Summer Days (Fool's Gold #7)

Heidi dipped her stick in the paint. The liquid was thicker      than she’d expected and didn’t go on evenly, but she supposed that was the      point.

“Well, crap.” Annabelle tilted her head. “I thought I would do      some kind of marriage scene, but these women didn’t marry men.”

Heidi studied the sticklike figure of a woman. “Could you show      the guy leaving? Or being sent away.”

“That could work. As long as I don’t have to draw the      erection.” She started on a tree for background. “Men are such a pain in the      butt. Why do we want to be with them so much?”

“Biology,” Heidi said with a sigh. “We can’t escape our DNA      destiny. Women are hardwired to bond. Especially after sex.”

“That sounds interesting.”

Heidi realized she’d said a little too much. “Um, I meant in      general. I’m not talking specifically.”

“Uh-huh. I’m not sure I believe that.” She dabbed more paint on      the wall. “Loving people can be the best thing ever, and it can really suck.      Where are you on that scale with Rafe?”

Heidi felt her mouth drop open. She carefully closed it, then      studied the wall in front of her.

“I don’t love Rafe.”

“That could be a matter of timing. You’re falling for him.”

“Maybe a little. But I’m being careful.” At least, she hoped      she was. Some days it was difficult to tell. “How did you know?”

“You were angry when you found out about the houses, but you      were also hurt. It was personal, which means you had a connection.”

“You’re good,” Heidi told her.

Annabelle shrugged. “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, talk      about it.”

Heidi sighed. “I’m confused by him and what’s happening between      us.” She decided not to mention they’d slept together. “I hate having to do      this.” She pointed to the cave walls.

“Have you talked about compromise? Is that possible?”

“Rafe likes to win. That’s going to matter more than anything      else.”

“He’s also a guy who cares about the people in his life. Look      how he is with his mother. He still has a heart. Maybe you should appeal to      that.”

“I could try,” she said slowly.

“Tell you what. We’ll do the painting, but I won’t phone in the      tip until you tell me to. How’s that?”

“Perfect.”

Perhaps when you are next planning to be in the office, you can      warn me, so I can go online and view your picture. I want to be sure I remember      what you look like.

RAFE STARED AT THE SARCASTIC email from his normally      professional assistant, then logged off the internet and closed his laptop.

He was willing to admit that he’d been gone from the office      awhile. More than a while. Dante was on his back, too, trying to get him to      return to San Francisco and handle the various business deals they had in the      works. Rafe was doing what he could from Fool’s Gold, but a few things required      his presence. Or if he wasn’t willing to go in, he had to hand more      responsibility over to his partner.

Dante would be more than happy to take over the deals. There      was nothing Rafe’s lawyer friend liked more than a messy contract or difficult      negotiations. But Rafe didn’t want to step back from his business. He’d grown it      from nothing and usually enjoyed the process as much as his friend. Just not      right now.

He couldn’t explain what was different. With the barn remodel      finished, his mother had him planning a major addition to the house. He enjoyed      the manual labor more than he’d thought possible. He’d come to appreciate what      it meant to ride the land, losing himself in the quiet broken only by birds and      the thundering of his horse’s hooves. Hell, he even liked Heidi’s goats.

He crossed to the living room window and stared out at the      ranch. He had hated the idea of living in Fool’s Gold, of being surrounded by      the ghosts of his past. Now he knew there weren’t any ghosts, and the town      wasn’t responsible for what he and his family had gone through. If anything, the      people around him had done their best to make things better.

He looked past the barn, to where the development would begin,      and imagined rows of houses, tree-lined streets and cars parked at the curbs.      But it was impossible. All he could see was an old sheep and some llamas,      Heidi’s goats and a couple of Shane’s horses.

Progress demanded change, he reminded himself. With the casino      coming in, he could make a killing on those houses. The sheep would have to find      somewhere else to live.

He heard a crash from the back of the house and hurried in that      direction. He found Heidi leaning against the large table in the mudroom, her      face pale and her eyes unfocused. Several stainless-steel bowls had fallen to      the floor.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, even as he put his hand on her      forehead. She was clammy and hot at the same time.