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“And you think I haven’t?”
“Oh, no, I think it’s noble.” He shrugs. “But I can’t help but notice she’s awfully pretty too.”
I nudge Chance into a faster walk, wanting a little space between me and his knowing chuckle. So my intentions are not completely gallant, and yes Sunny is a rare flower in a sea of dandelions, but it doesn’t change the fact that she needed help, and she still needs a friend.
I pull up to the rail and swing down. Sunny smiles over the top of the horse. “Welcome back.”
“Glad to see you’re still here.” I kick myself for sounding like a lovestruck teenager. “I mean, you made it through day one. What are you two up to?”
Weston jumps in to answer before Sunny. “She noticed Ransom was sore, so she’s helping me fit my saddle on Cricket. Do you think your mom will mind if I borrow her for a couple days?”
“No, I doubt she’ll even notice.” I pat the gentle palomino’s neck. Mom hasn’t been out to see her horses in years. I doubt she’ll even know Weston rode one. “In truth, Cricket could probably use a little attention.”
I glance at Sunny, hoping she’s thinking I’m a sensitive soul, but I doubt she heard a word. Her entire focus seems to be checking the fit of Weston’s saddle.
“I think this is better. The gullet is too wide for Ransom, but Cricket here has some burly shoulders.” She hefts the saddle from the horse like she’s done it every day of her life. “It should be a smooth ride tomorrow.”
“And what about Ransom later this week? Do I need a new saddle?”
“If you add a pad or two, it should improve the fit and it won’t be a problem. But I’ll keep an eye on him.”
They talk all the way to the tack room, and even once they return for my gear. I glance at Getty, but he shakes his head. “Wait too long and someone else is bound to take interest.”
Is that what’s happening? Is Weston interested in Sunny? Not that it matters, because it doesn’t, but my mind starts reeling with worry that I’m right. I was confident Sunny would do well at her job, but at the same time, I didn’t expect her to fit in this well.
“Wes,” I catch his attention right away, “can you put Chance and Cricket away? I need to borrow Sunny for a second.”
Getty laughs under his breath. “Smooth. Real smooth.”
Sunny points toward the corral. “I was gonna go feed, is it important?”
Clearing my throat, I do my best to remember my role around the ranch. “Weston and Silas can do it today. We need to deal with that bug problem.”
Light dawns in her eyes. “Right. The bug problem. You called the guy?”
“Yep. He’s meeting us in about twenty minutes.”
“Oh, we better go.” She hands the lead rope off to a confused Weston to follow after me. I glance over my shoulder once to make sure he’s going, and he is, but I also spot Getty giving me a mild hand of applause.
But he’s wrong. I didn’t pull Sunny away because she was talking with Weston. It had nothing to do with that.
We have a meeting with a guy about unloading a Bugmarine Subbug.
Chapter 6
Rhett
B
Being alone with her, eing alone with her, it reminds me that she’s a complete stranger. Yeah, it’s good that I’m helping, but I don’t know anything about her and it’s not as if she’s providing a lot of information to fill those gaps.
My truck bumps along the backroads in virtual silence. I steal a few glances in her direction to find she’s pulled that bottom lip back into her mouth, seesawing it between her teeth. Back at the ranch, she was as calm as you please, but venturing back to where we met, she’s a bundle of nerves all over again.
“How was your first day?”
Sunny stares out the window, watching the waves roll in. “Fine.” She seems to think about it and chuckles to herself. “I owe all my stall cleaners a debt of gratitude. I didn’t know it would be that physical.”
All her stall cleaners? Is she talking over the years, or does her ranch come with a massive staff? It feels like a clue, but I don’t give any reaction. Better to file it away for later.
