gave Scarlett her treat. “I’ve had some excitement today, both good and bad,” she confided to the two mares as she stroked Scarlett’s muzzle. “The good news is that I’m moving forward on my bakery business.”
Cassie Lynn shifted to give Duchess her share of attention. “The bad news is that Pa wants me to go back to the farm and take care of him and my brothers.” She breathed a sigh. “I don’t want to do that, of course. So now I need to find me a husband.”
She gave both horses a final pat, then crossed her arms on the top rail and leaned into it. “I sure wish you gals could speak. I bet you’d be able to give me some good insights. I figure the way a man treats his animals is a good measure of his character.”
“Are you talking to the horses?”
Cassie Lynn turned her head to see a freckle-faced boy of six or seven eyeing her curiously.
“Of course. They’re friends of mine.” Then she smiled and stepped back from the corral fence. “I don’t think we’ve met before, have we?”
The boy shook his head. “We just got to town a little while ago. I’m Noah.” As he stepped out of the shade of the livery, the sun highlighted a bit of copper mixed in with his blond hair.
“Glad to meet you, Noah. I’m Cassie Lynn.”
“My uncle Riley likes to talk to horses, too.”
“Sounds like a smart man.” She held out her last few apple slices and nodded toward the two mares. “Would you like to feed them?”
The boy smiled, displaying a gap where one of his front teeth should be, and took the slices. He eagerly stepped up on the second-from-the-bottom board of the fence so he could lean over the top rail. Fearlessly holding his hand out just as she had, Noah smiled as the black mare happily took the offering. “What’s her name?” he asked.
“Duchess.” Cassie Lynn moved beside the boy and propped a foot on the bottom board, concerned by his precarious perch. She rubbed the other mare’s neck. “And this here is Scarlett.”
She smiled as the boy stroked the mare’s muzzle. “I see you’ve done this before,” she said.
The boy nodded. “Uncle Riley has a real fine horse—a gray named River. He’s inside right now talking to Mr. Humphries about stabling him here.”
Well, at least she knew the boy wasn’t alone. Cassie Lynn patted Scarlett’s muzzle so the animal wouldn’t feel left out, then she leaned her elbows on the top rail again. “Are you visiting someone here or do you and your folks plan to settle down in Turnabout?”
The boy shook his head. “We don’t know anyone here. And I don’t have folks anymore. It’s just me, Pru and Uncle Riley.”
She absorbed the words, as well as his matter-of-fact tone. Before she could form a response, though, they were interrupted.
“Noah, what are you doing out here?”
At the sharply uttered question, Noah quickly turned, and in the process lost his footing. Cassie Lynn moved swiftly to stop his fall and ended up landing in the dirt on her backside with Noah on her lap.
“Are you all right?”
She looked up to see a man she didn’t know helping Noah stand up. But the concerned frown on his face was focused on her.
“I’m a bit dusty, but otherwise fine,” she said with a rueful smile.
He stooped down, studying her as if he didn’t quite believe her reassurances.
She met his gaze and found herself looking into the deepest, greenest eyes she’d ever seen.
Cassie Lynn found herself entranced by the genuine concern and intelligence reflected in the newcomer’s expression. It made her temporarily forget that she was sitting in the dust and dirt of the livery yard.
“Can I help you up?”
She blinked, coming back to herself, and quickly nodded. “Yes, thank you.” Hoping there was no visible sign of the warmth she felt climbing in her cheeks, Cassie Lynn held out her hand.
He took it in his larger, work-callused one and she had the strangest feeling that she could hold on to that hand forever.
Then he placed his other hand behind her back, and with surprisingly little effort, the green-eyed stranger had her on her feet in no time. He stepped away once he was certain she was steady, and she found herself missing the protective strength of his touch.
He continued to eye her cautiously. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Cassie Lynn nodded as she busied herself dusting off her skirt.
What was wrong with her? It wasn’t often she found herself flustered this way. “Please, don’t worry. I’ve taken worse falls tripping over my own feet.” She quickly turned to Noah. “How about you? Are you all right?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thanks for catching me.”
She ruffled his hair. “Glad to help.” For the first time she noticed a young girl standing slightly behind the man, chewing her lip as if she didn’t want to be here. Before Cassie Lynn could introduce herself, however, the man spoke up again.
“I’ve told you before not to wander off without telling me.” His tone was stern.
Noah’s expression turned defensive. “I just wanted to get out in the sunshine. We’ve been cooped up forever.” The boy scuffed the ground with the toe of his shoe. “Besides, you were right inside, and I didn’t go far.”
The man didn’t seem the least bit appeased. “That’s no excuse.”
Noah’s shoulders slumped. Then he gave his uncle a hopeful look. “But you found me right away. And I knew Pru saw where I was going.”
Watching the interplay between the two of them, Cassie Lynn could detect genuine concern behind the man’s scolding. This, of course, must be the Uncle Riley that Noah had mentioned.
She studied the boy’s uncle while trying not to appear to be nosy. There was something about the man that intrigued her. It wasn’t just his vivid eyes, or his appearance, though that was appealing enough in a rugged, well-muscled sort of way. No, it was something about his bearing that commanded her attention, an air of self-confidence and strength, balanced with a concern for his nephew, which lent just a hint of vulnerability. It all came together in a way that she found compelling.
The man gave his nephew a final exasperated look, then turned to face her.
She quickly schooled her features, hoping she hadn’t given away any hint of her rather inappropriate thoughts. To her relief, his expression was merely polite.
“My apologies, miss, for any trouble Noah might have caused you.”
“No need to apologize.” She gave the boy a companionable
