Page 10 of A Montana Secret Admirer (Sagebrush Ranch Sweethearts #4)

A deep sort of something flashed in the recesses of her eyes—like she was remembering something.

When she focused on him again, she gave his forearm a squeeze.

“You know? I think you’re right. Friendships make the best foundations.

” Then her eyes narrowed. “But that being said, I have to also remind you that deception can put a wrench in any well-intended plan. What do you think she’s going to do when she finds out who’s been giving her those flowers? ”

“I guess I assumed she wouldn’t figure that part out.”

Sammie snorted. “Women are better than private investigators when they want to be. Honestly, I’m surprised that she hasn’t figured out who has been giving them to her already.”

He didn’t have anything to say to that statement.

At the moment, he was trying to figure out his next steps.

Talking with Sammie wasn’t helping matters.

If anything, she was making him second guess the slow path he’d been content on taking.

Summer wouldn’t last forever. If he wanted a chance with her, he’d have to take action.

Sammie had been wrong in assuming that nothing bad could happen if he asked Serenity on a date. She could refuse him. And if she did that, there was a chance that he’d end up losing a friend, too.

Could he handle that?

A car pulled up, and Sammie mumbled, “Speak of the devil.”

His head snapped in the direction of the vehicle to see Serenity and the three boys piling out of the car, followed by Mack.

None of them noticed him right away, and Sammie got to her feet.

She placed her hands on her hips. “Ask her out. I know you don’t believe me, but nothing bad will happen. You can’t lose what you don’t have.”

He nearly told her he most definitely had something he didn’t want to lose. But he kept that tidbit to himself. Instead, he gave her an appreciative smile. “Thanks for… you know.” Purgatory itself would freeze over before he’d voice out loud that she’d delivered a flower to Serenity in his absence.

She smiled and headed away.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he lumbered down the steps, the wooden boards creaking beneath his weight.

The boys took off toward the main house.

There was a playground set in the back. Serenity paused.

For a moment, she remained still. But then she lifted her head and turned it until he came into view.

Her eyes shone with something he didn’t dare describe, and she smiled at him. “You’re back.”

“I’m back.” He closed the distance between them, and they walked in the direction that the boys had taken. She didn’t mention getting a flower. She didn’t ask him for advice on how to handle a secret admirer.

Was she intentionally keeping it a secret so she didn’t worry him? Or was she keeping the secret for her own selfish desires?

It didn’t really matter; what she didn’t know was that the secret belonged to them both.

His hand brushed against hers as they walked, and for a split second, he considered putting space between them, but then he recalled his conversation with Sammie.

Serenity wasn’t pulling back. So why should he?

Neither one of them spoke as they turned the corner of the house, and the boys came into view.

The rumble of something big happening in his chest ripped through him.

He could tell that there would be no containing the request that his heart demanded to make.

And all at once, he blurted it like the words had been a stick of dynamite and they’d needed release.

“I missed you.”

She glanced at him, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I missed our talks, too.”

Not him. Their talks.

He tried not to get offended at her phrasing and plowed onward. “We should get dinner some time.”

Her feet stopped moving. She literally froze to where she was standing, and that was when he wanted to curse Sammie out for her naiveté. His cousin’s wife didn’t know anything about what was going on between Serenity and himself.

Backpedaling the only way he knew how before she could turn him down, Reese let out a nervous laugh. “As friends , of course.” Inwardly, he grimaced. He’d thrown himself right back into that friendzone that Sammie had told him to steer clear of. But what else was he supposed to do?

Serenity peered at him with an expression he really couldn’t decipher. Was she wary? Concerned? Disappointed?

Dang it!

Reese cleared his throat. “I’m sure I can get someone to keep an eye on the boys. Mack seems to be good with them.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just thought it might be nice for you to get out of the house…”

Already he could feel the heat of embarrassment crawl its way up the back of his neck. If he had to wager a guess, he’d anticipate that his skin was blotchy with the evidence of his mistakes.

What wouldn’t he give to be able to turn back time and just wipe this conversation from her memory?

“Sure, that sounds… nice.”

He exhaled a sharp, surprised breath. “Really?”

Serenity tilted her head and glanced up at the sky for a moment. “Yeah. You’re right. It’s about time I get out there again. I don’t have many friends—not here, anyway. You’re sorta it for me.”

He wanted to tell her that he would love to be the only it in her life if that meant she could be the same for him, but he kept that confession to himself.

She nodded toward the boys. “I’m going to make sure they stay on their best behavior.”

Reese nodded. He watched her go then turned around to head back the way they came only to nearly collide with Noah. Muttering a curse beneath his breath, Reese stumbled back a step. “Geez. What were you doing?”

Noah glared at him then shifted his attention to Serenity. Without preamble, he jerked his chin toward the side of the house, and Reese had no other option but to follow. The second they were out of Serenity’s line of sight, Noah snapped, “If you hurt her?—”

“I’m not gonna hurt her,” Reese shot back. “We’re friends.”

His cousin scoffed.

“It’s true. She said she wasn’t interested in anything serious. So, I’m listening.”

The way Noah’s eyes narrowed made it clear he didn’t believe a word Reese had said. At least he wasn’t tearing into him with some long-winded lecture. But then Noah murmured, “And if she decided she was ready for it?”

Reese stilled. What did Noah expect him to say? That he fully intended on tearing Serenity’s heart into pieces? Fat chance of that happening.

Noah dragged a hand down his face. “Just… don’t break her heart, okay? Jane’s worried about her. So am I.” He gave Reese one final warning look before stalking off to probably tattle to his wife about Reese’s intentions.

Well, that was a step forward in a way. One of the bigger roadblocks to dating Serenity would have been getting Jane’s approval.

Maybe Reese had a shot after all.