Then she gazed around their vast ranchland, the oat fields rippling, the leaves turning. She tugged on her leather gloves and settled the reins across her palm. “I can’t imagine selling.”
“I’m not worried about the Jacobs clan.” Mandy swung up into her own saddle. “Between the five of us, I’m liking our chances of coming up with a new generation of ranchers. Even Katrina. With Reed’s genes mixed in there, we might get a rancher out of her yet.”
Abigail laughed at the joke, but her shoulders felt heavy. Between now and the next generation, everybody would be counting on her.
Her cell phone pulsed three short buzzes in her pocket, signaling a text message. Her mind went immediately to Zach, and she stripped off a glove, digging into the front pocket of her jeans while Diamond started into a walk, falling in beside Happy-Joe.
It was Travis, not Zach. Abigail hated the jolt of disappointment. She was going to get past this stupid infatuation. Her family was her future, not Zach. Even if she didn’t produce any babies herself, a new generation of Jacobses running around the ranch would be a wonderful thing.
She read the text. “Travis wants us to check on Testa Springs.” As the summer ended, watering holes started to run dry, and the cattle needed to be shifted from place to place.
“Makes sense,” said Mandy. “We can take the Buttercup Trail.”
Abigail replaced her phone and pulled the glove back on, shifting her seat and focusing on the day. “Diesel went up two cents last week.”
Though the Jacobs ranch was prosperous, and her father and grandfather’s investments provided a cushion against the ups and downs of ranching, Abigail worried about the others in the valley, particularly those with smaller holdings that had higher overhead and big mortgage payments.
“Are you going to tell me about Craig Mountain?” Mandy switched topics.
The question didn’t exactly take Abigail by surprise, but that didn’t make her any happier about it. Thinking some more about Zach was the last thing she wanted. But she knew being coy with her sister was only going to prolong the conversation. And there was no reason to hide it from Mandy. Well, most of it anyway.
“Not much to tell,” she said breezily, reminded of the times she’d encourage Mandy to go to Caleb’s hotel room to be with him. They’d always been honest with each other about men. “I met a guy. Hurt my arm. We had a fling. And I’m now home again.”
Mandy turned to look at her, obviously fighting a grin. “I hate it when you go into so much detail.”
“That’s all there was to it.”
“It’s going to be a long ride.”
“I know how long the ride is.”
“I’m just saying you might want to help the time pass by filling in a few more details.”
“They’re building a restaurant up at the brewery,” Abigail offered.
“I’m more interested in what Zach-it’s Zach, right?-in what Zach looks like naked.”
“Does your husband know you’re wondering about that?”
Mandy laughed. “Was he great? I mean, he must have been great. You stayed up there five days.”
And she would have stayed longer if not for Seth. And she’d go back, if not for Zach’s stubborn insistence she walk away from her family.
“It was great,” she admitted to Mandy. “He’s a smart, fun, sexy guy, and he was letting me help him design his restaurant. I liked that,” she admitted.
“Why’d you leave?”
“Irreconcilable differences.”
“What, over the tablecloths and menu choices?”
“Something like that.”
“Abby.”
“Can we drop it?” Abigail’s tone was sharper than she’d intended.
Mandy went silent. Abigail focused on the sound of the horses breathing and their hooves rustling the grass as they made their way up a slight rise.
Mandy’s tone went sympathetic. “Did he break your heart, Abby?”
Abigail’s chest tightened, and her throat tingled in reaction. She wanted to be strong, keep the secret to herself. But she needed her sister’s shoulder to lean on. “Only a little bit.”
They came to the top of the rise, and a vast valley spread out in front of them. Abigail stopped Diamond to take a long look.
“His fault or yours?” Mandy asked softly.
“His. Mostly. Well, mine, too.” She had left abruptly with Seth. Maybe she should have told her brother to mind his own business. Maybe she should have stood up to him in that moment and bought herself a few more days with Zach.
“So what are you going to do about it?” Mandy asked.
Abigail shook her head in answer, both to her sister and to herself. “There’s nothing I can do.”
“You can talk to him. These things never run smoothly. Heaven knows Caleb and I had our share of rocky moments.”
“Zach’s not Caleb.”
“You can still talk to him.”
Abigail gripped the saddle horn. There was a catch she couldn’t quite keep out of her voice. “I’ve left messages. He didn’t call back.”
Without giving Mandy a chance to respond, she kicked Diamond into a trot.
Abigail couldn’t seem to get Mandy’s words out of her head. Was it better to try to talk to Zach or would a smart woman simply walk away? She couldn’t decide. And she was afraid her judgment was clouded by her intense desire to see him again, no matter what the circumstance.
Then again, she reasoned, if her own judgment was clouded, maybe she should go with Mandy’s. Mandy was a smart woman. Her advice had been specific and concrete. Abigail should take it. After five miserable days she didn’t see how things could get worse.
She knew she could use Ozzy as an excuse to return to Craig Mountain. When she’d left with Seth and Lisa, she hadn’t been able to find the puppy. Not surprising, since Ozzy had taken such a shine to Zach. They’d probably been together.
Mind finally made up, she headed for the brewery, easily finding Zach alone in an office.
She breezed in, playing it cool, pretending there hadn’t been a seismic shift in their relationship. Half of her hoped he’d pull her into his arms. The other half knew that was a hopeless fantasy.
“I tried to call you,” she began, hoping against hope for a simple, logical explanation that would switch everything back to normal.
But instead of answering, he stepped behind the wide desk, obviously putting some distance between them. His expression was guarded. “You shouldn’t have come here, Abigail.”
Her faint hope fled. “You should have returned my call.”
“I didn’t want to disturb you. I knew you’d be busy. You’ve told me what it’s like on the ranch.” His tone was cool. His eyes were cold.
She wanted to run from the chill, but she forced herself to step closer, coming up against the desk. She gathered her courage. “Is this you pouting?”
“No.”
“I didn’t pick my family over you.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“Then why won’t you talk to me?”
“We’re talking now.”
“This isn’t talking.”
He drew a tight breath. “Trust me, Doll-Face. This is
