Second Chance Rancher. Brenda Minton

I get cake now?” she whispered.

      “Yes, you get cake.” He kissed her cheek. “After you eat dinner.”

      She came up on her knees, wobbling a bit on the seat. He steadied her, making sure she was firmly planted in the middle of the chair. “Daddy, is it a party?”

      “Kind of.”

      A hand reached past his shoulder. He glanced up as Lucy placed chocolate cake in front of his daughter. She leaned over, whispering in Issy’s ear that the cake was right in front of her. With a gentleness that belied her tense expression, Lucy guided his daughter to a fork and helped her locate the cake.

      Lucy Palermo was an enigma. But then again, she wasn’t. There was a scar on her cheek, small and faded. She’d had that scar since the night her father caught them in town together. Another scar on her arm was more recent. He knew about the attack in Afghanistan.

      There’d been years of abuse and no one in town had stepped in to stop it. His own family had been guilty of turning a blind eye to the problems on the ranch next door. His dad hadn’t wanted to get involved. His mom had commented that it was a shame and Mrs. Palermo should have taken the kids with her when she left.

      Lucy started to step away but her gaze caught his. He schooled his features with an easy smile. Lucy froze, her dark eyes holding his captive. Finally she shook her head, as if shaking free from memories.

      As she walked away he had an uncharacteristic thought, one that had nothing to do with the past and everything to do with the present. But their history belonged firmly in the past. It had been a summer romance that ended with casualties.

      They were different people now. She had come home with more scars. He had his own scars and his own motivations for making wiser choices. They were both wounded, and in this situation two halves didn’t add up to a whole. Instead it would just be two broken people making a mess of not just their lives, but the lives of the people who counted on them.

      But there were certain things he couldn’t deny. She still looked good in jeans. And she could still get his attention with a look.