Page 4

“Yes, already done, Dad. Don’t you remember?” Noah’s distant rebuff echoed from down the hall with every ounce of five-year-old exasperation.

Blake loosened his tie once more as the ladies returned to the kitchen to retrieve more food for the dining room table.

He took the opportunity to glance around, taking in the small but clean and cozy home.

The space was updated and pleasant, despite an overflowing toybox in the living room.

The dining room, an extension of the living room, had nice lighting above the table.

Was it a galley kitchen? Maybe two bedrooms and a bathroom down the hall?

Comfortable leather furnishings and rustic coffee tables.

Nice drapes in the windows. A built-in bookcase for an entertainment center lined one wall. Plenty of books filled the shelves.

He took note of a crafting corner at an old-fashioned letter writing desk in the living room.

A framed family photo sat on top of the desk.

Beside it, a basket contained an assortment of what seemed like tools for making jewelry.

Needle nose pliers, containers of clasps and such.

A little tree-like rack holding some delicate jewelry chains.

The items were arranged in an orderly fashion and well out of reach from Noah.

Did Sam make jewelry of some sort? He could see some finished pieces on display too. Necklaces, from what he could tell.

Tiff returned after Blake had settled into an armchair with Boscoe at his knee, who lapped up all of his petting and attention.

But before Tiff could join him in the pleasant grouping of furniture, Sam announced it was time to eat.

They gathered around the table in the dining room and soon Tiff led them in a blessing as they bowed their heads.

Blake was thankful they remembered to bless the food.

It was something he admired about folks from the mountains of Tennessee.

Most of them seemed to remember to keep God first.

But would the lovely Hensley forgive him for what he’d said?

So far, she continued to refuse to make eye contact, except for when he’d first arrived.

It wasn’t going too well, and he didn’t have a clue how to fix it.

Or if he should bother worrying about it despite his attraction to her.

What if she turned out to be a gold digger? Or worse, another Elise?

HENSLEY PUT SOME BUTTER , a little dab of sour cream, and some chives on her baked potato.

Then she passed the toppings to her left.

Would Blake Sterling make any other brash judgments about her after this evening’s dinner?

Still sore about what he’d said the last time she’d seen him, she spread butter on the potato with more vigor than usual, staring at her plate.

She also had a small piece of lasagna next to her steak and some delicious roasted veggies too.

Unable to cook, she’d brought an apple pie that her mom had baked fresh for their dessert.

“Save room for dessert everyone,” she reminded them.

Sam grinned. “Hensley brought an apple pie.”

Everyone smiled, but not Blake. Turning toward Tiff, Blake sliced into his steak topped with sautéed mushrooms and onions. “Where do you work, Tiff?”

Maybe Blake didn’t typically indulge in dessert. Presently, he seemed focused on talking to Sam’s husband. She sighed and gazed at her plate .

Tiff, reaching for the steak sauce, poured a generous amount on his plate. “I’m a computer specialist at Dollywood. It’s how we have a deeply discounted family membership to visit the park as often as we’d like. And you?”

“Nice. I’m building a log cabin resort property for tourists and locals who want to get away into the countryside and enjoy the mountains.” Blake drank some of his sweet tea.

“Do you have amenities the locals can enjoy, or will it only be for those staying at the cabins?” Tiff tilted his head to one side as he seasoned his food with more pepper.

“We’ll offer fishing, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding on two trails, and archery to locals and those who stay at the resort.

We’ll have a year-round indoor heated swimming pool and I plan to build a bunkhouse for youth groups and troubled teens to visit.

They’ll be able to enjoy the amenities, the scenery, and the wildlife.

Take their minds off their problems and that sort of thing.

” Blake tasted his steak and sliced another bite.

“I didn’t know you work with teens like Sam and I do, but that’s exactly the kind of thing they need.” Tiff exchanged a glance with Samantha.

If Hensley didn’t know any better, she’d guess Tiff and Sam were up to something. Something to do with the youth group they helped at Dogwood Creek’s Community Church maybe.

“Yes, I worked with troubled teens in Wyoming too. We’ve finished the main lodge and five of the cabins, but we have more work to get everything ready.” Blake stabbed an asparagus spear with his fork. “Ah, this is great. Everything is cooked to perfection. Thank you, Sam and Tiff.”

“We’re glad you like it. How’s your steak, Hensley?” Tiff turned toward her.

She smiled. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Good. Sam, is your steak all right?” Tiff arched a brow toward his wife.

“It’s great. How’s the roasted squash and the asparagus? And has anyone tried their lasagna yet?” Samantha glanced around the table.

“Mine is so good. And I can’t wait to try the recipe for those sheet-pan roasted vegetables at home. It sounds so easy and tastes delicious.” Hensley wouldn’t mention that she could barely cook anything that wasn’t microwaveable.

“Yep. Just drizzle some olive oil over the squares of squash and the asparagus. Season and roast it in the oven for twenty minutes. So easy and healthy.” Sam popped a squash cube into her mouth from the tip of her fork.

Then she turned to Blake. “It must have been amazing to work on a ranch in Wyoming. Did they have horses or cattle?”

“Horses mainly, but I also worked with a neighbor who needed help herding cattle a few times. Learned a lot about building log cabins while I was there.”

“How long were you there? Were you close to Yellowstone?” Tiff tasted a large bite of lasagna.

Blake nodded. “I spent almost two years there as a wrangler. The ranch is located in central Wyoming on the edge of a small town called Lander. It’s in the Wind River region and just a few hours from Yellowstone.

We used to bus a lot of folks up to Yellowstone to spend a few days exploring and hiking.

Lots of wildlife, mountains, waterfalls . .. stunning scenery.”

Hensley tilted her head to one side. Yellowstone?

He really was a cowboy. Maybe it was why he had so few manners, but it didn’t excuse his grumpy behavior.

However, he had placed a linen napkin in his lap and used his utensils properly.

He did seem to be in a better mood than the last time she’d seen him.

“I’ve always wanted to see Yellowstone. It sounds so beautiful. One of these days, when Noah is older, maybe we’ll take a family vacation and check it out.” Samantha reached for her sweet tea .

“It’s a great place for families. A far cry from working in a Manhattan office at the headquarters for my father’s company. My siblings and I each served as vice presidents over one of his three divisions. But I had to get out. There’s something to be said for leaving the corporate world behind.”

Something in Blake’s brown eyes told Hensley he was relieved and happy to have left his father’s company.

“I’m sure Wyoming was a big difference from Manhattan,” Tiff remarked. “Did you adapt easily?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I still help with my dad’s company here and there, just not as many hours.

And yes, I did adapt. We’d spent summers as kids in the Tennessee countryside of Ashford with our grandparents, riding horses, hiking, and wading in the creek.

It didn’t take me too long to blend into Wyoming as if I’d always belonged there.

But I think one of my first loves is right here in Tennessee.

There’s nothing like it anywhere else I’ve been.

” Blake reached for the pepper and seasoned everything on his plate.

“I also had the opportunity to work as an assistant youth leader at the church located on the ranch.”

“That’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” Tiff grinned as he stabbed some of his squash. “Wrangle horses, cattle, and maybe teenagers on a ranch in the rugged wilds of Wyoming.”

They all laughed at Tiff’s idea of wrangling teenagers. Even Hensley.

“It was an experience I’ll never forget.” Blake, with a smile still on his face, sliced into another bite of his steak.

Those adorable dimples appeared on Blake’s face whenever he smiled.

Hensley was surprised that she had enjoyed hearing him speak about his life in Wyoming.

No wonder he seemed a little on the wild side.

The man had been taming cattle, wrangling horses, learning to hoist logs, and dealing with moody teenagers.

One of her brows arched as she considered it .

Still, he shouldn’t make such brash pronouncements on anyone as he had when he’d met her. When he glanced up and their eyes met, she quickly returned her gaze to the delicious food on her plate.

“Do you sometimes miss Manhattan?” Samantha flipped some of her chestnut hair over one shoulder. “I think visiting New York would be fun for us too.”

Blake sliced into his lasagna and his brows furrowed. “No, not really. After being born to high society folks, I was glad to leave it behind. It’s complicated to mingle in those circles. I’m not so sure I ever really fit in with them.”