“Loving Savannah doesn’t have anything to do with the loan,” Laredo said stiffly. “Look, I have almost nothing to bring to a marriage. Nothing that’s mine, that I worked for. I can’t give her the things she’s used to and deserves to have. I won’t ask her to give up what she’s got here. And a partnership...well, there’s no way I could buy into the Yellow Rose, so a partnership is charity, pure and simple. I work for what I get—I don’t accept charity.”

Laredo’s anger seemed to burn itself out and he said, “That loan. Are you willing to give it to me or not?”

“It’s yours if you want it, but—”

“I want it.”

“All right,” Grady said, and thrust out his hand. For the very first time he believed in Laredo’s sincerity. For the first time he fully accepted that his sister had chosen a man who deserved her love. A man he respected. A man he’d misjudged.

Laredo gripped his hand, and not for the first time Grady noted the intense sadness in his eyes. Grady refused to let go, demanding Laredo’s full attention. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

Laredo nodded. “I’m sure.”

He rode off with the same urgency with which he’d approached.

Grady frowned, wishing there was something he could do. But he knew that neither Savannah nor Laredo would appreciate his intrusion in their lives. This was between them; they had to work it out themselves—or not.

Bad as he felt for both of them, he could do nothing.

***

Laredo noted the number on the small single-story dwelling in a quiet neighborhood and glanced down at the address on the slip of paper. He was about to commit perhaps the most cowardly act of his life. But what else could he do?

He stepped out of the truck and walked down the narrow path to the front door, a long narrow box tucked under his arm. He hesitated briefly, then rang the doorbell. It didn’t take long for someone to answer. Maggie Daniels’s eyes lit up in delight when she saw who it was.

“Hi, Laredo!”

Caroline revealed no such pleasure. “What are you doing here?”

He removed his hat. “I need you to do something for me if you would.”

Savannah’s friend didn’t invite him inside, and it was just as well. He wanted to leave now, immediately. As he’d told Grady, the sooner he was able to put some distance between Savannah and him, the better.

“Come in,” Caroline finally said, unlocking the screen door.

Laredo declined. “Thanks, but this should only take a moment.” He handed her the box. “Would you mind giving this to Savannah for me?”

“You can’t do it yourself?”

“No, ma’am.”

She didn’t accept the box. “Why not?”

“I don’t plan on seeing her again.” Saying the words created a terrible sense of loss. He might be convinced that leaving was for the best, but that didn’t make it any easier. He’d gotten the loan from Grady, and after supper Wiley had driven him into town to pick up his truck. He’d said his goodbyes to everyone.

Everyone except Savannah.

Although he called himself every name in the book, he couldn’t make himself do it. He couldn’t look her in the eye and pretend he didn’t love her, and that was the price she’d demand before he left. She’d insist he say it to her face and he wouldn’t be able to.

It occurred to him as he drove away from Powell’s Garage that this feeling of grief and fear and loss must be similar to what his father had experienced when he left for Vietnam all those years ago.

“Well, if you won’t come in, I’ll join you on the porch.” Caroline opened the screen door and stepped outside. Maggie, dressed in purple pajamas, followed her mother.

“I’d be much obliged if you’d give this to Savannah for me.” He repeated his request.

Caroline’s smile was knowing. “You love her, don’t you?”

Laredo couldn’t have denied it if he’d tried. “Sometimes love isn’t enough.”

“Really.” She crossed her arms and walked to the porch railing and stared into the night sky. “Don’t you think Savannah deserves to have you give her that gift yourself?”

“She deserves a great deal more than I can ever give her.”

Caroline turned and faced him, leaning against the railing.

“What’s in the package, Mommy?” Maggie asked.

“A gift for Savannah,” her mother answered.

“Can I see?”

Laredo opened the box. As a parting gift and a token of love, it wasn’t much, but it was all he could afford. “It’s a shawl.” He brought it out to show the little girl.

When Caroline saw the antique white silk threaded with gold strands, she sighed in appreciation. “It’s perfect for her.”

He was tempted to smile. He’d realized the same thing when he noticed it in the window of Dovie’s shop. Instantly, he’d pictured Savannah sitting on the porch, the shawl wrapped around her shoulders. He’d never thought of himself as romantic, but in some small way he hoped that when she wore it, she’d feel his love. He hoped she’d understand that even though he’d left her, he would always love her.

“I know I’m asking a lot of you,” Laredo said to Caroline.

“No,” she replied. “The one you’re asking a lot of is Savannah.”

He recognized the truth of that immediately.

“Like I said,” Caroline went on, “she deserves to have you give her this gift.”

He shook his head. “I can’t. Either you do it or I’ll mail it.”

Caroline hesitated. “Is there any message to go with it?”

He shook his head. He’d already said more than he’d intended.

“Nothing, Laredo?” Her eyes begged him not to be so cruel.

“Tell her...” His throat felt thick.

“Yes?”

“Tell her thank-you.” He set his hat back on his head and hurried down the walkway.

Maggie tugged at her mother’s sleeve. “Where’s Laredo going?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Laredo!” Caroline called to him.

He looked back.

“How’d you manage to pay for the repairs to your truck?”

He stood silent, refusing to answer her.

It didn’t take Caroline long to figure it out. “Grady. He lent you the money, didn’t he?” She leaped down the porch steps and planted her hands on her hips. “That son of a—” She bit off the last word.

Laredo climbed into his truck and started the engine, desperate to leave before he found an excuse to stay.

Ten

“What do you mean Laredo’s gone?” Savannah didn’t understand what Caroline was telling her. He’d been on the ranch earlier that day; she’d seen him herself. They’d both made an effort in the past week to pretend their discussion had never taken place. But it had, and her declaration of love stood between them. It was something they could neither forget nor ignore.

Every time Savannah thought about the foolish way she’d exposed her heart, she grew weary with self-recriminations and regret. Her rash behavior had embarrassed them both, yet she realized she probably couldn’t have kept silent any longer. She loved Laredo, and hiding her feelings had become increasingly more difficult.

“He asked me to give you this,” Caroline said with a regretful sigh, handing her a rectangular box.

“It’s really pretty!” Maggie added enthusiastically.

“You’ve talked to him?” Savannah said. The pain was immediate. Laredo had left, and instead of coming to her, he’d gone to Caroline. He’d talked to Caroline, but not to her. He’d left without even a goodbye.

“He was on his way out of town when he stopped by and asked if I’d give you this.”

Savannah felt an overwhelming need to sit down. Slowly sinking onto a kitchen chair, she brought her fingers to her mouth to suppress a cry. Laredo isn’t coming back.

“Do you want me to open the box for you, Savannah?” Maggie volunteered, eagerly lifting a corner of the box as she spoke. “It’s so pretty and you’re going to like it. Mommy did and so did I.”