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“In little ways. Bandaging Barbies. Feeding the goats. Nothing important.”
His lips twitched. “You bandaged Barbies?”
“Somebody had to. Jo was rough on toys.”
His full smile escaped, and I glowed. I hadn’t made someone laugh—made an attractive man laugh, on purpose—in a long time.
We reached a creek bed that cut down to the river. The murmur of the water filtered through the brush. Birds swooped and twittered in the trees. The sky overhead was a deep, dizzying blue.
He crossed the ditch in one stride, carrying the roll of fence.
“He asked me to bring my guitar,” I blurted.
“Laurence?”
I nodded.
“So? They got some kind of rule against music where he is?”
“No.”
He anchored the fence on the bank. “I don’t see the problem.”
“So you think I should play for him.”
He dug an extra support pole into the rocks. “Don’t matter what I think. What do you want to do?”
My chest felt tight. “I want to make him happy.”
The fence gapped across the creek bed, leaving an opening big enough for a baby goat to scramble under. I pried a rock the size of my head out of the ground, wedging it in place against the bottom wire. My hands tingled. I straightened, and the world lost color and slid sideways, tilting and whirling away.
“Whoa, there.” Dan had me by the shoulders. I grabbed his arms. “I got you.” He sat me on the bank, forcing my head to my knees. “Breathe, okay?”
“Sorry.” I started to raise my face. “I...”
He pushed my head back down. “Take a minute.”
I sucked in my breath. Let it go. Gradually, my heart slowed. The creek bank settled into place around me.
“You all right?”
I nodded, shamefaced.
His grip on my neck loosened. “Let me get you up to the house.”
“I’m fine.” I was clammy. Nauseous. “It’s the heat.”
“Not only the heat. You need to lay down.”
“I don’t need one more person in my life telling me what to do.” I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry. That was rude. I don’t know why I said that.”
He fished a water bottle out of his pack and handed it to me. “Because that’s how you feel?”
“No. Maybe. Ishouldn’tfeel that way.” I was supposed to be thenice sister, the easygoing middle child, the peacekeeper of the family.Ugh, Amy’s voice said in my head. I screwed the cap carefully back on the water bottle. “Thank you for taking care of me. And for listening.” My phone played a quick chord in my pocket. I glanced at the text. “That’s Amy. I should go.”
Dan was watching me, a faint frown on his face. “Sure.” He helped me to my feet.
I took a step toward the house. Stopped. “Mr. Laurence gave me my guitar,” I heard myself say.
