Rider gave her a curious look. “You need some help?”

“No, thanks.”

Rider’s concerned gaze caught hers as he moved to her side, taking her arm. “Heading to work?”

“Yes. I’m late.” He let her go when she reached the bottom of the steps then followed her into the kitchen. When he would have gone out the back door behind her, Winter stopped him. “I really am fine. Cash will be waiting to follow me into work.” Until Raul Silva was caught, Viper had Cash tailing her.

“Okay, then. Viper would kill me if anything happened to you.”

“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” Rider’s crestfallen look made her feel ashamed of herself. She hadn’t meant to sound so snippy. “I’m really fine. I just need my coffee.” Seeing his relieved smile, she picked up the mug she had left on the counter and strode through the door.

Cash was waiting in the parking lot in his pickup truck. After waving at him, she got in her car and started the engine. He shadowed her down the mountain and into town. She alternated between tears, anger, and doubt during the drive to Riverview High School. As principal, she had to maintain a cool and composed façade, even if she was filled with turmoil inside.

Winter didn’t want to believe her husband had cheated on her, despite the evidence to the contrary. Then she remembered the text Sasha had sent. No wife wanted to believe their husband was unfaithful. Was she like the thousands of wives before her?

“No!” she shouted out loud in her car.

She parked in the school parking lot as Cash waited, watching until she disappeared from view.

She greeted her secretary then went inside her office. It was going to be a long day. She’d had almost no sleep last night, and the turmoil of the morning had her nerves on edge. She wanted to take the day off, but she didn’t want to go home. She needed to talk to Viper, yet she wasn’t ready to hear his answers.

What if he told her their marriage was over?

Winter shook her head. Her husband had just told her last night how much he loved her. But if he did, why had he told Sasha he would get rid of her? Maybe he was just telling her he loved her when he really didn’t mean it. Was their marriage just a sham, and she had been too stupid to realize it?

She should go home and talk to him, but the thought of what he would say terrified her. He wouldn’t have time to talk to her right now, anyway. He had that meeting scheduled this morning.

She needed time to think. She loved her husband, but the doubts kept creeping up. Her marriage might not be as perfect as she believed.

A fight in one of the classrooms kept her busy in the morning, talking to the students and notifying the parents. That afternoon, she had started to answer emails, when Viper called.

She stared down at her cell phone, not answering. A minute later, his text came in.

The meeting went well this morning. Tell you about it tonight.

Winter took a minute before responding. I’ll be late. I’m going to stop to see my aunt before coming home.

All right. I’ll tell Cash. He can follow you to Aunt Shay’s. Then you can call when you get ready to leave, and he can come back, he replied.

That works. I’ll see you tonight.

Love you, he sent.

Winter didn’t answer his text, putting her phone back down on the desk.

She answered her emails, trying not to fall asleep. When she finished, she closed her computer down, thankful it was the end of the day. She talked to the students as they left, and after the building was empty, she was finally free to leave.

Cash followed her to her aunt’s home, waiting until her aunt opened the door before driving off.

“Winter, it’s good to see you.” Her aunt’s kind face had Winter wanting to break into tears.

“You lost weight, Aunt Shay,” she scolded, hugging her frail body close.

Her aunt stepped back, letting her inside. She limped along beside Winter as they made their way into her formal living room.

The house was huge. Shay could have found a smaller home, but she clung to the one she and her husband had bought and raised their daughter in. Both were now gone, including her granddaughter. Other than Winter, Shay only had a great-grandson left.

“Is something wrong? You usually stop by to see me on Saturdays.”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to see you. I hope that’s okay.”

Beth checked on her once a day. She used to come just three days a week, but Winter hired her to work the whole week instead. Winter spent every Saturday afternoon with her, and Holly would bring her great-grandson, Logan, on Sundays. That way, she had someone with her every day.

“Of course. I’m always happy to see you.”

“Have you eaten today?”

“Yes, Beth made me some soup.” She smiled at Winter’s concern.

“Which I bet you didn’t eat.”

Her aunt grimaced. “I ate a little. My appetite isn’t what it used to be.”

“How about some chicken and dumplings?”

Aunt Shay’s face lit up. “I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

“It won’t be a bother. I can put it on the stove, and we can talk while it cooks.”

“I knew you were my favorite niece for a reason.”

“I’m your only niece.” Winter brushed a kiss on her pale cheek before she went into the kitchen.

Beth kept her aunt’s freezer stocked. Winter knew her favorite was chicken dumplings and made it for her every month, freezing it so Aunt Shay could have it when she wanted some.

Taking out one of the freezer bags, she saw last month’s supply hadn’t been touched. She had been so occupied with her marriage that she hadn’t noticed her aunt was slipping away.

Briskly, she made them both a salad then heated some pre-made mashed potatoes as she reheated the chicken and dumplings. She then returned to the living room and watched Shay’s favorite game show until their dinner was ready.

Winter set the table outside with the food and plates before calling her aunt. “Dinner’s ready.”

Shay came outside, taking a chair across from her. “I love sitting outside in the sun.”

“I know,” Winter said, as she made her a small plate.

As they ate, her aunt bragged about how big Logan was growing.

“How’s Holly doing?” Winter asked.

“Putting up with Greer. I don’t know how she tolerates that man.”

“Everyone in town agrees with you.”

Greer Porter didn’t have any friends. He had a habit of becoming involved with women who only used him for sex or the pot he boasted about growing.

“Greer is a terrible influence on my great-grandson. I told Holly that she and Logan should move in with me, but Dustin wants him to stay with him.”

As much as she disliked Greer, he was a good uncle, and Dustin couldn’t be faulted as a father. The Porters might be weed farmers, but they loved Logan, and they had saved the Last Riders more than once.

“Are you getting lonely here by yourself?”

Aunt Shay picked at her food. “A little, but it helps that Beth comes by every day. So does Holly.”

“I wished you would move closer to me. Viper offered to build you a small cottage behind the clubhouse.”

“I’m too old and grumpy to live next door to a houseful of men.”