Was she busy? Always. But she tried to cut the tension and teased, “No, not really.”

God, he looked great. Black boots, snug worn jeans, a black T-shirt stretched across his broad chest, the sleeves straining over the muscles in his arms, and today he wore a black cowboy hat. He looked dangerous, despite his open and warm expression, though some concern shown in his eyes as he watched her.

“Are you headed to a birthday party or something?” She pointed to the present Luke held, wondering why he hadn’t left it in his truck.

“This is for you.” He held the package out to her, but she hesitated to take it. He tilted his head and studied her. “You look like no one’s ever given you a gift.”

Gifts had been few and far between in her life as an unwanted child. “I . . . um . . . Why did you get me a present?”

“I owe you two thank-you’s and three ‘I’m sorry’s.’” His earnest eyes turned stormy with uncertainty, because she still didn’t take the present.

He set the gift in her lap and dropped his hat on the table.

She pressed her hands on top of the box, thrilled by the kind gesture, but she didn’t want him to think he owed her anything. Or that she expected him to buy her things.

“Why don’t you just say ‘thank you’ and ‘I’m sorry’? You didn’t have to buy me anything.”

“I wanted to.” He hooked his thumbs in his front pockets and shifted from one foot to the other, then let out a big sigh, sat beside her at the table, and leaned in close, setting off a swarm of butterflies in her belly. “Thank you for taking care of Ace. I’m sorry I yelled at you when you took off on him the first day. I’m sorry I was angry and called you a criminal when I found you sleeping in my field. I completely overreacted, but you scared me half to death.” A flash of that fear crossed his eyes even now. “I think you took ten years off my life when I saw you lying in that circle of horses.” He took a breath. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me the truth about what happened with your uncle. I want you to know it meant a lot to me that you’d tell me something you haven’t shared with anyone else.

“Finally, I am so sorry that I ever agreed to investigate your past for Margaret or had any part in threatening to take the boys from you and forcing a visitation.” The sincerity in the apology touched her.

“Also, you should know, I know about Sean and the accident, everything, and I understand now why you want to put the past behind you and move on.” He held her gaze.

She guessed at what he’d found out about the car accident, but wondered if he really knew “everything” that came after it.