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over the world,” he added.
    “Yes, I remember.” She swallowed, hard, recalling the things he’d said at their last unfortunate meeting. “Your father said you could help me figure out Dad’s breeding program.”
    “I think so. I helped him work up the new one before he passed away,” he added quietly. “We were all shocked by how fast it happened.”
    “So were we,” Maddie confessed. “Two months from the time he was diagnosed until he passed on.” She drew in a long breath. “He hated tests, you know. He wouldn’t go to the doctor about anything unless he was already at death’s door. I think the doctor suspected something, but Dad just passed right over the lecture about tests being necessary and walked out. By the time they diagnosed the cancer, it was too late for anything except radiation. And somebody said that they only did that to help contain the pain.” Her pale eyes grew sad. “It was terrible, the pain. At the last, he was so sedated that he hardly knew me. It was the only way he could cope.”
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “I haven’t lost parents, but I lost both my grandparents. They were wonderful people. It was hard to let them go.”
    “Life goes on,” she said quietly. “Everybody dies. It’s just a matter of how and when.”
    “True.”
    She swallowed. “Dad kept his chalkboard in the barn, and his books in the library, along with his journals. I’ve read them all, but I can’t make sense of what he was doing. I’m not college educated, and I don’t really know much about animal husbandry. I know what I do from watching Dad.”
    “I can explain it to you.”
    She nodded. “Thanks.”
    She turned and led the way to the house.
    “Where’s that...rooster?” he asked.
    “Shut up in the henhouse with a fan.”
    “A fan?” he exclaimed and burst out laughing.
    “It really isn’t funny,” she said softly. “I lost two of my girls to the heat. Found them dead in the henhouse, trying to lay. I had Ben go and get us a fan and install it there. It does help with the heat, a little at least.”
    “My grandmother used to keep hens,” he recalled. “But we only have one or two now. Foxes got the rest.” He glanced at her. “Andie, our housekeeper, wants to get on your egg customer list for two dozen a week.”
    She nodded. “Your dad mentioned that. I can do that. I’ve got pullets that should start laying soon. My flock is growing by leaps and bounds.” She indicated the large fenced chicken yard, dotted with all sorts of chickens. The henhouse was huge, enough to accommodate them all, complete with perches and ladders and egg boxes and, now, a fan.
    “Nice operation.”
    “I’m going to expand it next year, if I do enough business.”
    “Did you check the law on egg production?”
    She laughed. “Yes, I did. I’m in compliance. I don’t have a middleman, or I could be in trouble. I sell directly to the customer, so it’s all okay.”
    “Good.” He shrugged, his hands in his jean pockets. “I’d hate to have to bail you out of jail.”
    “You wouldn’t,” she sighed.
    He stopped and looked down at her. She seemed so dejected. “Yes, I would,” he said, his deep voice quiet and almost tender as he studied her small frame, her short wavy blond hair, her wide, soft gray eyes. Her complexion was exquisite, not a blemish on it except for one small mole on her cheek. She had a pretty mouth, too. It looked tempting. Bow-shaped, soft, naturally pink...
    “Cort?” she asked suddenly, her whole body tingling, her heart racing at the way he was staring at her mouth.
    “What? Oh. Yes. The breeding books.” He nodded. “We should get to it.”
    “Yes.” She swallowed, tried to hide her blush and opened the front door.

CHAPTER THREE
    M ADDIE COULDN ’ T HELP but stare at Cort as he leaned over the desk to read the last page of her father’s breeding journal. He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen. And that physique! He was long and lean, but also