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“Yes, a date. It’s no big deal,” she added.

“I thought you two were just friends? Although I have to say, I thought he was about to kiss you when I came in.”

“I don’t have time to hear you yammer questions at me.” She picked up as many dog bowls as she could carry. “Make yourself useful and bring the rest of the bowls.”

“Have you fed Johnny Cash?” He followed her to the front of the barn, in an area reserved for the dogs’ food.

Damaris had named a lot of the dogs and since she liked country-western music, not just the new but the classics, those were the names many of them bore. “Johnny and his special food are shut in the office until everyone else eats.”

They set down the bowls and after washing off her hands, Damaris put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. An assortment of dogs came running, barking and bowling each other over in their excitement.

“So you and Nate, huh? You’re actually ‘dating’?” He put the last word in air quotes.

“Yeah, what of it?”

“Why are you so touchy about it? I like Nate. He’s a good guy.”

Everyone liked Nate. Especially women. “I’m not touchy. I’m busy.”

“If you say so.” Chase left her alone after that.

Not too long after he left, Ella—Chase’s wife and the ranch manager—showed up while Damaris was brushing Thunder. He was their newest stallion and Damaris had taken one look at him and fallen in love. She’d had to work to convince Marshall and Chase that they needed another stallion but once they figured out she wouldn’t give up until she got him, they gave in.

“I’ll give you a hand,” Ella said, picking up a brush.

“Thanks.”

Neither spoke for a few minutes, grooming Damaris’s blue roan paint in companionable silence.

“He really is a gorgeous horse,” Ella said. “I’m so glad you talked the guys into getting him.”

“I didn’t really give them a choice. He’s a great addition to our stable.”

“Yes, he is. Oh, I meant to tell you I had a call yesterday about his stud services. I’d only put it on the internet that morning. He said he’d call back about making an appointment to see him.”

“Great! That was quick,” Damaris said.

“I know. I’m not surprised. He’s not only gorgeous but his bloodline is excellent too.”

“He’s a sweetheart.”

“Speaking of that,” Ella said. “So, you and Nate, huh?”

“Chase has the biggest mouth. What did he do? Pull out his phone and call you the minute he left me?”

“Of course,” Ella said with a gurgle of laughter. “And then he texted the rest of the family.”

Damaris sighed. God knows how much of this she’d have to endure. Not only from family but also from everyone else in Whiskey River, once they heard. “Yes, I’m going on a date with Nate and no, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” She was quiet a moment but then said, “But if you did want to talk about it can I just say that it’s great and about time.”

God save her. By two p.m. everyone in the family knew and had either called her or tracked her down to ask her about it. Even Gabe had come up to the barn. Her artist brother rarely emerged from his workshop when he had a new project going, so it was a big deal when he did. A big deal and annoying as hell.

To top it off, Cole and Jedidiah, her brother and sister who were rarely around, both called. You’d have thought she’d announced she was going on a date with royalty. Or getting married. God only knew what they’d do if she announced a pretend engagement.

Cole, her oldest brother who was always off tending to oil wells, didn’t say much, just asked if it was true and then surprised Damaris by saying, “Good. I like Nate. I’d rather you be with him than some of the idiots you’ve dated.”

“I don’t date idiots,” she said, incensed. “Not on purpose, anyway.”