“Huh?” Caitlin swung her head to see Brian’s mother, Laura Thorne, standing there. She’d been so lost in her thoughts that she’d missed the sound of the bakery’s door opening.

  “I’ve missed him again.” Laura smiled at her. “But I’m happy to see you. Amy told me that you were back in town working for Aurora.”

  “Just temporarily,” Caitlin said. “How have you been, Mrs. Thorne?” Again, Caitlin felt bad that she hadn’t contacted the family after Laura’s husband and son were killed in the accident. She also wanted to ask about Cal and how Laura felt about meeting and building a relationship with the son she’d given up for adoption back in her early life, but she wasn’t sure how to approach the topic. Laura’s generous nature seemed to perceive that.

  “You can call me Laura now, you know, and I’m doing well,” the older woman said. “Been changes in my life lately. Good ones.”

  “I heard.”

  She wondered if Cal realized how lucky he was to find himself part of such a great family. What would it have been like to grow up with a mother like Laura, who was kind and giving? She’d had the merest taste of that when Laura had come to her rescue one day when she’d been in the eighth grade. Caitlin remembered that rainy day so well. She’d won the county’s art contest, not just in the kids’ category but overall, up against adults from all over the county, but she’d had to go to the awards ceremony on her own. Her parents had chosen to go to Ethan’s game instead…and then they never came to pick her up. Her painting had been destroyed while she stood in a downpour waiting for them. Laura, an organizer of the contest, noticed her and gave her a ride home. Caitlin had refused to cry in the car, but she’d had to bite her lip to keep her emotions in, especially when Laura was so nice to her.

  “I guess you would have, being Brian’s houseguest.” There was no malice or condemnation in Laura’s tone when she spoke. “It was a shock to see Cal, especially since he looks so much like Luke, but I’m happy to know him and know he was raised by good people.”

  “I’m glad for you. I guess it’s fortunate the rodeo brought Cal to town.”

  “Sure is.” Laura smiled and pointed across to the sheriff’s office. “I meant to stop over there and see Brian after I got a cup of tea from Carly.”

  “I could give him a message if you like,” Caitlin offered. “I’m heading home soon myself.” It was funny to think of Brian’s house as home—but it was starting to feel that way. Especially after her time with Brian late the evening before. They’d done nothing more than watch television, but the tension had been gone between them and in its place had been…something she couldn’t quite define. Something she’d thought she’d seen again in the way he’d looked at her, and earlier that day when he’d taken her hand…

  She was probably reading too much into it. Any chance of a real relationship between them had ended years ago when he’d chosen not to jeopardize his friendship with her brother by being with her. That had hurt deeply, but she’d understood it, too.

  And she’d been completely over it, she’d thought, until she’d come back to town and started spending time with him once more. She couldn’t be falling for him again, could she? Because that would be a mistake. There was no future for them. Caitlin glanced away to where Carly was re-entering the room to prevent Laura from reading too much on her face.

  “It’s nothing important,” Laura said about her offer. “I was just going to say howdy while I was in town.”

  “Your order’s ready, Caitlin,” Carly called out. “Don’t eat this cake all by yourself. Hi, Laura.”

  “Hello, Carly. Can I get a chamomile tea to go?” Laura asked.

  “Sure thing.” Carly turned away to prepare the tea, and Caitlin suddenly felt awkward standing there with Brian’s mother.

  “Celebration?” Laura asked with a nod to the cake.

  “No, just…” Caitlin felt a blush come to her cheeks. “Just a gift for a friend.”

  “Lucky friend,” Laura commented. “Carly’s cakes are delicious.”

  Caitlin said a hasty goodbye and went outside with her purchase, feeling rattled. People were nice here, too nice. It was almost enough for her to overcome her prejudice against living so near her parents. But not quite. She wasn’t sure anything could do that, including Brian. Even if he confessed his undying love for her, she’d have a hard time sticking around.

  When she arrived at his house, she put the cake in the refrigerator, emptied the dishwasher, and stacked the mail on the table where Brian would see it. Everything about living here was starting to be a little too easy, especially the level of comfort she felt with Brian and his home.

  She just had to remember that nothing was going to happen between her and Brian. If she let herself forget, she was going to suffer a broken heart, and she’d already experienced that once with Brian.

  Slowly, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, forcing herself with each step to harden her resolve. She’d do right by Aurora at the diner, save her money, and in a few months return to Austin to pick up the pieces of her life. A life that had no room in it for Brian Thorne.

  8

  “I appreciate your call,” Brian said into his phone as Caitlin walked into his kitchen. He’d made waffles and bacon again for them to luxuriate in the freedom to take the morning slow. The rodeo was over, and the weekend had brought more drama and excitement than he’d anticipated. The amount of money raised to fund the town’s new community center was almost staggering, but the true shocker was Cal’s proposal to Amy right in the stands during the event.

  Brian considered it fortunate that he’d been close by and witnessed the happy scene. He’d known they’d made up from whatever the break was between them, but it was still a little shocking that they’d gone from meeting to being engaged in just a month. He couldn’t fault them, though. They seemed so happy together, and Cal planned to stick around, which would give Brian an opportunity to really get to know his half-brother.

  “Looks delicious,” Caitlin said when he set his phone down on the counter. “Are some of those waffles for me?”

  “Sure are. I made plenty.” He’d gotten used to her rushing past him in the morning on her way out the door, but he’d hoped that morning, since she had her first full day off since coming to town, that she’d take time to sit down and eat breakfast for once.

  “Thanks,” she said, taking a seat and reaching for a waffle and several slices of bacon. “It’s nice to eat breakfast for a change instead of just serving it.”

  “Always a bonus.” He joined her and refilled his coffee cup. “That was my contact at the Austin PD on the phone. There’s news on your ex.”

  “They caught him?” She looked up excitedly.

  “Not yet, but your complaint against him isn’t the only one. His former boss filed charges against him for stealing from the business. They’re brothers, right?”

  “Yeah. Wow. I’m shocked. Patrick always seemed so tolerant of his little brother. He looked the other way every time money was missing from the till. He was still defending Seamus the last time I talked to him, when I went to try to get my job back.” She sliced off a piece of waffle. “Those are serious charges, aren’t they?”

  “It was a lot of money, so that adds up to more counts of grand larceny.”

  “Patrick’s a decent enough guy, and I liked working for his tattoo shop, but I was never going to get moved up there because Seamus got all the opportunities, even if he didn’t deserve them.”

  “Not anymore,” Brian said, enjoying the insight he was getting into Caitlin’s experiences in Austin. “I guess Seamus robbing his brother was the last straw, at least now that Patrick’s realized just how bad it was. He decided some people couldn’t be helped, and the only way to recoup his money was to file charges. I passed along the information about Seamus being in Florida. I think it’s just a matter of time before you get your money back from the bank or Seamus.”

  “God, that would be so great.” Suddenly, she hopped up and threw her arms around his neck. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me, especially when I know you were so busy with the rodeo. You took the time even when it made your life more difficult.” She kissed his cheek before going back to her chair.

  “It was no big deal.” He felt a little shellshocked by the affection she showed him. They’d been so careful not to cross any lines. “I just placed a call or two. Austin PD is doing the work.”

  “Shut up and accept my thanks,” she said, still smiling. “For once, Brian, don’t be modest.”

  He picked up his coffee cup again and tried to right himself. She’d thrown him off kilter, and he was struggling to find the balance between them again.

  “I think we should do something fun today,” she suggested. “The rodeo is over, and there’s a good chance I’ll get my money back. That’s two reasons to celebrate. We should go to the lake. Remember how we used to swim there? I haven’t been in so long.” She glanced out the window at the sunshine. “It’s a beautiful day. What do you think?”

  “I was headed to work.” Technically, he didn’t have to go. He’d worked straight through for the weeks leading up to the rodeo, and there was nothing officially on his schedule for that day. Still, there were tasks to complete, paperwork to finish up, training to do. It never ended.

  “Brian Thorne, you need to take a day off every once in a while.” She sighed, but managed a smile as she added, “I understand. You’ve got responsibilities. It’s okay.” Her expression said it wasn’t. She was disappointed, and he hated that.

  “I told you that I wouldn’t have time to hang out with you just because you’re living here.” He’d established those ground rules the day she’d moved in. He’d been firm about that, while hiding the reluctance he’d felt.

  “I get it. No pressure,” she said. “You’re a busy man. I didn’t mean to get all silly and needy on you.” She focused on her plate again, but he saw her cheeks turn pink.

  “You weren’t,” he said, feeling like an ass. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to spend time with her. A day with her sounded like the best thing he’d heard in a long time. No one would fault him for taking time off, not after the hours he’d put in recently. He could trust Sofia to handle anything that happened, and he’d have his phone with him if they needed him to come in. “If you give me a few minutes to make some calls, I can take the day off. I’d like to go to the lake with you.”

  “Are you sure?” Her brown eyes and the smile she gave him weren’t tinged with their usual sadness. When he nodded, the smile grew even brighter. “Let me go throw some things in a bag, and then I’m going to pack a picnic for us.” She jumped up and he heard her feet on the stairs and overhead.

  As he cleared away the breakfast dishes, he began to imagine a life in which he had someone worth taking off time for. Someone who didn’t see him as just the sheriff or as a member of the Thorne family. Caitlin seemed to want to be with him because she liked him for himself. It was novel, and he couldn’t quite get used to it.

  An hour later, they were on their way to the lake located about ten miles outside of town. He’d swung past it while on patrol often enough, but Brian hadn’t been there to swim or have fun since high school. And why not? he wondered, as he parked. When did I stop letting myself have fun?

  He got out of his truck and checked his messages out of habit. No bars. He walked twenty feet along the road and checked again. Nothing. Another twenty feet. “There’s no reception out here,” he announced.

  “Isn’t that wonderful?” she said. She had a picnic blanket folded over her arm.

  “Not for me. What if there’s a problem and my deputies need to get ahold of me?”

  “You can’t possibly be on call every minute of every day,” she said.

  Technically, no—his other officers were supposed to handle anything that came up today. But from his perspective, being a sheriff meant that he was always on call. Wasn’t that what he owed to his town? “I’m just never out of contact.”

  “The rodeo is over. It’s a sleepy weekday. What could anyone possibly need from you? Besides, Sofia will handle it if something comes up.” She walked closer to him, a smile on her face. “And we’re here to have fun and not worry. Can we do that? Please.”

  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing some of the tension to ease from his shoulders. When was the last time he let himself really relax? “Okay, you win. Pick a spot.” He gestured to the empty area along the lakeshore. Caitlin was right. Sofia was in charge and he trusted her, which meant that he could enjoy the afternoon without worry. Mostly.

  “Let me see.” She studied the landscape. “I like a little shade, but not too much.” She walked back and forth for a few minutes before selecting a spot that would have increasing shade in the afternoon as the day grew hotter. “This should be perfect.” She spread the blanket on the ground and plopped down on it.

  He placed the cooler she’d packed on the edge of the blanket and joined her. They lay in the sun, listening to birds in the trees and the soft lap of waves against the shore. She was quiet for so long that he thought she’d fallen asleep before she spoke.

  “When I was in college,” she said, her voice soft, “I could never imagine myself coming back to Darby Crossing, let alone being happy about it, even if the stay was just temporary.”

  What was this? Was she saying that she was happy to be in the place he thought of as home? He sat up and looked at her, trying to read her mood.

  “It’s funny how life turns out, isn’t it?” She shot him a grin. “Ah, heck, back then even the idea of coming back to town for your mother’s birthday party sent me into a panic. I felt like I’d only just escaped, and if I came back, I’d never be able to leave again.”

  Huh? He blinked, trying to wrap his head around her meaning. He’d assumed… “I thought you wouldn’t come with me because you didn’t want anyone to think you were in a serious relationship with me.”

  She pushed off the ground and turned toward him. “What? No, it was never about you—or about us. That wasn’t my reason. Wait, you thought we were serious? But…”

  “But what?” he asked.

  “But you ended things,” she said softly. “I was head over heels for you, which was scary since I was so young. But I’d hoped we were building something special. Right up until you said we should end things because Ethan was coming home on leave. You chose Ethan’s friendship over something with me, and I felt so foolish because I…I’d fallen a little in love with you.” Her smile turned wry as if it were a joke of some kind. “One time when I’d spent the night at your apartment and had an early class, I almost left you a note saying that I loved you. I chickened out and left you a drawing of a yellow flower instead. You probably don’t remember that. It was such a juvenile thing to do.”

  Brian stared at her, remembering so clearly finding the picture propped up on the nightstand. He’d seen it as a sign of her affection for him but had concluded not long afterward that he’d been wrong. She hadn’t wanted to come home for his mother’s birthday, and she hadn’t protested when he’d started dialing back their time together. So he’d ended things—and she’d let him go without a peep of protest. He’d seen that as confirmation that she didn’t want to be with him. What if that wasn’t true at all?

  “You loved me?” he asked, unable to restrain the words.

  “I…” Her smile disappeared in a flash.

  “Because I had no idea about that,” he said before she could respond, and then he kept going, unable to stop the words from pouring out. “I thought you weren’t as interested in me as I was in you. When you wouldn’t go to the birthday party, I took that as a sign that I should back off and not ask you for something you weren’t willing to give. I knew that I wanted more with you, but I wasn’t going to get it. That’s why I chose Ethan’s friendship. I didn’t think you had feelings for me in any serious way.” He stared at her, realizing that he’d made one of the biggest mistakes of his life at the age of twenty. He’d misunderstood their relationship, and he let her slip away from him.

  Her face had grown paler with every word he said, and he had no idea where to go from there. Suddenly, she jumped up and stripped off her shorts and tank top to reveal a bikini.

  “I’m going for a swim,” she announced and dashed away from him toward the lake.

  Heck, no. She wasn’t going to tip his world on end and then make a run for it. He pulled off his t-shirt and jeans so he could follow her into the water.

  9

  Caitlin ran into the lake until it deepened and then swam as she tried to put distance between herself and Brian. The cool water did nothing to calm her emotions. Brian had cared for her, apparently deeply, back when they were in college? That was a revelation. They’d been good together, and she’d thought she was in love with him. But he’d loved her?

  No, he hadn’t said that, not in so many words. He’d said he wanted more, which could mean so many different things. But the possibility of it all made her heart hurt. What if they’d had an honest conversation about their feelings for each other back then? What if she’d willingly gone to the party at the Thorne Ranch—or even explained her reasons instead of assuming he’d understand? What if she’d fought against their breakup?

  She paused, treading water for a minute as she struggled to get her bearings. Brian was swimming toward her, his strokes powerful as he ate up the distance between them. Panic like she’d felt on shore overtook her again and she set out away from him, pouring her energy into cutting through the water while trying to stave off the thoughts bombarding her.

  Had she thrown love away? But no, no. It would never have worked between them. Brian loved Darby Crossing and couldn’t wait to return to their hometown. She had only painful memories associated with where she’d grown up and couldn’t imagine a life for herself here. She’d wanted the wide world, not just a corner of it. And that hadn’t changed. He would never leave, and she wouldn’t stay. She’d kidded him that he was married to the town, but it was true. She, on the other hand, was always looking for a way out.