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Sienna turned as Vivi tugged a shawl over her shoulders and joined her on the porch. “Dad just called from the road. Said he and the boys were almost home. Apparently, they’ve got a surprise.”

Her dad and younger brothers, Doug and James, had driven to Casper a few days earlier to attend a trade show featuring rodeo equipment. Her brothers—hell, her entire family—were rodeo-mad. Not that she blamed them. Doug and James were extremely talented riders who excelled in nearly every competition. She’d even participated in the sport when she was in high school. For three years running, she’d been the top barrel racer in her division.

“Wonder what they could be bringing.” Vivi’s gaze drifted down the long stretch of road that would lead the guys home from the highway. “You suppose they bought another horse?”

Sienna rolled her eyes. Her father, Seth, had been increasing their stable quite a bit the past few months, taking his interest in horse breeding out of the hobby range and turning it into a full-fledged career. “I wouldn’t consider that very shocking. Seems like lately all they do is come home with new horses. Although I don’t know how they’d get it here from Casper. They didn’t take a trailer with them.”

“Seth always was crazy about horses. Lord knows this ranch is big enough to support this new venture of his. Sam seems to think we’ll turn a pretty fair profit from the fine horseflesh Seth’s hoping to breed.”

Sienna leaned against the railing. “Yeah, but between the horses, the other ranch chores and the time Dad spends working with the boys on their rodeo skills, Mom seems to think he’s wearing himself a bit thin.”

“Jody has said the same thing to me. She’s trying to encourage him to hire more help, but that boy can be stubborn as a mule sometimes.”

Sienna grinned at her grandmother calling her nearly fifty-year-old father a boy. In Vivi’s eyes, her beloved sons would always be her boys. “Well, so can Mom. It might be fun to see who wins this fight.”

Vivi moved closer. Sienna suspected it was to share body heat as the breeze picked up. She knew she should suggest they go inside, but Sienna needed the fresh air. It helped clear her rather disconcerting thoughts.

“It will be little surprise to either of us who wins, Sienna. Seth would move heaven and earth to make your mom happy.”

Sienna’s smile dimmed a bit. She recognized the truth behind her grandmother’s words and it reminded her of why she’d come outside in the first place.

Josh.

She used to believe they were soul mates, destined to share the same enduring love Sienna witnessed every day between her parents. Now, she was starting to question those feelings.

“What’s wrong, See?”

Sienna had never been able to hide anything from Vivi. “Just missing Josh.”

Vivi sighed. “That boy has some growing up to do.”

Sienna shrugged, though she certainly agreed. “Maybe he does. Did I tell you he’s hinting around about possibly going to Florida with his roommates from college over the holidays?”

Her grandmother’s scowl told her she wasn’t any happier with Josh’s desire to miss a Compton Pass Christmas than Sienna was. Of course, if it had just been the trip, maybe Sienna could have understood, but lately, Josh was doing a lot of things she couldn’t wrap her head around.

“That young man needs to get his head out of his ass. Pardon my language.” Oh yeah. Vivi was annoyed. She rarely cursed.

Strangely, her grandmother’s response made Sienna feel less guilty about her own anger. “I agree with you. I can’t figure him out these days.”

Since they were fifteen years old, she and Josh had walked the same path, hand in hand. They’d chosen to attend the same university after graduating from high school and their master plan had never wavered. She would become a nurse, he a teacher. They’d come home to Compton Pass, get married and live happily ever after. Sienna was still committed to that dream.

As for Josh…

Vivi tightened her grip on her shawl when another gust of wind blew over them. “I was surprised when he changed his major. Thought he was determined to be a teacher.”

“So did I. I’m sure his parents are thrilled he’s chosen to study business so that he’ll be better prepared to take over the store when they retire, but I think they would have preferred he made that decision before they spent so much money on an education he won’t be using.”

Josh’s family owned and operated the local hardware store. As an only child, Josh stood to inherit the prosperous business. For most of his life, Josh had insisted he had no desire to run the store. Sienna wasn’t sure what had happened to change his mind. He’d simply stood up after Thanksgiving dinner last year and announced he was switching his major and that his four-year college plan would now take five.

Sienna had been as shocked as his parents and hurt that he’d made the decision without discussing it with her first. Not that she would have tried to talk him out of it. She’d never ask him to pursue a career if it wasn’t something that would make him happy. But weren’t they supposed to be partners? They’d mapped out their futures together. So why did Josh take a detour without her?

“I’ve been worried about you, See. I know you miss Josh, but you’re still young. There’s no reason why your life should be put on hold while you wait for that boy to come home. Why don’t you take Jade up on her offer the next time she invites you for a girls’ night out?”

Sienna made a pained face. “Jade’s idea of fun is a million miles away from mine, Vivi. If she was interested in dinner and a movie or shopping or something like that, I’d be there. For her, girls’ night out involves crowded bars, loud music and pool tables. I’m not in the mood to spend an evening fending off a bunch of drunk rednecks, while trying to keep Jade from getting into a fight with whoever is stupid enough to cross her path.”

Vivi chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. That girl has a wild streak a mile wide. Gonna take a pretty special man to love her without breaking her spirit.”

“Personally, I think she could do with a bit less of that damn spirit.”