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they’ll be up with the cows tomorrow.” After a heartbeat, he said, “You know, you remind me of Tinker Bell.”
    Her brows furrowed. “Tinker Bell?”
    “Peter Pan’s friend.”
    “Yes, I know who she is.”
    “You’ve kind of got that fanciful look about you. Like a fragile, blond fairy.”
    “Fanciful?”
    He blushed. “You know what I mean.”
    She tipped her head. “Well, that’s, ah, the first time anyone’s said that to me. But it’s good, right?”
    “Absolutely.”
    A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I love fairies, actually.” She wiggled her brows. “I keep them close.”
    “You keep them— No, that’s okay.” He shook his head. “I don’t need to go there.”
    She slid out of his jacket and handed it to him, suddenly awkward. How did you end a date that wasn’t a date? Glancing at him, at his face silvered by the moon, she realized he was probably stuck in the same quandary.
    He reached for his jacket, and their fingers brushed. That same shock of electricity zinged through her.
    Clearing her throat, she said, “Guess I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner?” She laid a hand on the stair railing.
    “If not before.”
    As she raced up the steps, she was all too aware of him watching her. After she turned on the inside light, she moved to the window, careful to stay out of view.
    He hadn’t moved a muscle. Still as a sentry, he stared up toward her window. Then, with a grace that would have surprised her before their dance, he walked back to his big black truck and drove away.
    It would be a long time, she decided, before sleep would visit tonight. Ty Rawlins might be a good person to avoid while she did her time in Maverick Junction. For the next few days, she’d best stick to Brawley if she needed a partner.
    Turning out the light, she curled up in Annelise’s cozy armchair and stared into the nighttime sky.
    “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight—”

Chapter Five
    T y grabbed his sunglasses from the dash and slid them over sleep-deprived eyes. He’d tossed and turned half the night, and, as predicted, his boys—the ones he and Julia had created—had been up at the crack of dawn. Sophie’s scent lingered in the truck, filled his head, his mind. Julia had always smelled great, too. He tried desperately to bring back the smell of her. Instead, the flowery scent of Sophie pushed in, crowded out memory.
    Shit!
    He rolled down his windows and let the cool morning air rush into the cab, emptying it of Tinker Bell’s sweet, feminine smell.
    Yeah, sometimes at night after the boys were tucked in bed sound asleep, he was lonely. Yeah, he missed a woman’s touch. Missed a woman to turn to in the middle of the night. But damn it, he and the boys were getting along fine.
    Magic and fairy dust had no place in his life. He’d do well to remember that.
    Pulling into Dottie’s drive, he took a minute to settle himself, then sprinted up the stairs.
    He frowned as he rapped on Sophie’s kitchen door. How safe could it be to have this flimsy glass window in it? A simple matter to shatter the glass. Anybody could be inside in seconds.
    If somebody wanted to break in. Certainly not out of the question, but highly unlikely here in Maverick Junction. He might mention it to Dottie. Ask if she’d consider replacing it with something a little sturdier.
    “Come on in. The door’s unlocked. I’m almost ready.”
    Guess the window didn’t matter since Sophie didn’t even bother to lock up—and then announced it. And hadn’t he been the one to tell her it was safe here? That locks weren’t necessary? Still—
    He turned the knob and stuck his head inside. “Hey, Tink, it’s me. Annie asked me to drive you out to the ranch.”
    “What?”
    Sophie’s head popped around the bedroom door, big brown eyes framed by that white-blond hair. And bare shoulders. Lord help him, the woman wasn’t dressed. He swallowed. Hard.
    A frown appeared between those intelligent