Page 58

The boy caught the keys, then, with one last inscrutable look, turned and walked back to the stables. Shane noted he didn’t jog, bound, or run. Hetrudged.

“He’s not happy,” Shane offered to Cora.

Cora frowned. “How do you know that?”

“My mom didn’t really date when I was a kid, but this whole Ben thing? Beyond the very real concerns I have, there’s also that weird . . . You don’t want your mom with someone. You just don’t. And any time that person is nice to you, you think it has to do with what that person is trying to do with your mom.”

Cora took a deep breath. “I guess . . . that makes sense. I mean I’ve dated, but casually. I’ve kept him out of it.”

“You’ve apparently kept him out of this, too.”

Cora looked up at Shane, her eyebrows drawing together. “You try talking to your twelve-year-old about dating and see how you like it.”

Shane chuckled, rubbing his hand down her now straightened spine. “I’m sorry that came out disapproving. I don’t disapprove of your not telling him. That’s certainly your decision to make.”

“I just haven’t found the right words,” Cora returned, looking at where Micah had gone, chewing on her lip.

“He wants you to hook up with Boone.”

Cora jerked her gaze back to Shane. “He does not.”

“Boone is fun and exciting, and I am a boring stick-in-the-mud who makes him follow the rules.”

“That isn’t true.”

It was nice of her to say so, but Shane understood too much of this. He’d been the fatherless kid. He’d helped raise four other fatherless kids. “It is true, both that he thinks that and that I’m a boring stick-in-the-mud. I’m okay with that, but you should be, too.”

“Okay with your stick-in-the-mud-ness?”

Maybe. “Okay with the fact that he likes someone better than me. That he might wish you were with someone else.” Shane hoped that all came out like he didn’t care, or like he was above it all. Above the need to make that kid worshiphim. But that would only backfire, so he did have to find a way to be okay with it.

“I care what Micah thinks . . . to an extent. His liking Boone better doesn’t suddenly make me want Boone more than I want you. I’m not attracted to Boone.”

Shane raised an eyebrow. Girls had thrown themselves at Boone since way before Shane had thought Boone should be catching them.

“I’m not saying your brothers aren’t cute,” Cora conceded.

“Oh, now it’s both my brothers.”

She laughed, nudging him with her elbow. “Now you’re just giving me a hard time.”

“Yeah,” he admitted, pulling her close again. “And I’m about to be very ungentlemanly.”

“Oh, good,” she said, grinning up at him.

Steps thumped on the stairs, and Molly spoke, overloud. “Well, hello.”

“Go away,” Shane returned, pulling his hat down to cover his and Cora’s faces so he could kiss her again, but Cora pushed him away.

“Stop,” Cora chided with a grin. She got off the porch swing, much to his disappointment. “I’m going over to Lou’s with your sister.”

“And it looks like we have a ton to talk about,” Molly said with an evil sister gleam in her eye.

“Be nice,” Shane warned.

“Oh, I’ll be nice to Cora. We’ll see if I be nice to you once I get all the dirt.” Molly linked arms with Cora. “Allthe dirt,” she repeated, pulling Cora inside.

Cora waved with a grin and disappeared with his sister.