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  Jack wasn’t sure he believed her, but he nodded. “How about I take you home for a little while, and then we go out to dinner? I could use another lava cake, and I sure would like to see that blue dress again. Or something else. Or nothing at all, if you like,” he said, hoping for a laugh or an eye roll.

  Amy pinched her lips together, the only hint he got that she was at all amused. “Lava cake sounds good,” she said, but she didn’t sound very excited.

  When they were parked in front of the McNeal house once again, Jack turned to her. “Would you like me to come inside with you?”

  Amy gave him a small smile and shook her head. “I’m going to take a nap. I haven’t been sleeping well, and I think a little rest is the thing I need most right now.”

  Jack watched her walk into the house, but didn’t start his truck. He could see how disappointed she was, and he knew he needed to do something to help. He was pretty sure there was a way. There was the chance, of course, that it would blow up in his face and make her absolutely furious.

  But he’d take that risk if it might give her some comfort.

  * * *

  AMY AWOKE SLOWLY, feeling a little groggy but better. She was surprised how the loss of the chance to meet her biological sibling hit her so hard, and she told herself for the fiftieth time or so that she had plenty of family, and she could always keep emailing Maryanne to get answers to her questions. It didn’t make the cloud hanging over her dissipate entirely, but she knew it would in time.

  It took Amy several seconds to realize she was hearing voices downstairs, and that one of those voices was Jack’s.

  What’s Jack doing here? she wondered. Was it already time for their date?

  A quick glance at her phone confirmed it was still too early for that, so she got out of bed and went to investigate. Jack was sitting with Ma and Pop at the dining table, drinking coffee. When she walked in, they all looked up at her. She waited for them to explain what was going on, even though she was pretty sure she could guess based on the slightly guilty look on Jack’s face.

  It didn’t take long. Ma and Pop both stood and engulfed her in a big hug. “We’re so sorry about what happened today, sweetie,” Ma said as she squeezed Amy so hard she could barely breathe.

  Amy looked at Jack for confirmation that he’d told them. He gave her an apologetic shrug, but before she could process his decision to tell her parents without her permission, Pop spoke. “We think you should go to California next weekend and meet your sister. Get your questions answered. We’ll help any way we can.”

  Ma nodded. “And I think I should go with you. For moral support and all. Or to break down her door if need be.”

  Amy hugged her family tight and, after a minute, threw Jack a look she hoped he’d be able to interpret. It was gratitude. She knew he was trying so hard to give her what she needed, even if it meant she left for days when they already had so little time together.

  Fewer than four weeks.

  Jack stood, tipped his hat at her and mouthed be back at seven before taking his leave.

  Amy allowed herself to be shuttled into a chair and given coffee while Ma and Pop discussed precisely what would need to happen in order for this California trip to be a success.

  “The first thing that we should do is email this Maryanne to let her know we’ll be there in ten days—you will, won’t you dear?”

  It took a second for Amy to realize a response was required of her, and she thought for a moment. Was this what she wanted?

  The devastation from a few hours ago made the answer clear. She had to know. “I’ll email her right now,” Amy said decisively.

  The excitement that had disappeared in such a flash a few hours before began building again. And it was all because of Jack.

  After a couple hours of planning and an enthusiastic response from Maryanne to Amy’s carefully worded email, Amy dressed for dinner and was at the door when Jack arrived, running down to him before he even had a chance to park.

  As she climbed into the truck, he glanced at her sheepishly. “Sure you still want to go out with me?”

  In response, Amy leaned over and gave him a big kiss full on his mouth. Then she smiled. “Thank you. Because of you, I’ll be meeting my sister after all. What made you decide to talk to them?”

  Jack looked relieved. “I was half sure you’d hate me for telling your parents about it, but I thought they could help you in ways I couldn’t. And I was hoping you’d decide that they deserved to know and would forgive me eventually,” he said.

  Amy grimaced a little as she heard her own advice being used on her. “I should have told them days ago. I’m just embarrassed I needed you to do it for me. And while I’m not sure I like being saved, it’s rather nice to have a knight in shining armor ready to rescue me.”

  “I don’t think you’ve ever needed someone to rescue you. I was just trying to help in the only way I could,” he told her.

  Amy felt the tears prick in her eyes. How could he make her feel so loved and cared for in just a few sentences? Best of all, she knew he was being honest, that she could trust him. For the first time in weeks, when Armand’s face popped into her head, she was able to shake him off as easily as a horse’s tail shooing a fly. He had no place in this thing with her and Jack.

  Jack cranked the engine, leaning back after it began to purr. “Should we go get some dinner?” he asked.

  Amy agreed and settled back into the passenger seat, letting her feelings for this good, kind man wash over her.

  * * *

  ON SATURDAY MORNING, Jack woke early, his mind immediately on Amy. Something had changed between them since their drive to Austin on Wednesday, and it filled Jack with hope. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but all of Amy’s little hesitancies and moments of worry seemed gone. The way she held his hand as they sat together at dinner that night, along with her tiny acts of affection during their roping sessions over the past couple days, made him think that maybe they could make this thing work. And by God, he wanted it to work.

  They had spent so many hours laughing and flirting that for the first time, Jack wondered if Amy would be willing to change her life a bit in order to keep him in it. He wasn’t ready to ask her yet—they still had time, after all—but he couldn’t help but imagine that it was possible.

  Jack pulled himself out of those memories and instead thought of the day ahead. He and Tom would spend the next several hours sprucing up the ranch a bit in order to help it sell, and then he was going to Amy’s in the evening.

  As he finished dressing and settled his cowboy hat on his head, Jack’s phone started to ring. He looked at the number but didn’t recognize it and couldn’t think who would be calling him at such an early hour. He swiped his phone, wondering who it could be.

  “Hello?” he prompted, putting the phone to his ear.

  “Is this Jack Stuart?” said a voice he only vaguely recognized.

  As soon as he answered in the affirmative, the mystery man exclaimed, “Jack! Sorry to call you so early, but this is important. You haven’t gotten a new roping partner yet, have you?”

  Jack’s eyes widened as he realized where he’d heard that voice before. He’d gone to the NFR in Las Vegas as merely a spectator the year before and had met the second-place roping team. “Is this Sam Evans?” he asked, incredulous.

  A chuckle came through from the other end of the call. “I was hoping you’d remember me. So, do you still need a teammate?”

  Sam’s words slowly worked their way into Jack’s brain. “I sure do,” he answered, trying not to let his excitement run away with him.

  “Great! I need someone, and I think you and I could be great together. How about you come out here to Cheyenne next weekend? Unless you want to hold out for a better offer, of course,” he said, sounding almost amused at the idea of a better offer.

  “No!”
Jack blurted out. “That’ll be fine. I’ll be there.”

  This was a chance of a lifetime, the chance to be great. His chance to save the ranch and his dream.

  He and Sam quickly planned Jack’s trip to Wyoming, “to see how they fit,” in Sam’s words. “I’m sure we’ll be able to work together just fine, though,” Sam added. “I’ve seen you ride, and you’re damn good.”

  The two men said goodbye and Jack hung up, though he kept staring at his phone. He wasn’t totally sure this was more than a fantasy.

  With Sam as his partner, Jack might be able to finally make some serious money. His old partner was fine, but Sam was a legend. Sam Evans and Jerry Isaacs were top five in the world last year, easy. Arguably number one.

  For the first time, he wondered why Sam was no longer riding with Jerry, but dismissed the question quickly. Guys left the circuit for all sorts of reasons, from injuries to old age to just wanting to spend more time with family. A partnership breaking up, even one as successful as Sam and Jerry’s, wasn’t unusual.

  Jack thought again what this could mean for him. A real possibility for his career, a possibility to win, to get to NFR, and maybe even become a champion. With that kind of money, he’d be able to keep the ranch running for the next couple of years, and then he’d be able to retire and start the rodeo school. His heart leaped at the thought.

  A chance to fulfill his dream had just dropped into his lap out of nowhere. This could be it, his one opportunity.

  He’d need to move to Cheyenne for at least the next couple years, though, and that realization gave him pause. Even though he’d already decided it made sense to move somewhere better suited to the rodeo circuit once the ranch sold, he’d never truly believed he would live anywhere but Spring Valley. And Wyoming was a good long way away.

  And of course there was Amy. She would be in California while he was in Wyoming, but what would happen after that? He’d need to talk to her before he found himself so in love with her that he wouldn’t be able to give her up if he had to.

  Jack tried not to acknowledge the thought that it might just be too late.

  As Jack and Tom replaced loose boards and old shelving in the barn, then did the regular work to keep the ranch running, Jack’s mind bounced between Wyoming and Amy. After about an hour, Tom straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you really okay with all this, Jack?”

  It took a few seconds for Jack to realize that Tom was talking about putting the ranch up for sale. He had been so preoccupied with Amy and the possibility that they might not need to sell after all that his mind had been nowhere near that topic. “Actually,” he said, choosing his words with care, “I might have a way to save the ranch if things go right on the circuit this year.”

  Tom’s face fell, and Jack knew he was wondering if Jack expected him to stick around and run the place for another year. “I’m not saying it’s going to happen,” Jack added hastily, “And I know that if it does, it’ll be without your help because you’ll be in Boston. I’m just saying that there’s a possibility.”

  He couldn’t ask Tom to stick around and run the place. Tom had his own thing to do. Not having anyone to run the ranch made this nearly impossible dream even more difficult, but Jack still couldn’t give up on the thought. Not until he’d explored the option completely.

  Tom looked skeptical, so Jack said, “I’m not asking anyone to stay on here, or even to stop trying to sell it. It’s just something I’m looking into.”

  This seemed to satisfy Tom, and Jack felt it was time to change the subject. “Tell me about your Boston lady,” he said, putting aside his own thoughts to find out more about his brother.

  Tom looked awkward for a minute, as if he wasn’t sure about the topic change, but then he couldn’t suppress a little smile. “We’ve been talking for about six months. She’s a dental hygienist.”

  Jack waited patiently, and finally his brother continued. “I can’t wait to meet her. She’s pretty great. We love each other.”

  “And you met online?” Jack asked, hoping he only sounded pleasantly curious.

  “I know it sounds strange,” Tom responded, “but we hit it off really well and we’ve been calling and texting for months. I know her better than any woman I’ve ever dated.”

  Jack slapped his brother on the back. He was happy for Tom. If there was any way Jack could save the ranch, it would definitely need to be done without his brother around, that was for sure. His heart was in Boston.

  Jack thought of Amy. His heart was in Spring Valley, but for only a couple more weeks. Where would it go then? Would it be too far away to ever come back to him?

  Chapter Eight

  Amy shook hands and sat down across from the freckled, red-haired woman Jose had introduced as Kate. Jose had gone off to find Pop, who was probably hiding in the barn now that it was approaching the time for him to meet this woman who might send him into retirement. Amy gave her a smile. “Thanks for coming out here. Pop might be a bit of a grump about it, but we all know how hard it is to keep the school running at his age, even if there aren’t as many students as there used to be.”

  Amy tried not to think about the Stuart Ranch selling and giving Pop’s school a much-needed influx of students.

  Kate waved away the gratitude. “This is as much for me as for him. I’ve wanted to move for a while now, and Spring Valley seems like the perfect home for me. I just hope I can convince your father that I’m the best candidate.”

  Amy couldn’t help but laugh. “At this point you’re the only candidate. I’m still shocked Jose managed to arrange this at all.”

  “Well, I’ll do my best,” Kate said sincerely.

  Amy didn’t know what to make of this woman. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her—she was actually quite sure they could become good friends in no time. It was what she was doing with Jose that was confusing.

  She was sweet, honest, pleasant. Jose was loud, constantly kidding regardless of the situation, and could be more than a bit frustrating if you wanted anything other than a good joke. How on earth did they end up together?

  “So, how did you and Jose meet?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound like she was prying too much.

  Kate gave a little shrug and a smile. “He came by the ranch where I currently work to discuss stock with the owner and we just struck up a conversation. He has a great sense of humor.”

  Amy nodded. It was definitely true that Jose had a sense of humor. Was that really enough? Before she could ask any other questions, Jose came back into the room. “Pop’s sitting at the table. Knock ’em dead,” he told Kate. “Not literally, though. He’s an old guy and we’re not afraid to sue.”

  Kate laughed and gave a little roll of her eyes to Amy before gathering a few papers from her bag and walking out of the room. Jose took her spot. “What do you think?” he asked Amy.

  She didn’t know what to say, so she stuck with the most honest thing she could think of. “She seems like a very nice person,” she answered.

  Jose nodded, though he didn’t appear very in awe of her kindness. “Yeah, and she has a great smile. Did you notice? Athletic, attractive, low maintenance. My kind of woman.”

  Amy doubted Kate would appreciate Jose’s list of her most important attributes but said nothing. They were both adults, and who was she to give anyone dating advice?

  Speaking of...

  She looked at the clock on the wall and her heart thumped hard. “I should go get ready for dinner,” she said, standing quickly.

  Jose grinned. “That’s right, Jack’s invited to tonight’s meal. You, me, Kate, Jack and the parents. That won’t be awkward at all.”

  Amy pointed a finger at Jose. “It doesn’t have to be awkward, if you can control yourself and be polite,” she warned him.

  Jose shrugged in his noncommittal way that drove Amy nuts. “I’ll see what I c
an do,” he said.

  Amy knew she wasn’t going to get anything better from him and left the room, nearly skipping at the thought of what she was going to wear that evening. That morning she’d gone with Cassie for her final wedding dress fitting, and while they were out they’d done a little shopping to fill out Amy’s wardrobe. Even though Amy reminded herself again and again she’d be back on the road in a few weeks, she couldn’t help but buy a few new pieces of nontravel attire, and she couldn’t wait to see Jack’s reaction to one piece in particular.

  Amy closed her door and smiled at the dress spread out on her bed. Knee length and turquoise blue, the dress was neither very extravagant nor revealing, but it had caught her eye immediately at the store. It was a nearly identical version of her favorite dress from high school, which she’d worn to all their most important occasions: their first date, her eighteenth birthday, graduation, the first time they...

  Well, it was a significant part of their history, that was for sure.

  Amy dressed and brushed out her hair, laughing every time she looked in the mirror. A decade had fallen away, leaving her the sweet, carefree girl she’d been in high school. And just like back then, she glanced at the time over and over, her stomach a flurry of nerves as she anticipated Jack’s arrival.

  Once she was ready, Amy went downstairs to talk with Jose and Kate, though she really just wanted to sit at the window and wait for her boyfriend to show up.

  Amy wasn’t sure if it was just this blast from the past or her finally labeling whatever she and Jack were doing, but she reveled in the word boyfriend for a few minutes, even if she’d only said it inside her own head.

  When Jose saw Amy, he gave her a big grin. “I know I’m your most beloved brother and pretty much the favorite child around here, but that doesn’t mean you need to dress up special every time I come over for dinner, Ames.”

  She almost stuck her tongue out at him, but she hadn’t reverted back to her teenage self that much. “I bought a pretty dress today and we’re having guests over for dinner, Jose,” she explained. “I think that’s enough of a reason to look nice.”