Page 32 of Love Under Review

He didn’t think she’d like being the focus of their discussion, and he glanced around, hoping to come up with something that wouldn’t end the date before it began. Holding up the white sack, he grinned and said, “Muffins.”

Danielle looked at her mother. “Did you convince her that she should start a business selling them? Her muffins are something I dream about when I’m not home.”

Mrs. Holloway laughed, causing a chain reaction in the other two. “I’m sure you do. Well, don’t stand around here all night. Get going, you two.” She said it with a twinkle in her eye, and Liam was grateful. The woman was kind and gentle, and he could tell she loved having her daughter home, even for a short while.

“Thank you again, ma’am, for these. She’s safe with me.”

Danielle scoffed. “That remains to be seen. I can throw a mean right hook.”

“If I ask you to bring a jacket, you won’t hit me, will you?” Liam asked, one side of his mouth turning up. He’d have to watch his words around this one.

“Really? I think it was over sixty-five today.” She turned and opened a door in the hall, pulling out a jacket.

Rolling his eyes, Liam said, “Can you just trust me for one night out?”

With another chuckle, Mrs. Holloway pushed the two of them out the door. Looking at Liam with a grin, she said, “Like I said, Good luck!”

The door closed with a soft click, and Danielle walked down the stairs. Turning, she looked back to where he still stood watching her. “Well, are we ‘hanging out’ or what?” The tug upward of her lips made him move, as if breaking a spell.

“Yep. We, uh, need to stop for a couple of drinks at the store because I forgot those.” He lengthened his stride so he could beat her to the passenger side door, pulling it open for her.

She hesitated, like she wasn’t sure what to think about that, before stepping inside. “Sounds good. I know the grocery store like the back of my hand.”

As Danielle slipped into the passenger seat of Liam’s Jeep, he couldn’t help but grin, liking how she looked there. He hadn’t realized how nice it was to be around another adult. Not that Cari was awful. She was one of the best kids Liam had ever met, but there was something about getting out and talking to other people.

The thought triggered a memory of his mother in the bookstore. With two young kids, that must have been why she talked to everyone she bumped into when he and Kara were growing up.

After putting her jacket in the back, he got in, turning on the ignition. The stop at the grocery store was quick, and Liam started driving toward the ranch.

“What do you have in mind for this evening?” Danielle asked, pulling several pieces of hair from her face that had blown out from the wind.

Turning to glance at her, Liam said, “It’s a secret.”

From Merkley’s Grocery on Main, he drove north one block, making a right on Fourth Street. Heading past the fairgrounds, he turned left, driving back toward the mountain to the entrance of the Oakland Ranch.

“Looks like we’re going really far,” Danielle said with a laugh. “I’m picturing a dummy head stuck into a bale of hay and a couple of ropes.”

At her comment, Liam laughed loud and deep, feeling more and more at ease with this girl. She kept worming her way past the first few walls he’d built after Tawnee’s betrayal and the fear that he might lose another family member to cancer. He didn’t think it would take much more for her to make it all the way to his heart.

“That’s a great idea for another day. I planned something else.” When he drove into Oakland Ranch, Danielle looked at him like he’d made a mistake.

“Why are we here?” A mixture of confusion and excitement spread over her face.

“We’re going on a trail ride. Carter Oakland is lending us a couple of horses.” He studied her face, trying to read the mask covering it.

“Points for creativity.” She unbuckled her seat belt and slid out of the Jeep before he could make it around. He did his best to tell himself that she just needed some space.

They walked through the grounds and around to the stables, where he saw Carter had already saddled two brown horses.

Danielle got into the saddle with ease, surprising him again. She must have seen his expression because she gave him a close-lipped grin. “I was a pageant girl at one point in my life. Riding was everything for a while.”

“Well, Miss Holloway, you never cease to amaze me.”

Chapter 21

Danielle took the reins of the brown mare, feeling the animal move beneath her. It had been some time since she’d had the chance to ride a horse, but all the old knowledge seemed to flood back, telling her what to do next.

The horse was calm, and she was grateful for that. As much as she missed riding, she could still picture the last time she’d been on one. It was right after she’d been bucked off, and her trainer told her she had to get back on. Something about conquering fears right then. That was the last time she’d ridden, preferring to leave town for college, and she hadn’t thought about it since.

---