“What if I put down a larger down payment?” Sitting across from Sally Bishop at Lucky Flats Savings & Loan was an exercise in torture. Not that Sally wasn’t doing everything she could to help me buy an amazing property I found about ten miles outside of town, she was. But nothing could help, or so it seemed.

Sally sighed and smoothed her blonde hair, even though not one strand of her French twist was out of place. “That would help Sugar, but I’m afraid with no significant income we’ll need someone to cosign any loan we’d give you.”

Story of my damn life. A grown woman with a college degree and a trust fund, yet I still needed someone to hold my hand just to get my business off the ground. I stood and wiped the nervous moisture down my jeans, feeling more defeated than ever. Honestly, why did I even come in here? I knew why, that property had excited the hell out of me, and I was so high on my own ideas I forgot common sense. Now I had it back.

“Thank you so much Sally. I guess I’ll just…figure it out.”

She smiled and accepted the hand I held out. “I’m so sorry Sage. Maybe your brother or Mason could sign?”

“They probably would Sally, but I was hoping to do this on my own.” But it looked like I would need to get a job and save for a while before that could happen. “Thanks again Sally. Have a good day.”

“You too hon. Good luck.”

I would need it. Good luck, a dose of magic and maybe even a lamp with a wish granting genie inside might help. Probably not though. The day was still early, and I was more than a little tempted to head to the Double Barrel but I had things to do on the ranch. After spending a few hours inside Lucky Brew sending out my resume, I hopped in my car and aimed it towards the M&M, clenching my jaws as tight as my hands gripped the wheel. It had been two days and I’d successfully dodged Mason. But I knew it wouldn’t last for much longer.

Voices sounded in the house, and for a second I thought about going around back and heading straight for the temporary therapy barn, but I needed to change first. A silky blouse and fitted blazer might be fine for Sally Bishop but I couldn’t afford to ruin my nice clothes now that I’d have job interviews to attend. I took a long, deep breath and went inside, slipping upstairs to quickly change before following the voices in the kitchen.

“There you are, my dear!” Walt’s big voice boomed loudly and jovially, a big smile splashed across his face. “I was just sharing the good news with Mason.”

I knew exactly what the good news would be, and I felt both relief and an odd twinge in my chest. “M&M is officially part of the Texas Pure Breed Association?”

“That’s right babe, we did it.” Mason stood and wrapped an arm around me, not letting his smile drop for a second at the way I stiffened. He leaned in and I knew he was going in for a kiss and I knew with Walt watching I had to let him. But I kept my lips pursed tight and made it quick and chaste.

Stepping back, I grinned. “That’s wonderful news Mase. You’ve earned it.” My hand rested on his chest and lingered for a long minute because my body didn’t seem to get the message that this didn’t belong to me. This wasn’t mine. “Walt you don’t know what this means to the M&M.” I leaned forward and gave the old guy a hug, noting the way he blushed at my affection. “Thank you.”

“Oh my pleasure, sweetheart. This place has some of the best purebred and thoroughbreds in the state. I’ll be happy to say I was smart enough to notice before anyone else.” He winked and stood. “I’ll see you both at the official induction ceremony and ball,” he said, and with another round of handshakes he was gone.

“Sage,…”

“Congratulations Mason,” I spoke over him and exited the kitchen. As I made my way to the barn I let out a long, tired breath. It was done. Mason got what he needed and this false engagement was officially over. I felt mostly relief, but also an overwhelming sadness. It was time to get over my infatuation with Mason Manning. There had been a brief window of time when we could have become more, but that window was now closed. And I would be okay. Someday.

“Sage, wait!”

His heavy footfalls sounded quickly behind me and I knew if I turned I’d find him running my way. But I didn’t turn, I walked through the open barn and picked up the tablet on my desk to see what I had to do today. With just three patients on the schedule, I knew I’d be done before supper, which would give me time to get some job hunting in before I spent the evening with Lily.

“Sage,” he said, not sounding at all out of breath. The bastard.

I blanked my expression and turned. “What’s up Mason?” My grip on the desk tightened when he removed his Stetson and raked a hand through his thick wheat-blonde hair. Why did he have to be so big and masculine and sexy?

“You haven’t been around much lately.”

“I had things I needed to take care of. The horses have not been neglected, I document my hours each day in fifteen minute increments just as we agreed on.”

He sighed. “I know Sage and you know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

I did. “I don’t know any such thing. What is this about?” Yeah, I could do denial with the best of them.

His long-legged stride ate up the distance between us until just a few inches kept us apart. “Sage, I’m sorry. I don’t know what you want me to say.”

That you love me. I knew that would never happen and I also knew it wasn’t his fault. “There’s nothing for you to say Mason and really there’s no need for you to apologize. These things happen.”

He didn’t look convinced. “I don’t want things to be weird between us.”

“They won’t be. I was embarrassed and I needed to hide out for a while.” I tried for a smile but it felt weird and strained even to me. “Anyway our arrangement is all done. We have the ceremony and then I’ll be out of your hair.” For good. This time my smile was a little brighter and his shoulders relaxed so I knew I’d said exactly what he wanted to hear.

“What will you do?”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“Jack will be staying here for a while, so you can too. If you want.”

If he wasn’t this man, this kind man who would brave eternal awkwardness just to let me be closer to my brother, I wouldn’t love him like I do. Though right now I hated him for being so nonchalant about it. For not hurting the way I did.

“Thank you Mason.”

“So you’ll stay?”

“No.” He looked confused and I only shrugged. “I need to get to work.”

He stared for a long time like he wanted to say more, but didn’t know where to begin. That was fine by me because the one thing I wanted from him, he couldn’t give me.

“Okay then, I’ll see you later.”

When Tammy invaded our girls’ night and insisted we go out to eat I felt pretty certain she had something else on her mind. But as our ribs, chicken, potato salad and biscuits were delivered I knew I was just acting paranoid because of the earlier weirdness between me and Mason.

“I’m glad you suggested this Tammy, I haven’t had Dolly’s barbecue in ages.” One of the downsides of going away for college was that I didn’t have access to Dolly’s famous barbecue.

“I don’t get out here nearly as much as I should, but now I’m back I plan to eat here at least once a week.” Tammy licked her fingers and plucked another biscuit from the center of the table. “You should too, fatten yourself up.”

“She don’t wanna get fat Gramma,” Lily insisted but she was hard to take serious with a ring of barbecue sauce around her mouth.

“Not fat little girl, but she’s too thin.”

I rolled my eyes because Tammy has been saying I needed to fatten up since I turned fifteen. “I’m not thin at all Tammy, but I’ll take the compliment.”

She smacked her lips together and shook her head, assessing me until I squirmed. “I’ll never get you young girls and your obsession with being skinny. A man needs something to grab on to.”

I choked on my soda. “Grab onto what?” Lily asked.

“Oh hush up child. Have some quarters and ride on that pony you’ve been eyeing.” Tammy dug about twelve quarters from her pocket and that’s when I knew that my initial assessment was correct. The old girl had something up her sleeve.

“Thanks Gramma, I’ll be over there,” she said and took off.

Tammy watched the little girl run off and when she was satisfied Lily was safe, she turned to me. “I hear you tried to get a bank loan.”

I nodded and explained what happened at the bank. “So I’ll just have to work for a few more years and try again.” Maybe the interest on my trust fund will have grown enough that I won’t need someone else to get a loan.

“Why don’t you just rent some of the unused M&M land? Lord knows we have plenty of it.”

I shrugged because I didn’t really want to get into it but I couldn’t lie to her. “I tried that first and Mason refused.” That still stung but I refused to show it. “Now though, I think he had the right idea. Don’t say anything about this Tammy, I’ll figure it out myself.”

She shook her head in disapproval, taking a long sip of tea before she spoke. “You young people and your damned independence. You think me and Mitch, rest his soul, turned our small spread into the magnificence it is today by ourselves? His daddy and granddaddy put everything they had into the M&M Ranch, making sure it was strong and viable for the future. They all had help. We had help too.” Her gaze took on a faraway look as she continued to speak. “The only thing I brought to the marriage was eight grand in prize money, a horse and a bunch of sparkly riding outfits. Our early years were lean, city girl lean Sage.”

I knew she was right about that, but my situation wasn’t the same. “I have what my parents could provide for my future and still it isn’t enough. But don’t worry Tammy, this isn’t the end of my dream. I’m just postponing it.” I hoped that was true.

“And what about my son?”

And here we go. “He has everything he needs.”

Tammy smacked the table. “Then you haven’t been paying attention girl. Mason is stubborn to a fault, and now he’s fighting his feelings so hard that he’s twisted up and running scared. One of you has to fight for this.”

She was right, of course except for the small matter of Mason not loving me. “There is nothing to fight for Tammy and I need to worry about my future.”

She gave me an odd look that might have been disappointment, but I couldn’t tell. “I don’t think you understand child. Tracy didn’t just die and leave him brokenhearted, she died while leaving him and Lily. She’d told him hours before her death that she fell in love with some carpet manufacturer and they were moving to Maine to start over. She was on her way to meet up with him when the truck hit her head on.”

I hadn’t known any of that, only that she died in a horrific car accident. Still it didn’t change anything. “Tammy listen to me, Mason doesn’t love me. This isn’t about the fact that he won’t commit, he doesn’t want to commit to me, okay? So no matter what his issues are, that’s that.”

She was silent for a long time after that and I felt bad about my harsh tone. She didn’t deserve it but I meant what I said.

“If you’re sure.”

“I am.” At least I would be.

Eventually.