Page 22 of The Rancher

He holds up his hands. "I checked your boots at the front door for the size. There are some beautiful hiking trails around here, but you’ll need ankle support and the proper soles.”

I pull out a box, then sit at the dining room table to open it, revealing a pair of the most beautiful hiking boots I've ever seen. He’s removed the price sticker, but they strike me as expensive. The stitching and the sturdy yet lightweight shell feel like top quality.

"They were all pretty much the same color and design,” he says, shrugging. "And they're just going to get dirty anyway. But I don't want you to ruin your cute little leather boots."

I jump up and hug him. "This is very thoughtful. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome."

He starts putting the groceries away, and I try to help as much as I can, given that I’m still learning where everything goes. We decide on pasta primavera for lunch, to use up the last of some vegetables he got at a farmers’ market, plus more that he picked from the garden out back this morning.

As we’re chatting, his phone pings, and he nods after reading the message.

"Good news?" I ask.

"Yep. My horseshoe expert is coming by at three to check on Prince and Unicorn." He smiles. “Not all horses need to be shod, but it's rough terrain out here. Some of the fields are hard-packed soil, with chunks of rock. They'll be safer with good shoes."

Lunch is lovely. He tells me more about the history of this ranch, and the fun he had building the house, designing everything to suit him perfectly.

After our meal, Stone heads to the stables to meet with his horseshoe expert. I’m heading back up to my room with another coffee when it hits me.

Stone is treating me like one of his rescue horses.

Healthy meals with tons of vegetables. The various snacks he keeps leaving lying around. The multivitamins.

New shoes, so I'll be safer and more comfortable on his land.

It's thoughtful, yes. At the same time, he's almost acting like he assumes I'm going to just move in and stay here forever, living in his world, according to what he thinks is best.

Is Stone training me, like one of his animals?

13

STONE

Idrive back from the stable, relieved that everything went smoothly with Prince and Unicorn. It’s also frankly a relief that those horses seem to have been named already. I’ve had so many animals go through this ranch that I’m running out of ideas.

I’m worried that something is wrong with Remy, though.

I don’t understand. Things were going so well. We were growing together, making progress, and I thought I was doing my best to learn what she needs.

Our date certainly went well. I felt like a king with Remy on my arm. But this morning our energy felt a bit…off.

I park the truck and go inside, hoping Remy isn't glued to her laptop. I respect a strong work ethic, I really do. But if this is supposed to be her vacation, she needs to rest. Especially if she's been working two full-time jobs at once for quite a while.

When I go inside, Remy is in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of water. As I walk by her laptop on the dining room table, my eyes automatically glance at her screen.

It's as if a brick materializes in the pit of my stomach.

“Glad to see you getting a change of scenery by adjourning downstairs. How’s your work going?" I force myself to ask casually.

"Good." She hurries over to her laptop and snaps it shut. "I've gotten a lot done."

Staring up at the ceiling, I take a slow breath. "Baby, I didn't mean to look and see those bus schedules. You know how the human eye is – you see a screen lit up, you glance at it." Her head drops. "I feel we need to talk about this."

"Do we, though?" Her chin jerks up, her bottom lip trembling. "We both knew I would only be staying here for a week or two."

I reach out to casually stroke her hair, keeping my voice soft. "That was our assumption in the beginning, yes, but it felt to me like things were changing. What about you, beautiful?"