“Yeah. I guess you’re right.”
“Do you think he’ll ever come back?” Her throat squeezed around the question.
“In time, maybe. Papà needs to find it in his heart to forgive him before he’ll let Grey set foot on the property again.”
Dodger sniffed around his heels before sitting on Anton’s feet. He leaned down to scratch his faithful companion behind the ears.
Lory crouched to give the dog a pat, and he rolled over, pawing the air as if asking for a belly rub. She obliged.
“What about you? Have you found your purpose yet?”
She twisted her neck to take him in, squinting one eye shut against the bright sun. “I love farm life. I’ve never wanted anythin’ else. I’ve thought about studying agriculture. I’d be more help around the farm if I were up on all the latest technology and research. But Mississippi State is two hours away. Too far to travel on the regular. I’d have to move.”
“I guess we have more in common than we thought.”
“You want to study?”
He dipped his chin. “I’m hoping to start next year. If Papà didn’t need me around here as much, I’d be learnin’ full-time. And now that we’re a ranch hand down… well, I guess I’ll have to wait a bit longer.”
“Maybe if your father gets more help, we could be roomies?”
His chest rose before he huffed a laugh and shook his head.
Right. Bad idea, obviously.
She needed to get away from the Agrioli men altogether.
_____
Antonio
Sharing a confined space with the unattainable object of his desire—that equaled hell in his book. It was bad enough having her this close and pretending he didn’t want to kiss the lovin’ hell out of her. Why would he do it to himself?
In any case, a relationship needed two things to work: chemistry and compatibility. They had the latter—of that he was certain. But when it came to the former, Anton was all on his own. Unrequited love was a collar wrapped around his neck—a constant pressure threatening to cut off his oxygen supply.
“Uh, I gotta check the fences while I’m here. Some of the calves can be overzealous when they’re lookin’ for their mamas.” He turned and walked along the slatted wood fences dividing the paddocks that he’d already checked before bringing the weanlings up.
“Oh, I know. Poor babies. It’s awful separating the pairs. I don’t like those nasty lookin’ spiked nose rings Daddy uses to wean the calves though. It might keep the pairs together, but it hurts the cows when the babies try to suckle. I keep tellin’ him.”
“I guess he has to choose the method that he feels is right.” Anton quickened his pace, praying for the torment to be over.
“True.” She trotted to catch up. “I wanted to ask about the night at the bar. I don’t remember much after my third shot of tequila, but I do remember earlier on. I saw your face when you were walkin’ to the table. You were angry about somethin’. I’m sorry if I dragged you into a situation you didn’t wanna be a part of.”
He stopped and turned to face her. “It wasn’t that.”
“Then what was it?” She raised her brows.
Anton’s jaw clenched. He forced his teeth apart so he could speak. “I didn’t like the way Jake was lookin’ at you.”
“But you didn’t save me when he made a move. Your brother wouldn’t have let him breathe on me; why didn’t you come over?”
Anton’s mouth tightened at the comparison between him and Greyson. “You had it under control. It was good for Jake to see that you could hold your own.”
She looked lost in thought for a second before her spine straightened. “You’re right. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was liberating to stand up for myself.”
Spinning away, he scanned the contours of the land to remind himself he had all the space in the world. So why did he feel cornered?
Lory stepped up beside him, folding her arms around her middle. “How could anyone not appreciate this?”
“I got no idea. Maybe you need to ask Grey.” He spoke through gritted teeth, praying for patience. She was working out her grief. Trying to understand where things had gone wrong. He got that. But it took all Anton’s strength not to curse his brother’s name and tell her she’d fallen for the wrong Agrioli.
“You’re not in the mood to talk, are you?”
“I’ll talk about anythin’ but him.”
Her shoulders rose as she gripped each elbow. “I’m sorry. I’ve been insensitive. This is hard for you, too.”
Anton groaned. He was the insensitive one. He’d never seen her look so lost. So vulnerable. Reaching over, he pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on her hair. “You’re gonna be okay. Maybe things didn’t work out how you thought they would, but you got good things comin’. And they’ll be better than you imagined.”
She had to—a person as selfless and strong as her deserved the world.
Her tentative touch brushed his back. “I hope so,” she returned, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Thank you.”
“Anythin’ for you.”
Everything.
Even confined spaces.
Damn it.
Fair’s Fair
Antonio
October
The whir of the blow-dryer was deafening as Anton dried Betsy off after her first wash of the day. Floating strands of red and white Hereford hair caught on his skin and teased his nostrils. Their steer, Waldo, was already clean. He was waiting for Betsy to be tethered beside him so they could have breakfast. Farther down the barn, similar scenes played out. The buzz before judging was gaining momentum.
Waldo mooed while batting his lashes at Marianne.
“It’s coming, baby. I know you’re hungry.” She measured the oats, corn, and protein into the feeders for the two head of cattle.
He
