She continued to sing the lullaby and walked straight up to the horse’s head. He stomped and shook his head up and down. Sarah reached up and brushed a hand down the horse’s nose.

In her singsong voice she asked, “What’s his name?”

“Ace.”

“Hello, Ace,” she sang, then went on with the lullaby.

Luke’s anxious voice rumbled behind her again “He’s the backbone of this ranch. He’s a champion and worth a fortune. Nothing can happen to him.”

Still singing to the horse, she turned and looked at Luke. In that moment, she could see he not only needed the horse for his breeding program, but he loved the horse. She also noticed that her boys had moved up and were crowded behind Luke’s legs. They peeked at her and Ace from around him.

“What do you need done with Ace?”

Luke answered for the man, who must be the vet. “He needs some shots and one of the trainers noticed he’s favoring his left back hoof.”

The vet added, “He also has a cut on his hindquarter that may need stitching.”

Luke restrained his fury behind his clenched jaw. “He’s been cut?”

“I’m sorry, Luke. He’s out of control today and he hit his rump on the gate to the stall. It was his own damn fault. That horse has no sense, and he’s meaner than a rattlesnake.”

Sarah continued singing and rubbed both hands up the length of Ace’s nose. Once she got her arms to full length, she pulled Ace’s large head down and put her nose to his. She rubbed the sides of his head and stood nose to nose with him singing the lullaby. Ace began to calm and soon he wasn’t stomping, or fussing. After several choruses, she knew just when the horse had bonded with her when he nuzzled his nose against her cheek.

Still singing to Ace she stepped back, grabbed a brush from a nearby table, and began to work the brush over his gleaming coat. He stood still, but watched her carefully. She worked and worked, brushing and singing, calming him even more. Once she’d given Ace a good once-over, she turned back to Luke and found all four men silent and watching her.

It was quite a picture, turning around and seeing Luke holding the hands of both her boys. She’d never seen a prettier picture. The boys were safe in a man’s hands, and the fact that the man was as strong and gorgeous as Luke didn’t hurt either.

She’d provided them with everything they needed, except a good man in their life.

Tears filled her eyes and she quickly blinked them away.

Ace nibbled at her jeans pocket and bumped his big head against her back. Luke stepped forward thinking Ace was trying to hurt her.

Sarah held up her hand to stop him. She was still singing for the horse and turned back to Ace. “It’s okay. He only wants what’s in my pocket.” Sarah took out a roll of the cherry candies the boys loved and peeled one off for Ace. The horse took it and nuzzled her neck.