Greta patted Ivy’s arm and sat quietly with her. She appreciated Greta’s patience. The sweet woman had always made her feel welcome, like she was wanted and loved and accepted.

But it hadn’t mattered how widely Greta and Wyatt had opened their home—a piece of Ivy had been missing that they hadn’t been able to replace. It was a piece she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to replace, but she’d hoped having her own home would give her a measure of satisfaction that she’d missed all these years.

Yet, how could she move forward with earning money from any more competitions knowing her dishonesty and duplicity had hurt Jericho? She didn’t want him to take the blame for everything that had happened. She had to come clean, no matter the consequences for herself and her future.

“Greta?”

“Hmm?”

Ivy squeezed her eyes closed. Even working the rest of the summer for Greta, she’d never save up enough for the land, not without the winnings from the cowhand contests. But she had to do it for Jericho. To clear his name so her brothers wouldn’t be mad at him and would hire him back.

“I’ve been joining in the contests as Buster Bliss.” She spoke the words in a rush, waiting for Greta’s gasp.

But Greta only shifted and wrapped an arm around Ivy’s shoulder. “I know.”

Ivy peeked sideways.

Greta’s silvery blue eyes were filled with understanding and love.

“How’d you figure it out?”

“Astrid recognized you during the Roman-style race. She chased you down and then came and told us all about it and that you were hiding out in the church.”

“Astrid’s got a mouth bigger than a canyon.” A burst of betrayal stung Ivy. Even though she was tempted to give Astrid a piece of her mind, Ivy had more important things to do. “Flynn and Wyatt are accusing Jericho of using me.”

Greta squeezed her shoulder. “You can’t blame them, can you? Finding their baby sister here like this is pretty hard on them.”

“Jericho’s not at fault, though. I was getting changed back into my womanly clothes, and he was just helping me get unstuck from—” She nodded at the linen strip still lying discarded on the floor.

Greta was silent for several heartbeats as if trying to figure out how to proceed.

“I know we shouldn’t have been kissing,” Ivy added. “But it was the first time, and it’ll be the last.”

“So you haven’t been—well, you haven’t shared other intimacies with him yet?”

A flush hit Ivy in the face. “No how, no way. I’m not a loose woman, and he ain’t that kind of fella.”