Her brother Luke’s voice rang out a moment later. “Tucker? What the hell are you doing on the floor? Is something wrong with the bed?”
A low groan rose from Tucker. “Close the door. You’re letting out all the heat.”
“You must have been wrecked last night.” Luke chuckled softly. “You forget what a bed looks like?”
Ginny hurriedly crawled off the mattress and made her way to the door. She swung it open before Tucker could answer.
Luke’s gaze shot to her, his eyes widening for a second before he slammed a hand in front of his face as if blocking a dangerous sight. “Dammit, Ginny, you’re indecent. Put some clothes on before I go blind.”
She folded her arms over her chest. “Grow up. I’m more than adequately covered. Besides, they’re just boobs.”
“They’re my sister’s boobs, which means I don’t want to see them.” Luke waved a hand at Tucker. “He doesn’t want to see them.”
Oh, how Ginny wanted to say something blunt right then.
Fortunately, before she could put her foot in her mouth, Luke woke up enough to clue into the real issue.
He glanced between the two of them then gave Ginny hell. “What are you doing in here? This is Tucker’s trailer.”
Tucker was on his feet, deliciously bare-chested with his low-riding sweats barely clinging to his trim hips. “Tamara never got the word I was here, so Ginny got sent out as well. It’s okay.”
“Damn, sorry you had to crash on the floor.” Luke eyed Ginny who had relented and was pulling on a sweater and sweatpants to ease his mortification. “I can’t believe you didn’t let him sleep in the bed after the drive he’d made.”
“I offered,” Ginny said dryly, totally amused. “He turned me down.”
Tucker’s eyes flashed a warning, but his lips twitched at the absolute truth she’d shared.
Luke seemed oblivious to the fact his best friend and his little sister were adults, because he blithely carried on, every bit of sexual innuendo ignored. “If you’re awake enough to want food, we’re doing brunch at our place at eleven. Come over when you’re ready and I’ll give you coffee first.”
Tucker stretched, muscles rippling dangerously. Ginny couldn’t tear her gaze away.
“Coffee is good. Coffee I don’t have to make, even better,” Tucker offered with a solemn nod. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be there.”
Luke glanced cautiously toward Ginny as if worried that she’d taken off a layer or something. “You too, I guess. Or you could go to the main house and visit with Caleb and the girls. A little like old times.”
That was one area Ginny had given a lot of thought and talked over with her foster sister and best friend, Dare. The past six months had given her time to consider the right way to go forward. “Nope. They’re building new family traditions, and while I look forward to spending more time with them, I’m not messing with that. You and Kelli are stuck with me crashing your place.”
Luke looked thoughtful for a moment then dipped his chin. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Come on over, then, and I’ll introduce you to Diane and Jack. I don’t think you’ve met them yet.”
“Not in person,” Ginny said as cheerfully as she could without edging into obviously fake.
“You’re in for a treat. They’re good people.” Luke gave Tucker a slap on the shoulder then headed off through the door, whistling brightly.
Ginny let out a slow sigh before noticing Tucker’s gaze on her. His expression was far from her favourite, the one full of smoldering heat. No, this one reminded her far more of some super sleuth determined to get the bottom of all her secrets.
“What?” she demanded.
He stood silently for a moment then shrugged. “Just hit me how strange this must feel for you. Coming back, and wondering how you fit in.”
Her jaw must be hanging open. “That was a pretty nail-on-the-head comment.”
A wry smile twisted his lips. “I’ve been in your shoes. It’s the same sensation I faced every year, coming to stay for the summer. I’d spend the entire year daydreaming about all the fun we’d have, Luke, and Walker as well.” His lips twitched. “You and Dare, when you weren’t being annoying little brats.”
Ginny held up a hand. “Guilty.”
He nodded slowly. “Truth is, I always came back and expected things to change. That Luke would have a new best friend, or that I wouldn’t feel welcome in the same way.” He stepped toward her, tucked his fingers under her chin, and lifted her face to his. “Know, what?”
She shook her head, the heat of his fingers caressing her skin far too enticingly.
“Never happened. Not once in all the years did I ever feel rejected or left out.” He leaned closer, and for one second, she thought he might kiss her.
Instead, he offered her one of his rare true smiles. “You’ll be okay, darling. Trust me. Trust them. They’re your family, and everything will work out fine.”
Which is what she’d been hoping and dreaming the entire time she was gone.
She laid a hand on Tucker’s chest because being this close and not touching was impossible. The steady beat of his heart under her palm offered balance and strength. “I hope so.”
“I know so.” He tilted his head toward the bedroom. “Now get your ass in gear and get dressed. I need coffee, plus we’re raiding Luke’s fridge. Bullshit on this brunch at eleven nonsense. I’m a growing boy.”
It wasn’t an answer to all her worries, but it was the reassurance she needed, at least for here and now.
Her mother’s voice rang in her head, even after all these years. Do the next thing, sweetie. Sometime the path won’t make sense until you do the next thing.
Ginny grabbed her backpack and went into the bedroom to get dressed. When she came out, Tucker was waiting, his hair damp and freshly combed into place.
“Bathroom’s yours.” He turned his back and began rearranging things in his gym bag.
She washed up quickly, which meant it was only a couple of minutes later and they were outside on the wintry Christmas Day.
The walk to Luke’s house from where the trailer sat on the far side of the barns took them in a wide sweep around the main arena. The morning was cold and clear, and Ginny took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp wintry air settling in her lungs.
“There are a few more changes this time,” Tucker noted. He lifted a hand to a brand-new barn with a training yard attached. “Sweet.”
Ginny agreed. It was good to see Silver Stone continue to make strides forward. The horses were a huge part of that, but raising them or training them wasn’t an area where she had ever contributed much.
She glanced toward the oversized greenhouse tucked to the west of the main ranch home and promised herself she’d take a thorough look later that day. For now, there was so much else she wanted to hear about.
“What about you?” she asked. “What about your changes? Last I heard you were working with the thoroughbred auction house in Winnipeg.”
He clicked his tongue. “Ginny, that’s at least three updates ago. Now I’m working at one of the stables on the outskirts of town. Gives me some different experience, and they’re a very reputable operation.”