Wildfire Threat by Cathy McDavid

Author:Cathy McDavid
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-03-03T14:28:32+00:00

Chapter Seven

Rayna filled the coffeemaker with water, pressed the brew button and waited for the familiar gurgling sound. While the pot filled, she conducted a final inspection of the refrigerator’s contents. Good. Nothing left that would spoil during the next week. And if the fire reduced the house to a pile of smoldering ashes, what did it matter whether a block of cheese had grown moldy.

She pushed the thought from her mind, refusing to consider the possibility. The house would be fine. Her family, too. She’d get them and the cattle safely to Tumble Rock and then return when the fire was contained to find the ranch intact and the town unscathed.

One devastating loss in her life was enough. There wouldn’t be another one. She believed that, and she’d rely on her belief to see her through the days ahead.

She poured herself a cup of coffee, letting the steaming beverage revive her. She’d barely slept last night. Her mind had flitted from one worry to the next, thoughts of Aden weaving in and out. She’d kissed him! And it had been amazing.

A small flash of guilt had snuck up on her at around midnight. She’d loved Steven to distraction. Would always love him. Had she been disloyal to him by kissing another?

Aden had a valid point. Perhaps no one would ever replace her late husband.

Her head argued no, that Steven wouldn’t expect her to live the rest of her life alone. He’d want her to find someone who made her happy. Also someone who would be a good stepfather to Colton. Her heart required further convincing, however.

And besides, she was getting way ahead of herself, as Aden had warned her. They may not be right for each other and might see each other differently once the threat of the fire had passed. The fact was, she hardly knew him. Except he was the first man to give her butterflies since Steven.

Putting herself out there and making the first move hadn’t been easy. She wouldn’t have thought herself capable of it as recently as yesterday morning. Almost with each passing hour, Aden revealed something new about himself that caused her to feel differently about him and about herself. She’d also assumed just because she was ready to consider a romantic relationship, Aden was, too. Their mutual attraction was real, that much was certain. But that might be all it was.

When he’d admitted his part in the robbery and assault, she honestly hadn’t cared. He wasn’t the same person now as then, and the troubled youth had matured into a fine and caring man who couldn’t be more different from the rest of his family. She wouldn’t have kissed him otherwise.

Whatever happened to them, he really needed to get the Whitleys out of his head and stop allowing them—and what he’d convinced himself others thought of him—to dictate his life. The changes he’d made, the help he gave others, the love he poured into his job, should be more than enough to erase the bad and make him worthy of any woman’s love and any person’s friendship.

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