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thumb; he looked the other way, off toward the cattle pasture. “The other one is going to be breech. But she’s only having one.”
    “So my vet tells me.” Eli sighed as Creed fell silent, his jaw tight, lips compressed. Hate. He’d seen that in his eyes. Creed was trying to get along at least, or maybe not jump over the rail and beat him to death, Eli decided. He closed his eyes and willed away everything he’d harbored over the years. “Fresh start. It’s probably going to kill me. I’m trying.”
    Creed turned to look at him, confusion in his eyes. “Okay,” was all he said as he waited for Eli to do or say something else. But what?
    “You’re really good with horses.” Well, that was pure genius. “The way you ride, sometimes looks like you and the horse are one—person … thing … what? I’m trying to give you a compliment. Stop laughing at me.” Eli reached over with his foot and nudged Creed’s hip. The man moved away as if Eli had kicked him, the amusement in his eyes gone now. Replaced by nothing. Too guarded. That was it. He’d closed the blinds on those damned incredible eyes. “The way they come to you. I’ve never seen anyone do that. Of course, I’ve never seen anyone do a backflip off a horse’s ass either.”
    “Yeah, well, it’s something I do sometimes. I had a lot of time to kill growing up. Did a lot of stupid stuff. Have the scars to prove it.” His voice was even, no emotion, nothing. The kid was all kinds of scary sometimes.
    “Why didn’t you go to vet school? You’re a natural, and equine vets are getting harder to find.” And once again, eyes cold and distant. Like every damned time they crossed paths. Cold, calculating hate pouring off him. It’s what drove Eli nuts. From way back in the day when they were let loose on the world.
    “You have company coming.” Creed avoided answering, Eli noticed, as he followed his gaze into the back pasture and the truck meandering down the two-path road.
    “That’s Sawyer. He owns the next property over. He comes out to check on things for me. Helps me maintain this rancher act I’ve cultivated. I let him farm my fields in return. Keeps me honest.” Eli stood up as Creed pushed away from the railing and turned to watch a kid climb out of the truck and open the gate. Closing it behind when they were through. “And Sawyer’s daughter Becca. I think she’s about sixteen. Horse-crazy tomboy. Loves to barrel race. Sawyer wanted sons, but he had Becca.”
    Eli walked out to meet the truck, leaving the silent man behind.
    “Eli, I thought you’d be on your way out to Texas by now,” the good-natured voice barked out of the truck. Becca climbed out and bounced into Eli’s arms with a hug before her father even came to a complete stop. “Damn, girl, you’d think you hadn’t seen him since yesterday at the rodeo grounds.”
    “I haven’t. Hey, Eli who’s the hottie?” Becca looked past him and Eli turned with her to see Creed standing with his hands in his pockets looking out of place and nervous. “Oh my God, that’s Creed Dickson. Why’s Creed Dickson here? Are you two flying out together or something?”
    Creed turned an amazing shade of red, his lips turning up at the corners in a shy sort of way that had Eli staring at him as if he’d never seen him before. “Something not at all like that.” Eli couldn’t stop staring at Creed. Maybe he’d never looked close enough before. Maybe that arrogance he always thought he saw in the kid was something else entirely. Sawyer finally made it around the truck and had his hand out to the newcomer while Eli was still flummoxed.
    “Sawyer Roland. Nice to meet you, Creed. Becca and I saw you win the national title in broncs three years ago out in Vegas. It’s so nice to meet you.” Sawyer looked as if he’d seen Elvis or something the way he was acting over Creed. And Creed was eating it up, with that blush and aw-shucks grin. The bastard. Of course it was an