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wouldn’t have been admitted into law school.
    But after twenty years, that card was wearing thin.
    “I’ll find her and get your money.” Vince turned toward his brother. “And then we’re even.”
    Anthony stood and walked to the door, his tennis shoes leaving smudged tracks in the cream-colored carpet. “Yeah, whatever you say.”
    After he left, Vince picked up the picture of his wife. “I will find you. And you will never leave me again.”

     
    Luke couldn’t concentrate.
    Every time he tried to focus on the paperwork lying on the desk, his mind conjured up the image of a cat-eyed blonde. Once again his curious nature wanted to know what was going on with Faith Delange.
    He shouldn’t be spending time thinking about Faith. There was still so much to do on the ranch. He’d lost two hands last week because they’d wanted to find a warmer place for the winter. His foreman, Leo Scruggs, was having a hard time finding replacements. The roof on the house and one of the barns needed fixing and a llama would be birthing soon.
    Ever since he’d returned to the ranch, his life hadn’t been his own. Every day he found himself becoming more like his father. And the more he enjoyed being a rancher, the more scared he became.
    This wasn’t the life he’d wanted. He’d wanted excitement and adventure. At eighteen, he’d taken his desires to the Lord and had been steered toward the military. Knowing he’d had God’s blessing, Luke had applied and been accepted at West Point. The years there were grueling, exciting and character building. He’d walked away with a degree in engineering. But the military still beckoned, even after his five-year service obligation.
    Now, he held the rank of captain and his position of authority gave him more opportunity to make a difference in the lives of his men. From the beginning, he’d felt he’d been called to share his faith with his comrades, and now Luke was looked to as a source of comfort and hope.
    He’d worked alongside the chaplain to form a Bible fellowship study, and he was constantly awed by the power of Jesus’s love working in the men’s lives. He didn’t want to give that up.
    He wished his father were still here.
    Luke hadn’t known about his father’s cancer until nearly the end.
    Your father is ill, the note had read, come home.
    He’d arrived just in time to see his father before he’d died. Guilt for not having been there ate away at him. If he’d only been a better son and kept in better touch. He’d have learned of the illness sooner and come home. He’d have been able to make his dad’s final days easier.
    And now, Luke was running his father’s ranch and dragging his feet about leaving when all he really wanted was to get back to his own life, his unit stationed in the Middle East. He only had another twenty days of leave left.
    He fired up the computer and looked up Faith on Google. A list of articles came up. Mostly charity events where Faith and her grandfather were present. One photo showed Faith in a gray business suit standing beside her grandfather who sat in a wheelchair. He was old and hunched with strong features. The caption read, “The Delanges to start a foundation for overseas missions through a local church.”
    Philanthropy, faith, family and money. What was she running from?
    A soft knock sounded on the door.
    “Come in.”
    The door opened and Faith stepped in. He clicked off the web page.
    “I don’t mean to bother you. But…well, your mother’s asleep and I don’t know what I should be doing.”
    Luke hadn’t the foggiest what she should be doing now, either.
    She smiled uncertainly.
    Luke stood and moved around the desk. “I’ll show you to your room.”
    Faith followed him. “I think this place is wonderful. So warm and cozy.”
    “My parents have lived here since they were married. I don’t think Mom has bought anything new since.”
    Faith stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Her finger traced a carving in