Chapter 14
A careful examination of Jenny’s wrist by Jo Jo confirmed that it was most likely just a bad sprain. Jenny had tucked Hank’s shirt to the side of her when Jo Jo removed it, trying to hide the smile that crossed her lips when she pictured him helping her. He had been so sure of what to do. Jo Jo wrapped her wrist with a rolled bandage and told her to elevate it, keeping it covered with an ice pack. “Stay here until you’re feeling better.”
Jenny scooted to the edge of the couch. “But what about dinner?”
Jo Jo’s glare made her shrink back into the cushions. “I’ve been making dinner since before you were born. I think I can handle it.”
“But your heart—"
“Is perfectly fine. I’ve been resting like the doctor ordered. I’m sure I can handle whipping up a pot of chili mac and cheese.” Jo Jo reached her hand out and brushed a strand of hair out of Jenny’s eyes. “Sweetheart, I love that you worry about me, but I promise you I’m okay.”
Jenny nodded, scooting back so she was leaning against the back of the couch. She adjusted the pillow under her arm and closed her eyes, trying to feel the cold of the ice pack, which had yet to seep through and calm the throbbing in her wrist. “Have I mentioned how amazing you are yet today?” she asked as Jo Jo left the room.
Jo Jo’s laughter rang out from the kitchen. “And that, my dear, is why you are my favorite.”
Jenny propped her feet up on the coffee table, and reached for the shirt by her side. She held it with her good hand, her stomach fluttering at the memory of Hank’s muscular arms holding onto her while he helped her to the truck. His strong arms were so good with everything tough on the ranch, yet so gentle with her. When Hank handed her off to Jo Jo, she almost grabbed his hand and asked him to stay. The room was lonely without him by her side.
Whoever this Amanda girl was, she was crazy to let Hank go. The world wasn’t exactly filled with kind, hardworking men. At least not Jenny’s world, with businessmen who would open the door for her, waiting until later to stab her in the back. When Hank held a door open, it was so he could watch her walk safely inside. It was refreshing to interact with someone who didn’t have a hidden agenda.
The sound of meat sizzling in the pan caused Jenny’s insides to squirm. She called out to Jo Jo, “Are you sure you have things covered? I can come help.” What if her grandma had another fainting spell because Jenny wasn’t capable of walking without tripping over her own two feet?
Jo Jo’s flushed face peered out from the kitchen. “If you fuss over me one more time, I’m going to send you to your room. I don’t want to hear another peep out of you until dinner is served.” She put her hands on her hips and stared down Jenny until she began to squirm.
“Yes, ma’am.” Jenny brought her hand to her lips, pantomiming locking them shut. She threw the imaginary key over her shoulder. Then closed her eyes until Jo Jo’s voice began to sing along to the radio in the kitchen.
Snapping her eyes open, Jenny took a look around the room. The end table was piled high with books. If Jo Jo and Hank couldn’t entertain her, she’d have to entertain herself. The Secret Garden was on the top of the stack. It was a book about healing, which was exactly what Jenny needed her wrist to do. She opened the book and propped it up on the couch pillows, awkwardly turning each page with one hand while she tried to concentrate on the story and not the handsome cowboy who was going to return from his chores for dinner. The clock beat out a steady rhythm in the background, each quiet tick another second closer to seeing the man who made her heart race.
Jenny’s wrist was taking a while to heal, and being out of commission was a slow form of torture. Jo Jo had produced a sling for her wrist, but the magic wand of healing was nowhere to be found. She just had to keep her wrist elevated and iced until the throbbing pain went away.
After two days, Jenny had had enough. When she woke up feeling only a little sore, Jenny ran to the stable to find Hank there, shaking up Bacon’s bottle. “Hey. That’s my job,” she told him.
Hank cocked his eyebrow and nodded pointedly toward her wrist. “How exactly did you think you were going to manage things here?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I was going to make it up as I went. Besides, my wrist is almost healed completely.”
He put the bottle down, ignoring an angry whinny from Bacon, and walked over to Jenny’s side. “May I?” She nodded, her pulse speeding up. Lifting the strap of the sling over her head, he removed the fabric so her hand hung free, and then took her wrist in his hand, carefully turning it back and forth. “It isn’t as swollen as it was yesterday,” he said.
Jenny shook her head, the air suddenly more difficult to breathe with Hank standing so close to her. “And it’s way better than it was the first day. Jo Jo says I can probably lose the sling tomorrow.”
Hank trailed his fingers over her arm, gently stroking her wrist. The touch of his hand on her skin made her shiver with anticipation. If only he was holding her hand because he liked her, and not because she was another broken thing on the ranch that needed fixing. “I’m sorry you got hurt. I hate seeing people in pain,” he said quietly.
“Well, I do tend to be a bit of a klutz. This is pretty normal for me.”
Hank wrapped the sling back around her arm and lifted the strap to place it behind her neck, pushing her hair to the side. When his hand brushed against her skin, Jenny’s heart sped up. She reached for his hand, gently squeezing it before she released it. His calloused hands left her aching for something more, but she wasn’t going to be the next project that Hank had to worry about.
Bacon whinnied again, but Jenny didn’t move. She was watching Hank, waiting for him to say something. The distance between them was close. Too close for casual friends. She waited for him to make a move, to prove that she wasn’t just another task on the ranch that had to be dealt with. The heat built up in intensity, carrying with it the desire for Hank to close the gap completely.
Jenny tilted her chin up, locking eyes with him. She didn’t move as his eyes flicked down to her lips and then back up to her face. His lips parted slightly, and the longing to kiss him danced over Jenny’s skin. Then he tilted his hat once and stepped back, breaking the moment. “I need to get back to work. I’m glad you’re feeling better,” he said. He turned to the stables, as Jenny watched, willing the blood racing through her body to still.
Frustration sped up her thoughts. Why was she acting this way? A relationship with Hank was a ticking time bomb. She had five short weeks left until she headed back to the city. “It looks like you’ve got things covered here,” she said. “I’m going to go see what my grandma is up to.”
Hank nodded but didn’t turn around. Jenny folded her arms, her good hand tucking under the sling, and stomped out of the stables. She needed to find something to throw or kick until she could get her emotions back under control and forget about starting a doomed relationship with someone who clearly wasn’t available.
Jenny wanted to avoid Bacon’s stable for the next feeding session, but she couldn’t stay away from the foal any longer, even if it meant seeing the cowboy who was making her insides churn like a lovestruck schoolgirl. If he was going to be there, sending her heart all aflutter with excitement, she would be prepared. A quick browsing of Jo Jo’s bookshelf provided the perfect distraction. She grabbed a copy of Where the Red Fern Grows and headed to the stables. Not surprisingly, Hank was already inside, humming while he shook up Bacon’s bottle.
He glanced over at her, and then back to the task at hand. “Did your wrist miraculously heal in the three hours since I saw you last?”
His voice shot through her, filling her with longing to stand close to him. It was going to take more than a sad book to distract Jenny’s mind. “Bacon is used to having me here. If I can’t feed him, I can still sit outside his stall and read to him.”
She settled on to the tackle trunk and flipped to the first page, the words catching in her throat with the rugged cowboy also l
istening in. “When I left my office that beautiful spring day, I had no idea what was in store for me . . .” Laughter bubbled out of Jenny’s mouth, the irony of the words hitting close to home. She couldn’t have imagined she’d be sitting in a stable reading to a small horse weeks after she had run away from home.
Hank looked up at her. “What’s so funny?”
Jenny pointed to the words. “I think I could have written that opening line about my life. Of course, the rest of the book doesn’t really relate as well, unless you’re planning on taking me coon hunting. Anyway, shush. I’m reading to my horse.”
“Do you think that’s appropriate reading material for a baby?” Hank held the bottle up to Bacon’s lips. “Maybe he would prefer something a little happier. I think we have a copy of Goodnight Moon floating around somewhere.”
“Give him some credit,” Jenny said. “Bacon is much smarter than your average horse. I’m pretty sure he wants to hear the rest of the story, and you’re making it difficult for me to read.” She fixed a glare on Hank, fighting the corners of her mouth, which were threatening to rise. When Hank lowered his eyes, she turned back to the book. “To begin with . . .” She trailed off, closing the book. “Never mind.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Maybe you’re right. I don’t think I can read to Bacon about a hurt dog, even if it is the most heartbreakingly beautiful ending ever.”
“So, you’re a sucker for sad endings? I thought all girls liked happily ever after stories.”
Jenny walked to the pen and rested her good arm on the door, watching Hank’s back while he worked. “Did Jo Jo tell you why I came to the ranch?”
“Not really. She said you needed a break.”
That sounded like Jo Jo. It wasn’t surprising that she had kept Jenny’s secret. “It was more than that. My boyfriend cheated on me. I was getting ready for a marriage proposal and he was off kissing another girl.”
Hank spun to face Jenny. “Was he insane?”
“I’m sure he had his reasons.”
“So, you came here to get away from him?” Hank tilted the bottle up so Bacon could get the milk more easily.
“Partly. I wasn’t okay with my break-up, but I was handling it. The day Justin’s girlfriend started work at my office, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep it together. I had just gotten back in touch with Jo Jo, and it seemed like a sign. I figured I’d be better off here.”
Bacon slurped a final time, and Hank set the bottle to the side. He walked over to the door, leaning against it, with his elbow inches away from Jenny’s. “Did you know that I thought you were coming to steal the ranch from Jo Jo?”
Jenny pushed back so she could look into Hank’s face. “Why would you think that?”
“Look at it from my side. You were the granddaughter that never came around. And you work with some fancy realty firm. It made sense to me.”
Tightness wound around Jenny’s heart. She thought they were getting to be friends, but Hank was back to accusations. “You know why it was hard for me to come here. I told you about my mom.” She turned away from the pen, but Hank placed his hand over hers, holding her in place.
“Wait, let me finish,” he said.
The pressure of Hank’s hand on hers was enough to keep her there. “I was very wrong,” he continued, “and I’m glad I was. I didn’t know how much you would change things around here. How much you would change me.” Hank gave Jenny’s hand a gentle squeeze before wrapping his fingers through hers.
Tingles sped through Jenny’s body; her face warm. The stall door separated her from Hank, but she was consciously aware of how close he was to her. She raised her eyes to his face, passing by his lips on her way to meeting his eyes. “I didn’t think I’d make it here those first few weeks. I don’t know how you put up with me.”
Hank trailed his fingers up her arm and then back down to her hand. “You don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?” The tingles shooting through Jenny’s body were making it difficult for her to concentrate.
“You don’t see how much we needed you. Me. Jo Jo. Even Bacon. The ranch became a different place when you got here. It got better.” Hank let go of Jenny’s hand and stepped back, opening the door to the stall so he could step through to her side. With a gentle thud, the door closed behind him, and he walked to Jenny, wrapping his arms around her.
Pulse racing, Jenny leaned into the hug, her injured arm forgotten as she folded into Hank’s embrace. She sighed, the weight of his arms circling her protectively. When she tilted her head up to see Hank’s face, he was watching her with an expression that needed no translation. She met his eyes briefly before he grabbed his hat off of his head and lowered his mouth to hers, pressing the lightest of kisses to her lips. It wasn’t enough. Jenny reached her arm up and wrapped it around his neck, pulling his face close to kiss him once more.
Chapter 15
It took a few seconds for Hank to register what he was actually doing. He shouldn’t be kissing Jo Jo’s granddaughter. That probably broke some sort of employer rules. He couldn’t help himself though. Wrapping his arms around Jenny felt as natural as fixing a fence or feeding the animals. He was good at most of his jobs, and kissing Jenny was no exception. She wasn’t a job though. She was the best kind of surprise. Her lips fit with his like they were made to be joined together.
Logic was shouting at Hank. Jenny came with an expiration date. She was heading back to the city in just over a month to join a world completely removed from his own. He was asking for a broken heart, but somehow that didn’t matter with her lips pressed against his.
Hank sank into the kiss, exploring her lips briefly before pulling back. The air pulsed with whispers of longing, but he had to resist. He wasn’t going to ruin another relationship by jumping in too quickly. Jenny was special. He wrapped one arm around her waist and brought the other hand to her face, gently caressing her cheek. He tilted his head down and pressed another kiss to her forehead before wrapping both arms around her.
“So, that just happened.” His voice was husky when he spoke.
Bacon whinnied and hit the door with his hooves. Hank spun with Jenny, turning to look at the little horse.
Jenny’s laughter filled the space, adding lightness to the moment. “Did we just get busted by a horse?” She rested her head on Hank’s chest.
“I guess someone thinks I should finish my job.” Hank gave Jenny a final squeeze and then lowered his arms, reluctant to leave her warmth behind.
She grabbed his hand and pulled his head toward hers, kissing his lips once more before pushing him away, saying, “Go. Take care of my horse for me.”
He nodded and walked away, his feet pulling him toward Bacon’s stall even though he wanted nothing more than to stay caught in the moment with the city girl. He was on the ranch, though, and he had chores to do. He watched Jenny walk out of the barn and turned to the foal. “Let’s get that mane of yours untangled before Jenny comes back to yell at us.”
Jenny was buoyant when she left the stable. She glanced at the ground to make sure she wasn’t floating away. Those lips! When Hank kissed her, his tender side poured through. He was so strong with everything on the ranch, but he had gentleness behind that kiss. Jenny wanted more. She hated leaving him in the stables, but she knew the rules of the ranch as well as anyone else. The work wouldn’t go away just because she happened to discover how much fun kissing the cowboy was.
Silverware clattered in the kitchen when Jenny walked into the house. She stopped in front of the entryway mirror to assess her face. Her cheeks were flushed, and she had a smile that wouldn’t go away, but other than that, there were no telltale signs that she had just been kissed. That was a piece of information Jenny was not eager to share with her grandma just yet. There was no telling how Jo Jo would react.
She wandered to the kitchen to help Jo Jo cook dinner, trying to tame the happiness that was bubbling up inside of her. A pile of freshly-cut carrots were on the co
unter, with celery piled high next to it. Jo Jo stood at the stove, sautéing chicken with onions and garlic.
“What’s for dinner?” Jenny looped an apron over her head and then turned around so Jo Jo could tie her in.
“It’s chicken pot pie day.”
“My favorite. So, is there anything I can do with just one arm?” Jenny asked.
A bowl sat on the counter filled with flour and shortening. “If you want to try to cut the shortening into the flour, be my guest. I’d tell you to sit down, but I know how well that would go.” Jo Jo winked at Jenny. “It’s almost like you take after your grandma.”
Holding the fork with one hand, Jenny propped the bowl between some towels so she could work. As she sliced the shortening into the flour, dicing it into small bits, she looked at her grandma. “Was my mom like this, too?”
“Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea how much you remind me of her. She was independent and a good worker, just like you,” Jo Jo said.
“And stubborn?”
“Yes. Incredibly stubborn. I have no idea where she got it from. Can you hand me the meat?” Jenny passed the bowl to Jo Jo, who dumped the meat into the pan, the oil popping. She sprinkled flour onto the meat, stirring it together before slowly adding chicken broth. “Now, if you’d pass me those carrots, please.”
Before long, the pie was in the oven, topped with a perfect crust. Jo Jo yawned and stretched her hands over her head.
“Hey, Grandma, do you mind if I lay down for a nap?” Jenny asked. She wasn’t tired, but Jo Jo certainly was.
“That sounds like a great idea. I think I’ll close my eyes for a bit as well.”
Jenny waited until Jo Jo’s feet echoed down the hallway. Then she went to the front swing, waiting impatiently for the days chores to be finished. A certain ranch hand was on her mind, and she couldn’t wait to see him again.
Love at Rosecrown Ranch Page 9