A SECRET BABY FOR THE GRUMPY COWBOY

(ROLSTON RANCH BROTHERS SERIES)

HANNA HART

Copyright ©2022 by Hanna Hart - All rights reserved.

In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. 

Cover Design by Cover Couture www.bookcovercouture.com

Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

Get Your Free Copy Now!

About the Author

CHAPTER 1

***TOPHER***

“What about all the business I brought you the past few weeks?” Topher put both hands on the hotel front desk and tried to stare his youngest brother down.

“I took that into consideration. I also gave you a family discount.” Sutton refused to even blink.

Topher leaned on the counter and tried his best charming smile. “How about all the feathers I smoothed for you after your sudden trip.”

Sutton’s eyes softened as he thought of his recent elopement and his new wife. “I’m sure you were a great distraction, but none of our brothers are that upset they missed out on the nuptials.”

“Who do you think talked Mr. Grant down after you and Bethany disappeared? Who kept her older sister from the drama-queen meltdown of the century?”

“Just pay the bill, Topher.” Sutton crossed his arms and ended the discussion.

“Fine. After I pack.” Topher grumbled, then stalked down the hotel hallway to his suite. He knew his brother would make him pay up at some point and he still had plenty from his last big race win, but it was the loss of his luxurious room that worried him the most.

Topher shut the door and faced the fact he was back in his hometown and reunited with most of his brothers, but he was homeless.

He packed, paid the hotel bill, and headed to his car before he had to face another hard fact: his eldest brother, Dean. “Come to invite me to the Double R?” he asked. “I bet DeeDee would love some civilized company.”

“You pay Sutton?” Dean asked, stern as always.

Topher threw his bags in the backseat of his sports car. “Yes. I have money, Dean. Why does everyone think I’m destitute?”

“Could be all the gambling, partying, and jetting around the world,” Dean pointed out dryly.

“You came here to lecture me again?” Topher glared at his eldest brother.

Dean took a step forward, a few inches shorter than Topher but with burly shoulders and the undisguised strength of a bull. Topher stepped back. It was hard to deny that Dean was the patriarch of the family, though. Lucky for all the brothers, he was also the most even-tempered of the notoriously surly family.

“How about a wager?” Dean asked.

Topher frowned, knowing his luck was running out. “What are the stakes?”

“You get your good-for-nothing brother back in town and I will cover your hotel bill,” Dean said.

“How about you put me up at your ranch while I convince—”

Dean held up a hand, not willing to hear their other brother’s name. “Sutton’s the one that runs a hospitality ranch, not me. Speaking of ranches, have you been to your property in the last decade?”

“What am I going to do in a bunch of empty pastureland?”

Dean sighed. “There’s a house. It was rented out while Father was alive but has been vacant since. You’ll also find the stables are still standing. That is if you can remember how to get there.”

“You expect me to stay in an abandoned ranch house?” Topher asked.

“You’re the one that abandoned it. We have a wager or not?”

Topher had no choice but to shake Dean’s outstretched hand. With that, Dean left him. Topher climbed into his sports car and muttered to his cell phone as he tried to locate his own property on GPS. He had nowhere else to go.

The phone call was a welcome distraction, but Topher immediately regretted answering it after a wave of temptation crashed over him. A few of his friends were at the airport in San Antonio, encouraging him to join them on their next escapade.

“I know you love the ponies but think about the Gran Prix. Revving engines, sparkling wine, and the best scenery Europe has to offer. What do you say?”

“I have to sort out this whole inheritance thing first,” Topher told them.

When his father, Rolston Senior, had passed, he left a series of requirements in his will. The orders stated that each of the brothers had to return to Isabel, Texas, and enter into a successful business partnership with another brother before they could inherit.

“And disappoint Tonya?” His friends asked. He could hear a few cat calls and stifled laughs.

As interesting as the beautiful and rich Tonya Jacobs was, Topher did not have time to think about romance. He needed to focus on how he was going to convince his brothers to take him seriously. If he stayed in Isabel, Topher did not want to be seen as the silly gambler anymore.

“Tell her I say hello. And remember, you all are welcome at my ranch anytime!” Topher told them all.

He hung up his phone and drove to the old entrance to his deserted ranch house. The road was overgrown and bumpy, but Topher didn’t even wince as his sports car jolted along. He was busy sizing up the barn and stables and wishing he had gone with his friends on their latest trip.

“Sure, Dean, all it needs is a little paint, a lot of repairs, and perhaps an exorcism,” Topher scoffed to himself as he parked and got out to survey his place.

Panic pressed hard against his chest as he made a mental checklist of everything that needed to be done, everything he could see above the overgrown grass and weeds. Did he even remember how to drive a lawn mower?

Then, Topher took a deep breath and tried to remember his vision: guests enjoying gourmet treats from an elegant front porch, a show ring below them with gleaming stables behind, and the beautiful Texas horizon inspiring them to spend amounts of money as vast as the sky.

Abandoned as it was, his ranch still had everything Topher needed to bring his vision to life. Really his only problem was convincing his brothers to help. None of them believed he was going to stick around long enough to make anything work, and Topher had no idea how to convince them otherwise. He had never been one to pass up fun in order to impress others, and it seemed impossible to start now.

“First things first,” he told himself. “How am I going to survive here tonight?”

He started making a list, stretching his memory back to the last time he had been camping with his brothers. He also made notes of what utilities to call and hoped his meager remaining bank accounts would hold until his brothers got on board with his plan. And that hinged on whether or not he was able to convince the brother closest in age to him to come home.

Topher took one more look at his ramshackle surroundings and headed straight back into town. He needed the expert advice only found at The Tack and Feed and was relieved when the manager, Alessa, greeted him with a smile of recognition. She listened to his ever-extending list of problems and kept smiling.

“How about you start by getting a gas generator. That solves the electricity problem for now. Camping supplies are over there. I’ll gather up a box load of the cleaning supplies you’ll need.” Alessa swung into action.

Everyone in town knew The Tack and Feed had everything from cowboy boots to roof shingles and everything in between for busy ranches. Topher was just starting to feel like he could handle a few nights on the ranch when Alessa brought up his brother. The Tack and Feed was also the hub for town gossip, and Topher should have guessed it wouldn’t take her long to start asking questions.

“So, when is August due back in town?”

Topher blinked, surprised to hear his brother’s name spoken out loud with such ease. Years ago, after a huge falling out with Dean and Theo, his brother had left town, and no one had mentioned him by name since then. Obviously, that taboo had not reached The Tack and Feed, as Alessa casually picked out a broom and dustpan and waited for an answer.

“I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to him in a while,” Topher said gruffly.

Alessa snorted. “Well, I know the town of Isabel is looking forward to another surly Rolston, especially one with a chip on his shoulder.”

Topher was surprised by how familiarly she mentioned his brother. “Have you talked to, um, him lately?”

“No, not for ages. Though Freddie ran into him in San Francisco a while back.”

It was Topher’s turn to snort. “Bunch of hippies.”

Alessa laughed out loud. “I remember Augie was always the least cowboy of all you Rolstons.”

“I forgot you were in school with him,” Topher said.

“Yup. Me and Sophia.” Alessa shot him a look, curious to see his reaction.

Topher felt like he’d been kicked in the chest and it took him a minute to get his air back. That seemed to please Alessa as she turned back to the cleaning supplies shelves and kept selecting items to toss into his cart.

Sophia, Topher’s first love. It was like he had dammed up all the memories of her and now they were overflowing. Curly brown hair that somehow always smelled faintly of coconut, black-brown eyes that made him warm all over as she watched him, and a laugh that sent every nerve in his body soaring to heaven.

“Is she still in town?” Topher blurted out.

Alessa’s eyes narrowed. “You two used to be so close. How come you don’t know that for yourself?”

Other chest-hurting memories started to surface, but Topher was saved by the appearance of his brother, Drake. “He’s going to need a new pump for his well,” Drake told Alessa.

“How do you know?” Topher snapped at Drake, feeling his younger brother was sounding way too superior.

“Same way I know you’re going to need a horse to make it around your property. Same way I know that Dean threatened to buy my son a kitten if I didn’t lend you a hand,” Drake told him.

“You’re lucky I have a pump,” Alessa said. “Meet you at the counter.”

Drake watched his wife’s friend stalk away. “Watch out, Topher. She can make your short stay here hell if you’re not careful.”

“Short stay?” Topher asked.

“Come on,” Drake shoved the full cart towards the front counter. “Everyone in town is taking bets on how long you’ll stay this time. Sure your jump racing event was a big hit, but how is that going to compete with Ibiza or Santorini or wherever your overly rich entourage is heading next?”

Topher felt the longing to be on a first-class flight, but another deeper need pushed it down. He wanted to prove his brothers, the whole town, and even himself wrong. “I’ll meet you at my place and show you what I have planned.”

Drake snorted. “Why do you think I’m wearing my rough boots? I know we’re going to be knee-high in grass and left-behind garbage out there.”

Topher had to fight the urge to speed out of town. His sports car could easily outrun Drake’s truck but, true to his word, Drake was pulling a horse cart for his brother’s benefit. At least there was one point at which his brothers did not doubt him: Topher was an excellent horseman.

He and Drake easily saddled up and rode around the barn and stables. The grass was high and out of control, but the contours of a graceful lawn were still obvious and even Drake’s doubt started to recede.

“I’ll have a small breeding program but focus mainly on training to start,” Topher explained to him. “This will become a destination for well-trained jumpers. It’ll start out by word of mouth, keeping it to elite buyers, and then news of our winners will spread.”

“And where exactly does your business partner fit into all of this?” Drake asked, deliberately not using August’s name.

Topher dismounted to examine the interior of the barn. “If he’s still into cooking, then he can be the chef at the ranch house,” he told Drake.

“You think he wants to cater to your buyers?” Drake was understandably doubtful. “Last I heard, he hadn’t been near a horse since he left Texas. What makes you think he wants part of your stables?”

Topher scowled up at Drake, still on horseback. “August will have to figure out how to fit into my plans because he hasn’t made any himself. We both know he wants to inherit without staying any longer than he has to, so I see no reason I shouldn’t make the long-term plans my own.”

“Because you’re the one staying? Long-term?”

There it was again, that sneering doubt, and it sounded even worse coming from one of Topher’s younger brothers. “Look, I’m done feeling guilty that I got out of town and had my fun. Just because I didn’t stick to the same square foot of Texas doesn’t mean I don’t love it here too.”

Drake relented slightly and shrugged. “I didn’t say anything about whether you loved it here or not. I just think you’ve got a big adjustment ahead of you.”

“And you think I can’t readjust to ranch life?” Topher was livid.

“I think you let your horse wander off and now you’ve got to walk back,” Drake said. He tipped his cowboy hat at Topher and rode away.

“And I wouldn’t have accepted a ride from you anyhow!” Topher yelled at his back. Then he hiked through the grass, grumbling, “If I had trained that horse, it wouldn’t have wandered off.”

The horse in question kept its distance from Topher but casually grazed as they drifted along the edge of the large barn. Topher glanced inside and tried to keep his thoughts focused on the large indoor arena with jumps and obstacles he could build. It kept him from hearing Drake’s truck rev up and drive away. The ranch was wildly quiet with his brother gone, and Topher realized it had been years since he had spent more than a few hours on his lonesome.

“Good thing I can hear you munching all the way along,” Topher grumbled at the horse that still would not come close enough for him to catch.

Ten yards apart, they explored the sloping, overgrown lawn behind the stables. Inside, Topher counted enough stalls for ranch horses as well as jumpers and room enough for the breeding mares and foals. By the time he had inspected the potential spaces, the sun was beginning to set.

Sensing the encroaching night, the horse greeted Topher outside the stable doors. He led it back to the ranch house porch, where he found Drake had already laid out food for the horse in a small, still intact paddock next to the driveway. Topher was ready to settle onto the rickety porch swing and enjoy the sunset when he spotted lights flashing along the edge of his property.

He ventured down the driveway on foot, skirting through a copse of large, old trees, towards the leaning shack he’d noticed from the crossroads outside his ranch. It was a forgotten section of the ranch but clearly used to be a large garden plot intended to feed the occupants of his big, now empty, house.

Topher cried out as his hand was snagged in a large patch of raspberries. As he pulled back his scraped hand, he heard the sound of a shotgun being primed. “What on earth—”

The shot shredded raspberry leaves inches from his waist. He held his hands up immediately.

“That sign says it all,” a female voice called from the dusky shadows.

Topher looked up at the ‘no trespassing’ sign and laughed. Clearly some neighbor was mistakenly protecting the ranch without knowing the owner.

“What if I don’t mean any harm?” he called out. He could see the woman’s lithe figure and was intrigued by her curves even in the growing darkness.

“What if the next shot ain’t a warning?” she retorted.

Topher chuckled, pleased at the pure Texas of the woman, and backed away from the raspberry bushes with his hands still up. He glanced back to see where his driveway was, and when he turned around, her shadowy figure was gone.

CHAPTER 2

***SOPHIA***

Sophia couldn’t understand how she could still hear the stranger’s chuckle. She paused with a dripping eggshell still in her hand and thought again about the man she’d seen at dusk. He had been tall, tight-waisted but tapering out to broad shoulders, and Sophia had noticed his biceps as he raised his arms in surrender.

Why had she noticed his muscles?

She shook her head and finished the batter in front of her. Life was not a romantic comedy, and she certainly was not the heroine mooning over a meet-cute. Sophia sighed; she needed to break her movie-watching habit, but what else was a single mother supposed to do at night?

“You could start dating again,” Alessa told her later that morning.

“Don’t make me regret telling you my problems,” Sophia told her friend, “especially if your only advice only adds more problems to my already long list.”

Alessa laughed. “I don’t disagree that dating is a problem, but it is definitely something you are going to have to face again one of these days.”

Sophia shook her head as she added another sugar packet to her already sweetened coffee. “One of the great joys of raising my daughter has been my automatic elimination from the dating pool.”

“Not everyone sees a child out of wedlock as a problem,” Alessa told her quietly. “This town is small enough to understand that things happen, people leave, and those of us that are left behind have to take care of each other.”

“It’s still too shallow of a dating pool for me to dive back in,” Sophia said.

Alessa smiled, then sipped her coffee and grew serious. “What about all the returning Rolstons? That doesn’t tempt you?”

Sophia rolled her eyes. “The return of a bunch of surly ranchers shouldn’t tempt anyone, yet I hear they keep getting hitched.”

“Freddie is really happy.” Alessa’s expression softened. “And Hetty is back where she belongs, running her ranch. And you haven’t met Bethany yet, but you are going to love her.”

“So, he’s really back in town?” Sophia asked.

Alessa nodded, opened her mouth to respond, then grinned. “There you are, munchkin! I was about to eat your oatmeal cookie.”

“No, Auntie A, that’s mine!” Sophia’s six-year-old daughter bounced up to the table.

“What do you say to Betty’s mom?” Sophia waved at the other mother.

“Thanks for the sleepover! See you at school!”

Sophia kissed her and handed Anna the cookie. “Now you can eat your cookie, but we’re ordering your hot chocolate to go. We have to get set up in time!”

Alessa met her eyes over her daughter and knew to continue their conversation in code. “Yes, he’s here. I saw him yesterday.”

“He’s not staying, right?” Sophia wiped crumbs off Anna’s mouth.

Alessa shot her a pained look. “I don’t know. It wouldn’t be like him to stay, but I got the feeling from what he was buying that he intends to stick around for a bit.”

Sophia wanted to know all about what Topher had bought but she bit her tongue. There was no reason to be interested in her old flame anymore. He had left town so long ago that the flutter in her stomach was ridiculous. Perhaps she was catching the stomach bug that was going around Anna’s kindergarten class.

Focused again on her daughter, Sophia smiled. “I made butterfly cookies like you asked. Think you can sell them?”

Anna nodded, crumbs flying. “I told Betty and Jill and all the girls to stop by but when I told the boys Andrew wanted to know why we didn’t make caterpillar cookies. Eww!”

Alessa laughed. “I’ll definitely stop by to buy a butterfly. See you two lovelies at the farmers’ market!”

Despite waiting for Anna’s hot chocolate, she and Sophia were early to the farmers’ market. With practiced moves, Sophia set up her table and supervised while Anna laid out the carefully wrapped cookies. Soon floral-topped fruit tarts, a pyramid of pound cakes, and overflowing baskets of muffins crowded the table. By the time Sophia looked up, there was a line at her stand.

“Mom, I can’t find my apron!” Anna wailed.

Sophia set down the stack of pies she was unloading and went back to her old pickup truck to look for the small, hand-stitched apron. She found it along with Anna’s favorite stuffed bunny and returned to the farm stand triumphant. There she found her daughter already helping the first customer.

“Are you sure you don’t want cherry? It’s cherry season, right, Mom?”

Sophia tied the apron on her daughter. “Everyone has their favorites, and Mr. Florence knows what he likes.”

“The best baked goods in all of Isabel,” Mr. Florence told her as he bought his customary lemon meringue pie.

Sophia beamed. Who needed an old flame or a new date when her work was so fulfilling? She loved baking and found joy in feeding sweets to all the locals. She also loved seeing everyone at the farmers' market and overhearing the latest gossip.

Unfortunately, it was all about Topher Rolston.

“I hear he was in Greece for most of last winter. Can you even imagine?” Mrs. Meyers clucked with jealousy as she and her friend bought brownies.

“Winning a cruise in a card game. Rolston Senior must be spinning in his grave, god bless him.”

They both gave Sophia a polite but curt nod as they paid and left.

The next gossip Sophia heard was about the event at the hotel. “I was worried there would be gambling, you know he has that reputation, but it was actually quite elegant. And the steeple chase is really quite an amazing race.”

“What was amazing was the outfits. Not a store-bought dress in sight! I swear everything looked straight off a Hollywood red carpet.”

Sophia looked down at her own sundress, also hand-stitched like her daughter’s apron. She had tailored it perfectly in her favorite shade of jewel blue, but it definitely didn’t compare to haute couture.

What was she thinking?

Sophia straightened her shoulders. She had everything she needed and she loved what she had. Over the past few years, her baking hobby had turned into a thriving home-based business. People all over town requested she bake for their special events until she had enough to pay the farmers' market fees. Now she was in the center of town every weekend, with regular customers raving about her baked goods. Things had gone so well that she was able to rent a small house for her and Anna and, after a lot of hard work in a neglected garden, she now had fresh fruits and flowers to take her offerings to the next level.

“These tarts are so pretty they should be in a magazine,” old Miss Lucy told her. “Better yet, you ask that Sutton Rolston to serve them afternoon tea at the hotel. All the ladies of the sewing circle would love that!”

“No, no, Lucy. Our Sophia doesn’t want to be running all over town delivering her treasures. She should have her own bakery right on Main Street. What do you think, dear? Are you going to bake for us year-round yet?”

“I’m working on it, Miss Tina. I haven’t quite saved enough for a brick-and-mortar place yet,” Sophia told the older ladies.

“Then I better buy another tart,” Miss Lucy said with a wink.

Anna popped up. “I put the flowers on top. Those are pansies.”

“Almost as pretty as you,” the next man in line said.

Sophia carefully loaded the tarts into Miss Lucy’s basket, then looked up. A bolt of recognition shot through her hard enough for her hands to tremble. Topher Rolston was smiling at her daughter with the same charm that had caught her eye way back in high school.

“We don’t have any caterpillar cookies, but I know you’d like a butterfly one, even if you are a boy,” Anna told him.

Topher laughed. “Then I better take two.”

He hooked his thumbs in his belt as he let Anna select the frosted cookies for him, and Sophia couldn’t help but stare at his hands. They weren’t the smooth and manicured hands she imagined a man on constant cruises would have; there was dirt under his fingernails. Her gaze traveled up his arm, definitely the golden tan of someone who was out in the sun for pleasure and was surprised to see how muscular Topher had become. His shoulders were broader and steadier than she remembered though his eyes were still the same jewel-blue.

“Sophia?” he met her gaze with a look of shock.

She forced herself to blink, then cleared her throat. “I heard you were back in town,” she said.

“I choose a blue butterfly and a red butterfly, but you can have pink if you want,” Anna told him, oblivious to the awkward look between the adults.

Sophia tried to concentrate on the sale. “They’re sugar cookies with colored frosting. Not too sweet with a hint of lemon.”

“Sounds great.” Topher had not looked away from her face.

“We have chocolate chip, too,” Sophia said.

“My favorite.”

Anna piped up. “My favorite is peanut butter but frosting doesn’t go on those so I like the butterflies too.”

Topher broke his gaze from Sophia and took the cookies. “Then I better have a peanut butter cookie too.”

“Who are you going to share them with?” Anna asked.

Topher looked back at Sophia, then appeared to break himself out of his thoughts. “I suppose I should share with my brothers.”

“He has lots of those,” Sophia said. “He’s a Rolston.”

Anna hopped up and down. “Teddy goes to my school and he’s a Rolston too!”

“My nephew, just like you are—”

Sophia interrupted as quickly as possible. “Speaking of brothers, are you staying at the hotel? I hear Sutton did a great job fixing the place up.”

Topher shook his head with a rueful smile. “He did. The place looks great, which is probably why he kicked me out to make room for more paying guests.”

“So, you’re staying at the Double R?” Sophia grabbed on to the conversation in order to steer his curiosity away from Anna.

“Would you live under Dean’s rules?” he asked her.

Sophia had to smile. “Only for DeeDee’s cooking.”

“I’m actually fixing up my own place,” Topher told her. He paid for the cookies but didn’t seem to be in a hurry. “I know everyone thinks that sounds crazy, but it’s true.”

“Must be hard work to fix something you abandoned so long ago,” Sophia said.

Topher caught his breath and coughed, but then his charming smile recovered. “Yeah. Turns out you need gasoline to run a generator. Better get over to the station before I buy another dozen butterflies.”

Sophia smiled but said nothing. She turned to help the next customer and tried not to think about Topher again for the rest of the day. It may have worked if she had not seen his charming smile flash through her memory.

How could something as simple as a smile make her feel exactly the same way she did so long ago?

Her mood soured as Sophia wondered how Topher’s charm had still managed to work on her despite a very wide gulf of time and heartbreak between them. That gulf had only widened as Sophia had gone on living in the town he left, only hearing rumors of his amazing jet-setting around the world. Now she was hearing rumors of his elegant party and the new high-price horse racing he was bringing to town. All those things only widened the gap between their lives more, yet all she could think about was his smile.

Sophia was still puzzling over their chance reunion after she put Anna to bed that night. She couldn’t understand why her reaction to seeing Topher hadn’t been as ice-cold as her thoughts had been the last few years. All she knew for certain was that she needed to avoid him in the future, but she had no idea where he was staying.

The drumming of rain on her cottage roof reminded Sophia she needed to harvest another batch of raspberries before it was too late. She checked on Anna, sleeping snugly in her bed, and slipped out the back door. It was dark along the road, but Sophia knew the way to the crossroads blindfolded. There at the corner, she stepped across the board she used to bridge the ditch and walked into the raspberry patch. Then she froze.

Off in the distance, there was a new sound, and Sophia realized she had been too distracted to bring her shotgun. She listened intently and it slowly dawned on her the sound was the buzzing of a generator.

A strange chill crawled over her shoulders as Sophia sneaked past the raspberry patch and over to the long-abandoned driveway. Her nearest neighbor had been an empty old house for the last few years, but now there was the flicker of lights in the windows. Her heart thumped somewhere between worry and excitement—this was exactly how the heroine in romantic comedies would meet the man she loved.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sophia scolded herself in the dark.

She peered up the driveway and smothered a gasp when she saw a shape move past the front window. It was the same silhouette she had shot at the night before, the same shape that had suddenly appeared at her farm stand and distracted her thoughts all day.

Topher had mentioned he needed gas for his generator, and there he was checking on the machine from the front window of the old ranch house. His house!

Sophia forgot the raspberries and ran back to her cottage through the rain. Did he know? Had he come looking for her? She checked on Anna again and tried to control the wild racing of her heart. Her secret was still safe and tucked in bed.

CHAPTER 3

***TOPHER***

Topher had no idea the last time he dusted a shelf, much less an entire house, so he just used the broom on everything. Most of the furniture had been left covered with white sheets, leaving the ranch house with a ghostly look he could not wait to banish. After the dust storm he created with the broom, he gathered the now grayish sheets and dragged them by the armful outside. Then he read the instructions on the can of dusting spray Alessa had made him buy.

The lemon scent brought back a memory of Sophia standing at the wide hearth in the front parlor. His father had made a point of renting out the ranch house after catching his sons throwing a huge party on the property. An efficient maid had just cleaned the entire space in preparation for a showing, and Sophia had brought in a huge bouquet of flowers from a garden Topher had never noticed before.

“You’ve never seen the peonies growing in the side yard? Where is your mind?” she had teased him.

“Mexico,” Topher had responded. “Father won’t give me money for the trip but I made enough by betting on Dean’s football game to pay for a ticket.”

“So you won’t be home for Thanksgiving?”

Topher paused in his dusting as the memory squeezed his chest. It wasn’t until he was on the beach in Mexico that he realized his absence meant Sophia was alone for the holiday. Her mother was deceased and her father was in the military and was sent on short deployments several times a year. It had left Sophia longing for roots but also wildly independent, which was why he could never convince her to travel with him.

Topher wondered if she was still that way; he also wondered what she would be doing for Thanksgiving that year.

He shook off the holiday daydream and the extra dust. The five-bedroom ranch house was too much for one man to clean in a day, so he settled for cleaning the front parlor and setting up his sleeping bag on the couch in the study. The large dining room, library, back parlor, and expansive upstairs could wait for another day.

Then he groaned as he realized no one had cleaned the first-floor bathroom. “Father always told me I should appreciate our maid service more. I hate when he’s right,” Topher grumbled as he picked up the crate of cleaning supplies.

All his money was going towards renovating the stables, sprucing up the exterior of the barn, and perfecting the show ring. He was determined to start his specialty horse business before he needed to ask his brothers for a loan, but that meant saving money where he could. Topher had spent the last seven years living off wise investments and lucky bets, he was not used to going without the best that money could buy, but now every penny he spent hurt.

He tallied up his spending as he scrubbed the toilet. His most lucrative financial portfolio had been liquidated so the horses and stables were paid for, but the barn was sounding more expensive than he had planned. If he bribed Drake and Sutton, he could get the show ring done, but that left very little for fixing up the ranch house. It had beautiful bones, all hardwood floors and crown molding, but it needed paint and polish and the kind of furniture that impressed guests and made them want to spend extra amounts. And Topher still needed a solid stable hand to care for the horses while he worked with them and found eager buyers.

What else did he have?

Topher eyed his pile of Louis Vuitton luggage and sighed. “I can’t work the ranch in Armani suits anyway,” he told himself.

An hour later, the majority of his swanky wardrobe was for sale on the internet and Topher was headed to The Tack and Feed for work clothes. He laughed out loud as he faced the rack of flannel shirts.

“Something funny about our selection?” Alessa asked him sharply.

“The last time I bought a shirt, it was from a tailor in Venice. Hand-stitched,” he told her. Then he caught her frown and quickly said, “This is a lot easier and makes a lot more sense for my ranch work.”

“We have talented people around here too, you know. They could stitch you up whatever you want,” Alessa said.

“Who?” Topher asked. He was even more curious when Alessa clammed up. “Oh, yeah, Sophia.”

He remembered the shirt she had made him for homecoming one year. She had embroidered a pair of steer horns across the back with thorns and roses to rival the most intricate of cowboy finery he had ever seen.

Alessa steered the conversation away from her friend. “Sutton prefers these work shirts if that helps.”

Topher didn’t want to let the subject drop. “Speaking of Sophia, I ended up at her farm stand yesterday and now I’m addicted to those sugar cookies she frosts so pretty. Does she sell them at a bakery too?”

Alessa pursed her lips but answered. “She’s still a teller at the bank during the week and can only afford to bake for the weekend farmers’ markets.”

“Well, at least her little apprentice is a talented salesperson. I’ve never enjoyed butterflies so much,” Topher joked.

“Apprentice?” Alessa was thrown off.

“That adorable little Anna.”

“You met her daughter?” Alessa said in surprise, then gasped at her own slip.

Topher dropped the work shirt he was holding. “Her daughter? Sophia has a daughter?”

Alessa gathered herself and shot him an angry look as if her accidental confession was his fault. “It’s been known to happen,” she snapped.

She tried to walk away but Topher gathered up the clothes he wanted and followed her to the front counter. “Is Sophia married?”

He couldn’t breathe, thinking that his feisty and free first love belonged to someone else. Why hadn’t it been him? Topher’s mind raced over all the lonely nights he could have avoided, all the depressingly far flights he had taken alone, and all the times he had longed to be back where people really knew him instead of alone in crowded rooms. How many times had he thought of Sophia while she was happy with someone else?

“Please stop,” Alessa hissed, making sure other customers had not heard. “You have no idea how hard it is to be a single mother without people blabbing her business at The Tack and Feed.”

Topher let out a tight breath and marveled at his relief. “She always was too independent for her own good. That can’t have been easy in a small town like this.”

“Whatever judgment was thrown Sophia’s way has long since been erased by her hard work and love for this community. Something you would know nothing about,” Alessa told him.

His hundred other questions were interrupted by the appearance of his brother, Sutton, who snickered, “Buying the same shirts as me? I knew you’d appreciate my fashion sense one of these days.”

Topher scowled at him, then remembered he needed his youngest brother’s help with the show ring at his ranch. “If you can give up your carefree life to run a hospitality ranch, what makes you think I can’t outdo you with my jumpers? Speaking of, why don’t you stop by and see what I’ve done with the place?”

Sutton picked up the order he had been sent by his wife to get, then could not resist his own curiosity. “Fine. I’ll come out if only to check on the horse Drake loaned you.”

The horse in question was living like a king in the stable while Topher was still sleeping on a couch, and that immediately pleased Sutton. That made him willing to pledge some work time in the show ring, and he even paused to sip at some tea on Topher’s front porch.

“I gotta say, T, I never imagined this,” Sutton told him.

Topher gritted his teeth. “I know you all think I can’t do this, but my vision is clear.”

Sutton shot him a look. “Your vision is expensive, as always, but I can see it. If anyone can charm horse enthusiasts all the way to Isabel and sell them on bringing a new sport to Texas, it’s you.”

“I can’t do it alone,” Topher admitted.

“Isn’t that what you have our black sheep for? Have you convinced him to come to town yet?”

Topher, annoyed that Sutton refused to use August’s name, changed the subject. “Sorry I don’t have any sweet treats to offer my first guest. Did you know that Sophia sells baked goods at the farmers’ market?”

Sutton put down his tea and held up both hands. “Oh, no. I’m not talking about Sophia with you. Sure she’s been through a lot, but am I the only one that remembers how she broke your heart? Please tell me you’re not planning to go through all of that again.”

Taken aback, Topher asked, “What do you remember of our breakup?”

Sutton scowled. “I remember how you and I planned to run trail rides all summer and make good money. You were planning for some trip somewhere and needed more money, but our little business was a real success.”

“I’d forgotten about that.” Topher leaned heavily on his porch railing. “I kept postponing the trip because things were going so well and Father was actually proud of us for once.”

Sutton snorted. “I was still in high school but you had graduated and got that apartment over the hardware store. Sophia helped you decorate the whole place.”

“She loved it there but would never spend the night,” Topher remembered.

“Is that what you two fought about?” Sutton asked. “Because all I remember is suddenly Sophia was mad at you for everything. She kept telling you how no one expected you to stick around. It’s no wonder you finally took off.”

Topher winced. “Sorry about that. I left you hanging.”

Sutton scowled. “I knew why you left, but it was the fact that you never came back that made me mad.”

“I’m back now,” Topher offered, knowing it was a little late.

“Believe me, I’ve noticed,” Sutton chuckled. “You and your entourage really ripped through the hotel. Got it on the map, but I’m still exhausted.”

Topher chucked him on the shoulder. “You’re welcome. And all I ask in return is a little help making this place look good enough to put on a map.”

Sutton groaned. “I can’t help you, T. I’m married now.”

“And your wife loves me. She has a real talent for jump racing, remember?” Topher grinned. Bethany, the rich and perfect daughter of Joseph Grant, had shocked them all by dominating the steeplechase event and proving she belonged on a ranch, not in a ballroom.

“Don’t remind me,” Sutton groaned again. “Bethany is planning to be one of your first customers. You better find her the best and most steady horse.”

“Deal.” Topher held out his hand and made Sutton shake it. “Now let’s talk about how you’re going to get this ring looking like a showpiece.”

He had his youngest brother on the hook, but his phone rang and ruined everything. They both saw the name that popped up and stared at it in shock.

“Tell him I’m not saying hi until I see his face in Isabel,” Sutton said. Then he made his escape and left Topher to answer the phone call.

“Thanks for finally returning my call, August,” Topher grumbled into the phone. “It’s not like we both have billions riding on this business partnership.”

“Partnership? Business? Excuse me if I’m shocked you’re actually considering those things. Aren’t you supposed to be in Spain or someplace?”

Topher balled his free hand into a fist. “I’m in Isabel, where you should be.”

August blew a big sigh into the phone. “So, there really is no way around this whole inheritance requirements thing?”

“Father didn’t believe in free money,” Topher reminded him.

“Father didn’t believe in free anything,” August snapped back.

Topher tightened his fist but kept his voice calm. “Just get back here, make a good showing, sign some papers, and you can get back to whatever you’ve been doing on the West Coast.”

“You want me to believe you’re going to stay and take care of both our interests? Since when do you stay in one town for more than one week?” August asked.

“This is still home, August, no matter what you say. You can’t tell me you don’t miss Texas because I would know you’re lying. And I’m getting really sick of people trying to tell me that I’m not here to stay!”

“Take a breath, Topher. I hear you; I just don’t believe you yet. I guess I’ll have to see it with my own two eyes,” August said.

“Well, hurry up,” Topher snapped.

“Or what?” August asked. “You’ll leave again?”

“You know how easy that would be?” Topher practically shouted into his phone. “All my friends are on a beach halfway across the world and I’m here listening to our brothers tell me what they think all day long.”

“Then I better get there and add my two cents,” August chuckled. Then he hung up.

Topher strangled his cell phone in frustration, but all that did was bring up his social media page. He scrolled for a second, seeing all his friends on the trip he could be on and itched to drop everything. Why was he squatting in an old ranch house when he could be on a yacht?

Then he thought of Sophia standing by the mantelpiece, holding that big bouquet of peonies. Maybe she had been pushing him for a commitment, and instead, he let her push him right out of Isabel. If he had stayed, would they be raising a sweet-faced angel like Anna together?

He stopped himself and forced his thoughts onto a more practical track. No one believed he was home to stay, and that meant the first thing he needed to do was turn his abandoned ranch house back into a liveable space. So, Topher took the energy from his irritating conversation with August and channeled it into cleaning.

Starting from the top and intending to work his way back down, Topher discovered a treasure trove of classic furniture. Step by step, he brought down framed paintings and Tiffany lamps, gleaming sideboards and gilded end tables until the house finally showed some glamor. He even found fine china and silver for the dining room.

All the hard work made him hungry, and it was then that Topher realized he had everything except food. As he was driving back into town, he spotted Sophia and her daughter walking at the crossroads.

“Howdy, neighbors,” he called hopefully.

Sophia shook her head and called back. “We’re just visiting a friend. Come along, Anna.”

Topher watched curiously as they cut across a field and headed back the direction they had just come. It seemed like Sophia was still determined to push him away, and he found himself hungrier for a second chance than the dinner he’d forgotten.

CHAPTER 4

***SOPHIA***

“What does part-time mean?” Anna asked as they drove the long Texas road to their little cottage.

Sophia grinned in the rear view mirror. “It means I work part of the time at the bank and the rest of the time I bake with you.”

Anna smiled brightly. “Does that mean we get to work at the playhouse too?”

“It’s a farm stand, darling. And, yes, we’ll sell baked goods at the farm stand during the week,” Sophia told her daughter.

They turned at the crossroads and passed the small shack both were talking about. The little building was half-hidden by tall grass but its peaked roof was intact. A few whitewashed clapboards were missing, but once Sophia painted it and let Anna decorate it with butterflies, it would be delightful. They both waved as they passed the empty little building.

Then Sophia slammed on her breaks. “What are those doing there?”

New ‘no trespassing’ signs had been slapped across the door of the future farm stand and posted on stakes around the raspberry patch. Sophia parked her car on the edge of the ditch and went to investigate.

“We’re not trespassing on our yard, are we?” Anna asked.

Sophia looked through the overgrown shrubs and bracken to their little cottage, then back through the copse of old trees to the formerly abandoned ranch house. The garden patch and shed stood at the corner and it was easy to see how the property lines could be confusing.

She ripped down the signs. “Our new neighbor just doesn’t know any better,” she told her daughter.

“Should we go say hi?” Anna asked. “Everyone always buys pound cakes when they’re welcoming new neighbors.”

Sophia bit her cheek and banished the idea of Topher discovering they lived next door. She didn’t want him intruding on her life, much less her daughter’s, for however long he stayed in Isabel.

“No, dear. I don’t think anyone really intends to live in that ranch house.” She ushered Anna back into their car and drove to their cottage.

That night, though, Sophia couldn’t sleep so she penned a quick, anonymous note to her neighbor. The short letter explained how they had been using the garden plot and shed for the last seven years and would continue to do so unless an official survey proved the property line. She ended by pointing out the vast amount of land the ranch owned on the other side of the driveway and a promise to tidy up the plot and keep it more than presentable.

Early in the morning on Saturday, on their way to the farmers’ market, Sophia put the unsigned message in Topher’s mailbox and hoped that would be the end of it.

Luckily it was a busy day at the market and there were plenty of people to take her mind off the new complications surrounding her farm stand. She was especially pleased when her friend Jameson arrived with news of a new job.

“I’m happy because I’ll get to be around in Isabel a lot more and hopefully enjoying more of my favorite brownies.” He flashed his wide smile at Sophia.

Jameson was tall and square, like the linebacker he used to be in college. His golden hair was even cut in a square buzz and showed off the chiseled line of his jaw. He was the perfect picture of a handsome Texas farm boy and, despite any real attraction, Sophia didn’t mind looking at his broad frame and even broader grin.

“Congratulations! What’s the job?” she handed her friend a brownie for free.

“I’m taking on stable work for a new horse rancher. You know how I love to be around the big animals. Sounds like it could be a good fit for me. And I think it might be out near where you live,” Jameson said.

He was always angling to find out more about Sophia’s private life but she was happier keeping things friendly at the farmers’ market only. “I’m not sure I know any ranches near me. What’s the name?”

“Rolston,” Jameson said between bites of brownie.

Sophia choked, then coughed in a panic as she saw Topher rapidly approaching her booth. “Why don’t you take that brownie over to the shade. I’ll take a break in a minute and join you.”

Jameson was delighted and waved back at her as he crossed the busy sidewalk. There he ran into Topher and Sophia was horrified to see the two men shake hands. Her heart actually stopped as they both turned to look at her while they continued their friendly discussion.

Then Topher came over to her stand. “Friend of yours?” he asked, nodding towards Jameson.

“Yes,” Sophia said, not in the mood to answer any questions Topher had.

Topher’s brow furrowed. “Seems like a good worker, but I’m not sure he’s the brightest bulb in the chandelier.”

“Jealous?” Sophia asked and immediately regretted it.

“You more than friends?” Topher growled, turning around to glare at Jameson.

Sophia tipped her nose up, ignoring his question. “Is there something I can get you, Mr. Rolston?”

Topher scowled but his surly expression broke when Anna appeared. “Actually, I came to see this fine young lady. Do you happen to have any more of those delicious butterflies?”

Sophia knew he was trying to get back at her out of jealousy, but her heart skipped a little as she saw her daughter’s delighted smile. Anna had frosted two especially fancy butterfly cookies, and now Sophia realized who they were for.

“Do you like them?” Anna asked Topher.

“Like them? I love them. They’re almost too pretty to eat,” he told the little girl. Then he leaned his elbows down on the booth counter and showed her his phone. “These aren’t as pretty, but I saw them yesterday at my ranch and thought I should get a picture for this sweet young lady I know.”

“Don’t you have an interview to get to?” Sophia interrupted.

Topher glanced up at her and frowned. “You two are close enough to talk about jobs and new opportunities?”

Sophia was glad he was jealous because it evened out how she felt when her daughter gazed adoringly up at him. “Anna, why don’t you give Mr. Rolston an extra butterfly for Jameson.”

Topher stood up but softened as Anna handed him another cookie. “You can call me Topher,” he told Anna.

“Topher,” Anna tried it out and liked it. She beamed up at him. “Do you like picnics, Mr. Topher?”

He gave the little girl a soft smile. “I do. Almost as much as I like burgers from the diner. Would you and your mother like to join me there for lunch?”

Sophia’s head spun. Why was Topher so good with children? She had comforted herself time and time again with the idea that he was self-centered and spoiled and would most likely be mean and dismissive to children. Yet here he was charming Anna out of all her shyness and softening Sophia’s heart with his easy kindness. He had taken pictures of butterflies just to delight her daughter! Sophia felt like her whole world was tipping at a crazy angle.

“Can we, Mama? You love the fries at the diner,” Anna said.

“Absolutely not,” Sophia said, more sharply than she intended. “We have lots more to sell and not everyone has time to just hang around and go where they please.”

“But, Mama!”

“I said ‘no,’ Anna, and I meant it,” Sophia snapped.

Her daughter’s eyes went wide and her cheeks grew red. She sent Topher one quick look of longing, then fled the farm stand to hide behind their pickup truck. Sophia knew she had been mean, but she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t let Topher waltz back into her life like he hadn’t broken her heart all those years ago. And she certainly wasn’t going to let him disappoint her daughter when he up and left again.

“Another day,” Topher called after Anna. Then he met Sophia’s eyes. “I was only trying to be nice. She’s so sweet. She made me butterflies. The least I could do was offer her a burger.”

Sophia knew he was right but she couldn’t back down. “I feed her just fine, thank you very much,” she said. “By the way, I highly recommend Jameson. He’s a hard worker and very reliable.”

Topher narrowed his eyes but nodded. “Thanks.”

Anna didn’t speak to her for another hour, though the fun and bustle of the farmers’ market eventually thawed the six-year-old’s grudge. Luckily there were no new signs on their future farm stand, and they headed home in peace. Sophia reassured herself that Topher wouldn’t come to the farmers’ market two days in a row and she would get a break from having him in her thoughts.

Dinner was paella from a neighboring farmers’ market booth and both Sophia and her daughter savored the easy meal. Anna was happy to help her mother with the dishes and tidy up their tiny house before bed. They read two of her favorite stories, then snuggled together, listening to a mourning dove call in the dusk.

“Mama, do you think Daddy ever hears doves?” Anna asked.

Sophia’s heart stumbled in her chest. “What made you think of him?”

Anna shrugged. She had never heard any stories about her father or any hints of who he could be. Sophia was careful to tell her daughter nothing except that he was a good man who was still alive but gone from their lives. She did not encourage Anna to speculate or create fairytale ideas about her father, and normally the little girl was not bothered by his absence.

“Do you think I should send him a butterfly cookie too?” Anna asked.

Sophia squeezed her eyes shut. She knew Topher was bound to make an impression on her daughter but had not thought it would make her so sad. “He’s off in the big wide world and can find his own butterflies,” she told her daughter.

She kissed Anna goodnight and escaped before there were any more questions. And before the tears in her eyes spilled over. She hated lying to her daughter, even if it was mostly just omitting the truth, and the pain of it stirred up other excruciating memories.

The only other omission Sophia regretted was when she kept her pregnancy a secret from Topher. She let him go on and on about the next trip he wanted to take and never let him know there was a reason to stay in Isabel. Then, when he started to talk about staying so he could be with her, Sophia panicked. She pushed him to go, imagining he would run when he discovered her secret. It was better to shove him out of her life than watch him take off the same way her father had always done. She didn’t want her baby’s life to be nothing but waiting for him to come home again.

The hard memories followed her into their early morning routine, and Alessa was quick to notice the shadows under their eyes as they met for coffee. It was too close to opening for a crowd, but Sophia still looked around self-consciously.

“Just order a double shot of espresso and tell me what had you up until all hours of the night,” Alessa said. She asked Anna to go gather sugar packets for them and gave them a moment for private conversation.

“Are there any good house postings up at The Tack and Feed?” she asked Alessa.

Her friend raised an eyebrow. “A few places just came up for sale. Why?”

Sophia blinked hard and shook her head. “Never mind. I’m still fixing my credit. No one would give me a decent mortgage.”

“And you’re supposed to be spending your hard-earned money on your farm stand and your bright future,” Alessa reminded her.

“I just want to get away,” Sophia mumbled. “I just want to start somewhere fresh where Anna won’t wonder about her past or the people that are missing.”

“Hasn’t your father sent a postcard this month?” Alessa asked.

Sophia nodded. “One every month but we’ve stopped talking about holidays.”

“But that’s not the person you meant,” Alessa guessed. She had never pressured Sophia to talk about Anna’s father and that undisclosed secret had never bothered their friendship.

“I suppose I could rent a place. Maybe try the city. I could still grow flowers on a balcony,” Sophia said. Then she dismissed her own idea. “Though I can’t stand the idea of throwing money away on rent again. Or a nosy landlady enquiring about Anna’s lack of family. Oh, god, what am I going to do?”

Alessa reached across the cafe table and squeezed her hand. “How about you stay put and let me help you?”

Sophia jumped up. “How about you help Anna and I set up the booth today?”

Alessa glanced behind her and noticed that Topher had walked through the cafe doors. He waved and she waved back but Sophia pretended not to see him. Instead, she made a beeline to her daughter, grabbed a handful of sugar packets, and herded Anna out the side door. That left Alessa trying to stand up and gather her things while pretending she wasn’t the least bit confused at her friend’s behavior.

“You all in a rush?” Topher asked Alessa as he approached their abandoned table.

Alessa nodded. “I’m helping them set up today. How are you? Adjusting to being back in Isabel?”

Topher smiled though he was peering through the window at Sophia’s retreating figure. “I’m good. It’s kind of comforting how little has changed in the last seven years. I mean, why mess with a good thing, right?”

“Seven years,” Alessa followed his gaze. “I didn’t know that’s how long you’ve been traveling.”

“Yeah,” Topher sighed. “It sounds like a lifetime, doesn’t it?”

“An entire lifetime for some people,” Alessa muttered, understanding finally dawning on her.

Topher didn’t notice her revelation as he was still peering after Sophia. “It’s also more than enough years of jetting around the world without a home. That’s why it’s so irritating how my family thinks I’m going to leave again. Can’t they get I’m sick of traveling and just want to be home?”

Alessa studied his face. “You’re home to stay, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am. No matter what my family thinks.”

She smiled and patted his arm. “Seems like family is a complicated thing.”

Topher grinned. “I do love a challenge.”

That made Alessa smile. “Then good luck to you, Topher. Good luck.”

CHAPTER 5

***TOPHER***

Topher lingered over the creamer and sugar packets, giving Alessa time to rejoin Sophia at the farmers’ market. He was heading that way too but decided he should give them some space. Sophia’s reactions to him had been all over the place, and he didn’t want to upset her daughter anymore.

Eventually, he left the coffee shop, where he had gone specifically hoping to catch Sophia. He wanted to apologize for asking them out to lunch, anything to get them back on friendly terms. Then Topher stopped.

Since when did he back down from getting what he wanted?

Ever since he was a child, Topher had fought for the things he wanted. As the middle child of a family of boys, he had needed to speak up or never receive anything. Knowing when to ask was a big part of the lessons he learned from his childhood, and he weighed that wisdom with the fire in his chest.

He wanted a second chance with Sophia.

Topher had known it from their first awkward reunion in Isabel. All the old attraction was there, almost magnified now that he knew what real relationships needed, and he felt himself drawn to her.

His eyes easily found her across the busy market square and he paused to enjoy the view. Then he spotted Jameson.

The big lug was helping unload things from Sophia’s pickup, and Topher felt the immediate burn of jealousy. He wasn’t even her type! She had never shown any interest in the big jocks. Why was she smiling up at him? Topher burned his tongue as he drank his coffee too fast.

“Jameson! Ready?” Topher found himself striding quickly across the farmers’ market and hailing his new employee. The interview had gone well the day before and Topher was sticking to the adage that wise men keep their enemies near. He liked Jameson, but the way he smiled at Sophia made him feel warlike.

“Ready?” Sophia asked. She stood frozen at her booth, her wide eyes on Topher.

He came close, hoping to see a flicker of attraction in her dark-brown eyes, but Sophia had always been independent and hard to read. “He’s my new stable hand. Actually, if he works like he says he can, he’ll be managing the stables for me,” Topher told her.

“Good morning, boss!” Jameson beamed at them both. “Mind if I help unload a few more boxes for her?”

“Not at all.” Topher didn’t take his eyes off Sophia and was intrigued when she didn’t break the gaze either. “Sorry to take him away from you.”

Sophia blinked, then finally realized who Topher meant. “Oh, him? No problem. I mean, he’s a good worker and you’re lucky to have hired him.”

“You didn’t want to?”

“What?” Sophia blinked again, her eyes still on Topher’s face.

“Hire Jameson,” he said.

Sophia snort-laugh. “No, I don’t want him. I mean, we’ve got it handled here.”

Topher reached out and tugged one of her brown curls. “Just because you’ve always got everything handled doesn’t mean I don’t want to help.”

She brushed her hair back out of his reach and finally broke his gaze. “Then you and your new employee should move along and make way for paying customers.”

“No butterflies?” Topher asked.

Sophia looked around and was relieved to find Anna busy visiting with a neighboring booth’s dog. “No. No butterflies today.”

“No burgers at the diner either?” Topher asked with a soft smile.

She huffed at him but couldn’t hide a smile. “No. No burgers either. Just get out of here.”

Jameson appeared, noticed them smiling at each other, and cleared his throat. “See you soon, Sophia?”

“Sure, yeah,” she said, her gaze flickering to the bigger man and then back to Topher. “Maybe.”

Topher took that ‘maybe’ as a good sign and whistled all the way to his sports car. It was funny watching Jameson pack himself into the passenger seat and he grinned as they drove out to the ranch. At the crossroads, his smile faded.

“What happened here?” he slowed the sports car and parked alongside the ditch. “Someone took my signs down!”

“What signs?” Jameson asked.

“I put up ‘no trespassing’ signs on that shack and someone took them down!” Topher pointed emphatically to the ramshackle shed.

“Why would anyone want to trespass in that?” Jameson asked.

A smile returned to Topher’s face. “Exactly. You ever had trouble with neighbors before?”

“Sure,” Jameson said. “But after I talked to them they calmed down.”

More like they saw his hulking size and backed down, Topher thought. Out loud, he said, “Well, my neighbor has already shot at me. On my own property!”

Jameson hunched over and looked out Topher’s car window. “Well, it does look a little bit abandoned.”

Topher started the sports car again. “That’s where you come in.”

On the way up the driveway, Topher explained again his dream of creating a niche horse ranch where rich enthusiasts came to buy expertly trained jump racers. Jameson rubbed his hands together, liking the idea of working with a stable full of specialized horses. He also did not balk at the sight of the faded barn or the half-renovated stables.

“The horses arrive soon,” Topher explained. “So, what do you think?”

“I think that paddock gate is askew, the stock tank is too close to the barn, and there needs to be more outdoor lights,” Jameson said.

Topher grinned. “Let’s look inside the stables and make a list.”

As much as he disliked the large, handsome man’s connection to Sophia, Topher was glad he had hired Jameson. He turned out to be very savvy when it came to horses and stables and how things should be managed therein.

After starting a long list, Topher asked. “Any questions?”

“Is it just you running this place?”

Topher wanted to answer yes, but Jameson was from Isabel and would know better. “My brother, August, will be my business partner whenever he arrives. And we’ll probably see every other brother of mine on a regular basis. The Rolstons can’t help but meddle in each other’s business.”

Jameson smiled. “I like the sound of that. I don’t have any family. Kinda like Sophia. I think that’s why she and I get along so well.”

Topher’s shoulders tightened up. “So, you’ve known Sophia for a while?”

“Not long,” Jameson admitted.

“Any idea where she’s living these days?” Topher eyed his rival.

Jameson shrugged. “No. I think she likes her privacy. But I see her at the farmers’ market every weekend.”

Topher reveled in the fact that Jameson had never been to her house and had never seen Sophia outside of the farmers’ market. They were obviously not dating and that made him soften towards his new employee slightly.

“How about we check out the apartment upstairs?” Topher suggested.

It was annoying how gracefully the large man scaled the narrow staircase ahead of him, but Topher kept reminding himself that Jameson had gotten nowhere with Sophia. Neither had he, but he tried to stay focused on the tour.

“Pretty simple: bathroom, bedroom, living room and kitchen combo, but there’s a nice deck out back and the closet is a decent size.”

Jameson nodded. “Looks good to me. Any problem with me bringing a lady friend home if I get the chance?”

Topher controlled the snarl that formed in his throat and coughed instead. “Discretion is key. These are high-end buyers I am hoping to attract.”

Jameson looked dismayed. “No, no. Nothing like that. I just meant that maybe Sophia would want to come and let Anna see the horses.”

Topher had been thinking of offering his new employee better accommodations in the ranch house but he decided against mentioning that. Instead, he mentioned, “You know, Sophia and I go way back. We used to date in high school.”

Jameson peered at Topher, his eyes mirroring the speculative look Topher had been shooting him since yesterday. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah,” Topher decided to drive his point home. “It’s kinda awkward running into your first love again, but it’s been great catching up with Sophia.”

“Yeah, great.” Jameson looked around the apartment, then shrugged his big shoulders. “I better grab my stuff and unpack. Sounds like tomorrow will be busy with the horses arriving.”

“And a surveyor,” Topher decided, now that he could concentrate on work again. “I might as well be able to prove I have the right to tear down that eyesore at the crossroads. By the way, don’t cross the driveway at night or you might get shot.”

Jameson laughed and the two men parted on good terms.

They put in a full three hours of work the next morning and were still getting along great when Drake arrived with the first of the horses. Topher was feeling great too until Freddie jumped out of the truck and greeted Jameson.

“Hi, Jamie!” She turned to Topher. “I’m so glad you hired Sophia’s friend.”

Jameson gave her a bear hug, and Topher was at least not alone in his scowling as Drake watched his wife get spun around. “You ride?” he barked at the big man.

“No need, sir,” Jameson said. “I just find the top of the pecking order and lead from there.”

Drake nodded gruffly and motioned for Jameson to help him with the horses. That left Topher with his sister-in-law. She grinned and took in all the work he’d done at the ranch. At least someone could see he was really trying.

“Even those gossips at The Tack and Feed are impressed with the work you’re putting in,” she told him.

“Total strangers appreciate my efforts but my own brothers say nothing,” Topher laughed. “Typical.”

“Even Alessa’s been asking about you, and her opinion is better than gold in this small town,” Freddie said.

Topher turned his attention away from the horses and looked at his sister-in-law. “What is Alessa asking about me?”

Freddie smiled, knowing intuitively why he was so interested. “She was asking about what you and Sophia were like together in high school. You making her think you’re sweet on her friend, or what?”

Topher groaned. “I forgot how much I hate small-town gossip.”

“Seriously, Topher. Are you looking for a second chance with Sophia?”

It was a rush to hear his daydream spoken aloud and even more of one to admit what he wanted. “I just want to know if I’m crazy or if there really is still something between us.”

“Well, don’t think it’s going to be that simple,” Freddie warned. “Alessa was also asking why you two broke up.”

He could tell his sister-in-law was going to ask for the painful details and was relieved when he saw another truck driving up. Unfortunately, it turned out to be Dean.

“I brought the deed and the land map like you asked.” Dean jumped straight to the point in his infuriatingly regal way. “Now, how about a tour?”

Topher took a deep breath and gave his eldest brother his best spiel. He talked all about the built-in customer base he had already cultivated from his years of traveling from race to race. The ideas for the show ring and the improvements on the stables were all pointed out.

Then Dean simply said, “I don’t see how your business partner fits in.”

“He’ll be back in Isabel soon and we’ll make it work,” Topher said, careful to avoid using August’s name.

Dean raised an eyebrow. “He’s coming back? I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Topher took a deep breath and reminded himself he couldn’t strangle Dean because no one could fit their hands around his eldest brother’s thick neck. Except maybe Jameson.

Grasping on the good subject change, Topher said, “How about you meet my new stable manager, Jameson.”

Dean shook hands with the big man, his own grip equal to the taller man’s. “We’ve worked together before. Great help. Nice to see you, Jamie.”

Topher tried not to be annoyed by Jameson’s universal likability. “Do you mind taking this deed and map and showing the surveyor around?” he asked him.

“Isn’t that Sophia’s friend?” Drake asked with a grin. As the second-to-youngest brother, he knew how to push everyone’s buttons and delighted in doing so.

“I may not approve of your business partner, but at least you’ve hired a good stable manager,” Dean said.

“Yeah, I get it. Everyone likes Jameson,” Topher said.

Drake laughed. “You know you sound jealous, right?”

“Jealous? Because Jameson knows Sophia?” Dean scratched his chin and considered Topher carefully.

Both Topher and Drake thought it odd that Dean was interested in relationship gossip and shared a confused look before Drake poked at his older brother again. “I’d love to get your expert gambling opinion on the odds of you coming out ahead in a fight with that one.”

“I’m not going to fight Jameson and I’m not jealous,” Topher snapped.

“Yeah, I didn’t think they were good odds,” Drake joked.

Luckily Dean’s housekeeper and cook, DeeDee, arrived with a picnic lunch and she never allowed the Rolston brothers to bother each other at meals. In fact, they all had a pleasant lunch on Topher’s shady porch and were just finishing up when Jameson returned with the surveyor.

“Good news, boss,” he called. “The shack’s on your side of the property line.”

“The shack?” Dean asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Topher told him.

“As long as you worry about getting that brother of yours back in town,” Dean said.

That brother of yours, as if he’s only my problem, Topher fumed.

As well as everything was going, Topher was still walking a tightrope line between his inheritance requirements and the life he wanted. His brothers were there to cheer him on but also couldn’t resist bouncing the line from time to time. And August could just cut it out from under him.

On top of that, Topher had again overheard Dean and Drake mentioning that he might not stick around in town long enough to find out. He still had to prove he was home to stay, despite the fact his abandoned ranch house was again an elegant home. Neither brother had asked for a tour inside, assuming it was still empty, and Topher realized they wouldn’t know his hard work until he invited the whole family over for a real dinner. Just the thought of that drove Topher crazy.

Luckily, he knew how to channel his irritation into pure work energy and Topher was able to take the lead on tearing down the shack. Yes, Jameson was indispensable, but Topher led the charge. It felt therapeutic to demolish the eyesore as if he was taking apart his past reputation and getting ready to build himself up better.

CHAPTER 6

***SOPHIA***

“And their wings have all these little spots on them.” Anna paused only long enough for a quick breath.

Sophia sighed. Her daughter was talking about butterflies again. Ever since Topher had shown her pictures of butterflies on his phone, Anna was obsessed with the idea of getting her own pictures. Sophia worried her daughter really wanted the shots to share with Topher, but she couldn’t resist Anna’s enthusiasm.

“Well, the best flower garden I know of is Miss Lucy’s and we’re heading there now,” she told Anna. “If butterflies are hanging out anywhere it’ll be there.”

Sophia was telling the truth but she was also avoiding the raspberry patch near their place for fear they would run into Topher. Even through a busy week, his name kept coming up, and Sophia worried she would never get him off her mind.

Even Miss Lucy was talking about the Rolstons as soon as they arrived in her garden. “My last visitor was that nice Dean Rolston. Of course, he was delivering meals DeeDee made but he still stopped to visit with me.”

Sophia had never heard Dean called ‘nice.’ ‘Intimidating’ and ‘stern’ were more the words that came to mind when she thought of Topher’s eldest brother. “We should visit more often, Miss Lucy. Maybe now that I’m working part-time, we can.”

“You spend your time baking, Sophia. God gave you that gift for a reason. The rest of the time you lavish on my favorite little girl here.” Miss Lucy gave Anna a quick squeeze.

“So, you like the Rolstons, Miss Lucy?” Anna asked the elderly woman.

“A fine family. The boys were a bit rambunctious when they were younger, but they’ll do Isabel proud,” Miss Lucy told her.

“I like Topher. He likes butterflies too,” Anna said. Then she frowned. “Mama’s kinda rude to him, though.”

“Really?” Miss Lucy turned her faded eyes on Sophia. “Haven’t heard your mother have much of a reaction to any eligible man.”

Sophia’s cheeks warmed under the wise woman’s scrutiny. “We have a past, ancient history, all the way back to high school.”

Miss Lucy’s smile turned dreamy. “First love is the sweetest. My Henry, God rest his soul, was my first love.”

Luckily Anna had found a butterfly and was chasing it from perennial to perennial along Miss Lucy’s garden. Sophia gladly followed at her command and helped capture a few pictures on her cell phone.

She couldn’t deny that Topher was her first love. Sophia had arrived in Isabel a military brat not willing to let anyone in before her father was reassigned. Then, miraculously, they stayed, and there was Topher. Coming from a family of brothers with an equally intimidating father, he didn’t bat an eye when her father returned home and took on his role of protector. Then, when her father deployed again, Topher was there. He was spontaneous, maddening, adventurous, and endearing, and Sophia had fallen hard for him.

And he had loved her too.

Sophia stopped chasing her daughter and took a deep breath. Topher had loved her like no other man. He had always taken wild chances, but never with her affections. Topher only had eyes for her, and when he spoke about their relationship, it was in terms of eons. The kind of love that lasted forever.

The kind of love that was worth a second chance?

She fanned her warm cheeks and tried to cool her thoughts. Sophia couldn’t bear to think she’d been waiting around all this time for Topher to come home. Dating had never really worked for her and Miss Lucy was right: no other man made her react the way he did. It wasn’t a coincidence that she started thinking about dating as soon as he arrived in town, but Sophia didn’t know what to do with that.

It wasn’t just her heart she would be gambling.

They left Miss Lucy’s and Anna continued to talk about butterflies all the way home. She talked about butterflies as they prepped dinner and she talked about butterflies as they took care of their evening chores. With dinner simmering, Sophia decided they should take a walk. Maybe something outside would distract her daughter and change her conversation even if a little.

Sophia took them straight down the side yard to the crossroads. She couldn’t admit she was hoping to see Topher at the garden patch but her stomach started to fizz the closer they got. Sophia reasoned that she needed to see him again in order to dispel the foolish notion of a second chance. He would still be the same unreliable world traveler who was already gone on his next trip even as he stood in front of them. It didn’t matter that her heart sped up at the thought of having Topher standing in front of her.

“It’s so sunny!” Anna called out.

Sophia blinked and realized her daughter was right. There was something strange about the light up ahead. The closer they got, past the overgrown shrubs and tall grass, the stranger the corner seemed. Then she gasped.

“The farm stand!” Sophia pressed both hands to her mouth, then reached for her daughter.

Unfortunately, she could not shield her daughter from the destruction. The raspberry bushes were trampled, as were the grass and wildflowers that once surrounded the little building. Not a board was left. Bits of shingles and a scrap or two were thrown around what used to be the dirt floor, but it was completely demolished.

“Anna, don’t!” Sophia pulled her daughter back for fear of getting a nail through her foot.

“What happened?” Anna cried.

It looked like a tornado had torn through and, for a moment, Sophia was tempted to tell her daughter that was the cause. Then she took a deep breath and tried to explain, “Our neighbor thinks this is his property and he decided to remove the building.”

“But it’s not!” Anna cried. “We found the raspberry bushes. We planted the flower bushes.”

“We just hadn’t found the time to renovate the building before someone thought it was abandoned.” Sophia blinked back her own tears.

Another bedtime was spent in tears, and Sophia tried hard not to join her daughter. She felt like it was her own fault for not finding the time to renovate the farm stand. If only it had been painted and the garden tidy, maybe her neighbor wouldn’t have been so quick to think of it as an eyesore. As a single mother, Sophia was forever running out of time to get things done, and the stress of it forced more tears from her eyes.

In the morning, she was done crying. Anna was distracted by school and the fun of having Alessa babysit her afterward.

“I can’t believe he knocked it down without even talking to you,” Alessa had sympathized on the phone.

“He doesn’t even know I’m his neighbor,” Sophia admitted. “And I sent him an anonymous letter that was less than friendly.”

“This isn’t your fault,” Alessa reminded her. “And Topher has to make it right! That farm stand was going to be a big start for you. The whole town was ready to drive by and gobble up your delicious baking.”

Sophia couldn’t think about the endless daydreams she had involving the farm stand and flow of traffic through the crossroads. “It was still an eyesore. I hadn’t even found time to paint it. Topher probably thought it would put off his fancy horse buyers as they drove past.”

“Don’t defend him,” Alessa snapped. “I’m sorry, but Topher has done nothing to make your life any easier, and I can’t stand by and let him make it harder.”

Sophia took a quick breath. “How could he make my life easier?”

Alessa sighed into the phone. “We’ve never talked about it, and I get why, but you knew I was going to guess eventually.”

“We’ll talk about it—”

“Just not today,” Alessa interrupted before she upset her friend anymore. “And I shouldn’t have to tell you that your secret is safe with me, but it is.”

Sophia smiled despite another shower of tears. “Anna is very excited for Auntie A to pick her up.”

That made Alessa laugh. “Pick her up and spoil her rotten, that’s my plan. What’s yours?”

“I’m going to start by telling him he made Anna cry,” Sophia decided.

“Yeah, he does seem to have a soft spot for her and it’s always good to aim for the weak points,” Alessa agreed. “Just make sure to tell him all of Isabel hates him too because we wanted your treats on weekdays too.”

“I will,” Sophia promised.

If only it was that easy.

Her hands shook as she drove her pickup truck up Topher’s driveway. Then her jaw dropped as she saw all the work he had done on the neglected ranch. A crew was painting the newly restructured barn and the stables were gleaming from roof to baseboards. A powerwash had revealed the ranch house’s cedar siding, and it glowed with new stain. The wide front porch looked shady and inviting, and Sophia even spotted new white wicker benches and chairs arranged in comfortable coves.

It was not hard to imagine ladies in designer sundresses and men in linen suits sipping tea on the porch while horses paraded in front of them around the show ring. Sophia could even picture jumps and obstacles placed around the ring so Topher’s jumpers could put on a real show. Anna would love it, so would all of Isabel. His ranch was clearly going to be a success.

She parked next to Topher’s sports car and got out feeling shabby and out of place. Who was she to complain about a falling down shack when Topher had done all this?

“Sophia? I didn’t know you wanted to stop by!” Topher strolled over from the barn, slipping a work shirt back on over his bare chest. He buttoned it up and smiled at her. “Here for a tour?”

“I’m here to talk about my farm stand that you destroyed,” she snapped.

“Your farm stand?”

Sophia took a deep breath and slammed her pickup truck door for courage. “Yes, my farm stand. I know it didn’t look like much but I was renovating it. And the garden was growing! Where do you think all those delicious raspberries in my tarts came from? You trampled them all.”

“That was your garden?” Jameson appeared and wailed in despair. “I knew you lived somewhere out this way but I didn’t know you were Topher’s neighbor. I never would have taken down that shed if I knew it was yours.”

“You’re my neighbor?” Topher was staring at her slack-jawed.

“I just had a brownie with raspberry jam on it last weekend. Why didn’t you tell me where you lived?” Jameson asked.

She ignored him and glared at Topher. “You put ‘no trespassing’ signs on my property. I took them down. You didn’t think to consult with your neighbor before going any farther?”

Topher scowled. “You wrote me an anonymous letter. Anonymous!”

“And that makes it okay to destroy someone else’s property?” Sophia could not help her voice level rising.

“You’re the one that trespassed,” Topher snarled.

Jameson stepped in between them but both Sophia and Topher moved around him to continue their argument.

“You think you can just waltz back into town and take over? Some people have lived here the whole time while you let the place go to rot.”

Topher waved a hand around. “It’s not going to rot anymore, but that shack was!”

“Because some people also have to work!” Sophia shrieked.

Jameson tried to take her hands and apologize again but Sophia snapped them back. She didn’t want his sympathy or him getting in the way of her real target. “Jamie, do you mind? I need to talk to Topher.”

He clearly felt the rejection and shot a look between her and Topher. Then the big man shrugged hopelessly and left the two to glare at each other.

“You’re acting like I did it on purpose to hurt you,” Topher accused her.

Sophia crossed her arms over her chest. “The one you really hurt was Anna. It broke her heart to see our farm stand demolished and all her beloved raspberry bushes trampled.”

The heartache that flashed across Topher’s face was both satisfying and strangely painful for Sophia to see. His shoulders went slack and his voice dropped to a softer octave.

“I didn’t know. You could have told me,” he said sadly.

Sophia thought of the other things she could have told him, and panic raised her voice level back up. “I shouldn’t have to tell you not to destroy your neighbor’s property!”

A gleam came suddenly into Topher’s jewel blue eyes. “You. You shot at me! My first night here and you pointed a shotgun at me!”

“Seems like I was a fool to miss on purpose,” she retorted.

Topher scowled at her again. “I wasn’t trespassing. In fact, after my neighbor’s anonymous letter, I had a surveyor come out and check the property lines. We double-checked that against the deed and the old land maps. That shack was on my property. So, what are you really mad at me about, Sophia?”

The fight left her suddenly and her whole body sagged. She leaned on the tailgate of her truck and fought back another wave of tears. “You don’t get it.”

“I would if you told me,” Topher snapped.

Sophia took a deep breath. “I thought that little garden plot was ours. No one else has been around for years so we tended it when we could. Anna loved it there. Then my baking took off and everyone kept asking if I was going to sell during the week and not just at weekend farmers’ markets. So, I dreamed up the idea of the farm stand. Of course, I don’t have the money for something like that so an abandoned little shack seemed like the perfect place. I just didn’t have time to fix it.”

Topher sunk onto the tailgate next to her. “You were going to fix it up and sell your baked goods at the crossroads.”

“Everyone in town promised they’d make the drive for my pies and brownies and. . .”

“And butterfly cookies.” Topher hung his head. “I’m really sorry, Sophia.”

She squared her jaw and refused to cry. “You didn’t know.”

Sophia stood up and tried to leave but Topher caught her wrist. “I didn’t know but I do now and I’m really sorry. I’ll rebuild it.”

“It’s your land, remember?” she tugged her wrist free. “And there’s no way I’m paying rent.”

“You really think I’d make you pay rent?” Topher frowned at her as he followed her to her pickup door.

“And you think I’d take charity from you?” Sophia yanked open the truck door. “I don’t want anything from you, Topher Rolston.”

She got in the truck and made it to the crossroads before her tears overflowed.

CHAPTER 7

***TOPHER***

Topher could not complain about his stable manager. Jameson worked hard at everything he was asked to do, and he frequently helped out with tasks outside his job description. It was easy to see why everyone liked him, and that is what made it hard for Topher to really warm to him. Sophia would have to be crazy not to welcome a man like Jameson into her life.

Still, she had ignored him completely when coming to confront them about the demolition. Jameson had even stepped in between her and Topher, and she had moved around him. Topher could still see her eyes locked on to his as she dismissed the other man.

It gave him hope that he had no right to want.

Sophia deserved better, so Topher’s thoughts spun around again. He couldn’t stop thinking about her or comparing himself to the likeable and reliable Jameson. It was a relief when his stable manager appeared late that afternoon and reminded him of the trip he had scheduled.

“I know it’ll save you some money if I drive up and get the horses myself,” Jameson told him. “Though I don’t want to slow down any of the work you need done here. Either way, I’m ready.”

Of course he’s accommodating, Topher thought. It is impossible to hate this man. Then, out loud, he said, “Thanks, but the trip would be most appreciated.”

If only to give Topher some space to think about what had passed between him and Sophia. His chest still felt tight at the idea that he had upset Anna. Thinking of the little girl’s first view of the demolished garden squeezed the breath right out of him. Then he remembered how defeated Sophia looked as she told him what that little shack meant to her. Not only had he destroyed a hope-filled project of hers but also a potential business!

After a quiet dinner alone in the cavernous ranch house kitchen, Topher headed down to the garden patch. He was determined to see what could be salvaged of Anna’s raspberries. Most of the plants had been trampled as he and Jameson took apart the wooden building. The shoots that had survived were now wilted by the hot, direct sun. Some wildflowers had recovered but he really couldn’t tell a perennial from a weed. It looked like a total loss, and Topher felt it like a kick to the gut.

He could hardly sleep that night. The ranch house was much too big for just him, and it was too quiet. In the morning, Topher felt like he might as well live on the moon. With Jameson gone, there was no one moving around and working as Topher sipped his coffee, and soon he couldn’t stand the sound of his own thoughts.

On the way to town, Topher knew he couldn’t just drive around aimlessly. He needed to do something, and he needed to do something for Sophia and Anna. So, he drove straight to the plant nursery on the outer edge of Isabel and filled an entire cart with raspberry plants.

“Is there something I can help you with?” a salesperson asked him tentatively. It was early and no one else was in the store, certainly not someone loading up plants with such gusto.

Topher frowned at him, focused on his own thoughts. “Can you tell me why these plants have butterflies on the tags?”

The salesperson smiled. “Those are perfect for butterfly gardens. They are perennials that attract butterflies or feed and support the caterpillars.”

“Perfect. I need a dozen of the best ones,” Topher said. His wallet had been feeling the pinch lately but this was one cost he would rack up debt for in an instant.

Eager to make such an early and easy sale, the employee helped fill another cart, ring him up, and even packed the plants safely in the bed of Topher’s pickup truck. He waved as Topher drove off and turned down Main Street.

Topher felt better, but the crushed look in Sophia’s eyes when she talked about wanting a place to sell her baked goods still haunted him. Then he saw it: a small shop front with two large windows. It was narrow but had an excellent location. He immediately parked and jumped out to peer inside. The store was one long, narrow rectangle, but there was just enough room for a few bakery cases, a counter, and maybe a cafe table or two.

He called the leasing agent right away and was happy his last name was so recognizable in town. The agent was there in less than fifteen minutes.

“There has been other interest in the space, but that renter has yet to make it into town to see it in person,” he said.

Topher glanced at the leasing agent, “so I could start renting it today?”

He cleared his throat. “Seeing as your family has such a solid reputation in local business, I would even be willing to rent to you on a month-by-month basis. With first and last month’s rent down, of course.”

“Done.” Topher shook the agent’s hand and signed away the rest of the seed money he had saved for his own very expensive business venture.

He drove directly to Sophia’s cottage, but no one was home. He worried that she worked too much but resolved to come back the next day. On his way back to care for his horses, he carefully placed the plants in a sheltered spot and watered them per the nursery salesperson’s instructions.

That night, exhausted from the stable work Jameson normally handled, Topher was able to sleep. He woke up late and realized it was just the middle of the week. Sophia would be working at the bank and Anna would be in school. Luckily Jameson returned with two more horses, and Topher helped him get them settled into their new stalls.

It was late afternoon by the time Topher showered himself off and headed past the demolished garden and over to Sophia’s cottage. It was small but overflowing with charm, and he smiled at the sidewalk chalk drawings as he waited for someone to answer the door.

“Now’s not a good time,” Sophia said as soon as she saw him. She kept the door tight against her so Anna could not see who was on the doorstep.

“I just need a little neighborly advice,” he told her with his most charming smile. “I bought a bunch of raspberry plants for my garden, but I have no idea how to plant them.”

Sophia’s eyes softened but she refused to budge. “They come with instructions. Or there’s always the internet.”

“True. It’s also true that it’s a nice day. Nice enough for you to come out and watch your neighbor grovel in the dirt and try to make things right,” Topher said.

She cracked a smile. “Maybe we’ll come over this weekend when you’ve got everything in the ground.”

Topher sighed. “Will you at least let me pick you up from work tomorrow and show you the other surprise?”

Sophia was intrigued but her eyes narrowed. She never liked surprises.

He decided to come right out and confess. “I felt so bad about ruining your plans and depriving the people of Isabel your delicious baked goods, so I rented you a shop front right on Main Street.”

“What?” Sophia asked too loud. Anna started calling out questions about who was visiting from somewhere inside the sweet little cottage.

Topher held up both hands. “Call it an investment. I get free sugar cookies until you take over the rent. Then you can pay me back by the time Anna graduates high school.”

Sophia blinked back tears, then pursed her lips tights. “Absolutely not. I’m not taking your money, Rolston. I appreciate you are trying to set things right but I am not taking charity. The land was yours, the shack was yours, you made your choice. It’s done. No use crying over splintered wood.”

He knew she was too stubborn to accept his offer right away, and Topher loved that about her. So, he gazed around her tidy yard and made his secondary offer. “Speaking of splintered wood, the least I can do is give you the scrap wood so you can build your own farm stand. I hear there are DIY videos on the internet.”

Sophia’s eyes lit up and the corners of her lips almost curled into a smile. “Build my own?”

She liked the idea and Topher’s heart soared. “And everyone in Texas knows it’s okay to ask your neighbor to borrow whatever tools you may need.”

Her smile broke through before she could catch herself. Sophia sighed at him and said, “I’ll think about it.”

Then she shut the cottage door on his smiling face.

Topher headed back to his ranch feeling like he could outrace his own horses. He marched into the stables, intending to work himself tired again, but Jameson had everything handled.

“I don’t want to be the boss that sits on the porch with no dirt under his nails,” Topher told him.

Jameson grinned, appreciating that sentiment. “Well, if dirt is what you’re looking for, then you better tend to those potted plants out front. They are starting to wilt.”

It was just the work that Topher needed to help channel his optimistic energy. He loaded them all back into his pickup and drove to the crossroads, where he then carried each other to the garden patch and got to work with a shovel. He was whistling and planting the perennials when a little voice startled him.

“Is that Joe Pye weed? Butterflies love that,” Anna said.

Topher leaned on his shovel, delighted by the sight of the smiling little girl. He hoped the newly planted garden would erase the memory of her demolished shed. “Is your Mama joining us too?”

Anna glanced over her shoulder. “Probably soon.”

He had the feeling she had sneaked out of the cottage but decided to give her a few minutes to enjoy the new plants before he took her home.

“I planted all the raspberries in two big patches over there. Did you know those things have thorns?”

Anna laughed. “That’s why Mama makes me wear garden gloves.”

“She’s a smart lady, your Mama.”

He watched, utterly charmed as Anna patted the dirt around the Joe Pye weed and told the plant how happy it would be in its new home. When she was done he presented her with another plant.

“It says Bee Balm,” Anna told him.

Topher’s jaw dropped. “You can read? Your smart Mama sure had one smart kid. Now, Ms. Smarty, where should we put the Bee Balm?”

Topher dug wherever she pointed, and soon they had a delightfully crooked path of plants. They were just discussing making their own stepping stones when Drake surprised them.

“I may have a leftover load of pea gravel to add to your path,” he told them.

Topher eyed his brother. Something was different about Drake. Then he saw his brother smile at Anna and realized Drake’s fatherly instincts couldn’t resist the sweet child. It dawned on Topher that Drake was a good father and if he could do it, then there was hope for anyone.

“You want to plant some lavender?” Anna asked Drake, familiar with her friend Teddy’s father.

Drake smiled but shook his head. “I’m better with horses. Which is why I stopped by to let my brother know I’ll help with his fancy new show ring. Someone has to make sure those horses don’t get hurt doing their jumps.”

Anna opened her mouth to ask a hundred questions about the horses and the jumps then tilted her head and listened intently. “I hear Mama calling. I gotta go.”

She waved goodbye to the plants and Topher, then took off running.

“I don’t think Sophia knew she was here,” Topher remarked to Drake.

Drake watched the little girl run off. “She reminds me so much of Teddy at that age. Though she definitely has her mama’s brown eyes.”

Since Drake seemed in a generous mood, Topher was going to ask him if he knew anything about Anna’s father. Then his phone rang and he had to pick up.

“August,” he said loudly, alerting Drake. “Are you in town yet?”

“No, and I might not come at all,” August ranted over the phone, unaware he’d been switched to speaker phone. “There is no room for my plans in that town.”

“What plans?” Topher asked. “Maybe I could help.”

“Help?” August huffed. “All you talk about is horses and steeple chases and nonsense. Do you even know what I’ve been doing these last few years?”

Topher looked at Drake, who mouthed ‘chef.’

“Sure I do,” Topher told August. “You’re a cook or something, right?”

Drake stifled a laugh.

“I’m a chef!”

“People love to eat in Texas. So, when are you coming home?” Topher asked.

August ground his teeth so loudly both Topher and Drake could hear. “The only decent space Isabel had available was a little shoebox. I was thinking about making it work, but now I find out someone has gone and rented it!”

Topher’s shoulders slumped. “Was it on Main Street?”

“Yes,” August snapped.

Drake was gesturing frantically up to the ranch house. Topher crinkled his forehead and tried to understand the strange miming. Then his face cleared and he nodded. “Who needs a little cafe spot when you have an entire ranch house?”

“A ranch house?” August was still irritated and almost shouting.

“Just come and see it,” Topher cajoled. “You know you need to come home.”

“We’ll see,” August snapped and hung up the phone.

Topher hung up the phone and stared at his boots. “That went well,” he said.

Drake snorted. “I gotta tell you, T, no one is expecting a miracle, especially when it comes to you know who.”

Topher was relieved to hear sympathy in his brother’s voice, but he couldn’t face him. Instead, he looked off towards the ranch house and sighed. “Maybe this was all a big mistake. Just another one of my whims, right?”

“You know, I think I’m done with that,” Drake snapped.

“What?” His younger brother now had Topher’s attention.

“So what if you traveled for a few years, took your chances, made your way outside of the Rolston traditions. You’re home now, and it’s about time your brothers admit we want you to stay.”

It was exactly what Topher wanted to hear, but he didn’t believe it until Drake showed up with Sutton the next morning. They were ready to work on the show ring, but Topher had one quick chore first.

“You sure she’s not going to shoot at us for trespassing?” Drake joked as they loaded up Topher’s truck.

“I’m just being neighborly,” Topher retorted.

Sutton smiled, “Seems kinda fateful that you two would end up neighbors, don’t you think?”

Topher scowled at his youngest brother, not ready to admit to his brothers he had been thinking the same thing. “All I’ve got to do is make this right.”

They delivered all the scrap wood and needed materials for a new farm stand to Sophia’s driveway and left before she could protest.

CHAPTER 8

***SOPHIA***

Anna was doing her best impression of a gymnast on a balance beam when Sophia spotted the pile of scrap wood waiting in her driveway. “Be careful!” she cried, though she could see from her front steps someone had carefully pulled all the old nails from the boards.

In fact, the wood was stripped, sanded, and ready to use again.

“Mom, watch!” Anna spun around and balanced her way to the other end again. “Isn’t it great?”

“It’s a lot of work,” Sophia responded. She felt her daughter’s enthusiasm, but the exhaustion of being a single parent pulled her back to practical thoughts. “And it didn’t come with a level foundation, did it?”

Anna rolled her eyes and jumped off the pile of boards. Then, she squealed with delight. “There’s an envelope with my name!”

Her daughter had torn it open before Sophia could join her and the package’s contents were already spread out on the driveway when she arrived to see what it contained. She didn’t want it to, but her heart fluttered when she saw the wings.

“What are they?” Anna asked.

“Butterfly stencils,” Sophia explained. “When the walls are back up we can use these to paint butterflies all around the outside.”

“Can we start now? I want to start now!” Anna cried with delight.

Sophia shook her head and shooed her daughter back towards their cottage. “School first. And I’m working a shift at the bank. And I have errands.”

She tried to distract Anna with all the details of their busy day but the little girl was too excited about the building project. She could already see it painted with bright butterflies and full of delicious farm stand offerings. It was hard for Sophia not to join Anna’s daydreams, but she had a long day ahead of her.

Despite a long to-do list, Sophia’s mind swerved on to its own daydreams as soon as they drove down Main Street. She knew the shop front that Topher had mentioned and her heart squeezed when they drove by. It could be such a perfect little bakery if things weren’t so complicated!

The shop front was almost impossible to resist and Sophia found herself walking by it after her shift at the bank. It was midday and she was surprised to see the leasing agent in the doorway, taking down the sign.

“Do you mind if I take a look inside?” Sophia couldn’t believe her own boldness, but small-town curiosity was common.

Inside, Sophia felt like her daughter with her head whirling with imaginative ideas. She knew just where the cases of baked goods could go and where she would set up the coffee bar. It was hard to shake off all the possibilities, but soon Sophia forced herself to thank the agent.

“No problem. I’m not sure what it’s going to become,” he told her as he locked up. “There was some interest in it becoming a vegan cafe, but a new renter put in a better offer.”

“Is everything finalized?” Sophia asked.

“Soon, I think. Too bad about the vegan. My daughter’s a vegetarian and a cafe like that would have lured her home on the weekends more often.”

Sophia thanked the leasing agent again and walked slowly down Main Street. What if she contacted the other possible renter and proposed a partnership? Perhaps they could outbid Topher and she would be able to go into business without it being complicated by him. She loved experimenting with dairy-free and vegan baking, and it would give her bakery business a new and exciting niche.

She stopped across the street and turned to consider the shop front again. Topher was offering it as reparations for the farm stand he destroyed, but it felt like charity to Sophia. Ever since Anna was born, there had been many people in town trying to take pity on her and give her any number of free things. For six years, she had politely turned down every offer and proved that she could support her daughter on her own. She couldn’t possibly start accepting help now. Even if it was from him, for Anna.

No. Sophia stopped herself right there. She could not even allude to the connection between Topher and Anna. And to do so for financial reasons was a complete affront to Sophia’s pride.

If, and it was a huge if, she wanted to start a brick-and-mortar bakery, she would have to contact the other person interested in the shop front. They would have to form an even partnership and build the business from there.

Then another sign caught Sophia’s eye and she sighed. Daydreams and possibilities were no match for a ‘help wanted’ sign, especially when there were no open shifts at the bank. Despite the high hopes for her baking business, Sophia had to be practical and fill in the gaps in her earnings. She wasn’t making decisions just for herself, and there was no way she was going to let Anna feel as if she had to go without. She enquired within before heading back to her little cottage.

Sophia wished she could avoid the crossroads, but there was no other way to reach home. She drove up, trying to keep her eyes on the road, then she saw the freshly turned dirt. Her truck slowed to a crawl as she blinked at the newly planted garden. Topher had replaced the raspberries, added blackberries, and put in an endless array of butterfly-friendly plants. It was beautiful.

She threw her truck into park and put the windows down, needing to breathe.

It was simple, Topher had made a mistake and was trying to make up for it. So, why did it feel like so much more? There was obvious care put into the placement of the new plants, and Sophia wondered if he’d thought about Anna as he created the winding paths. The thought of him caring enough to include a little girl in his work was enough to make hot tears wash up into Sophia’s eyes.

Sophia looked up and down the long, rural Texas roads and took a minute to let her emotions out. She propped her elbows on the steering wheel and let the tears flow. The real problem wasn’t that Topher had a soft spot for Anna or that her daughter liked him a whole lot. The trouble was, Sophia had never stopped loving Topher. He was more than just her first love, and her heart wouldn’t let her lie any longer. All the feelings she had ever had for Topher were still real and now that he was back in town, they were growing stronger again.

She had loved him from the first moment she saw him in school. Topher was skinny then with floppy hair and a wily, blue-eyed smile that lit up his whole face. Sophia had never understood why people called it ‘falling in love’ until she felt her whole mind and body tumble over the thought of him. He was the first boy to ask her to go steady, her first real boyfriend, her first long deep kisses.

Together they had lost control and let their passion go too far, and together they had promised to not open those floodgates again until they were older, but one time was enough.

It was never Sophia’s intention to lie to Topher about the pregnancy; she just didn’t bring it up. He was so full of travel plans and ideas, and none of them involved staying put, settling down, or raising an infant. The more she heard his wild, youthful ideas, the more Sophia wanted him to have them. That was the problem of loving Topher so much.

She wanted him to have the world.

Then, he started to notice she wasn’t as thrilled about the idea of world travel. Sophia used her disjointed childhood and her father’s military career as an excuse. She wanted roots while Topher wanted thrills. It became a rift, and Sophia had no choice but to make it wider and wider until he broke free. Nothing could make her tie him down because she loved him too much to chain him where he didn’t want to be.

Faint voices drew her out of her tears, and Sophia swiped them away quickly. No one knew she held the link that could have kept Topher chained to Isabel, Texas. Shortly after he left on his first whirlwind travels, newly single, she made sure to be seen all over town with plenty of eligible guys. Then, when her pregnancy was too obvious to hide, she took on the shame of never naming a father. That way, she ensured Topher’s freedom.

Sophia straightened her shoulders, still certain she had done the right thing. Topher had gone on more travels, and Anna grew up without waiting for someone to come home to her. Her mother knew enough of that longing and grief to spare her one minute of expecting someone who may or may not show up on time.

Summoning up nearly seven years of confidence, Sophia assured herself again she had done the right thing. Then she glanced in her rear view window and spotted the Rolston brothers.

Topher was working side-by-side with Drake and Sutton. They were hefting a heavy log onto a horse-jump, but still had enough energy to jostle each other and joke. It looked like hard work though spread between the three of them, it almost looked like fun.

Sophia recalled how solemn Topher’s younger brothers had been about his absence. They understood his need for freedom, but they hurt when he didn’t return. She recognized the stoic look on their faces from many long looks in the mirror at herself. Now that he was back, they were a trio again. The youngest Rolston brothers working together was a heartwarming sight to see.

And they really were building something. Sophia paused to marvel at all the work Topher had done since returning to his abandoned ranch. She got out of her truck and walked through the garden to sneak a closer peek.

The barn was shining with a new coat of paint, the stables were pristine, and the show ring was coming together in a way that rivaled any she had ever seen. In the background, the ranch house looked new. She gazed at its postcard-perfect front steps and deep, shady porch. Everywhere were little loving details like a gleaming new dinner bell on the porch corner, brass bridle decorations shining on the stable door, and a new fountain splashing in the center of the turnaround driveway. It looked like a dream.

Was this Topher’s dream? After all his travels, had he really come home to create the place he wanted to stay?

Her phone rang and Sophia ducked down in the garden. She had to drop her purse on the ground and rummage around to find the incessant ringing before the Rolstons heard. It was the job she had enquired about earlier and she jumped up to answer it as she hurried towards her truck.

“Yes? Oh, that’s great. No problem, I can start whenever you need.” She jumped in her truck and drove off just as Topher looked up from his work.

She forgot all about her left-behind purse until there was a soft knock on her door later that night. Anna had finally fallen asleep after a hundred questions about building a new farm stand. Sophia was exhausted but she answered the door anyway and found Topher standing there with her purse in hand.

“I found this on the edge of our properties and figured it might be yours.” Topher was careful not to allude to the disputed garden.

“Thanks.” Sophia felt her heart racing and wished she could shut the door in his face but Texan hospitality demanded she at least offer the man something to drink. Unfortunately, Topher accepted her offer of sweet tea and settled down on the front steps to enjoy it. She had no choice but to join him there.

It was a humid evening and she fanned herself, asking Topher, “Don’t you wish you were on a beach somewhere instead?”

Topher shook his head. “I was on this pebble beach in the south of France one time. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful, but when the sun hit the dunes, it reminded me of sunset colors on a pasture. I was in paradise and dreaming of Texas.”

“Though I bet it’ll feel nice to take off on your next trip, won’t it? That feeling of freedom and the whole world to see?” Sophia studied him intently.

He stared back at her, his eyes heavy with concern. “Am I that bad of a neighbor?”

Sophia had to shake her head. “I just know you love to find new places.”

“There is no place I would rather be,” Topher said firmly.

“The French Riviera? The Alps? Australia’s Gold Coast? South Africa?”

Topher shook his head at every idea. “The best part about traveling is coming home,” he reminded her.

Sophia frowned. “Some people make their home on the road.”

“I know your father did, but I’m not the same. Everywhere I went only reminded me of Texas and how much I love it here. I’m happy to be back.” Topher looked at her sadly. “I wish you were too.”

She wished she didn’t feel one way or the other about where Topher was but looking into his blue eyes made that impossible. “Everyone is wondering if you’ll stick around,” she reminded him quietly.

Topher put down his glass. “I know. Part of the joy of small-town living is having to prove yourself over and over again. No one is going to believe I’m going to stick around until I actually do. I just wish someone had a little faith in me.”

Sophia couldn’t help but tell him, “You’re not that bad of a neighbor.”

That made Topher chuckle. “Well, I was hoping you’d let me improve even more. Can I come over and help get to work on your new farm stand?”

“I’ve barely had time to mow my lawn, Topher. I’m not going to be able to find a level place for it and build a foundation for a while.”

“See? Those are all things I can help with,” Topher said. “Want me to come over tomorrow morning and mow the lawn?”

Sophia shook her head. “I’m perfectly capable.”

Topher sighed. “Will you at least reconsider my offer of the storefront? I feel like I let everyone in town down when I took away the possibility of your farm stand. People don’t want to wait for the weekend for your baking.”

“People have been fine waiting for years,” Sophia snapped.

“Fine. Then at least let me reimburse you.”

Sophia stood up and shooed him off her front steps. “I don’t need money either. I’m not a charity case. In fact, I just picked up a second job, and I don’t have time for any more chitchat.”

“Another job? Because of my mistake?” Topher looked horrified.

Sophia snorted. “Don’t be dramatic. I’m waitressing at the steakhouse a few nights a week. I do what I have to do to make ends meet and I don’t need a man to help me.”

Topher stood on the driveway and gazed up at her. “I know you don’t, Soph. You never did. But that never stopped me from wishing you needed me.”

She shut the door but couldn’t shut Topher or his last words out of her mind. Had he needed her as much as she needed him, and she ruined it for them both by keeping her big secret?

CHAPTER 9

***TOPHER***

Topher tossed down his phone and tried to concentrate on the view. The show ring fence glowed with new paint, the gravel was neat and level, and the obstacles were set at the perfect vantage points. There was still work to be done inside the barn and behind the stables, but his ranch was ready for business. It had to be. The bank balance he had just been checking was dismal and it was hard not to see low numbers instead of all the hard work that had gotten done.

Starting the lease on that storefront had stretched Topher’s finances thin. Without his brother August, he would not fulfill the requirements of their father’s will and Topher would never regain what he’d spent starting his specialty ranch. If he didn’t sell one of his horses soon, he didn’t know what he would do. Steady work had never been his strong suit, and his reputation as a gambler would keep away any outside inventors. And the last thing Topher would ever consider was asking his brothers for financial help.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself he was close to his dream. There were pedigreed horses in the stable, a few already trained and showing talent. All he had to do was charm a buyer to his ranch and make a sale. Charm was the one thing Topher always had in full supply.

With that in mind, Topher picked up his phone again and went out onto the front porch to make a call. He quickly calculated the time change, knowing his first call was most likely going international. Not all of his travels had just been for fun; Topher had often followed the travel circuit in order to maintain contacts. Knowing people with the interest and funds for race horses was one of his biggest assets.

“Mr. Gibson, how is the Riviera treating you?” Topher turned on his brightest voice. “How’s Babs? Have you lost all your money at the tables yet?”

Topher paced up and down the porch as he chatted, feeling his whole demeanor change. There was a frenetic pace to his compliments and inside jokes that he had never noticed so sharply before now. The energy and opulence of the group he traveled with was hard to beat and also hard to reproduce in the slow heat of the Texas mid-morning.

“I wouldn’t keep you from the yacht deck if I didn’t have a real beauty for you. If you want all of North Carolina at your heels, then you are going to want to see this horse.” Topher paced faster as he saw his brother Sutton’s truck pull up. “Right now, my stables are a hidden gem and you can torture the whole jump-racing circuit with your secret source.”

Sutton joined him on the porch, choosing an Adirondack chair near the railing where he could kick up his boots. He waved on his brother’s conversation and enjoyed a few minutes of relaxation.

Topher wished he could relax. Mr. Gibson, Barry, was trying to convince him to meet them in Italy, and he needed to make Texas sound more appealing. It felt awkward to use the voice, energy, and personality that came naturally with his jet-set friends in front of his brother. He knew Sutton was listening, and he could see his brother’s eyebrows rising the more he talked.

“I’ll send along a video today. I don’t have a rider as talented as your girlfriend, but you’ll be able to see the horse in motion. Just wait until you see the lines,” Topher said in his most enthusiastic voice. “This horse will have you stateside by the end of the week.”

When he was done with the phone call, he turned to face Sutton and frowned. “I need to make a sale,” he grumbled.

Sutton shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t forget Bethany’s from that world too.”

Sutton’s new wife was a Grant and had spent the second half of her life with a huge fortune and all the social expectations that came along with it. She was used to debutante balls and country club luncheons, despite the fact she much preferred a barn full of horses.

Topher felt slightly better. “I don’t suppose she wants to buy a jumper?”

“No, thank you,” Sutton laughed. “We’ve got enough on our hands with her riding school.”

“She and I need to talk. Maybe there can be a day or two when her riders come here to learn about jumping,” Topher said. He liked Bethany more and more.

Sutton’s wife had always known what she wanted, even when her family was forcing her to make other choices. Somehow, she had managed to prove herself and had ended up right where she belonged. Topher wished he could do the same. As he thought about where he really wanted to be, his gaze drifted to the messy little garden plot and the cottage beyond.

Would anyone believe he would rather be there than on his own now-fancy front porch? People barely believed he could stand being in Texas. How was he going to convince him the life he wanted was simple?

“I only got an hour or two before I need to be back at the hotel,” Sutton reminded him. “What needs doing?”

Topher sighed. He wanted that other, simpler world, but he was stuck trying to make his ranch as upscale as possible. It was the only way to attract the high-end buyers he needed to make his idea work.

“We need to work on a fence down by the garden. I can’t have buyers seeing big piles of dirt and half-grown plants as soon as they drive in,” Topher said.

Sutton shrugged and they got to work. Using the old posts, freshly painted wood, and strategic garden netting, they hid the entire plot from view. The only access to it was now a small, hidden garden gate. Topher hoped Anna would appreciate the ‘secret garden’ appeal and not see it as him trying to cover up their neighborly connection.

It was impossible to guess what sort of message Sophia would get from the fence. Weren’t good fences supposed to make good neighbors? Topher’s gut twisted as everything in his heart and body reminded him he wanted Sophia to be so much more than a neighbor.

Topher imagined what dinner would be like in Sophia’s little cottage, the crowded table and Anna’s laughter. That’s why he was so surprised later that afternoon to actually hear the young girl’s giggle out in the barn.

“We hire someone new?” he asked Jameson as he discovered the two of them feeding an apple to one of the newly arrived horses.

The big man grinned. “She’d be my first choice for a new employee but no, Sophia just asked me to look after her for the evening.”

Topher felt stung. Why hadn’t he been asked to babysit? He and Sophia had grown up together, they had been so close, and he was the owner of the ranch and their actual neighbor. Still, it appeared that Sophia favored Jameson over him, and that caused a burning in his chest.

He cleared his throat and smiled at Anna. “Well, if you get sick of Jameson putting you to work, you come and cool off on my front porch.”

“Thanks, Mr. Rolston, but Jamie’s nice,” Anna said.

The burning in his chest felt more like a stabbing now. He was addressed formally but the other man had a nickname? Topher had no idea why, but his jealousy grew. He walked back up to the ranch house and tried not to overhear their continued laughter. Needing a distraction, Topher pulled out his phone and called the next most likely buyer on his list.

He knew it was a mistake as soon as she answered.

“About time,” Tonya purred into her phone.

Topher swallowed hard. How could he have forgotten about her relentless flirting? He tried to tone down his charm. “Has Barry convinced the group to come to Texas yet?”

“You called Barry first?” her pout was audible.

“Only to get the word out,” Topher explained.

Tonya gave a lilting laugh. “Oh, you’re such a tease. He’s already told everyone who cares about horses that your ranch is ready. You might want to restrict your guest list to serious buyers only or the whole horde will appear on your doorstep.”

“That’s why you were the second person I called.” Topher tried to keep his voice business-like. “I know you’ve been wanting to start your own stable of racers.”

“Consider me on the next flight out,” Tonya purred again.

Topher ended the conversation with an uneasy feeling. Tonya Jacobs was sinfully rich and notoriously single. She was also definitely on the prowl for a husband and had recently begun targeting bachelors in Topher’s closest group of friends. Barry Gibson already had an ex-wife and a girlfriend, though she had targeted him and his larger fortune first. Topher thought he was farther down the list as he had yet to inherit but they shared an interest in horses and life in the South, so Tonya had taken a special interest in him. Now she probably thought he felt the same.

The idea that Tonya would be flaunting her fortune and flirting with him all over Isabel gave Topher heartburn. What if she pulled her seductive heiress act in front of Sophia?

Topher heard Sophia’s truck turn into the driveway and forgot all about Tonya. On the top of his mind was how he could involve himself in her life more. He wanted the kind of relationship Jameson had with Anna and the trustworthiness that Sophia obviously relied on. Thinking on the fly, Topher met her at her truck door.

“Sorry to bother you, but I have a neighborly favor to ask,” he told Sophia.

She crooked an eyebrow and warily asked, “A favor?”

Topher laughed, trying to act casual. “Well, it appears I have this garden plot that I have no idea what to do with, and I’ve always heard that neighborhood kids are good for a little yard work now and then.”

Sophia frowned and crossed her arms while she tried to hear him out. “Anna’s only six years old.”

“And all I’m asking for is someone to check on the garden every couple of days and report to me what needs doing,” Topher decided as he spoke. “I’ll even offer her a stipend.”

That made Sophia laugh out loud. “Children are usually given allowances instead of stipends.”

“Whatever seems fair.” Topher stuck out his hand for Sophia to shake.

She withheld her hand while she studied him curiously. “You really want a little kid coming up to your door every couple of days to tell you about weeds and watering?”

“And butterflies,” Topher added. He kept his hand out, not quite sure why it was so important that he see Anna more often. Maybe she was a way to get back into Sophia’s life, or maybe he just needed to hear her sweet voice. All Topher knew was that when Anna talked to him, his problems took up less room and his perspective was always better.

Luckily, Sophia’s smile softened. “Fine. I’ll think about it. Then I’ll consult with Anna. I should probably warn you that she has high rates and killer negotiation skills.”

Topher dropped his hand, having to content himself with the idea of seeing Sophia again soon. “Drop by with her offer anytime, neighbor.”

A few days later, they did stop by when Topher was literally pinned in place and could only call out, “Come on in!”

He was standing in the center of the first upstairs suite with an exclusive Italian tailor fitting him for an expensive new suit. Trucks of material and patterns were strewn around the room along with three assistants. Topher felt ridiculous in the midst of all the luxury clothing, standing with his arms straight out as the tailor discussed the latest fashion in collars.

Sophia was obviously taken aback by the extravagance and stopped in the doorway. “We should come back,” she said abruptly.

“Wow, this is soft,” Anna cooed, her hands already in a trunk of Italian silk. “Are you an emperor?”

The tailor laughed. “I promise his new clothes will be visible. And perhaps a pretty dress for the young lady?”

Topher was about to say yes when Sophia cut him off. “We just stopped by to accept your garden work offer. Anna will accept five dollars a visit and will do all the watering herself. After she has visited your home. We wouldn’t want her tracking mud into this place.”

He was glad they had accepted his offer, even though he felt like the circumstances had set him even further back in Sophia’s mind. “This is no big deal. I just need a new suit for—”

She shook her head. “No problem, neighbor. We didn’t mean to be nosy.”

Sophia gathered up Anna and herded her out of the room before Topher could say anything else. “See you soon!” The little girl waved as she was gently pushed out the door.

Topher would have followed, at least to walk them to the door, but the pins in his pant legs made walking nearly impossible. Then he heard another knock and, hoping it was Sophia again, he ignored the pin pricks and raced downstairs to the front door.

“Oh, you know I love a man in a new suit,” Tonya purred. She signaled her driver to bring her trunks to the door.

“What? I mean, wow. You didn’t waste any time.” Topher tried to recover from his shock and disappointment. “What are you doing here? I mean, shouldn’t you be heading to the best hotel in Texas?”

Tonya flipped her hair and smiled at him. “Well, I heard that Barry and his boys are all going to stay at your brother’s hotel, so I called. Then your brother let it slip that you have a full floor of guest suites here at your ranch house. I thought it might be fun to be your first official guest.”

Topher swallowed hard. “There’s room but no maid service or on-site chef. There’s no staff at all for people. Everyone here works in the stables or barn.”

Tonya flipped her hair again and indicated a second car that had arrived. “Silly, Topher. You forget I always travel with my own staff. Hotel or not, I like what I like. This will be such fun!”

He had no choice but to open the door wide for Tonya Jacobs and her entire entourage.

CHAPTER 10

***SOPHIA***

Sophia was completely exhausted after her shift at the bank, running errands, and getting Anna home from school. Still, she could not resist when her daughter decided it was time to check on Topher’s garden. It was a beautiful afternoon and Sophia missed the peace and quiet of the little garden plot.

Her eagerness had nothing to do with the desire to spy on Topher’s ranch.

Rumors were flying all around town that some very rich guests had arrived in Isabel. The fancy tailor had been Sophia’s first guess that Topher’s friends would appear soon, but she had kept that information to herself.

For some reason, she kept remembering how embarrassed Topher looked when she and Anna caught him at the fitting. Sometimes she wondered if he did not like the lifestyle he’d lived outside of Texas. Sophia had gotten glimpses of the old Topher she remembered before his travels, and that seemed to her to be when he was most relaxed.

“The tomatoes look so thirsty!” Anna called out as she ran ahead.

Sophia tried to concentrate on the task at hand. She still had another shift at the steakhouse that night, and she couldn’t have her thoughts drifting in all different directions. Unfortunately, most of her thoughts and her gaze drifted through the trees to Topher’s ranch house.

She focused again and noticed the water pump had been updated and the hose was new. Topher had blocked the view of the garden plot from the house as if it was an eyesore, but he was still taking the time to improve it. And he had been so openly hopeful about making Anna a part of its upkeep that Sophia’s heart warmed every time she thought of Topher’s outstretched hand.

What would have happened if she had taken his hand?

Anna was busy making rainbows with the garden hose as Sophia tried to focus her thoughts again. She couldn’t even imagine buying a new outfit at a department store, much less having a tailor flown in to make one for her on the spot. He hadn’t inherited yet, but Topher had always embraced the Rolston fortune and its lifestyle. That was a world where she would never belong.

Her feelings tempered by realism, Sophia was annoyed with herself when her heart leaped. Approaching footsteps had her hoping it was Topher no matter how many times she told herself they did not belong together.

Then Jameson appeared and Sophia felt her emotions plummet. Here was a nice hometown man with a hardworking income and a reliable interest in her and her daughter, yet Sophia could not help but wish it was Topher. She mustered up a smile for Jameson while hating that it didn’t come naturally.

“Does your boss have you working down here too?” Sophia asked. She couldn’t seem to keep Topher out of her thoughts or conversation.

Jameson chuckled. “Nah. I heard Anna and thought I would come say hello. This is a good spot for a break and perfect company.”

Anna handed him the hose and demanded he do the trick where he used his thumb to make the stream of water shoot even farther. The big man obliged with a sweet smile, and again Sophia kicked herself. Why couldn’t she have feelings for someone like him?

“So, it’s busy at the ranch?” she asked.

Jameson sighed. “Some potential buyers have arrived and everything has to be just right. There are even guests staying at the house. We’re really trying to impress.”

Sophia had also heard one of the visitors was a woman, and suddenly her chest felt tight and it was hard to swallow her curiosity. Was she the one staying at the ranch house? The thought bothered her enough for her to miss Anna running under the spray and getting soaked.

“Sorry about that,” Jameson said immediately. He stopped the hose and promised to take care of the rest of the work while she took Anna home to change.

It was a kind offer from a handsome and attentive man, and Sophia should have been cheered by it. Instead, she waved a distracted goodbye and took her damp daughter home in a fog of ‘what ifs.’

“What if they’re together or dating or something and now she’s staying at his house?” Sophia asked Alessa an hour later.

Alessa monitored Anna’s macaroni water as Sophia got ready for her shift at the steakhouse. “You don’t even know if Topher’s guest is a woman. Since when do you go on rumors?”

Alessa was happy to babysit, but she was less than thrilled to be answering a hundred questions about gossip. Sophia took a deep breath, apologized for her chatter, and pulled her hair into a neat bun for work. She didn’t have time for makeup and had to be content knowing her black slacks and white shirt were perfectly ironed. The dress code for servers at the steakhouse was strict and she knew the better she looked, the bigger her tips. That night, she was more concerned about whether or not she would get to see any of Topher’s out-of-town guests.

“Do you think I need makeup?” Sophia asked her friend.

Alessa took her shoulders in both hands and gave her a gentle shake. “Sophia? Are you in there? Sophia?”

Sophia laughed and shrugged Alessa’s hands off. “You’re right. I’m being ridiculous.”

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and exhaled slowly. One way she had gotten through the challenges of being a single mother was by remembering who she was and wanted to be. Sophia was happy to be a small-town Texan, she wanted family roots in one place, and she wanted to see her daughter happy. Focusing on those simple but powerful things helped bring her world back into perspective, and she thanked Alessa and left for work without further worries.

Sophia even considered building the farm stand herself as she passed the pile of unused lumber. It was hard to avoid it as she backed down the driveway, but from the street, all Sophia could see was her cozy cottage. It was modest but tidy but, most importantly, it was always full of smiles and good food and guests. It was exactly the home she had always wished for growing up and she was making sure Anna had it for more than a few months. Now, she could even envision expanding it to include her small business venture and the thought made her smile.

Keeping thoughts of her home in mind helped Sophia deal with the demanding customers at the steakhouse. She understood it was one of the fancier restaurants for miles around and people wanted their meal to be special. It was just hard to juggle complaints about mustard, special requests off the menu, and being treated like a servant.

“What is taking my drink so long?” one man barked at her.

“I explained to the bartender exactly the way you wanted it prepared and he is making sure to do so. I will go check on them now,” Sophia told him.

Another woman claimed her shrimp were overcooked twice and Sophia had to face the angry chef in the kitchen. “You can’t just put the same shrimp back on the plate. I’ll pay for another order out of my paycheck.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Soph. But if she sends them back again, I’m sticking them in the microwave and she’ll find out what overcooked really tastes like.”

Her shift was finally falling into a rhythm when the customers at a new table stopped her cold. Sophia swallowed hard and had to force her feet over to greet them. “Good evening—”

“Sophia?” Topher looked up in shock, then pushed his chair back and stood. “When did you start working here?”

Sophia shot his elegant companion an embarrassed look. “Can I start you off with something to drink or would you like to hear the specials first?”

The woman raised an eyebrow at Topher, then commented drily, “I do hope they have a sommelier.”

“Our bartender is very knowledgeable and our wine cellar has many options. Should I send him over?” Sophia kept her voice sweet though her insides trembled.

Topher’s date waved her comment off. “Let’s hear the specials.”

She made Sophia recite the exhausting list twice and then asked for minute details about three separate specials. After all of that, she gave Topher a disappointed sigh. “We’re definitely going to need some wine.”

“I’ll go talk to the bartender,” Topher said. He still had not sat back down.

“I can have the chef create a special amuse bouche to try while you peruse the menu,” Sophia told her.

The woman gave her a dubious look but said, “You do that.”

Sophia made a beeline to the kitchen to warn the chef they had a difficult table. He was just preparing his best appetizer to appease them when the bartender led Topher in through the swinging doors. She tried to escape but Topher cornered her behind a shelf of metal trays.

“I had no idea,” he said. Topher reached to take her hands, noticed she was clutching her order notepad, and dropped them helplessly. “I’m going to request a different server.”

“Don’t do that,” Sophia hissed. “We’re too busy. Besides, I can handle you and your date.”

“She’s not my date. She’s—”

Sophia held up her notepad like a shield. “I don’t need to know, Topher. I just need to take care of my tables and get home to Anna. You shouldn’t be in here.”

She shooed him towards the swinging doors and then went to retrieve their special appetizer. The bartender followed her back to the table with one of their highest-end wines and two glasses.

“Here you are,” Sophia said brightly. “I’ll let our bartender start you off and I will be back to check on you shortly.”

Sophia turned quickly but not before she saw the woman’s pinched look of distaste. She also saw her stunning dress and heavy diamond jewelry. Her outfit’s elegance matched Topher’s newly tailored suit, and Sophia’s chest felt tight. She was certain she had never been on a date when a man bought a new shirt, much less an outrageously expensive suit. Topher was clearly trying to impress the woman.

One of her other tables was whispering about the Rolston fortune and Topher’s reputation, and Sophia stumbled through the dessert menu. She could see the woman’s jewelry flash from across the room, and it was hard to breathe when she heard the woman make Topher chuckle.

When Sophia returned to take their order, the woman ignored her completely and never took her eyes off Topher. He ordered for them both and shot Sophia an apologetic look as he explained the substitutes his companion needed. The hardest part was leaving the table and hearing them fall back into an easy conversation about shopping in Moscow.

It was like eavesdropping on Topher’s other life, and Sophia could clearly hear how far away from small-town Isabel it sounded. How could Topher ever be content with the same few shops on Main Street when there was an entire world out there? And how could he settle for some plain small-town woman when rich and elegant ones could easily join him anywhere in the world.

Sophia wasn’t sure she could afford a bus ticket to San Antonio.

She stood in the kitchen spying on them through the porthole windows in the swinging doors and reminding herself she would rather have roots in a small town than the disjointed life her traveling father had given her. Sophia had been to Russia, China, India, almost every continent, and didn’t miss the travel one bit. Of course, the luxury liner, the first class style would feel different, but Sophia was sure she would hate that too. She loved the seasons, the town gatherings, chatting with her neighbors, and watching the local children grow. Sophia especially loved watching Anna thrive in the stable, friendly, and wonderfully predictable world of Isabel.

What she didn’t love was how the woman kept reaching across the table and trying to caress Topher’s hand.

“We made it through to the dessert course. You got this,” the chef assured her.

Sophia marched over to their table and recited the dessert menu diligently.

Topher spoke up, telling his companion, “Sophia bakes for the local farmers’ market. Absolutely the best you’ve ever tasted.”

“Apple pie?” The woman smirked, flicking her eyes over Sophia. “No thanks.”

“No dessert then? Great. Here’s your check.” Sophia slapped the bill on the table and walked away, fuming.

Her upset was still overflowing when she arrived home.

Alessa caught sight of her and said, “Uh oh.”

Sophia threw her purse on the couch and yanked her hair out of its tight bun. All her words came out in an angry jumble, even as she tried to stay quiet enough not to wake Anna.

“Topher brought a date?” Alessa tried to decipher her ranting.

“I don’t know. He said no but I didn’t want an explanation. She was so snobby! The worst, but she was so pretty. Her dress probably cost more than my truck.”

“Topher tried to explain she wasn’t a date in front of her?” Alessa asked.

“No, no,” Sophia rubbed her hands over her face. “He followed me into the kitchen. At least he seemed a little embarrassed over her snobbery.”

Alessa started to smile. “If he followed you into the kitchen to try to explain, then he is clearly more interested in you than her.”

“Really? Do you think?” Sophia looked up at her friend.

“Aha!” Alessa pointed at her. “You do have feelings for him. You can’t help it.”

Sophia sunk onto the couch. “I can’t help it,” she repeated miserably.

Alessa perched near her. “He followed you to the kitchen and complimented your baking. Those are definitely not things you do on a date with someone else.”

“Why don’t you tell that to Ms. Rich and Perfect?” Sophia groaned. “She was totally flirting with him all night. And if she’s a guest at the ranch house, she’s going to keep flirting with him right up to bedtime.”

“Please,” Alessa swatted Sophia’s shoulder. “Topher may be clueless but he’s a gentleman. He’s only interested in one woman at a time, and that woman is you.”

Sophia shook her head, almost in tears. “He and I are all in the past. It doesn’t matter how I feel about him now. We’re never going to happen. You should have seen them tonight, Alessa, then you would get it. We are from two very different worlds and they don’t overlap.”

“They must overlap somehow.” Alessa stood up and headed for the front door. “Because Topher is walking across your yard right now. That’s my cue to say ‘goodnight.”

Before Sophia could stop her friend and make her stay as a buffer, Alessa slipped out the door, waved at Topher, and went home. She left the front door open, giving Sophia no choice but to accept her late night guest.

“I just came to apologize,” Topher whispered, shooting Anna’s room a considerate look.

“No need,” Sophia said tightly.

All her old emotions were back, and that meant the sense of protecting Topher for his own good was back too. She could see he was there out of genuine concern, and she knew his feelings for her were back as well. But, if Topher didn’t belong in Isabel if a whole different lifestyle suited him better, she was not going to be the one to tie him down.

“Soph, admit it. That was awful.” Topher tried to catch her hands again but could not. “Please believe I would rather eat lukewarm delivery pizza here off of paper plates than have another awkward dinner like that.”

“I make pizza from scratch,” Sophia told him. It hurt when he grinned. “For Anna and me. She’s the reason I work at the steakhouse and she’s the reason tonight didn’t matter to me one bit. I don’t need your apologies, Topher. I have everything I want.”

He took a step back down into the yard. “You have a wonderful life.”

Sophia ignored his wistful tone. “So do you. Go live it.”

Then she shut the door and tried her best not to cry.

CHAPTER 11

***TOPHER***

“I got this, Boss,” Jameson interrupted Topher working in the barn.

“It’s no problem,” Topher grumbled. “A boss should never make an employee do anything he’s not willing to do himself.”

“Sure.” Jameson still jumped in to help.

Topher sighed and let him take over. The truth was, he was hiding in the barn. Over the last twenty-four hours, Topher had discovered he would rather heft hay bales than be chased around by Tonya.

Somehow, she had taken their accidental encounter with Sophia at the steakhouse as a challenge, and her flirting had taken on a new, frantic pace. Every few minutes, she was sidling up close and talking about a different trip they could take: Rome, Paris, or Tokyo. Sometimes she tempted him with where their jet-set was vacationing next, sometimes she purred about private islands or sailing her yacht with no one but the crew.

If he wasn’t cornered by Tonya, he was hounded by her entourage needing various impossible things in order to please their boss. It was more than exhausting; it made him miss Sophia’s unconquerable independence.

His shoulders slumped. Sophia had made it clear she did not need or want him in her life. She had to put up with him as a neighbor and would do so politely because of her daughter, but there was nothing else between them.

Nothing but a yearning that tortured Topher day and night.

Jameson interrupted his thoughts again. “It sounds like Ms. Jacobs is calling you,” he said.

Topher groaned quietly, then left the barn to face his guest and potential customer. Luckily, this time she had good news.

“Barry and the boys are headed over. I sent my people out to refresh your bar and buy some decent lunch offerings. Not from that steakhouse,” Tonya told him.

“Thank you!” In his relief, Topher kissed her cheek. Realizing his accidental encouragement, he backed away and held up his hands. “Sorry to run again, but I have to clean up. You can’t be seen with such a dusty ol’ rancher.”

Tonya purred at him. “I like being seen with you.”

He didn’t like the emphasis she put on ‘with,’ but did not have time to correct her assumptions. Topher needed to warn his crew to have the horses ready. Why hadn’t he hired a trained rider already? His blood pressure soared as he thought about missing a chance to sell one of his racers. He needed to make a sale.

With that in mind, Topher dressed the part of the gentleman rancher and invited his friends to a party in the ranch house. They enjoyed trays of drinks, only the best vintages, and regaled each other with far-flung travel stories and expensive acquisitions.

It felt just like old times as they had taken their party to the best parts of the globe, except this time Topher kept catching glimpses of his beloved Texas just outside the windows. The place he longed for on every trip he had ever taken was right there, yet it felt out of reach. The feeling grew as the conversations felt empty and the snobbery more obvious.

A knock on the door sent his hopes soaring. Maybe Anna had arrived with the garden report and he could excuse himself. His hopeful smile widened as he saw who had come to his rescue.

“Bethany!” Topher hugged his sister-in-law and invited her right in.

She appeared comfortable in Western riding clothes amongst the designer labels and fine tailoring. Bethany immediately greeted their mutual friends and introduced herself to everyone else with her fine manners. She even noticed Tonya’s possessive expression and explained her connection to Topher.

“He’s also kind enough to let me ride his best jumpers,” she told the group with a smile.

Barry immediately brightened. “My girlfriend would really like a horse to ride. Perhaps you could recommend one?”

Bethany smiled graciously. Better than that, I can demonstrate.”

Topher knew he owed his sister-in-law and Sutton. She was a joy to watch with the horses, and everyone was charmed by her gracious manners. For his part, Topher was able to take back on his role of host and salesman because Bethany inspired him. If she could bridge two different worlds and still find the life she wanted, Topher hoped he could do the same.

The more time passed in present company, the more certain Topher became that he no longer wanted to be part of their social swirl. It had all been exciting and easy when he first started traveling with them, but now their interests skimmed over all the things he knew he loved. No one noticed the beautiful Texas weather, marveled over the wide horizon, or found comfort in the sound of horse hooves on dirt. Except Bethany.

“If this helps get a sale, then I can ride whenever I want,” she told him with an easy grin.

“Done.” Topher was glad to shake her hand.

Then Bethany’s expression softened. “It’s okay to change lives, you know. I mean, you seem happy and the consummate host, but it’s not quite the same, is it?”

“Something’s missing,” Topher admitted.

They watched the company strolling along the porch from the peace and quiet of the stable door. Then Bethany chucked him on the shoulder. “That’s exactly how I felt. Then I realized that missing piece was your brother.”

Topher shot her a joking look. “And that’s why everyone questions your sanity.”

Bethany laughed and swung into the saddle of the next horse. It pawed the ground, anxious to show off, but she controlled it easily. “All I’m saying is that home is where the heart is, Topher. It really is as simple as that.”

The afternoon was a success, even more so when the whole group decided to go together to the country club, and Topher was left in peace. The only downside was he immediately wanted to see Sophia but did not feel like he could intrude at her cottage. He kept busy with the office side of selling horses but kept glancing towards the garden in the hopes of seeing her or Anna. No one came.

Later, he headed into town and caught a glimpse of Sophia heading into The Tack and Feed, but by the time he entered the store, she had disappeared. Alessa seemed sympathetic but unhelpful, and Topher could not ask her outright if Sophia was avoiding him. It was obvious.

He went back home with his spirits plummeting. What good was choosing the world he wanted to be in if no one wanted him there? His brothers still doubted he meant to stay, Sophia didn’t need or want him, and he had yet to prove his ranch could be a success. When Barry came back to see the horses again, it was easy for Topher to fall back into his easy, up-for-anything attitude.

Topher spent the next few days playing golf, making ridiculous bets, and partying with his friends. It was so much easier to pretend he didn’t have a heart. The feeling reminded him exactly how he felt when he left the first time. Sophia had made it clear then, too, that he was expendable. It had hurt and Topher had found solace in the easy and shallow entertainments of his friends. Life was a lot easier without roots, without the expectations of home, and without the pain of unrequited feelings.

Barry noticed his freewheeling friend was not as lighthearted as usual and tempted him with more and more ridiculous gambles. They bet on everything from their friends’ routine responses to the name of their caddies on the golf course. Topher knew his money was tight and finite, but the fun took his mind off of everything. Especially the fact that if August never returned to Isabel, they would never complete the requirements of their father’s will and Topher’s jet-set lifestyle would come to a crashing halt, so he felt like he might as well enjoy it while he could.

“I bet that if you reject Tonya one more time, she’ll move on to Eddie,” Barry bet him the next afternoon.

Topher winced, not happy that his personal entanglements were so obvious to the group. Then he countered, “and I bet she’ll go for Thompson instead.”

Barry laughed and shook his hand. “My girlfriend has been telling her that you’re in love with someone else. Why else would you keep fending her off? Just admit it and we’ll see who wins the bet.”

Topher knew it was low, but it was the encouragement he needed to end Tonya’s flirtations. He admitted his feelings were leading in a different direction. Then he reminded her that his fortune was not assured. She quickly moved on and was seen hanging on Thompson’s every word that evening.

His winnings should have floated the ranch bills for another month, but Topher blew it all on a celebratory trip to San Antonio to party with Barry and his girlfriend. He was ready to let it all fall to pieces, then he heard from Bethany.

“I lined up two buyers, plus Barry’s girlfriend has picked out her horse. Hope that helps you decide you can stay,” she told him over the phone. Bethany didn’t judge how he’d reverted to his old lifestyle; she just quietly reminded him of where he really wanted to be. “Jameson has done a great job taking care of your place, but Anna has been asking for you.”

Topher’s chest felt heavy. Sophia might have decided she didn’t need him around, but his youngest neighbor still looked for him and Topher hated to disappoint her. He was back at the ranch that evening. After the loud and rambunctious company of the last few days, the ranch house felt eerily quiet. Then, from far down the corner of the property, Topher heard Anna’s laugh. The sound washed over him, and suddenly the ground was solid under his feet again.

He was home, and it was his own fault if it felt lonely.

The big ranch house with its fancy furnishings and wide polished floors just didn’t suit him. It was perfect for entertaining customers, but it wasn’t home. Topher strolled from room to room and thought about what he really wanted. Sure, his fancy guests had become customers and now the ranch had an actual working future, but what did he see for himself?

Large events at the ranch house and evenings spent at a cozy home elsewhere. Did he need to build himself a cottage somewhere on the property that he could call his own?

In his imagination, his own cottage quickly morphed into Sophia’s. He could see himself sitting on the front steps as Anna played in the yard. They would chase butterflies together while Sophia sold her baked creations from a pretty-painted shed at the end of the driveway. Only when they wanted to, would the ladies get dressed up and join him at the ranch. Otherwise, it would be just a business and their lives, their real lives, would go on quietly and happy at the cottage.

“What wishful thinking,” Topher muttered to himself aloud. It echoed in the empty dining room.

He longed for Sophia and the life he had left all those years ago. Anna was like a bright cherry on top, and he wished he was worthy of walking up their driveway. Too bad just the thought felt like an intrusion. They had their own beautiful life and it was his own fault that he had spent years traveling and never built a foundation or a family like Sophia had.

It was too easy to imagine what life would have been like if he had stayed. And too hard to forget that it was Sophia that had pushed him to leave. Part of Topher was glad his family allowance had allowed him to wander for so long because his heart would have broken over and over again as Sophia created a family without him.

The other part of Topher resented that his family fortune had dragged him back to Isabel, Texas just to feel that rejection all over again.

Nothing could cheer him up, even when his friends returned for one more look at his racers. Barry’s girlfriend was over the moon with her horse, and decided she should throw a luncheon to celebrate her new hobby. Tonya was back too, not to be outdone, and was flaunting her new relationship with Thompson even as she purchased a horse for herself.

Topher had no choice but to attend the country club luncheon. He thanked his buyers and joked with Barry, and even congratulated Thompson on his new romance. It was easy to pretend he was happy until he spotted Sophia darting into the kitchen.

Tonya saw his fixed gaze and commented, “Looks like we’re in for some country desserts today.”

He frowned at her catty tone. “I admire people who can make wonderful things out of nothing. It beats having the empty knack for shopping any day.”

She was livid, but Tonya couldn’t take back her purchase now. Besides, she wanted her horse to beat Barry’s girlfriend’s jumper in a race. They were all traveling to North Carolina together to join the steeplechase circuit and show off their new acquisitions. At least Topher could comfort himself knowing the horses would have the best trainers and caretakers money could buy.

Beyond that, he was ready to have his ranch back to local traffic only.

Sophia appeared again with a tray of impossibly beautiful macaroons, and Topher went immediately to intercept her. Unfortunately, his brother Sutton got in his way.

“I’m glad at least some of this fancy food will be edible,” Sutton joked as he saw the object of his brother’s intent gaze.

Topher sighed, knowing Sophia didn’t want to be bothered. “I’m just glad my customers have brought other business to Isabel.”

Sutton studied his brother and sighed. “Maybe it’s your long habit of gambling, but you leave too much up to chance, brother. Around here, if you want something, you have to fight for it.”

“What if she doesn’t want me?” Topher asked, too tired to pretend.

His youngest brother shrugged. “Fight until you know what she does want. Better than just standing in the background wondering.”

Topher smiled at that. “You calling me a wallflower?”

“I thought I was calling you a coward,” Sutton retorted.

He was right, Topher decided. It was time to stop being hurt and start being brave.

CHAPTER 12

***SOPHIA***

Sophia caught herself singing Anna’s favorite lullaby over and over in her head. It was one of the ways she calmed her nerves before a big event. Her manager at the steakhouse knew all about her baking and had recommended her for a luncheon at the country club. She had stayed up late three nights in a row to make sure she had the perfect combination of pretty treats to serve, and now was the moment of truth.

“As far as I can see, they are devouring everything,” one of the wait staff told Sophia.

She was too overtired and anxious to look for herself. “Really? What about the macaroons?”

The waitress laughed. “The tray is almost empty.”

Sophia’s stress spiked at the same time as she felt a rush of pride. They loved her baking! She enjoyed the feeling of success for a second, then rushed to refill the tray. It wasn’t until she was past the kitchen doors that she realized she was underdressed. Her dark denim pants and baby pink tee shirt looked wildly out of place amongst the stylish sundresses and sports coats.

“Shouldn’t one of the uniformed staff be doing that?”

Sophia froze as she recognized the haughty but beautiful woman who had accompanied Topher to the steakhouse. Luckily another woman rushed to her rescue. “Tonya, don’t quibble. She has more of those delectable macaroons. Please, give our compliments to the baker.”

“She is the baker,” Tonya said, then looked Sophia up and down, “though I can see why you couldn’t tell.”

Sophia took a deep breath but decided to not say anything. Her baking was a hit and it didn’t matter how she looked. She arranged the tray of treats again and hastily retreated to the kitchen. A few steps before the door, she caught sight of Topher.

Her heart soared and Sophia could not help but pause and look at her old flame. He was dressed in khaki pants, a crisp shirt, and a sports coat, same as all the other men, but her eyes could have found him in a crowd of a thousand. What was it about Topher that attracted her?

She wondered just long enough for him to turn and meet her gaze. The sudden smile of recognition on his face sent a lightning bolt through her body. At least she wasn’t the only one with uncontrollable responses. He grinned at her and then remembered she had sent him away so curtly the other night. His smile faded but his eyes never left her.

Sophia skidded back into the country club kitchen and tried to slow her racing heartbeat. It must have been the exhaustion, or the unexpected compliments, or the adrenaline she’d had to push down when confronted by the snobbish Tonya. Whatever the reason, Sophia leaned on the wall and sang her daughter’s lullaby two times before she felt her pulse ease.

Her desserts were a success and Sophia made a point of walking out and filling the trays herself again. Part of her had to show Tonya she was not intimidated, while the other half wanted to catch a glimpse of Topher again. That part was easy as his eyes found her as soon as she stepped through the door. She could feel the moment they rested on her and the warmth of it worried her at the same time as it pleased her.

Her last trip out, she looked around and spotted Topher talking to his brother Sutton. Suddenly, Topher looked at her and smiled. It was no longer a wistful smile, or one from an old friend. Something about this smile promised more, and Sophia felt it like a beam of hot summer sunshine from her head to her toes.

That smile stuck with her all week.

She remembered it when her feet ached from standing at the bank counter all morning. It jumped into her mind when she was impatiently waiting to pick up her daughter from school. Anna asked why she was smiling, and Sophia had no way to tell her the memory of Topher’s expression had caused her to react. The mysterious promise in his look kept her going through long shifts at the steakhouse, and she remembered it like a shield whenever a customer was rude. Rude people didn’t matter when there was someone out there that smiled at her like that.

Sophia should have known her curt dismissal wouldn’t work on Topher, but she was surprised when he didn’t come strolling directly up her driveway. Instead, he charmed her in a dozen little indirect ways. The fencing came down from around the garden. A new butterfly bush still in its nursery pot appeared by her mailbox. A thank-you note from the country club luncheon hostess was delivered and she recognized his handwriting on the envelope. A garden gnome holding an umbrella appeared near the water pump and made Anna laugh out loud. And one night, Sophia heard her favorite song drifting through the trees from the ranch house porch.

Whether or not he was trying to charm her from a distance, it was working. Sophia could not get Topher out of her mind. She was still remembering his look and smiling when Alessa caught her.

Her friend raised an eyebrow over their early morning coffee. “What’s that all about?”

Sophia’s eyes widened as she realized she’d been smiling again. “Nothing. Why? I can’t just smile?”

Alessa shot her a look. “You’ve never been the daydreamy smiling type.”

“I was thinking about our plans for the farm stand,” Sophia lied.

“You just got done telling me those plans were on hold because you’re too busy. Between the bank, the steakhouse, your new catering orders, and taking care of Anna, you don’t have time to learn how to build. Your words, not mine,” Alessa pointed out.

“Fine. I was smiling because the weather is perfect for the farmers’ market,” Sophia said.

Alessa frowned. “I’m definitely missing something.”

Sophia sighed and tried to change the subject. “I just can’t believe what a success that luncheon was at the country club. I never thought my desserts would be such a hit there!”

“That’s no surprise to me,” Alessa told her. “Though I meant to tell you that Bethany has been raving about them all over town, and Sutton is trying to find a good time to ask you to bake for the hotel.”

“Do you think that would bother Topher?” Sophia asked before she could stop herself.

Alessa’s eyebrows both shot up. “Why would Topher mind if you worked for his brother?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I’ve been keeping him at such a distance. I didn’t know if he would feel awkward or not. Have you heard anything from him?” she knew her curiosity was giving away her feelings, but she couldn’t help it.

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Alessa asked. She nodded through the coffee shop window to where Topher was trying to wrangle his young nephew, Teddy. The young boy was excitedly dragging his uncle towards the playground despite the early hour. Both women laughed as Topher was forced up the ladder to the top of the slide.

“I bet he’s here to see you,” Alessa commented.

Sophia shook her head and scoffed. “Clearly, he’s doing Drake a favor and entertaining his nephew for an hour or two.”

“Clearly, that doesn’t matter and you’re just happy to see him,” Alessa noted her friend’s rosy cheeks.

Again, Sophia could not believe the involuntary responses she had to seeing Topher. Somehow, he made her feel like they were still in high school. It was ridiculous for a woman her age, a mother, to have butterflies in her stomach, but they fluttered every time she glanced towards the playground.

“It’s just warm in here. I bet it’s going to be too hot out today,” Sophia told Alessa.

Her friend snorted. “Didn’t you just say it was perfect weather?”

“Whatever,” Sophia said, having to laugh at herself. “I have to go set up. See you later?”

“If you can take your eyes off a certain someone,” Alessa teased.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t far from the truth and Jameson was the one to call Sophia out on it later that morning. “Do you need to talk to Topher? Want me to call him over?”

Jameson had stopped by her farm stand to buy his usual bunch of treats and then linger, but now he was frowning. He glanced from Sophia to Topher, then back again.

“No, sorry. I’m just distracted,” Sophia told him.

“Hi, distracted. My name is Jameson,” the big man joked.

She tried to smile up at him, but it wasn’t the same easy expression that Topher elicited. “Sorry. I just haven’t gotten a lot of sleep lately. How about you? Have things calmed down over at the ranch?”

Jameson seemed to sense she was more interested in the ranch owner than in his work, so he told her, “Topher seems glad that his guests are gone. He made a few good sales, so everything feels a bit more relaxed. My work is still busy, though. Lots to do.”

“Uh-huh, that’s good,” Sophia said. Then she caught herself. “I mean, too bad you don’t get a chance to relax! Have you sampled the chocolate chip cookies yet?”

“Yes.” Jameson looked at her, then sighed. “Hi, Boss.”

Sophia looked up and felt a jolt of electricity. Topher had appeared at the corner of her stand and smiled at her. “You have cookies that calm little boys down and put them right to sleep, correct?”

“Uncle Topher, that’s not how sugar works,” Teddy laughed.

“I’m glad someone knows how sugar works,” Sophia told the little boy. She pointed out the frosted cookies that looked like blue beetles. “Those have an extra dose of sugar for little boys that are dealing with silly uncles.”

“Goodie!” Teddy cried.

Topher grinned and bought his nephew two. “Drake will be picking him up any minute.”

Sophia laughed out loud at that. “Remind me never to let you babysit.”

Jameson cleared his throat. “Speaking of babysitting. I’m happy to take Anna for an evening this week. I know you’re busy at the steakhouse.”

“She’s welcome to come eat pizza and watch a movie at the ranch house, too, if you want. As long as you provide the dessert.” He winked at Sophia, and her knees wobbled.

She gripped the table in front of her. “Thanks,” she said to no one in particular.

Drake hailed his brother and son from near the parking lot. Topher gave her another balancing-tipping smile, then dragged his nephew away from the cookie display. Sophia watched them go and almost forgot that Jameson was still standing there.

“If Topher takes care of Anna, maybe I could pick you up for a late-night matinee?” Jameson asked. “Or we could have lunch next week after your bank shift? Whatever works.”

Sophia laughed as she watched Teddy dancing circles around both Topher and Drake. “I hope he doesn’t blame me for the extra cookie.”

Jameson sighed. “The Rolstons all strike me as extra cookie kind of people.”

She realized she was being rude and brought her attention back to the farm stand and the sweet man standing in front of her. “I’m sorry. You were asking me something about next week?”

“I’m asking you on a date, Sophia. Would you like to go on a date with me?” Jameson moved to block her view. “I’m happy to make it work whenever is best for you.”

Sophia knew he was serious. He would make time for her whenever it suited her, and that’s why she had to choose her next words so carefully. She couldn’t just tell him she was busy or that Anna’s schedule caused problems. Jameson had helped her out half a dozen times in the last month and he probably knew their schedule better than she did. There was no easy excuse, and it was time to tell the kind man the truth.

“I’m sorry, Jamie, it’s just–”

He held up a big hand. “You don’t have to explain. I get it. I’ve figured there was someone else for a while now.”

Sophia shook her head, her cheeks warming. “No, there isn’t anyone else. It’s just that I’m no good at dating. . .”

Jameson put his fingers under her chin and made her look him in the eye. “Sophia, it’s okay. I know. I just want you to be honest with me.”

She pulled away and blinked hard. “Honest about what? I’m just not in a place in my life where I can deal with dating.”

“Because your heart is stuck on someone.”

Sophia wanted to deny it, but Jameson deserved the truth. “There’s nothing going on between us.”

Jameson sighed. “I know. He’s miserable about that, and so are you. Why is that?”

He was so kind, so understanding. Sophia felt like he deserved an explanation, so she tried her best. “I’ve always loved him, Jamie. I don’t know why. Then it was time for him to leave Isabel and travel, and I just wanted to make sure he had a clean break. I wanted him to go out and see everything and not stay stuck here just because I was more interested in planting roots.”

“So, you’re one of those ‘if you love them, let them go’ people?” Jameson asked.

Sophia’s shoulders slumped. “I guess I am.”

It was mortifying how quickly Jameson was able to read and identify feelings that had taken Sophia years to interpret. Why couldn’t Topher have intuited the same thing? And why couldn’t she have fallen for someone as kind and straightforward as Jameson?

There was no use asking why. The only thing now was honesty.

“I wish it was you, Jamie. I really do, but my heart’s just not in it.” Sophia told him. “We could go on a few dates and have a lovely time, but my thoughts would always be elsewhere. I’m really sorry.”

He nodded, resigned but not unhappy. Then he looked up and pierced her with another serious look. “You know, Sophia, the problem with the whole ‘love them, let them go’ thing is that it only works if you hide the love from them. Seems pretty unfair to me.”

Jameson was right. The other emotion Sophia had wrestled with all those years was guilt. She had hidden her love from Topher, made him feel she didn’t want him around, and now she was hiding an even bigger secret from him. When was she going to be brave enough to be honest?

“You have no idea,” she whispered to Jameson. Then, as the big man walked away, she realized he probably did. How long would her secret last now?

CHAPTER 13

***TOPHER***

Dean stood on the front porch, refusing to sit down as he surveyed Topher’s ranch. “Tell me the numbers again,” he demanded.

Topher sighed and went through the sales again. Then he outlined the feeding costs, the crew salary, and the renovation costs he was still recuperating. Even he could tell that his budget did not sound balanced.

“No matter how you say it, you’re going to need another revenue stream,” Dean said.

“What do you expect me to do?” Topher asked. “Raise chickens behind the barn and sell the eggs?”

“Not enough,” Dean remarked, unamused.

Topher ground his teeth. “Just because I’m still recuperating the money I spent on repairs doesn’t mean my business won’t work.”

Dean nailed him with a steel-blue look. “It won’t work because it is supposed to be a partnership and you haven’t gotten your brother into town.”

“He’s your brother too,” Topher muttered.

“But not my problem,” Dean snapped. The only thing that made him lose his imperial attitude was his familial connection with August.

Topher was tempted to continue the conversation just to rile up his oldest brother, but he lost his energy. Then Dean changed the subject and further deflated his brother’s mischievous mood.

“Of course, you could let Jameson go,” Dean said. “Though Sophia seems fond of him.”

Again, Topher ground his teeth. Dean seemed to know everyone’s hot buttons and always leaned on them when he wanted to make a point. Topher couldn’t get rid of Jameson without looking bad in Sophia’s eyes. Besides, the man was a hard worker and the stables wouldn’t run right without him.

“Any suggestions for another revenue stream?” Topher bit out between his clenched jaws.

“You have undeveloped acres. Could always add a few hundred head of cattle,” Dean suggested.

Topher groaned. “Not every Rolston has to be a cattle rancher, Dean! And I’m not subjecting my high-rolling buyers to the smell of manure every time the wind changes.”

Dean gave him a dark look. “Cattle ranching is the reason you’re standing here at all.”

Topher knew his family fortune had been built on cattle and Dean was determined to carry on the tradition. He also knew that it didn’t fit his lifestyle and was one of the reasons he had needed to travel the world. Only when he realized there were different kinds of horses besides the ones cowboys rode, did Topher begin to dream of having his own ranch in Texas.

“It’ll work,” he swore to Dean.

Dean shrugged his bull-like shoulders. “Not without your brother.”

An hour later, when Topher saw another tunnel of dust following a car up his long drive, he laughed out loud. Dean refused to say August’s name out loud but somehow their conversation had summoned their wayward brother anyway.

“You just missed Dean,” Topher called to August in lieu of a greeting.

“Thank god, Mary, and Joseph,” August called back. He slammed the door of his rusty old compact car and sauntered up the front steps of the ranch house.

The two brothers eyeballed each other and then hugged.

“Your hair is way too long,” Topher told his older brother.

August’s expression was stern and set, more like Dean’s than either of them would ever admit. “Did you lose yours in a bet?”

Topher laughed. “So, where’d you come from, a hippie commune?”

“They have cities on the West Coast, you know.” August glared up at the ranch house. “You turn this into a museum or what?”

“It’s called renovating,” Topher said.

“Never pegged you for an old-fashioned polished and parlor kind of a guy,” August quipped.

“Do I smell patchouli?”

Finally, August cracked a minimal smile. He slung his small backpack over his shoulder and asked, “Got a room in there for me?”

“As long as we talk business in the morning,” Topher told him.

August went inside without another word, chose his own room, and shut the door. Topher paced the front porch for another hour or so, then went to bed himself. Now that August was back, things were supposed to be easier but their reunion had left Topher feeling less than confident. August was just as surly and detached as always. How could Topher convince him to stay in Texas when he so clearly hated everything about their home?

In the morning, Topher could not find his brother and assumed he had taken off for the West Coast once again. Then he spotted August’s dusty car in the driveway and realized he had gone somewhere on foot. Topher checked the stables and the barn, then found him in Anna’s little garden plot.

“What are you doing? Meditating?” Topher asked.

August opened one eye but did not get up from his comfortable position on the ground. “Good morning to you too.”

“Of course you found the one disputed corner on my property,” Topher told him. “Conflict must come so easily to you.”

“Only around here,” August sighed. “I should have known this little slice of paradise had nothing to do with you.”

Topher wanted to tell his brother just how much that garden had to do with him, but he didn’t want to get into all the complicated details with Sophia. He needed to stay focused and get his brother to talk business.

Instead, August launched into a rant about how unsustainable most of the state of Texas was as he led the way to the ranch house. He hated cattle-ranching, couldn’t stand row farming, and despised the way oil was still big business. Topher started to remember why his elder brothers cut him out as August attacked horse racing next. He managed to hit on everything that Topher loved in a matter of minutes.

“Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?” Topher finally cried out, desperate for a change in subject. “You’ve been gone so long, I hardly know you.”

“I’m a vegan,” August announced.

Topher burst out laughing. “No wonder Dean and Theo won’t say your name. Tell me, Augie, do you try to make everyone hate you on purpose? Is it fun for you? Or are you really this disagreeable?”

“While I’m here, I’ll thank you to keep meat out of the kitchen,” August replied.

Topher escaped to the steakhouse just to get a break from his brother’s relentless attempts to be different than all Rolstons. That, and the fact Sophia’s shift was that night, drove Topher to get a seat at the bar and order a T-bone.

“Extra fries? Someone is stress eating.” Sophia brought his food order over and smiled as she set the large platter in front of him.

“August is back in town and, man oh man, he is definitely the black sheep of the Rolston family,” Topher told her.

Sophia laughed. “Well, that takes the pressure off you.”

“Except he is staying at my house, judging everything he sees.”

“Coming home can be a hard adjustment sometimes,” Sophia pointed out. “He didn’t leave on the best terms. Why would he come back in a good mood?”

Topher stuffed a large handful of fries into his mouth and nodded as he chewed. Then he remembered, “Dean and Theo used to judge every little thing Augie did. He was always interested in things they thought were weird or dumb or just plain outrageous.”

“So, he’s come back feeling defensive and is judging everyone before they can judge him again,” Sophia said.

“Oh, god. Now I have to live with him and feel bad for him?” Topher groaned.

“Have another fry. You’ll feel better,” Sophia grinned.

Her smile was what made Topher feel better. Their easy conversation lightened his mood considerably and his spirits buoyed even higher when he caught her throwing him an extra glance as she went back to check on her tables. Sophia swung by in between and neither of them seemed to mind that their conversation was disjointed. Topher savored her questions and quips almost as much as he enjoyed his steak, and he managed to make both last until Sophia’s shift was done.

She’d received a hefty tip from a large party and was in a good enough mood to let Topher walk her to her truck. There, her mood took a turn for the worse as the old pickup refused to start. She even gave in and let Topher try though he was notoriously bad at dealing with mechanics of any kind.

“How about I just give you a lift home?” Topher suggested after he was fairly certain he had flooded the truck engine.

Sophia checked her watch and didn’t have a choice but to accept. Anna was already in bed and the babysitter needed to get home. “Thanks,” she said warily.

The easy flow of conversation was harder in the close truck cab, so Topher turned on the radio. He was grateful the song was familiar and attached to young and light memories. He and Sophia had many songs that reminded them of long kisses, and it would have been too awkward to cruise home with those jammed in the truck alongside them.

Topher cleared his throat and tested Sophia’s willingness to remember the good times. “Wasn’t this song on when Mr. Wilson got stuck in the ditch and the cheerleaders had to push him out?”

She grinned. “The day he suggested cutting our budget. Sometimes things just work out.”

“I like that. I’m going to hope it’s true,” Topher said.

Sophia stiffened in the passenger seat.

He quickly added, “I’ve always wanted a nice neighbor. Remember old Mrs. Vonn? She used to absolutely torture my father.”

That teased a smile back onto Sophia’s face. “Didn’t she tell on us for stargazing at the end of the driveway?”

Topher didn’t remember the stars but he definitely remembered that night. He had to take a deep breath and remind himself that being neighborly with Sophia was better than scaring her off. It was the only way he could be close enough to her to find out what she really wanted.

“I promise to one hundred percent tell on Anna if she’s steaming up a truck at the end of your driveway,” Topher promised.

Sophia gave a horrified laugh. “Thank goodness. I’m worried I’m going to see her the little girl she is now and get blindsided by the whole teenage thing.”

Topher reluctantly pulled into her driveway, his mind full of teenage make-out sessions. He kept both hands squeezed on the steering wheel and said, “If you walk over in the morning, either Jameson or I can give you a ride back into town.”

“Hold on, wait right here,” Sophia said. She jumped out of the truck and ran into her cottage. When she returned, she handed him a plate of crispy rice bars through the window. “I’ve been trying new recipes. You won’t even be able to tell it’s egg and dairy-free.”

“Thanks, neighbor.” Topher’s voice turned husky as he felt the brush of her fingers under the plate of dessert bars.

He drove home remembering all the nights he was grateful for just holding her hand. It seemed out of reach, but Topher reminded himself of all Sophia’s smiles and easy chatter. She was back in his life and he didn’t care how.

His good mood crumbled as soon as he entered the ranch house kitchen and saw the colossal mess. “August?”

Topher’s brother sauntered in from the back porch. “I was having a nice, peaceful night. How was yours?”

“Not as messy,” Topher snapped.

August shrugged at the sight of the kitchen. “Sorry. I’m used to having a staff clean up after me when I experiment at the restaurant.”

Topher was still holding the plate of bars and snatched them back when August reached for them. “No way. There’s a dish towel. When I can put these on the counter, you can have one.”

“I’m vegan, remember?”

“Well, these are egg and dairy-free, so there,” Topher taunted him.

August clattered around in the kitchen, throwing most of the bowls and plates into the sink to soak. Some he managed to shove in the dishwasher but he didn’t turn it on. It made Topher remember all those nights he was blamed for chores August left undone. His brother always seemed to have his thoughts elsewhere and left the rest of his family to concentrate on the details.

Why on earth would he ever want August as his business partner?

Topher thought of Sophia’s smile, driving her home, knowing she and her daughter were close by, and the hope of seeing them again soon. He had to keep the ranch afloat so that he could stay.

Finally, as August was swiping the counter but not really scrubbing, Topher put down the dessert and peeled back the plastic wrap. “Here. Have one. And then why don’t you tell me our new business plans.”

“Our plans?” August gave his younger brother a disdainful look. Then it changed to surprise. “These are really good. Who made these?”

Topher felt protective and answered, “Someone in town. Business ideas, August, we need them now. Dean’s not going to leave it alone just because he doesn’t like you.”

August sighed. “I meditate, Toph. I do yoga. I had a spiritual awakening years ago and cannot bear the idea of eating animals. How on earth do you think I’m going to be able to fit in here?”

Topher glared at him. “You’re still a Rolston. No matter how much you try to set yourself apart or how many differences you stack in between us, we are still your brothers. You’re going to have to deal with that one of these days. Until then, I don’t care what you do as long as it appears in a business partnership agreement.”

“You just want the money.” August took another dessert bar.

“There you go again, making assumptions and judging. You have no idea what I want,” Topher snarled.

August finally met his angry gaze. “I’m judging you?”

“And you have been since the minute you arrived,” Topher pointed out.

“Guess I’m already channeling Dean and Theo,” August said.

Topher snatched back the plate of dessert bars and wrapped them up tight. “If you want to cook, or be a chef, or whatever, do it. If you want to start a yoga studio in the barn with goats, do that. Just remember I’m supposed to be your business partner, not your sparring partner.”

“You’re right, Toph.”

For some reason, that simple admission of guilt cracked open a flood of emotions. “Did you know that I’m the only brother that has called you by name in the last near-decade? I mention you every time I see our brothers. I make sure that, on our end at least, you are still part of this family!”

August gave him a sad, strange look, then shook it off. He forced a laugh. “Well, think of it this way, Toph. I returned the favor by behaving worse than you ever could. What’s a gambler compared to a vegan in a cattle-ranching family?”

“At least you admit you’re part of our family,” Topher muttered.

“The black sheep, right?”

Topher sighed and left the kitchen. If that was as close as they could get to agreeing on something, then they had a long way to go.

CHAPTER 14

***SOPHIA***

Sophia agreed to help Alessa with inventory at The Tack and Feed, just so she didn’t have to ask Topher for a ride into town. The last thing she wanted to do was ask Jameson for a favor. She still cringed every time she thought of how sweet and insightful the big man was, and how she had been completely incapable of returning his interest.

And then there was Topher.

He had come into the steakhouse looking so forlorn and frustrated, she just couldn’t help but try to tease a smile back onto his face. Then, when his smile had returned, Sophia couldn’t resist returning again and again to chat with him. Her shift had flown by and she came home smiling despite the news her truck wouldn’t start.

She wanted to call it an old habit. Being friendly with Topher was just something she had gotten used to and, now that he was back around, the old habit had just clicked back into place. That explained her inability to avoid him, but it did not excuse the butterfly feeling in her chest when he smiled. Or the fact that Sophia had to pry herself from his truck because her whole body longed for a goodnight kiss.

That close truck cab, alone in the cosmos, high school crush feeling followed her all through her restless dreams and into The Tack and Feed the next morning. Sophia had to work extra hard shelving product just to make sure Alessa didn’t notice. The harder she worked, the brighter that daydream glowed.

Sophia dropped Anna at school, then fended off the daydream again and again as she worked at the bank. By lunch, she was desperate for a distraction and allowed herself to walk over to the little grocery store. There Sophia was able to think about what ingredients looked good and that got her thinking about recipes, and that’s when she was finally able to relax.

Then she heard a heated argument one aisle over:

“I’m not asking for the moon. Rice flour is a simple ingredient that any store should carry.”

“Maybe we’re out. I don’t really recall anyone asking for such a thing before.”

“It’s common in all kinds of cooking!”

The store manager clearly did not care for the man’s tone. “Seems to me like you should be able to take regular rice and make it into flour. Am I right?”

“Do you have any unbleached rice?”

“All the rice is in aisle three,” the manager told the man.

Sophia dodged out of aisle three just in time. Something about the man’s surly tone reminded her of the Rolstons, and the last thing she needed was another thought pointing her in the direction of Topher. True, he was the least grumpy of the brothers, but he had his moments.

No. Stop. Sophia fled the little market, trying to distract her mind before it could center on Topher again.

Instead, she headed to the little open shop front. True, it had ties to Topher, but the empty space always made Sophia think of what lovely baked goods she would display there and that got her mind back on recipes.

“So, it’s really not for rent anymore,” a man commented behind her.

“I’m sorry, what?” Sophia turned around and all thought flew out of her head. A handsome man stood behind her on the sidewalk. He had shoulder-length golden brown hair, dark blue eyes, and a familiar smile.

“They took the sign down so I’m assuming someone has officially rented it,” he said.

Sophia tried to gather her thoughts, any thoughts. “There might still be room for negotiation,” she stammered.

The man was about the same height as Topher though his body was thinner. She noticed a Chakra symbol on his soft, faded tee-shirt and wondered if he did yoga. That would explain the taut strength. Sophia dropped her eyes, embarrassed. Then she noticed his sandals. In Isabel, Texas! Even Topher had switched to cowboy boots, and he had arrived wearing loafers with no socks.

“Do I know you?” the man asked.

“Sorry, hi. I’m Sophia.” She stuck out her hand. “You must be new in town.”

He shook it with a friendly but serious look. “I’m AJ.”

It was rude to ask his last name, but Sophia could swear she had seen him somewhere before. Then again, she didn’t meet many men that looked like AJ. Maybe her attraction made him seem familiar.

Sophia shook herself. He was definitely the distraction she needed, but the last thing she wanted was another man to think about. She cleared her throat and turned back to the little shop front. “I like to imagine this place as a bakery.”

“I don’t eat a lot of gluten, but baked goods are one of the only things I crave,” AJ admitted.

“I’ve been experimenting with gluten-free baking. It is definitely not easy but there is lots of room for creativity,” Sophia said.

“So, you’re a baker?”

She sighed. “In the evenings and on the weekends. I have a stand at the farmers’ market too, but that’s about it.”

AJ nodded. “I handle the vegan menu for a little cafe, but their best sellers are still the burger platters. I keep telling myself a start is a start, am I right?”

“I like that,” Sophia said.

They considered the little shop front together, discussing where cafe tables could fit, what cases should surround the cashier, and whether or not an open kitchen would work along the back wall. AJ’s expression fluctuated from stern to serious, but his demeanor was open and friendly. It made Sophia wonder just what it would take to make the man smile.

Topher smiled easily. Even in the midst of an angry tirade, he could say or hear something that would crack him up. She loved that about him, but Sophia wasn’t supposed to be thinking about him!

She focused back on the store and AJ. “I keep trying new egg and dairy-free recipes, but my daughter doesn’t seem to mind. I figure if a six-year-old can accept vegan baking, then everyone in town can get used to it.”

“Little kids are the best judges,” AJ said.

Sophia was surprised. Most men stumbled when she first mentioned she had a daughter. Then they always followed up with awkward questions about whether or not she was married or divorced and the whole conversation went downhill.

AJ simply asked, “What started your interest in vegan baking?”

“I like a challenge,” Sophia confessed. “And I heard the other person who was interested in this little shop front was thinking about opening a vegan cafe.”

“In Isabel, Texas? Isn’t that a bit too crazy?” AJ joked without cracking a smile.

Sophia laughed but shook her head. “Not really. Small towns love to try new food, and if it’s good, they embrace it wholeheartedly.”

“That’s good to know. I figured it may get laughed right out of town,” AJ said.

“Wait. Are you the other interested party?” Sophia whirled around and looked at him again. “Are you the one that wanted to rent this space?”

AJ studied her right back. “Are you the one that got the lease?”

“Sort of. I mean, a friend leased it and has been trying to convince me to go into business,” she told him.

“What kind of a business does your friend have?”

“Horses,” Sophia said.

AJ snorted. “You and I might be better suited for each other. As business partners, I mean.”

Sophia felt her cheeks get warm. “Of course.”

“Though, actually, it would be nice to go to dinner with someone who doesn’t mind my eating habits. Is there any chance you would want to go to dinner with me tonight?” AJ asked.

She sensed a catch but thought perhaps it was just about the shop front. Sophia figured they would discuss food and business, and why shouldn’t she join him for dinner? “I could probably make that work. Somewhere nearby?”

“There’s a hotel at a ranch nearby. Would that work?”

Sophia assumed he was staying there, so she nodded. It would be hard to go unnoticed on a date at Sutton’s hotel, but she still needed to make it clear there was distance between her and Topher. And this would be strictly business.

“Sounds good. We can discuss cafe and bakery ideas,” she said firmly.

“Exactly the conversation I was hoping for,” AJ agreed solemnly.

After an expensive fix on her old truck and a quick negotiation for coverage of her steakhouse shift, Sophia took a deep breath and tried to get ready for her night out. It had been a long time, and she kept having to remind herself it was just a friendly dinner, maybe a business discussion, not a date. Still, it was going to look like a date no matter what she and AJ thought.

Sophia did not want to explain to Alessa how she was suddenly going out to dinner with a mystery man, so she begged old Mrs. Schumacher to babysit Anna.

“But she’s so strict,” Anna whined.

Sophia laughed. After having nannied for most of the Rolston boys in her younger years, Mrs. Schumacher was tough but a total pushover when it came to sweet little girls. “You two will get along just fine, I promise.”

“Why can’t I come?” Anna asked. “Teddy said he was going to the hotel tonight too.”

Sophia winced, worried about Drake seeing her as well, but she calmed her thoughts. “Teddy is probably going riding with his Auntie Bethany. I’m going to the dining room to discuss business ideas.”

“Then why are you dressing up?” Anna asked.

Sophia sighed. She had tried to select a casual sundress, something that could say business but would also match AJ’s less formal apparel choices. The little black dress screamed date, so she returned it to the closest and chose a mossy green dress instead. A faint pattern of flowers kept it more casual.

She parked in the curved driveway outside of Sutton’s hotel ranch house. Nerves had taken over, and she realized she was mostly worried about what form of gossip would get back to Topher. Even after an attractive man asked her out and presented her with a possible business partnership, she was still thinking about Topher. Her worry increased as she approached the hotel and realized she recognized a few more Rolston vehicles.

Sophia realized her big mistake as soon as she walked into the hotel foyer. The dining hall was not serving regular guests but was closed for a private family event. She spotted Theo, the tallest brother, then Drake and Sutton. Dean was standing alone in the doorway of the dining hall, watching the others.

“You came. I’m so glad. It’ll be nice to have someone vegan-friendly to help me face my family.”

She glared up at him. “You’re August Rolston.”

He nodded. “So I guess you’ve heard of my family?”

“Sophia?” Topher stomped into the hotel foyer. “She’s your date?”

August’s eyes widened. “This is your Sophia?”

She stepped back and glared at them both. “I’m not anyone’s anything. What kind of a joke is this?”

“A simple mistake. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” August shot his younger brother a worried look. “I thought you looked familiar but I was just glad to talk to someone who didn’t immediately cringe at the idea of veganism.”

Dean appeared at her elbow. “Good to see you again, Sophia. Would you like to come through and get something to drink while these two idiots argue?”

He was the most intimidating Rolston brother, but Sophia took his offered arm. She would rather have flown to the moon than be stuck between Topher and August at that moment. “Thank you, Dean. Nice to see you too.”

Bethany and Freddie intervened shortly after and distracted her with questions about Anna and her cottage, but it was hard not to overhear the men snarling at each other.

“Brothers,” Hetty said, joining the women. She glared at her husband, Theo. “That one won’t even speak his brother’s name. Says he spat on the Rolston name. I think he’s just scared of hippies.”

“Didn’t a pretty hippie chick ditch him in the desert once?” Sophia recalled.

Hetty grinned. “Serves him right.”

The women laughed. The tension in the room seemed to have lowered to simmering and there was plenty of pleasant conversation in between the snaps and quips from the brothers. Still, Sophia’s nerves jumped as they all sat down at the large dining table.

Topher sat on the other end, scowling, while August took a seat next to her.

“DeeDee made the seating arrangement,” he told her apologetically.

Dean’s housekeeper and cook was the one power that held sway over all the Rolston brothers, and she soon brought out a fabulous first course.

“Sophia! Sweetheart, I’m sorry they dragged you into this,” DeeDee said as she handed her a salad plate.

“What exactly is this?” Sophia asked DeeDee.

The bright-eyed woman, just a few years younger than Dean, pulled a face. “Dean thinks it’s an intervention. He plans to have August and Topher’s business plans sorted out before dessert. Speaking of dessert, you can escape and help me in the kitchen at any time.”

“No, please,” August whispered. “She’s supposed to be here to help me.”

“You could help yourself if you ever tried,” DeeDee snapped, but she brushed his cheek in a loving way before moving off to serve the others.

“How am I supposed to help you when Topher looks like he wants to kill us both?” Sophia hissed at him.

Dean interrupted with an imperial throat clearing. “So, tell me about this shop front you leased.”

Topher’s scowl deepened. “I sublet it. To a dog food producer.”

Theo burst out laughing. “So much for a vegan sanctuary.”

Dean shot all his brothers a stern look. Then he turned to August. “Since you have finally shown your face, why don’t you tell us your plans.”

Sophia saw August wipe nervous hands on his lap, but his voice was just as stern as Dean’s when he explained, “a cafe and bakery that offers allergen-alternative foods would work very well in Isabel. There is nothing like it for miles, so the niche market would help pull in customers.”

“Aren’t the ingredients specialty items and more expensive?” Dean asked.

“They can be very high-end or simple,” August told him. “Sophia and I would most likely strike a perfect balance.”

Topher ground his teeth loud enough for everyone to hear. Then he spoke up. “Well, since the shop front is a no-go and I’m still your business partner, it only makes sense for me to offer up the ranch house as your new space. Going higher-end would please my buyers and make for a lucrative business partnership. Don’t you think, Dean?”

Dean looked skeptical, then caught sight of DeeDee glaring at him from the kitchen. He nodded. “Work out the details another time. For now, let’s enjoy dinner.”

Sophia looked from Topher to August and back again. “What just happened?”

August almost smiled. “Looks like we’re in business. All three of us.”

CHAPTER 15

***TOPHER***

Topher sped up the driveway and slammed his car into park next to August’s little economy car. The image of his brother seated next to Sophia at the family dinner still burned in his memory. He yanked open his truck door and leaped out. August got out slowly and eyed him with an aloof expression.

“Something wrong?”

“Why are you here, August?” Topher spat out.

August frowned. “You were the one that kept calling me and telling me I had to come home. Now I’m here and suddenly you’re unhappy? Sounds like your problem, not mine.”

Topher pointed a finger at him. “You’re just here to stir up some more trouble, make everyone miserable, and be able to leave again without a backward glance.”

“I thought you were the one that was always leaving,” August shot back.

“Do you even care our father is dead?” Topher shouted.

“Do you?” August shouted back.

They had both been gone, out of Texas for years when their father fell ill. Dean and Theo had mostly kept Rolston Senior’s condition from their brothers, doing their best to take care of the cantankerous man without worrying anyone. He wanted his sons home and all together but would never have agreed to a bedside pity party. Everyone found out after it had already happened.

Drake had returned first and forced Sutton to come back and deal with the will requirements. Now they both seemed settled and happy. Still, no one had discussed a memorial for their father or anything else. The Rolstons were a volatile clan that had to deal with current arguments first before they could attend to other family matters. August and Topher were the problems of the day, but that didn’t mean the strangeness of getting together without their father hadn’t been felt that night. It just had not been acknowledged.

August scowled at him. “Just admit it. Rolston Senior is not what this is about, is it?”

Topher balled his hands into fists. “Maybe this is about your perpetual need to push everyone’s buttons. Just because you’re a middle child doesn’t mean you always have to kick up a fuss to be noticed. You don’t see me pissing everyone off at every turn.”

“I didn’t bring Sophia just to push your buttons. I honestly didn’t know she was the same Sophia Newton from back in the day.” August shrugged. “Though it seems like you may feel the same way about her as you did then.”

Topher could have punched him. “The last thing I’m going to do is confide my feelings to a heartless jerk like you.”

“I’m not heartless, Toph. I just don’t fit in here. I never have.”

“You never tried!” Topher yelled.

August snarled. “And what if Sophia is my best shot at fitting in around here? She’s willing to work with me on vegan recipes. She’s willing to accept there are more things to eat than meat and potatoes. You want me to stay and work on those will requirements? Then you’re going to have to put up with me working with her!”

The fight went out of Topher. He knew August was right, and there was no reason he could voice for why their partnership bothered him. So, he marched into the ranch house he now had to share without another word.

The brothers kept a wordless truce for the next week as Sophia came over in the afternoons to talk recipes and menus. She and August experimented with different ingredients in the kitchen while Topher spent more and more time sulking around the stables. He had new horses to train and new buyers interested, but it was hard for him to summon the same enthusiasm he once had.

Unfortunately, Jameson was unusually quiet as well, so the stables and barn were not the best distraction. Anna flitted in and out to say hello, and Hetty came every now and then to help exercise the horses. Bethany rode on the weekends, but other than that, it was too quiet for Topher’s taste.

Anna, with the clarity of a child, hit on the root cause one day when she came over with her mother. “Just because you don’t like the same food as August doesn’t mean he can’t be your friend,” she told Jameson and Topher.

“He wants to be my friend?” Topher asked her.

Anna shrugged. “He’s my friend and I think he’s nice.”

Jameson spoke up. “He doesn’t smile much.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s mean,” she pointed out. “Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you’re a bully.”

“She’s got me there,” Jameson told Topher.

Topher couldn’t soften as quickly. “Well, Anna, you go ahead and tell your friend he’s welcome to visit out here whenever he wants.”

“Mom said to remind you she needs more taste-testers,” Anna said. Then she waved and ran back up to the ranch house.

Jameson sighed and looked at Topher. “I’m pretty sure she meant you. It’s your house after all.”

Topher tried to take Anna’s encouragement and spend more time in the ranch house, but it was hard to see the friendship forming between her and his brother.Then it was the week of their first event, and the whole place was overtaken by luncheon preparations.

“Why do they call them ‘finger sandwiches?’” Topher finally broke down and asked his brother one morning.

“Because you’re allowed to pick them up and eat them with your fingers,” August replied.

“But I’m not allowed to touch them?”

August rolled his eyes. “I told you the ones on the counter are for tasting, not the ones on the trays. Plus, I didn’t think you liked vegan cuisine.”

“I wouldn’t know vegan cuisine from any other kind of cuisine,” Topher admitted.

“And here you’re supposed to be the well-traveled Rolston,” August quipped.

Topher shrugged. “Food was never really my focus when I was traveling.”

He tried the small sandwich and had to admit it tasted great. August didn’t smile but his eyes lit up as he explained the different ingredients. Topher couldn’t compliment his brother too much, but he did comment he thought his guests would enjoy the food.

“And wait until you’ve tasted the desserts Sophia has been creating!”

Topher wanted to blame the tiny sandwich for his sudden feeling of heartburn but he knew it was jealousy burning in his chest. Sophia was incredibly busy between two different jobs and caring for Anna, yet she had made plenty of time to come over and cook with his brother. In all that time, Topher had seen her only once or twice.

“I hope you’re not taking up too much of her time,” he grouched at August.

“Baking is her passion,” August reminded him. “It’s what she wants to spend all her time doing!”

Again, Topher felt a stab of jealousy. He loved horse racing, steeplechase in particular, and he was proud of his newly established ranch, but he didn’t have a real passion for it. When he thought about how he wanted to spend all his time, Sophia was the first thing that came to mind. It felt terrible to think his biggest passion was a woman who had outgrown him all those years ago.

Maybe his passion is what attracted Sophia to August. Topher decided it was time to find his enthusiasm again and show her he really meant for his ranch to be a success. The next afternoon, Topher planted himself on the front porch and made dozens of calls, inviting people to another big showing of his horses. Sophia couldn’t help but overhear as she hurried to the kitchen with her latest menu ideas.

“We’re also trying something new with the menu,” Topher told his potential buyer. “Everything is farm to table, completely clean and vegan. Oh, your wife is gluten-free? Well, let me tell you, she is going to love the desserts as much as you will love this beautiful roan.”

Topher even enlisted Bethany again, promising to help Sutton with projects around the hotel all the way into winter. She loved the idea of the new menu offerings and talked it up to all her nearby friends. Soon the luncheon was fully-booked and Topher was assured at least half were true horse enthusiasts.

“It’s going to be such an event,” Bethany told him, eyes glowing. She loved the idea of being able to ride for a crowd again. After growing up with the restrictions of her rich father, Bethany was enjoying her freedom.

“If the food’s any good, it could be a regular weekend entertainment,” Topher said.

“That would bring more guests to Sutton’s hotel, and more students to my riding school. I can already see some of my best students aspiring to ride for your guests,” Bethany imagined.

As much as his excitement was rekindling, Topher still dreaded the actual event. He disliked the idea of having to be his charming jet-setter self in front of Sophia. Did he dress the part in a navy blazer and Polo shirt or did he choose something truer to his Texas upbringing? It felt as if he still didn’t know who he was, and the only person he wanted to help him figure it out was busy in the kitchen with his brother.

That night he ransacked his closest and made enough noise to bring August to his door. “World war walk-in closest?” August asked, leaning on his bedroom door.

Topher scowled at him. “Someone has to host this event and be the face of the ranch. Not all of us can wear shorts and apron and hide in the kitchen.”

“Sophia and I decided on uniforms,” August informed him. “Pink Polos and navy blue pants. I look great in pink.”

Topher had no doubt he did. August was undeniably handsome, and he hated the idea that he and Sophia were close enough to talk clothing options. “Fine, that helps me narrow it down.” He pulled out a pair of salmon-colored khaki pants, a white Polo shirt, and his navy blazer.

August snorted. “That doesn’t really go with a pair of cowboy boots.”

Topher threw the ensemble across the room.

“You don’t have to please everyone, Toph. Just be yourself,” August said.

“That’s the problem!” Topher exploded. “Am I a horse rancher selling highly-trained jumpers or a restaurant owner starting a new trend in Isabel, Texas?”

“No one is just one thing,” August pointed out. “Just look at Sophia; she’s a bank teller, baker, restaurant server, and mom.”

Topher pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just don’t bring her up to me, okay?”

August sighed. “You used to tell me all about her, remember?”

“I was a different person then, wasn’t I?” Topher asked.

His older brother shook his head. “The best part about you is that you’re always the same: charming, too lucky for your own good, enthusiastic, and in love with Sophia.”

Topher threw a boot at his head, relieved when August disappeared with a low chuckle and didn’t reappear. He realized his brother was just the same too: serious, hard to impress, and intuitive. He wondered again why the rebellious part always took center stage.

August was a mystery, and that was doubly apparent the next evening when Sophia appeared at the fence of the show ring. Topher was painstakingly reordering the obstacles to best show off his top horses when he saw her worried frown.

“I’m sorry, but I need some help unloading my truck,” she told Topher sheepishly.

“Where’s your partner, August?” he asked, not able to keep the bitter note out of his tone.

Sophia crinkled her forehead. “He’s arguing with the man who delivered the fresh fish.”

Topher smiled. “He’s a Rolston, don’t forget. We don’t have a grumpy reputation for nothing.”

“Actually, your brother can be a bit of a diva,” Sophia confessed.

Topher laughed out loud. “That is the best description of him I’ve ever heard. Man, Dean is going to love it when I tell him that.”

Sophia rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean to throw any more fuel on the brother feuds; I just needed someone to carry a big box of flour, sugar, and about a ton of shortening.”

“I can do that,” Topher said. He vaulted over the fence and grinned at her. “So, the diva is making you wear pink and navy blue?”

Sophia laughed. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. Somehow all you Rolstons are as persuasive as you are surly. Personally, I think he wants to wear the pink Polo shirt just to see Dean and Theo’s reaction.”

That small exchange energized Topher for the next day, and he greeted the luncheon guests with his usual infectious enthusiasm. His spirits buoyed as Dean immediately mentioned August’s pink shirt and Topher caught Sophia smothering a laugh. They shared a look and he felt his heart soar.

“What about my look?” Topher asked his eldest brother.

Dean looked him over. “You look good. Just like a Texan should, on a yacht.”

Topher laughed and slapped Dean on the back. “Your opinion is always welcomed.”

“Good,” Dean said sternly, then surprised his brother by continuing, “because I have to say I’m impressed. Between the appetizers already starting a buzz about catering gigs, Bethany’s riding school getting all starry-eyed over your new sport, and this beautiful event space, I see lots of good revenue streams.”

Topher was speechless.

Dean chuckled, then spotted August with Sophia and frowned again. “They seem to work well together. Doesn’t that bother you?”

The last thing Topher felt comfortable doing was confiding in Dean, but he too frowned as he watched his business partners. “I think they just share a passion for food.”

“True,” Dean conceded, “but you and Sophia have always been great together. I would hate for him to screw that up.”

Topher sighed. “You still can’t say his name?”

Dean scowled. “He disrespected everything about my life.”

“And you didn’t do anything?” Topher asked.

“Besides keep Father off his back and cover for him when he couldn’t stomach ranch chores?”

Topher blinked. “Does August have any idea you did that for him?”

Dean walked away without another word, apparently equally unwilling to confide in Topher.

“Here, I’m hoping this sweetens whatever conversation you just had.” Sophia appeared and handed Topher a frothy-looking mini cupcake.

“You look lovely in pink,” he said. Then he ate the sweet concoction in one bite and raved, “This is heavenly!”

All her desserts were delicious, vegan or not, and it was no surprise Topher was not able to see her again until the end of a very long but very successful day. Through all the handshakes and goodbyes, he kept watching the kitchen door, hoping he had not missed her slipping out the back. Finally, Topher walked the last guests to their car and managed to catch her halfway across the front lawn.

They walked together to the end of the driveway, and those few short moments were the highlight of Topher’s entire day. They didn’t talk, just enjoyed the quiet of the ranch and the cooler air of the early evening.

“Goodnight, neighbor.” Topher forced himself to stay casual and stop at the edge of the garden.

Sophia turned and smiled at him. “Goodnight, partner.”

He walked back to the ranch house, exhausted but lighter than air.

CHAPTER 16

***SOPHIA***

A day later and Sophia still felt like her head was spinning. August had already called with news of their event booking, but all she could think about was Topher walking her to the end of the driveway. The luncheon had been huge, nearly forty people trying their new recipes, but Sophia couldn’t think about food. Her thoughts were always centered on Topher.

Was he happy?

Before the luncheon, he had stomped off to the stables or the barn before she could say hello. August reported they argued every day. Then again, August argued with everyone. Topher, on the other hand, did not. Sophia worried that she had invaded his life and was messing up his plans for the ranch. It was exciting to hear she had another event, a birthday party, to bake for, but she did not want to accept if Topher was unhappy.

The most relaxed, most like his old self she had seen of him was when he walked with her down the quiet driveway and said goodnight. That was the Topher Sophia thought would stay in Isabel; she just wasn’t sure he was getting the chance to come through often enough.

And she could no longer deny that she wanted him to stay in town.

Sophia carried that longing over to the ranch house the next afternoon and realized August was not helping. He was already in Topher’s ranch kitchen, ranting about the chickpea flour he had special-ordered.

“If it’s processed at a plant that also processes nuts, then it’s cross-contaminated,” he was barking into the phone. He waved to Sophia.

August was volatile and undecided about staying in town himself. How would he convince Topher that Isabel was the place for him?

Topher strolled into the kitchen, took one look at August and laughed. “Good lord, August. Give it a rest. You make it better yourself anyway.”

“You’re right.” August hung up the phone. “We have better things to discuss.”

“There’s a request for us to host a birthday party, but we can turn it down if you don’t want to be stuck renting your place out as event space,” Sophia hurried to interject. As good as Topher was at hosting, she had seen the relief on his face when it was all over and it was just the two of them on the driveway.

Topher looked at her. “I bet you love baking birthday cakes.”

Sophia nodded but explained, “it’s going to be a little girl’s birthday party. She’s one of Bethany’s riding students at the hotel, but she wants everything to be fancy like the luncheon we put on. You’d have to host a dozen ten-year-olds.”

“You think I can’t charm children?” Topher joked. “The way I see it, the more of Bethany’s students see my jumpers, the easier it will be to start our own specialty riding school. Plus, nothing forces parents into big purchases like sweet little girls.”

“You expect me to plan a menu for kids?” August grumbled.

Topher gave him an exasperated laugh. “For them and their parents. Word of mouth will get you everything you want in this town, Augie. And if kids like your food, then your cafe and catering will be a hit.”

“Fine,” August snapped, “but you’re dealing with the complaints. And I’m not dressing up.”

“Hide in the kitchen, troll,” Topher joked.

August almost cracked a smile. “I hope they make you wear a party hat.”

By some miracle, her partnership with the middle Rolston brothers settled into a regular rhythm. Sophia brought Anna over after school and worked with August on new menu ideas. She thought Anna was doing schoolwork somewhere in the ranch house but caught sight of her sneaking around to find Topher.

“That doesn’t look like subtraction,” she told Anna when she found her and Topher playing a board game.

Topher came to her daughter’s defense. “You have to roll the dice then add or subtract depending on where you want to go. It’s very educational.”

Sophia smiled but tried to stay stern. “You can’t bother Topher all the time.”

“He was tired of staring at his computer,” Anna said. “And if he doesn’t play with me he has to make phone calls.”

“Exactly. This is much better,” Topher declared.

It was hard not to notice how well he and her daughter got along. Sophia was also starting to see how their eyes were the exact same shade of blue and their noses were shaped alike. How long would it be before other people noticed how closely Anna resembled her father?

That was only half of the gossip Sophia had to worry about. That Saturday, August appeared at the farmers’ market and insisted on helping her set up. He had been ranting all week about the steakhouse, forgetting that she worked a few shifts a week there, and decided he could make up for it by working with her on the weekend.

He did not have the light touch with locals that Topher did, and many of her regular customers were wary of August’s serious look, but he hauled everything from Sophia’s truck and made himself as helpful as possible. It was hard not for the other stand workers to notice she had a new man hefting boxes and setting up her shade tent. She tried to casually explain to her neighboring stands that August was also a chef, but no one seemed to care. They just noted how attentive he was and raised their eyebrows.

In the funny way small-town people have, that made more people come to her stand than on regular weekends. Everyone was curious and Sophia felt her cheeks heat up every time someone else asked for an introduction. Luckily, her customers were pleased there were sandwiches mixed in with all her breakfast treats and desserts, and word of their vegan menu was spreading.

Unfortunately, so was the rumor that Sophia was dating yet another Rolston.

It didn’t help when Jameson appeared for his weekly treats and chat. Sophia was relieved her friend had not taken her rejection too hard and was still willing to visit with her. The only problem was August noticed how friendly they were and he suddenly grew territorial.

“You never come up to the house to try our food, but you’re here every week?” August asked in a surly tone.

“The farmers’ market is great,” Jameson replied in his easy way.

“Yet it looks like you really only buy stuff from Sophia,” August grumbled.

Sophia stepped in. “Jameson is a good friend. And he’s a great employee at the ranch. Plus, someone has to eat all these brownies.”

Neither man smiled.

“Speaking of the ranch, does Topher know you make special trips for Sophia’s brownies? Because I’m sure he could just pick some up and deliver them to you if that would be easier. He’s a good boss like that,” August said.

Sophia realized August was suspicious on Topher’s behalf. She looked from man to man and saw that Jameson realized it too. The big man studied August in a new light.

“Your brother is a good boss. You gonna stick around and help him out?” Jameson asked.

She loved how her friend stuck up for the people he liked, but Sophia sensed it was dangerous getting between the brothers. No matter how much they appeared to argue, the Rolstons were a tight-knit group. August tried to be the outsider, but it was becoming clear that he cared about his brothers.

August did not like Jameson’s implications and leaned farther across the farm stand counter. “Is that why you’re sticking around the ranch? Or do you have other reasons?” he growled.

Jameson laughed and held up his hands. “I’m glad you stick up for your brother, August. I wasn’t sure about you, but I like that. Too bad you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

He grinned at Sophia, only a few traces of his own disappointment left in his smile and left her with a confused August.

“What did he mean?” August demanded.

“Jamie and I are just friends,” Sophia told him firmly.

August turned his serious blue gaze on her. “Are you and Topher just friends too?” he asked.

Sophia arched an eyebrow at him, making it clear he had gone too far. “Don’t we have a birthday party to plan? Seems to me a smart chef would be going around to the other farm stands and finding the freshest fruit.”

He gave up being curious about her and his brother, but Sophia noticed August watching them closely at the birthday party the next day. Topher appeared in the kitchen early that morning, and August allowed him to cut small sandwiches with a flower cookie cutter. Despite his surprise at being included, Topher seemed at ease and chatted with her while he worked. Sophia felt her cheeks heating up as she caught herself grinning at his comments and saw that August noticed too.

She couldn’t shake the feeling of August studying them until the party moved to the front porch to enjoy a riding demonstration. Even then, she and Topher ended up standing together, pulled to each other like magnets.

Topher’s eyes glowed, and Sophia had trouble keeping her gaze off his happy expression, even as Bethany showed off a beautiful white horse. The little girls giggled and clapped with delight, and Topher’s grin only got wider.

“Wait until you see the surprise my sisters-in-law planned,” he whispered to Sophia.

She pretended his feathery breath had not given her shivers up and down her entire body and looked at the ring intently. Behind them, she could feel August’s intuitive eyes studying them from the kitchen window.

Then, a loose calf scrambled into the show ring and startled Bethany’s horse. The white mare reared into the air and all the little girls gasped. Hetty charged up to the back fence on a spotted horse and jumped clear into the show ring. She cried out theatrical apologies as she promised to save the day, then wowed the crowd by whipping out a lasso. Riding full speed, Hetty rounded the obstacles and roped the runaway calf. Everyone erupted in cheers.

Both women took their bows, then dismounted to greet the birthday girl.

“That was amazing,” Sophia breathed.

Topher grinned. “I gotta say my brothers have made marriage look like a good idea.”

Sophia bit her lip. “Not every woman is as spectacular as those two.”

He nudged her shoulder. “Come on, now. I saw the sugar flowers you created out of a few scattered ingredients. From where I stand, you’re practically magic.”

She had to deflect the compliment before it made her reveal too much. “But I don’t ride. I know you don’t mention it to anyone, especially not your brothers, but I know you ride every day.”

“You’re welcome to come with me anytime. Lessons are free for you,” Topher told her in a soft voice.

Sophia sighed. “Horses, riding, lessons, and sales. That’s what this ranch is supposed to be about. I’ve messed it all up with my baking and birthday parties and everything, haven’t I?”

Topher shrugged. “We can blame all that on August.”

That made Sophia laugh. “So, you’re not mad about having to play host all the time? Your house is an event center, and your stables are overrun with people who may never become customers. Is that what you envisioned here?”

He looked at her longer than made them both comfortable. “I like what I see here, don’t you?”

Sophia’s cheeks blazed. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Topher just exactly what she saw and how she felt. So, she claimed to hear a kitchen buzzer and retreated inside the ranch house as quickly as she could.

Inside, she found the normally stern August leaning on the counter and sharing a bowl of frosting with her daughter. The two were almost touching heads as they leaned down to scrape out the leftovers.

“You didn’t miss the big show, did you?” Sophia asked her daughter.

Anna grinned. “I got to stand on the counter and see the whole thing.”

August’s lips quirked up. “The counter part was supposed to be a secret.”

Sophia sighed. Why were the Rolstons so irresistible? “Not too much,” she reminded her daughter about the sweet frosting.

“Anna was just telling me she might want her birthday party here too,” August said. “I didn’t know she was born in October. How old are you going to be again?”

“Seven,” Anna chirped happily.

Sophia froze. She saw August stiffen, and his gaze turned thoughtful. Then he glanced up at her with a serious, questioning look. “She’s going to be seven,” he said. “I almost can’t believe it.”

He knew. Sophia could tell that August had figured out her biggest secret. Quickly, she scrubbed the frosting from Anna’s face and shooed her daughter back outside to the party.

Before she could say anything, August spoke up. “Topher is my favorite brother. I know families aren’t supposed to play favorites, but I can’t help it. He’s the only one that’s ever tried to get me, and I would do anything for him.”

Sophia took a shaky breath. “I believe you.”

August nodded, more serious than ever. “Then maybe you can believe the only reason I came back to Isabel is because I want him to be happy. Our father’s will, the money, and all the rest don’t mean anything to me, but whatever means something to Topher means something to me.”

She blinked back hot tears. “You know he doesn’t know any of this, right?”

August nodded again. “Topher’s a saint like that. He doesn’t judge and he doesn’t pry. He just takes people as they are and tries to make them happy.”

Another round of cheers from the birthday party drove home August’s point. Topher went out of his way to make other people happy, it was his natural talent. He didn’t keep secrets, nor did he demand people reveal theirs. The rest of the day, Sophia could not help but notice how effortlessly he put others first.

By the end of the day, the feelings she had for Topher were so overwhelming Sophia collapsed on the new bench he had installed in the little garden plot.

“Exhausted, huh?” Topher appeared with his tireless grin.

She patted the seat beside her, then realized her mistake. The evening was beautiful, butterflies flitted across the plants, and all she thought about was kissing him. It took everything she had just to sit next to Topher and pretend they weren’t inextricably connected.

CHAPTER 17

***TOPHER***

“I thought you would be happy,” August snapped. He stomped around the kitchen and sloshed coffee into his cup. “This way, I get a cafe, you get less event hosting, and Sophia gets an almost full-time job as a pastry chef.”

Topher ran his hands over his face. It was too early, and he had been up too late attending to one of the horses. Late after the birthday party, he discovered one of his jumpers had a swollen ankle and he had alternated shifts with Jameson to monitor it. Everything was fine now, but Topher was sleep deprived. 

“Just go over again,” he groaned.

August was highly caffeinated but serious as always. “Instead of catering and hosting parties, and the unpredictable schedule that creates, we start a cafe and supper club here at the ranch. It will encourage tourists and curiosity-seekers to come through during the day and locals to come for the fixed menu dinners a few times a week.”

“How many times a week?” Topher asked.

“Three. I’m thinking Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Your special buyers-only events can be on the weekends,” August told him.

“Or I could just sleep for twelve hours at a time,” Topher muttered.

August snapped his fingers to wake Topher back up. “Mostly it gives Sophia the option of weekends off. She can bake ahead for your events but you’ll be able to hire a professional wait-staff.”

Topher rubbed the stubble on his jaw. “Do I want so many employees? Do I want any employees?”

“Well, I’m your partner, so really, your employees are still Jameson, the stable crew, and Sophia,” August reminded him.

Topher frowned. “I’m going to be Sophia’s boss?”

August sighed. “I thought you would be happy. You’ll get to see more of her. In fact, you’ll be in charge of her schedule.”

“Won’t her schedule be the same as yours?” Topher shot his brother a jealous look he was too tired to conceal.

“It doesn’t have to be. Once the menu is more settled, Sophia will be able to bake ahead of time. Whenever works for you and her.”

“But I’m her boss,” Topher muttered again. Why did that sound like such a bad idea?

“Can you just focus on the good news?” August growled. “I’m trying to make sure we meet the inheritance requirements, we’re more focused on showing off the ranch and your horses, and you get to spend more time with Sophia.”

It did sound good, though Topher was suspicious of August’s sudden change of heart. “You’re okay opening your cafe on a horse ranch outside of Isabel? Not on University Avenue in Berkeley?”

August fell quiet for a moment as if he had neglected to think about the West Coast for a while. Then he shook off his faraway thoughts and said, “I have full creative control here. What other boss would give me that?”

Topher perked up. “So, I’m your boss too?”

“Partner,” August corrected him sharply. “And you better drink some coffee, partner, because the paperwork police have arrived.”

Topher was too tired to have noticed the Mercedes SUV cruising into his driveway. The driver was Mr. Penn, their father’s notoriously sharp lawyer. He was in charge of the will and oversaw the requirements of their inheritance. Their older brother got out of the passenger seat and they walked up to the front porch.

“There is not enough coffee in the world for this,” Topher grumbled.

“Out late gambling?” Dean asked him immediately.

Topher opened his mouth to start arguing but snapped it shut in shock when August actually played peacekeeper.

“He was in the stables all night nursing one of his assets back to full potential,” August told Dean.

Dean seemed annoyed that he had to acknowledge August so he just nodded at the room in general. “Well, Mr. Penn worked up the contract you outlined. He asked me to come as a witness.”

Topher still felt like alarm bells were going off far inside his mind but he was too tired to interpret the problem. Instead, he dragged his blurry eyes over Mr. Penn’s immaculate work and nodded like he understood. He and August both signed on the dotted lines, and the partnership was official.

“Mr. Penn needs to try one of your vegan muffins.” Dean still couldn’t bring himself to call August by name. “I’m taking your brother outside for some fresh air before he falls asleep standing up.”

Topher tugged his arm free of Dean’s iron grip as soon as they reached the front porch. “What? I signed the papers. August is back in town; we’ve started our partnership. Why can’t I just go crash for a few hours?”

“Stop whining,” Dean said. “I just want to make sure you’re okay with all of this. I mean, it changes things for you and Sophia.”

Topher narrowed his eyes, trying to focus. “August said it’ll give Sophia more of a regular, controlled schedule. That should be better for her.”

Dean sighed and explained, “A schedule that you set. August is your partner but those contracts make Sophia your employee. If you had any ideas of rekindling your old relationship, they have to be off the table now. You can’t date an employee.”

“I don’t want an old relationship with Sophia,” Topher said. He refused to let his eldest brother see he was just now realizing his mistake. 

No wonder his mind had been buzzing with warnings! Topher had just signed on to be Sophia’s boss, which meant he officially could not pursue any other kind of connection with her. Especially not the kind of connection he had felt growing stronger since they had almost kissed in the garden.

Or did he dream that?

Topher rubbed his hands over his face again. “I must be dreaming if you’re worried about my love life,” he told Dean.

Mr. Penn appeared with a second muffin in his hand and a happy expression. He and Dean left and Topher knew he should feel better but he did not. A few hours of sleep didn’t help either, and he woke up feeling more hopeless than ever.

Now that Sophia was his employee, he couldn’t even daydream of holding her hand without it being wrong. Things only got worse when the real work started.

In her usual sweet way, Sophia would stop in to get Topher’s opinions on things. Where he used to love and look forward to the random appearances, he now dreaded them. His heart would leap and he would have to bash it back down every time. It was painful how easily she started treating him like her boss.

“I didn’t know which one you would like so I had my friend, the graphic designer, work up three logos. She then tried different colors for each one. Which one do you think, boss?” Sophia asked later that week.

“Don’t call me boss,” Topher snapped. “Can’t you just throw it out on social media and see what Isabel thinks? The locals have to look at it; they should get to choose.”

“You have to look at it too, more than anyone.” Sophia shoved the examples across his desk.

Instead, Topher looked at her lovely hands and ground his teeth. “I like the first one in hunter green.”

Sophia eyed him, sure he was just agreeing to the first one he saw. “You can take your time, you know.”

Topher glared at her. “Not really. Now that I’m stuck being the boss, I have all sorts of things taking up my time.”

“Then I’ll just leave those with you,” Sophia said curtly. She turned around and marched out of his office.

Topher was miserable. Everything irritated him, from the menus to the table arrangement to the need to hire show riders for daily demonstrations. It should have been fun interviewing a long line of attractive and talented riders, but Topher felt trapped in his office. Somewhere down in the kitchen, he could hear Sophia laughing and he was sure she was with August. 

Things got worse when Sophia appeared a day later with a plate of apology cookies. “I didn’t mean to burden you with more details when you are already so busy. I thought maybe a little sugar and chocolate would help you get through all the tasks at hand.”

She was wearing a yellow sundress and looking like a ray of pure summer. Topher hated how his mind immediately jumped to their old favorite picnic spot. He couldn’t ask her on a picnic date, especially not now. 

“I might need to hire a taste-tester too,” Topher grumbled, “or you and August will have me too fat to ride.”

Sophia should have been chased away by his surly attitude, but she only seemed concerned. That made Topher even more miserable and he started hiding out in the stables and barn again. After spending the long night hours watching over the injured horse together, Jameson was his newest ally.

“So, I should stop calling you boss, boss?” the big man asked him after having allowed Topher a long rant.

Topher glared at him but a smile broke through. “Is it weird that I feel like bosses should be iron-faced older men like my father? Please tell me I am not turning into that.”

“Well, you have been frowning a lot lately,” Jameson pointed out.

“Everyone in my family frowns.”

That made Jameson laugh. “You Rolstons do have a reputation for being grumpy.”

“Not without reason,” Topher reminded him.

Jameson sighed. He understood how it could be hard to work closely with someone while hiding certain feelings. “Why don’t you just assign yourself a really big, attention-hogging project? That might get you out of all the little detail stuff that is driving you crazy.”

Topher appreciated how Jameson hit on the real problems without mentioning them out loud. “I have been thinking about creating a real steeplechase trail. The one at Sutton’s hotel was good enough for an introduction, but we need a world-class course to really show off our racers.”

“A long, scrub-clearing landscaping project ought to get you out of the ranch house,” Jameson agreed.

They decided to design it as they worked, letting the lay of the land dictate the best obstacles. It was dirty hard work, but both men appreciated how the sweat cleared other thoughts from their systems. They chatted sporadically, mostly grunted, and enjoyed the peace and quiet of a hard outdoor project.

Unfortunately, it only attracted interest from the ranch house workers. 

Sophia appeared with a tray of lemonade to refresh them and ruined the entire point of the project. Still, she was a welcome sight and Topher allowed himself a moment of joy as he watched her walk across his ranch lawns to bring them the cold beverages.

Then he reminded himself she was off-limits. It was too hard to talk while he ground his teeth, so Topher let Jameson take over the chit-chat.

“You should see how wonderful the garden has progressed. Everything is in bloom,” Sophia told Jameson. “Topher bought at least a dozen plants I know he can’t identify, and you would think he would want to see them blooming prettier than the labels he saw when he bought them.”

Jameson looked at Topher, silently pointing out how every conversation she had was directed at him instead of the big man. “Go on, boss. If you want a break, why don’t you walk on down to the garden now?”

So much for an ally, Topher thought. The last thing he wanted to do was stroll through the sweet afternoon sunshine with Sophia. He thought it might kill him. Either that or he would finally give in and hold her hand. Sophia would be right to sue him, take his money, and never have to bother with his surliness again.

Images of the last time they were in the garden together flashed through his head. He had sworn she leaned closer to him as their gazes locked. Topher thought maybe he saw the same confusion and longing in her eyes. Had they almost kissed or was that just his wishful thinking working in overdrive?

“Thanks for the lemonade, but I have to go shut myself in my office or those emails will never get answered,” Topher grumbled.

He marched inside the ranch house, fully intending to lock his office door, but could not escape his brother. August appeared from the kitchen and successfully blocked him in the hallway. Topher had no choice but to listen to his brother.

“What is with you lately?” August asked.

Topher scowled at him. “Send me an email about it.”

“Oh, come on,” August snorted. “Your part of our partnership is not that bad. In fact, you could make it a lot more pleasant if you stopped this prickly act.”

“It’s not an act; it’s an inherited trait,” Topher reminded him.

August crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to let his brother past him. “At least tell me why you are keeping Sophia at arm’s length.”

“Sophia?” Topher asked, his voice bitter. “You mean my employee?”

August frowned at him. “Really? You’re going to hide behind that minor issue?”

Topher restrained himself from shoving August. “How is it minor?”

“So, you actually thought something was going to happen between you and Sophia?” August asked, looking less than sympathetic.

“It doesn’t matter anymore!” Topher tried not to yell. “The possibility is completely off the table.”

August shook his head in disgust. “If you are going to let some small obstacle like that get in your way, then it’s probably for the best. Sophia deserves someone who will climb mountains for her.”

“And now you don’t think I’m good enough for her.” Topher threw his hands up in the air. “Thanks for all the totally confusing and not at all helpful brotherly advice.”

“You want my advice?” August asked. He uncrossed his arms and poked Topher in the chest, determined to tell him what he thought, no matter if he wanted to hear it or not. “I think this just might be the best thing for you.”

“Let me guess, that’s one of your Zen mottos?”

“Mantras,” August snapped.

“Fine, whatever. Like I’m supposed to find some peace and purpose in the fact that the only woman I can see myself with is now completely out of my reach,” Topher cried.

August’s shoulders relaxed and he looked almost satisfied. “Maybe having Sophia off limits is exactly what you need because it will give you space for some real clarity.”

“Clarity? When I’m so annoyed with my business partner that I can hardly see straight?” Topher snarled.

A smile curled August’s normally stern lips. “That’s right, clarity. Because seeing exactly what you want is the first step to actually getting there.”

“Keep your Zen mountain wisdom to yourself. If I take one step, it’ll be to smack you in the head,” Topher warned. He was especially furious because his brother was right.

Knowing that Sophia was unavailable for dating had made him so upset because he truly wanted to be with her. Topher couldn’t stand having her in his life as just a neighbor or as his employee. He wanted Sophia in his life for real.

Where was the first step that would get him closer to that impossible mountain?

CHAPTER 18

***SOPHIA***

Sophia flopped on the old couch in the back room of The Tack and Feed. Alessa had long ago cleared it out with the intention of renting it to different classes. Freddie occasionally used it for dance practice and about once a month, the ladies tried some yoga, but mostly it was a hang out when someone wanted a place to hide.

“You’re spread too thin,” Alessa diagnosed. “You’re just exhausted. That’s all.”

“I’ve worked two jobs plus baking before,” Sophia pointed out. “There just seems to be more at stake this time.”

And it wasn’t just the opportunity or the money. 

Alessa knew it too. “So, having a Rolston as a boss is every bit as bad as people say it is?”

Sophia gave her a lopsided smile. “What did Freddie say about it?”

“Drake was permanently frowning and always on her case about something,” Alessa remembered.

“Topher is the opposite. He acts as if just the sight of me is irritating,” Sophia said, finding it hard to keep the sad note out of her voice.

“I already told you, Soph,” Alessa sighed. “Topher doesn’t want to be your boss.”

Sopher sat up and stared at her friend. “If he can’t stand being my boss, then how can you be sure he wants to be anything else? Maybe I’m too clingy or I don’t have the same sales instincts he has. Maybe he’s just sick of me hanging around all the time.”

Alessa snorted, “you are just tired and not thinking straight. Topher would be one hundred times worse if you weren’t around all the time.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Sophia wailed. “I can’t go on like this.”

“Well, let’s run the numbers again.” Alessa got serious. “You can’t quit the bank because you work just enough hours there to still get health insurance for you and Anna. You can’t quit the baking job because it’s a dream. If you stop showing up at the farmers’ market, more people will come to your cafe and supper club but there may be a riot first.”

“And I can’t quit the steakhouse because the tips are good and I keep spending extra money on fancy baking utensils and pans,” Sophia confessed.

Alessa laughed, “that is something you need to tell your boss about. You need a bigger budget!”

“You’re not helping!” Sophia wailed again.

“Fine. Quit the steakhouse,” Alessa commanded. “I mean, when you think of all your jobs and responsibilities, what exactly is the worst-case scenario?”

Sophia thought about it and bit her lip. Alessa would figure it out anyway, so she said it out loud, “The worst thing would be if the ranch fails and Topher leaves town again before I tell him the truth.”

“You should tell him,” Alessa said firmly.

“That’s not something you can walk in and tell your boss!” Sophia pressed both hands to her face. “Oh, hi, boss. I forgot to tell you that I’ve always loved you, never wanted you to leave, and I had our baby while you were gone.”

Alessa smothered a laugh. “Yeah, that’s probably not the best way to go about it,” she admitted.

“So, what do I do?” Sophia asked.

“Quit the steakhouse job, concentrate on building your baking business, and relax,” Alessa suggested. “Things always change, especially with August and Topher together under one roof. I bet it’ll all work out.”

Sophia held out her hand. “I’ll take that bet because from where I’m sitting, everything looks like a total disaster.”

Despite her reservations, Sophia decided to follow Alessa’s advice and quit her job at the steakhouse. The manager completely understood and praised her for following her baking talent.

“I’m no fool; I’ve bought your treats from the farmers’ market,” he told her. “I knew you wouldn’t be sticking around long with talent like that.”

“Thanks,” Sophia told him, feeling some weight come off her shoulders.

Her manager grinned. “And, you know what the best part is? We can finally be friends outside of work.”

“I would have been your friend before,” Sophia assured him.

He shook his head. “Nah, I mean, that would be weird. Me suggesting that we meet up at the park with our children. Us surviving a kids’ matinee together. None of that works when I’m your boss, and you need the shifts and tips.”

“Well, now you can bring your kids to the farmers’ market and they can help Anna sell lemonade,” Sophia suggested.

It was the best exit interview she had ever had, but Sophia went home feeling heavier than she hoped. The weight became obvious when she drove past the ranch house and wondered what Topher was doing.

When they were first dating, they used to talk on the phone for hours. He would call as he worked on homework, or she would call while she was doing chores, and they would talk their way through their day. Her favorite was when they started calling each other later at night and would chat through whatever old movie was on television. It was a cozy, easy feeling, and Sophia longed to call Topher.

Or, better yet, walk up his driveway and see him. 

Then she thought of her manager from the steakhouse and turned firmly into her own driveway. If her boss at the restaurant couldn’t even stomach the idea of play dates while they were boss and employee, then how could she hope that Topher could be her friend. Or more?

It was the ‘or more’ that kept Sophia from sleeping well. 

Having one less shift and a little more time at home didn’t do her much good when she still couldn’t fall asleep. If only she could call and hear Topher’s commentary on the old Dracula movie she’d found on television. She stayed up too late just imagining how he would laugh at the bad special effects and was miserably tired when she arrived at the ranch house the next afternoon.

“You look like you could use some of August’s gourmet coffee and one of your own oatmeal cookies,” Topher said.

Sophia was shocked to see him in the kitchen and even more surprised when he spoke to her in a somewhat civil tone.

“Do I really look that bad?” she asked.

Topher shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t been sleeping well.”

“Did you catch the Dracula movie last night?” she asked before she could stop herself.

The shadow of his old smile crossed his face, and her heart melted. Topher nodded. “I don’t understand how they could use animation on the storm clouds then use rubber bats tied to strings. What kind of special effects department does that?”

“You could see the strings!” Sophia giggled. It felt like the first time she had smiled in days.

After that, Sophia couldn’t help it; she sought out Topher for any reason she could think of. First, she needed to ask him about a larger supplies budget. He was willing to concede that was an important conversation.

Then she needed his advice on how to rotate the dessert menu—seasonally or by theme? Topher had no idea what to tell her, though he was happy to discuss the holidays for a while. She left his office wondering what it would be like to see him opening Christmas presents with Anna and needed to take a break to stop her heart from aching.

The last straw was when Sophia decided Topher needed to weigh in on August’s ‘no substitution’ rule on the supper club menu. “People need room for allergies or dislikes. They can’t be expected to accept everything and not ask for anything different.”

Topher glared at her across his desk. “You know full well that you can change August’s mind about this better than me.”

“That’s not true,” Sophia said. “He may not say it, but he wants you to be happy. And he’ll listen to you.”

Topher ground his teeth. “I don’t want to be the one everyone listens to! Just remind him the customer is always right.”

Sophia thanked him and trudged away from his office. She had hoped to catch his familiar smile again, maybe share a joke, but now she worried that Topher was losing interest in the whole ranch. Why would he want to stay? Isabel was now the town where he had to deal with problems big and little, balance employee temperaments, and be a certain way. 

It was a far cry from his easy-going fun life traveling across the board. 

How could he not be longing for far-flung beaches and exotic casinos and everything easier than the drudging little details that she had to offer him.

Sophia realized that things would only get worse if he found out Anna was his daughter. As a single mother, Sophia had years and years of unanswered questions stacked up in her mind. Everything from what toothpaste to buy to whether or not Anna should be allowed to get her ears pierced would become nagging questions she wanted to ask Topher. Would he ever want that?

She assumed she would revert back to the same behavior that had sent Topher off on his first-world travels. Sophia’s independent nature had helped her build up tough walls and put him firmly on the outside. Only, now she could summon the strength.

It had felt too good to let Topher back into her life. In fact, he had naturally fit into it without her control one way or the other. They seemed so natural together, when they weren’t boss and employee; how could she let that slip away?

Sophia realized it had already been decided for her, in the way the universe sometimes lines things up without anyone’s input. She couldn’t bear the idea of Topher leaving, but she couldn’t tell him the full truth of why she wanted him to stay. All she could do was make sure their business venture was a success and hope that meant he would remain at the ranch.

She took extra care when dressing for the supper club’s soft opening. It was just family and friends, but that meant mostly Rolstons, and Sophia hoped wearing Topher’s favorite shade of green would cheer him up, if only subconsciously.

He took her breath away by complimenting her on the dress immediately. “That color has always suited you, Soph. You look wonderful,” he told her.

They had to pose together for the local social media outlets, and Sophia felt the electrifying closeness as he slipped an arm around her and smiled for the cameras. 

“I’m hoping green is a lucky color for us,” she told him as they stood arm in arm. “I really want you to stay in Texas.”

Topher looked down at her and spoke through his camera-ready smile. “You tell me this now, in front of everyone?”

Sophia caught her breath. “I’m not trying to be inappropriate; I just thought you should know that I’m glad you came back, and I want you to stay.”

Cameras flashed and people waved, but he didn’t look away from her. “Do you have any idea how long I waited to hear you say that?” he asked.

“Do I have to say I’m sorry too?” she asked.

He laughed and her heart lit up like a beacon. The glow she felt poured out through her smile, and the cameras flashed again. They stayed in their pose, his arm snug around her waist until it became obvious the photo opportunity was over. Topher was called away to greet more guests and Sophia swayed on her feet, already missing his touch.

Soon the guests were seated, the menu for the evening presented, and Topher toasted the entire dining room. August’s food was a success with most of the diners delighting over the flavors and completely forgetting it was vegan. Sophia revealed her dessert tray to a series of oohs and ahhs, but the only reaction she really cared about was Topher’s.

“Did you make all my favorites on purpose?” he asked, jokingly, in front of a table of guests.

Her cheeks warmed. She looked at the tray and realized Topher was right. In her longing to make him stay, Sophia had used her greatest persuasion and baked all the desserts she knew he loved.

“I don’t know how someone hasn’t snapped you up already,” Mr. Gibson told Sophia from his place at the table. “Beauty, baking, a strong independent spirit. Mr. Rolston, you need to stop messing around and see what you have right here in front of you.”

Topher’s mouth fell open but his easy charm quickly saved the day. “What I have here is a great talent and an even better employee. Now, you pick your favorite because if it was me, I would eat the entire tray of desserts.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Gibson, he won’t suffer if there aren’t any leftovers. If anything, my neighbor can just pop over and see what’s fresh from my own oven,” Sophia said.

She meant to be as charming as Topher, and Mr. Gibson was certainly charmed, but instead, she set off her own longing. Suddenly, all she could think about was Topher showing up on her doorstep. How long had it been since he stood there in front of her? Sophia could barely stand to think of the time he had and she had turned him away so firmly.

The entire night was a success, and Sophia was finally feeling like she and Topher could actually find happiness despite being boss and employee. Then, August showed her the best promotional shot that was now strewn all over social media.

Sophia was snug in Topher’s arm and gazing up at him with an adoring smile. He looked down at her with a serious but riveted look. It was the exact portrait of a couple in love, and it made Sophia want to cry. The expression in her eyes said it all, and there was no way around it.

“I mean, it’s great for business because you two look so happy, and everyone loves a little romance,” August told her.

“But it’s no good at all and you know it,” she whispered, her throat tight.

August tried to give her a comforting look, but he was still so stern. “Sophia, the problem is that you’re not hiding the truth of how you feel from yourself anymore, so it’s bound to slip out. No one will really think anything of the picture.”

“What if I’m not ready for the truth to come out?” she asked him.

“It has a way of coming out on its own,” August pointed out the picture again. 

Sophia clutched her heart. What was going to be harder? Topher hearing that she loved him and always had, or him finding out how big a lie had separated them all these years?

CHAPTER 19

***TOPHER***

Asking for advice from his brothers was useless. After August’s annoying wisdom, Topher considered asking Drake what he should do about his awkward situation with Sophia. Of course, that would mean revealing he still had feelings for his old flame and opening up a subject with way too many questions. Plus, Drake’s frustrating stint as a grumpy boss had turned into a fairy-tale ending. He was happily married and just the thought of marriage made Topher dizzy.

Would Sophia even consider marrying him?

If she never broke down and married Anna’s father or any of the other good-hearted men who wanted to make an ‘honest’ woman out of her, Topher didn’t stand a chance. The thing he remembered most, and admired most, about Sophia was her fierce independence, and he wasn’t about to tangle with that again.

Though, somehow, after his return to Texas, Sophia’s independence seemed enmeshed with Topher’s ranch and business. Life kept throwing them closer and closer together. Every time she was on the ranch, Topher seemed to run into her. They were like magnets finding each other throughout the afternoons.

Topher took a chance cutting through the dining room on his way out to the barn, and there Sophia would be configuring a new dessert cart. She looked up and smiled, “Oh, good. I was just thinking about you.”

“Me? What? Why?” Topher stopped and reminded himself he wasn’t in high school anymore. 

“You claim all these desserts are your favorite but you have to have one that stands out.” Sophia showed him the silver serving trays with the little notecards representing the desserts she was making for supper club. “Which one should be front and center?”

Topher flexed his jaw, feeling his grumpy boss side coming out. He didn’t want to stand around talking dessert logistics with Sophia. He wanted to know if there would ever be a chance for them again. He wanted to know if his pulse could ever calm around her, knowing she was within his reach.

“Ask August which one pairs best with the entree,” Topher grumbled. 

He stalked off, wishing they could talk about anything besides work. Then, he realized he had pulled a Rolston conversation with her again and regretted being so curt. That’s why he opened his office door so enthusiastically an hour later.

In shock, he stammered, “Tonya, what on earth?”

“Surprise!” Tonya twittered and enveloped him in a perfumed hug. “I couldn’t resist bringing some of my friends to your lovely ranch so I could brag more about my blue-ribbon racer.”

“That’s great, but things have changed around here a bit,” he told her.

Tonya tossed her hair. “Things have changed a bit with me too. Don’t you like my new hairdo?”

“Beautiful.” Topher escorted her back out to the front parlor, trying to avoid her flirty caresses. “How’s Thompson?”

Tonya ignored his question and introduced the half dozen women she had brought with her. They were hoping for VIP guest room and Topher was, for once, relieved that August was living with him.

“I guess that was just a special accommodation for me,” Tonya purred, pleased despite being told they had to relocate to the hotel. 

“Isn’t the hotel the place where Bethany Grant disappeared to?” one of her friends asked.

“Bethany Rolston,” Topher corrected her, “helps run the ranch and has created a very impressive riding school. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to see you.”

Topher made a mental note to warn his sister-in-law. 

The women clattered back onto the front porch but Tonya lingered and reached out to toy with the collar of Topher’s shirt. “So there really isn’t room for little ol’ me?” she asked.

Topher plucked her hand off his neck. “Trust me, you don’t want to stay under one roof with two Rolstons. We have a surly reputation around here and would ruin all your fun.”

“Speaking of fun,” Tonya purred. “We should get together later.”

Topher did not return her flirty gaze as he saw Sophia’s old truck rattling up the road. He hurried Tonya to her new Range Rover and promised to call his brother about their arrival at the hotel. It was a relief when Tonya blasted the air conditioning and closed her tinted window. Sophia drove up without knowing who the high-end guests were that had descended on the ranch.

“Afternoon, ma’am. You in the market for a nice lunch or a racehorse?” Topher joked as he opened Sophia’s truck door for her.

“Honestly, I’ve been craving August’s falafel all morning,” Sophia laughed.

Topher frowned at the idea of her craving anything of another man’s but tried to clear his unprofessional thoughts. Then, he couldn’t help himself but ask, “Before we get back to work, do you want to have a lemonade on the front porch and just be neighbors? Or we could just be old friends catching up with each other.”

Sophia’s eyes shone but she shook her head. “Sorry. I only have an hour to get those eclairs right before I have to pick up Anna.”

“That’s why you’re employee of the month,” Topher muttered. 

His day did not improve any as Sophia did not return for supper club, having already created all the desserts needed. Tonya, on the other hand, returned with a few of her overdressed friends and kept calling Topher over to their table.

“You absolutely must come with us to Dubai,” she cooed. “Everyone will be there, and it has been so long since you traveled with us.”

“I’m sure Thompson hasn’t minded having you all to himself,” Topher reminded her.

Tonya tossed her hair as her friends snickered. “I’m bored of him. He’s on an art kick and spends half our trips going to museums and negotiating with galleries. What a boring thing to collect.”

“Horses are much more interesting,” one of her friends chimed in. “And it’s a whole new travel circuit. I’ve never been to Texas before.”

Topher should have been gratified that his specialty ranch was attracting the right kind of buyers, but he longed to escape their table. He would have preferred to chat with the locals about the new swim center construction and hear about what was happening on the neighboring ranches. The supper club was the perfect draw for locals and tourists alike, but Topher was realizing he preferred one crowd over the other more and more.

“Texas is a world unto itself,” he told Tonya’s friend proudly. “I think you’ll find it has everything you want and more.”

“More dust, longer drives, and more animals,” Tonya joked. “What about more skyscrapers and billionaires and nightlife? That’s what Dubai has for you.”

Topher turned serious. “Wide horizons, room to roam, fresh air, and sunsets,” he countered.

“New horizons, parties thrown by princes,” Tonya argued.

“Local barbecue, Main Street parades, and—”

“Apple pie?” Tonya snapped. “Your tastes certainly have changed.”

Topher sighed. “This is my home, Tonya. I have roots here. Can’t you see how good that is for me?”

He excused himself from their table and stalked away. Tonya caught him at the French doors leading to the front porch. She wrapped an arm around his and tickled his collar with one finger.

“I’m sorry, Topher. I really do like the ranch version of you. But don’t you want a little vacation? A little fun?”

She was too close, and her perfume choked him. Then Topher saw Sophia’s wide eyes from across the room. She fled back into the kitchen as he pulled Tonya’s arms off him.

“I don’t dabble anymore, Tonya. I told you, I’m putting down roots. Now, please, go enjoy your dinner. I’ll have the chef come out and talk with your table,” Topher told her firmly.

Then he marched into the kitchen and barked at August, “Which way did she go?”

August didn’t even ask who; he just pointed. Then he called after Topher, “Please tell me you are not leaving me with that table?”

“Go charm them, do your job!” Topher yelled at him over his shoulder. He rushed down the back hallway and caught Sophia before she could disappear across the side lawn. “Hang on, Soph! Please!”

She stopped but shook her head vehemently. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just promised Anna I would tell you about the butterfly cocoons she found in the garden. She reminded me at dinner and I told her I would come over and tell you. She’s checking on them now.”

Topher’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t go to the garden right now.”

“Potential buyers, I get it,” Sophia said curtly. “You have to entertain them. What’s the phrase? Wine and dine them?”

The phrase made Topher shudder and he rushed to explain, “There is nothing between Tonya and me. She’s very flirty but I have no interest in her whatsoever.”

“I don’t need to know that, boss,” Sophia said.

Topher took both her hands and held them tight. “I need you to know that. I’m not just your boss, Sophia. Please. Talk to me for a minute like I’m a human again.”

Her lips flickered into a sad smile and her hands squeezed his back. “I know. You’re more than just a boss to me, Topher. It’s just hard because I really want this to work for you.”

“For me? What about you? I want your desserts to be famous all over Texas and I’ll build a dozen ranch house supper clubs and cafes if that’s what it takes,” he told her.

They were standing too close, their hands intertwined tightly, and Topher felt himself leaning forward as if the earth was tilting him towards Sophia. She leaned her head back, her eyes steady and soft on his.

“Are you two going to kiss?” Anna asked with a delighted squeal.

Sophia jumped back, but Topher could not let go of her hands. They struggled for a second, noticed their comical clumsiness, and started laughing.

“August told me you two used to kiss,” Anna told them, still smiling.

Topher finally managed to release Sophia’s hands. “For the surly, silent type, he sure talks too much.”

“We were just talking, baby,” Sophia told her daughter.

Anna tipped her head to the side, thinking aloud. “Why did you used to kiss?”

Topher looked at Sophia, who shrugged. He was encouraged by how her eyes sparkled, so he decided to answer, “We used to date. That’s when two people decide they want to do everything together.”

“Go to the movies, go on picnics, that kind of stuff,” Sophia added, though she looked at Topher again and blushed.

“You do lots of stuff together now? Are you dating?” Anna asked.

Sophia gave a rueful laugh. “No, darling. Bakers are not allowed to date their bosses.”

Thankfully, August saved Topher from making the situation more awkward. He was about to confess that he wanted to date Sophia again when his brother joined them on the lawn.

“I heard you’ve been craving falafel, so I made some for you to take home,” August said.

Topher glared at him. “You’re just avoiding the table I sent you to entertain.”

“So are you,” August pointed out. 

Sophia straightened her shoulders. “Should I go in and take them the dessert cart? I wasn’t trying to get out of work; I was just trying to give you some space.”

She spoke directly to Topher, and he was equally focused on her. “No, no way. You don’t have to put up with their tourist comments. Besides, it looks like they found a new ranch employee to entertain them.”

Tonya and her friends had adjourned to the wraparound porch and were calling to Jameson. The big man looked behind him, hoping they were not calling him, then he had no choice but to join them on the porch. Everyone watched as the women bombarded him with questions until he agreed to take them out to the stables. Tonya and another woman wrapped their arms through his, and Jameson escorted them down the steps.

“Remind me that Jamie needs a bonus,” Topher muttered.

August almost smiled. “Now, what’s the news back here?”

“Mama and Topher were—”

Sophia jumped in, “Talking about the butterfly cocoons you found in the garden. Why don’t you tell August all about them.”

His brother shot Topher a suspicious look but allowed the little girl to drag him down to the garden. “Just for a minute,” he protested weakly, “I have supper guests to check on.”

Topher snorted. “Funny how he’s only willing to talk to the guests when it suits him.”

“He told Anna we used to date?” Sophia asked, her rueful smile still in place.

Topher was surprised and pleased she had not jumped back into employee mode. “Was it some big secret?”

Sophia’s smile faded. “It was just a long time ago, that’s all. Ancient history.”

“It’s only been about eight years,” Topher said. He stepped closer to her. “Not that I’ve been counting.”

“A lot has happened since then,” Sophia pointed out.

Topher looked where she nodded to Anna. The little girl made him smile. “She didn’t really seem to mind the idea of us kissing.”

Sophia chuckled. “Don’t get your hopes up. Her favorite fairy-tale is the Princess and the Frog.”

Topher laughed too. He looked at Sophia and watched her smiling at her daughter. August was leading the way back up the lawn to the ranch house and she was skipping next to him. Topher noticed they had the same shade of dark blonde hair, and he recalled how sparkling blue Anna’s eyes were. He’d also noticed she had the Rolston habit of pinching her lips into a frown every time she was thinking about something.

“How old is Anna now?” Topher asked, trying to remain casual.

Sophia stiffened but said, “Seven.”

She and Anna said a quick goodnight and left the Rolston brothers to finish up at the supper club. The kitchen staff cleaned up quickly, and before he could get his thoughts straight, it was just August and Topher in the quiet ranch house.

“Has Sophia ever talked to you about Anna?” Topher asked August.

August raised an eyebrow. “She talks about Anna all the time.”

“You know what I mean, August.” Topher gritted his teeth. “I know it’s rude to talk about it, but I can’t help wondering where Anna’s father went.”

“She seems to be doing just fine,” August pointed out.

Topher glared at him. August was being entirely too casual. “You know something,” he said.

August sighed. “I know you were never very good at math.”

He got up, patted Topher on the shoulder, and went upstairs without another word. Topher sunk into a chair in the front parlor and sat far beyond the sunset. He didn’t get up to turn on a light as he thought about everything that happened the summer before he started traveling.

He and Sophia were close, too close, then she started pushing him to give her space. She talked about him traveling all the time. They broke up. He left, and Anna was born eight months later.

CHAPTER 20

***SOPHIA***

Bethany joined the ladies weekend the next day, and Sophia could not help but watch as Topher made the entire group laugh with some outlandish story. She couldn’t hear what he was saying as she stood in the shadows on the front porch, but she could hear the women laughing, Tonya the loudest.

Sophia tried not to judge but the high heels and tight dresses just didn’t fit Texas. She knew the women were potential buyers and their word of mouth was as good as gold to Topher’s horse sales, but she couldn’t help wanting them out of her state. Sophia much preferred the ranch when it was quiet. Why couldn’t Topher just concentrate on his online sales?

She was certain that Topher was also getting sick of his host and salesmen persona. It seemed to her that he longed for a quiet ranch almost as much as her, and she occasionally heard him daydreaming out loud about a smaller house in the back acres where he could escape. Sophia longed to tell him he was welcome at her cottage anytime, but that didn’t seem appropriate.

Neither was the way Tonya rubbed her hand up and down Topher’s arm as he tried to point out the high points of a beautiful chestnut horse.

“West Coast women are much more relaxed,” August informed her, joining her on the shaded porch. “Not nearly as pushy or touchy.”

Sophia snorted. “And I guess Texas women are just plain too smart and no-nonsense for the Rolston charm.”

August smirked. “I have never been called charming. And I knew a Texas girl once who couldn’t resist Topher.”

“I’m originally from Arizona,” Sophia said. Then she realized she had admitted to once being unable to resist Topher. “But things change when you put down roots in Texas,” she followed up firmly.

“Things change, then change again,” August pointed out.

Sophia shot him a look. “Do you really think Topher’s past his traveling and gambling? Do you really think you won’t want to escape back to the West Coast?”

August shrugged. “I think we’re here, trying to make it work, and that’s all we can know for certain at the moment.”

It wasn’t good enough for Sophia. She needed to know her heart wasn’t stuck on someone who would want to leave in a few months. The man she loved had to want deep roots too, or it would never work. And she would never let someone fully into Anna’s life if they didn’t intend to be there for her daughter every day.

“Maybe all you Rolston brothers should come with a caution sign,” Sophia told August.

He sighed. “Did you know that Topher greets every supper club guest with the promise of the best dessert of their lives? And every time he goes into town for supplies, he’s always coming back with fresh fruit or news of someone’s upcoming harvest just so you can have new inspiration. He spent fifteen minutes this morning setting up a time-lapse camera near the butterfly cocoons so he could surprise Anna.”

“That’s funny,” Sophia said with a frown. “Anna called out to him while I was driving her to school and he didn’t even wave. He just kinda stared and frowned.”

August cleared his throat. “What I’m trying to point out to you, Sophia, is all the little things that Topher is doing to show you he cares. Can’t you see that?”

“I’m not supposed to notice my boss doing things like that,” Sophia said.

“Oh, stop it. You two can use that excuse all you want but you’re not fooling anyone. It’s just an excuse for you to continue on being too scared of your own feelings.”

Sophia shot him an angry look. “It’s not just my feelings I have to protect, and you know it.”

Topher noticed them at a standoff on the porch and left the women to join them. “Is August being a diva again? I told him the menu is locked in forty-eight hours ahead of supper club so you don’t have to make any last-minute complimentary desserts,” Topher said as he jogged up the steps to the porch.

“It was more of a personal disagreement,” August said.

Topher shook his head. “Don’t be complicating things, August. Sophia, do you want to talk about the new supply budget today? I think I may have another sale coming and we can discuss some of those larger purchases.”

Sophia shook her head, not wanting another minute with her boss. She wanted to spend time with Topher, but he was right: it was too complicated. 

“Not right now. I have to go into town to pick up Anna.”

She alternately tapped and strangled the steering wheel as she headed into Isabel. Her father worked too much and traveled too often, but he always had good advice on keeping life orderly and straightforward. His military training had him constantly identifying and isolating problems, then figuring out the best strategies. Sophia’s big problem was balance. She still worked too much, but the biggest precariousness in her life was how she felt around Topher.

It seemed complicated, but the more Sophia thought about it, the more straightforward it became. Every time she ran into Topher, she wished he was in a different role. The real problem was she wanted to see Topher not as a boss or neighbor but as a partner. A partner in life, in love, and in the raising of their daughter. 

It hurt to admit, but Sophia knew that was the center of all her problems. She loved Topher and could never want anything less than all from him. 

Just the thought made Sophia squirm. She couldn’t pile all those expectations on Topher, not after all this time and not after having kept such a huge secret from him. So, it seemed to her the only solution was to push him away again. She just doubted she had the strength.

Lost in thought, she ran into the last Rolston she was expecting to see. Dean caught her arm and steadied her on the sidewalk. “Hello, Sophia. How are you?”

His blue eyes were piercing, and his tone sincerely expectant. He really wanted to know how she was and he would wait to hear the truth.

Sophia sighed. “I don’t think I can handle having your brother as a boss.”

A smile flickered across Dean’s mouth. “Bless you for dealing with the other one so well. Now, tell me about Topher.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Sophia said, inwardly crying out there was way too much to talk about. 

“Would life be better as his partner?” Dean asked.

Sophia spluttered. “Excuse me?”

Dean smiled faintly again. “Why not buy into the business? That way you’ll be Topher’s partner, not his employee. And you can keep my other brother in check too.”

“Buying in. I don’t know if I can do that.”

Dean nodded. “It is a definite risk but it doesn’t have to be expensive. For you, I’m willing to make a small loan. We help each other out here in Isabel, remember?”

Sophia was overwhelmed. People really did help each other out in their small town, but she sensed something deeper in Dean’s gesture. He looked as stoic as a bull, but she was beginning to wonder if Dean was as intuitive as his brother August.

“You’ve given me lots to think about. Thanks,” she hedged.

“I’ll let Mr. Penn know you may have some inquiries. When it comes to business, you can trust that man will draft you an iron-clad contract to protect you and your daughter,” Dean assured her. Then he patted her shoulder and went on his way.

Remembering Anna, Sophia rushed to pick her up. Then she made a flimsy excuse to stop by The Tack and Feed. She needed her friend’s honest opinion, and if anyone knew the ins and outs of life around the Rolstons, it was Alessa. As a local, born and bred, plus general manager of the general store, Alessa was the touchstone for everyone in town and she had dealt with every Rolston brother from birth.

“Is Dean secretly the sweetest and most generous brother?” she asked Alessa when she found her stocking the back shelves. Anna ran to play with the new horse miniatures and left the women to chat.

Alessa laughed out loud, then gave a loud, theatrical shush. “That is the most well-kept secret in Isabel.”

“I’m serious, Alessa. He offered to help me out, but I don’t know why,” Sophia told her.

“I know you were intimidated by him when you were younger, but Dean has always been fond of you. He liked when you and Topher were together. Who do you think covered for you that time Topher got his truck stuck in the ditch heading to make-out point?”

Sophia blushed. “I didn’t know that.”

Alessa shrugged. “He let it slip the next day in science class.”

“And you remember that?”

“It was a hilarious story,” Alessa teased. “And such a big scandal. You had just moved to town months before, new girl.”

The teasing and reminiscing calmed Sophia’s mind enough to outline the partnership idea to Alessa. Her friend loved the idea immediately because it solved the awkward problem of Sophia being Topher’s employee.

“You are much too independent to not be your own boss,” she pointed out.

Sophia agreed. “I think that will relieve a lot of the tension.”

Alessa looked skeptical, thinking of all the other things that were going unsaid, but decided to leave those subjects for another day. “So, are you going to take Dean’s loan? If anyone else can keep a secret in this town, it’s him. The only one better is Mr. Penn.”

“No,” Sophia decided. “I know it’s a risk, but I’m going to invest my own savings. I have to go all in.”

Alessa approved and hugged Sophia tight. “Please go all in. I know it’ll work out for you. No one deserves it more.”

Sophia caught Topher in his office a few days later. He had taken to hiding out in the stables again, avoiding Tonya’s entourage but also avoiding her. Sophia told herself that is why her heart fluttered as she entered the meeting; she was excited to relieve the awkwardness between them.

She shut his office door and Topher raised an eyebrow. “So, this is a serious meeting? How worried should I be? Are you quitting?”

He seemed sad but resigned at the thought. Sophia studied him for a minute. The frown lines around his mouth were more pronounced today and he kept tugging on his ear, a sure sign something big was bothering him. She wondered if it was a good time but decided the change could not wait.

“I want to buy into your ranch. I know you already have a business partner, but I promise I won’t make things more complicated. In fact, I think it will simplify things if I go from being your employee to being your partner.”

“My partner,” Topher muttered it quietly and dropped his eyes. “You don’t think I’m, I mean, the ranch is too big of a risk?”

“I want to go all-in,” Sophia said firmly.

Her words seemed to pain Topher. He cleared his throat. “Sorry, I’m just surprised. I mean, you’ve always viewed me as a risk in the past. Aren’t you expecting me to take off to parts unknown?”

Sophia frowned. Why wasn’t he happier? “You’ve spent weeks trying to assure me you want to put down roots.”

Topher nodded. “I do, but what if I’m no good at it?”

Why did it seem like he was talking about something completely different? Sophia decided to keep her father’s advice and stick to the subject at hand. “As your partner and neighbor, I can assure you that with me, at least one-third of the business will stay grounded here in Texas.”

He smiled faintly at that. “You know, I always admired how you found a place you liked and made it yours. That always struck me as true Texan.”

Sophia spread the contract on his desk, trying not to let his compliment completely destroy her composure. They signed the papers, and she was sad it didn’t feel like more of a celebration.

“Did something happen?” Sophia kept with her resolution to stay straightforward. “You can tell me if things have changed between you and Tonya.”

“Me and Tonya?” Topher looked horrified. “Nothing happened. In fact, one of her friends is going to buy that chestnut. Her husband is coming out next weekend to finalize the sale.”

Sophia knew it was a terrible double-standard but she couldn’t bear the idea that Topher was keeping a secret from her. “Then tell me, partner, what is bothering you?”

Topher shook off his solemnity and stood up. “Nothing. We should celebrate. I can’t wait to tell August he has both of us to contend with. Please tell me you’ll vote against featuring that awful kombucha.”

Sophia smiled, but the mood felt less than celebratory. Things got even worse when Anna arrived, ringing the bell on her bike. They watched her from the front porch, then she slipped on loose gravel and fell. Topher sprinted down the steps first and was beside himself by the time Sophia got to her daughter’s side.

“She’s bleeding. She scuffed her knee. That really hurts,” Topher said too quickly. “I’m sorry, Anna, maybe we should get the driveway paved.”

Sophia pushed back Topher’s panicked hands and hugged her daughter. Then she blew on the scrape and calmed her daughter with a few soft coos. “It’ll heal quickly. Don’t worry. You’ve had a scraped knee before, remember?”

“We don’t have a first aid kit, do we?” Topher shot August an angry look. “You’re supposed to remind me of stuff like that.”

“A bandage will just irritate it more,” Sophia pointed out. Anna jumped up and tested her knee, then picked up her bike. “See? She’s fine.”

“Fine.” Topher jumped up and marched back to the front porch, then disappeared inside.

“Did something happen?” Sophia asked August.

“He hasn’t said anything to me,” August told her. 

She studied him, not trusting his vague answer. When Anna had ridden her bike far enough away, Sophia asked him, “Topher hasn’t mentioned anything about Anna, has he?”

“Not to me,” August repeated. “Hasn’t he talked to you?”

“No.” Sophia stood up and brushed the gravel from her knees. “Do you think it’s occurred to him that Anna is his daughter?”

It felt strange and awful and freeing to say the words out loud.

August sighed. “I think that is a conversation between you and Topher. I may be the third business partner, but I am not getting in the middle of that.”

August was right. Sophia needed to talk to Topher, but she worried he had figured out her secret on his own. If he had, why wasn’t he asking her about it? A feeling of foreboding froze her chest. Sophia worried the only reason Topher hadn’t mentioned his suspicions was because he had no wish to be Anna’s father.

It was hard not to worry that everything they had just built was about to crumble, and all because Sophia had hidden the truth from him years ago.

CHAPTER 21

***TOPHER***

In his nightmare, it was more than a scraped knee. Anna was missing, somewhere out in the dark, and crying. She called his name and Topher wondered why. Was he really someone she wanted in his life?

He ran in the dream, searching frantically, and when he found her it was too late. Anna was hurt, and he had to face Sophia, a complete failure.

Topher woke up sweating and heaving for air. He was glad it was still pitch-black out and his fears were hidden in the dark. After seeing Anna scrape her knee, Topher felt a helplessness he had never experienced before. He couldn’t keep her from getting hurt, and that fact killed him over and over again. Who would sign up for that kind of pain and responsibility? 

That kind of love was much too hard.

Topher paced the dark ranch house for an hour as he thought about that. In the end, just when the sun was peeking over the horizon, he concluded that the worst had already happened. He had started loving Anna before he even suspected she was his daughter, and now it was too late. He felt like his heart had jumped out of his chest and was now walking around the world, completely vulnerable, and there was nothing he could do except worry.

And the worries were relentless, especially when Topher realized they worked retroactively. Had Anna cried all night when her first tooth came in? Was she scared on her first day of school and wishing he was there for her? Had her heart hurt all these years, wondering where her father had gone?

He discovered he had no patience for anything else. Luckily, Tonya and her entourage had taken a helicopter up to San Antonio to go shopping. Supper club was not for another few nights, and Sophia was working out of her own kitchen. It was just him and August alone in the ranch house.

“So, are you ready to talk about new ideas yet?” August asked one afternoon, peeking his head into Topher’s office. 

Topher was in the midst of the crushing thought that Anna had faced all her school friends’ relentless questions without any answers about her father. And it was all his fault.

“I’m not in the market for new ideas,” Topher snapped. “In fact, this whole operation is so far past anything that I wanted that it’s ridiculous!”

“Sometimes what you want and what you get are different things,” August pointed out. “That doesn’t mean you end up with the wrong thing.”

Topher hated that August was full of fatherly-sounding advice while he had nothing but mounting anxiety. Maybe it was for the best that Anna didn’t know about him. Her father was still an unmentionable mystery in the town of Isabel and Sophia seemed to like it that way.

August scowled at him. “Fine. I won’t share my brilliant idea. And how about I let you host our family on your own. They’ll be here for lunch in an hour.”

Drake and Sutton arrived an hour later and were not at all worried that August was absent. “Maybe we can just have normal sandwiches,” Drake said, relieved.

Sutton chuckled. “You were raving about the last sandwich he made despite the fact it was full of lentils.”

“I’ll still pick plain old ham and cheese any time,” Drake said stubbornly.

Topher scowled at them both. “I don’t have a lot of time for a social visit. Tonya and her entourage will be back to say their goodbyes.”

Drake arched an eyebrow. “You want us gone so you can have a private goodbye with Tonya Jacobs?”

“God, no.” Topher frowned. “I swear marriage is starting to sound good if it means I can get clean off the dating market.”

Sutton grinned, “She does look at you like you’re a piece of meat.”

Drake studied Topher and said, “The funny thing is, I’ve never thought of you as single and on the market.”

“Neither have I,” Sutton admitted. 

They all knew it was because of Sophia but his brothers sensed she was the last topic Topher wanted to talk about. Instead, they helped themselves to the refrigerator and made a sloppy plate of regular sandwiches. August would have been horrified but they were happy.

Sutton swallowed a large bite of the sandwich and laughed. “Remember when you came home from Hawaii and tried to convince us that Spam was a traditional food over there?”

“Canned meat is just not a delicacy; I don’t care what beach you enjoyed it on,” Drake said.

Topher grinned despite his sour mood. “I guess you have to eat it near Diamondhead for it to truly taste good.”

He was surprised how many of his trips his brothers recalled. Both Drake and Sutton had left to live elsewhere while he was gone, but they kept tabs on all the places he visited.

“Theo updated us all the time,” Drake explained. “I think he traveled vicariously through you. Looking up the places you saw was his favorite pastime as he took on more and more responsibility at the cattle ranch.”

Sutton nodded. “Same with Dean but you would never know it. He won’t admit it, but he kept every single postcard you ever sent the family. I saw them in a cupboard once when I was helping DeeDee clean up.”

“I thought everyone hated that I decided to travel,” Topher said.

Drake snorted. “They hated you know who for choosing a totally different lifestyle. They hated me for marrying a girl and moving a town over. And they hated Sutton for heading off to college and trying to settle down anywhere but here.”

Topher frowned. “How am I any different?”

Sutton explained, “You traveled but you always came home. We all wanted to find homes elsewhere, whereas you wanted to return here.”

Topher realized that was a big difference. He had always thought of Isabel as his home, no matter where he was in the world. Would Sophia take that as evidence that he always intended to settle down? His biggest worry was that she didn’t trust him to stick around.

Bethany arrived just in time to greet Tonya and her friends as they came to say goodbye. Between his brothers and her, they kept the flirty Tonya at bay. She kept hinting at all the places in the world Topher could meet her, but they put her off.

“We’re really looking forward to having Topher home for the holidays,” Drake told her. “So, he’ll have to skip Rome in order to watch Dean carve the turkey. I guess that’s a little like seeing a gladiator at work.”

Then Tonya hinted at Spanish beaches and Sutton spoke up. “Winters aren’t so bad here, and I need Topher on my side when Drake and Teddy challenge me to a snowball fight.”

Tonya eventually left disappointed and only Bethany felt bad for her. “You know, a big inheritance like hers can be a burden. She’s expected to go places and spend it or people will just think she’s wasting all her privileges.”

Drake snorted. “You don’t have to tell us that an inheritance can be a burden. Look who it saddled me with as a business partner.”

Topher thought about that and realized another reason why Sophia was smart to keep him out of her life. He came with all sorts of family baggage, including a large and complicated fortune that required a lot. She had steered clear of the Rolston name and all the expectations and arguments that came along with it. 

That thought was still on his mind a few days later when he ran across her in the ranch house kitchen. She was prepping the supper club dessert cart, and he couldn’t help but ask her a few things that had stuck in his mind.

“Did you hate dating someone with a family like mine?” Topher asked.

Sophia stopped what she was doing and gaped at him. “What about your family?”

“I mean, I know my father was overbearing; our name sort of dominates in and around town. It couldn’t have been easy for you to hear ‘oh, you’re dating a Rolston’ in that voice people use when they talk about my family.”

She shrugged. “You have a big, complicated family. I only had my father, and that was only when he wasn’t deployed. It was kinda nice being attached to the biggest name in town. You were always the one that had a problem with it.”

Topher sighed. “I still do. I mean, I’m stuck here fulfilling these requirements for my inheritance when I’m not even sure I want the money.”

Sophia went still. “You’re thinking about leaving and letting the money go to charity?”

“Would that be the worst thing?” Topher asked.

She went back to work arranging the dessert trays and was careful to keep her eyes on her work. “It’s your choice. I know the ranch has morphed into something you never planned on.”

“I feel like I’m getting in your way,” Topher grumbled. “My third of the idea is just this wild aside while you and August have a real vision. You should go ahead and make a real restaurant and bakery. If I sold my third to Dean, I could get out of your way and let you really succeed.”

“You think that is what Dean wants?” Sophia asked. Her voice had gotten very small and Topher strained to hear her.

“Dean? Who knows what old stoneface really wants.”

Sophia looked up and pinned Topher with a sharp glance. “Dean has always done exactly what was expected. As your eldest brother, don’t you think he had to take on the most responsibility the earliest?”

Topher scowled. “That’s why he would be a far better investor for you.”

“Excuse me, I have to go find some more cookies to add to this.” Sophia left abruptly.

The next three nights were supper club, but Sophia made it clear she did not want to talk to Topher. She was busy and bright, but there was a hard sheen to her eyes that seemed familiar. Topher realized she had worn the exact same expression in the weeks leading up to their first breakup.

“Was it something I said?” he asked August after Sophia snubbed him right in front of his brother.

“How do I know what you’ve been saying,” August snapped. Supper club was going well but he was still mad Topher didn’t want to hear his latest idea.

Topher frowned at him. “I pointed out that if I sold my share to Dean, you all would have an easier time doing whatever it is you actually want.”

August considered it for a moment, then scowled. “Well, that’s your problem right there. I may enjoy not having to deal with you, but Sophia obviously feels differently.”

“Differently? She’s already pretending like I don’t exist. Doesn’t that make it seem like all she’ll feel is relief when I’m finally gone?” Topher asked, exasperated.

August groaned. “You really have no idea, do you?”

Topher ground his teeth but asked, “Why don’t you just tell me?”

“How many times was her father deployed while you two dated?” August asked.

“I don’t know, maybe five times?” Topher calculated. 

“That’s a lot of goodbyes when you have to assume you may never see the other person again. Sophia did that time and time again with her father.”

Topher quieted down. “That would definitely be hard.”

“So why don’t you think about how that may affect how Sophia handles goodbyes. Did she say goodbye when you left to travel?”

“No,” it still hurt Topher to remember, but now he looked at it in a different light. “I don’t think she wanted to say goodbye at all.”

August explained impatiently, “She was protecting herself. Too many hard goodbyes taught Sophia it’s easier to cut ties and not have to say anything at all.”

“Does that mean she wanted me to stay?” Topher asked. He knew his brother would not answer him; he just wanted to say that revelation out loud.

Could it possibly be true?

Topher went with August to the farmers’ market on Saturday but wasn’t sure he could work up the courage to go near Sophia’s stand. Where his mind had been working overtime worrying about little Anna, now it was filled with regret. Had he missed the signs that Sophia wanted him to stay?

She was a very independent woman with tight control over her emotions. Topher always knew and admired that about her. So how had he missed that she was breaking up with him just to protect herself from having to say goodbye? 

How had he missed that she was pregnant with his child?

Part of him was upset that Sophia knew and decided not to tell him. That finally propelled him towards her stand.

Sophia met him with furious eyes. “Oh, now you show up?”

“Hi,” Topher said awkwardly. He watched Anna flee behind her mother’s pickup truck. “What did I miss?”

“Remember those cameras you set up to record the butterfly cocoons? It was such a nice gesture and Anna was all excited to watch the footage with you. She worked really hard on figuring out how to fast forward it to where the butterflies emerged because she knows how busy you are, then you didn’t show up at all!”

Topher had completely forgotten.

“Anna?” he called awkwardly. “I’m so sorry. I totally forgot!”

Sophia grimaced. “Yeah, telling her that you forgot her is going to make her feel better.”

He heard her bitter sarcasm and cringed. “What else am I supposed to say? I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“She’ll get over it,” Sophia snapped. “Anna knows who she can rely on and she’s starting to sense who will let her down. That’s an important skill in life.”

Topher’s shoulders slumped. What was he doing? It didn’t matter if Sophia wanted him to stay or not; that was all too long ago. Now, all he knew was that he would never be good enough to be Anna’s father. She and Sophia deserved better.

CHAPTER 22

***SOPHIA***

Sophia knew there was only so long she could manage to avoid Topher. Her plan to make his possible goodbye wouldn’t work if she didn’t know when he was leaving. It was just too hard to stay away from him at work, in their small town, and in her social life. She knew it was over when DeeDee invited her to dinner.

“I mean, technically, it is Dean who invited you, but I offered to call,” DeeDee told her over the phone. “I wanted to be able to assure you it will be a casual night. I’ll keep the boys in line, and we are hoping Anna can come too.”

“Of course, we’ll be there,” Sophia said. No one in town would turn down an invitation from Dean Rolston, especially not with DeeDee doing the cooking.

August was an amazing chef, but DeeDee had a special talent for making everything taste like your favorite meal. She was known throughout Isabel for being the best cook and hostess around. How she put up with the Rolston brothers was one of the biggest mysteries in Isabel, but everyone loved her for it.

“Should I wear my pink dress?” Anna asked. 

Sophia shook her head. “DeeDee said it was casual.”

“But the Double R is such a fancy ranch. I want to be fancy too!”

Sophia understood her daughter’s dilemma as she considered her own closet. Dean had inherited the Double R ranch from his father and it had been the seat of the Texas Rolstons for four continuous generations. Their vast fortune showed in the impressive home, manicured lawns, and many outbuildings. 

She was nervous in the car and tried to keep her attention on her daughter. “Teddy is such a nice boy, but he may be more interested in playing with his uncles, so don’t get mad, okay?”

“I like playing with his uncles too,” Anna said.

Sophia bit back a laugh. She couldn’t imagine anyone else in Isabel making a statement like that. “Do the Rolston brothers actually play?” she asked her daughter.

Anna tipped her head back and forth, then answered. “August likes to play yoga, where you twist your body and breathe really deep. It feels good, though sometimes it is really tippy and I fall over.”

Sophia wondered if her serious business partner would like her daughter’s light-hearted interpretation of his practice, but she encouraged more descriptions of the Rolstons at play. 

“Drake plays horses all day. Teddy says his dad rides almost all day.”

Sophia remembered that from when they were younger. Drake had lived most of his life in the stables and paddocks. She could only remember a few times she had seen him off his saddle, and those were mainly school events.

“What about Sutton?” she asked her daughter.

Anna thought for a minute or two, then smiled. “I think Sutton likes to play hide and seek. He has that big hotel and I heard him say he likes ducking into empty rooms when Bethany has a big to-do list for him.”

Sophia laughed. “Maybe don’t tell Bethany that. We don’t want Sutton to get in trouble.”

“Topher is my favorite,” Anna said.

Sophia swallowed hard. “Not Theo?”

Theo was the second eldest Rolston and also the tallest. He had an intimidating demeanor around adults but was a complete goofball when it came to children. Teddy adored him, as did all his friends, and the whole town was over the moon that Theo would soon become a father.

“He’s nice but Topher is my favorite,” Anna repeated firmly.

“Why?” Sophia hated to ask but she had to know.

“He laughs like me where it starts in his tummy and then bubbles up. I like when he laughs,” Anna said.

Sophia was glad they had already pulled into the wide circular driveway of the Double R ranch and parked because her hands slipped off the steering wheel. Anna was right; she and Topher had the same laugh. The realization cut through Sophia’s thoughts and suddenly, she saw a half dozen other similarities.

They both waggled the same shaped eyebrows. Anna tugged on her ear when she was tired and Topher did it when he was worried. Their noses turned up just a tiny bit at the end. They both immediately interrupted a conversation with anyone when something pretty or interesting went by in the background. And they both hummed when they were happy without realizing they were making a sound.

Sophia was devastated by how close her daughter resembled her father despite never knowing him. Was it inevitable that the two should be together? It just added to the feeling that Sophia had made a colossal mistake all those years ago.

DeeDee took one look at the expression on her face and sent Anna to play lawn games with Teddy and Theo. “Maybe you can be on Sutton’s team; he seems to be losing pretty badly.”

Anna ran along, then DeeDee turned to Sophia. “If you want a few minutes of peace and quiet, I could really use some fresh dill from the garden.”

Sophia thanked DeeDee and went outside to gather herself. She was halfway down the garden path when she ran into Topher.

“What are you doing skulking out here?” she asked, horrified to run into the exact person she wanted to avoid. 

Topher shoved his hands in his pockets and scowled. “I was trying to decide if I actually wanted to go inside, but maybe you’ve helped me make that decision.”

Sophia regretted her uncontrolled response to seeing him. “Sorry. I was just worrying about something Anna told me.”

Topher perked up, his gaze riveted on her face. “Is Anna okay? Is there anything I can do?”

She felt it again, the feeling that Topher knew her secret, except this time there was greater certainty. He looked so concerned, so intent on knowing, that Sophia was sure he knew he was Anna’s father. Her mouth went dry and it took her a moment before she could answer.

Sophia tried to deflect it with a joke. “She told me she likes your family and now I have to worry about her mental state.”

Topher gave a rueful laugh. “I suppose we all deserve that. Is Anna here?”

“Trying to help Sutton win a game against Teddy and Theo,” Sophia told him.

“I hope she does, because Sutton is a terrible loser,” Topher said.

Sophia quickly picked some dill and started back towards the house. Topher fell in stride next to her but slowed down the closer they got.

“I’m sure Dean wants you here, and DeeDee is expecting you,” Sophia reminded him.

Topher stopped on the garden path. “Do you think Dean likes when I tell travel stories or does it make him sad because he’s never been outside of Isabel?”

Sophia looked up at the big house. “I think Dean is aware that his responsibilities have limited his life somewhat, but he is equally aware of what a wonderful life he has.”

“You used to be scared stiff to come here,” Topher teased.

Sophia swatted his shoulder. “I grew up in military row housing. Do you have any idea how impressive this place looks in comparison to the same little beige houses all over the world?”

They walked inside together and DeeDee greeted them with a broad smile. “Oh, good. I’m glad you two seem to be getting along because I seated you next to each other at dinner.”

DeeDee loved all the pomp of traditional family dinners and corralled the Rolston men through all the correct steps. First, there was a casual gathering on the portico and lawn, then the group slowly gathered in the parlor. From there, they escorted the women to the formal dining room and sat at designated places. DeeDee often changed up the seating arrangement depending on who was getting along and who had the most important business with Dean.

Sophia was relieved that she and Topher were placed near the other end of the table, closest to Teddy and Anna. Theo and Hetty sat across from them while Sutton, Bethany, Drake, and Freddie were closer to Dean at the head of the table. No one mentioned that August had canceled at the last minute, but DeeDee had a place setting ready on the sideboard if he decided to show.

“Freddie is getting ready to present a dance school idea to the city and Dean wants to help her with the business details. He’ll make sure it goes through,” DeeDee whispered conspiratorially as she served the salad course.

After business was discussed and the salads were finished, the family fell into easy conversation. Stories were swapped back and forth, mostly at the expense of one brother or another, and everyone laughed.

“Most of the stories are about here and the last times you were all together,” Sophia pointed out to Topher. “It seems like those are the stories everyone likes.”

Topher was not convinced that his family preferred him at home but by the dessert course, he was laughing along with everyone else. The notoriously surly brothers were ribbing each other and frowning at certain digs but mostly getting along and enjoying each other’s company. Sophia wished she had seen their family like that before she had encouraged Topher to leave on his travels. 

At home, she couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like to raise a baby with that family all around her. Alessa had helped, the town had eventually rallied around her, and she had never felt alone, but it wasn’t the same as a big, raucous family. Sophia had always dreamed of a family like that, and felt sad at the thought she had missed her chance to be part of it.

Anna couldn’t stop talking about the lawn games or the dinner, so Sophia tried to stump her. “Does Dean Rolston play too?” she asked her daughter.

Anna surprised her with an adamant nod. “He likes to sneak up on DeeDee. It makes him smile when she’s singing away and working and doesn’t notice him at first.”

Sophia’s eyes widened at the delightful detail. Then she shook her head and tucked Anna into bed. “Well, I’m glad you had a good time. Night night, little one.”

“Mama?”

“Yes, Anna?”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a big family?” Anna asked. Her voice was quiet, knowing full well her mother did not like to talk about family much.

“Tonight was a good night, but they do fight a lot,” Sophia told her.

“Is that why I don’t have a dad? Did he fight too much?” Anna asked. She saw her mother’s stricken expression and quickly added, “Teddy told me that his friend Peter has parents that fight all the time and now his dad doesn’t live with them.”

“No, there was no fighting,” Sophia said, careful not to mention Anna’s father in any way.

“You and Topher sometimes fight,” Anna said.

Sophia took a deep breath but her daughter wasn’t finished. “But then he makes you laugh or you smile even when you don’t want to smile. I like that.”

“Yes, dear.” Sophia decided to keep it simple. “You already told me you like Topher.”

“I wish you two would date,” Anna said. “Remember what Topher said? Dating is when you spend lots of time together. I think that would be nice.”

Sophia couldn’t help herself; she had to ask, “Why Topher?”

Anna looked very serious when she explained. “I liked Jameson too but he didn’t make you smile like Topher. And you two fit together like in that pretty picture from the restaurant. You fit under his arm just like a puzzle piece.”

“Baby, I’m too busy to date anyone. I have my job at the bank, my baking, and you. If I tried to date in between, I would miss out on something. And I would never miss out on time with you,” Sophia told her.

“Topher wouldn’t mind if I came on the dates, would he?”

Sophia couldn’t take any more. She turned off the light. “No more talk of dating. No more talk of Topher. Good night.”

Too bad her own mind wasn’t as sweetly obedient as her daughter. Sophia’s mind spun all night with thoughts of Topher. She wanted him to stay but couldn’t tell him why. They had formed a truce of some sorts during dinner, but she still couldn’t confide in him. 

It all came down to the fact that Sophia could never tell Topher about Anna because she didn’t want her daughter to be the reason someone stayed where they didn’t want to be. Sophia had caught hints that Topher wanted to stay in Isabel, but it wasn’t enough to convince her. He couldn’t know because then he would feel beholden, and Sophia would never allow her and her daughter to substitute duty for real love.

CHAPTER 23

***TOPHER***

Topher marveled at the feeling of an unsaid truce between him and Sophia. She had sat at dinner smiling and seeming comfortable. It made him wonder how many years they could have visited with his family side-by-side and smiling.

Those thoughts disappeared when he arrived home and noticed August’s car in the driveway. He gritted his teeth. If he was thinking of ways to stay in Texas and make things work, then he expected his brother to do the same. And skipping the first family meal they had had at the Double R in years was not helping!

“I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but DeeDee sent you a plate,” Topher called out as he marched through the front door of his ranch house. “You don’t deserve it but she sent it anyway!”

August appeared and made a face at his younger brother. “Thanks.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

“How did Sophia and Anna enjoy their evening?” August asked.

Topher was irritated, but he couldn’t resist telling August, “They both had a nice time. It turns out that Sophia enjoys our family. Too bad you missed it.”

August ignored him and unwrapped the plate from DeeDee. He sniffed it and gave a heavenly sigh. “She knows how much I love her tamales.”

Topher frowned. “She made you tamales? The rest of us had honey-barbecue chicken. Why is DeeDee making you something special on the side?”

“Where do you think I get some of my recipes from? That woman is a wonder,” August said.

Topher leaned heavily against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms. “Do you mean to tell me you have been in communication with Dean’s housekeeper all these years but you won’t speak one word to him?”

“I speak to him when I have to,” August said. “But DeeDee and I chat at least once a month.”

“That’s more than you checked in with me while I was traveling!”

August shrugged. “You don’t know how to make the best tamales north of the border, my dear brother.”

It was true the smells wafting from August’s plate were making Topher’s mouth water, but he couldn’t let that distract him. “So, you two just talk about food and she never tries to mend fences between you and Dean?”

“DeeDee is not like you; she thinks people need to come to their own understanding and she doesn’t like to interfere.”

“You interfere,” Topher pointed out to August.

“Only because you are such a mess,” August said. “And how is all of that mess working out?”

Topher glared at him as August ate the delicious tamale. “I feel like everything I thought I knew about Sophia and I is now a question. Want to interfere and clear that up for me?”

August shook his head. “DeeDee is a wise woman. I want to be like her.”

Topher fell silent, the questions spinning in his head alone. Did Sophia really lie to him all those years ago? Was her pushy independence all a show and he should have stayed? Did she want him to stay now? And, most importantly, would she ever tell him if he was part of Anna’s life?

He wanted to be so much more than a neighbor, a boss, or a business partner. Anna had forgiven him for missing the butterfly footage but she didn’t really visit with him during dinner. Topher worried he was suddenly off the list for the little girl, and that would make it easier for Sophia to dismiss him too.

“How about I cheer you up and distract you from whatever is making you frown so much,” August suggested.

“Good luck,” Topher grumbled.

“I have a great new idea for the restaurant. You actually made me think of it when you described everything as ‘farm to table.’”

Topher stopped his brother there. “I can’t handle any more changes to our partnership or business. Please. Can we just get through one month without everything getting tossed upside down?”

“Oh, so it’s fine when your personal interests mess everything up, but when I have a new idea, it’s too much?” August was done with his tamale and ready to argue.

Topher ignored his buzzing phone and met his brother halfway. “Seeing as you strolled in a few months late to this whole business and changed my ranch into a restaurant, I don’t think you can talk.”

August’s phone rang but he silenced it and tossed it on the counter. “You know, you might need to work on your forgiveness skills if you ever want to be happy.”

Topher’s phone buzzed again and he yanked it out of his pocket. “What is going on? Oh. Wow. You might want to check your phone.”

August retrieved his phone and played a message from Sutton. “So, thanks to your ranch events, my wife is now an internet celebrity. Video of her riding has been seen by over three million people. Not sure I’m happy about that. Call me back.”

“I got a text from Barry saying he won a bet over Sophia and me. He says the picture made it clear he was right about us being in love,” Topher read in horror. “What picture?”

August checked his social media and his eyes got wide. “Apparently, everyone loves Bethany but they are going completely bananas over you and Sophia. The headline reads ‘lovely couple reunite over unique ranch experience.’”

Topher scrolled and swallowed hard. “Oh my god. We’re trending.”

The brothers looked at each other and expressed hope the media burst would fade away, but it only got bigger. In the morning they woke up to buzzing phones, overflowing emails, constant text messages, and people calling from all over Texas wanting to make reservations. 

“Apparently, supper clubs are retro and cool,” Topher reported as he read the top headlines about their business. “Everyone loves your eco-friendly vegan menu, the desserts are to die for, and the horses are a beautiful Texas touch.”

“You’d think people would hate you for such an expensive and elitist sport,” August pointed out.

“Thanks a lot,” Topher snapped.

August kept scrolling, “But they don’t. They love that you are reviving an old and amazing sport.”

The brothers were just starting to think of the media storm as good news when Sophia burst into the house. “How did I wake up to find my life ruined?”

“Shouldn’t you be at the bank? Are you all right?” Topher was immediately alarmed. “Is Anna okay?”

“She’s fine; school is secure. I took the day off because I couldn’t go ten feet down Main Street without being accosted by people wanting recipes. This guy wants me to start a blog; this one has a cookbook deal, and this one thinks we should start a YouTube channel. What is going on?”

Topher rubbed Sophia’s shoulders and guided her to a kitchen chair. “Just because people on the internet want stuff doesn’t mean you have to deliver. We could just think of this as a little free advertising.”

“We don’t need to capitalize on any of this. We’re doing just fine,” August agreed with his brother. “Lots of people lose their original vision after going viral.”

“Original vision,” Topher snorted. “The original vision for this was created when you still weren’t returning my phone calls.”

“Now is not the time to argue,” Sophia reminded them in a loud voice.

She looked frantic, and August sat down across from her and tried to lead her through some breathing exercises.

“At least it’s all good stuff,” Topher said. “Except the rumor mill about us, but that’s no big deal.”

Sophia’s eyes went wide and she stopped breathing. “Rumors about us?”

Dean called before Topher could respond and August was so distracted he answered right away. “Yeah, this is August. I picked up Topher’s phone for him. Yeah. We know. What? You’re kidding.”

Sophia groaned. “Oh god, it’s got to be bad if Dean is talking to August.”

August got off the phone and did a few of his own yoga breaths. Then he told them, “Dean just got wind the local news crews are on their way. The sheriff currently agrees with the chamber of commerce that free advertising is great for Isabel. He’s pulling some strings but he can’t call off the news vans yet.”

“The local news? Great. They make a spectacle of everything,” Topher said. “We are not going out there.”

“Wait,” Sophia caught her breath. “What is everyone saying about us?”

“Just rumors, don’t worry,” Topher said.

August handed Sophia his phone. “Everyone is in love with this picture of you and Topher.”

Sophia took one glance at the photo and tears filled her eyes. “Let me guess, the rumors are I’m stupid in love with you. Poor local single mother falls for rich rancher and he makes her dream come true.”

Topher frowned. “Actually, the headline reads ‘hometown couple reunite over new vision of Texan hospitality.’”

“People think you make a wonderful couple,” August added.

Sophia stood up. “Oh my god. Anna! I have to get her home from school before the news crews try to get a sound bite out of her!”

She took August’s phone, forgetting her own was in her purse, and went to make a frantic call to Alessa. Staying in the kitchen, Topher and August eyed each other warily.

Topher spoke first. “You couldn’t just keep one more worry from her?”

“The truth is always easier in the end,” August declared.

“Only if the truth is part of someone else’s life. What happens when the hard truths are about you? Will you be so cavalier then?” Topher asked, getting heated.

August held up both hands. “I didn’t force you to put your arm around Sophia’s waist. I didn’t make her gaze up at you. I didn’t take the picture. All I know is now the rest of the world can see what I’ve been noticing all along. You and Sophia are still in love with each other, and you have to tell her!”

“She’s not in love with me,” Topher hissed. “She’s the one that thinks I’m not good enough. I’m the one that doesn’t come through for her kid. That picture was just a fluke.”

Sophia reappeared in the doorway and held out August’s phone. “Someone dug up old photos of us from high school and the summer after.”

“Oh man, look at Topher’s hair,” August tried to joke.

“Apparently, it’s the same look I gave you when we attended senior prom. I haven’t thought about prom in a decade.” Sophia came back in the kitchen and flopped down in the chair.

“Old pictures and a bunch of people making up conclusions online doesn’t mean anything,” Topher said. He caught August’s glare across the table.

If someone was going to broach the subject, now would be it. August took his phone from Sophia and quietly slipped out the back door. He studied Sophia and couldn’t understand why she was sad. Was it because she hated having her life on display? Was she embarrassed being linked to him? Or was she worried one of her secrets had come to light?

Topher knew it was crazy to hope that Sophia had been secretly in love with him all these years, but he wished it was true. His own face mirrored her sadness as he realized she would never admit her feelings to him. Sophia was too independent and she had Anna to consider. Maybe she was sad because she had to pretend the love that appeared so obvious in the pictures couldn’t be acknowledged.

If anyone was going to admit how they really felt, it had to be him.

Topher made his way around the table and gently took Sophia’s hand. “This is all totally crazy, but we have to talk about this.”

“We were supposed to be just business partners; that was supposed to make everything simple. How did it get blown out of proportion?” Sophia asked him.

“The internet blows everything out of proportion, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth in all the hype,” Topher told her.

He was about to tell her the truth, about to admit that he never stopped loving her. Topher wanted her to know he had traveled with a broken heart and could hardly stand to return home for fear of seeing her happy with someone else. He had always loved her, and his home just wouldn’t be home without her.

Anna burst into the kitchen, followed by a relieved Alessa. “We made it up the driveway just before the news vans parked,” she told Sophia.

“My teacher told me you and Topher and August are internet famous!”

“Don’t forget Bethany,” Alessa joked.

Sophia let out a semi-hysterical laugh. “Oh, God. I hope Bethany’s family is not flipping out on her because of all this.”

Anna bounced around the room, asking questions and interrupting until Sophia dug her phone out of her purse to quiet her daughter. The little girl looked at it for a few minutes, then asked, “What is a love child?”

August appeared in the door at the same time and said, “We have a problem.”

The latest sensational clickbait associated with their business was that Sophia and Topher had a secret love child. The room was silent as everyone scrolled through the gossip. Anna asked a dozen questions but no one said a word.

“That’s it. Free advertising or not, the media circus is over.” Topher flew out the door in a rage and went down the driveway to confront the news crews.

August went to chase after him, afraid he would cause more internet fodder, when Dean showed up with the sheriff. Together, August and Dean got Topher back inside without anything internet-interesting happening.

“Where’s Sophia?” Topher asked as soon as they got back to the kitchen.

August looked around and noticed Alessa and Anna were gone too. “Alessa probably took them to her home until things settle down.”

“She doesn’t have to worry. I’ll slap every internet troll with a libel suit if they try to bring her daughter up again,” Dean promised. 

For once, Topher appreciated his eldest brother’s iron determination to get his way. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop him from crumpling into a chair. His chance was gone. He had one moment to tell Sophia how he really felt, one moment that would have erased all the internet foolishness with the truth. He loved her, and that would have turned all the gossip into a great love story. But Topher had missed his opportunity once again.

Now, Sophia was back in the dilemma she had faced alone all those years ago. Except more than just a small town wondered who had fathered her baby. The entire internet was speculating on her scandalously unmarried love life. Her reputation was being dragged through the mud again, and there was nothing Topher could do to help. She wouldn’t let him then and she wouldn’t let him now.

His love had slipped away again.

CHAPTER 24

***SOPHIA***

“He was protecting you,” Alessa told Sophia. “True, he was overreacting, but he was trying to protect your reputation.”

“Reputation?” Sophia sniffed. “What reputation? I’m a nobody single mom from a small town. He’s a rich playboy who has friends all over the world. Who do you think actually has a reputation worth worrying about?”

Alessa sighed. “I think you are worried about him and he’s worried about you. This is what I keep saying—you two are clearly in love!”

“Who’s in love?” Anna appeared in her bedroom doorway. She knew the internet was gossiping and it had something to do with her mama, but Anna didn’t really understand. Instead, she was still interested in her favorite subject. “Does being in love mean you’re going to go on a date?”

“No one is going on dates,” Sophia said firmly. She pointed hard until her daughter went back into her room.

“I have a feeling you’re going to be saying that again when she’s a teenager,” Alessa tried to joke.

Sophia could not bring herself to smile. The worst had happened. Topher’s connection with her had finally weighed him down. Now he was stuck carrying around all sorts of small-town baggage. If he managed to free himself from his family and his ranch, he would still have her and Anna hanging over his head. She was certain all his rich friends would want to hear about the rumors and Topher would be forced to think about them when all he wanted was to be free.

“I don’t have the heart to tell her that in the real world, a man like Topher would never date a single mother like me,” Sophia said.

“Whoa, wait a minute, where is that coming from?” Alessa sat down on the coffee table and forced Sophia to look at her. “Have you forgotten that you did date and you were in love?”

“That was before I became a single mother, a part-time bank teller, and a steakhouse waitress. Do you really think a Rolston should be seen with someone like me?”

Alessa got mad. “Someone like Freddie? Like Hetty? And I know that Bethany’s family is richer than sin but I’m going to mention her too because she would be so upset to hear you talking like this!”

Sophia slumped back. “It doesn’t matter what the internet says today. Soon, someone is going to notice that Topher is way out of my league. Then he’ll have to realize it too.”

“What league?” Alessa snapped. “There are no leagues in love!”

“Are you mad at Topher, Mama?” Anna appeared again, and this time looked so sad that both Alessa and Sophia held out their arms to her. She snuggled between them and asked the same question that had been bothering her since the ranch house. “What’s a love child?”

Sophia squeezed her. “You are, my darling. It didn’t matter that your parents weren’t married when they made you because they loved you very much.”

“Then how come you won’t tell me about my daddy?’ Anna asked.

“Sorry, darling, but that is not a conversation for right now. Mama is upset about work stuff and Auntie Alessa is trying to help,” Sophia told her. She kissed her head and gave her a gentle shove back to her room.

She and Alessa then settled onto Sophia’s old beat-up couch and scrolled through the social media mess until it finally started to seem funny. 

“I mean, at least it’s a good picture of you. Remember when Mrs. Morris went viral because her swimsuit made her butt look like a Minion?”

“So I’m not the first internet-famous person in Isabel,” Sophia giggled. “That does make me feel a lot better.”

They laughed a little more, then Sophia stopped to listen. It was quiet in Anna’s room, too quiet, the kind of quiet that sends mother’s into instant high alert. Even Alessa sensed it and jumped up.

“She’s gone,” they both said as they marched into Anna’s room. 

Somehow, during their scrolling and commiserating, the little girl had sneaked out of her room. The first likely place to look was the kitchen but there was no evidence of snacking. Then Sophia checked the downstairs freezer where she kept popsicles—no sticky little girl.

“Is she playing in the yard?” Alessa asked. They rushed outside. She went one way and Sophia went another and they met again on the other side of the house. Anna was nowhere in sight.

Sophia tried hard to control her breathing so she didn’t hyperventilate and pass out. “She probably went to the garden patch.”

Alessa nodded. “You go look. I’ll check the house again and stay here in case she comes back.”

Sophia hugged her friend and then took off for the garden patch at a jog. She had a feeling it would be empty too but she still cried aloud when she didn’t see her child. Anna had clearly gone back to the ranch house. Sophia just prayed all the news vans were gone and her child was safe with the Rolstons.

She ran up the front porch, knocked on the door, then let herself in. “Topher? Have you seen Anna? Topher? I need your help!”

August appeared with Dean right behind him. “Anna’s in the living room. Topher is with her,” August said.

She saw the older brothers exchange a glance and wondered briefly if they had finally made amends, but the need to find her daughter was stronger than her curiosity. Sophia rushed into the living room, then stopped short.

Topher was seated on the sofa, cradling a crying Anna in his arms. As she watched, Sophia saw a sympathetic tear trail down Topher’s cheek. The little girl’s sobs were too much for his soft heart.

“What’s the matter, baby?” Sophia cried out. She joined them and knelt next to her daughter. “Why did you run away? Did I make you cry?”

Anna refused to answer and buried her face in Topher’s chest.

He whispered over the little girl’s head. “She came over to ask if I would be her daddy.”

Sophia met his blue eyes, seeing her own pain reflected in them. She didn’t know what to say, just kept looking at Topher.

“I told her I would love to be her daddy but that the truth was more important.” Topher’s voice caught, and he took a deep breath. “Then I had to tell her I didn’t know the truth about her daddy.”

The moment had come, just like Sophia knew it would. She had hurt them both, and now it was time for her to face her greatest fear and tell them the truth.

“I can tell you the truth, baby. I will tell you right now.”

Anna looked up but still clung to Topher. “Can he hear too?”

She watched the surly, tough rancher in front of her blink back a flood of tears. Then Sophia explained further. “I wasn’t lying when I told you about being a love child, Anna. We loved each other so much when you were made. In fact, I loved your daddy so much that I didn’t want him to feel like he couldn’t do the things he wanted to. So, I let him go on his travels without knowing about you.”

Anna leaned back and looked up at Topher. “Did you miss me while you were gone?”

Topher nodded, another tear spilling over. “I missed you so much. Every day.”

Sophia knew her daughter still didn’t understand, so she tried again. “Topher did not know about you. He didn’t know I carried you in my tummy or that you were born at the little clinic in Isabel. He didn’t know I named you Anna.”

Understanding dawned in the form of a fierce, seven-year-old frown. “You lied?”

“I kept you a secret,” Sophia admitted. 

Anna turned to face her mother, her tear-streaked face upset. “You kept my daddy a secret from me too! I hate you! I hate you!”

She slipped off Topher’s lap and ran away again. Both Topher and Sophia jumped up to chase her, but they heard August’s voice in the other room. Then Dean’s voice soothing the child.

“I don’t care! I hate her!” Anna told the men.

“Well, why you’re hating her, let me tell you a story,” August said. “It’s a story about a man who lost his father.”

Anna snuffled but settled down enough to listen. Topher and Sophia crept to the door and saw Dean standing guard at the next door as August knelt down and told his story.

“One day, a boy decided he hated his father. So he ran away. He ran away all the way to the ocean and found lots of things he thought he loved more than his father. Then he lost his father.”

Anna looked up at August. “Did his father go to heaven?”

“Exactly. And the boy wasn’t going to be able to find him again for a very long time.” August stood up. “And it made the boy very sad.”

“He shouldn’t have run away,” Anna said wisely. Then she realized the lesson and sighed heavily. “Fine. I’ll go back, but can I have some of those crunchy chickpeas you make first?”

Dean burst out laughing. “Wonderful idea. I’ll try them too.”

“Coming?” Anna called out to Sophia and Topher. In the magical way of children, she had moved on past the complicated conversation and realized all her favorite people were still around her the same as they were before.

“In a minute, darling,” Sophia told her. She forced herself to turn and face Topher. He watched Anna go into the kitchen with his brothers, then he stared at his boots for a long minute before looking up. “I don’t expect you to forgive me,” Sophia said when he finally met her gaze.

“Forgive you? Why? For doing the right thing by Anna?” Topher dropped his gaze again. “I know I’m not good enough to be her father. I’m not reliable enough or responsible enough. I don’t gamble like I used to but I’m not good with money. . .”

Sophia’s jaw dropped. “You don’t think you’re good enough?”

Topher frowned. “I was a bratty kid busy talking about traveling and spending my father’s money. No wonder you decided I wasn’t good parent material.”

She shook her head and reached for Topher’s hand. “That wasn’t it at all.”

He looked up. “Then you are going to have to tell me. Tell me everything.”

Sophia took a deep breath and told him the whole truth. “I loved you too much to make you stay because I was pregnant. I was selfish and wanted love instead of duty. And I wanted you to have the life you were so excited about. Finding out about the pregnancy would just have dragged you down.”

“Dragged me down?” Topher was horrified. “That little girl in there has lifted me higher since the second I met her.”

“I’m sorry.” Sophia thought of all the wonderful things that Topher had missed, the baby snuggles, her first smile, those shaky first steps, and the sound of her toddler laughter. Tears spilled over. “I wanted you to be happy and I didn’t want to be an anchor in your life.”

“I’m not your father, Sophia.” Topher squeezed her hand hard. “I already had roots here and I would have happily stayed. We could have been a family.”

“I know. I screwed up. And now it’s too complicated for us to be a family and it is all my fault.” Sophia tried to pull her hand from his. She wanted to run away just like Anna had, but there was nowhere for her to go.

“No.” Topher caught her hand again. “Now it’s time for me to apologize.”

“For what?” Sophia asked, sniffling. “You didn’t know. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I knew I loved you and I sensed something was wrong but I let you push me away. I was a coward and decided it was easier to keep traveling than to admit what I really wanted. What kind of a spineless man takes a little rejection and doesn’t even try for what he wants?”

Sophia looked up into his blue eyes. “What do you want?”

“You. Anna. Our family. Deep roots. This small town. And this.” Topher leaned forward and kissed her.

All the long years in between suddenly turned into a blur. It felt as if no time had passed and they had never been apart. Sophia knew now for certain that their love had survived. Beyond her secret, beyond his leaving, and beyond the mess they had made out of their reunion, their love was still strong and thriving.

“Found you!” Anna called, running up to them.

Sophia and Topher broke away from their kiss and smiled down at their daughter. “You found us?” Topher asked, his arm tight around Sophia’s waist.

“Just like August’s story. I lost my daddy for a while, but I’m lucky and I found you again,” Anna said.

“We found each other,” Topher told her. He reached down with his free arm and scooped the little girl up. “And guess what?”

“What?” Both Sophia and Anna asked.

“I’m never losing you again.”

EPILOGUE

***TOPHER***

“Come on now! You know I don’t like hide and seek!” Topher called out. The ranch house was quiet, too quiet, and Topher began to wonder if the girls had run off and left him on his own. “Where are you?”

“Found you!” Anna jumped out from behind a door and surprised her father.

Topher chased her around the formal dining room, then out onto the shady front porch. Jameson waved from the barn, and Topher stopped to enjoy the peace and quiet for a moment.

“Keep chasing me, Daddy!” Anna called, breaking the quiet.

After social media took their story and splashed it all over the internet, the three business partners decided it was time to restructure. August and Sophia leased the little shop front in town, the one Topher had never actually sublet to a dog food company, and they started the most popular vegan cafe and bakery in all of Texas. Even the exclusive breeding and training ranch, with five champion horses and counting, bought food for their guests from their bakery. After a long talk with Dean, their father’s lawyer agreed the business partnership between the brothers still fit the requirements of the will.

Topher and August were set to inherit millions.

August moved out and bought himself an Airstream trailer. Topher moved in with Sophia and Anna. The cottage was home, and the ranch house was for business, except on days when Anna didn’t have school and accompanied her father to work.

“I’ll race you to the stables!” Anna called.

Topher took a deep breath and was relieved when Sophia’s new truck pulled into the driveway. “I thought I might find you two here!” she called from the window.

She parked the car and walked over for Topher’s favorite after-work ritual. He took off her necklace, unlaced the platinum ring that swung on the chain safe while she baked all day, and slipped it back onto her ring finger.

“Ready to head home, Mrs. Rolston?”

Sophia smiled as she and Anna took both Topher’s hands. “Let’s walk through the garden first.”

* * *

Enjoying the Grumpy Rolstons? Make sure you to start from the beginning of this brooding cowboy billionaire series with book 1 “A Nanny for the Grumpy Cowboy” . Drake Rolston is a grumpy single dad with a chip on his shoulder larger than Texas. When his long-time nanny quits, he is in desperate need of a new one. Carefree dreamer Freddie Dover seems like the last girl on earth that he would pick. Will the unlikely pair end up together? Or end in an un-happily ever after? CLICK HERE to get your copy now!

Get Your Free Copy Now!

Married To the Billionaire

GET YOUR FREE PERSONAL COPY NOW!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hanna Hart is a passionate sweet clean contemporary romance author who has found a love for writing since the age of 6.

Hanna lives in the beautiful Santa Cruz California with her loving husband, two children and dog Milo. Other than dreaming up extremely sweet and romantic stories, Hanna enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, cooking great food, travelling the world, and getting a lot of exercise.

Hanna’s purpose is to deliver very sweet romantic stories to her readers that will touch their hearts in a very meaningful way, taking them to another place that will positively impact their life.

Want her exclusive prequel to the “Crystal Beach Resort Series? Sign up to her newsletter and get it free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6yxpatrnwp

Want to hang out with Hanna?  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannahartbooks

Website: www.hannahartbooks.com

Email: hanna@hannahartbooks.com