The Cowboy's Homecoming. DONNA ALWARD

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СКАЧАТЬ to leave her alone in a motel room after what was the most romantic night of the year—Valentine’s Day. Perhaps if it had been underwhelming, it wouldn’t be so difficult to put in the past. Trouble was it had been amazing. Rock-her-world amazing.

      Kailey had often wondered if she should trust her own judgment with men, and the incident with Rylan pretty much had cemented the answer.

      She was better off sticking to horses and bulls.

      “What color is it?”

      Rylan asked the question and she really, really wished he hadn’t. “Blue,” she answered. “It’s blue.”

      Lacey laughed. “You can’t just say blue. There are lots of blues out there.” She turned her attention to Rylan. “It’s kind of a turquoisey sky blue. It looks great with her hair and tan.”

      Kailey put her forehead on her hand. Her tan? Really? Because she was only tanned around her neck and from the biceps down...like every other rancher in these parts.

      “Sounds nice,” Rylan answered.

      Lacey and Quinn started talking about something to do with Amber, leaving Rylan and Kailey silent on their side of the table again.

      “Sorry,” he offered quietly, eating another fry. “If I’d known you guys were here, I would have suggested somewhere else.”

      “It’s just awkward, that’s all. We’re going to run into each other occasionally. We might as well get used to it.”

      She wiped her fingers on her napkin, then picked up her fork and speared a slice of cucumber from her salad.

      “Kailey...I’m sorry.”

      “For?” She crunched the cucumber, determined to ignore the weird flutterings in her tummy.

      “For being such a jerk that morning.”

      She looked up quickly, checked to see if Quinn or Lacey had heard. Luckily, they were still engrossed in their own conversation. “This isn’t the place to discuss it.”

      “I get the feeling you don’t want to discuss it at all, and that’s fine. But I do owe you the apology.”

      Dammit. It was easier to hate him when he wasn’t doing the right thing.

      Scratch that. The right thing would have been sticking around, at least until coffee. They could have agreed to go their separate ways or...whatever.

      “Noted.” She stuck her fork savagely into the lettuce.

      “Noted, but not accepted?” he asked. “I mean it, Kailey. I was totally in the wrong. Wouldn’t it be better if we could get along? As you said, we’re going to run into each other. And possibly more than occasionally. I’d like to put it behind us.”

      She would, too, but she wasn’t sure she could until she understood why. Why had he felt the need to rush out before sunrise? Or was he really just a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy? She’d certainly seen that type before...though she hadn’t pegged Rylan as that kind. On top of Colt’s rather quick moving on, it had left her feeling, well, disposable. Not worth the trouble of sticking around, even for breakfast.

      Sitting in the diner with a lunchtime crowd audience didn’t seem the right time or place to ask him why. But he was right. Their ranches were side by side. She was good friends with Carrie and Quinn, and Rylan’s brother and sister.

      Then there was the fact that he wasn’t planning on staying at Crooked Valley forever. He was here to fulfill the terms of his grandfather’s will, so Lacey and Duke could keep the ranch in the family. Surely she could suck up her personal feelings for a few months. Couldn’t she? She’d gotten pretty good at hiding her feelings over the years. She’d had to when she’d taken a bigger role at the ranch and had become the boss of a largely male workforce.

      “Consider it behind us,” she replied, pushing away her salad. She really wished Lacey would get a move on. Not that she was in the mood for more wedding details, but it would get her away from Rylan.

      Rylan, whose gaze she could feel glued to the side of her face. When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she sighed.

      “What?”

      “Thank you,” he said simply.

      She looked at him and felt her animosity threaten to abandon her. He didn’t look cocky or insincere in any way. In fact, his eyes were completely earnest and his lips open just a little, so she could get the full effect of their bowed shape. The bottom one was just a little fuller than the top, and she remembered them being surprisingly soft and...capable.

      He was as attractive as ever, but she’d learned her lesson and learned it well. Rylan Duggan was trouble, and trouble was the last thing she needed.

      “You’re welcome.”

      Lacey was finally finishing up her salad and Kailey figured she might escape without having to speak to him again, but once more Rylan picked up a new thread of conversation.

      “I could use some advice,” he said, pushing away his plate. All that was left on it were the four toothpicks that had held his sandwich together, and the little dish that had contained his ketchup.

      “Advice about what?” she asked. She hoped to God it wasn’t anything personal. An apology was one thing. But they hadn’t made that many amends yet.

      “On the stock situation at Crooked Valley.”

      That made her sit back. “Oh?”

      He kept his voice low. “Quinn and I have been talking. He’s doing okay, but really, Quinn’s a cattle man. The little stock we’ve sent to competition has been handled by Randy. And I know Brandt stock. It’s top-notch. I wanted to run some ideas past you.”

      Nothing he might have said would have surprised her more. On one hand, it was nice to know he respected her knowledge and opinion.

      On the other hand, it made her wonder if the apology had really been meant to soften her up into giving him free advice.

      Well, either way, it wouldn’t hurt to state the obvious. “What Crooked Valley needs is some new breeding stock. A new stud, a couple of mares. But mostly a good stud that you can make some money off of breeding fees. That’ll help pad your program so you can grow it.”

      “That’s what I thought.” He frowned.

      “And Quinn probably knows that, too, but truth of the matter is Crooked Valley can’t afford to outlay that much money right now. It’s risky, even if the money was in the account. Am I right?”

      He nodded. “Yes. According to Duke, our grandfather thought it would be fun to breed some rodeo stock. But it was more of a side thing than a focus, and it’s never paid its way or lived up to its potential.”

      “I know Quinn and Duke have talked about selling it off.” Kailey made herself smile. What she’d said about potential was absolutely correct. There were a few mares in the stables that she’d love to get her hands on, breed them with Big Boy. If the Duggans did decide to call this side of the operation quits, she hoped she could get first СКАЧАТЬ