The yellow dog showed up on the same day the black bull disappeared. A skinny shepherd-lab without a collar and so covered in fleas, Levi bathed him in a stock tank and then apologized with a pound of hamburger meat he’d bought for his own dinner. The dog had not left his side since.

The bull, however, was nowhere to be found, and good bulls were costly. This one was a registered Angus with a strong pedigree, low birth weight calves, and an amiable disposition. In other words, highly valuable.

After driving much of the property, Levi saddled Freckles to ride the fence lines and figure out how the bull, red tag number 1 with a cross-D brand, had escaped. The yellow dog trotted eagerly beside the horse. Levi was surprised he had the strength.

As they approached the back forty, Daisy’s house came into view.

The little girl seemed to have radar for baby Mason. She came running each time Emily drove into the yard. Out of breath and beaming as if she hadn’t a care in the world, she would come to play with Mason. After an hour or so, she’d jet out the door and race across the field toward home, claiming “chores.”

For a nine-year old, she was an independent little girl with a lot to do.

Emily had convinced Daisy’s father to let her attend church, and Levi figured that was a good sign. So good that he’d started going too.

The thing was, the messages from the pulpit seemed directed at him as if the minister knew exactly what was on his mind. As if the shiny-eyed preacher knew the confusion and hurt and shame Levi had never been able to shake. As if he understood Levi’s anger and resentment toward his old man.

Could Jesus help with all that garbage?

It was something to ponder, something to discuss with Emily.

With a squeeze of one leg against Freckles’s belly, Levi turned the appaloosa along the fence line toward the only gate on this side of the property. The ground was soft in places, scented by moist earth and spring grass. Since he was here, he might as well get acquainted with Daisy’s dad and ask if the other rancher had seen the lost bull.

He and his horse entered the property and, as he rounded the farmhouse and approached the front door, a man stepped out…with a rifle in hand.

As he’d halfway expected, not a warm welcome.

Levi tugged Freckles to a stop. The dog stopped next to the horse and hunkered low, pinning the neighbor with a wary stare.

“Mr. Beech? I’m you’re neighbor, Levi Donley.”

“I know who you are. Scott Donley’s brother.” The twist of Beech’s lips said he didn’t care much for Scott. Had the pair butted heads?

“I took over the ranch after my brother’s death.” Saying the word death still choked him.

The man on the porch shifted, his stance not relaxing one bit. “I don’t like my girl over there so much.”

No condolences, no compassion.

Nice guy. “She’s not bothering anyone.”

“Bothers me. I don’t much like that social worker either sticking her nose in our business. Like Donley’s wife. Uppity.”

“Daisy’s a little girl. Maybe she needs a woman in her life.”

The man spat. “Don’t you think I know that? Only reason I let her go off to that holier-than-thou church. As long as she keeps up with her chores and doesn’t come home preaching to me about God and all that nonsense.”

A slow boil started in Levi’s belly. He didn’t like Arlo Beech at all. He reminded him too much of Slim Donley.

Holding back his temper and the words burning in his throat, Levi shifted in the saddle, leather creaking. From the corner of one eye, he caught a flash of red. Following the line of sight, his anger grew hotter.

He kept his tone intentionally calm. “That’s my bull in your lot over there.”

The rifle didn’t move, but the man glanced down at the weapon. “How can you be so sure he’s yours?”

“Black angus. Red ear-tag number one, and I’m willing to bet he’s carrying the Donley brand.”

“Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”

Levi’s jaw clenched and unclenched. “Stealing cattle is illegal.”

“Didn’t steal him. He just showed up. Can’t blame a man for that. Nice bull. And I got cows.” Beech grinned, though the expression was anything but friendly. “I guess he was lonely.”

Several thoughts roamed through Levi’s brain while Freckles, feeling his owner’s tension, moved restlessly. Harness jingled. A slight breeze ruffled the new grass.

Levi patted the animal’s neck and considered his options. He could get off this horse and punch the guy. Call the sheriff. Or get his bull and get out of here.

The last seemed the most prudent. For now.

Turning the gelding without further comment, he picked his way around the house to the barn and into the barn lot.

Freckles knew the drill. Together, they hazed the docile bull out of the pen slow and easy. Hurrying cattle was the quickest route to failure.

Levi could feel Beech watching, and the hair tingled on the back of his neck.

The yellow dog must have felt it too. He turned his scrawny body toward the house and growled low in his throat.

In the five-minute conversation, Levi had learned two things. He didn’t like Arlo Beech one bit, and he was determined to watch out for Daisy.

---

Emily had stalled as long as she could. She’d put in a full day of work including a court appearance, a meeting with a child advocate, a child removal, and a pile of paperwork. Her time was up.

“Help me get through this, Jesus.”

Fighting tears, she loaded Mason and his belongings into the back of her SUV and made the drive to the Donley Ranch.

The background clearance had arrived. The paperwork was complete. The state was satisfied that Mason’s best interests had been served. The official court appearance would happen later, but tonight, Jessica’s son would move in with Levi permanently. And Emily was one step closer to losing him, and Levi, forever.

A tear slid down her cheek. She gripped the steering wheel tighter.

Uniting children with their forever home was normally a joyous occasion. Usually, she was so thrilled for baby and parents than she bought balloons and a cake to celebrate the newly formed family.

Today the exchange cut like a knife. Not because she didn’t trust Levi to take care of the child. She did. Though he had a lot to learn about baby care, he had done absolutely everything she’d suggested and more.

Levi wasn’t the problem. Not completely. She was.

She loved Mason. As a woman who had put the idea of having children on the back burner, Jessica’s baby had captured her heart and made her long to be a mother.

For a few short weeks, she had been a mother. And she’d loved it, sleepless nights, dirty diapers and all. If Levi took the job in Texas as he planned, her heart would shatter in tiny pieces.

Another tear slipped loose.

There was the problem. Fear. Worry that Levi would leave and she’d never see Mason again. And maybe fear that she’d never see Levi again either.

She clicked on the radio to K-LOVE, her favorite Christian station, and tried to sing along. Mostly she prayed.

By the time she drove onto the Donley Ranch, she had her emotions under control.

“It’s part of the job, Mason.” She inhaled a long, calming breath and let it out. “We can do this.”

Her spirits lifted slightly to see Daisy hopping up and down on the front porch like a human pogo stick. A whip-thin dog of questionable parentage watched her with open-mouthed pleasure as Levi exited the house wearing a grin on his face and a blue dish towel over one shoulder. He held up both hands as if to say, “clean.”

In spite of her melancholy, Emily smiled. Clean hands had become a joke between them.

The man and the neighbor girl fell upon the car and began hauling in Mason’s belongings from the back seat. The dog hung back, his tail moving slowly as if asking permission to approach.

“Whose dog?”

Levi shrugged. “A stray, I think. Starving.”

“Poor thing. So skinny. Did you feed him?”

He frowned. “Wouldn’t you?”

“He seems sweet. Are you going to keep him?”

Levi glanced away. “Depends.”

Emily’s stomach clenched. She pressed her lips together and glanced aside to get her act together before asking, “Are they still holding the job in Texas?”

“For now.” He didn’t look too happy with the question, and she wondered if he was afraid of losing the job, or if he was having second thoughts about leaving. Lord forgive her, she wished for either to happen.

Everything depended on whether or not he sold the ranch and moved on. Far away. This time, with Jessica’s baby.

She pushed the remote button to open the rear of the SUV. More boxes and baby things were piled inside.

Levi fisted both hands on his hips, expression amazed. “He’s got a lot of stuff for such a little guy.”

Maybe she had a gone a little crazy buying things for him.

“You have no idea how quickly he goes through outfits.” Especially since she changed him every couple of hours for the fun of it. Jessica had done the same.

“He has more clothes upstairs in the nursery,” Levi said.

“Probably too small by now.”

Levi’s eyebrows drew together. “You think? Already?”

“Babies grow fast.”

She handed Mason off to Daisy, who’d been dancing a circle around the cowboy. The child flashed a dazzling smile and carefully, slowly, carried Mason inside the house.

Emily grabbed the car seat while Levi toted a stack of boxes.

She stopped just inside the doorway to sniff the air. “Something smells delicious.”

“Dinner.” Levi’s expression was uncertain. “I thought maybe…you might stay for supper.”

She glanced toward Daisy and Mason. The little girl had put a blanket on the carpet and was lying next to Mason making him gurgle and grin. His tiny arms and legs pumped like mad. “Well, I—”

“For him, I mean,” Levi rushed to say. “I’ll need some more pointers before you go.”

Right. For Mason. As it should be. With forced cheer, she asked, “What are we having?”

He held up a finger. “One moment.”

Whipping the dish towel from his shoulder, he hurried into the kitchen, boots tapping against the tile. Emily followed. Daisy and Mason were having a blast without them.

Bent low over the oven, he said, “Baked fish sticks and Brussels sprouts.”

“Oh. That sounds…nice.” Actually, it sounded gross. She wasn’t crazy about fish sticks, and she hated Brussels sprouts.

Levi flashed her a grin. “Kidding. How about chicken parmesan instead?”

Her favorite dish? He’d remembered?

A cold spot warmed. “You know how to make chicken parmesan?”

“Well…” His gaze grew shifty. “Got the recipe from the internet.”

She laughed. “Should be interesting.”

He hiked an eyebrow, a twinkle in his eyes. “Are you game?”

“How can I resist?” Even though she should.

Self-preservation told her to leave sooner rather than later, but, she told herself, Mason would need her. Tonight, he would sleep in a different bed and room, and Levi would require assistance to get him bathed and settled. If she wasn’t here, who would sing his favorite lullaby?

She flashed a glance at the cowboy. He’d taken in a stray dog, a lonely neighbor child, an orphaned baby. Did he realize how kind and caring he was? And that he gave all the signals of putting down roots?

Who was she trying to fool? Mason wasn’t the only reason she wanted to stay for dinner.

Flummoxed, needing to sort her thoughts, she pointed to the pile of baby items in the living room. “I’ll go up and start putting things away.”

Levi closed the oven door and went to the sink to wash his hands. The sight brought a smile.

“Be up in a minute.”

---

Dinner was a success, even if he did burn the Texas toast. Levi was pretty proud of his chicken parm and spaghetti. The semi-disaster had given them something to laugh about when, with a teasing Emily at his side, he’d scraped the top layer off the bread, slapped on some melted butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder, and called it good.

And it was good. For the first time in his life, he had truly enjoyed a meal at this dinner table.

Daisy ate with them and then, with a final kiss on Mason’s forehead, she dashed out the door, past the skinny dog, and across the pasture.

Over the dishes, which they washed together, the lighthearted conversation continued. With baby Mason nearby, Levi pried a little deeper into Emily’s life. She shared easily about her work on the town council, about how she and others hoped to build a new hospital and clinic. He told her about his ramblings and some of the funny, crazy things that happened to working cowboys.

“Is that how you damaged your knees?” She rubbed a dish towel round and round on one of Jessica’s colorful blue Fiesta plates.

“Different events for each knee.” He grinned down at her, even though the mentioned knees ached liked crazy after a full day and evening on his feet.

Not that he was complaining. He loved having Emily stand beside him the way Jessica probably stood next to Scott, the way a wife might.

She returned his smile, and if he wasn’t mistaken, edged a bit closer to his side. “Tell me what happened.”

When he scrubbed at the dishes, their arms brushed. Just a touch. Just enough to ignite his imagination.

What if she was his wife, the way she should have been? What if that baby sleeping so peacefully a few steps away was theirs?

“Levi?” She tilted her head, expression quizzical.

The fantasy evaporated like a wisp of smoke. She wasn’t his. Couldn’t be any more than he could tolerate living in this house where his father’s voice haunted his nightly dreams. “Sorry. Wool-gathering.”

“You were going to tell me how you hurt those knees. I know they bother you all the time even if you don’t complain.”

He didn’t. Another lesson from childhood. Complaints were wasted breath.

“Well, ma’am.” He drawled intentionally, keeping it light so she wouldn’t think the injuries too serious. “The right knee went about a year ago. I was training a young horse when he spooked and fell with me.”

“A year! Levi, if it hasn’t healed by now, you’ve torn something that needs repair.”

“Repair means healing time. I can’t afford to laze around doing nothing for six or eight weeks or longer.”

“You were always a hardhead about injuries. Back in high school when you stepped on that rusty sheet metal, I was so worried you’d get infection or worse, tetanus.”

“Hey, I went to the doctor, and he fixed me right up.”

She bumped his side. “The doctor came to you.”

He remembered how important he’d felt when Emily had coerced the local doctor, a friend of her father’s, to visit the high school. “Toting a needle longer than my arm.”

“You needed a tetanus shot!”

“That’s what Doc said.” He made a silly face. “At the time, I thought your dad had paid him to do me in.”

As he’d wanted her to do, Emily laughed. “When did you injure the other knee?”

“Few weeks ago. An agitated bull got me that time.” He shrugged, hands lifted, palms up. “I don’t run as fast I used to.”

“You really should go see the doctor.”

“No can do. Afraid he’ll think I’m worn out and euthanize me.”

This time she snorted and bumped against him. He got the balloon in the chest thing he associated only with Emily. It felt good too.

He gazed down at her, happier than he could remember in ages. Which made no sense at all given the urgency of the position waiting in Amarillo and the fact that today he’d accepted an enormous responsibility.

He shot a look toward Mason. The little man was wide awake, staring in fascination at a set of brightly colored toys dangling from the handle of his carrier.

Something settled in Levi’s chest. Something permanent and good. A commitment to Scott’s boy. To his boy now.

He handed off the final dish and nudged his chin toward Mason. “Look who’s having fun with that dangly thing you stuck on his carrier. You’ve been amazing with him.”

“He’s easy to love.”

“Yeah. He is.” Love. His chest swelled from it.

Quiet reigned for a few minutes, broken only by the splash of dishwater and the soft baby noises Mason made. The companionable silence caught him by surprise. He and Emily had grown comfortable together again, the way they’d been in high school. A good feeling.

Thoughts darted through his head, mostly of her, of who she’d been, of who she was now.

He pulled the plug, and water gurgled down the drain. He folded the wet dishcloth and draped it over the faucet.

When he spoke, the words were intentionally gentle, careful, so as not to offend her or send her running. “You’re nuts about Mason. You’ve always liked kids. Even your career is about kids. Why didn’t you have any?”

She turned to stash the final pan in the cabinet, and Levi suspected he’d pushed too far until she said, a soft ache in her voice, “We thought we had plenty of time.”

A vise clamped his breath and squeezed hard.

Time. The ultimate thief. “I thought I had time with Scott, too.”

And with you all those years ago. But he didn’t say that, of course.

“Life has a way of surprising you.” She took a baby bottle from the upper cabinet and set it beside a can of formula for Mason’s next feeding. “But I have a great life. I’m happy and content, and what I do helps people. I’ve found my purpose. No complaints.”

“Do you ever think about getting married again?” His words were casual conversation, but he found himself listening intently. “I mean, is there a guy in the picture?”

“Yes, to the first. No, to the last.” She shrugged. “I go out now and then, but there’s no spark.”

“Sparks are important.” Like the ones going off in his nerve endings whenever she was near. Like now.

He dried his hands and tossed the dishtowel onto the countertop. Then he reached for both of her hands. They were cool and soft against his, heated as his were by the dishwater. “Em.”

Slowly, he drew her closer until he slipped his arms lightly around her waist. This time, she didn’t find an excuse to move away. Her olive-green eyes lifted to his. The pupils darkened and grew larger.

He leaned in, hesitant to push but wanting to kiss her more than he could remember wanting anything in a long time. A kiss of thanks. A kiss of…he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that she felt right and good in his arms.

“Em.” He murmured again, chest rising and falling from the pure pleasure of her company.

“Levi.” Expression sweet, she tilted her head and braced a palm along his jaw. Accepting.

Like a drowning man, he fell into her cat green eyes and ignored every roadblock and every problem that stood between him and Emily.

He kissed her.