Free Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher Page B

their calves were beyond cute. Penny loved watching them gambol about the pasture in the springtime. Every year there was one that became her favorite.
    â€œYes,” she answered at last. “I think so.”
    Trevor broke the twine on the last bale of hay and shoved the feed off the truck. As soon as she saw him step back from the edge, Penny rapped on the roof of the cab three times to let her father know they were done. The truck completed its wide circle, stopping once more at the gate. This time Trevorjumped to the ground before Penny could, and he was the one who opened the gate. He grinned at her as the truck rolled past him, his enjoyment obvious.
    Mercy, he was much too handsome—and he knew it too. It was easy to imagine girls hanging all over him after a concert. He must have his choice of beauties in every town he and his band performed in. But he wouldn’t find that kind of attention here in Kings Meadow. Women in these parts had more sense than that.
    Then she remembered Tess Carter at the bazaar yesterday, and her confidence in female friends and neighbors drained away.
    Well, at least I have more sense than that. She frowned to herself. Was that what Brad liked about the life of a musician? The attention of women? She gave her head a slight shake, knowing that wasn’t true of Brad. He’d liked girls, of course, but his enthusiasm about music, especially about the drums, went back to before he’d noticed the opposite sex.
    â€œThanks for letting me help,” Trevor said. “I enjoyed it.”
    She drew back, surprised to find him standing on the truck bed beside her. She’d been so lost in thought she hadn’t noticed he’d rejoined her or that the vehicle was moving once again.
    Wordless, she shrugged.
    He looked as if he would say something else, then nodded and let it pass.
    Thank goodness for small favors.

Brad
    2008
    T HE SUMMER BETWEEN B RAD ’ S FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE years in high school, he got a part-time job as a bag boy at the Merc. He had his eye on a fancy new drum set, and there was no way he wanted to earn the money doing chores around the ranch. That might have been okay when he was thirteen. It wasn’t okay anymore.
    He was bagging groceries for Sophie Anderson when he saw his sister enter through the automatic doors. His face broke into a smile that matched hers. “I thought you weren’t coming home until tomorrow,” he said as she drew closer.
    â€œI couldn’t wait.” Penny kissed his cheek and lifted a hand as if to ruffle his hair, then thought better of it. She looked up at the two women on either side of the checkout counter. “Hi, Ms. Cook. Hi, Mrs. Anderson.”
    â€œAnother year of college under your belt?” Laura Cook asked as she rang up the final item on the conveyer belt.
    â€œYes. Three down. Three to go.”
    â€œGetting your master’s, I take it.” Sophie Anderson slipped her debit card from her wallet. “Good for you. What in?”
    â€œLibrary science.”
    â€œPenny the librarian,” Brad said, rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t sound very exciting.”
    â€œIt’s what interests me, buddy. It’ll be a good career.”
    Brad liked to read, but he didn’t care for the idea of spending his life inside some stuffy old library. He had bigger dreams than that. Or maybe just different ones. Had Penny ever wanted something different? Something that involved stepping out on a limb? Taking a risk?
    â€œI’d better let you get back to work,” she said, intruding on his wandering thoughts.
    â€œOkay. I’ll see you at home in a couple of hours.”
    Penny bid good-bye to the other women, ending with a little wave that took in all three of them. Then she left the grocery store.
    â€œYour sister has blossomed into a beautiful young woman,” Laura Cook said as she handed the paper receipt to Sophie Anderson. “I wouldn’t be