At the far side of the room, Mandy reappeared with Abigail.
Men immediately took notice, sending interested gazes and shifting themselves in the women’s direction, some of them obviously setting up to make a move. Caleb abandoned his beer and pushed away from the bar, setting a direct course for Mandy. Seth and Travis could look out for Abigail. But Caleb wasn’t letting Mandy out of his sight.
Back in the hotel room, Mandy stripped off her high shoes. Abigail followed suit, stretching her bare feet out on an ottoman in their compact sitting area.
“My feet are definitely not in shape for strappy sandals,” Abigail complained.
“I hear you.” Mandy flopped down on the opposite armchair, stretching out her own sore feet, sharing the ottoman. She liked to think she was pretty tough, but she’d definitely been defeated by a dance floor. By midnight, even a few more minutes in Caleb’s arms hadn’t been enough of an incentive to add an extra blister.
“Felt a little like Cinderella, though, didn’t it?” asked Abigail.
“Tomorrow, we go back to cleaning the fireplace.”
“Well, horse stalls,” said Abigail. “At least, that’s your fate. I’ve been getting away with a lot of office work lately.”
“I hate the office work.”
“Lucky for me.”
Mandy plucked at the silky layers of her dress. “Do you think the campaign is going to keep you in Lyndon a lot?”
Abigail shrugged. “More than usual, for sure. Why?”
“It’s been awfully quiet at home.”
Abigail grinned at her. “You missed me?”
“I did,” Mandy admitted. “With Mom and Dad staying at the rehab center, and you and Seth in Denver and Lyndon, and Travis always out on the range, it’ll just be me at lunch and probably just me at dinner.”
“I think Travis likes his new role,” said Abby. “With no Dad and no Seth, he’s going to have a lot more responsibility.”
Mandy had to agree. Travis seemed very happy. Once again, she got the feeling she was the only one left behind.
“Are you suffering from empty-nest syndrome?” Abigail asked, compassion in her dark, hazel eyes.
“Maybe I am,” Mandy realized. “Weird. I never thought about how much my life depended on the rest of the family being there. It’s like nobody needs me anymore.”
“The ranch can’t run without you and Travis.”
“Without Travis, maybe. But you’re the one who does the paperwork. The foreman knows what to do day to day. The hands know what to do. I’m… Okay, this is depressing. I think the Terrells need me more than my own family.”
Abigail’s eyes narrowed. “The Terrells?”
“Getting Reed back.” Mandy was surprised Abigail didn’t immediately understand. “Caleb’s off on this crazy ‘sell the ranch’ tangent, and Reed’s lying low. And somebody has to knock some sense into the both of them.”
Abby moved her feet to the floor and sat forward in her chair. “They’re grown men, Mandy.”
“That doesn’t mean they have a brain between them.”
“That doesn’t make it your responsibility.”
Mandy shook her head. Her sister wasn’t getting this. How had nobody else noticed? “The universe is out of balance, Abby. It has been for ten years. I love Reed.”
“We all love Reed.”
“There you go. I can’t abandon him at a time like this, can I? He’s my third brother.”
Abby’s face winkled in consternation. “Do you think there’s any chance.” She paused, watching Mandy carefully. “Any chance at all that-I mean, right now-you’re somehow substituting Reed for your own family.”
“I’m not-”
Abigail held up a hand. “Hear me out. We’re all busy. And you’re feeling adrift. And along comes this very juicy family problem that you think you might be able to solve.”
“A
“I think you’re like a moth to a flame. Someone’s hurt? There’s Mandy. Someone’s upset? There’s Mandy. Two people in a dispute? There’s Mandy.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It’s not a bad thing. It’s a great thing. And it’s an important role,
“This is Reed Terrell, not some stranger I picked up on the street.”
Abigail chuckled at that. “All I’m saying is don’t get too invested in Reed and Caleb Terrell. This may not be a problem you can solve.”
Mandy’s hand clamped down on the padded arms of the chair. In her mind, failure was not an option. “I have to solve it.”
“And, if you can’t?”
Mandy wasn’t going to think about that right now. Reed gone from the Valley forever? Someone other than the Terrells living down the road? And Caleb gone, with no reason to ever return.
She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she’d started hoping he’d reconnect with Lyndon Valley, maybe come back once in a while. He did have his own jet. And then, they could…could…
Okay. Shelving that thought for now.
Abigail was watching her expectantly. “And if you can’t?” she repeated.
“If I can’t get them to reconcile,” Mandy responded breezily. “Then, that’s that. Reed will move and life will go on.”
There was a long pause. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“Because you’re naturally suspicious. You have that in common with Travis.”
“Ha. I’m naturally fun and exciting.” Abigail was obviously willing to let the argument go. “Did you see all the guys who asked me to dance down there?”
Mandy smiled at her sister’s exuberance, forcing herself to relax again. “Green is definitely your color.”
“I’m wearing it more often. Five of them asked for my number.”
“Did you give it out?”
“Nah. I’m not particularly interested in cowboys. What about you?”
“Nobody asked for my number.”
Abigail’s dark eyes glowed with interest. “I think Caleb’s already got your number.”
Mandy felt her cheeks heat.
Abigail sat up straight, staring intently. “So, I’m not crazy. You are into him.”
“He’s a good guy,” Mandy offered carefully.
“You just told me that he’s trying to sell the ranch, and you’re trying to stop him. That doesn’t sound like a good guy.”
Mandy’s cheeks grew hotter still. “Okay,” she allowed. “Aside from that particular character flaw, he’s a good guy.”
Caleb was misguided, that was all. She was confident he’d eventually see the light. Assuming she could keep him from selling the ranch between now and then.
“He’s definitely hunky,” said Abigail.
Mandy nodded. There was no point in pretending she was blind. “Sexy as they come.”
“So?” Abigail waggled her brows. “Did he kiss you?”
Mandy hesitated, wondering how much, if anything, she dared share with her sister.
“He
