A Cowboy's Heart by Brenda Minton Page B

open door of Willow’s office.
    He stopped at the entrance. She stood at the window, looking out over the field. Her forehead rested on the glass of the window and her hands were shoved into the front pockets of her jeans.
    After a few minutes, he said her name. She didn’t turn, didn’t even start. There was no indication that she’d noticed his arrival.
    So how did he make his presence known, and keep from scaring her? He stepped up into the room and reached for her, but then pulled back. When she turned, she saw him there. She jumped a little and then exhaled.
    â€œHow long have you been here?” Her voice was husky, soft.
    â€œA few minutes. I said your name.”
    She looked away. He noticed then that the hearing aids she normally wore weren’t in sight. That was the reason for the silence, for the lack of music, and why she hadn’t heard.
    W ILLOW , ARE YOU OKAY ? He signed the words, stepping to block her from walking away.
    She smiled. “I’m fine.”
    She sat down on the edge of her desk. “Are you okay?”
    And that’s how she changed it, making it about him, not her. It wasn’t just deflection on her part. He could see in her eyes that she cared, that she wanted to know that he was okay. He was. It was the boys he wasn’t so sure about.
    â€œI’m fine.”
    â€œI don’t think so.”
    H OW DO THEY LIVE FOR A YEAR WITHOUT THEIR MOM ? He sat down next to her, signing the words. “Will there come a time when it doesn’t hurt so much, when they don’t cry because they miss her?”
    â€œI don’t know. She’s their mom. I can’t imagine them not missing her all the time.”
    Her voice broke and she brushed away a few tears, and he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t fix them all. He was barely holding it together for his nephews, barely making life okay for his dad. He knew that they had to be his priority.
    He had a bad habit of trying to take care of people, maybe because he’d been taking care of people his whole life.
    Willow didn’t want or need that from him. He had to rememberthat, and not get confused about what he was feeling for a woman who was a strange mixture of strength and vulnerability.
    The boys. He shook his head. “I can’t get David to eat.”
    â€œHe’s heartsick. Maybe ice cream? It’s good for fixing a broken heart.”
    The low rumble of a truck pulling up out front interrupted his thoughts and stopped him from asking about her broken heart. A RE YOU EXPECTING COMPANY ? he signed.
    She glanced out the window and groaned. “No, not really.”
    â€œLooks like someone is here bright and early. Do you know who it is?” He spoke as he signed because he knew she read lips.
    â€œNot a clue.”
    She ran a hand through long, blond hair. Tall and slim, she looked strong. In faded jeans and a long-sleeved shirt tucked in, she looked like every other cowgirl that he knew.
    And then again, she looked a lot like someone trying to pretend.
    â€œIt’s probably the man interested in that gray bull. He e-mailed.” She admitted as she rummaged through papers on her desk, “I don’t remember his name.”
    â€œHe called yesterday?”
    â€œI asked him to e-mail.” She turned off the coffee pot on the desk. “Can you bring the bull up?”
    â€œDo you need for me to talk to him?”
    She bit down on her bottom lip and he hated that he had asked. But when she nodded, he no longer regretted. Sometimes accepting help made a person stronger. He wanted to tell her that, but she was walking away, and he couldn’t say anything.

Chapter Five
    W illow walked out of the house, ready to face the man with the truck, and whatever questions he had for her. Janie had smiled as she left, but she’d been too busy with Timmy and David to ask questions.
    At the door to the barn, she paused, giving herself a minute to regain