LITMIR.BIZ

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started right along with these kids.”

      Was he out of his mind? “I’ll pass, thank you.”

      He briefly dipped his head in acknowledgment, a smile twitching at his lips. Then he glanced at the half dozen grade-schoolers milling around them, including her brother Joe’s son. Since entering the arena, Davy had stuck gluelike to her side despite only having met her three days ago.

      The seven-year-old had been excited about coming today, begging his almost-nine-months pregnant stepmother not to renege on his first riding lesson. But after another sleepless night of acute discomfort, Meg hadn’t been up to it. With his daddy working an extended shift as a regional paramedic and Grandpa Diaz seeing to an RV park crisis, Aunt Abby had been dragged into this family-oriented outing. She’d planned to drop Davy off and return for him later, but on the drive to the High Country Equine Center—which most locals still called Duffy’s after the original owner—the brown-eyed boy seemed to be having second thoughts about the adventure. She’d hung around for moral support.

      Avoiding the cowboy’s assessing gaze, Abby rested her hand on her nephew’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring pat. “This will be fun, Davy—won’t it, Gina?”

      His best buddy, a blonde pigtailed dynamo, nodded emphatically, her instructor-issued riding helmet bobbing atop her head. “Majorly fun.”

      Not to be outdone by a girl, Davy shook off his aunt’s hand and gave a manly nod reminiscent of his father. “That’s right. Majorly fun.” He cut a glance upward. “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to, Aunt Abby.”

      That caught the cowboy’s attention. “Aunt Abby?”

      “Daddy’s little sister,” Davy announced proudly, stuffing his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

      “Well, what do you know?” The man’s smile broadened as he again caught her eye. “Joe has a sister? Where’s he been hiding you, ma’am?”

      Obviously this man, no more than a handful of years older than her, wasn’t a Canyon Springs native or he’d know the whole story. But there was no point in enlightening a stranger on the Diaz family history.

      “He didn’t hide her,” Davy piped up with a giggle. “Aunt Abby lives in Tucson. She’s a librarian.”

      “Davy,” Abby said firmly before the boy could further elaborate on her personal affairs. She didn’t want him sharing with the world that she’d recently lost her librarian position and not too many months before that had sent her fiancé packing. Or at least the latter was what she’d allowed her family to assume.

      Today—the first of June—was to have been her wedding day.

      “A librarian,” the cowboy echoed, his gaze flicking over her appreciatively. If the sparkle in his eyes was any indication, for a reason known only to him he found that bit of information amusing.

      He held out his gloved hand. “Good to meet you, Aunt Abby. Diaz, is it?”

      She nodded and reluctantly shook his hand.

      “I’m Brett Marden.”

      A shrill whistle pierced the air.

      “Brett! Let’s go!” Another cowboy-hatted man, this one taller and walking with a slight limp, made his way across the arena’s expanse. He clapped his hands and motioned to the portable corral assembled on the far side of the arena where half a dozen saddled quarter horses waited quietly.

      Abby had met Trey Kenton, manager of the equine facility, her first night back in town and remembered his wife, Kara, from grade school. It had come as a shock to discover she and the other woman might be stepsisters in the not-too-distant future. Thanks for the warning, Dad.

      Brett studied Abby a moment longer. “Why don’t you stick around, Aunt Abby? You never can tell... Could be you’ll find something that catches your interest.”

      He stepped back with what she instinctively knew was a well-practiced wink.

      Warmth crept into her face. Did he mean him? Of all the...

      Not waiting for a response, he lightly rapped his knuckles on her nephew’s helmeted head, then spread his arms wide to herd the youngsters toward the corral. “No running, no yelling. We have things we need to go over before you get to ride.”

      Abby stared after him. Find something that catches your interest, indeed. Talk about an over-the-top ego. Nevertheless, her gaze lingered on the masculine form as he crossed the arena, a booted Pied Piper with a covey of trailing kids attempting to mimic his confident stride.

      “You may as well come on over here and have a seat,” a feminine voice called from somewhere behind her. “Abby, is it?”

      Jerked from her reverie, Abby turned toward a small semicircle of folding chairs placed just inside one of the arena’s side gates. She hadn’t noticed the arrangement when she and Davy had slipped inside to join the other kids. Apparently Brett Marden had been a bit too distracting. Four women now claimed the seating area—a gray-haired lady and three others near Abby’s late twenties or slightly younger. One, the spokesperson she assumed, patted the sole empty chair next to her in invitation.

      A knot tightened in Abby’s stomach. Why’d the most friendly one have to be holding a baby?

      “Yes, Abby. Abby Diaz.” With considerable effort she returned the smiles of the women. Then she reluctantly closed the distance between them to take the seat next to the woman who cuddled her napping infant close. If they’d caught her name, they’d probably heard the whole conversation between her and the flirtatious cowboy.

      “I’m Davy’s aunt,” she nevertheless confirmed. “From Tucson.”

      “Joey’s sister.” The familiar-looking older woman on the far side of the semicircle nodded knowingly. Abby sensed she was aware of the family’s sordid history, how Abby’s parents divorced when she was ten, with her mother taking both her and middle child Ed and leaving teenage Joe to be raised by their father.

      “Are you visiting, Abby?” the woman continued with an encouraging smile. “Or have you come home?”

      Even though she’d once lived here for a decade, it had been more than strange to drive through Canyon Springs a few days ago for the first time since childhood. To pass down Main Street and by the elementary school. To eat lunch at Kit’s Lodge. To again spend the night under her father’s roof at his Lazy D Campground and RV Park. It was surprising how much she remembered and how little had changed. But home? Not even close.

      “I’m visiting my family for a few days.”

      The woman to the left of Abby leaned forward and she caught the faint scent of baby powder and a glimpse of a pretty, rounded face in the blanketed bundle in her arms.

      “How is Meg?” the brown-haired woman whispered.

      The other three women nodded at her words, concern darkening their eyes.

      “She’s hanging in there.” Abby didn’t know how well these four knew Meg and Joe, so she wasn’t about to elaborate on the family’s whispered concerns for Meg’s health. “She’s looking forward to being a few pounds lighter.”

      The women laughed and Abby’s tension eased. She could get through this.

      “I’m Mina Ricks, here with my boy,” the woman next to her offered before glancing down with a proud smile at the infant in her arms. “And this is Ruthy.”

      Then she motioned to each of the women, starting with the blonde seated on the other side of Abby. “This is Melody Smith, who brought a neighbor’s daughter today. Joy Haines is here with her twins. And Janet Logan accompanied her grandson.”

      Memory clicked and Abby again focused her attention on the woman who’d asked if she’d come home. “Mrs. Logan. You ran the school library and were my Sunday school teacher, too.”

      A sturdy, outdoorsy, take-charge

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