Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

Luke left Ace out in the pasture after Sarah spoiled him with a brush-down and an apple. Then he took Sarah and the boys riding. Jack and Nick had become very proficient, even if Stella and Mandy were more likely than not to follow Luke’s horse and pace. Sarah brought up the rear of their little line of horses. While the boys chatted with each other and about anything and everything around them, Sarah remained relatively quiet.

He wondered if her mind was on work, but he hoped she was simply enjoying the early morning ride across the dewy fields.

“I’m hungry,” Nick announced for the tenth time.

“We’re almost there. Just up and over this small hill.”

“Will you make pancakes?” Jack asked.

“That’s the plan.”

They rode into the yard outside the stables. He dismounted and went to Jack to help him down. Sarah plucked Nick off his horse.

He caught her slightly swaying before she caught herself. “Hey, sweetheart, are you okay?”

She gave him a weak smile. “Head rush.”

“Why don’t you head up to the house? I’ll put the horses away.”

Sarah shook her head. “Really. I’m good.”

He wondered how often she said that to herself and others when it wasn’t really true.

“Come on, boys, take the reins and lead your horses to their stalls.”

He walked his horse and Sarah’s in, then called out to two of the hands cleaning stalls. “Take these horses to their stalls. Brush them down and make sure they’ve got feed and water.” They hadn’t gone on a long or strenuous ride, so the horses would be fine in their stalls until they were let out into the pasture later.

Nick and Jack ran back to him and Sarah.

“Can we go up to the house and get something to drink?”

Luke held his hand out toward the stable doors. “Go on up. There’s some juice boxes in the fridge. Your mom and I will be there in a few minutes.” He waited for the boys to take off for the house.

Once they were out of sight, he turned to Sarah, cupped her face, and leaned down and kissed her softly. “You need to go to bed.”

“Is that an invitation? Because . . .” She pulled her buzzing phone out of her pocket. “I’ve got fifty-seven new emails. And as patient as you’ve been doing the whole dating thing and taking time to get to know me . . .” Exhaustion hung on her; she was too tired to even smile at him.

“Sweetheart, I’m serious.” He brushed the wisps of hair that had escaped her ponytail away from her face.

“I like it when you do that.”

“Touching you is my favorite thing to do.”

A soft smile tilted her lips, but her cheeks remained pale. “That. But also when you call me nice things. No one has ever called me ‘sweetheart’ or ‘honey.’ You do it a lot and I like it.”

“Didn’t Sean have a sweet name for you?”

She stared at him, taking a moment to consider whether or not to confide in him. “Sean was only sweet when he wanted something, which means he was sweet all the time. I found out too late that the charm was insincere and manipulative. After a while, I didn’t respond to it because it turned my stomach, so he just demanded.”

If Sean were here, he’d deck him for treating Sarah so callously. “I’m sorry he treated you that way and disappointed you. But I’m not him.”

“I know you mean what you say and how you say it. I know you care about me.”

Hearing the way she said those words, that she meant them, relieved him. “I care more than you know.” He wanted her to see that and believe it. “I can’t promise that I won’t disappoint you. I’m sure I will at some point. But I can promise that I won’t deceive you because I want something from you. And all I want is you and a life with you. It’s that simple.”

Tears and weariness filled her eyes and she began to pace back and forth in front of him. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what to do about you.”

“Keep me,” he suggested.

She hesitated for a split second, then smiled softly. “I have a lot going on right now.”

“I know. I’m trying to be patient. Which isn’t easy for a man like me, because I’m used to getting everything I want. But you’re worth the wait, sweetheart. And the torture.” Because he wanted her in his bed, too, desperately.

She sighed and paced away and then back to him again. “I’m trying to work out how to schedule everything I need to do, and how I can be with you here at the same time. I just don’t know how it’s possible. I’ve finished programming the Knox Project but I still have to travel all over the world to finish the installation.” She stopped midstep and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. She dropped her hand and stared at him. “I have a dozen other projects, a company to run, people who depend on me, and I’m in love with you.” She paced again and threw her hands up and let them fall. “I don’t know what to do about that either. I have to take the boys home soon and they’re going to miss you terribly. I don’t know if I can take missing you. I have a charity benefit to go to and I don’t even have a dress.” She rolled her eyes and kept going. “The press will be there, wanting me to answer a multitude of questions about my businesses and how I did it all.” Her hands flew up and fell down once more, slapping her thighs. “Quite frankly, I don’t want to tell them anything.”

“Sarah, stop.” Worry quickly overshadowed the soaring elation he felt when she said she loved him. Everything about her was in action. Her body, mind, emotions. Seeing her spin out and spill her thoughts and worries in a tumble of words concerned him. This wasn’t her.

She spun to face him and wobbled but caught herself. “Luke.”

“Sarah?”

Her eyes narrowed in concentration that seemed to be difficult for her to hold. Then her eyes rolled back and she mumbled, “Catch me.”

With the words barely out of her mouth, her knees buckled. He lurched forward, fell to his knees, and caught her before her head hit the cement floor. He hugged her to his chest and held her on his lap and called out, “Jerry!”

He came running from the office. “What happened?”

“She collapsed.” He ran a shaking hand over her face and hair.

“I’m not surprised. That girl needs a vacation from this vacation. Should we call an ambulance?”

“I don’t think so. The exhaustion finally caught up to her. I’ll take her up to the house and put her to bed.”

“The crew and I have things covered.”

“Thanks. Today I need to take care of her and the boys.”

“No problem.”

Luke stood with Sarah in his arms and stared down at her pale but beautiful face. “She said she’s in love with me.”

“That’s great. Now you two can really be together.”

“I wish it was that simple. She was ranting about work and having to leave and not knowing how to schedule everything and still be here with me. I don’t even know if she realizes she told me she loves me.”

“At least you know she does.” Jerry congratulated him with a tap on the shoulder. “Now you can tell her you love her and the two of you can figure out the rest as you go.”

Easier said than done, but he wanted a life with Sarah more than he’d ever wanted anything.