He pointed to one section of the drawing. “So, you’re putting flower beds along the front of the house?”
“Yes, and a flower garden in the backyard with a low fence around it.” She tapped that area of the plans. “Sharon said she wanted flowers that did well along with some herbs, so this should be fun.” She grinned. “Then we’ll be putting small flower beds outside of each cabin. Finally, I’ve got plans for a circular garden that’s visible from the main road into the ranch with a stone shaped like Texas as the center point.” As soon as Alyssa started explaining her plans, she grew more confident. “I’ve chosen plants that all do well in the Texas Hill Country and will be easy to keep alive while adding a natural beauty to the ranch.”
“It sounds like you’ve got everything figured out.” He motioned to the flagged-off area by the house. “So why don’t we agree that you’ll be taking point on this project, I’ll handle the heavy work as needed, and we’ll transform this place from grass and dirt to…” He paused and waited for her to fill in the blanks.
Alyssa’s gaze roamed the area around them. “…into refreshing pools of sage, lantana, and aster.” When she looked at him again, her serious expression cracked a little as an amused smile broke through. “What can I say? I’m a plant nerd.”
“I don’t know about that.” He regarded her a moment. “More like an artist. That’s why you’re the landscaper. Me? I’d pick something green and call it a day.”
She laughed again as she ducked her head. Dare enjoyed the way her subtle freckles became slightly more apparent every time her cheeks warmed. Finding ways to make her blush could easily become a hobby.
* * *
Later that night, Dare had no sooner walked into the bunkhouse before Gabe looked up and gave him a knowing grin. “So. How was your day?”
News spread quickly on the ranch. Dare knew immediately Gabe was referring to Alyssa, but he wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of admitting it. “I didn’t have to fix the sprinkler system. That translates into a good day in my book.” He removed his boots near the door, hung his Stetson on the coat rack, and collapsed onto his bed with a groan.
He did a lot of difficult jobs on the ranch but manning the tiller for several hours had used muscles he’d forgotten about. He was going to be feeling that in the morning. He’d have time to rest before using the tiller again, though. Alyssa told him she wouldn’t be back until Monday on account of another job she was working on. News that disappointed Dare more than it should have.
Dare’s attempt to change the subject didn’t work with Gabe, though.
His friend gave him a look of mock exasperation. “You’re telling me that working with a beautiful woman all afternoon didn’t even make it on your list of interesting things to report?” The noise he made was somewhere between blowing out a puff of air and a grunt. “The grapevine reports that Mrs. Buchanan asked for you to help Alyssa.”
“So I was told.” Dare sat up again and moved to the side of his bed. “Do you know Alyssa?”
“Some. She’s best friends with a girl I used to go out with.” Gabe was one of the most laid-back guys Dare had ever met, but there was something in the tone of his voice that hinted his past relationship was anything but casual.
Dare was curious to know more but kept his questions to himself. “Alyssa’s son, Noah, sure is a character.”
Gabe smiled then with a nod. “You know, Mrs. Buchanan is well-known for her baking, her chicken and dumplings, and her kindness to everyone she meets. But do you know what else she’s famous for?” He paused, and when Dare only waited for an answer, he continued. “Matchmaking.”
Dare couldn’t have been more surprised by Gabe’s answer. His eyebrows rose, and he struggled for something to say. Surely Gabe wasn’t implying that Mrs. Buchanan had asked for him to help Alyssa with the landscaping because…
Gabe’s head tipped back some as he laughed loudly. “Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be the first couple she’s had a hand in introducing.”
“I’m not worried at all, because I think you’re reaching.” He studied his friend. Gabe was the type of guy who thoroughly enjoyed teasing the other ranch hands, but even though he was laughing, his expression said he was serious. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
Gabe shrugged. “I could be wrong about why Mrs. Buchanan asked you—out of all the ranch hands—to help Alyssa. But I’m not joking.”
Dare had wondered why some of the guys had chuckled or smiled at him at dinner in the mess hall but hadn’t thought a lot about it. He groaned. Already, he was the newest member of the ranch staff. Add in that his ranch experience was still somewhat limited, and he’d been trying his best to fit in. “I’m sure all the guys will have a heyday with this.”
“Nah, I wouldn’t worry about that. Consider yourself lucky. You’ve got a free pass to work with a beautiful woman for the next few weeks. I’m quite certain the rest of the guys would gladly be in your shoes.” There was no missing the twinkle in Gabe’s eyes.
Gabe might be right about the other guys happily stepping in and taking over, but Dare had no intention of giving up his place working beside Alyssa.
4
Dare awoke Monday morning, ate a quick breakfast, and then jumped into the long list of chores Mason had given him to take care of around the ranch. He glanced toward the main house and ignored the pang of disappointment at not seeing Alyssa or her truck yet. It was silly to miss seeing someone he’d only known for a few days, but his good sense hadn’t gotten the memo.
Hoping to finish his chores before she arrived, Dare threw himself into his work. Two hours later, he had finished conditioning the tack in the barn when the sound of a truck tailgate being lowered echoed into the stables. He replaced the last saddle, washed his hands, and headed back outside. The moment he saw Alyssa’s truck, his spirit lightened and a smile sprang to his face. She was pulling the tiller closer to the tailgate while Noah had already retrieved the toys from the Buchanans’ back porch and was digging with them.
Dare jogged across the yard. “Here, let me help you with that.” He didn’t wait for her to respond before lifting the tiller out of the bed of the truck and placing it on the ground. “We should have the rest of the soil broken up before lunch, I’d think.”
She nodded. “I hope you’re right. That’s my least favorite part of the job.” She returned his smile, but her eyes looked tired. He wondered if something happened over the weekend, or if she hadn’t slept well.
They didn’t even have a chance to get started before movement caught his eye as Mason rounded the corner, an annoyed expression on his face.
“Dare. Hopscotch got out of the pen again.”
A deep-seated annoyance swirled with dread. The blasted Nubian goat escaped his enclosure on a regular basis. “I’m on it.”
Satisfied, Mason gave him a nod and continued on his way.
Alyssa hiked an eyebrow at him. “Okay, color me curious. Who is Hopscotch?”
“Only one of the most annoying animals I’ve met. He’s a goat, and he also happens to be a master escape artist. My first week on the job, they thought it’d be funny to send me after him when he got out. Apparently, I got him back into his pen quicker than anyone else had been able to.” It was only after the goat embarrassed him, but he didn’t feel the need to share that part now. “I’ve since been labeled the ‘goat whisperer.’ Which just means no one else has to deal with Hopscotch now.” He’d never been a huge fan of goats before but handling Hopscotch pretty much sealed that deal. “Why they keep him around, I’ll never know.”
He unbuttoned the sleeves of his shirt and pushed them up above his elbow. “Personally, I’d be willing to sample some goat steak,” he teased. “You know, get rid of a recurring problem and save some on the grocery bill.” James Scott, the head chef for the ranch, could probably turn a tough goat into a dish all the hands would be happy to eat.
That’s when Dare realized Noah was staring at him.
Wi
th eyes wide, it was clear the boy wasn’t sure what to believe. “You wouldn’t really eat a goat, would you?”
Dare made a show of thinking hard about the question. “I would if someone cooked it up and served it to me. But you know what? I’d much rather have a cheeseburger. How about you?”
Noah licked his lips. “I love cheese burdagers.”
The way Noah said the word had Dare smiling. “In that case, I’d better go catch a goat before anyone else gets tempted to turn him into tonight’s dinner.”
A tiny smile brought the corners of Alyssa’s mouth up as she watched him. “A goat can’t be that horrible. Especially with a cute name like Hopscotch.”
He stopped and fixed her with a playfully serious expression. “You haven’t met him. I’m still pretty new here, but from what I hear, one of the Buchanan’s great grandkids named him Hopscotch shortly after he was born because he jumped and hopped everywhere.” Too bad no one had known then that those cute little jumps were only the beginning. “I’m confident he spends his free time coming up with new ways to irritate me. And he’s a goat, so all he has is free time.”
Alyssa eyes were brimming with curiosity and humor in equal measures. “Do you mind if we tag along? I’ve got to see this infamous goat.”
Noah leapt to his feet and clapped his hands. “Me, too! Me, too!”
He motioned for them to join him. They fell in step and walked around the stables to the area behind. Suddenly, dealing with Hopscotch didn’t seem to be such a terrible thing if Alyssa was going with him. Provided, of course, Dare could get the annoying creature back in his pen before Hopscotch made a fool of him.
The memory of being headbutted in the thigh and landing in mud—in front of the other ranch hands—still brought Dare a great deal of annoyance. He may be able to handle Hopscotch now, but it was only out of self-preservation. If for his ego if not his health.
Alyssa’s soft voice spoke from beside him. “Has anyone figured out how he’s escaping?”
“He jumps over the fence. It manages to keep the other goats in, but Hopscotch is special.” His tone of voice relayed his dislike for goats, or at least this one, anyway. “I’ve seen him use the other goats as a step up and over.”
The goat pen came into view. The four other goats happily chewed on grass or meandered their way around the yard, but there was no sign of Hopscotch. Dare scanned the other pens nearby. He finally heard the goat before he saw him.
An odd-sounding bleat reached his ears again. “You hear that?”
Alyssa paused, her head tilted slightly in a most adorable way. “No…oh, wait.”
Another bleat announced the goat’s location. Dare motioned toward the animal with a shake of his head. “Alyssa and Noah, meet Hopscotch.”
The goat rounded a pen, a large metal bucket on his head as though it were a helmet and he a mighty horse preparing for battle. More like an awkward pony that ran into a wooden post because he couldn’t see where he was going.
Another bleat reverberated inside the metal bucket.
Alyssa covered her mouth with a hand, but not before a chuckle escaped. “Oh my.” There wasn’t much more she could say about the sight. “How’d he manage that?”
“A question we all ask ourselves frequently.” Hopscotch was a funny sight. His mostly white body was mottled with reddish brown markings. The tips of his long ears stuck out below the bucket, swinging this way and that as he stumbled his way across the yard in their direction. Even when the goat was on all fours, the top of his head reached well above Dare’s belt buckle.
“Should we help him get that off his head?” Alyssa started walking toward the goat.
Dare reached for her arm on impulse, catching her above the elbow. The feel of her soft skin against his work-roughened hand made him pause. He’d only intended to stop her from approaching the goat. He hadn’t anticipated the way a simple touch would have his blood pounding in his ears.
Her focus went to his hand before her lashes lifted and she looked into his eyes. There was a question there, but he couldn’t quite interpret it. He forced himself to clear his muddled mind. “Don’t get too close. He’s not overly bright, but he makes up for it with determination.” He looked at Noah then. “Understand?” The boy nodded. “The only thing he likes more than escaping is eating the other animals’ food. He got himself into this situation by being a pig.”
“When you said goat, I pictured one of those little mini goats. He’s closer to a pony.” Alyssa reached for Noah’s hand and held it.
Despite everything Dare had told him, Noah clearly thought Hopscotch was awesome. “I bet I could ride him. Do you think he’d let me?”
“No.”
The chorus of Dare and Alyssa’s voices caused them to glance at each other and smile.
Dare cleared his throat. “Yeah, you need to keep your distance, sprout. There’s nothing cute about this guy.” Unlike the woman keeping him company. Dare reluctantly removed his hand from her arm. “If we can escort him back to his pen before we take the bucket off, it’ll be a whole lot easier.” He moved to stand between them and the goat. He reached a hand out and tried to nudge Hopscotch back in the direction of the goat pen.
The animal bleated again, and this time he sounded annoyed. He tossed his head, the bucket clanging against his horns.
Dare grabbed the bucket handle, which was under the goat’s chin, and pulled him in the right direction. They’d made some progress until Hopscotch complained loudly and raised himself up on his back feet. At several inches taller than Dare, the goat was ready to fight for his freedom. Not that he could really see his foe.
Alyssa jumped back, an arm in front of Noah. “Whoa. I didn’t know they could do that.”
“Hopscotch is a Nubian goat, and he’s not the biggest I’ve seen. They are intelligent. Normally. And incredibly stubborn.” Dare stepped behind the goat’s shoulder and used the handle of the bucket to pull him back down to the ground where he belonged.
He started to lead him back to the pen, the blasted goat fighting him every step of the way.
Dare kept his attention on the animal until a musical sound flittered to his ears. He glanced over to find Alyssa giggling again.
“I’m sorry.” She fanned at her face and started laughing again. “I can see why they ask you to handle Hopscotch. You’re a pro.”
“I don’t know about that.” One day, they’d hire someone new and Dare could pass along goat chasing to him. Even still, her praise didn’t go unnoticed.
They reached the pen. Dare opened the gate, shoved the goat through it, and only then did he remove the bucket from Hopscotch’s head. The goat focused on Dare, who barely made it out of the gate again before Hopscotch lowered his head and rammed his horns right into it. “And that’s how it’s done.”
They watched for several moments as Hopscotch stared at them before jumping onto one of the wooden teeter totters in the pen. He struck a pose, his chin raised.
“How long is he going to stay in there?”
“I’m hoping he’ll last the day.” Dare flashed a crooked smile her way. “But at least I have a witness who saw that I did get him back into his pen.”
“I’ll be happy to testify on your behalf.”
He knew she was joking, but the banter between them felt easy. Relaxed. “I appreciate it.” With their goat-chasing behind them, it was time to get back to tilling. He reached to put a hand on her lower back but pulled back before making contact. That he’d instinctively wanted to touch her surprised him. It was a good thing he’d caught himself, because the last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.
* * *
Alyssa probably had way more fun than she should have observing Dare as he dealt with Hopscotch. She wasn’t sure whether his frustration with the goat or his skill at wrangling it entertained her more. Either way, watching him lead a giant goat with a bucket on its head wasn’t something she’d forget any time soon. She couldn’t wait to tell Morgan about it.
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Once they got back to the tiller, they worked for several hours to finish breaking up the ground for the flower beds around the main house as well as the garden area out back. Alyssa could visualize the plants in place and anticipated the way they’d look when everything was in full bloom. A background of sage, with yellow lantana in the foreground, would make a lovely contrast. Especially before and after a rain when the sage bushes would be most likely to fill with purple flowers. That was just for the flower beds; she had even more plans for the garden.
She had to admit, while she still preferred to work alone, having Dare’s help certainly made the tilling a whole lot easier. It wasn’t only that, though. He was easy to work with. And the way he interacted with Noah seemed so natural. It didn’t matter how many times her son interrupted them, or asked questions, Dare always answered patiently.
She thought about their conversation earlier and how he was still new to working on Sage Valley Ranch. “You mentioned that you hadn’t worked here for long. Have you always lived in Sage Valley?”
“I moved here when I got this job, but I lived in San Antonio before that, so it wasn’t far away. My mom and oldest brother are still there, while I have another brother in the Dallas area.” He lifted the tiller back into the bed of her pickup truck and used the rope there to tie it in securely for her ride back into town. “I worked for another ranch on the other side of San Antonio for less than a year, and that was way too long.” He rubbed his palms against his jeans. “When I saw an opening here, I applied immediately. As soon as I got the position, I moved to Sage Valley.”
“I assume it’s a big step up from your previous job?”
“It is.” He grinned. “Even when taking Hopscotch into account.”
Charmed By The Daring Cowboy (Sage Valley Ranch Book 4) Page 4