind her banged again, and several more people, in various states of intoxication stumbled out and headed towards the smoking area. Hero knew she should go back in. She didn’t care about strangers thinking she was snooty, but she didn’t want her own behaviour to reflect badly on her sister in her new life out here. Taking one last look at the starlit sky, she drew a deep breath and headed back inside.

      Nick had intended to ask Hero to dance. Initially it had been a joke but after the wedding breakfast was over, Pete had told him he had to make good on the tease.

      ‘She’ll never go for it,’ Nick replied, dismissing his brother’s request.

      ‘Just ask her, will you, mate?’

      ‘Yeah, yeah. Right-oh.’ If it had been anyone else, he’d have probably done it a lot sooner. But three minutes worth of awkward dancing with this particular woman didn’t exactly fill him with glee. That was assuming she even accepted. She certainly hadn’t been keen when he’d brought the subject up at the dinner table. OK, so maybe he hadn’t phrased it in the best way he could have. Even behind that cool exterior she projected out to the world, he’d noticed the surprise in her eyes at his jest. Understandable, he supposed, when you were one of the world’s most beautiful women and people were desperate to be in your company, even just be noticed by you, let alone anything else.

      After receiving yet another loaded glance from his older brother, Nick nodded and resigned himself to going off to find Pete’s newly acquired sister-in-law. It took him a little while to find her among the many guests, although he had to admit that he hadn’t put too much effort into the actual act of looking, finding himself easily, and willingly, distracted. One of those distractions being in the shape of the barmaid, Susannah Dagmar. And what a shape! She’d always had a bit of thing for Pete, so Nick felt a bit sorry for her having to wait tables at his brother’s wedding when she probably felt that, by rights, it should have been her wearing the white dress, not some interloper. He finally tore himself away when his mother sent him a dagger-laden glance, before making a nodding gesture. Nick sighed. Gill had never liked Susannah.

      Following the direction of his mother’s nod, Nick caught sight of Hero. She was sitting alone towards the back of the room looking absolutely stunning. Whether he liked her or not, Nick couldn’t deny that she was beautiful. But he understood the possibility that that same beauty might keep people at a distance. Men might be intimidated and women might be jealous, wary, or both. Then again, it could just be that she was a stuck-up pain in the arse. Nick excused himself from Susannah and made his way towards Hero. Her hands were folded on her lap as she sat, back straight against the wall, looking for all intents and purposes in utter control. Out of her sightline, he hesitated as he noticed her thumb rubbing back and forth at a hangnail. Her gaze was fixed at no clear point, as though she wanted to evade making eye contact with any other guest. The gaze alone he might have put down to her reluctance to mingle in lowlier company than she was used to. But he hesitated in his judgement as he watched her hands. His time in the city had given him more than enough opportunity to observe the habits of the stressed, and he was pretty sure that was exactly what he was watching now. Damn woman. Why couldn’t she just be one thing or another?

      ‘You ready for that dance now?’ Nick asked. ‘I looked for you earlier, but I couldn’t see you.’

      Hero looked up, surprise in her eyes. The look confirmed what he’d begun to think. Yeah, you were hoping no one would notice you sat back here all alone, weren’t you?

      ‘I went outside for a little while,’ she said, gathering herself a little as she took the hand he offered and stood. Her relief at seeing a familiar face seemed to cause that mask of confidence and indifference to slip. Nick tilted his head.

      ‘You all right?’ Even with the heat of all these bodies, her smooth, porcelain skin looked a little paler than usual.

      Hero caught the concern in his voice and felt something rush through her. Looking up into the intense chocolate-brown eyes now studying her, she gave a small, embarrassed smile.

      ‘I’m not really very good with crowds. They make me nervous.’

      Nick didn’t reply. He was just looking down at her.

      She