“Hey. Thanks for saving me a seat.” Anton took his place beside her as the heifers were led into the ring. Sophia was the last to enter.
“That’s okay, honey. You missed the steer show.”
“I know. Sorry. I was . . .” Getting my head in gear “. . . cleaning.”
“Did you see Lory and Clay? They’re over the other side with their daddy.” She pointed across the ring.
I see her. Her face haunted his dreams and his every waking thought. Just like a declaration of love carved into a hundred-year-old tree, there was no erasing it. Her mark grew with him, becoming callus with time.
“Lorelei seems to be doing okay. Have you spoken to her much?”
In the flesh? Not nearly enough. “Nah. She’s been quiet.”
“I don’t blame her.” Something in his mother’s voice had him turning his head towards her.
She stared at the spectacle rather than him as she spoke, “How are you holdin’ up?”
“I’m doin’ fine.” He tracked Betsy’s path around the ring, figuring his mother had the right idea. If he looked at her, she’d see too much. She was perceptive like that. Try as he might to keep his focus on the heifers, he didn’t last long. Guided by some magnetic force, his eyes drifted across the arena to find Lory leaning across Clay to shake someone’s hand.
Goddamn it. Get out of my head.
“I know this has been tough on you too. It hurt your papà when Matteo left so abruptly. Brothers have a special bond.”
“It doesn’t bother me none.” Another half-truth. He did miss his brother. Anton shrugged, glancing at his mom and almost doing a double take at finding her teared up. Great. Now he felt like a schmuck. Tucking her under his arm, he murmured, “Hey, I’m sure he’s okay. Uncle Matteo will look after him.”
She chewed her cheek, jerking her chin in a shaky nod. “I need to see him.”
“Greyson? How are you gonna explain that one to Papà?”
“He cannot stop me from seeing our son. Your father may have disowned him, but I haven’t. I need to see Matteo. I need to make this right.”
Matteo? Wait, what? “Make what right? It was Grey’s choice to leave.”
“You don’t understand.”
“What is there to figure out?”
“Now isn’t the time.” She clamped her mouth shut before wiping her eyes on her sleeves.
What the hell is going on?
A quarter of a century of secrets was a heavy thing. And Grey’s revolt had made them heavier. Whatever they were.
“I know the bulk of the work has fallen on your shoulders. Things will quieten down slightly over winter. We just have to get through the next month or so.”
“I know.” Anton shrugged.
“You’ve been so tense lately. I thought it was weighing on you, that’s all.”
She seemed to be the only one who didn’t know about his infatuation with Grey’s fiancée. Ex fiancée. At least he now knew that Papà and his sisters hadn’t blabbed. “You know I don’t like comin’ to the fair. I’d rather be home.” Screw it. I’m stickin’ with the denial angle.
“Oh, honey, I’m the same. But we have to do our bit.” She shuffled back in her seat. “Lory seems to like it.”
He almost groaned. Why’d you have to mention her name? “She’s good at puttin’ on a brave face.”
“You think?”
Oh, yeah. He nodded, watching the woman in question as she chatted with Clay.
“That’s something us southern girls learn how to do at an early age.” Mama’s lips quivered, not quite reaching smile status. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to have a little lie down in the RV. The excitement is getting to me, I think. I’ll see you after.”
“Okay.” He frowned at her back as she jostled through the crowd.
Family secrets never stayed hidden forever. There was always something or someone that dragged them into the light. But maybe that was what she was planning to do.
He turned back, finding Lory’s eyes on him as she bit her lip.
And this time, she didn’t look away.
He exhaled in a rush.
A whisper of something crossed her face. Her lip popped free as she parted her lips as if to set free some secrets of her own. It was a double punch—one to the heart and one to his gut.
Sweet, sweet agony.
Giant Stuffed Unicorns
Antonio
After helping his father tuck the animals in for the night, Anton had a shower and made his way to the RV. Thankfully, Clay had bailed after finding a brunette from Jackson to pass the time with. Anton’s dream of kicking back with his feet up and enjoying some alone time might have been out of reach, but he was gonna damn well try. Pulling aside the canvas, he entered the annex and dumped his dirty clothes near his swag. “It’s me.” He knocked on the door.
His mama opened the way. “Come on in.”
The interior was spacious enough, with his parents’ bedroom down one end, a small wash closet in the middle, and the kitchen/ living area near the entrance. On the front wall, a fold-down bunk provided a sleeping space for Marianne. The table could be lowered, and with the addition of some cushions from the seats, transformed into
