“And all your plans?” he asked. “Travel? School? A new life?”

“I think it’s ridiculous to even ask,” she said. “Women don’t have to choose between a relationship and education, Uncle Walt. I don’t have to give up anything.”

Walt reached out a hand and lifted her thick braid off her shoulder, caressing it between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m not here to bully you, and I don’t think you’re a wuss. In fact, I think you’re pretty tough stuff. I guess I need to assure myself you’re wise to this. Sometimes these adventures can scar the heart.”

“I’m not afraid of that,” she said, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t be the first. Vanni said her heart was broken a hundred times.”

“Her mother handled most of that,” Walt said with a shrug. “You’re stuck with me.”

“You’re not a bad guy to be stuck with.”

“Just be careful.” He reached out and touched her cheek softly. “I keep forgetting how strong willed you are. Luke Riordan might be sorry he got himself into this…this…”

“Romance,” she finally supplied. “Really, I can’t believe you’re having such a hard time with this. I’m seeing someone, Walt, just like you are. It’s not as if he’s married or a priest or anything.” She lifted one eyebrow at him. “Everyone in this family has someone, even eighteen-year-old Tom. You’d better get used to the idea I’m no different than anyone else.”

“You’re a little different,” he said with a smile. “Better, probably.”

“Phooey. I just want to be normal. Are you going to behave yourself?”

“What are you getting at?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I just want to be sure you’re all right,” he said. “You’re a grown woman. If you’ve made up your mind, I’ll just hope all this works out for the best.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Are you going to be home tonight?” he asked.

“I sincerely hope not,” she said. “I’ll let you know.”

Luke was up on the ladder, scraping old chipped paint off the eaves of number three when the general’s Tahoe pulled up to his house. He had been expecting this, but he wasn’t sure how it would happen, or when. Luke climbed slowly down the ladder. He tucked in his shirt and mopped his face with a rag.

“Luke,” the general said. He did not extend his usual hand.

“Sir.”

“My niece hasn’t been home until morning the last few days.”

“You aren’t armed, are you, sir?”

“I knew where she was, of course. She was considerate enough to tell the family so we wouldn’t worry. But I thought you and I should have a little talk.”

“Go ahead, sir,” Luke said. He hoped it didn’t show that his stomach was twisting. Not because he was afraid of the general—he knew Walt wouldn’t really shoot him—but because he was afraid of the general somehow convincing Shelby she was making a big mistake. He’d barely gotten into this with her; he was a long way from being ready to give her up.

Walt’s cheeks darkened with a ruddy stain as he said, “She’s been with you every night and she hasn’t been riding. I don’t know what to think—that she’s not sitting a horse.”

Luke looked down and found his own cheeks warming. “Sir, I can honestly say, I haven’t ever been this uncomfortable in my life…”

“She says her back’s bothering her…”

“Then maybe her back’s bothering her…”

“I want something understood. Shelby might seem shy and sometimes not real sure of herself, but she’s very stubborn. She does as she pleases. She always has. She might go at it quietly, but once she’s decided, that’s it. I tried like hell to talk her out of putting her life on hold to care for her mother. Midge could have gone into a nursing home, at least at the end. But I didn’t make any headway because Shelby’s mind was made up.” He took a breath and shook his head. “I wasn’t sure getting involved with you was the best idea, even though I don’t dislike you.”

“I didn’t want her involved with me either, sir. But as you say, she’s stubborn.”

“Well, that gets us straight to the point—I can’t accuse you of coercing my niece or taking advantage of her. I was more than a little aware that she had you in her crosshairs, and I could see she was hell-bent.”

“Seems you’re right, sir.”

“It appears the die is cast. She’s made herself clear—she plans to spend a good deal of time under your roof. When she’s here, Riordan, you’d better be a gentleman.”

“Absolutely, General.”

“I’d be curious to know what kind of plans you have where my niece is concerned,” Walt said.

“Due respect, sir, it would be wrong for me to discuss any plans with you before talking to Shelby. And at the risk of being indelicate, Shelby and I have barely—”

“That’ll do,” he said, holding up a hand. “I know how that sentence was going to end. Leave it at that.”

Luke took a breath. “What I meant to say is—we’re just getting to know each other.” Luke stepped forward. “Sir, I’ve probably been around more than a father or uncle would prefer, but I’d like you to know that Shelby is treated with absolute respect when she’s with me. I consider it my responsibility to see she’s protected, that she’s safe with me. I treat her with great care.”

“You damn sure better. I love that girl. She’s very special.”

“Yes, sir. Very special.”

“I’m not an idiot about relationships, son. I have two kids who have been through a few—my daughter has already buried a husband at her young age…”

That grave, Luke thought. He would have to remember to ask Shelby about it. Luke had assumed Paul was Vanessa’s first husband.

“I understand things don’t always go smoothly,” Walt was saying. “Sometimes these things don’t work out, I’m not naive about that. This thing with you and my niece, it’ll either be a lasting thing or not—that’s yet to be seen. But if you do anything terrible to her…” He sucked in his breath. “You know what I’m talking about?”

Luke frowned. “I’m not sure I do…”

“You abuse her, hit her, cheat on her and give her something, treat her with cruelty, or—”

“For God’s sake!” Luke said, cutting him off and stiffening indignantly. “What the hell are you talking about? What kind of man do you think I am?”

Walt shrugged and said, “Well, I don’t have any reason to suspect you of foul behavior, yet, but after all, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve had a lot of different kind of men in my command. I thought we should understand each other.”

“We understand each other! I wouldn’t do things like that to any woman! Jesus!”

“Good, then. Because I’d have to kill you.”

“I’d have to let you!” Luke said passionately. He took a breath. “Due respect, I’ve known a real horseshit general or two. Sir.”

“I felt the need to clear the air on a couple of issues.”

“Consider it cleared!” He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck.

“Well, I didn’t come here to try to talk you out of seeing my niece. Given the situation with her mother passing not too long ago, I feel a little more protective than Shelby is comfortable with. I didn’t think it would hurt for you to know—I have limits.”

“So do I,” Luke said calmly but vehemently.

“Then I guess we’re clear.” He turned as though he would go.

Luke watched his departing back and in a split second thought about how he’d feel if he had to turn Shelby over to some guy.

“Sir,” Luke called. When the general turned back, Luke said, “Now that we’ve faced off on this and both hold Shelby’s well-being as the most important thing, I’d like you to know some things. Shelby could do a lot better than me, we both know that. I didn’t mislead her, I avoided her and discouraged her. I’ve been completely honest with her; I’m not a good catch and I’m not looking for a permanent relationship. I’m sure Shelby had no trouble believing that. But it’s not my intention to treat her badly. Jesus, she’ll get the best I have. If it’s any comfort, my mother would kill me if I ever abused a woman. If she failed to kill me, my brothers would do the job.”

“Good,” Walt said, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I can appreciate a close family.”

“I might be a scoundrel, but I’m a fairly civilized scoundrel.” Luke stuck out his hand. “I wish we could be friends. For Shelby, at least.”

Walt hesitated, but he took Luke’s hand. “Behave decently,” Walt said.

“Yes, sir,” Luke said. “You, too.”

After putting in a long day of work on the cabins, Luke went to his house as the sun was lowering in the sky. He laid a fresh fire in the hearth and took a shower. Just as he was getting out, he heard his front door open. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he left the bathroom in time to see Shelby coming in with a brown sack. “Wow,” she said, looking at him. “How’s that for timing?”

“Whatcha got there?” he asked, hands on his hips.

“When I left the clinic, I stopped by the bar and got us some dinner so we could stay in tonight. I’m tired. I brought some pie so Art can have dessert with us if he wants to.”

“He’ll want to. Art has never turned down a slice of pie.”

She looked down his body and laughed. “Luke,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t even have my jacket off and you’re popping out of your towel.”

“Well then, take your jacket off,” he said. “Will dinner keep for a little while?”

She put the sack on the table, shrugged out of her jacket and walked into his arms. “I put in a long day and the clinic was busy—I’ve been around babies and sick people. Can you give me some time to freshen up?”

He gently touched her lips with his. “Sure. Help yourself.”

“I won’t be too long,” she said, slipping past him and into the bedroom to take off her boots and clothes.

Luke went into the kitchen and peered into the sack of take-out dinner. He pulled out the pie and put it in the fridge, then sniffed the remaining contents. It smelled delicious, but Preacher never put together a mediocre meal. He got down a couple of plates, pulled some flatware out of the drawer and opened two beers. Then he heard water running in the tub and headed toward the bathroom. He caught the scent of something feminine. Shelby had brought a couple of her things with her a few nights before—shampoo and lotion and such. He told her to leave it—something he’d never invited a woman to do before. Things like that always made him claustrophobic, but this time it made him feel extremely good, as though he wouldn’t have to release her too soon. As if holding her shampoo and lotion hostage meant she would stay with him for a while.

He entered the bathroom just in time to see her lowering herself into the tub. Her long hair was pinned up on her head and there were bubbles. It was in his mind to pass her a beer and sit on the closed toilet lid to talk with her while she was in the bath, but then another thought was inspired. Luke had never in his life even contemplated a bubble bath. He put the beer on the sink, dropped his towel and got in.

“You’re going to make a flood!” she said with a laugh.