A sudden urgency jabbed at her. She had to get away. She couldn’t be around him and act like she didn’t care. Because the fact was, she still cared. Way too much. Just the sight of him was unleashing things she didn’t want to feel, things she’d thought she’d been able to put behind her . . . all the hurt, disappointment, and heartache.

Now that the emotions were welling up, she’d never be able to hide her feelings. He’d come over, talk with her, give her one of his crooked grins, and she’d be helplessly in love with him all over again, unable to stop herself from throwing herself at him just like she had every other time.

She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t humiliate herself again. She had to get away.

With a frantic glance around, she hopped down and started weaving through the crowd, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the corral. Once out of the thick of onlookers, she picked up her pace and raced toward the cabin. As much as she wanted to go inside, slam the door, and bar it shut, it was one of the first places people would come searching for her once they realized she’d run off.

Yep. She was being a big coward. But she aimed to hide until Jericho left for the night. In fact, if she had to, she’d hide from him until he left South Park, which hopefully would be real soon.

Chapter
29

Jericho pushed past the people slapping his back and congratulating him. His heart thudded hard with the need to find Ivy. She’d been there on the fence watching the competition. And then in the next instant she’d disappeared.

Had she run off to get away from him? If so, he wouldn’t blame her. He didn’t deserve to see her again, didn’t deserve to be anywhere near her. But even if the sun and moon conspired against him, he had to talk to her at least one more time.

He made his way to the middle of the yard filled with teams, wagons, and young children running around playing. He caught sight of Flora, Linnea and Flynn’s redheaded little girl, and almost grabbed her to ask if she’d seen Ivy. But at the flash of something in the woods behind the cabin, he stopped.

Ivy was hiding.

His chest pinched painfully. He’d made a mistake in coming back. He shouldn’t have done it.