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Grady studied him. Fen might enjoy giving him shit, but his offer to help was no joke. “Why are you doing this?”

For once, there was no immediate smart-ass response. Instead, Fen tilted his head toward the Rock Heritage Hat & Boot Co. “Because she’s happy with you.”

The simple answer caught Grady off guard.

“She works too much, and this past week has been insane even by her standards. She needs a break.” Fen looked back at him. “And whatever’s going on between you two seems to be one of the few things she’s enjoying that has nothing to do with work.”

He couldn’t argue with that. He’d seen the exhaustion on her face during their late-night video calls and heard it in her voice. More than once, he’d told her to hang up and get some sleep, only for her to insist she wasn’t tired while yawning.

“She thinks this thing between you is temporary,” Fen added. “She’s made that painfully clear.”

His jaw flexed. That sounded like Amanda. Hell, it sounded like both of them. They’d agreed on the terms together. She would eventually return to California, and his life was here. So why did hearing Fen say it bother him?

He shoved the thought aside.

“But temporary doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy herself while she’s here.” Fen tilted his head and stared at Grady. “And unless I’m seriously misreading the way you look at her, I’m guessing you wouldn’t mind that either.”

“Are you always this nosy?”

The man shrugged. “Occupational requirement when you work in L.A.”

Despite himself, Grady almost smiled.

Before he could respond, someone across the street called Fen’s name. He stepped away from the SUV. “I have to go, but I’ll figure something out.”

“Nothing stupid.”

Fen rolled his eyes. “You take all the fun out of everything.”

“I mean it.”

“Yes, Sheriff.” He started away, then spotted Dale and Jeremiah farther down the sidewalk and stopped. “By the way, are either of those two yummy men single?”

Grady laughed. “They’re married to each other.”

The hopeful gleam vanished from Fen’s eyes. “Damn.”

“As for finding yourself a cowboy, you’re on your own.”

“It was worth a shot.”

Instead of heading straight back to the production, Fen detoured toward Willow, Dale, and Jeremiah. Whatever he said had Willow turning to look straight at Grady.

Oh, hell. He knew that expression.

Before either of them could come back, he opened the SUV door and climbed inside. He might have just made a serious mistake. But if Fen could somehow give him and Amanda a few uninterrupted hours together, he was willing to risk it. Even if it meant turning those two scheming meddlers loose on the problem.

God help him.

Chapter Thirty

By the time filming wrapped late Wednesday afternoon, Amanda was more than ready to be done with people.

All people.

They’d spent most of the day at Second Chance Ranch filming baseline interviews and introducing viewers to the rescue and rehabilitation work done there. She’d toured the property on camera, talked with the people who kept the place running, and walked through the three spaces her team would be making over—the office, reception area, and volunteer break room.

For three days, she hadn’t taken ten steps without someone needing something from her. Add the residents who gathered to watch them film and the reporters and photographers still hanging around town, and she’d reached her limit.