by Laura Ann
“Thank heavens,” Lettie gushed as they leapt outside the smelly building.
Once she was clear, Noah slammed the door shut and hooked the lock. Leaning against the door, he took a cleansing breath of fresh air. “I never thought sagebrush would smell so sweet,” he said with a laugh, turning to look at Lettie.
She scowled. “That bird gives me the creeps.”
Noah shrugged, trying to keep a straight face. “Well, the guy’s got a couple dozen hens at his disposal. Maybe he just knows a pretty female when he sees it.”
Lettie’s cheeks immediately burst into red, just like Noah knew they would. It made him want to grab her and continue what they’d started inside. Instead, he laughed and leaned forward to leave a soft kiss on her heated skin.
Lettie smiled shyly and looked up at him through her eyelashes. “Flirt,” she teased. Her eyes went to the basket of eggs and she sucked in a breath. Picking up the one on top, Lettie looked wide eyed at Noah. “It’s green!”
Noah took the egg from her hand. “Different-colored hens lay different-colored eggs.”
“No way,” Lettie said breathlessly. “I’ve never heard that before.” She studied the egg further. “What other colors are in here?”
Noah shrugged and put it back in the basket. “A few. You’ll probably find some speckled ones, some brown ones, and a few white ones.”
Lettie laughed. “That’s so cool.” She pulled a brown one out. “Ew!”
He raised his eyebrows as she stared down at a basket.
Lettiet looked at him with a scrunched nose. “This one’s covered in poop.”
Noah grinned. “Happens all the time. I doubt this will be the last one you find like that.”
“Gross,” she grumbled, carefully holding the egg between two fingers. She studied the dirty brown shell, then shrugged. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since it came out of a chicken’s backside, but still...”
Noah chuckled again. He’d laughed more in the last two days than he had in the last year, and it felt good. “That’s why we wash them once they’re collected. Come on, I’ll take you to the sink. It’s in that barn over there.” Taking the basket from her, Noah held her hand and they began to walk.
“I don’t think they usually have washrooms in the barns in my books,” Lettie said with a laugh.
“Times have changed,” Noah said. “Hence the loss of haylofts.”
“You mean romance,” Lettie quipped back as they began to scrub the dirty eggs.
Noah leaned in close, barely holding himself back from another kiss. He put his lips against her ear, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. “Maybe you’ll just have to help me discover new places to use instead.” When Lettie shivered and her cheeks once again flushed, Noah grinned and went back to his scrubbing. His goal for the moment was done.
CHAPTER 12
Scarlett put on another layer of lip gloss, then pursed her lips in the mirror. She huffed when an elbow collided with her ribcage, moving her away from her spot. “Watch it,” she warned with a grin.
Betsy rolled her eyes. “I’d like to get ready too, ya know.” She winked. “We used to have square dancing in middle school when I was growing up.” She laughed. “We all hated it. Clammy hands, stepping on toes, and old, awkward music.” She shrugged. “But now? I’m kinda excited! Who'd’ve thought?”
Scarlett smiled wide. “I hated middle school, so I can only imagine how annoying that was. But I’m also excited for tonight. I’ve always wanted to have a party around a campfire. We don’t have room for that in my apartment complex.”
“I haven’t danced in forever,” Betsy said with a longing-filled sigh.
Scarlett’s excitement dimmed a little. “Do you miss him?” she asked quietly.
Betsy’s usual carefreeness disappeared and she gave Scarlett a sad smile. “More than I ever thought possible.” She shrugged. “We were together for forty years. My guess is it’ll take at least that long to get over it.”
Scarlett reached over and wrapped an arm around Betsy’s stooped shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze. “I know a little about loss myself,” she whispered. “So don’t worry. You’re not alone.”
Betsy sniffed and wiped at a tear. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Scarlett’s gaze dropped to the sink. “My mom...when I was young. Then my grandmother a couple years ago.”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Betsy sympathized. “How old were you when your mother passed?”
“Twelve.”
Betsy clicked her tongue and shook her head. “That’s way too young.” She hugged Scarlett back. “But your grandma obviously did a good job raising you the rest of the way.” She leaned back and pinched Scarlett’s cheek. “And don’t you forget it.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” she grumbled. “If you call giving me an unhealthy obsession with John Wayne and the Lone Ranger good, then, yep, she was the best.” Scarlett scrunched her nose. “And don’t forget Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. I should go on both shows and make myself rich.”
Betsy chuckled and nodded. “I can’t say I’m surprised. I’ve spent far too many hours watching those myself.”
Scarlett laughed under her breath. “Well, knowing the name of the highest treeless mountain in Washington won’t help me tonight, but I’m still hoping to have fun. Let’s get our dancing shoes on!”
“If you have the right partner, it doesn’t matter what shoes you wear,” Betsy said with a grin, causing Scarlett’s cheeks to flush.
She huffed, trying to hide her embarrassment. “You and your matchmaking,” she grumbled.
Betsy cackled. “You should’ve seen your face when you and that cute cowboy came barreling out of the hen house.”
Scarlett narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at Betsy. “One of these days, I’ll figure out a way to get you back. You and Levi both.”
Betsy batted her eyelashes at Scarlett.
“You do realize you almost got me eaten by a rabid rooster, right?”
Waving a hand in the air, Betsy walked out of the bathroom, laughing the whole way. “Details, details.”
“Crazy woman,” Scarlett mumbled, fluffing her hair one more time before following.
“That’s the best kind to be,” Betsy shot back. “Now come on. I don’t want to miss a thing!”
Arm in arm, the two women walked toward the area they were holding the party at. Despite the fact that she was tired from her early mornings and hardworking days, Scarlett couldn’t help but feel a flutter of excitement at the idea of spending time with Noah in a more relaxed setting. It was Sunday night, the midway point in this ranch experience, and Scarlett was more than ready for a little breather.
Ever since their moment inside the chicken coop a few days ago, things had been sweet but awkward between them. She often caught him looking at her with a shy smile on his face, one which she fully returned.
She also found herself blushing fiercely every time he drew near, and if he had to touch her for any reason? Heaven help her, Scarlett was sure she would melt. The only disappointing thing had been the fact that there had been no more kisses. They were like two inexperienced teenagers, fumbling around their attraction, neither one sure how to take that first real step.
Everything had come at them so quickly that Scarlett didn’t mind the tension between them. They knew so little about each other that it seemed weird to jump right into a relationship. However, she also knew her time with him was limited. And with a dance on the horizon tonight, Scarlett was sincerely hoping to spend some time talking about something other than the ranch. She wanted to know Noah MacMillan the man, not the rancher’s son he was to the guests. Taking a deep breath, Scarlett put a wide smile on her face, determined to make the most of her time tonight.
The flames of the fire were high and the sun wasn’t quite gone yet, so it was easy to see the crew and guests gathered around the wide space, chatting and laughing. Despite her self-imposed order to play it cool, th
e first thing Scarlett did was search for a broad set of shoulders with slightly messy chestnut hair.
He was easy to pick out as he stood next to his sister Violet, his perfect lips spread in a wide smile. Scarlett felt her heart stutter as she took in his easy look for the night. He wore his ropers and jeans, but had upgraded the pants to ones that were obviously less worn. Their dark color was perfect with the collared shirt he wore with the sleeves rolled up past his thick forearms. Don’t drool, don’t drool, Scarlett chanted as she looked at the veins in his arms.
As if he could feel her admiration, Noah turned her way and paused, their eyes meeting and holding. The world went still as they studied each other, and when Noah put out his hand for her, Scarlett knew that come next week, she was going to be in real trouble.
FROM WHERE HE STOOD with his sister, Noah watched an angel approach, and it only took him a moment to realize it was Lettie. She was wearing a denim skirt and those boots with the green swirls again. Her thick hair was flowing down her back in waves that caught the waning sunlight and flames of the fire. He held out a hand to her, feeling ridiculously pleased when she began to quickly close the distance between them.
A punch to his shoulder finally woke him from his stupor and he scowled at Violet. “What gives?” He rubbed his arm.
“Quit drooling,” Violet whispered, then grinned. “Although, it's nice to see you doing the drooling. Usually the girls are the ones who need a napkin.”
“Brat,” Noah grumbled, turning back to the approaching woman. There was no point in denying his attraction to the fun-loving Scarlett. His sister knew him far too well to believe any arguing.
The deadline of their relationship, or whatever this thing was between them, was looming. One more week. Six more days. One hundred and forty-four hours and they would go their separate ways. On one hand, that gave him a sense of urgency. On the other, he wanted to drop the whole thing and save them both the heartache.
“Violet! You look gorgeous!” Lettie gushed as she arrived at their sides. “I wish I could fill out a pair of jeans like that.”
Violet laughed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You’re super sweet, Scarlett. I’ve always wished I was a little less...Amazonian.”
“Pffftt.” Lettie pushed a hand through the air. “You’re like a real life Barbie doll. You definitely don’t get to complain.”
Violet smiled and shook her head. Reaching out, she grasped Lettie’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “You’re good for my ego,” she said softly, then leaned in close and whispered in Lettie’s ear.
Lettie’s eyebrows furrowed together as she listened to Violet, and Noah began to frown. What’s Vi telling her? Once she was done, Violet straightened and the two women nodded at each other in understanding, leaving Noah completely in the dark.
“I need to go check on my guest and then help Mom,” Violet said. She smiled and gave them a little wave before walking away. Once she was past Lettie, Vi turned around and gave Noah a thumbs up before scurrying off. Noah sighed and resisted the impulse to squeeze his sister’s neck. Meddler, he thought angrily. I think the whole ranch is conspiring against us...or with us? He shook his head. I don’t even know anymore.
Lettie clasped her hands in front of her and looked around. “Everything looks awesome,” she said. “You must have put a lot of work into it.”
“Is it just like your books?” Noah asked, making sure to keep his tone light. Although he would never admit it to Lettie, there was something about her constant book references that drove him crazy. He didn’t really care that she read romance. He cared that she was constantly comparing their ranch to them. And me, he thought bitterly. I can’t compete with a book boyfriend. What if I never measure up to what she’s expecting?
Lettie frowned, then slowly shook her head. “No. This is beautiful because it’s beautiful. Books have nothing to do with it,” she said softly.
Noah nodded a few times and scuffed his shoe in the dirt. “You look lovely, by the way,” he said, giving voice to the thoughts he’d had since she walked up. He reached out and rubbed a chunk of her hair between his fingers, then gave it a light tug before letting go.
Her cheeks flushed that delicious red color, making Noah’s fingers twitch. “Thanks,” Lettie murmured. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I have to admit I bought this skirt and boots specifically for the bonfire.”
Noah’s eyebrows went up. “You mean you didn’t own boots before you came here?”
Lettie laughed. “No way. I work in a dental office. Boots would not have been a good fit.”
Noah found himself grinning with her. “I don’t know...I can just see you clomping along from patient to patient.”
Lettie shook her head, making that amazing hair shift around her shoulders. “The kids probably would have gotten a kick out of it, but the older people would have been seriously ticked. They don’t like loud noises.”
“Aren’t dental tools loud?”
Lettie pursed her lips and shrugged. “I’m a hygienist, so I only do the cleanings. That’s not usually too loud, except when I pull out the electric toothbrush. If I chatter quietly the whole time, it all goes pretty smoothly.”
“But...” Noah left the sentence open, knowing there was something she was holding back.
“But as much as the kids would love the boots, not only would my feet be killing me by the end of the day, but it probably wouldn't keep the little ones from biting me, so I’m not sure it would be worth the effort.”
“Biting you? Are you serious?”
“Deadly.” Lettie snapped her teeth together, then snorted when Noah backed up. “Oh my gosh, Noah, you’d never make it in the dental world.”
He blew out a breath, pretending to be traumatized over her story. “Man...note to self: never become a dentist.”
Lettie’s smile dropped a little. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot you plan to do something else.” She glanced around, then came back to him. “Any idea what your next move is?”
Noah shrugged. “Not sure, actually. I have a degree in Agricultural Science, so it’s not very helpful for anything but what I’m doing now.”
“You think you might go back to school?”
Noah shook his head forcefully. “Definitely not.”
“Just an extended vacation then?” Lettie asked, her head tilting to the side. “You gonna go see a few landmarks and then come home?”
Noah stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know. I want out, but I don’t know anything else. It’s...complicated.”
Lettie frowned and tapped her lips. “If you could do anything in the world, no schooling or money necessary, what would you do?”
Noah frowned. One career kept tickling at the back of his head, but he hesitated to say it. It was a dying art and one that he wasn’t sure he was ready to share. Too many people had laughed at his ambitions and told him to quit dreaming. A warm hand on his forearm woke him from his thoughts.
“What is it?” Lettie asked, studying him closer. “You can tell me.”
Noah cleared his throat and rubbed his chin. “It’s stupid.”
Lettie smiled. “Try me. I’m the Queen of Stupid.” She winked. “My lifelong dream has been to spend time on a ranch. I’ll bet yours is better than that.”
Noah chuckled, then sighed. What would it hurt to tell her? In another week, they’d never see each other again. He ignored the fact that the thought hurt to even think about. “I want to raise and train horses.”
Lettie blinked a couple of times. “I’m lost. How is that stupid? I thought you were going to say you wanted to be a snake venom wrangler or something.”
“Snake venom wrangler.” Noah huffed a laugh. “Is that really a thing?”
“According to National Geographic, it is,” Lettie said solemnly, then whacked his arm. “But we’re talking about horses. Why is it stupid?”
“Because it’s not something you can make much of a living at. It’s a dying art,” Noah sa
id sheepishly.
“So keep it from dying,” Lettie said calmly.
Noah frowned. “It’s not that easy,” he argued.
Lettie shrugged. “Things are often only complicated if we make them that way.” Her eyes were stunning but serious when they met his. “If it’s what you really want, you can find a way to make it work.”
CHAPTER 13
Scarlett watched Noah as several different emotions flitted across his handsome face. She could tell he was serious about the horses, but she didn’t understand why he didn’t just grab the reins and go for it...pun intended. “You’re wonderful with the horses around here,” Scarlett said. “Have you tried talking to your dad about it? Maybe you could work something out here on the ranch.”
Noah grunted, but didn’t speak.
Okay...Scarlett tapped her foot, trying to figure out where to take the conversation from here. Even though he’d been sweet about complimenting her, it wasn’t exactly going how she hoped it would be. Her heart fell a little as she concluded he wasn’t going to make a move. He really is dead set on leaving. Nothing I say is going to change that, I guess. Straightening her shoulders, she pasted on a smile. “I guess I’ll go grab some dinner. Thanks for the chat.” Her heart was sinking as she walked away, but what was she supposed to do? I’m not desperate enough to hang around if he doesn’t want me to. I’m not going to beg for his attention. But if I put a little more sway into my hips as I walk away...who can blame me?
Scarlett had learned young that putting a smile on didn’t fix the situation, but it helped. The smile she was sporting right now had gotten her through some tough times, and Scarlett wasn’t about to let a moody cowboy take that away from her, no matter how handsome he was or how wonderfully he kissed.
“Scarlett!” Betsy waved at her from across the area, a plate of food in her hands. “Come eat with us!”
Scarlett’s smile turned more genuine and she picked up her pace, walking up to Betsy’s side. “Mmm...that looks delicious!” Scarlett took a deep sniff. “Let me grab my own and I’ll come sit down, ’kay?”