Second Chance At The Ranch. Maxine Morrey

sighed dramatically.

      ‘And don’t try and pull that diva stuff on me. I know you better than that now.’

      She could hear the smile in his voice as he teased her.

      ‘I suppose I go out with friends to relax.’

      ‘And do you?’

      ‘Do I what?’

      ‘Relax. It’s just that you’ve seemed as tight as a wound spring all day here.’

      ‘No, I haven’t.’

      Nick tipped her up and twisted positions so that her legs now lay over his and she was looking up into his face in surprise.

      ‘What are you doing?’

      ‘If you’re going to fib to me, you have to look me in the eye when you do it.’

      Hero drew herself up. ‘I’m not fibbing.’ Was she?

      In the low light from the function room’s porch, she met his eyes and he knew that she was.

      ‘I don’t know anyone here. It’s different.’ Her voice was soft, and Nick pulled her a little closer, not just so that he could hear her but because there was something so hurt, so fractured in that tone that made him want to wrap his arms around her and protect her from whatever it was that had created that pain.

      ‘You know me.’

      A flicker of a smile danced on her face. ‘I think that probably goes for most of the women in this district from what I’ve witnessed today.’

      He grinned at her, even white teeth showing against the dark shadow on his jawline.

      ‘Point taken. OK, so you know all our family, and most people here are pretty easy going and I find it hard to see that someone would turn down the opportunity of talking to a stunner like you.’

      She dropped her gaze, knowing that, in a way, he was right. What she’d got used to at home, though, was wondering whether they were talking to her because they were interested, or whether it was because they wanted to be seen to be talking to her, or because they thought she might be useful in furthering their own cause. She knew how cynical her slant on it all was. Unfortunately, it seemed to prove itself over and over. Although, maybe here it was different.

      ‘I didn’t really know what to say to anyone.’

      ‘You probably don’t need to say much at all. Just ask about them and you’ll be golden. Most people love an opportunity to talk about themselves.’

      Hero let out a breath of laughter. ‘That is true.’

      The silence settled between them but there was nothing awkward about it. It felt natural. Companionable.

      ‘I’ve never seen Juliet as happy as she is here.’

      ‘I’d never seen my brother get such a dopey look on his face before she walked onto the property.’

      ‘I hope they’ll be happy.’

      ‘I have no doubt about it. Although, it does mean I’m going to have to get my arse in gear and get my own house built now.’

      ‘They’re kicking you out?’ Hero pulled back from his chest and stared at him, her mouth an ‘o’ of surprise.

      ‘Nah, not at all. But the house should be theirs. All theirs. Of course, it’s going to take a while to do anyway, but if I get started, I’ll feel better.’

      ‘Where will you be moving to? Won’t it be difficult if you’re still planning to help run the station?’

      He wrapped his arms a little tighter around her, warmth flooding through him at her gentle, unguarded concern. Hero rested her head back against the solid wall of his chest.

      ‘I’ll still be on the property. When the place was built, I think there was some delusion of grandeur going on, and they had a gatehouse put in, near the start of the driveway.’

      Keeping her head on his chest, Hero raised her eyes to Nick. ‘You’re not talking about that ruin on the left-hand side as you come in, are you?’

      ‘That’s the one.’

      ‘You’re rebuilding that?’ The astonishment that the feat was even possible was clear in her voice.

      ‘Mostly, plus I’ll be extending it a bit.’

      ‘That seems like a lot of work. Are you doing it on your own?’

      ‘I’ve done the plans and had them approved, but not the rest. I’ve just been getting enough money together to make it happen.’

      ‘Did you enjoy planning it? Juliet said you were an architect. I was kind of surprised when she went on to say you’d moved back here from the city to go in with your brother on the station.’

      ‘Yeah, it was a change of direction, that’s for sure, but sometimes things happen to make sure you end up where you’re supposed to be, don’t they? Sometimes all the bright lights, big city thing can wear you down.’

      ‘It can. That’s true.’

      ‘After the whole engagement debacle, I realised I didn’t want to be there anymore. I’d brought up the subject a couple of times with my ex, but it never really came to anything. We came out a few times to visit and I could tell that she was desperate to get back to the city about ten minutes in.’

      ‘People change though. I never thought I’d see Juliet out here, on a place like this. We’ve only ever lived in big cities, and yet now it’s hard to imagine her anywhere else. She looks completely at home.’

      ‘I think the key is that you have to try. You have to have an open mind when it comes to change. It’s always scary but sometimes you just need to give it a chance.’

      ‘She’s very lucky, and I know she knows that.’ Hero smiled up at him briefly before resting her head back against him.

      ‘Ah, I think we’re the lucky ones. Finding someone as great as Jules to take Pete off our hands.’

      Hero giggled, and he held her a fraction tighter, trying to remember when he’d heard her laugh like that in his company. He couldn’t.

      ‘I’m so glad your dad agreed to walk her down the aisle. She was nervous about asking him, I know.’

      ‘Dad was thrilled. From the first time they met Juliet, they already loved her like a daughter.’

      ‘You have a lovely family.’

      ‘Thank you. I know I’m lucky.’

      ‘You are.’

      ‘It seems a shame that she had to ask Dad though. That your own dad wasn’t here to do that with his daughter.’

      As Hero’s body stiffened, he realised there was a raw nerve there. ‘He wouldn’t have deserved that honour, even if he had been alive.’

      Nick felt the change in her breathing. So relaxed a moment before, and now short and staccato. The tension he’d felt drift away from her was back and he kicked himself for breaking the spell. Unsure what to do, he remained still, his arms around her loosely, leaving her free to move away from him, should she want to. Slowly he moved one thumb rhythmically back and forth over the bare arm beneath his hand.

      Inside Hero’s head, memories spilled out. Memories that she had carefully stored away and done her best to hide. Her chest felt tight with hurt and anger that those memories still had the power within them to make her feel like she was nothing. Nothing but a burden.

      ‘I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing, Hero.’ Nick’s tone was low, almost a whisper, and even without looking at his face she knew it would be full of concern.

      ‘You didn’t.’

      ‘I know I’m a bloke, and therefore, at times will be able to put my foot