He’d never meant to hurt Carrie, but that didn’t discount the fact that he’d misled her. This wasn’t exactly his finest hour.

When they’d first met, he’d found her charming. Later, when he got to know her, he’d been enchanted by her warmth, delighted by her love of family and home. Those were qualities that had come to mean a great deal to him. Carrie was genuine, and she was authentic in her relationships. Unlike him…

Vaughn wanted to kick himself for not being honest with her from the start. He didn’t have a single excuse. All he could do now was pray that she’d be willing to accept him—and that she’d give him an opportunity to prove himself.

The hour’s drive into town passed in a blur, and practically before he knew it he’d pulled off the highway and turned onto what were now familiar roads. Buffalo Valley stretched before him, but he viewed it with new eyes. He recalled his first visit, recalled how stark and bare the town had seemed, almost as if it were devoid of personality. He’d soon recognized how wrong he was.

While the buildings might be outdated and the lampposts antiques, the town itself represented the very heart of the country. The heart of America’s heartland. It was where he wanted to be, how he wanted to live.

His mind was clear now. Easing the car into a parking space on Main Street, Vaughn forced himself to consider what he’d say to Hassie. It wasn’t a task he relished.

All his talk of opening a feed store had done nothing but build up her hopes. Now he was about to disillusion an old woman who’d invested her whole life in a town that couldn’t be saved. Whatever happened, though, he was staying in Buffalo Valley; he’d be part of its struggle and part of its future.

He dared not put this off any longer, and drawing a deep breath, he walked into the pharmacy.

The instant she saw him, Hassie cried out his name. “Vaughn, oh, Vaughn.” Tears streaked her weathered cheeks as she hurried across the store, her arms stretched out toward him.

Apparently someone had already brought her the news. Holding open his own arms as she came to him, he hugged her, the sound of her sobs echoing in his ears.

“I’m so sorry,” Vaughn whispered, wondering what he could say that would comfort her.

“Sorry?” Hassie eased back, gazing at him through watery eyes. “In the name of heaven, why would you be sorry? This is what we’ve hoped for all along.”

Vaughn stared at her, not knowing what to think. “The land sold, Hassie.”

“Yes, I know.” She clapped her hands, eyes sparkling with delight. “This is better than anything I could’ve imagined.”

“I’m…confused.”

“I know.” She patted his back and led him to the soda fountain. “Sit down,” she ordered. “If there was ever a time for one of my chocolate sodas, this is it.”

“What about Value-X?”

“They lost the land. The women of Buffalo Valley got to Ambrose before he signed the deal with Value-X and they bought it out from under the company. The ladies convinced Ambrose he’d be making a mistake.”

Vaughn knew that several of the women in town owned businesses; he knew they had a big stake in the community. It floored him that they’d managed to do what no one else had deemed possible.

“But how…when?”

“Do you recall when the women got together?” Hassie asked, leaning over the refrigeration unit, scooping up the ice cream.

“I remember a cookie exchange.” Carrie had mentioned something along those lines earlier in the week.

“The meeting took place after that,” Hassie said. “Then a committee of six paid Ambrose a visit. I don’t know everything they said, but apparently they convinced him to sell them those twenty acres. I hear they twisted his arm by appealing to his vanity—promising to name the school after him. He liked that. He also liked the fact that he could sell his land at the same price Value-X offered.”

“Is Value-X seeking out any other property?”

Hassie grinned. “They can try, but there isn’t a single person in this area who’d sell to them—not at any price.”

Vaughn nodded, still feeling a little numb. “What do the women intend to do with the property?” he asked.

Hassie’s grin widened. “You mean you don’t know?”

He didn’t. Since they were all capable, business-minded individuals, Vaughn suspected they already had plans.

Hassie chuckled softly. “You’ll have to ask them, but my guess is they’d be willing to sell you a portion of it—that is, if you’re still inclined to settle in Buffalo Valley.”

Vaughn could barely to take it in. “You mean that?”

“Talk to Sarah Urlacher and she’ll give you all the details.”

“I need to see Carrie first.”

Hassie set the glass on the counter. “Ah, yes, Carrie.” She made a tsking sound and plunked a paper straw into the thick chocolate soda. “You’ve got your work cut out there.”

Vaughn wrapped his hand around the glass, feeling the cold against his palm. “I assume she’s upset.”

“That’s one way of putting it.”

Vaughn slid off the stool. He didn’t want to offend Hassie by not drinking the soda, but he’d feel worlds better once he resolved the situation with Carrie. “She at home?”

“Doubt it.” Hassie reached for the soda herself and took a long sip before she continued. “My guess is she’s sitting on the swings over in the park. I found she likes to go there when something’s troubling her. Look there first and if you can’t find her, then check the house.”

Vaughn thanked her and left immediately. He jogged across the street to the park. The snow forts he’d helped build on Christmas Day—was that only yesterday?—were still standing, a little the worse for wear. Following the freshly shoveled walk, Vaughn made his way toward the play equipment.

Hassie had, as always, given him the right advice. Carrie sat in the middle swing. Her face was red from the cold, and he wondered how long she’d been there.

Vaughn ached to tell her how sorry he was, but he feared that if he said or did the wrong thing now, he might lose her forever.

As he approached, Carrie glanced up, but she didn’t acknowledge him. Vaughn, needing to gather his thoughts, didn’t say anything, either. Instead, he settled into the swing beside her and waited for the words to come.

“I hurt you, didn’t I?” he asked after an awkward moment.

“Were you engaged to her when you came to town?”

This was the difficult part. “No. No, I wasn’t.”

“She seemed to think so.”

He gripped the chain and shifted sideways to see Carrie more clearly. “Before I left Seattle, Natalie and I talked about marriage.”

The words seemed to hit her hard.

“She wasn’t interested.”

“Apparently she’s changed her mind.”

Vaughn saw that Carrie was staring straight ahead, as though mesmerized by whatever she was watching. “So have I.”

Carrie turned toward him, but when their eyes met, she turned away again. “Why?”

“I met someone else.”

“You must be a very fickle man, Vaughn Kyle, to ask one woman to marry you and then, while she’s making up her mind, start seeing another.”

“I realize how bad it sounds.”

“Sounds, nothing! Underhanded and unfair is more like it.”

“You’re right,” he said simply. “I have no excuse.”

“You must’ve really enjoyed hearing me spill out my heart.” She covered her cheeks with both hands and closed her eyes, as if remembering the things she’d said. They seemed to embarrass her now.

“Carrie, no! It wasn’t like that.” He thought about the afternoon she’d told him about her ex-husband. He didn’t know how to put into words what her trust had done for him. How her straightforward devotion had wiped out the cynicism he’d felt after Natalie’s opportunistic approach to love and marriage.

“You’re certainly not the kind of man I’d want in my life.”

“I need you, Carrie….”

“For what, comic relief?”

“We’ve only known each other a short while. Who can say where this relationship will take us? Maybe you’re right. After you get to know me better, you could very well decide you don’t want any more to do with me. If that’s the case, I’ll accept it. All I’m asking for is a chance.”

“To break my heart?”

“No, to give you mine.”

She didn’t answer him for the longest time. Finally her mouth twisted wryly and she said, “You’re afraid of what my brothers will do to you once they learn about…Natalie, aren’t you?”

“No man in his right mind would voluntarily tangle with your brothers,” he replied, deciding this was not the moment to tell her they’d already met the woman in question. “However, I figure I can take them on if it comes to that. What I’m telling you now has nothing to do with your brothers. It’s how I feel about you.”

“Don’t!” she cried with such passion that Vaughn jumped. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

“I am completely sincere.” He slid off the swing and crouched down in front of her. He wanted her to see how vulnerable he was to her. Taking her right hand in his, he removed her glove and kissed the inside of her palm.

She pulled back her hand.

“I plan to stay in Buffalo Valley,” he continued, undaunted.

Her eyes widened, but she bit her lower lip as if to suppress her reaction.

“I’m going to invest in the community, become part of it, make a contribution.”

Carrie’s gaze darted away and then returned. “Don’t tell me things like that just because you think it’s what I want to hear.”

“It’s true, Carrie.”

She closed her eyes and lowered her chin. “I want so badly to believe you.”

“Believe me,” he whispered, then nuzzled her throat. He didn’t kiss her, although the temptation was strong. “All I’m asking for is another chance,” he said again.

“Oh, Vaughn.” She pressed her hands against his shoulders—to bring him closer or push him away?

Vaughn helped make the decision for her. Crouched down as he was, his face level with her own, he leaned toward her and grazed her lips with his. Her mouth was cold, yet moist and welcoming. She moaned softly and he rubbed his warm lips over hers, seducing her into deepening the kiss.

One moment he was crouched in front of Carrie and she was leaning forward, giving herself to the kiss. The next he was losing his balance and tumbling backward.

Carrie let out a small cry of alarm as she went with him. Vaughn did what he could to protect her. He threw his arms around her waist and took the brunt of the impact as she landed on top of him in the snow.

“You’ve knocked me off balance from the moment we met,” he said.