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He scoffed. “You think Christmas would be a better occasion?”
“No.” She sighed. “But I couldn’t bring myself to tell her over the phone. I will, though. When the time’s right.”
“Augusta is far enough. Michigan will feel like the other side of the world to her. You’re gonna break her heart, Amy,” he said, ignoring the tightness in his chest. He eyed Traci again. “Your sister’s, too.”
“They’ll understand. They’ll be happy for me.”
“Knowing you’re thinking of moving clear across the country won’t make them happy.” Logan grimaced. It sure didn’t sit well with him. “No one that cares about you would be happy hearing that.”
“What would you have me do, Logan?” Amy glanced over her shoulder at her sister before whispering, “Stay in limbo with you forever? The opportunity came and I took it. I have to move on at some point. We both do.”
Her argument was sane and sensible. The kind he should agree with and understand. But he couldn’t bring himself to accept it.
Logan palmed the steering wheel roughly and took a right turn onto the long dirt drive of Raintree Ranch. He lifted his foot from the pedal as the truck dipped into a pothole, sloshing muddy water against the sides of the cab. Fragmented patches of white speckled Raintree’s sprawling fields. The late-afternoon sun that had melted most of the ice hung low on the horizon and night loomed closer with every minute.
Amy’s pants legs rustled as she sat taller, craning her neck and looking out at their surroundings. Logan took the next turn through a gated entrance and she braced her hands on the dash, swiveling to glance over her shoulder at Raintree’s wooden sign as they passed. The sweet scent of her shampoo released with her movements, lingering around him and making him ache.
They traveled past the large stables, barn and paddocks lined with white fencing and the multi-storied main house emerged into view. Logan smiled. The white columns and wide front porch were already adorned with garlands, wreaths and bows for the holidays. Betty must have decided to decorate early for Amy’s return.
A tender expression crossed Amy’s features. Logan’s chest warmed. No matter what she said, Amy had missed Raintree. Her longing for their childhood home showed in every sweet curve of her face.
“It still looks the same,” she said.
The gentle look in her eyes faded as the truck drew closer to the house. Her mouth tightened. She eased back in the passenger seat, shoulders sagging.
“Nothing’s changed.” Amy trailed her hands away from the dashboard and dropped them in her lap, fingers twisting together.
A heaviness settled in Logan’s arms. “Yes, it has. Everything has been different since you left. For all of us.” He covered her smaller hands with his palm and squeezed. “Please think this move over. Before you make a final decision.”
She slid away from his touch. “The decision’s already been made.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “It’s for the best.”
“Amy—”
“The twins are out,” Traci shouted over her music, perking up and dragging her feet from the console.
Logan released a harsh sigh, bringing the truck to a halt and removing the keys from the ignition. Two blond boys scrambled over the ground at the end of the drive, gathering up what was left of the sleet and packing it into muddy balls.
“Hide everything you value and get your armor on, Amy,” Traci said, yanking out her earbuds and shoving them along with her cell phone into her bag.
“Are they that bad?” Amy asked, a hesitant smile peeking through her tight expression.
Logan grinned. “Nah. They’re just being boys.”
“Yeah, right,” Traci drawled. “Tell me that the next time they break my phone. Or take my bras and use them for slingshots. Or draw plans for their fort on my homework—”
“All right, Traci.” He laughed, muscles relaxing. “I know they’ve done you wrong a time or two but they do it with love.”
Traci harrumphed and shoved her door open.
“That’s one warped way to look at it,” she grumbled good-naturedly, jumping out and taking swift strides up the dirt drive.
The boys noticed Traci approaching and stilled. A huddle, quick whisper and nod later, they advanced, surrounding her and pelting her with their icy bundles.
“Stop it, squirts,” Traci squealed, “or I’ll smooch you into oblivion.”
Traci swooped down with open arms, bag flopping over one shoulder, and chased them. One twin escaped but she caught the other, scooping up the wriggling boy and plastering noisy kisses all over his face.
“Yuck!” The escapee ran several feet across the mud and jerked to a halt at Logan’s open door. He scowled, jabbing a dirty finger in Traci’s direction. “Look what Traci’s doing to Jayden, Uncle Logan. Tell her to stop.”
Logan stifled a laugh. Leave it to Kayden. He was always the first to point the finger of blame.
“Come on, now,” Logan said. “You can’t go on the attack, then cry for help. Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.”
“I ain’t did no dishing,” Kayden argued. He paused, forehead scrunching before saying, “I didn’t do any dishing.”
“That sounds better,” Logan praised.
Kayden nodded. “Aunt Cissy don’t like us using no double negatives.” He climbed onto the truck’s running board and leaned into his hands on Logan’s thigh. “Anyways, I ain’t did no dishing. We were just throwing snowballs.”
“There’s no snow out here, buddy.” Logan ruffled his golden hair. “Y’all were throwing ice.”
“So.” Kayden shrugged. “It’s white.”
“Unlike a friendly snowball, ice hurts and I’m sure Traci felt a twinge or two. Both of you owe her an apology.”
“Yes, sir.” Kayden rolled his eyes, the blue pools skimming over Logan then narrowing on Amy. “Is that her?”
Logan turned, absorbing the warm look Amy directed at Kayden, and smiled. “Yeah. This is your aunt Amy.”
Amy frowned but quickly adopted a polite smile when Kayden leaned in for a closer look at her.
Logan helped Kayden jump from the running board back to the ground. “Why don’t you go around and introduce yourself properly?”
Kayden took off, his blond head bobbing out of view as he rounded the front of the truck.
“It’s not a good idea introducing me as their aunt, Logan.” Amy unbuckled her seat belt. It snapped back with a clang. “I’m leaving for good soon.”
“Maybe.” Logan met her hard stare with one of his own. “But you’re here now.”
She shook her head, grabbed her purse and climbed out of the truck. Logan followed, strolling to the other side of the truck to find Kayden tipping his head back and staring up at Amy.
“Gahlee, you’re tall,” Kayden said, mouth hanging open.
Amy’s grin faltered as she teetered, her high heels sinking into the mud of the driveway. Logan stifled a laugh. The combination of melted ice and dirt had turned the path into slick mush. She yanked against it, attempting to jerk her shoes free, but the sludge won out.
Kayden stepped closer, studying her sinking shoes, then observing the rest of her. He blushed and stuck out dirty fingers. “I’m Kayden. And that’s my brother, Jayden, over there. Good to meet ’cha.”
Amy lowered with care, braced with one palm against the truck for balance and shook his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, too, Kayden.”
“Boys,” a deep voice called.
They all turned. Dominic ambled down the wide front porch steps of the main house and crossed the lawn toward them.
“Uh-oh.” Kayden smirked.
He tore off toward the house, Jayden and Traci following. Dominic swept the boys against his thighs as they passed, kissing their heads and shooing them toward the porch with a pat on the butt.
Logan held Amy’s elbow and helped her regain her balance. “You gonna ditch those shoes now?”
“No need.”
She steadied herself by holding his forearms and yanked her heels from the suck of the mud. They broke free with a deep slosh. She lifted onto her toes, released her grip on his arms and straightened her purse strap on her shoulder.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Dominic drawled, smiling wide and knuckling his Stetson higher on his brow. He strutted over, landing a heavy pat on Logan’s back, then edging past him. “My partner in crime has returned.”
Dominic wrapped his burly arms around Amy’s waist, lifting her in a tight hug and spinning in a wide circle. She laughed, pure contentment shining on her face and eyes welling with happy tears. Logan savored the sight briefly then shoved his fists in his pockets and looked away.
“It’s about time your butt moseyed back, kid,” Dominic murmured. “Where the hell you been?”
“Around.” She struggled to catch her breath.
“I’ve missed you.” Dominic leaned back and studied her. “We’ve all missed you.”
Logan’s skin tingled under the weight of Dominic’s stare. He glanced over, eyes locking with his younger brother’s.
“Haven’t we?” Dominic asked.
Logan nodded, dragging a hand from his pocket and kneading the back of his neck. That kink was back, the pain streaking from the base of his skull down between his shoulder blades.
Amy cleared her throat, tapping Dominic’s ankles with the toes of her shoes. “You can put me down now.”
Dominic’s lip curled, his tone teasing. “Don’t know if I should. Doubt you’ll make it to the house in those city-girl contraptions.” He frowned at Logan. “You let her run around in these things?”
Logan opened his mouth but Amy beat him to it.
“He doesn’t need to let me do anything.” She popped her knuckles against Dominic’s shoulder. “I do what I want when I please. Now, put me down.”
Dominic chuckled. “Yep.” He nodded with pleasure at Logan. “This is damn sure our girl you brought back with you.”
“Almost as good as new,” Logan said, voice catching.
Amy’s cheeks flamed cherry-red and she shoved harder at Dominic’s broad shoulder until he lowered her to the ground. Logan stepped forward, keeping a close hold on her elbow until she steadied on the mud and shrugged away his touch.
Amy nudged the bobby pins holding her updo into a more secure position and asked, “Were those your two misfits I saw earlier?”
The pride in Dominic’s face was unmistakable. “Yep. Those are my boys. I adopted them last year after I married their aunt. Wished you’d been here for it, Ames.” He smiled. “Can’t wait for you to meet my wife. I know you’ll love Cissy as much as I do. And we’re expecti—”
“That’s enough for now, Dom.” Logan’s throat tightened at the quiver in Amy’s chin. “It’s been a long drive back. Let her rest before you yap her ear off.”
Dominic nodded, his smile dimming. “Sun’s dropping.” He waved a tanned hand toward the horizon. “It’ll be dark soon. ’Bout time I started rounding up the horses.”
“I’ll help,” Amy said.
She squeezed Dominic’s arm and brushed between them, making her way toward the paddocks grouped near the massive stable.
Dominic crossed to Logan’s side, watching Amy’s slow progress across the field. “How is she?”
“Better than she was four years ago,” Logan said, trying to ignore the hollow in his gut at the memories assailing him. Amy, pale and unconscious, lying in a hospital bed while he sat by her side praying she’d wake up. His relief at her pulling through had been short-lived. After losing their daughter, she’d become a shadow of her former self. Each failed effort at becoming pregnant again had caused her to grow more listless and depressed over the following months.
Logan studied Amy’s careful steps toward the paddock. “She seems physically healthy at least but she’s still not herself.”
The sun dipped sharply and an orange glow of light flooded the fields, silhouetting Amy’s lithe figure. The outline of her curvy form turned black, becoming a stark contrast to the fiery light bathing the landscape.
“Y’all made any decisions about the future?” Dominic asked.
Logan sighed. “Amy has. Says she’s moving again.”
“Where to?”
“Michigan.”
“Damn.” Dominic shook his head, kicking the ground with his boot and squinting at the glare of the setting sun. “You talk her out of it yet?”
“No.” Logan cut his eyes to Dominic. “And don’t go bringing it up. Betty doesn’t know yet, and Amy only told Traci she was moving to a new apartment, not where. Amy hasn’t had time to settle in. She gets to feeling cornered, she’ll pack up and leave. Then I won’t have a chance in hell of getting her to stay.”
“Well, if you ever do need me to talk to her, just say the word.”
Logan scoffed. “She’s my wife. If anyone talks to her, it’ll be me.”
Dominic stilled, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Well, hell, bro. You’re getting hard-core in your old age, yeah?”
A burst of laughter broke from Logan’s chest and the tension faded from his limbs. He loved having his brother back home again. He grabbed the back of Dominic’s neck and squeezed, giving him a playful shake.
“Old? If you know what’s good for you, you’ll cut that shit out.”
Dominic laughed and shoved him off. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
Logan smiled and led the way over to the paddock to join Amy. She leaned further over the top rail of the fence as several horses milled around the enclosure. She pointed at a golden stallion standing a head taller than the rest, his white mane rippling with each movement of his broad neck.
“Is that my Lightning?” she asked.
“Yeah.” A wave of pleasure swept through Logan at the eager expression on her face. “You’re welcome to tuck him in for the night.” He lowered his voice to a teasing tone. “That is, if you can make it over the fence and across the field in that stuffy getup.”
Dominic chuckled at his side and Amy smirked, a hint of her old spirit shining in her eyes.
“That won’t be necessary,” she said.
She inhaled and whistled around two fingers. The melodic sound traveled across the expanse of the paddock, perking up the horses’ ears and rebounding off the stable walls. Lightning shot to attention, spun and galloped toward the fence. He drew to a halt, dipping his broad head over the top rail and nuzzling his nose against her shoulder.
