Prologue
Twenty-two years ago, July, Silver Stone ranch
Tucker Stewart stood silently beside his uncle Ashton, hands shoved into his pockets to keep from wiggling as he waited to be dismissed. Every time he arrived for his annual summer visit, they went through this same ritual, and while it wasn’t getting any easier, at twelve years old, at least now he expected it.
His uncle was talking with his bosses, Mr. Stone and Mr. Hayes. Since they were the ones in charge of approving whether or not Tucker got to spend the entire summer, Uncle Ashton always said it was important to make a good impression.
Of course, by now Tucker had realized that everything about his visit was pre-arranged, and he was good to go, but just in case, he didn’t want to take any chances.
Not being able to live on the ranch, play with Luke Stone, and fish and ride and pick berries with the rest of the Stone kids would mean a summer that sucked. His best alternative would be tons of time at the local Winnipeg library, and while he liked reading, within reason, nothing but reading?
That was a fate worse than death.
“You ready for some more difficult chores this year?” Mr. Hayes folded his thick arms over his chest like a superhero. “I know Luke’s been asking to help with the horses more, and he wants you around.”
Tucker was tempted to try the pose himself, but his arms were nowhere near that size. No use drawing attention to anything that might make these important men realize that he wasn’t very big. He hadn’t hit his growth spurt yet, and that was another thing that sucked.
A head poked around the edge of a stall then vanished instantly. Dark brown eyes, a waving ponytail. Darilyn Hayes, which meant the other annoying girl who lived on the ranch was around. Because where Dare was, Ginny Stone was certain to be as well.
Another head popped briefly into view above the top of the nearest stall, like a gopher poking its head out of a hole. The mischievous expression on his summertime best friend made excitement tingle in Tucker’s gut.
Luke. They’d go fishing and camp on the shore of Big Sky Lake. Maybe they could camp this year by Heart Falls, and go swimming and—
His uncle’s hand on his shoulder brought Tucker’s attention back to the gathering.
The other two men were examining him, faces twisted up like they were trying not to laugh.
“Sorry,” he said quickly, deliberately straightening and meeting Mr. Hayes’s gaze. “Yes, sir. I’d like that very much.”
“You sure you want to work with the animals? I hear you’re good with computers. Maybe there’s another job out there for you. Something in research like your parents—”
“No, sir,” Tucker interrupted before he could help himself, and the words came out high-pitched and slightly squeaky. He cleared his throat, then tried again, a little deeper. “I want to be a ranch foreman like Uncle Ashton.”
Walter Stone grinned harder at Ashton, but he dipped his chin. “Well, if you’re going to learn, learn from the very best.”
“Yes, sir. That’s my uncle.”
Joseph Hayes rubbed at his mouth, his low comment directed with amusement toward his partner barely loud enough for Tucker to hear. “I’ve got no objections. Maybe his manners will wear off on your boys.”
“Maybe they’ll wear off on our girls,” Walter suggested. “Heaven knows where Dare and Ginny learned those words they were skipping to the other day. By the way, Deb blamed me, so I blamed you.”
“Having a surprise baby on the way is making you mean, Stone.”
“Payback for the year your second was born, when I ended up with all the night calls for way too long,” Walter returned. “Slacker.”
“Jerk.”
“Maybe before the insults veer into territory that will get us all into trouble, we could let my nephew go?” Ashton suggested, amusement in his tone.
All three of them snorted as Tucker shifted from side to side, his gang of friends, which now included Walker and Ginny, gesturing wildly from farther in the barn.
“Seems you’re good, young man. Listen to your uncle, and get your chores done when he tells you to. Remember, it’s a group effort that keeps this place running, yes? No riding without supervision, and no hanging around the new horses. Understood?” Walter Stone offered his hand as if Tucker were an adult.
Tucker solemnly shook it. “Understood.”
“Now, get,” his uncle said, calling louder as Tucker took off at a sprint. “Don’t think we didn’t know you were there. Varmints, the lot of you.”
“We love you, Mr. Stewart.” The sweet chorus rose from Ginny and Dare as Tucker raced past them, nearly bowling into Luke.
“Come on,” his friend urged.
Like every year since Tucker could remember, they made their way up into the hay loft over the old, old barn. The musty scent slid from a memory into a brand-new reality, and he was grinning by the time they scrambled over the scratchy bales.
This might be where he lived every summer, but the feeling inside was so much more.
The ranch was the closest thing to heaven he could imagine.
“Over here,” Luke whispered, gesturing for them to follow as he crawled on hands and knees through a tunnel nearly three bales long.
Darkness surrounded Tucker, random stalks poking into his arms and shoulders and then suddenly, sunshine. The tunnel emptied into a deep pit arranged right up against one of the windows in the loft wall.
“This is so cool.” Tucker stared around him as Ginny, Dare, and Walker plopped out of the entrance one at a time to join them.
Dare reached into a small crack between the bales and pulled out a sturdy blanket, spreading it on the base beneath them. Then they all sat, Tucker leaning against one of the bales. He stretched his legs in front of him as he breathed deeply and peeked at his cohorts in summertime hijinks. “Hi.”
“A new foal was born two days ago,” Ginny announced. “And I found a batch of kittens that nobody else knows about.”
“Dad said that we can camp at Heart Falls, as long as Caleb helps us pick the spot,” Luke said at nearly the same time, ignoring his little sister. “Caleb helped build this hideout. Dad said Caleb’s getting to be a real asset to the ranch, but he’s still a super good big brother, so I know he’ll help if we ask.”
Walker poked at the golden-toned boards in the wall beside the window. He gave up his task and pressed his nose against the glass to stare into the yard. “I’m hungry.”
“Ginny made cookies,” Dare added helpfully. “Did you bring them?”
Ginny sniffed. “Of course.”
She pulled the bag from her pocket, and for the next few minutes while they talked and caught up, they shared the slightly broken chocolate chip cookie pieces—she’d shoved the bag in her pocket, and crawling through the tunnel hadn’t done them any good.
But every crumb tasted like sunshine to Tucker. He never got homemade cookies at home.
Which was why, as excited as he was about the camping, and how cool the hideout was, and everything else he was buzzing inside to experience, he turned to Ginny first.
“I want to see the kittens.”
Her instant smile was also part of Silver Stone and memories and happiness. They all scrambled through the tunnel after Ginny, off on their first kitten search of the summer.