be aching, but his heart felt better than it had in ages. He hadn’t been wrong. Lanie still loved him, still wanted him, even if she didn’t want to acknowledge it yet.
He turned his grin on the housekeeper. “Martha, my love, it’s a beautiful day.”
She chuckled. “From what I just saw, it’s not the day that’s got you in such a good mood.”
“I always said you were a very perceptive woman.”
“Does this mean you’re back to stay?”
“Yes.” His smile faded. “This is my home, Martha. I’ll never leave it again.”
5 * * * * *
Lanie came to a halt at the first stall and leaned her forehead against the partition, ignoring the curious mare who inhaled gently against her cheek. She never should have let Quinn kiss her. Yes, she’d promised him to try, but that kiss was a big mistake. It had reminded her body of things she’d rather not have it remember right now, made it ache with a hungry intensity that still had her rattled. One she had no intention of giving in to.
One kiss and she’d forgotten her name, forgotten where she was, forgotten…Jared.
Dear God. Guilt streaked through her. Sweet, wonderful Jared. He loved her, trusted her, and yet the first time Quinn touched her she’d been ready to rip his clothes off. Was she really that desperate?
“Lanie? Are you okay?”
She straightened, turning to stare at Sherry. The blonde had been her foreman since Jonesy, Sherry’s grandfather, retired two years earlier. She was also a friend.
“Sure.” A low laugh escaped her throat. “I’m just great. My ex-husband, who’s no longer my ex, shows up after five years and demands another chance to make our marriage work. My son is confused. And my fiancé—” She rubbed her eyes. “I can’t begin to imagine what this is doing to him. Yeah, life is a real bowl of cherries.”
Sherry put a comforting hand on her arm. “You know, I was just a kid during the summers Quinn spent here, but he always treated me great. Even back then I knew how much he loved you. And he is Zack’s father. Maybe he deserves another chance.”
“You don’t understand. There’s nothing Quinn loves more than that damn company. Zack will get used to having him around, then Quinn will leave again. Do you know what that will do to my son?”
“To Zack, or to you?” Sherry arched an eyebrow.
“Zack. Believe me, I learned my lesson the hard way. The first time Edward calls with one of his schemes, Quinn will be heading back to Chicago.”
“Now that he knows about Zack, do you really think Quinn will ignore him?”
She hesitated, then sighed. “Probably not.”
Sherry shrugged. “Then if you really don’t care about him, and he leaves, your problems are solved. Zack will still have his father and you’ll get that divorce and marry Jared. That is what you want, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is.” Her brows lowered. Except she’d promised Quinn another chance.
A promise she was honor-bound to keep, even knowing he’d leave again. Suddenly she felt like a high-wire walker, trying to juggle bowling pins while maintaining her balance. Or maybe a bone caught between two hungry dogs. Quinn or Jared. Jared or Quinn. Both pulling at her. Confusion had her dizzy. Confusion and the abrupt realization that she would have to choose between them. No one else could do this for her, and no matter what her decision, someone was going to be hurt. This wasn’t a game or a nightmare she would wake from.
6Somehow, she was going to have to make an honest attempt at this marriage without risking her heart or her son’s. And that meant keeping Quinn at a physical distance, because she could no longer trust her traitorous body. She’d let her heart rule when she’d married Quinn, but now it was different. This was a decision she would have to make with her head, for all their sakes.
The sound of tires crunching on gravel brought her out of her thoughts to find Sherry studying her. “You still love him, don’t
He turned his grin on the housekeeper. “Martha, my love, it’s a beautiful day.”
She chuckled. “From what I just saw, it’s not the day that’s got you in such a good mood.”
“I always said you were a very perceptive woman.”
“Does this mean you’re back to stay?”
“Yes.” His smile faded. “This is my home, Martha. I’ll never leave it again.”
5 * * * * *
Lanie came to a halt at the first stall and leaned her forehead against the partition, ignoring the curious mare who inhaled gently against her cheek. She never should have let Quinn kiss her. Yes, she’d promised him to try, but that kiss was a big mistake. It had reminded her body of things she’d rather not have it remember right now, made it ache with a hungry intensity that still had her rattled. One she had no intention of giving in to.
One kiss and she’d forgotten her name, forgotten where she was, forgotten…Jared.
Dear God. Guilt streaked through her. Sweet, wonderful Jared. He loved her, trusted her, and yet the first time Quinn touched her she’d been ready to rip his clothes off. Was she really that desperate?
“Lanie? Are you okay?”
She straightened, turning to stare at Sherry. The blonde had been her foreman since Jonesy, Sherry’s grandfather, retired two years earlier. She was also a friend.
“Sure.” A low laugh escaped her throat. “I’m just great. My ex-husband, who’s no longer my ex, shows up after five years and demands another chance to make our marriage work. My son is confused. And my fiancé—” She rubbed her eyes. “I can’t begin to imagine what this is doing to him. Yeah, life is a real bowl of cherries.”
Sherry put a comforting hand on her arm. “You know, I was just a kid during the summers Quinn spent here, but he always treated me great. Even back then I knew how much he loved you. And he is Zack’s father. Maybe he deserves another chance.”
“You don’t understand. There’s nothing Quinn loves more than that damn company. Zack will get used to having him around, then Quinn will leave again. Do you know what that will do to my son?”
“To Zack, or to you?” Sherry arched an eyebrow.
“Zack. Believe me, I learned my lesson the hard way. The first time Edward calls with one of his schemes, Quinn will be heading back to Chicago.”
“Now that he knows about Zack, do you really think Quinn will ignore him?”
She hesitated, then sighed. “Probably not.”
Sherry shrugged. “Then if you really don’t care about him, and he leaves, your problems are solved. Zack will still have his father and you’ll get that divorce and marry Jared. That is what you want, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is.” Her brows lowered. Except she’d promised Quinn another chance.
A promise she was honor-bound to keep, even knowing he’d leave again. Suddenly she felt like a high-wire walker, trying to juggle bowling pins while maintaining her balance. Or maybe a bone caught between two hungry dogs. Quinn or Jared. Jared or Quinn. Both pulling at her. Confusion had her dizzy. Confusion and the abrupt realization that she would have to choose between them. No one else could do this for her, and no matter what her decision, someone was going to be hurt. This wasn’t a game or a nightmare she would wake from.
6Somehow, she was going to have to make an honest attempt at this marriage without risking her heart or her son’s. And that meant keeping Quinn at a physical distance, because she could no longer trust her traitorous body. She’d let her heart rule when she’d married Quinn, but now it was different. This was a decision she would have to make with her head, for all their sakes.
The sound of tires crunching on gravel brought her out of her thoughts to find Sherry studying her. “You still love him, don’t
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