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Boone’s mouth moved.

Almost a smile.

“Would’ve saved me trouble too.”

That got a real laugh out of me.

Quiet, but real.

He let me have it.

Then I asked, “Does it ever stop feeling like more than you ought to be trusted with?”

Boone looked toward the dark window.

“No.”

I waited.

“You do it anyway. Carefully.”

There wasn’t a speech after that. No promise I was secretly better than I thought. No brotherly declaration that Priya would come around if I kept my heart in the right place.

I was grateful.

I could have turned a speech into permission.

This left me with work.

I stood.

Boone picked up his notes. “Cash.”

I stopped by the screen door.

“Ask her about the kiss.”

My hand tightened on the frame.

“Yeah.”

“When she’s rested.”

“Yeah.”

“Then listen.”

I nodded and went out.

***

I didn’t go straight back to the bunkhouse.

I checked from the yard that the lamp still burned low. No movement at the window. No sound from inside when I stepped onto the porch.

Then I took the path east.

The creek ran below the cottonwoods, narrow and quick where the stones crowded it. In spring, you could hear it from the kitchen with the windows shut.