Cameron’s smile was only a faint shadow of his usual grin. “How’s it going, beautiful?” he asked Molly, evading Shane’s question.
“Hi, Cameron.” As susceptible to Cameron’s charms as most other females, Molly broke away from her brother and almost skipped across the barn to greet his friend. “I didn’t know you were coming today.”
“Neither did Shane. It’s a surprise visit.”
Shane noticed with fraternal disapproval that there was a hint of experimental flirtation in Molly’s expressive green eyes when she smiled up at Cameron. “It’s a very nice surprise,” she said. “I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
He tugged affectionately at one of her braids. “Blame that on your busy social life. Seems like every time I come to visit, you’re off on a big date.”
Molly giggled. “Not a date. Daddy said I can’t date until I’m fifteen.”
“Dad said you can’t date until you’re thirty,” Shane corrected her. “Your mom said fifteen. Maybe.”
Molly rolled her eyes. “That’s still three whole years away.”
“Don’t be in such a hurry to get started on that path,” Cameron advised her, his smile looking forced. “Trust me, it’s a lot more fun being friends than trying to turn it into something more.”
Shane grimaced. He knew now why Cameron had shown up, looking so uncharacteristically morose.
“Molly, you’d better head inside to get busy with that homework,” he said, patting his sister’s shoulder. “I promised Cassie I’d send you in before dark. Tell Dad I’ll talk to him later, okay?”
“Okay. Bye, Cameron.”
“See you later, gorgeous.”
Blushing and giggling, Molly hurried away. Looking after her, Cameron shook his head. “She’s growing up too fast, Shane.”
Since it seemed like only yesterday that his little sister had been a diapered toddler, Shane nodded gravely. “Dad and I have done everything but put a brick on her head to keep her from growing any faster, but I guess we’re losing the battle.”
Cameron pushed his hands into the pockets of his fashionably loose khaki slacks. “You got much more to do tonight?”
Shane latched the stall door behind him as he moved toward Cameron, leaving the injured horse to loudly munch grain. “No. I was just finishing up out here.”
“Do you have any plans for the evening?”
“I was thinking about grilling a steak and crashing in front of Monday Night Football. Want to join me?”
Cameron nodded acceptance to the casual invitation. “I’d like that.”
“Okay—but you have to cook your own steak.”
“I can handle that. Maybe,” Cameron added with a wry smile.
They fell into step as they left the barn side by side.
“I just want to die.” It was about the tenth time Amber had said that in the hour and a half since she’d shown up on Kelly’s doorstep.
Kelly handed her friend another tissue. “No, you don’t,” she said for at least the tenth time in return. “You’re in pain, but you don’t really want to die.”
Amber drew a shuddering breath and made a visible effort to pull herself together. “I guess you’re right,” she conceded in a mumble. “But I don’t know how I’m going to get past this.”
“You’ll get past it by holding your head up and going on with your life,” Kelly told her firmly. “I have no doubt that you can do it.”
Amber gave a sigh that seemed to come from the bottom of her soul. “It’s just that I had so hoped Cameron would always be a part of my future.”
“I know. And I’m sorry it isn’t going to happen the way you wanted it to.”
Twisting her fingers in her lap, Amber sniffed. “I’ve dreamed of marrying Cameron ever since I was sixteen. For a little while, I thought my dream was going to come true.”