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better.”
    Was he talking about him and her? No. He couldn’t be. As far as he was concerned leaving her hadn’t been a mistake. “Then you pick up the pieces and go on as best you can.” Just as she’d had to do years ago, she thought. And just as she was doing now.
    Cooper’s eyes drifted away from her. “Well, I think I’d rather be alone. I don’t want to be responsible for another person’s happiness. Especially a kid’s.”
    Her nostrils flared as she tried to hold on to her anger. “Then why don’t you go on and be alone somewhere else and let me handle my own business?”
    Because she was his business, Cooper thought with dawning realization. When he’d come to that conclusion, he didn’t know. He only knew he couldn’t go on his merry way while she stayed here on the Diamond D, pregnant and alone.
    He looked back at her and wondered about the sudden pain in his heart. “I will. When the time is right.”

Chapter Four
    â€œD addy, he’s beautiful!” Emily exclaimed as she watched the big Appaloosa gelding trot around the round metal pen. “Where did you find him?”
    Smiling at the pleasure on his daughter’s face, Harlan Hamilton wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “At the horse sale in Clovis. What do you think about him?”
    She grinned impishly up at him. “He looks just like my old App, Apache. How much did you have to give for him?”
    Harlan laughed. “Now why would I tell you? You don’t let someone know how much you spent on their gift.”
    Her mouth fell open. “Gift? Oh, no. You’re not going to give me that horse.”
    Her father laughed again. “Then who am I going to give him to?”
    â€œWell, I—I don’t know,” she stammered. “Keep him for yourself.”
    â€œI don’t even like Appaloosas. You do. Besides, another horse is the last thing your mother and I need. We probably have thirty head now.”
    She looked up at her father, who was still a handsome, virile man even though he was nearing sixty. He and Rose had worked hard to make the Flying H the beautiful ranch it was today. No easy feat considering they’d married during a devastating drought and family turmoil. But the two of them had persevered through those trials and many more problems down through the years. Now the ranch was beautiful and solvent and blessed with all the livestock it needed.
    Her parents’ hard work and success had always been an inspiration to Emily. If they could do it, then so could she and Kenneth. But down through the years, Emily had learned a couple needed more than hard work and determination to make it through the troubles and heartaches life dishes out. They needed undying, unconditional love. And God help her, she just hadn’t felt that sort of love for Kenneth.
    She’d had a deep affection for him and she’d respected him. But she should have never married him. It had taken Emily only a few short weeks to realize she’d made a mistake in letting Kenneth talk her into becoming his wife. But at the time he’d proposed, she was still raw from Cooper’s rejection, not to mention still grieving over the miscarriage she’d told no one, not even her parents, about. She’d felt alone and unloved and Kenneth’s attention had been a balm to her broken heart. But she hadn’t loved him. Try as she might, she’d never been able to make herself feel for him the way she’d felt about Cooper.
    â€œWould you like for me to saddle him for you, honey?”
    Her father’s question pulled her out of her deep thoughts. She smiled up at him and shook her head. “It’s only been a little over a week since I took that fall at the feed grounds. I’d better wait about doing any riding.”
    He patted her shoulder. “You’re going to be fine, sweetheart. The only trouble you’re