by Hope Ford
I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what I know is coming. This is Forest Grove, after all. They probably all know who he is. “Derrick Keller.”
“Derrick Keller? Wow, I didn’t see that coming,” Lacy says, wide-eyed. “That’s Trent’s older brother. He’s a character all right, but awful cute.”
“Yeah, he is,” I agree.
“Derrick is a good man, a hard worker, honest, quiet, and rough around the edges, but I can’t see him just ditching you at the bar if you two were having fun,” Lacy says with confusion etched on her face.
I am so glad I didn’t confess that it was actually the morning after where he pulled his disappearing act. Now that I know Derrick is Trent’s brother and Lacy knows him, I want to get off the topic and out of the danger zone of having the truth come out.
“You know, maybe I’m just being silly about all this. He could have gotten an important call or something that pulled him away. I guess I just found it strange that he left the way he did.”
“I don’t know, Liv. It’s weird. And you saw him today? How did he act?” Lacy asks, still skeptical about the fact that Derrick just left me. She must have a high opinion of him, and I don’t want to mess that up or come between family.
“He acted fine. Really, I think I’m just being sensitive, that’s all. Let’s change the subject. How is Brody doing, Rose?”
She smirks at me because it’s obvious I’m grasping at straws to get the attention off myself, but thankfully, Rose helps me out. “He’s doing better. He’s going crazy not able to do anything. But he should be released to go back to work next week.”
I look at her to see how she’s taking it. “You okay with that?” They were on shaky ground not long ago, and I’ve been worried about her since.
But she doesn’t seem worried. “Yes. I’m good with it, actually. We’ve come up with a plan, and we’re going to make it work. Brody keeps saying that he’ll quit, but that’s not an option. We’re going to make it work.”
Everyone is talking then, and I join in, trying to ignore Lacy’s curious glances.
Derrick
Waking up early because of a sexy dream I had about Olivia, I am even grumpier than before. I get to work early and think I’ll check on the steer so that it’s less likely I’ll run into the she-devil that’s haunting my dreams when she comes to check on the steer and Petey.
“What’s wrong with you this morning?” Trent asks me as I step through the porch. “You’ve slammed every door and cabinet this morning and been in a crappy mood the past few days.”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind. Like running a ranch for one. I’m just going to check on the steer and then head out to pasture.”
He must notice me watching the main road every time a car goes by. Our driveway is long, and you can see the dust rise and usually hear the tires on the gravel road when people come in through the gate. But it looks like the coast is clear.
“Are you trying to avoid the cute new vet? You weren’t very nice to her yesterday.”
“First of all, what do you think Lacy would think about you calling another woman cute? And second of all, I was nice to her. I’m nice to everyone,” I tell him defensively.
“Lacy doesn’t have anything to worry about, and you know it. Just admit it, you think she’s cute. I sensed some serious vibes from both of you.”
“I never said she was cute,” I growl stubbornly.
Trent smirks at me. “Really? All the ranch hands seem to think she’s got some seriously sexy curves. So I’m not really sure how you missed that.”
I can feel my ears burning with my temper flaring. “Way to objectify the vet, Trent. And you tell the guys to stay away from her,” I huff. “You know what? Forget it, I’ll go tell them. That’s the only way things get done right around here anyway.” I’m sure my comment will make him feel guilty, but it doesn’t seem to.
“Fine. While you’re in the barn, say hi to Olivia. She’s already seen to the steer. She’s with Petey now. You can still catch her.”
I look toward the barn, and sure enough, there’s her truck parked right next to it.
I hate that a huge part of me wants to go and see the woman who’s haunting my dreams, but I don’t give in to my wants. Instead I say, “I don’t need to talk to the vet, Trent. I’ve got work to do. I’m not calling myself a rancher so I can gab at every good-looking woman who passes through.”
“I knew you liked the way she looks. I knew there was something there.”
I don’t even stand there and argue with him. I stalk off the porch, and instead of going into the barn, where I’m sure to see the vet, I grab the four-wheeler to go out to the fourth pasture. If I can get out on the range and do a full day of man’s work, I’ll be able to push Olivia back into the corner of my mind where every other one-night stand or weekend good time gets filed away.
10
Olivia
It’s been a long day of work, and yet I’m still thinking about how I didn’t see Derrick out at the Keller Ranch.
Was he avoiding me?
I give myself a mental kick in the pants. Of course he wasn’t hiding from me. It isn’t like everything the man does has something to do with me. It just sucked that I didn’t get to see him. He may not be the guy I get to kick up my heels with, but he sure isn’t hard to look at either. My whole body shivers just thinking about his hard chest, thick thighs, and him grunting over top of me as he took me.
Since it seems I’ll probably be running into him from time to time in the small town or on the ranch, I’ll have to figure out how to have a cordial relationship with him.
It’s not like I have any real right to be angry with him anyway. So he was rude and left without communicating. That didn’t warrant a grudge on my part. Not only is he a big client for the clinic, but also Lacy has made a point to tell me what a great guy he is over and over since our dinner the other night.
If anything, the night of passion we shared made me want to think of him fondly more than anything else. It’s too depressing to think that my best sex was with a guy who goes out of his way to avoid me.
I make a promise to myself that the next time I see him I’m going to be outgoing and friendly. This will show him that we can be friends, and things don’t have to be weird.
I’m about to leave the clinic when I get a call from the feed store. “Sure, Robert. I’ll be right there.”
It seems the owner keeps a donkey there, and he’s not bearing weight on one of his legs.
As soon as I get there, and Robert leads me to the donkey, he insists on standing over me and telling me every which way I do things different than Doc Winters, the last vet.
I just smile and keep working, keeping myself trained on the hurt animal.
I look up, not because I heard anything, but something grabbed my attention, and then I spot him. Derrick Keller is walking down an aisle. There’s a doorway between us, the upper part open to where I can see inside, but I’m crouched so low I don’t think he’ll see me.
He has a grumpy look on his face, but that doesn’t stop the women from whispering about how handsome they find him. I look over at the two little old ladies. They have to be at least seventy. They have good taste, that’s for sure.
One of them stops him and asks him to help her get something off the top shelf where she can’t reach, and it’s sweet to see him take down his guard and help the little old lady. He even ends up holding three different kinds of whatever it is she’s buying while she tries to decide.
He can’t be such a bad guy if he’s willing to go the extra mile helping that little old lady.
I shake my head and continue working on the donkey. Robert never took a break. He’s still talking about Doc Winters and how he would be doing things.
Of course, later when I’ve finished telling Robert how to care for the donkey’s injured leg, and I walk through the store to leave out the front, I hear the owner chatting with a customer about what a bad temper that Derrick
Keller has.
The guy is a total mystery.
Derrick
I didn’t know that Olivia was coming by the ranch until she shows up. Then a text message arrives from Trent. Olivia will be coming by to remove the tube from the steer.
I shake my head as I pocket my phone. I’m used to Jason, my youngest brother, being the goof-off and smartass. And honestly, since he joined the Army, I’ve missed him a little bit. But I’m not enjoying this side I’m seeing of Trent. It’s as if he’s trying to push Olivia and me together or something. Heck, it’s probably Lacy’s idea. She’s a sweet girl, but she’s always trying to play matchmaker.
I meet Oliva at her truck. “Hey,” I say quietly.
I am ready for her to be all over me with questions or to snub me since it’s just the two of us, but instead she’s giving me an audacious smile and talks to me with professional courtesy. “Hey, Mr. Keller. Good to see you. How’s the steer today?” she asks as she keeps walking past me with a smile plastered to her face.
“Mr. Keller? I think you know my name,” I tell her. I mean, she moaned it over and over the other night. The breathy way she said it is still etched in my mind.
She just shrugs and smiles at me over her shoulder. “Sure do. Hey, Derrick.”
I follow her into the barn almost cautiously. What is she playing here? I wasn’t expecting this. I figured for sure she’d say something about the other night. I never dreamed she’d act like it just didn’t happen. My guilt for walking out without a word is eating at me, but maybe it shouldn’t. From the way she’s acting, she doesn’t even care that I walked out, or about what happened between us the other night.
She pets the steer’s head and immediately gets to work. She removes the tube and patches up the wound, all the while saying that the steer is no longer at risk from the bloating and that its stitches will dissolve so there isn’t any need to remove them.
She removes her gloves and goes over to dispose of them before lifting her bag up. It appears she’s about to leave, and I find I’d rather she didn’t just yet.
“Do you need to check on Petey, too?” I say, asking her about the stallion.
“His blood work came back clear. If he’s riding well there isn’t any need for me to see him.”
“Did you ride him to see if he was riding well?” I ask, knowing I sound like a dick.
Olivia’s dark eyebrows raise. “Ride him? No. I don’t ride.”
“Don’t ride? But you’re a vet. How can you not ride?”
Olivia laughs, and her blush is sexy. “Believe it or not, I meant to get around to learning to ride, but schoolwork and other stuff got in the way.”
“No time to learn like the present,” I tell her, and I don’t know which one of us is more shocked.
11
Olivia
I can’t believe I let him talk me into this.
He’s going over the instructions, and all I can do is watch the way the muscles pull in his forearms as he tightens the saddle. He shows me step by step and is even patient with me when he tells me to give it a try and then has to show me again because I wasn’t paying attention.
When the beautiful Petey is ready, I look around, thinking there’s no way we’re going to ride this horse together. There’s no way I will be able to resist him being that close.
“Put your foot in here,” he says, pointing at the stirrup.
I lift my foot to do what he says, and he laughs. “Other one.”
I cringe. He probably thinks I’m an idiot or that I planned to ride the horse backwards. And then that image pops into my head of me riding the horse backwards, straddling Derrick’s lap. Get out of your head, Olivia. Get it together.
I lift my other foot and pull up, throwing my leg over the huge animal. Derrick is right there. I can feel his hands on my thighs helping me up, and his hand stays on my leg once I’m settled.
The horse looks back at us almost like he’s bored and then turns away again.
I’m holding my breath, wondering if he’s getting on when Miguel comes out of the barn with another horse already saddled. “Hey, Miguel.” I wave at him.
“Hey, Miss Olivia,” he says to me as he hands the reins to Derrick.
“Thanks, Miguel,” Derrick tells him before pulling himself up onto the horse.
I won’t lie. There’s maybe just a small little bit of me that’s disappointed that we won’t be riding together. But there’s something really potent about seeing this massive man sitting astride the big black horse. He looks in charge, and an image from the other night pops into my head as he bent me over my bed and took me from behind. He was in charge then, too.
“Okay. So we’re just going to walk first, that’s it,” Derrick says in a soothing voice.
“I’m fine just walking. No galloping, sprinting or running. Let’s just walk.”
I expect Derrick to argue with me, but instead he just smiles. “Fine. We’ll just walk.”
Dammit, make up your mind. Either you’re an asshole or a good guy. You can’t be both, I say in my head.
He shows me how to ride a horse. He takes us in a slow pace out to pasture. Petey does great and is good at following commands from either the tug of the reins or cluck of my tongue.
We’re quiet for so long enjoying the breathtaking views that when he finally talks, it startles me a little.
“So why’d you decide to become a vet?”
I’m thankful he’s not deciding here is the place to bring up the other night. I would hate for one of us to get mad and me get stuck out here on a horse. “Animals are easy.”
He laughs, and the deep sound sends goosebumps down my arms. “I know my last foreman would disagree with you. He was kicked by one of the horses.”
“Did he deserve it?” I ask him.
He cocks his head to the side as if he’s surprised by the question. “As a matter of fact, he did. That’s why he no longer works here.”
“See, animals are easy. You’re good to them, and they love you unconditionally. If not, well, you get kicked by a horse.”
“Okay, but that doesn’t really tell me why you became a vet.”
I shake my head. “I’ve never been a people person. Actually, Rose Hall, do you know her?” I stop to look at him.
He gives me a look like Duh, we are talking about Forest Grove.
“Right, well, she’s actually my first friend really. I met her my senior year of college. I made my first friend in college! That should tell you how good I am with people. Anyway, so I was never good with people. I still am not. I found that I had a way with animals, and I guess that instead of trying to work a job where I had to deal with people all day, it was smarter for me to work with animals.”
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ve never had a way with people either. Some people say I’m not very nice.”
I try to hide my smirk. He might not have a way with all people, but he definitely has a way with women. He had me committing to a one-night stand without even a second thought. Something I’d never thought I’d do.
Spending a good chunk of the afternoon with him out on horseback, I am pretty sure I had it right when I’d decided he's more than just a gruff snob because of how he treats his family, ranch hands, and horses.
Even though I think he’s hot and deep down is a great guy, I tell myself that I’ve got to be done with him romantically. This is not going anywhere.
So when he walks me to my truck, I let the opportunity pass to ask him why he left my place the way he did even though he’s in a good enough mood he might answer. I decide that maybe it’s better if I don’t know.
“Thanks for teaching me to ride, that was really nice of you.”
Derrick
I’m thinking that after spending the afternoon with her and having just as much fun with her as I did when we were tipsy, I was too rash to cut and go the way I did. Olivia is worth more than just a one-night stand.
I follow her to her truck, and she thanks me a
gain for teaching her to ride. She’s fierce and very capable, but the way she was nervous about galloping on the trustful horse made me feel even more protective of her than I already did.
She brushes her hair off her face, and she’s still smiling even though she’s probably sweaty and smells of horses. “Do you want to go out with me?” I ask her.
She stops and looks up at me with wide eyes. I move a little closer to her and find I was mistaken. She still smells as sweet as she did the first night I met her.
She looks me up and down and then in the face. I can see the answer on her face even before she says it. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I can’t say I’m surprised. She’s absolutely beautiful. She probably doesn’t think I’m good enough. Maybe since she’s gotten to know me she’s figured out that I’m not anything special. Or she doesn’t like the fact that I’m just a rancher. Regardless, I’m not going to beg her even though it’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her why not.
“The feed I ordered for Petey to give his immune system a boost has come in to the office. I’m sorry. I should have brought it when I came today.”
Back to being all business. I guess that’s how she wants to play it. “Thanks. I’ll be by to pick it up tomorrow.”
She nods, telling me, “Thanks again” before climbing into her truck. I watch her drive away and stand there long after all the dust settles.
12
Derrick
I kicked myself most of the night for not sticking around and keeping the foothold I had in her life while I could’ve. That one night with her was the brightest light of my dim past, and I’m kicking myself for not fighting a little harder to keep her in my life. How in the world I go from thinking that I don’t want a relationship to now trying every which way I can to claim her as mine is beyond me. But I do know that I want more of her. And not just in my bed. Spending time with her on the ranch, around the animals, all of it. It’s shown me what I’ve been missing.