“Can you keep this confidential?”
His gaze flickered over her. “Sure.”
She took a deep breath. “I want to buy my brothers’ shares in Matilda’s Dream this fall. I’m living on a shoestring budget and working extra hard this summer. I hope to get a loan for anything I can’t cover.”
Russ whistled. “Have you got much saved?”
Carly pushed her hand through her hair in exasperation. “Not enough. That’s what worries me. And if I don’t get ownership by fall, I might have to do something desperate.”
“Like what?” Russ asked, not liking the sound of this.
“I don’t know.” Carly shrugged her shoulders restlessly. “Sell out and move to Memphis or Nashville.”
Her words struck hard and fast. He silently absorbed the blow. In his most neutral voice, and because he had to know, he asked, “Is that what you want?”
“No.”
Her quick response instantly eased him. Russ let out a deep breath.
Carly gazed at him, her eyes pleading for understanding. “I think it might be easier for them to let go if I move.” Her voice caught. “I need something of my own.”
Russ saw the moisture in her eyes and felt a twisting in his insides. He'd always hated to see Carly in pain. Without a second thought, he hauled her over the gearshift and into his lap. He wrapped her in a deep, affectionate hug.
“Oh, Russ,” she said, and the tears began to flow.
“Hush,” he murmured, rubbing the silk of her hair. “It will all work out, Carly. Time changes everything. Who knows? By the end of summer, your brothers might get married and start their own families.”
“Hah.” Carly rubbed her wet cheeks with the back of her hands. “The likelihood of them getting married is the same as it is for me. Zero.”
Russ ground his teeth. “You don’t know that. You watch and see. Things could turn around for you in a big way this summer.” He hitched her chin upward with his finger. “Just don’t go planning any big moves to Memphis or Nashville. I’d pine away without you here in Beulah.”
Carly smiled slowly. Then she chuckled. Russ always managed to make her laugh. “I’ve never seen you lacking for female consolation.”
“Then maybe you haven’t looked close enough,” he said quietly and set her back in her seat.
She immediately missed his warmth. She studied him carefully. His amber eyes held no hint of teasing. He started the truck, and Carly thought about Russ, wondering if she was wrong about him. He might be a rogue, but she didn’t have a better friend. He was tough, but extraordinarily kind. Was there something inside him that longed for one true love and a peaceful, settled life? Remembering his brief marriage and all the women since, Carly shook her head. If he’d really wanted to settle down, he’d had a dozen opportunities.
With good-natured bickering, they finished setting up the scarecrows. She swatted him when he lamented her puny biceps. They caught sight of a cormorant, its black body flying in a silent V. The bird did a surface dive, preparing to catch a fish. Russ shot off a flare, and the bird quickly veered up and away.
They drove back to his house then. In spite of the work waiting for her at home, she found herself reluctant to go.
Russ leaned against the truck. “No cruises tonight?”
“No. Sunday nights are slow, so I try to catch up on paperwork and bookkeeping.” Carly stretched. “I must be out of shape. I’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”
His gaze flicked over her, making her feel unclothed. Her stomach fluttered.
“Want a massage?”
Lord. How did he manage to make her feel as though she were stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel? “You have only one good hand,” she reminded him.
“But it’s very good.”
Her heart thumped in her chest. She’d just bet his hand was very good. Good enough to send a woman into permanent oblivious ecstasy.
Russ moved closer. She instinctively stepped backward and bumped into the truck. Russ put his hand on
His gaze flickered over her. “Sure.”
She took a deep breath. “I want to buy my brothers’ shares in Matilda’s Dream this fall. I’m living on a shoestring budget and working extra hard this summer. I hope to get a loan for anything I can’t cover.”
Russ whistled. “Have you got much saved?”
Carly pushed her hand through her hair in exasperation. “Not enough. That’s what worries me. And if I don’t get ownership by fall, I might have to do something desperate.”
“Like what?” Russ asked, not liking the sound of this.
“I don’t know.” Carly shrugged her shoulders restlessly. “Sell out and move to Memphis or Nashville.”
Her words struck hard and fast. He silently absorbed the blow. In his most neutral voice, and because he had to know, he asked, “Is that what you want?”
“No.”
Her quick response instantly eased him. Russ let out a deep breath.
Carly gazed at him, her eyes pleading for understanding. “I think it might be easier for them to let go if I move.” Her voice caught. “I need something of my own.”
Russ saw the moisture in her eyes and felt a twisting in his insides. He'd always hated to see Carly in pain. Without a second thought, he hauled her over the gearshift and into his lap. He wrapped her in a deep, affectionate hug.
“Oh, Russ,” she said, and the tears began to flow.
“Hush,” he murmured, rubbing the silk of her hair. “It will all work out, Carly. Time changes everything. Who knows? By the end of summer, your brothers might get married and start their own families.”
“Hah.” Carly rubbed her wet cheeks with the back of her hands. “The likelihood of them getting married is the same as it is for me. Zero.”
Russ ground his teeth. “You don’t know that. You watch and see. Things could turn around for you in a big way this summer.” He hitched her chin upward with his finger. “Just don’t go planning any big moves to Memphis or Nashville. I’d pine away without you here in Beulah.”
Carly smiled slowly. Then she chuckled. Russ always managed to make her laugh. “I’ve never seen you lacking for female consolation.”
“Then maybe you haven’t looked close enough,” he said quietly and set her back in her seat.
She immediately missed his warmth. She studied him carefully. His amber eyes held no hint of teasing. He started the truck, and Carly thought about Russ, wondering if she was wrong about him. He might be a rogue, but she didn’t have a better friend. He was tough, but extraordinarily kind. Was there something inside him that longed for one true love and a peaceful, settled life? Remembering his brief marriage and all the women since, Carly shook her head. If he’d really wanted to settle down, he’d had a dozen opportunities.
With good-natured bickering, they finished setting up the scarecrows. She swatted him when he lamented her puny biceps. They caught sight of a cormorant, its black body flying in a silent V. The bird did a surface dive, preparing to catch a fish. Russ shot off a flare, and the bird quickly veered up and away.
They drove back to his house then. In spite of the work waiting for her at home, she found herself reluctant to go.
Russ leaned against the truck. “No cruises tonight?”
“No. Sunday nights are slow, so I try to catch up on paperwork and bookkeeping.” Carly stretched. “I must be out of shape. I’ll probably be sore tomorrow.”
His gaze flicked over her, making her feel unclothed. Her stomach fluttered.
“Want a massage?”
Lord. How did he manage to make her feel as though she were stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel? “You have only one good hand,” she reminded him.
“But it’s very good.”
Her heart thumped in her chest. She’d just bet his hand was very good. Good enough to send a woman into permanent oblivious ecstasy.
Russ moved closer. She instinctively stepped backward and bumped into the truck. Russ put his hand on
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