Rancher's Refuge (Whisper Falls) by Linda Goodnight

horse in town.” The boy’s disgust with this unfortunate turn of events was accented with a deep sigh.
    “Sorry, buddy,” Davis said, touching the boy lightly on the shoulder. “That’s the way things are. Someday, maybe we’ll buy some land in the country and you can have a horse all your own. Until then...” As if he’d suddenly come up with a solution, Davis looked to Austin. “You don’t happen to give riding lessons, do you?”
    The idea set Austin back. Riding lessons? “Never thought about it.”
    “Nathan’s wanted a horse since he was big enough to talk.” Davis wadded a paper napkin and placed it on the counter. “I’d be glad to pay if you’d be interested in teaching him.”
    “I don’t know. I’ll have to think on it,” Austin said, more to be polite than because he was actually considering such an invasion of his privacy.
    “With the influx of tourists a man could make good money with a stable of riding horses.”
    A shiver of dread ran through Austin. The last thing he wanted was more strangers traipsing around his land, poking into his business. “Not my kind of thing.”
    The affable Davis smiled as he lifted his drinking cup. “I understand. You did mention peace and quiet, something you won’t get with kids around. But if you change your mind...” He reached inside his golf-style shirt pocket and handed Austin a business card.
    “Sure, sure.” Austin glanced at the card. “Ceramic tile? So you’re a tile mason?”
    “Showers, kitchens, floors. I should be working today, but school is out for a parent-teacher conference.” He rattled the ice in his cup. “Being a single dad, I took off for that.”
    “And to hang out with your favorite kids, right, Daddy?” Paige batted long, pale lashes at her father.
    He scuffed the top of her head. “Right.”
    Austin’s gaze fell to the little boy. Nathan had gone from hopeful to deflated when Davis had asked about riding lessons. Austin’s conscience niggled. What harm was there in giving one little kid a ride on a well-broke horse? On the other hand, he didn’t want to get something started. Familiarity breeds contempt, and he’d had enough of that to last a lifetime. Still, Davis seemed like a good guy, and a boy who loved horses needed to learn somewhere.
    Warring with himself, Austin returned to his pie and ice cream. He scooped a giant bite of ice cream and shoved the fork into his mouth. A powerful pain shot from the roof of his mouth to the top of his head. He dropped the fork and pressed a hand to each temple, certain his brain was about to explode.
    “Uh-oh, brain freeze,” the little girl said and hopped from her stool to stand beside Austin. “I’ll pray for you.” And she did.
    When the moment passed, Austin shook his head to find the headache gone. No surprise there. An ice-cream headache came and went. The relief had nothing to do with prayer.
    He shifted uncomfortably on the bar stool. All this company was starting to get under his skin. When Annalisa had entered the snack shop, she’d looked too pretty with her hair all fluffed up and glossy, and now some kid prayed for him while another looked at him with a mix of hero worship and disappointment. He should have stayed home.
    But there was the matter of his unwanted houseguest who chose that moment to reappear from the back room, a dazed look on her face. Interestingly, she went behind the counter. Miss Evelyn, who’d followed her from the office, pulled an apron from a hook. “Let’s see what you can manage with that hand of yours.”
    Miss Evelyn had hired her. Good. Fine. Perfect. Austin’s responsibility ended here and now.
    He readied once more to depart. As he stood, Annalisa looked his way.
    “Austin, are you leaving?”
    He cupped his hat in one hand, fingers wide on the crown. Did she expect him to stick around and play bodyguard and listen to her chat up the smiley single guy with the two cute kids?
    “Are you staying?”
    “Evelyn’s going