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M arietta was a really sweet little town.

It didn’t have the Old-World traditional beauty of an English village, nor a French one; but it possessed a warmth and sense of welcome that she found precious, and added to its prettiness, was a pure delight.

Ella found herself smiling as they walked along the sidewalk under the roof covering that protruded from the strip of stores and cafes that lined Main Street.

Just about every person they met stopped to chat to Leo, coo over Mia and Benny; their curiosity fading when they learned of her role in their lives. Their welcome and offers of assistance in any way, was heartwarming.

They wandered through Crawford Park, admired the old library building, the refurbished movie theater and the elegance of the Graf Hotel.

Taking a break in the town square they let Benny have a run, chuckling when Mia loudly protested the unfairness of being forced to watch from her stroller.

All the while, Leo led a commentary, pointing out the establishments he deemed most important; like the beauty parlor, bank, and grocery store.

Of course, he also figured Rosita’s Diner, Java café, Grey’s saloon, and Sage Carrigan’s Chocolate Shop were also essential for her to be familiar with.

Leo’s suggestion that they get in early to grab a table at Java proved to be a wise move. Snagging a corner table with a view of the street, and with two highchairs, it was good to be able to position themselves out of the way of the lunch crowd—many waiting for takeaway food or coffee.

They hadn’t chosen the position for privacy and it was just as well because, once more, they were regaled with greetings as customers and staff alike beelined to their table.

During a lull, she set down the giant toasted sandwich and took a sip of her cooling hot chocolate. “Is it always like this? Or are you some kind of rockstar to these people?”

He shrugged. “My family has ranched here for over a hundred years. Five generations and,” he added nodding across at his daughter, “Mia, Ruby, and JD and Evie’s baby are the beginning of the sixth.

So, I guess it’s safe to say that the Halligans are pretty well known.

My parents–especially Mom—and my grandparents were all very involved with the community.

Sometimes the folk here are slower to accept someone new, but once you’re in, you are one of theirs—a member of the Marietta family. ”

“How slow is slower?” She shrugged. “Asking for a friend.”

He chuckled, leaning over to put a couple more French fries on the tray of Mia’s highchair, checking Benny’s stash before looking back at her. “Maybe a year or two. Why? Worried you won’t qualify for Sage’s frequent customer discount?”

“Well, discounted chocolate certainly would be a reason to be anxious for acceptance. But I was actually comparing Marietta to some villages in Europe where one can still be considered a newcomer even after living there for twenty years! Of course, these villages can be up to eight hundred or more years old, so I suppose it’s all relative. ”

“That’s all? Not considering moving on from here?” His tone had changed, and while he’d attempted to keep it light, she sensed the undercurrent of something deeper than curiosity.

She took her time answering, savoring another bite of sandwich.

In an ideal world, she would never leave.

Of course, in an ideal world she’d be free to make other choices, and while that time would inevitably come, it wasn’t here yet.

“I suppose that depends on my employer. Every employed position is tenuous to come degree, dependent on the needs of the employer.”

“Smooth… You sidestep my question by putting it back on me?”

“Is what I said is not correct? That the employer holds all the cards?”

A trio of lines in the middle of his forehead signaled his consideration of her response. “In fact, there are times when they do. Like, for example when the employer’s need for certain skills elevates the employee to a higher level.”

“If we’re talking about you and I—us—I think you just provided me a valid incentive to abuse my position. Perhaps I should start making ridiculous demands; inducements to keep me satisfied and continuing to work for you.”

Satisfied? She actually said the word satisfied ? She stifled a groan just as a smile tickled his mouth and she instantly knew why—even if it was infantile on his part to latch onto her poorly worded response.

“Oh yeah? And I wonder what those demands might be?”

“And I hasten to add,” she said, hating the heat burning her face, and knowing it was patently evident to him as well, “I am very content with my situation at the moment, though should any secret desires arise, I shall inform you immediately.”

Damn, she’d just gone and added fuel to the fire.

His roar of laughter, startled both children but only until they caught up joined in. Three against one. It was never going to be a fair fight, even allowing for the fact that two of them had no idea what was so funny.

Leaning back in his chair, he eyed her through lowered lashes.

Long gorgeous lashes that cast shadows on his perfectly chiseled features.

“You don’t have any secret… desires… at the moment, Ella, or just none you’re prepared to share?

” He shook his head, the remnant of his amusement still evident in in the cheeky sparkle in his eyes.

“You’re a woman with secrets, Ella Staunton Hawes. ”

She didn’t bother denying it. “It bothers you?”

His mouth pulled in at the corners. “I admit it to being curious.”

“Curiosity can be dangerous, Leo.”

He arched one eyebrow, his voice deep and sure. “I’m happy to take my chances.”

And that was the problem, because she wasn’t.

*

He watched her expression close down, but like the sun always returns, he knew she’d bounce back.

That was Ella—she didn’t sulk or do moods—she just recalibrated, and he’d learned a lot about her character witnessing those adjustments.

Like the fact that her default was calm and happy.

Sure, she had moments, which was natural, and he’d have questioned her mental stability if she didn’t.

And he surely appreciated her frankness.

A pang of guilt sliced though him followed by a sneaky shame chaser.

It still felt like betrayal to harbor any negative thoughts about Hope, his baby’s mama; and he hated it when they slipped in.

Like now. He and Hope had had so little time together, but even so, he’d sensed something amiss in her, a sense that grew over the time they’d had together.

It made more sense when he’d learned of her background, but their phone conversations after he’d first gone back onto the rodeo circuit had been painful at times.

Most times. Long periods where she gave him nothing, and he’d had to fill in the blanks, begging her to tell him what he’d done wrong.

He’d asked her to come with him when he left, but she’d refused, and then seemed to resent him for leaving.

But he’d had no choice. He’d had commitments.

He knew it was unfair to compare Hope and Ella, even if it was where this current train of thought had originated.

If his guess was correct, Ella’s life had been as different from Hope’s as night was to day.

And he’d never had the opportunity to laugh with Hope, to completely relax, not like he could with Ella.

He thought he’d been in love with Hope, and yet he’d hardly known her.

And then there was Kristina; he’d thought he was in love with her, too, and she wasn’t the person he thought she was.

What about his feelings for Ella? Were they anything more than a carnal response?

The thought pulled him up short, but as quickly as it had crept in, he shoved it away.

Ella was hot, and they lived under the same roof; shared a concern for their children… They were friends.

It was nothing more. And it never could be.

Yet, every day he longed for the sound of her voice, her laugh. Waited eagerly for the first glimpse of that mysterious smile, the one that made him wonder and want.

“Ice cream!”

After leaving Java they’d wandered through various stores but now her confident enthusiasm was once more washing over him. The word was just the distraction he needed to pull him out of the confused funk. “What?”

Pointing with one hand to a sign outside the little store, she used the other to cheekily tip his Stetson sideways to free his closest ear. “Ice cream!”

“I heard the first time. I just thought you were having some kind mental breakdown. Ice cream? Really? Have you seen my kid eat ice cream? She gets it everywhere. And besides, it’s freezing!”

“Part of the fun of it, Leo, and anyway, we can eat inside. Besides, think of it as practice for when she’s taking over the kitchen and creating some exotic face mask; something to enhance her complexion.”

Horror shot through him. “She’ll do that?”

Ella shrugged. “Who knows? But she’ll certainly be a teenager, and they’re known to do such things.”

“Did you?”

She chuckled. “Why do I feel I’ll be incriminating myself no matter how I reply.” They reached the counter. “You buying or me? I’ll have rocky road, and Benny will have vani—oh what the heck, let’s make it strawberry. Baby sized. That should really make a mess.”

Grinning he pulled out his wallet. “Rocky road, huh?” he cocked his head, pretending to siphon wisdom from the air around him.

“Let’s see, compellingly complex. A lot going on underneath the surface?

Sound right?” Ridiculously, somehow it did, and he wondered if he’d have guessed her preference if asked.

Sweet and marshmallow soft, but with zing of bitter chocolate to keep him hopping.

He jammed the brakes on that line of thought real fast.

He put in hers and Benny’s order, adding a vanilla baby cone for Mia.