Glynna Kaye - Pine Country Cowboy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A sturdy, outdoorsy, take-charge kind of woman who didn’t fit any of the librarian stereotypes Abby was all too familiar with, she’d seemed as old as the hills when Abby had been in grade school. But in reality she was probably even now only in her early to mid-sixties.

“Call me Janet. I’m still the librarian and a Sunday school teacher.” The woman’s gaze warmed. “I wondered if you’d remember me. It’s been such a long time. But my goodness, how you remind me of your beautiful mother.”

“Thank you.” The compliment was well intended, but she wasn’t fooled. In reality she didn’t come close to her mother’s striking looks or her vivacious personality.

“Do you remember me, too?”

Abby turned to the young woman next to her who was looking at her hopefully.

Melody. Melody. She hated this. Everyone knew who she was, but she’d been put on the spot so many times over the past few days that she’d become paranoid about meeting people. That was one more reason to get out of town. She hoped this woman about her age wasn’t another cousin. The whole town seemed to be crawling with them.

“I wasn’t a Smith back then. Or a blonde.” Melody brushed back her layered golden tresses. “You might remember me as the chubby carrot-haired girl who tried to crawl out the second-grade-classroom window—and got stuck.”

Abby’s eyes widened with belated recognition. What a fuss that incident had created. “Oh, that Melody!”

“I’ve slimmed down considerably....” The young woman laughed as she spread her fingers wide to protectively cradle a barely rounded abdomen, and Abby tensed, sensing what was coming next. “But I understand that won’t last much longer. I’m due in November. Our first.”

“Congratulations.” Abby swallowed the knot in her throat. “That’s wonderful.”

The others joined in with cheerful words of encouragement, an exclusive little club of women who’d been there, done that, who reveled in the blessings and agonies of childbearing and motherhood.

Grasping for a diversion, Abby turned toward the corral where Brett and Trey instructed the kids on horse safety. Trey was a handsome man, but it was the self-assured Brett who now held her attention. Brett, with the broad shoulders, dimpled grin and laugh lines crinkling around his eyes. In spite of his unapologetically flirtatious behavior, her heart beat faster.

“Don’t pay any mind to Brett,” freckle-faced Joy commented almost as if following Abby’s train of thought. “He can’t help but turn on the charm when he’s around a female.”

Melody laughed. “A born sweet-talker if there ever was one.”

So Abby had pegged him right. A superficial skirt chaser.

“Don’t be too hard on that young man,” Mrs. Logan—Janet—chided gently. “He’s got a heart of gold.”

“He’s been in Canyon Springs about a year and a half and everyone seems to love him. Hard not to.” Mina shifted the sleeping baby in her arms. “But my advice, Abby? If you’re looking for a keeper, steer clear. I’m not sure even a lasso and piggin’ string could keep that one corralled.”

Joy laughed, then Melody chimed in. “But let it be said that Britney Bennett isn’t one to take no for an answer.”

“Isn’t that the truth. Poor Brett.”

Janet smiled, shaking her head.

Little towns. Abby had just met these women and already they were sharing advice of the heart with a total stranger.

“Don’t worry about me.” Abby lifted her chin slightly, as if to assure them she wasn’t the susceptible sort and could take care of herself. “I’m going back to Tucson today when Davy’s finished with his lesson.”