The Maverick's Homecoming

August 2026

A SECOND CHANCE FOR THE HOMETOWN HERO?

After a career-ending injury, former pro athlete Finn Monahan is back home in Tenacity, Montana. The town’s onetime golden boy has been drafted to revive the high school’s struggling football team this fall season—putting him in the zone of his first love, school nurse Kenzie Osborne. Finn quickly hears through the grapevine that Kenzie is newly divorced… Could this be their opportunity for a second chance?

But Kenzie is not only adjusting to being newly single—she discovered just after her divorce that she's pregnant! Kenzie is determined to prioritize her soon-to-be-born baby, not romance, and certainly not with the too-handsome Finn Monahan. Only their feelings for each other aren’t so easily sidelined…

Montana Mavericks:
Hidden Gems Ranch, Book 1

Prologue

Three and a half months ago…

“Kenzie?” asked a deep voice from directly behind her. Kenzie Osborne knew that voice. Her stomach churning, she swiveled on the wooden barstool.

Yep. Finn Monahan.

Unbelievable. Almost fifteen years had rolled by since the day he broke her heart. That day, as he’d turned to walk away from her, she’d shouted that she hated him, that she would never speak to him again.

But life goes on. And remembering that painful afternoon now just made her feel even sadder than she had a moment before.

She stiffened her spine and put on a smile. “I heard you were back in town…” The words came out sounding strained, but not because of what had happened years ago. She had fresher heartaches to deal with now, heartaches that had nothing whatsoever to do with Finn.

Her stomach lurched again. She breathed in through her nose and ordered the uncomfortable feeling to pass as Finn’s wide brow creased with a worried frown. “Look, Kenzie,” he said. “The truth is, I followed you in here.” Here was the Grizzly Bar on Central Avenue in their hometown of Tenacity, Montana.

Why? she wondered sourly. What in the world could she and Finn Monahan possibly have to say to each other now?

Not a thing, that’s what.

Drawing in another slow breath, she glanced around the knotty-pine-paneled space. All the tables were empty. Down at the end of the bar, a lone cowboy sat staring into a half-finished glass of beer. The bartender was nowhere to be seen.

And Finn just stood there, watching her. Apparently, he thought they had more to say to each other. “Honestly, Finn. I’m really not up for a trip down memory lane right now.”

He looked at her with what actually seemed to be honest concern. “I’m not here to talk about old times, I promise you.”

“Great,” she said sincerely and then she waited for him to move along. He didn’t. Instead, he remained right where he was and continued to stare at her with that worried look on his face. After several endless seconds of truly uncomfortable silence, she asked impatiently, “If not what happened years ago, then what are you here to talk about?”

“I saw you outside.” He gestured back over his shoulder at the door to the street. “You seemed upset.” He glanced at the crumpled papers she’d dropped on the bar and then went on, “You stopped out front and looked around like you weren’t even sure where you were. I followed you in here because I just wanted to… Look. All you have to do is tell me. Are you okay?”

A weird squeak of laughter escaped her. She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the ridiculous sound. Laughing was a bad idea. Her emotions were all wonky. Laughter just might make her burst into tears.

And what had he asked her?

Right. Are you okay?

Why lie? He wanted to know what was wrong with her, fine. “Truthfully, Finn, I’m feeling a little low. My divorce is final.” She grabbed the papers from the bar and shoved them at him. “I got these in the mail today. One look at them and I jumped in my car headed…” She drew in a slow breath through her nose. “Well, I’m not sure where I was headed. I found myself cruising along Central Avenue. About then, I decided that what I needed was a good, stiff drink… The rest you can probably figure out for yourself.”

“Damn.” Finn stared at the divorce decree in her outstretched hand and then met her eyes again. “Kenzie, I’m so sorry. I…” He swept off his Stetson and held it to his chest. “Hell. There has to be a right thing to say at this point. But I don’t have a clue what that might be.”

She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. The truth is that my marriage is toast and has been for a while now. Honestly, I’m trying really hard to move on.”

“Well. Okay, then. That’s good, right?” He asked the question carefully.

She sighed. “Yeah. It is good. But still. Getting the final papers is a real kick in the teeth, one that knocked the wind right out of me. It brought back the past seven years—eight, if you count the year my ex and I were dating…” She paused for another careful breath. Why was she still talking? Finn Monahan did not need to hear this.

And yet she kept right on. “It’s just that, suddenly, I feel like I’m drowning, going under for the last time with no chance of rescue. You can’t imagine all the hopes I once had, all the big dreams of love everlasting.”

“Yeah, I can.” He looked right in her eyes. She knew what he was thinking because she was thinking it, too. They’d been in love once, she and Finn. Yeah, they’d been teenagers then. But still. They’d shared big dreams and high hopes.

She dropped the decree on the bar again. “Sorry. I guess what I’m trying to say is that getting the final papers is no fun at all.”

He seemed at a loss. “I can’t even imagine.”

“Never been married, huh?” Her question was rhetorical. She would have heard if the great Finn Monahan had ever taken the leap.

“Nope. Still single.” At that moment, he almost looked shy.

So shoot her. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking that her ex-high-school sweetheart had grown into a truly fine-looking man. He was bigger and broader than back in the day. And the faint beginnings of laugh lines and crow’s feet? They only added character to his handsome face.

In high school, she had loved him with every fiber of her being. And then, when he left her, she’d hated him with the burning fury of a thousand suns. It had taken her a long time to get over him.

But all that was ancient history. Now, she had Tate to get over. The heartbreak she’d suffered when Finn walked away from her was water under a very old bridge.

She did find it somewhat disorienting, though, to have him standing right here in front of her today of all days. She’d heard he was back in town. But this was the first time she’d seen him in person since he broke up with her all those years ago.

He seemed to be studying her face. Did she look as woozy as she felt? Was he waiting for her to do something alarming—perhaps pass out and fall off her stool? “You’re pale,” he said. “You sure you’re—”

She cut him off with a weary wave of her hand. “Just a little queasy, that’s all. It happened fast, my divorce. I get sick to my stomach just thinking about it.”

Right then, the bartender emerged from the open doorway to the back room. He spotted Finn first and came straight for him. “What do you know?” He stuck out his beefy hand. “Finn Monahan, am I right?”

“That’s right.” The two men shook hands as Kenzie put all her energy into not being sick.

“I’m Dale Clutterbuck,” the bartender said. “I moved to town eighteen years ago, which means I was here when you led the Tenacity Titans to back-to-back state championships. Then, twelve years ago now, I bought this bar from old Mr. Kelsy. Man, it’s great that you’ve come back to town, Finn. And I do mean that sincerely. I heard you bought the Rawlings place. That’s quite a house.”

“Yeah. It’s a beautiful property.”

“It is indeed. You settling in alright?”

Finn slid a worried glance Kenzie’s way. She squared her shoulders and managed a grim smile to signal that she was just fine.

His gaze swung back to Dale. “I’m doing well, Dale, thanks. I’m in real estate now and have been for a while. Things are looking up around here and I’ve got a feeling this town is going to do just fine in the future. As a matter of fact, I’m betting on Tenacity to come back big.”

“Smart man,” Dale replied with a firm nod. “Yeah, we’ve had some bad years. But that’s over now. And you chose the right line of work. The real-estate market is only going to get hotter.”

The bartender knew what he was talking about, Kenzie thought as she sucked in air, slowly and steadily, through her nose. The old days of political corruption were behind them. Tenacity’s new mayor was trusted and admired by everyone in town. Money once stolen from the town coffers had been reclaimed at last. And then dinosaur bones had been discovered. The town had pulled together to build the Tenacity Dinosaur Center, which was now open and attracting tourists from all over.

Dale was still talking. “Well, don’t be a stranger, Finn. It’s real nice to have you back home.” He turned to Kenzie then…and got his first good look at her. “Whoa!”

She tried a big smile. “Hey, Dale. Good to see you. How’ve you been?”

“I’m fine. But you don’t look so good—it’s Kenzie, am I right?” When she opened her mouth to tell him her last name, he put up a hand. “Wait, wait. Don’t tell me. Hastings! Kenzie Hastings.”

“School nurse, at your service.” She tried a chuckle. Too bad it came out as more of a groan. “And it’s Osborne. Kenzie Osborne. I, uh, recently took back my family name.”

“Alright then, Kenzie Osborne.” Dale leaned closer and asked gently, “Tell me the truth, now. You sure you’re okay?”

Willing her stomach to settle the heck down, she took off her denim jacket and hung it on the hook beneath the bar. “Must have been something I ate. But I’m feeling better now, honestly.”

Finn caught her eye. “Ginger ale?”

She almost smiled. After all these years, he remembered. She used to crave ginger ale whenever she was feeling under the weather—which was often during the last couple of months they were together. “Ginger ale would be perfect, thank you.”

“Coming right up. Finn?”

“Maker’s Mark and ice.”

“Done.” Dale served their drinks and moved down the bar to get that lone cowboy another beer.

Finn sipped whiskey as Kenzie tackled her tall ginger ale. The fizzy drink helped. She grinned as she realized that Finn was still standing.

“Still haven’t dared to sit down, huh?” she teased.

He looked pained. “Given our…history, it seemed like a good idea not to grab a seat until I’d been invited.”

He had a point. But the past? It was forever ago. She patted the stool beside her. “Consider the hatchet officially buried.”

He looked at her sideways. “There was a hatchet?”

“Come on.” She gave the stool another tap. “Have a seat. Catch me up on the life of an NFL superstar.”

Still, he hesitated to take the stool. “I wasn’t a superstar for all that long.” He eyed her with concern. “And you still look pale.”

“I promise you, I’m fine. And you know what? If you’re not in the mood to tell me what you’ve been up to, that’s okay with me. Just sit down beside me and let me cry on your shoulder. I could use an old friend to talk to right now.”

“A friend?” He smiled then, his real smile, the one that used to make her heart beat faster. “You mean that?” He sounded so young. And hopeful, too.

She smiled right back at him. “Stranger things have happened. Come on, it’s been years. I’d say it’s time to let the past go.”

Finn took the stool. “Okay, Kenzie. Talk.”

Why not? she thought. He was here and willing to listen.

And she truly did need to vent.

So she talked. She explained that she and her ex-husband, Tate, had agreed that they both wanted kids and couldn’t wait to start a family. “So we got married and bought a house. Time went by. Suddenly, it’s five years after the wedding and I’m still on birth control.”

He asked the logical question. “Why?”

“Tate said he wasn’t ready. He traveled for work and he said his job was stressful. He needed time to get established before starting the family he said wanted so much. I kept after him. Finally, a year ago, he agreed to start trying. So we tried. A few months went by. I didn’t get pregnant. We kept trying. But not all that hard. As I said, Tate traveled for work and he was gone a lot.” And was Finn looking at her funny? She felt bold right then and wanted to be honest, so she just went ahead and asked him… “Are you thinking about the baby I lost when we were dating?”

His face flushed cherry-red. “No! I didn’t say that.”

“But are you thinking about it?” She leaned in closer. “Finn, I can still have children. That was never the issue. My doctor says there’s no reason I won’t conceive. Yes, I had a miscarriage back in high school.” She’d lost the baby at the end of their senior year. And the experience had been heartbreaking—for her and for him, too. “But sometimes that happens in the early months of pregnancy. I promise you, there’s no reason I can’t have a successful pregnancy one of these days.”

“Gotcha,” he said. He looked really uncomfortable.

And now, she felt guilty. Just because she was feeling bold and honest didn’t mean he had to be. “I’m oversharing, right?”

“Kenzie, no. You are not oversharing. Honestly.”

“So…you’re just dying to hear all this?”

He bobbed his head in a nod. “Yep. Go on.”

“Okay, then.” She shrugged. “It’s pretty simple. Tate had begun making those not-ready-for-fatherhood noises again. And then, not all that long ago, out of the blue, Tate tells me that he’s been doing some soul-searching and he’s realized that marriage and kids aren’t for him, after all. He asked for a divorce. And the next day, he moved out.”

“Where is that jerk now?”

She gave a low laugh. “Remember. You asked.”

“Yes, I did. Where is he?”

“As of now, Tate has moved back home to Denver after living in Vegas for six weeks to fulfill the residency requirement for our quickie divorce.” She waved the papers at him again. “Which, as you can see, is now signed, sealed and delivered.”

Finn proceeded to say all the right things—how Tate was a waste of space and somebody ought to make a quick trip to Denver to rearrange his face.

“I appreciate the support,” she said mildly. “But the truth is, I’m glad that he’s gone. It wasn’t going to work. Yeah, it’s a shock. I’ll get over it, though. Today’s a bad day but tomorrow will be better.”

Finn was shaking his head. “If you say so…”

“I do.”

“Fine, then. I’ll hold myself back from paying your ex a little visit. But sheesh, no wonder you were feeling sick.”

She realized she was actually glad that he’d followed her into the bar. “Honestly, Finn. Thanks for listening. I feel much better now.” The ginger ale had really helped—as did having her high-school boyfriend’s broad shoulder to cry on.

True, he’d walked away from her that summer right after high school. At the time, she’d nurtured a burning resentment toward him.

But not anymore. They honestly had been too young. Plus, he’d been as brokenhearted at the loss of their baby as she had. And his awful father, Finn, Sr., hadn’t helped the situation one bit. Finn’s dad had big dreams for Finn and had constantly pressured him to move on, to leave Tenacity and his high school girlfriend behind.

In hindsight, she could clearly see that Finn had done his best. He’d stepped up when she told him she was pregnant. He’d asked her to marry him, vowed that they would make it work somehow. He’d bought her a ring and they were both beginning to adjust to all the changes having the baby would bring—and then, four weeks later, the baby was gone.

It was an unexpected loss, one neither of them had known how to deal with. And now, years after all the pain and bitterness had passed, what stuck with her was the love. Because they had loved each other so much. More than they’d known how to deal with at the time.

Finn helped her on with her jacket and they left the Grizzly together.

Out on the street, a cool spring wind blew down from the north and the Montana sky was an endless wash of baby blue dotted here and there with fluffy white clouds. They paused on the sidewalk and faced each other.

“So,” he said, “I have to tell you, for a woman who just got bad news in the mail, you are looking mighty fine.”

“So nice of you to say so.” She guided a loose curl of hair off her cheek and grinned up at him. In the bright, late-afternoon sunlight she could see that he still had that scar on the bridge of his nose from the time he’d gotten up close and personal with the face mask of a defensive lineman. The injury had occurred in a preseason scrimmage back in their junior year. She used to kiss that scar and whisper that it made him look super-hot and dangerous.

“It’s good to see you,” he said, those blue eyes holding hers.

“It’s good to see you, too. Though I do owe you an apology.”

“For what?”

“Are you kidding? I took shameless advantage of you. I made the last hour and a half all about me—along with a little detour into our sad, painful past.”

“No apologies.” He put on a stern look. “I asked you to tell me. I wanted to know how you’ve been.”

“Well, then you definitely got what you asked for.”

“Yes, I did.” Oh, the way he was looking at her now. Like there was no place he would rather be than standing on the sidewalk in front of the Grizzly with her.

She was vaguely aware of cars going by, people strolling along the sidewalk, too. Were they watching the reunion of the famous Finn Monahan and the girl he left behind?

So what if they were? Today had been a rough one. But then, Finn had followed her into the Grizzly and things had started looking up. She stepped a fraction closer, until there was less than an inch of daylight between them.

“I feel I should confess…” She let her voice trail off.

“Kenzie. Don’t you dare stop there.” His teasing threat made her laugh and his smile got wider.

She lifted her hands and rested them on his chest, felt the soft leather of his jacket and the strength of his body beneath it. “I watched every game when you were in the NFL—and I do mean starting with the very first one.”

“I don’t think I ever got on the field that first game.”

She laughed again. “Still, it didn’t take you long to be a star. Until the injury you were unstoppable…”

“Go ahead,” he said in a growl. “Rub it in.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up a tough subject. But I really did watch all your games, when you were in college and on through your years in the pros. I just…couldn’t help myself—and I have no idea why I’m telling you all this.” She started to step back.

Gently, he caught her arms. “Wait.”

“What?”

“Damn, Kenzie. You’re as beautiful as ever—scratch that. You are more beautiful than you were in high school. And back then, there was no girl who could even hold a candle to you.”

She could not resist. People were probably staring…but so what? She was a single woman again. And she could kiss whomever she pleased—even the big-shot jock who’d dumped her the summer after their senior year.

Kenzie lifted up on tiptoe. “Thank you…for listening.”

And then, she kissed him.

It wasn’t a deep kiss or even a long one, but it was oh, so very sweet. She breathed in the clean scent of his skin and reveled in the feel of his big arms around her.

Again. After all these years…

She dropped back onto her boot heels reluctantly. And he didn’t let go. He still held her shoulders with those big, warm hands. His thumbs stroked lightly. She felt his touch acutely through the denim of her jacket.

He leaned close again. “Walk with me—where’s your car?”

“Two blocks down, across the street.”

“Let’s go…”

They walked along in silence until they came parallel with her Bronco Sport, which she’d parked across the street. “My car’s right there.” They waited for an old pickup to rattle by and crossed together, stopping on the sidewalk next to her SUV.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and hunched his broad shoulders. Then he said almost shyly, “It’s good to be home. It feels right. Like I’m coming full circle.”

“I get it. I wouldn’t live anywhere else—and I think somebody said you’re selling real estate now?”

“That’s right. I opened my own firm, Big Sky Properties. Are you looking for a house? If so, I’m your man.”

“Sorry, but no. I love my house.”

“Well, then. Let me know if you change your mind.”

“Will do,” she replied automatically and then gave him a slow, happy smile.

Because the way he was looking at her? It just…lit her up inside. For that moment, at least, the rumpled divorce decree she’d stuffed in her pocket didn’t matter at all.

They both turned and leaned back against the Bronco with maybe a foot or so of distance between them. He moved a fraction closer.

The sleeve of his jacket brushed hers. And then he said softly, “How about dinner, you and me? For old times’ sake…”

Suddenly, she felt downright audacious. And excited, too. She met his eyes directly. “Yes. I would like that.”

“Excellent.” He pulled out his phone and created a contact for her. When he passed it to her, she put in her number. And when she handed it back, he sent her a text.

Her phone chimed in her pocket. She pulled it out.

He’d written, I’ll be seeing you. Soon.

She grinned. “Got it.”

He tipped his hat and headed back up the street.

Kenzie drove home smiling, her earlier misery momentarily forgotten. No, she wasn’t thinking of rekindling an old flame. But she liked this new, grownup Finn. He’d been kind and attentive. He’d brightened her spirits on an otherwise deeply depressing day.

And really, the past was just that—over and done.

They could certainly share a nice dinner together. Maybe even become friends.

Yeah, he was more compelling than ever. No doubt he’d broken a long string of tender hearts in the years since they’d parted ways.

But so what? She wouldn’t be falling for him again. Not a chance.

*

The minute Kenzie drove away, Finn started second-guessing his own actions.

He probably shouldn’t have asked for her number. What had happened in the past still haunted him. And the ink was barely dry on her divorce.

No. Getting something going again with Kenzie would not be wise…

However, in the next several days he couldn’t stop thinking about her. He grabbed his phone to reach out to her more than once…and then stuck the damn thing back in his pocket without following through.

Because she got to him. She always had. And now, he’d seen her again and he had to admit that he wanted to see her some more. He was just too damn interested in the girl he left behind and that was probably unwise.

He decided not to call. Instead, he worked a lot. Over the next week and a half, he closed three sales—a couple of ranchettes not too far from town and a bigger spread about fifty miles west of Tenacity. Business was booming. No doubt about it.

He also got a call from Barrett Deroy, Jr. who had coached the local high school football team last fall. Barrett talked him into getting together for a drink at the Tenacity Social Club.

When they got there, another town booster, Brent Woodson, was waiting for them.

The two men informed him that they wanted him to coach Tenacity High’s varsity football team next season.

“I think this group of kids has real potential,” Barrett said. “And with you stepping in as coach, big things can happen. You will give those boys the inspiration and training they need to make this season better than last year.”

“Plus,” added Brent, before Finn could gently say no, “you’re in real estate, am I right?”

“Yes, I am. But I—”

“It matters that you’re helping out in the community,” said Barrett. “Your clients will love you for stepping up to coach the team.”

“I really don’t think so.”

“But you will consider it, won’t you?” asked Brent.

What could he say but, “Sure. Let me think about it…”

For a week, he tried not to think about it. Just like he tried not to think about Kenzie.

It didn’t work. He thought about Kenzie a lot. And he thought about coaching the Titans, too.

Five days after Brent and Barrett took him out for that drink, he called Barrett and said yes.

Barrett laughed, “I knew you’d come through.” They talked football for an hour, right there on the phone. Barrett agreed to be Finn’s assistant coach.

It took him two more days to admit that he was acting like a total ass about Kenzie. He wanted to see her a lot—enough that it scared him. He’d been thinking that staying away would make thoughts of her fade. But that didn’t happen. He wanted to see her again and the wanting was not going away.

He started to text her. But a text just seemed weak—not to mention, nothing short of insulting. The least he could do was give her a chance to let his overdue call go to voice mail.

She picked up on the first ring. “Hello, Finn.”

Two words, hello and his name. From those two words, he knew everything. She sounded a million miles away and she was not glad to hear from him.

He considered faking it, making small talk, playing it light and easy. But they had loved each other once, even if they were barely more than kids at the time. She deserved honesty from him.

“I know I should have called sooner,” he said. “I wanted to call. Maybe too much. Truth is, it kind of freaks me out, how much I want to see you again.”

“It’s okay, Finn.” Her voice was kind now. But it was distant, too. “You did nothing wrong.”

He couldn’t read her. And this was not going as he’d hoped. He had to do something, so he went for it. “Are you free tomorrow night? Or Friday night? I could do Thursday, too. We could—”

“Finn,” she said, cutting him off. “Listen. It was good to see you that day at the Grizzly. But since then, I’ve had to take a long, hard look at…things.”

No doubt about it. This was going nowhere good. “What things?”

“Well, I have to be realistic. I just got divorced. I can’t be getting anything started right now. I really can’t.”

“And that’s fine.” It wasn’t fine. Not in the least. But he understood why she was turning him down. They had a painful history together. That in itself would make a woman wary. And now he’d waffled like a fool and taken too long to call her after implying that he would be getting right back in touch. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to start in with him again. Still, he gave it one more shot. “I mean, we can be friends, right?”

She sighed then. “Oh, Finn. I don’t think so.”

What could he say? “Well. Alright, then.” It wasn’t all right. But he did understand. He’d blown it, pure and simple.

“It’s just…” Her voice trailed off.

“Just what, Kenzie?” He kept his tone gentle.

“It’s a bad idea for us to get all buddy-buddy. And not because of what happened fifteen years ago.”

“Tell the truth,” he coaxed. “You’re pissed because I’m a jerk who took way too damn long to call.”

“No. Honestly, I’m not pissed at you, not at all.”

“So then, have dinner with me.”

Several painful seconds crawled by. Finally, she said, “I’m not ready to go out with any guy, not even for old times’ sake. Not even as friends. I need to…focus on myself right now. My life is changing and I can’t afford unnecessary complications.”

So now, he was both unnecessary and a complication? He really had blown it. He’d felt such a connection with her that day at the Grizzly.

But now, what could he say? “Right. I’ll let you go then.”

“Finn, honestly, I—”

“Kenzie. It’s okay. You said no. And I get it.”

Dead silence on her end. And then, she said, “Of course. I understand. Take care of yourself.”

“You too,” he replied.

And that was it. She disconnected the call.

*

But Tenacity was a small town. He was bound to run into her now and then.

On a rainy day toward the end of May, he saw her at Tenacity Grocery. He glanced up from tossing a box of raisin bran into his cart and there she was coming his way.

He thought how pretty she looked in jeans, a white shirt and a hooded canvas jacket, with her long blond hair pulled back in a low ponytail. At the last minute, as the distance between their carts shrank to a couple of feet, he remembered to put on a smile.

She said, “Hello, Finn.”

“Kenzie.” He gave her a nod and kept moving forward.

The building was an old one, the aisles narrow enough that the wheels of their carts almost touched. He got a faint hint of her perfume—vanilla and oranges—and took special care not to look back at her once she had rolled on by.

A few weeks later, he spotted her having lunch with three other women in the Silver Spur Café. He’d come in to pick up a take-out order and saw her there by the window that looked out on Central Avenue. She was laughing at something Lauren Dalton, who taught science at the high school, had said.

He couldn’t stop himself from staring. As Kenzie threw back her head, her pale hair gleamed in the sunlight that streamed through the window behind her. Her happy laughter captivated him. He made himself turn away so that she wouldn’t catch him watching her. As luck would have it, his take-out order was right there waiting for him. He grabbed it and got the hell out of there.

Then, in the first week of August, he came face-to-face with her at the high school, which he’d figured would happen eventually. They met up at the entrance that led directly into the administrative wing. He was going in and she was on her way out.

“Kenzie.” He tipped his hat as he held the door open for her to go through.

“Thank you, Finn.”

“You’re welcome.”

By then, she was already walking away. He just stood there holding the door wide open, staring at her retreating back as she strode purposefully along the front walkway, heading for the parking lot. The sun made her hair into a waterfall of gold down her back. She wore a filmy, light-as-air shirt with fluttery sleeves and a full skirt that fell to mid-calf. Her boots were tooled with flowers. He watched her go and wished…

What the hell did it matter what he wished? She’d shut him down and he didn’t blame her for it. There was nothing to wish for.

And he really needed to remember that.