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She loved him. Fiercely. Knowing she was taking a risk—he’d rejected her once already—she took a deep breath, exhaled and blurted out, “I love you, Matt Locke. I will never, could never, regret loving you. I know you don’t feel the same. But maybe you could in time—”

I love you. The whispered confession haunted Matt through the night. Hearing those words had brought a wealth of joy flooding his system and an answering love filled his soul, shocking in its intensity. He’d danced on the edge of telling her that he felt the same when his mind finally kicked in gear and took over. He didn’t want to be the reason she stayed. Because he didn’t want to ever be her biggest regret.

Callan sat back with a Cheshire grin on her face. “Sounds to me like you’ve fallen in love with Matt.” Joelle swallowed the lump in her throat. “No. No. I can’t be in love with Matt.” “Why not?” Eve asked. Joelle stabbed at her pancake. “He said kissing me was a mistake. That he didn’t want things to change between us.”

Joelle was fighting an attraction to the kind, generous man Matt had become. She could see herself staying, helping to run the ranch, while creating her jewelry in the old red barn. But she also saw herself living in Manhattan, working side by side with her partners as they made jewelry to export all over the U.S. and possibly the world.

As she drove away, she glanced in the rear view mirror. He slowly made his way back to the barn. Back to the life he wanted. The life her father had provided for him. And her. Tears burned the back of her eyes. She blinked to keep them at bay. The life she didn’t want. Right?

She met Bob, remarried, sent me back to Dad and the rest, as they say, is history.” His fingers flexed around the steering wheel. He hadn’t realized the timing. Joelle must have felt unwanted by her mother, and then to arrive home at her dad’s only to find Matt there. So much of her behavior made sense now. His heart twisted.

The zing of desire rippled through his system, catching him off-guard. His pulse skittered. His mouth went dry. Whoa! No. So inappropriate. This was Joelle. Clark’s daughter. No way would Matt disrespect Clark’s memory by being attracted to Joelle. He wasn’t even sure he liked her.