“No.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and she couldn’t seem to take her eyes from his face. She smoothed her hands over her black skirt and finally took her focus off him. “I’ll be fine in a minute. I…must have stood up too quickly.”

  “That can get you sometimes,” he said, happy to see the color slowly returning to her cheeks.

  “Are you Cal Pierce?” she asked, straightening in her seat and shooting him a half-hearted smile.

  “At your service, ma’am.” He dipped his chin in acknowledgment.

  “Please call me Amy. Thank you so much for coming. Let’s go into my office and talk about the promo schedule and the event,” she said, her voice stilted.

  The woman was setting the strictly business parameters faster than an eight-second bull ride. He knew some people didn’t like rodeo riders, perhaps that was it? He knew better than to dig into the reasons why.

  “Sure thing. Take it easy standing up.” Cal wanted to offer his arm but held back. Amy was a mite skittish, like a newly broken horse, and he would do well to respect her boundaries.

  “I’m fine. Really. If you’ll follow me.” She rose and led the way into her office where she gestured for him to take a seat. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?”

  “No, but I appreciate the offer.” He appreciated the way her skirt skimmed her figure, too, and the flex of her calf as she walked. Somehow, she wasn’t what he expected from a mayor’s assistant in a small town. They’d emailed and spoken on the phone to make his travel arrangements, so he’d known that she’d be intelligent and friendly. He just hadn’t expected her to be so appealing.

  Amy sat at her desk and reached for a glass of water. The liquid shook as her hand trembled, and she set it back down without so much as a sip. “Well, first, let me thank you again for agreeing to be part of our rodeo.” Her tone still crisp and professional, not at all like the woman he’d spoken on the phone with previously. “The town is grateful for your help and I can assure you that the proceeds are going to a good cause.”

  The town had a funny way of showing it. No friendly welcomes, just polite stares and shock. “Rafael said a fire destroyed your community center.”

  “Yes, a few months ago.” Her eyes clouded over as if to fight back against the unpleasant memory.

  Or was it him she objected to? Or both. Cal wasn’t entirely sure given the strange behavior of the people in town and her initial reaction to him. “So what’s the plan to fix it?”

  “Unfortunately, the building was a total loss, but we hope to rebuild quickly. And a rodeo seemed like an effective way to raise interest in the project and collect the needed funds. Rafael speaks highly of you.”

  “He’s a good man and I’m happy to help,” Cal said.

  “It’s rather generous of you and much appreciated.”

  Her tone and expression softened, and he was once again drawn to her. Then he remembered the ring. She was somebody else’s wife, and he’d never been that kind of man. “Just tell what you need from me.”

  “I’ve worked out a schedule with what I’m told is the usual sort of promo for a rodeo if you’d like to take a look., she said, handing him the paper with her notes.

  Cal studied the list and didn’t see anything on the list he objected to as promotional tours were nothing new. “Looks good to me.” He glanced at her as he slid the paper across the desk and caught her watching him. She cleared her throat and looked away, but not before he noticed the haunted look again.

  He thought about letting it drop, pretending that everything was normal—but he was going to be here for a solid month, and that was a long time to ignore an elephant in the room. “Amy, I sure wish you’d tell me what’s wrong. I sense you don’t want me here.” Sensing, however, was a long way from understanding. It’s not like they had ever met, so he was at loss for her reaction to him. Maybe it was as simple as Amy had wanted someone else for the rodeo.

  “Of course, Darby Crossing wants you,” she said, forcing a smile. “You’ll be a huge draw for the rodeo, and we’ll be rebuilding in no time.”

  “Maybe you just don’t like us rodeo types,” he suggested, trying to understand her personal objection to his presence.

  She sighed and sat back in her seat, the forced cheerfulness fading. “It’s not that either. It’s nothing to do with you or the rodeo at all, truly. I’m sorry if my behavior or the town’s isn’t welcoming.”

  “I didn’t say that,” Cal said cautiously. “You just seem uncomfortable with me.”

  She glanced toward the only window in her office and seemed to focus on the pine tree outside it. Silence hung in the air until she spoke in a low tone. “It’s just that you look so much like my husband. He died in a car accident four years ago. It was a shock seeing you. He was well-liked around town, so the people you saw earlier probably had a similar reaction. That’s all. Nothing personal.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your husband.” And he was. Cal didn’t like the idea of her suffering, and the man’s death had clearly affected her deeply. “Don’t feel bad, you aren’t the only one in town that seems to take issue with my sudden appearance. They say everyone has a twin in the world who looks like them, maybe your husband is mine. Perhaps it would be better if I left town so as not to stir up unpleasant memories for people. I’ve got plenty of connections in the rodeo world to find a replacement rider for you.”

  “No, no.” She straightened. “You’re a great choice for us.” Her smile returned. It was still a little uncertain, but brighter than it had been. “Such a strange coincidence though, isn’t it? The kind of thing that only happens in movies. My late husband, Luke, was a popular man in town, so people’s reactions are to be expected.”

  “I guess so.” Cal shrugged.

  After agreeing to meet for a welcome-to-town dinner, Cal made his way to the bed and breakfast where he would be staying. The owner escorted him to a suite that was a little old-fashioned but was still bigger and nicer than many of the places Cal had stayed.

  Once alone, he sank down on the couch, going over the strange afternoon in his head. Call it curiosity, or plain need-to-know, Cal typed in Luke Thorne’s name into the internet search bar on his phone. A young twenty-something man popped up on the screen. Cal did a double take, the uncanny resemblance a shock. Apparently, the adage about having a twin was true, at least in his case.

  He read just enough info to confirm what Amy said. Luke was the golden boy in town and his death in a tragic accident that claimed his life and his father’s life, leaving behind his wife and a son. Their deaths had rocked the community.

  Cal stared at the photo, a sudden thought coming to him from nowhere. What if it wasn’t coincidence?

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