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He cringed at the sound of Ashton’s laughter following him, and when the kid said, “I know why you stayed up late,” Tanner gripped the handle of the coffee pot tightly as he turned around slowly.

Everly had lowered her gaze, Ford was smirking, and Ashton was grinning at him. “When I sleep over at Ava’s, or she comes to our house for a sleepover, we stay up way too late talking, too.” He turned to his mom. “So, next time you tell us that we have to go to sleep, I’m going to remind you that you do the same when you get the chance.”

Tanner huffed out a relieved laugh, and Ford chuckled.

“I made enough eggs and bacon for everyone,” said Ford. “Everything’s in the warming drawer.”

“Thanks.” Tanner was grateful to him for making breakfast, and even more so for him moving the conversation along.

“Want to take a seat?” he asked Everly. “I’ll bring you a plate.”

“Thanks.”

She took a seat next to Ashton and he leaned his head against her arm. “Look, Mom. My plate’s empty. I ate my eggs and bacon. Can I have pancakes now?”

“I told him we’d best ask you before we filled him with sugar to start the day,” said Ford.

“Thanks,” said Everly. “You’re a wise man. None of us need to deal with this guy on a sugar high – or with the crash that comes afterward.” She gave Ashton a wry smile. “You can have one, but go easy on the syrup, okay?”

“Thanks.”

As Tanner returned to the table with the coffees, and a top up for Ford, he felt as though something settled inside his chest. It was such a domestic scene. He liked it – he liked it a lot.

~ ~ ~

Everly leaned on the top bar of the fence with a huge smile on her face. She was watching Tanner give Ashton his first ever riding lesson. She couldn’t help thinking of it that way. It was just a riding lesson – but in her mind it felt significant. It was his first, and part of her mind kept rushing forward to a time when she would look back on this as the firstever.

She shuddered as a shiver ran down her spine. Watching his eager little face as he listened to Tanner and did his best to follow his instructions, she could easily imagine him ten yearsfrom now, even twenty years from now – a young man. A young cowboy. The black cowboy hat that Ford had bought for him suited him. It had only struck her when she watched them in the barn together earlier that his hat matched Tanner’s.

She felt like she shouldn’t be getting so carried away. If she wanted to think about it rationally, she and Tanner barely knew each other. They lived a thousand miles apart. And she needed to be careful that Ashton wouldn’t get hurt. At the same time, she didn’t want to think about it rationally. She wanted to allow herself to be swept along in what felt like magic – the magic that was developing, not only between Tanner and herself, but amongst the three of them.

She’d become aware over the last couple of days just how desperately Ashton wanted to be part of a family. If she were honest, she’d also become aware of the same yearning within herself. It’d be all too easy to get caught up in imagining a future here for them.

She blew out a sigh. If she could, she might just be crazy enough to throw caution to the wind and go all in. The trouble was, she didn’t see how it was possible. Maybe if that interview had gone differently. If she had a job up here, even if it were over in Bozeman, then maybe. But she had to be realistic – even if she didn’t want to be. Her job was in Napa. Ashton’s school was in Napa.

“Hey, honey.” A rich, deep voice coming from right beside her startled her out of her musings.

She turned to find an older, stockier version of Tanner smiling at her. She smiled back, it’d be impossible not to.

“I’m Cash. You must be Everly. It’s good to meet you.”

She held out her hand to shake with him. “It’s lovely to meet you, too. And thank you – thank you so much for letting Tanner use your plane this weekend.”

The lines around his eyes crinkled when he smiled. His eyes were green, but a much lighter shade than Tanner’s. He must be around the same age as her dad, but that didn’t make him any less attractive.

“You’re more than welcome,” he said as they shook hands. “I hope you’re a hugger?”

The moment she nodded, he wrapped her in a hug. It was such a good feeling. He felt so solid and reassuring.

He chuckled, and she jumped back when Tanner called. “Watch it, Cash! That’s my lady you’ve got your arms around.”

Cash kept one arm around her shoulders and turned to grin at Tanner. “For now, maybe; I might need to steal her away…”

“Hey!” Everly was shocked to see Ashton turn the pony he was riding and trot over to them, with a big scowl on his face. “Leave my mom alone! We’re with Tanner!”

Cash let go of her and held both his hands up in the air. “Sorry Ashton! You’re Ashton, right?”

He nodded but continued to scowl at Cash.