bargain.â He gave a wave and then walked off down the lane, heading toward the ramshackle row of sheds.
Todd climbed into his truck. Fishing. It might be a little awkward at first, hanging out with Noraâs brother. But he liked the guy already.
Heâd just have to keep things peaceful with Nora. Though that might be hard, seeing as they were on opposite sides of the wild horses issue.
Plus, she didnât make him feel peaceful . Quite the opposite. Despite her being so pissed at him last night, sheâd changed something inside him. Heâd walked out of that bar feeling as if his blood was moving faster, his heart beating stronger. Heâd felt more alive than he could remember feeling since college.
He didnât want peaceful with Nora. He wanted what theyâd had before. He wanted to take her by the hand and explore the east side of the Sierrasâto swim with her in the ice-cold lakes and go find the secret hot springs that trickled from deep in the earth. He wanted to lose himself in her the way he used to.
He understood that he couldnât have it, but it didnât stop him wanting it.
He steered his truck carefully back along the rutted drive. It was heartbreaking, this evidence of such neglect and waste. Noraâs dad had been careless with his ranch and his family.
And Todd had been careless, tooâwith Nora. Heâd loved her for three years, and it shocked him now to look back and realize heâd never asked much about where sheâd come from. Heâd been too much of an egotistical college boy to talk about much besides himself. Though that had probably suited Nora fine, since she hadnât wanted to talk about her past. And now he understood why. If heâd grown up here on this depressing ranch, heâd want to pretend none of it existed, too.
A rusted-out Ford pickup, vintage 1970s, stared at him from behind a mesquite, challenging him with its broken headlight eyes. And Todd felt resolve building inside him. Heâd find a way to help clean up this mess. The mess he could see around him on Marker Ranch, and the one heâd made with Nora last night. And maybe, if he worked hard enough, he could even do something about the mess heâd made when he walked out on her, all those years ago.
CHAPTER SEVEN
âH EY , N ORA , DO you have a minute?â
Nora looked up from lacing her hiking boots to see Lee Ellison, the DRM station manager, walking toward her. âSure, whatâs up?â
Sometimes Lee liked to check in on the progress of her study, even though he wasnât her actual boss. Sheâd been hired by his supervisor, Trent Nixon, up in Reno. But Leeâs background was in plant biology and Nora suspected he was a little envious of her job. As a government bureaucrat, he didnât do much science. So he often sought her out to have a chat, which Nora enjoyed. It was nice to talk with someone else who knew the difference between a stamen and a petal.
Lee sat down on the log next to her, but instead of asking about her recent survey results or her plans for the day, he just rested his arms on his knees and stared at his folded hands. Finally he spoke. âHave you heard about the horses?â
âNo.â Nora tried to keep her voice casualâhard to do when she was lying. âDid something happen?â
âTheyâre gone.â
âWhat do you mean, theyâre gone?â Nora twisted her head as if she was trying to see the corrals from where she sat. She couldnât, but it seemed like something someone who had just learned about the horsesâ disappearance would do. She was a terrible actress and she knew it, mentally cursing Todd every way she knew how for putting her in this position. She looked back at Lee, eyebrows raised in what she hoped was a surprised and worried look. âWhat happened?â
Lee sighed. âWe donât know. When Vince stopped by to feed them on Saturday, the
Anne Conley
Robert T. Jeschonek
Chris Lynch
Jessica Morrison
Sally Beauman
Debbie Macomber
Jeanne Bannon
Carla Kelly
Fiona Quinn
Paul Henke