Fool's Gold Collection Volume 3: Almost Summer / Summer Days / Summer Nights / All Summer Long

With that, he left.

She watched him leave, knowing he was asking for too much. She loved him, but she didn’t trust him.

She worked a couple more hours, then heard footsteps in the mudroom. She logged off her computer and went into the kitchen. Rafe stood by the sink, drinking water. He’d dropped his hat onto a chair by the table and rolled up his sleeves. Sweat darkened his shirt and dust stained his jeans. He looked like an ad for something manly and vaguely sexy.

He finished the glass, then refilled it from a pitcher he’d pulled out of the refrigerator. As he poured, he glanced at her.

“They’re gone. You can roam your land in peace, without fear of being attacked by feral cattle.”

“Thanks for arranging that.”

“No problem.” He quickly drank the second glass of water, then turned to her. “What?”

“I’m worried about your mother.”

“Because?”

“She’s getting involved with Glen. Trust me, no good will come of that.”

Rafe chuckled. “He’s in his seventies. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Don’t dismiss him because he’s over sixty-five. Glen has been charming women for decades. They find him irresistible. He’s not into long-term relationships, which means your mom could be hurt.”

The chuckle turned into laughter.

She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re not taking me seriously.”

“I can’t. Glen and my mom?”

“She was in his room. I heard her laughing.”

“She was probably delivering laundry.”

“They were having sex.”

The humor faded. “No way.”

“I’ve talked to Glen, but he won’t listen. You need to talk to your mom. Glen isn’t the kind of guy who settles down. If that’s what she’s expecting, it’s not going to happen.”

“I’m not discussing my mother’s personal life with her.”

“You’d rather deal with her broken heart after the fact?”

“She and Glen aren’t involved.”

“You know this how?”

“I just do.”

She groaned. “So this is what you do. If you don’t like something, you pretend it’s not real?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“What about Clay? He’s your brother and you don’t talk about him.”

Rafe’s gaze hardened. “He’s not your business.”

“You act like he’s a criminal. He’s an underwear model. He probably makes more money than you. What’s the big deal?”

“He could have done something with his life.”

“He is.”

“Nothing to be proud of.”

Heidi dropped her hands to her hips. “You’re a prude. You’re embarrassed by what Clay does, so you don’t talk about it.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re embarrassed to talk to your mom, too. Is it sex?”

“I don’t have a problem with sex,” he growled.

“You have a problem with something.”

“Right now, mostly you.” He set down the water and faced her. “I worked my ass off when I was a kid, taking care of my family. I went hungry, did a man’s job, and I was ten years old. So I have the right to say whether or not my brother is wasting his life. The same with my sister.”

That confused her. “I thought she was a dancer.”

“God only knows. She walked away from…” He shook his head. “I’m not talking about her.”

“You’re the one who brought her up.”

She thought about all she’d learned about him and his past. About how hard that time must have been for him. He’d managed to go to college on a scholarship and create a business empire. But how much of that small, frightened, hungry boy remained?

“Just because Clay became a model doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate what you did.”

“Don’t try to get inside my head. It won’t happen.”

“I’m saying maybe you need to give him a break.”

“This advice comes from all the experience you have with a big family?”

She raised her chin. “I grew up with plenty of family. Maybe not the traditional kind, but I know exactly what it’s like to live with a lot of people in a small space.” She held up both hands. “Fine. We’ll let the Clay thing go. But please talk to your mother about Glen.”

“No.”

“For a man who was married before, you really don’t know much about women. No wonder you need to use a matchmaker. Fine. Don’t talk to May. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”