“That makes two of us.”

“Anyway, it doesn’t sound like the worst idea, does it? We’ll get pies donated from the diner. We’ll get...fried pickles from Ace’s. We’ll make it a whole thing!”

“You’re really embracing this local spirit. Surprising, all things considered.”

“Yeah, no one is more surprised than me. But I was ready for a change, and at this point, putting down roots is kind of the only way to feel like something’s changed.”

“And change is...”

“Good,” she said, getting back into the truck. “Healthy. I mean, people should change things around them every so often. Especially when life isn’t gelling the way it should.” Practiced lines she’d told herself over and over. “So, why don’t you take me to see that other field?”

“You want to see the potential parking lot?”

“Sure. And anyway, I thought you were supposed to tell me why all my harebrained schemes wouldn’t work.”

“Well, I haven’t come up with a single damn reason why what you’re asking for won’t work,” he said, slamming the truck door. “Do you have any idea how annoying that is?”

“I have a fair idea of how annoying that must be for you. It must really suck.”

“It does.”

But somehow, even he didn’t seem unreasonable right now. He seemed...understandable. Here in this vast, wild place, so carefully tamed by the hands of his family, by him and Connor, she could see what a huge job it had been. Two boys who had been essentially alone in the world, with a sister to care for. She could easily see how much grit and strength it would have taken to hold things together. She wondered if that impossible task was what had built the solid man she saw in front of her. The man who was still doing the same thing. Still trying so hard to hold the pieces together.

Dammit. It made her heart all achy, and that was much more disconcerting than being horny.

They didn’t get very far up the road before Eli stopped the truck again. “Right there,” he said, “we’ll move the cows to another pasture and open up the gates.”

She looked over to where he was pointing and shaded her eyes as she studied the bright green fields, dotted with glossy black animals, their heads down, the sun casting a ripple of light and shadow over muscle and sleek hair.

Yellow flowers popped like little sunbursts across the grass, standing in sharp contrast to the dark green and fading blue of the mountains beyond.

It took her breath away. It reminded her why this place was home.

Which was so strange, because she couldn’t remember ever really feeling like it was before, but sitting in the truck, looking out at all this, she felt it. Not like something new, but even better and more rare for someone like her, it felt familiar.

“Parking lot doesn’t really do this justice. Will it be okay to...drive on it?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. We cycle the cows through the fields anyway and they’re about done here for now.”

“I can suddenly see why none of you ever left.”

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “Some days I kind of forget to look at it. But the expression on your face just reminded me.”

Something warm shot through her, across her face and down into the pit of her stomach. She swallowed hard, fought against it. It was a good feeling, but weird. Deeper than the kinds of feelings she was used to.

And she wasn’t sure she liked it.

“Anyway, I have to get out and help Connor for a while, so I’ll drive you back.”

“I’m fine walking,” she said, suddenly feeling the need to escape again. To feel a little sunshine on her face and some wind in her hair. “I mean, really, I want to walk.”

He shrugged. “All right. Suit yourself. See you around.”

She climbed out of the truck and tried to ignore the somewhat fuzzy feeling his casual, and not at all hostile, goodbye carved out in the pit of her stomach. Right in the middle of all the warmth.

“Yeah,” she said, “see you.”

She hopped out of the truck and breathed in deep, the air sweet from the flowers and salty from the nearby sea. She looked up and closed her eyes, letting the sunshine wash over her. And even though she wanted to, she didn’t look back at Eli. Not even once.

CHAPTER EIGHT

NEVER HAD ELI been so glad for Jack to draw the short straw. That made him the designated driver for the evening, and it meant that Eli could drink some beers. Because he really, really wanted to drink some beer tonight.

Not that he would drink to the point of public drunkenness, since he had a reputation to uphold. And the legacy of being a worthless drunk’s kid. But something to take the edge off the Sadie Miller knife that was digging into his gut would be nice.

Just a little haze. That was all he required.

Jack was still sulking because he had to stay sober, Connor had already gone to the bar to order beer and Eli was leaning back in his chair, enjoying being in town in plainclothes. Enjoying sitting back and watching people do things without feeling like he was on duty at a day care.

The bar was packed, but it was Saturday night and there were a limited amount of activities in town. There were average-quality restaurants, very expensive seafood restaurants, a movie theater with five screens and a local dinner theater. The bar was one of the more popular choices for obvious reasons.

Alcohol, darts and pool being some of the most obvious.

“Don’t sulk, Jack,” Eli said. “It’s not a good look on you.”

“Drunk isn’t a good look on you,” Jack returned, his arms crossed over his chest.

“I haven’t been drunk since I was twenty-one. On my birthday. And never again.”

“You’re such a cliché.”

Since this was the second time he’d been accused of this recently, he was starting to wonder if it was true.

“Aren’t we all?” he asked. “We’re in a bar on Saturday with nothing better to do.”

“Looking to get laid,” Jack said, turning and taking a Coke out of Connor’s hand as he returned to the table with drinks.

“Speak for yourself,” Eli said.

“Oh, right, you don’t shit in your own yard.”

Eli grimaced and took the pale ale Connor was offering him. “Not my favorite way of putting it, but the principle is sound.”

“Liss isn’t coming?” Jack asked Connor.

“Not tonight. She said something about painting her toenails and watching old movies. And that is where having me as her best friend tends to not pay off.”

“You don’t want to put the little toe separators in for her and blow on her feet until the polish dries?” Jack took a drink of soda to disguise his smile.