LITMIR.BIZ

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himself fully accept being a part of Herb and Rosie’s family. Counting on something to stay the same was a recipe for disappointment. While the other guys called Rosie and Herb “Mom and Dad,” he didn’t. They referred to the ranch as “home” but he hadn’t made the mistake of labeling it that way. Even so, he enjoyed the privilege of walking into the house whenever he wanted.

      “In the kitchen!” Rosie responded.

      He found her predictable breakfast routine a comfort, but he’d never taken that for granted, either. He could tell some of the other guys did.

      When he walked into the kitchen, it was just Rosie and Sharon, the cook they’d hired to help fix meals for the academy students. She was a middle-aged lady with short brown hair and a great laugh. No Tess.

      “Hey, Zeke.” Rosie turned from the stove to look at him. “Where’s your beard?”

      “Shaved it off.” He glanced over at Sharon and touched the brim of his hat. “Howdy, ma’am.”

      “Howdy, Zeke. I was growing partial to that beard.”

      “It was starting to itch. Can I help you two with anything?”

      Rosie handed him a bowl and a whisk. “You can scramble these eggs. Sharon and I have already delivered the food to the rec hall, so she’s ready to leave. Herb will be back from the barn shortly.”

      “See you two later.” The cook grabbed her tote bag out of the storeroom.

      “Bye, Sharon,” Rosie said. “Thanks!”

      Zeke waited until she went out the front door. “Tess isn’t up yet?”

      “Not yet.” Rosie eyed him. “You can start scrambling those eggs anytime now.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He set the bowl on the counter and started in on them. “She told you, right?”

      “She did. And you’d better give me those eggs before you beat them to death.”

      He handed over the bowl and Rosie poured the mixture into the frying pan. Bacon sizzled in another pan and country fries were cooking away in a third. Normally he’d be salivating for one of Rosie’s famous breakfasts, but he wasn’t even slightly hungry.

      “Zeke, please don’t pace.”

      “Sorry.” He hadn’t realized he was doing it.

      “Would you like some coffee?”

      “No, thank you, ma’am.”

      “Well, I would, so please pour me a cup and sit down at the table. I’ll be there in a minute.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He got her coffee, carried it to the table and took a seat.

      She turned down the heat under each of the pans and covered them with lids. As she approached the table, Zeke stood and held her chair for her.

      “Thank you.” She settled herself and wrapped both hands around her coffee mug. “I take it you have a plan.”

      “Yes, ma’am.”

      “Judging from how spiffy you look, I can guess what it is, but I should probably warn you that—”

      “Good morning.” Tess walked into the room wearing a soft blue button-up shirt and jeans.

      Zeke leaped to his feet again and knocked over his chair. “Good morning.” He righted the chair and gazed at her. She looked incredible. Her hair shone like gold and her cheeks were flushed as if she might be as nervous about their situation as he was.

      She stared at him. “What happened to your beard?”

      “It itched, so I shaved it off.”

      “Oh.”

      “Hail, hail, the gang’s all here.” Herb walked into the kitchen. “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m starving.” He took plates from a cupboard. “I vote we serve ourselves from the stove.”

      Rosie stood. “That works. I’ll make us some toast. Zeke, you can get out the silverware and napkins. Tess, coffee mugs are in the cabinet nearest the window, first shelf. I have mine but we’ll need three more.”

      Zeke had thought about lying and saying he’d had breakfast before he’d come over, but he was a lousy liar and Rosie wouldn’t believe him anyway. Nobody in his right mind ate breakfast beforehand if he had a chance to enjoy Rosie’s cooking. He filled his plate and sat with everyone else.

      Herb picked up his coffee mug and paused with it halfway to his mouth. “Why did you shave off your beard, Zeke?”

      “He said it itched.” Rosie gave Herb a glance that said plainly he shouldn’t pursue the matter.

      Zeke appreciated the intervention on his behalf. He didn’t want his beard removal to become the main topic of conversation.

      Herb shrugged. “I can see that could be an issue. So, Tess, the kids have cleared out of the pasture area if you’d like to head down there with me or Zeke and take a look at the horses.”

      That would delay Zeke’s plan and the longer he delayed, the more likely he’d lose his nerve. “Actually, I—”

      “I’d love to,” Tess said. “I wanted one so bad when I was a kid but my parents weren’t into horses. Since then I’ve taken lessons, although I can’t claim to be a seasoned rider.”

      Zeke looked at her in surprise. “I didn’t know you ride.”

      “A little. I’m taking a break from it until the baby’s born, just to be on the safe side.”

      “Good.” He sighed in relief. “That’s good.” He’d been around horses all his life and loved them, but he didn’t like the idea of Tess riding one and chancing a fall.

      “The advice on riding while pregnant is conflicting,” Herb said, “but since it’s not something you do on a daily basis, I think you’re smart to stop for the next few months.”

      Tess nodded. “Thanks. But I’d love to visit your horses. How many do you have?”

      “Six at the moment.” Herb ticked them off on his fingers. “Technically, Lucy and Linus, a palomino mare and her son, don’t belong to us. We’re boarding them.”

      Tess smiled. “Love the names.”

      “Then we have Cade’s big black horse, Hematite, and his fiancée Lexi’s mare, Serendipity, Serra for short. Finally there’s Navarre and Isabeau, my gelding and Rosie’s mare.”

      “You named them after the characters in Ladyhawke?”

      Now if only he could get Tess to respond with that kind of delight when he had his chance to talk to her. They were burning daylight and his special place looked its best in the morning before that rock heated up.

      “Rosie named them,” Herb said “She made me watch the movie and, after I did, I agreed to the names. I don’t admit this to everyone, but we’re all friends here. I’m a sucker for a great romance.”

      “And that’s why I married him.” Rosie gazed fondly at her husband. “He’s a stand-up guy, but underneath he’s a sentimental sweetie who doesn’t mind naming our horses after characters in a love story.”

      Zeke noticed that Tess was a little misty-eyed. Maybe that was his cue. “Look, I know how much Tess is interested in seeing the horses, but I also wanted to show her the view from Lion’s Rest Rock. It’s at its best when the sun’s at an angle instead of beating straight down.”

      “Lion’s Rest?” Tess gazed at him, her expression difficult to read. “Are you talking about mountain lions?”

      “Technically, yes, but if we take the trail up there, I guarantee we won’t find one lounging on that flat rock. They’d hear us coming long before we arrived and vamoose.”

      “But

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