bet Jack is. Before he married Josie, he was quite the ladies’ man. I wish I had a mirror.”
“Trust me, you look fine. That’s not what’s going to get us in trouble.”
She stared at him. “What’s going to get us in trouble?”
“I unsaddled my horse and took the time to stake him out in a grazing area. A short visit wouldn’t have required all that. I would have left Smudge ground-tied beside this tree.”
Naomi groaned. “Then I guess we’ll have to see what kind of reaction Jack has to that. He’s not a blabbermouth, so maybe this won’t get back to my folks.”
“Yeah, Emmett said they wouldn’t like it.”
“Only because they want me to find a guy who’s steady. That’s not you.”
“Nope. Not me.”
The sound of hoofbeats grew louder. Naomi glanced at Luke. “We could sit down against the tree and pretend we’re not here.”
“Like you tried to do with me?”
“Right.”
“Forget it. If Jack brought his son all the way out here to see the eagles, he’d haul him up on this platform even if he thought nobody was here. Then he’d find us hiding and looking guilty as hell.”
“You’re right. That would be embarrassing.”
“And because we’ve stood here debating the issue for too long, there’s no time for me to climb down and disappear into the woods.”
That made her laugh. “Hardly. Even if you made it down the ladder, you couldn’t get away without Jack hearing you sneaking away through the trees. That would be just as bad as staying here and facing the music.”
“At least we’re dressed. And we’re not actually in the midst of—”
“Oh, God.” She put her hands to her hot cheeks. “What if he’d ridden up twenty minutes ago?”
“Little Archie would have gotten an education.” Luke shrugged. “He’s a ranch kid. He needs to understand the facts of life.”
“He’s only two,” she said in an undertone. “He doesn’t need to understand anything yet.” She took a calming breath. “This could have been so much worse. I’m grateful that it wasn’t.”
“Naomi!” Jack’s deep baritone drifted upward. “You there?”
She walked to the edge of the platform. “Hi, Jack! I sure am. Hi, Archie!”
The little blond toddler waved wildly. “Hi, hi! Birds! See birds!” He didn’t look much like his dark-haired, dark-eyed father. Instead he’d inherited his fair coloring from his mother, Josie.
He was an adorable kid, beloved by his parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents. Naomi’s heart did a little flip-flop. No matter what awkwardness the situation produced, this child deserved to see the eagles. He was very young, but even early memories could have a lasting impression, if only in his subconscious.
“Come on up,” she called. “I have a surprise for you. Luke’s here.”
Jack tipped back his hat and gazed up at her. “Oh, is he, now?”
Archie bounced on the saddle. “Luke! Wanna see Luke!”
Luke joined her at the edge of the platform. “Hey, buddy! How’re you doing?”
“Luke!” Archie stretched his arms up. “Wanna see Luke!”
“We’ll be right there,” Jack said. “Make sure the eagles are ready for their close-up.” He dropped his reins, gripped Archie around his chubby middle and dismounted.
“Archie seems excited to see you,” Naomi said quietly.
“I’ve done some babysitting now and then.”
She glanced over at him. The drifter babysat for little children? That didn’t fit his supposed philosophy of not becoming attached to his surroundings. Little kids like Archie could grab hold of your heart and refuse to let go. “You’re a man of many parts.”
“I am.” He gave her a cocky smile and lowered his voice. “After they leave, I’ll show you some of them.”
FROM THE MOMENT Jack arrived on the platform, Luke knew that he’d come to check out the situation brewing with Naomi. Jack was easing into the role of reigning monarch of the Last Chance, despite the fact he wasn’t yet forty. But he considered everyone on the ranch, and most of the people in town, too, as his people—people who required his guidance.
Luke had found it kind of amusing until today. Yes, Jack was his boss, and technically what happened on his property was under his control, but…Okay, maybe Jack had some authority here. Luke didn’t have to like it.
Archie, though, was another story. Luke couldn’t resist that rosy-cheeked little boy. He dragged the stool over to a spot that would give Archie the best view of the eagles and sat with the kid on his lap and helped him look through the binoculars. It was tricky because Archie didn’t quite get the concept of the binoculars.
Luke had a little trouble managing both child and binoculars. He didn’t want to drop either one, with the kid being the more important of the two.
Naomi came to his rescue. “You hold Archie, and I’ll hold the binoculars.”
“Wanna hold nockles!” Archie stubbornly refused to give up his right to have a hand on them, even if he didn’t quite understand how they worked.
“Okay,” Naomi said. “We’ll all hold them. You, me and Luke.”
“’Kay.” Archie settled down.
Naomi crouched down next to them. “Archie, can you make your fingers do this?” She created two circles with her thumbs and forefingers and held them up to her eyes.
Archie imitated her, which meant he had to let go of the binoculars, but Luke made sure they didn’t drop.
“That’s how the binoculars work,” Naomi said. “Like your fingers, only better.”
Jack observed from the sidelines. “Brilliant.”
“We’ll see.” Naomi had Archie practice with his fingers some more, and then she tried the binoculars again. Eventually Archie caught on.
Once he did, he was very excited. “Birds! I see birds!”
Luke held him as he bounced, but Archie kept his eyes pressed against the twin lenses. Glancing over at Naomi, Luke discovered her looking back at him. They exchanged a smile.
He had a brief flash of what it
