“Please. And you’ll let me know if I can help?”

“Oh, yes. I’ll interview you, as well. Now, what’s going on?” she asked again as he handed her the glass. “Whatever it is evidently requires liquid assistance.”

He brought up what was happening with Susan—and Carly’s possible displacement.

“She can stay here,” Shallie said in a firm voice. “No problem at all.”

“I have another—”

“Proposition?” She laughed, obviously remembering their earlier conversation.

He joined in her laughter, remembering it, too. “Kind of. Move in with me, and we’ll let Carly have the guest suite.”

“But—”

“Any clients can stay at Russ’s motel, at reduced rates. In fact, I’m going to encourage him to do more renovation, fix up the rest of the place.”

She was silent for a painfully long moment. “I know we’ve talked about this, me sharing your room…”

“More than once. Including earlier today.” He’d mentioned it as a “future possibility” as they’d sat on the porch—although he’d actually meant “near future.”

He knew her well enough now that he understood her loyalty and honesty, how strong and steadfast she was. There was no resemblance between her and Jenna, none at all. He also knew that, although they loved each other, her divorce—not to mention the fact that she’d lived with a history of abandonment—was something of an obstacle. He just hoped that the love she’d already shown him would allow her to take this first step toward a real—and permanent—commitment.

Her response was disappointing. She took a sip of her wine. “Can I think about it? Can I tell you tomorrow?”

“Fine.” He realized his voice sounded rather sharp and tried to soften it. “Completely up to you,” he said. “But you already know what I want.”

“I’m sorry. Are you angry? Upset?”

He shook his head. “I’d better go see to the horses.” He left, but the dogs stayed behind.

SHALLIE WONDERED WHAT to do. She tried to work, but kept returning to his question, with its potentially life-altering answer. Should she ask her best friend for advice? Emma would say “Go for it!” Should she trust her own instincts about Cord—which said “yes.” Or her doubts, which said “maybe.”

Yet her instincts had been positive about Rob, too. They’d been wrong, not at first but eventually.

This was different, though. Because her feelings for Cord had been part of her life for so long—even if they’d mostly resided in the background.

Those feeling were at least as big a reason for being here as her search for Christine and her hope of becoming Emma’s business partner.

Another sip of wine. Hard not to fantasize about doing the same kind of work for Hollister Horses but on a permanent basis. Quitting the job in Seattle, leaving the apartment and starting over. With Cord. Revisiting—and revising—the past.