LITMIR.BIZ

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should’ve kept his mouth shut. He’d meant to help and it had gone sideways. When was he gonna get it? How big a price did he have to pay before he finally learned to mind his own business?

      * * *

      MELANIE PARKED HER compact Ford close to the gravel path leading to the office and resisted the urge to check her hair in the rearview mirror. Already she regretted using a little blush and tinted lip balm. Kathy would probably notice and start getting stupid ideas. She was always pushing Melanie to date or at least get out and do things that weren’t church related. She knew Kathy meant well, but having a social life wasn’t that simple.

      It was 5:35. Melanie wasn’t sorry that she’d taken an extra ten minutes to shower, especially when she noticed Levi’s truck parked close to the old barn, loaded with supplies. Lucas’s truck hadn’t been moved. Apparently he’d felt no need to get as far away from the crazy bus driver as possible. She still couldn’t believe she’d hit him. Usually there weren’t more than two cars in the lot.

      She scanned the corrals, pleased to see the geldings playing a little. Already they were getting stronger. Somebody had taken a bay mare to the second corral. The rest of the sixty-two horses Safe Haven had given refuge to were either in the stables or grazing in the north pasture.

      No sign of any humans. She opened her door and heard laughter coming from the old barn. Kathy and Levi, of course, and Lucas. He had a deep voice, so she’d expected his laugh would have that low sexy timbre, as well. The sound even matched his buff body and rugged good looks.

      She stopped halfway to the barn. Thinking of him that way? Big mistake. She swiped her tongue over her lips, then used a finger to rub off the residual gloss. Taking an extra breath, she walked with purpose toward the voices.

      Lucas had changed his shirt. He now wore a black T-shirt, the same jeans and cowboy boots from earlier and a grin that sent her pulse into overdrive. He didn’t see her.... Neither did Kathy or Levi.... They were focused on something happening in the corner. Even standing with his legs spread, Lucas was taller than Levi, who Melanie knew was close to six feet. His arms were folded across his chest, his biceps straining the snug sleeves and wreaking further havoc on her nervous system.

      They were all watching Pinocchio, a notoriously mischievous pygmy goat, so they didn’t see her approach. It wasn’t until she came up behind them that she saw what was so amusing. The determined Pinocchio was trying to mate with Selma, an unfazed older Nubian nearly twice his size. The poor little guy would never reach, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

      Melanie wasn’t sure what embarrassed her more...watching the animal giving it his all or being embarrassed over something so silly. If it had been only Kathy and Levi, no problem. She would’ve had a chuckle along with them. For a second she wondered if she could back out of the barn without anyone the wiser. The thought had barely flitted through her brain when Lucas saw her.

      That smile of his. Heaven help her, it was really something. She smiled back, felt the heat in her face and knew there wasn’t a thing she could do about the blush.

      “That was fast,” Lucas said, mercifully uncrossing his arms and relaxing them at his side.

      Kathy and Levi turned to her, as well. The instant the older woman saw her, she tilted her head, her sympathetic expression confirming Melanie’s fear. Her stupid cheeks were flaming. She wasn’t even a redhead but a mousy brunette. It wasn’t fair.

      “If I had known you had entertainment, I wouldn’t have rushed,” she said breezily.

      “I put the invoice from the hardware store on the desk,” Kathy said, and Levi added, “Jorgensen mentioned he could wait until next month to be paid if need be.”

      “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” She looked at Lucas and wondered again about his white shirt. Had she somehow soiled it? “I’m ready whenever you are.”

      “I was going to help Levi finish unloading his truck. Unless you’re in a hurry....”

      She lifted her gaze from his chest and met his eyes. “What happened to your other shirt?”

      “He didn’t know I was gonna put him to work,” Levi said, grinning. “This young buck stored feed in half the time it takes me. What do you do to get arms and shoulders like that?”

      “Levi.” Kathy gave her husband a warning glare.

      Lucas just smiled but he seemed a bit embarrassed himself. “You want help unloading that truck, or what?”

      “Not if you’ve got business with Mel.” Levi clapped him on the back. “Go on. I’ll take care of it.”

      “Am I going to hold you up?” Lucas asked her. “You got a husband and kids waiting at home for their supper?”

      “Me?” She let out a laugh. “No.”

      Curiosity flickered in his eyes. “It won’t take long to finish unloading. Maybe fifteen minutes.”

      “I know Levi would appreciate the help.” She glanced at the truck. It would take more like half an hour, though she didn’t care. “I’ve got things to do in the office.”

      Lucas pulled a pair of Safe Haven work gloves out of his back pocket and left to catch up with Levi.

      Kathy moved closer and bumped Melanie’s shoulder. “Now, that’s a fine-looking man. He’s not married, either.”

      “How do you know?”

      “I asked.”

      Melanie laughed. “You didn’t.”

      “Of course I did,” she said, and they both watched Lucas swing onto the truck bed with ease and grace. “I knew you wouldn’t, so I figured I’d step in and make sure he was up for grabs.”

      “For who? You?”

      “If I were thirty years younger and single, you bet.” Kathy nudged her again. “He’s real polite, too. Offered to help Levi without being asked.”

      “Well, good for him.”

      “Don’t use that tone with me, missy.”

      They’d both continued to stare at him. Melanie finally turned to Kathy. “I swear, if you tell me I’m not getting any younger, I’ll...” She just sighed. How pathetic. After hearing her mother say it a thousand times, Melanie should really have had a witty retort.

      Kathy gave her a quick hug. “I expect you get that enough. Promise me one thing, though. If he asks you to dinner, you go.”

      She groaned. “Where is this coming from? He’s here on business. I only just met him myself, and anyway, he isn’t interested in me.” Melanie frowned at the self-satisfied gleam in the other woman’s eye and gave her a long look. “Should I be worried about you putting in too many hours?”

      Kathy snorted. “I raised three boys. Good luck trying to shake me off. Think I didn’t hear him work in whether or not you were married? He’s interested.”

      “You said it yourself—he’s polite. He doesn’t want to hold me up, that’s all. But you think what you want.” Melanie turned toward the office. “Just don’t embarrass me.”

      “Oh, honey, you know I wouldn’t do that.”

      “No, you’re right.” Something had been bothering Melanie. She’d tried to let it go, but it still nagged at her. At least she could count on an honest answer from Kathy. “Would you consider me old-fashioned?”

      Her friend’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Not in the least. Why on earth would you ask such a thing?”

      “One of my students said something....”

      “Oh.” Kathy flapped a hand. “Kids always think their teachers are older than dirt. Levi was barely forty when the Weaver boy asked if he was getting ready to retire. Course, Tim’s not a boy anymore. He’s got two young ones of his own. Back then he was

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