“I’ll make a point of visiting San Antonio soon,” Sherry said.

“Don’t go alone,” Norah insisted. “It’s a place for lovers.”

“Okay. I’ll make sure I’m crazy in love before I make any traveling plans.”

“Good.” Norah gave a satisfied nod.

Rowdy returned home from the office earlier than usual with wonderful news. He and Norah were hoping to adopt two small children who’d been orphaned the year before. Because of some legal difficulties, the adoption had been held up in the courts.

“Looks like we’re going to be expanding our family shortly,” Rowdy said, kissing Norah before taking the chair next to her and reaching for her hand.

Sherry found it almost painful to see these two people so deeply in love. It reminded her how alone she was, how isolated her life had become as more and more of her friends got married and started families. Sherry felt like someone on the outside looking in.

“Grace’s new tooth broke through this afternoon,” Norah told Rowdy after she’d poured him a glass of iced tea.

“This I’ve got to see,” he said, getting up and heading toward the house.

“Rowdy,” Norah called after him. “Let her sleep. She was fussy most of the afternoon.”

“I thought I’d take her and Jeff swimming.”

“Yes, but wait until they wake up from their naps.” Norah smiled at Sherry. “Sometimes I think Rowdy’s nothing more than a big kid himself. He’s looking for someone to play with.”

“He’s wonderful. I could almost be jealous.”

“There’s no need,” Norah said, squeezing Sherry’s arm. “Your turn’s coming, and I think it’s going to be sooner than you expect.”

“I hope so,” Sherry said, but she didn’t have any faith in her friend’s prediction.

“Sherry,” Rowdy said, turning back from the house. “I did a bit of checking on that cattleman you mentioned the other night.” He removed a slip of paper from his inside pocket. “Cody James Bailman,” he read, “born thirty-five years ago, married at twenty-one, widowed, one daughter named Heather. Owns a ten-thousand-acre spread outside Pepper. He was elected president of the local Cattlemen’s Association three years running.”

“That’s it?” Norah asked.

“He raises quarter horses, as well as cattle.”

That didn’t tell Sherry much more than she already knew.

“He seems like a decent guy. I spoke to a man who’s known Bailman for several years and he thinks highly of him. If you want my advice, I say marry the fellow and see what happens.”

“Rowdy!” Norah chastised.

“That’s what we did, and everything worked out, didn’t it?”

“Circumstances are just a tad different, dear,” Norah said, glancing apologetically toward Sherry.

“Marriage would do them both good,” Rowdy continued. He turned to Sherry and nodded as if the decision had already been made. “Marry the man.”

* * *

“Marry the man.” As Sherry drove toward Pepper several days later, Rowdy’s words clung to her mind. Cody’s parting words returned to haunt her, as well. If we still feel the same way, then we’ll know this has a chance. But what could have changed in their two weeks apart? What could they possibly have learned?