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is a beautiful name, for a beautiful girl. You get your pretty looks from your mom.” He grinned, reaching over gently to lower her hand and winked.
    “I’m Brody, and this here is Leland. We were soldiers. Now we are back to being cowboys.” He smirked, finding amusement in her rambles.
    “Wow! Like real cowboys with horses and cows and chickens?”
    Both guys chuckled. “We were, and will be again soon. There are a few things we have to do to fix up the old farm, but when we get it up and running, we will have a bunch of horses and hundreds of cows.” Leland turned as the waitress walked up, handing them all a menu.
    “Do you guys need a minute or do you know what you want?” Flo asked, pulling a pencil out from behind her ear. She had worked at the diner since the 1960s, and still waited tables like they did from back in the day.
    “Ladies first.” Brody nodded toward Alaina and Elizabeth.
    “Oh…um, thank you. I will have the eight ounce sirloin, rare, with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Liz will have a cheeseburger and fries, and two Cokes please.” Alaina flinched at their order, knowing the ticket was going to be something to cry over. Her plate alone was almost eight bucks, and Elizabeth’s was five, plus drinks and desert on top of that.
    “We were told to order the Cattleman’s Special. Can we both get that?”
    “For big boys like you, I will make sure you get extra taters and less salad. How do you want your steak cooked, doll?” Her features lit up at the mesmerizing pair of man candy.
    “We both would like it rare please, ma’am, and a root beer to drink.”
    “I will have a Sprite with mine,” Brody’s low voice vibrated like soft velvet.
    Flo jotted down their order and smiled. “Okay, kids, coming right up!” She turned and hustled back to the kitchen full of spunk. Why can’t I have that much energy? She is over twice my age, and I feel like death , Alaina thought. Brody pulled her out of her self pity party with the simple brush of his thumb against her arm that rested on the table. Leland and Elizabeth were in deep conversation about all things ranch like, and Alaina was left to finally seep in the moment. Her eyes darted straight to his in a dumbfounded look.
    He offered a half smile, letting the left corner of his mouth tilt ever so slightly. In an almost whisper, he asked, “Are you okay?”
    She responded with a hesitated slight nod, realizing for the first time that she was o kay, for the very first time since Brian had left. Stability, money, loneliness….none of that mattered at the moment. She mouthed “Thank you” back and dropped her eyes to her fingers to fidget. When he took her hand, she almost died in her chair.
    He lowered his eyes and leaned over the table making her meet his eyes. “No. Thank you, Alaina.” She yanked her hand away out of reflex the second Elizabeth turned.
    “Huh, Mommy?”
    “Huh what? I am sorry, I didn’t catch the question.” Alaina’s face flushed pink.
    “I said that you promised me we would go horseback riding some day because you love horses, and Mr. Leland said we should go to Montana and ride their horses. I said we would go now if you didn’t have to work all the time, huh?”
    “Oh yes, sweetheart. Some day.”
    Before the girl could start another endless chatter, their food arrived. Flo sat their dishes in front of them, and turned to let them eat.
    ****
    Brody wanted to faint the second the two walked into the diner. Clad in a normal pair of jeans and a purple top that accented her hair, Alaina took his breath away. She was gorgeous. The darling little girl at her side was a mini version of Alaina and the most precious thing he had ever seen. Her uncertainty and shyness only added to her natural, radiating beauty. He had sat back and listened, observing her and Elizabeth since they had arrived. The reactions Alaina had to him touching her or being close made it evident that something in her past had her skittish. He