Did they think he was made of stone? That they could pound on him, lean on him, take from him without inflicting any damage?

No, they thought he was made of ice.

Chapter 20

Miranda couldn’t stop yawning, even though the morning had been hectic. After Luke had departed last night, she hadn’t been able to go back to sleep for another hour. Even when she did, she had vivid dreams that involved tuxedos, football helmets, and Luke wearing both or nothing at all.

Today she felt a sense of frantic melancholy. He hadn’t contradicted her when she said their relationship was going to end the day he jogged back onto the practice field, so she was desperate to spend as much time with him as possible. Now here she was, waiting for the phone screen to light up with his caller ID.

“I need a distraction,” she said to herself, picking up the phone and dialing Patty’s cell number.

“Miranda, how did you know?” her sister-in-law greeted her.

“Know what?”

“That I was about to call you. I just brought Theo home from school because he has a fever, and Percy, the new hired hand, has been out sick for two days. So I’ve been helping Dennis, but now I have to take care of Theo. Any chance you have a day off this weekend?”

“This weekend?” Dismay tightened her throat. “I’m off on Sunday. I could come up first thing in the morning.”

“Could you come after work on Saturday? Assuming you’re not on the late shift.” Patty blew out a breath. “Dennis can barely handle all the milking and cheese making when Percy’s here full-time. I don’t want him to exhaust himself now that I can’t pitch in.”

Of course she could . . . if she gave up her chance of seeing Luke one last time. Her conscience battled with her deepest, darkest desires. Of course, Luke hadn’t said anything about seeing her Saturday night. She was just assuming, hoping.

“I’ll drive up Saturday right after work.” Regret seared through her like a hot dagger, but she couldn’t leave her brother to face all the farm chores alone. “Can you find another hand for next week, in case Percy is still sick?”

“Everyone around here is coming down with the flu, so it’s going to be tough.” Patty sighed. “I’m just praying that Dennis and I don’t get sick. We both got flu shots, but you never know if those are going to work.”

“Here they’re calling it an epidemic. Our messenger has spent the last two days running to drugstores, picking up prescriptions for our residents.”

Patty groaned. “Well, stay away from unhealthy people, and no swapping spit with anyone. I need you hale and hearty. Seriously, sweetie, you are the best sister-in-law ever.”

Patty had no idea of how very saintly Miranda felt at this moment, giving up the prospect of her last date with Luke Archer. However, she did not intend to follow the no-spit-swapping rule tonight. Miranda forced a smile into her voice. “Remind Dennis of that the next time he’s giving me grief. Tell poor Theo I’ll bring up a Shake Shack treat for him.”

“That will cure him faster than all the meds in Doc Redding’s office.”

Miranda disconnected and grabbed her spotted stress ball out of the drawer. “Stupid cows!” she said, hurling it against the wall so hard it ricocheted back behind her.

That reminded her of Luke catching it when he’d walked in the door, and she lowered her head into her hands with a long, agonized moan. She’d been tormented about only having two more nights with Luke. Now it was down to one.

“It’s better this way,” she muttered. The more time she spent with him, the more involved she became. This would limit the damage. “Who am I kidding? It stinks.”

She got up and closed her door so she could eat her lunch in peace. As she walked back to her desk, her cell phone buzzed. Swiping it up, she checked the caller ID, her heart flipping when she saw Luke’s name.

She froze, trying to decide whether to tell him about Saturday night. But he hadn’t asked her to meet him. Maybe because it was the night before a game, he couldn’t go out, even though he wasn’t playing in it. And he’d never answered her question about whether he had sex before a game.

She would wait until she saw him tonight.

She swiped her finger over the phone and said, “I can’t look at my front door without thinking of you.”

She heard him suck in a sharp breath of surprise, but he recovered quickly. “I can’t look at play diagrams without thinking of you. Or at the weight room. Definitely not at the weight room.”

Miranda felt the heat rising and melting her insides. “Play diagrams? Really?”

“All those Xs and Os.”

Who’d have thought the big, tough football player could see hugs and kisses in a play diagram? “You win.”

“Always do, sugar.” His drawl was like warm molasses.

She switched to a more serious subject. “How did it go with Trevor?”

His heavy silence answered her before he did. “I threw him out. Nicely.”

“Nicely?”

“I told him my driver would take him anywhere he wanted to go.”

“Did you talk to him first?”

Another heavy pause. “I tried. He was drunk or high or both. All he did was whine. I’ve heard that tune before.”

“I’m sorry.” She said it gently, because there was pain in his voice. He had tried, and his brother hadn’t been able to reciprocate.