Gil had already left.

GIL WALKED TO THE HOUSE AND NOTICED JENNA'S RENTAL NO LONGER parked outside the barn. "She didn't stick around long," he said under his breath, then rubbed Hank behind the ears and whistled for the beagle to follow. The old dog had taken to the pup about the same way Gil had taken to Mattie.

He prayed the ride in the pasture would cool the doc down so that when she returned they could talk. Jenna's visit had stirred up a nest of bees worse than any he'd seen in a hayfield, and although he knew better, a part of him saw the logic in exploring the woman's offer on the ranch. After all, his dad just had another attack. What future could the Lightning M hold for the man in his current state of health?

Gil rubbed the muscles in his neck, the tension in his shoulders as tight as a cord. He needed sleep. Then he might be able to think clearly and deal with Mattie's temper. As he neared the house, he met Jake coming out.

"I take it Jenna left?" Gil asked.

"Yep, took off in that fancy sports car." The ranch hand stuffed a wad of tobacco in his mouth. "Said she had folks to visit in town. Told me to tell Mattie good-bye. That she'd call her later."

At least Jenna hadn't disregarded her sister's feelings. Gil hoped she wasn't using Mattie and wondered if their relationship was anything like his and Frank's had been. "What do you think about Jenna's business here?"

Jake's eyes narrowed. "You mean about her wanting to buy the McCray land?"

Gil nodded at the keen observation.

"I'm not a property owner. Never have been. But I've worked your father's ranch since you and Frank were this high." He gestured to his hip. "I can't imagine someone else owning this land, and I don't want to try. Guess if that's coming, your dad may as well scoot over so I can join him on that hospital bed."

"Think it'd kill you both, huh?" Gil half joked.

Jake chewed on the tobacco. "You're a smart man - all grown up with the wisdom of your parents tucked inside you. Take away a man's dream, and you take his life from him."

Gil didn't respond but walked slowly to the house, Jake's words gnawing on his conscience.

AFTER A SHORT NAP, GIL SAT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE WITH A PLATE of Mildred's stew and two steaming biscuits slathered with butter and elderberry jelly. A packed suitcase waited at the door with clothes for him and his dad. He hoped to talk with Mattie before he left for the hospital, but so far, she hadn't returned.

As though sensing his thoughts, Mildred stared out the kitchen window. "I wonder if Mattie's all right. Hope she didn't have trouble with those horses."

Gil's mouth twisted in concern. Mattie could handle Tulip, but Dusty might have injured himself. He sopped his biscuit in the stew for one last bite. "Maybe I better check on them."

"No need." Mildred smiled. "There she is, coming in from the pasture."

He tossed his napkin on the table and stood, only to have Mildred motion him to sit.

"Finish your stew. You'll be eating cafeteria food soon enough." She refilled his glass of milk, then returned to her dishwashing. "You and Mattie seem mighty friendly these days. With her traveling all the way to California, it must be gettin' serious."

Gil scooped a carrot with his spoon. "I wouldn't call it serious. Too many kinks in the water hose."

The gray-haired housekeeper glanced at him. "She reminds me of your mama. Not many young women like her these days." Her eyebrows raised an inch. "Take Mattie's sister, for example."

Mildred had been with Gil's family almost as long as Jake. She'd helped his mother cook and clean this big house up until the day his mama died. They would have talked about things - shared intimate thoughts. "Did Mama like Jenna?"

Mildred dried her hands on a tea towel. "We all liked Jenna fine."

"What if she and Frank had married?"

She shook her head. "Jenna was too flighty. It would never have lasted. She's not like Mattie."

No truer words had come from the woman's lips. Images of Jenna bathed in moonlight flashed in his mind, and he blinked them away. "You think Mama would approve of Mattie?"

"Course, she would. Mattie's sensible and caring."

An angel compared to her sister.

"Are the two of you making plans?"

Gil's neck grew warm at her question. "Not yet, but I'm sure if that changes, you'll be one of the first to know."

Mildred chuckled. "Someone has to look out for you. You might be big and tough on the outside, but your insides are as tender as a baby's bottom."

He stood and kissed her on the cheek.

She flicked him with her sudsy water. "Scoot out of here and go see that girl of yours."

Gil pressed his lips together, wondering if Mattie had cooled down yet. One glance at his pocket watch confirmed they didn't have time to finish their previous conversation. He gathered his suitcase and jacket and lumbered to the truck. As he loaded the backseat, his cell phone beeped from the dashboard. Thinking the battery low, he checked and saw a text message from his real estate broker in California.

Owners ready to sell. Name your price.

FORTY-TWO.

MATTIE MET GIL AT HIS TRUCK AND WAITED WHILE HE CHECKED HIS phone, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

He tucked the phone in his shirt pocket and turned to face her. His hair drooped to his brow as he shot her a winsome smile. "Still mad at me?"

The ride in the pasture helped calm her nerves, but it hadn't erased her memory. "That depends. Are you going to tell your dad about Jenna's offer?"

"I haven't decided yet."

She resisted the urge to swipe the annoying locks from his forehead, not quite ready to give up her fight. "I think it's a mistake if you do."

"If I don't, she will," he said. "Seems to me an announcement like that would be better coming from his son."

"Or not . . . considering your history with your dad."

At her comment, Gil ducked his chin as though she'd hit him.

Mattie's irritation wavered. "I know you're trying to work things out, but still - "

"He's likely to get mad and give himself a genuine heart attack. Is that what you're afraid of?"

That was exactly her fear. "I've seen the way you two fight. His temper shoots through the roof, and yours goes haywire. You can't blame me for worrying."

"I'll try to control myself. Maybe I'll call a nurse in to keep the peace." He grinned and her armor cracked enough to let a smile through.

She didn't try to force it down. "A lot of good that would do. You think he's scared of a little ol' nurse?"

"You haven't seen the nurses in this place."

Mattie uncrossed her arms. "I still don't like it. You should at least wait until he's home - not cooped up in that hospital room where he feels all helpless and trapped."

"Afraid of what he'll say?"

"More afraid of what you'll talk him into." Mattie's smile faded at the thought. For John to give up the ranch at this time in his life might kill him, and it would certainly break her heart.

Gil slid his hands around her waist, and his touch thawed her defenses. "I'm not going to try and talk him into anything. I'll simply tell him the truth - that an offer's been made on the ranch. We'll see what happens from there." He crouched to her eye level.

"Speaking of offers, Mattie . . . the estate in California is officially on the market."

Her lungs deflated. Could there be more bad news this day? Could there be more bad news this day? She rested her hands on his chest and saw his excitement. "That's great. I'm happy for you, Gil." She rested her hands on his chest and saw his excitement. "That's great. I'm happy for you, Gil."

"Save your congratulations, because I know you don't mean it. I'm not going to make an offer until we've had a chance to talk. You and me, alone, after I bring Dad home."

"I suppose we could discuss it after my cousin's wedding. If you still want to go with me, that is."

"I like the sound of that." Gil nuzzled his chin against her cheek and kissed her lightly on the neck. "It'd give us a reason to slip out early."

He did it again. No matter how angry or upset she was, this retired quarterback had the ability to melt her with one smooth touch of his lips on her skin. Gil lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply, a penetrating kiss that hinted of a future. His lips lingered on hers, reducing her legs to jelly. No matter how angry or upset she was, this retired quarterback had the ability to melt her with one smooth touch of his lips on her skin. Gil lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply, a penetrating kiss that hinted of a future. His lips lingered on hers, reducing her legs to jelly.

Then he pulled away. He checked his pocket watch and frowned. "I hate to do this, but if I don't leave now, I'll miss what the doctor tells Dad."

Mattie stepped back, surprised her knees didn't falter. "By all means go, but be careful."

Gil tipped her chin. "You'll be okay? You won't let your sister push your buttons, right?"

"I doubt she'll show her face here again . . . at least not until John gets home."

"See that she doesn't trouble you. I'll call when I know more about Dad."

Mattie nodded and watched Gil drive away. She pressed her fingers to her lips where he'd kissed her, never wanting to forget the sweet sensation.

HE LIFTED JENNA IN HIS ARMS AND TWIRLED HER IN THE SWIRLING CREEK water. He plunged backward, soaking their glistening bodies as laughter filled the moonlit sky. Jenna faced him, her hands massaging his chest with a sensual touch. Her fingers climbed to his shoulders, and her laughter turned to shrieks as she pushed him under the water and held him there. The water turned to blood, thick and horrifying. Gil couldn't breathe.

Gil awoke with a start in the shadowed hospital room, his face beaded with sweat. The nightmare had returned and with it, the guilt. He should have been the one to die. Not Frank. Why, God, why? Why, God, why? He shook the thought away and tried to slow his rapid breath - listened to his dad snore, the lights from the heart monitor glowing green and red. When he'd arrived at the hospital that afternoon, he barely spoke to his father before they wheeled him off for a stress test and an echocardiogram. According to the attendant, he did well on both. He shook the thought away and tried to slow his rapid breath - listened to his dad snore, the lights from the heart monitor glowing green and red. When he'd arrived at the hospital that afternoon, he barely spoke to his father before they wheeled him off for a stress test and an echocardiogram. According to the attendant, he did well on both.

The door slid open and a lab technician in a pink blouse came in with more syringes. She went to his father's bedside and pushed a button to elevate his head.

His dad's eyes fluttered open.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Her words were loud as she placed her tray of items on the table.

"Can't get any sleep with you nurses poking me all the time."

Gil forced a chuckle, and the woman gave a hearty laugh. "We need to check your enzymes again," she said and prepared his arm for the needle. "Do you feel like eating some supper?" She worked quickly and attached a bandage to the inside of his elbow where she'd drawn the blood.

His dad grimaced. "What's on the menu? Soy burgers?"

Another nurse stepped into the room with a tray and set the covered dishes on the bedside table. "Tonight you get meat loaf." She lifted the plate's plastic cover to reveal a pale slice of meat masked in ketchup, with a few green beans and applesauce on the side.

The two left, and Gil watched his dad nudge the food with his utensils. "If you ever hear me complain about Mildred's cooking again, punch me in the teeth." He cut into the loaf and held it up with his fork. "Never knew they could make so many things out of soy. It's a plumb embarrassment to the beef association. How dare they call it meat loaf."

Gil chuckled, glad he didn't have to eat the meal. "Part of your heart-healthy diet." He held up the pamphlet he'd been reading that gave the American Heart Association's food recommendations and restrictions.

"Yeah, no salt, no color, no taste." His dad put the slice in his mouth and made another face. "There are some things in life I'm not willing to give up, and meat is one of them."

Gil wasn't sure he agreed with his father's attitude but figured the man had lived a full life and could make his own decisions about what he chose to eat. It reminded him of what Jake said about a man needing his dreams to keep him alive.

"How come you never went to church with Mama?"

The old man looked up from his food. "What makes you ask such a question?"

"She used to take us boys to church and Sunday school, but you stayed home. Do you not believe in God? Or were you too busy?" Gil remembered interrogating his mother about this, but she'd never answered his questions.

"Doesn't matter now. Your mother's dead and gone. Can't do nothing to change that." He cleared his throat and tried to situate himself in the hospital bed by punching on his pillow.

"It seems a good question to ask, with your heart problems and all. Maybe now's the time to make amends with your Creator."

His father's eyes darted to Gil's. "Who says I need to make amends for anything? Did Mattie put you up to this?"

Gil rested his elbows on his knees and grinned. "Has she been talking to you?"

"Been trying to get me to go to church with her for the last several months."

"Why don't you go? It'd be good for you."

"What's good for me is to have some peace in my life and not be pushed by you or anyone else to do something I don't want to do," his father snapped.

The words cast a stone on Gil's heart the size of a boulder. "What do you want in life, Dad? What gives you peace? Living on the ranch where your memories of Mama and Frank are?"

"It's good to have the reminders." His dad nodded. "What would bring me peace, though, is for you to marry and give me grand babies. Any chance of that happening soon, or will I go to my grave without anyone to inherit the Lightning M, seeing as how you don't want it?"

"Speaking of the ranch . . . " Gil scratched his chin, figuring now was as good a time as any to mention Jenna's offer. "There's something I need to talk to you about."