Free Hope Flames: Hope Book 1 by Jaci Burton Page B

totally disappeared once she stepped foot on the ranch. Rebecca was sweet and fun and full of life and laughter, but she really goddamn hated that ranch and the life associated with it.”
    “But you didn’t end up living on the ranch, either. So why not move off the ranch?”
    They resumed their walk through the park. “She knew that was the eventual plan, but patience wasn’t one of her virtues. Besides, Boomer would have still come with us, and she made it clear she wanted a no-animal household. Then I brought up having kids, and she balked.”

    “She didn’t want kids, either?”
    “No, though that’s not what she told me when we were dating. She wanted travel and expensive cars and a big house. Not kids and definitely not animals.”
    “Oh, for heaven’s sake. You’re kidding me, right?”
    “I wish I was. There were just too many obstacles to overcome, so eventually she hightailed it back to Tulsa, and we got a divorce. It was a clean break. All she wanted was out of the marriage, and by that point I was more than happy to have her go.”
    Emma laid her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, Luke. It must have been miserable for you.”
    “It wasn’t the happiest time of my life, that’s for sure. But I learned a lot from the experience, and next time—if there is a next time—I’ll know better.”
    “Surely you want to get married again.”
    He shrugged. “Maybe. Someday. I don’t know.”
    Her lips quirked. “A little skittish about that first go-round of happily-ever-after?”
    She read him well. “That’s an understatement.”
    “That’s what you meant that night when you said that’s not how you usually do it.”
    He stopped. “Huh?”
    “When you were offering to take me out. You don’t ‘date.’”
    She used air quotes around the word date .
    “Oh, right. No, I don’t. Not often.”
    She paused and pulled the leash around her hand. Daisy sat dutifully at her feet as Emma crossed her arms. “Well, after what you’ve been through, I can’t say I blame you. Women must scare the hell out of you.”
    And that was a little too close to Emma having him figured out in one afternoon.
    He wasn’t sure he liked that.

Chapter 7
    EMMA WATCHED THE myriad of expressions cross Luke’s face as he talked about his ex-wife. A lot of anger and resentment, for sure, mixed with sadness, which she appreciated. He had obviously wanted it to work out with his ex, and it so clearly hadn’t. He and his ex hadn’t been well-matched.
    That happened. Sometimes people weren’t honest about what they really wanted in a relationship. No one knew that better than her.
    Of course her situation had been different, and the person she’d become involved with had been deliberately deceptive.
    At least they hadn’t gotten married.
    She shuddered at the thought. She’d been tied so strongly to him as it was. If their relationship had been legally binding . . .
    She shook off the unpleasant thoughts and focused instead on the interesting revelation about Luke. His reticence about taking her out became so much clearer now. It wasn’t that he didn’t find her attractive. Not that she really cared about that—much. Okay, maybe she did, just a little, but she dismissed the thought. Her ego could rest comfortably now.

    It was Luke’s fear of relationships that held him back. He was obviously a one-night-stand kind of guy, gun-shy about women since he’d been burned by his ex.
    Now that she understood all too well. They were kindred spirits in that regard, though she didn’t do one-night stands.
    Or any-night stands, for that matter.
    She watched Luke with Boomer, his patience and affection with his dog.
    Someday he’d make a great father. You could always tell. Guys who were great with animals would also be good with children.
    Not that she was shopping for a father for her as yet nonexistent children. And if she was, Luke wouldn’t be on her list, since he was currently living in one-night-stand land.
    “You