Pursued by the Rich Rancher. Catherine Mann

       Two

      The sun was low and warm, piercing through the barn windows as Nina sat at a long wooden table eating supper with the other parents. A country band played twangy children’s songs, a group of young campers sitting clustered in front of the small stage. Cody rocked and flapped his hands in time, having already finished his macaroni and cheese. A little girl with a pink scarf over her shaved head spun in circles with a streamer. A little boy with cerebral palsy held his new friend’s hand as they danced. Three children ran up to the stage clapping.

      She’d spent the morning unpacking, then eating lunch and attending camp sessions with her son, followed by pony rides, arts and crafts. They’d made belts and jewelry. And not just the children, but the adults had been included, as well. She touched the bracelet full of little charms, all Wild West themed, and a gem that was also her son’s birthstone.

      Between the horses and the art, her son’s two favorite activities, Cody had been enthralled. The tiny sticker jewels he’d glued to the belt made an intricate repeating pattern that had even surprised the instructor.

      Her son was happy, but tired from a good day. The best she could remember having in a long time. And she couldn’t deny that her mind wandered back to the morning and the dusty cowboy who probably hadn’t given her a second thought. But she’d kept looking for him in the crowds.

      And she didn’t know his name.

      She stabbed at her dinner salad, covered in strips of tender steak. The big grill outside had been fired up with a variety of meats, potatoes and corn for the adults. She was wondering how the fee they charged possibly covered such a high-end production. The McNair family, or some of their wealthy friends, had to be underwriting the expense. Her in-laws were always looking for tax havens. As fast as the thought hit her, she winced. She hated how cynical she’d become, but it was hard to feel sympathy for people who wanted to write a check rather than get to know their only grandchild.

      Old anger and hurt simmered. She sliced through a steak strip, took a big bite and reminded herself to enjoy this great food and the break from always staying on guard as the only person to watch over Cody.

      A shadow stretched across her, giving her only a second’s warning to chew faster.

      “Would you like some dessert?” Warm whiskey tones caressed her neck and ears.

      She set her fork down carefully and swallowed the bite before turning around. Sure enough, her dusty cowboy stood behind her, holding a plate of blueberry cobbler—except he wasn’t dusty any longer.

      His chaps and vest were gone. Just fresh jeans and a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her eyes were drawn to the sprinkling of dark hair along his tanned forearms. Masculine arms. Funny how she’d forgotten how enticing such details could be.

      “Oh, hello, again.” Why had she thought she wasn’t attracted to cowboys?

      “Dessert?”

      She shook herself out of the fog before she embarrassed herself. “Not just yet, thank you. I’m stuffed from supper. I didn’t expect the meal to be this good, so I snacked earlier.”

      He straddled the bench, sitting beside her. “What did you expect? Rubber chicken?”

      The hint of man musk and aftershave reminded her of how long it had been since she’d had a man in her life. In her bed.

      Shrugging, she twirled her fork in the sparse remains of her salad. “I thought since this is a kiddie camp, the cuisine would be all about catering to their finicky palates. And there certainly was plenty for my son to pick from. I just didn’t think there would be such a lavish adult course, as well.”

      “Gotta keep the parents happy too if we want repeat customers.” He cut the spoon through the cobbler and scooped a bite, his electric blue eyes on her the whole time.

      She shivered with awareness. And she wasn’t the only woman noticing. More than one mom cast an envious look her way.

      “True enough. Well, um, thank you for checking on us...” Was this standard for all the customers? Something in his eyes told her otherwise. “I still don’t know your name.”

      “Sorry about that. How rude of me.” He held out his hand. “My name’s Alex.”

      He said it with an intensity that made her wonder if she was missing something.

      Shaking off the sensation, she folded his hand in hers and held back the urge to shiver at the feel of masculine skin, delicious. “Hello, Alex, I’m not sure if you remember but I’m Nina and my son is Cody.”

      “I remember,” he said simply. “But it’s still nice to meet you both. Officially.”

      She eased her hand from his before she made a fool of herself. “You must be tired after a full day of work.”

      “Truth be told, I’d have rather had more time outdoors rather than spend the afternoon at a desk.”

      A desk? She’d assumed...well, there were lots of jobs on a ranch. She should know better than to judge by appearances. It was better to get to the heart, the truth, straightaway. She glanced at Cody. “My son has autism, if you didn’t already guess.”

      This was usually the point where people said something about being sorry and how they knew a friend who had a friend who had a kid with autism, and then they left. And that was the reason she made a point to blurt it out early on, to weed out the wheat from the chaff. Life was mostly full of chaff.

      He mixed some blueberries with the vanilla ice cream and brought the spoon to his mouth. “You don’t have to explain to me.”

      “Most people are curious and I can’t help feeling the need to tell you before Cody has one of his meltdowns.” She wet her mouth with a quick sip of tea. “It’s easier when people understand why.”

      “This camp is here to do what’s easier for him, not easier for us.”

      His words surprised her, warmed her. “Thank you. That approach is rarer than you would think.”

      “Since Stone put this camp together, we’ve all become more enlightened.” He dug into the crust covered in blueberries.

      “This place is amazing, and it’s only day one. I can’t believe how much fun I had and how much I’m already looking forward to tomorrow.”

      He eyed her over his raised spoon. “You sound surprised.”

      “I hope you won’t take this the wrong way.” She picked at the knee of her jeans. “But I’m not much of a cowgirl.”

      “Really? I never would have guessed,” he said dryly.

      “What gave me away?”

      “What didn’t?” He pointed to her feet. “New boots.”

      “New shirt too.” She toyed with the collar. “I’m trying to fit in for Cody’s sake, but apparently I’m not pulling it off as well as I thought.”

      “You’re here for your kid, helping him pursue his own interests. That’s nice, no matter what you’re wearing.” His eyes held hers, launching a fresh shower of sparks shimmering through her.

      Then he blinked and stood. Regret stung over his leaving, which was silly because she was only here for a week. It wasn’t as if they were going to have any