14. Bradyn
CHAPTER 14
brADYN
“ Y ou are so brave,” Sharon says with her lined eyes wide and full of false concern. I can see through the mask, though, have been able to ever since we were in high school. Still, it doesn’t stop her from trying to make me her next husband.
Not that I’m judging. Her personal life is none of my business. I’m just not biting on that line, no matter how many times she tries to cast it out.
“I did what anyone else would do.”
“You went out into an ice storm to save horses and one of your ranch hands.”
“Yeah, well, anyone would have done it.”
She makes notes on her notepad then looks up at me. “Arthur Kidress said that the female ranch hand was injured. What’s her name? Sammy, right? What injury? Can I speak to her?”
In a small town like this, any news is newsworthy. A fire at Hunt Ranch will likely make the front page, giving Sharon one heck of a byline. But there’s no way I’m letting her use Sammy for clout. “We keep our employees private, you know that.” It’s bad enough Arthur mentioned her at all. Especially when we have a confidentiality agreement with all of our employees. One more strike against him.
“Can I speak with her?” she asks again.
“I’ll have her call in if she wants to talk to you.”
“Oh, come on, Bradyn.” She pouts. “For old times’ sake? I would love to get this story.” She bats her false lashes at me, and even though I’m agitated that she thinks I’d fall for the act, I force a smile.
“No, sorry, Sharon. If she wants to talk to you, she’ll reach out.”
“Okay, fine.” She laughs and playfully smacks my arm. “Always with the secrets. You would think we hardly knew each other.”
We do hardly know each other. “Sorry, Sharon, it’s the nature of my business. Thanks for stopping by.”
“Anytime, honey. You know that.” She flirtatiously bats her eyelashes, really making sure she drives the invitation home.
I turn to leave, but I don’t have to look behind me to know she’s following. Bravo is padding along beside me, not paying her any mind. I have to say, the fact that he doesn’t have to deal with her makes me momentarily jealous that I’m not a dog.
Elliot, Tucker, Riley, and Dylan are nowhere to be seen, likely avoiding Sharon like the plague she is. Which I know is not a very kind way to look at her. But given that she rotates which of us she’s trying to land, her lack of genuine affection and simple desire to bear the Hunt surname makes her unwelcome on this ranch.
“Bradyn!” I stop and turn to the right, breathing a sigh of relief when I see Lani moving toward me, her gaze narrowed on Sharon, who’s still behind me.
“Hey, Lani.”
“Sharon,” she clips. “If you don’t mind, I need to speak to my brother. In private.”
“Oh, well, if it’s about the damage, I should be a part?—”
“No. You shouldn’t.” Lani’s sweet smile is laced with venom as she wraps her hand around my wrist and tugs me away. Bravo follows happily, tail wagging.
“Call me if your ranch hand wants to talk!” Sharon calls out.
I don’t respond, just let Lani drag me into the house and slam the door behind us. Elliot, Riley, Dylan, and Tucker all look up from where they’re sitting on the couches. My dad, looking just as guilty, grins sheepishly from his recliner.
“Cowards, all of you,” she accuses.
“Hey, don’t look at us. It’s Bradyn she’s really after,” Tucker replies.
“Then why are you hiding?” she asks.
“Because now that Bradyn is back, she finally stopped coming after me,” Elliot quips. “And I’m not interested in rekindling her affections.”
Rolling my eyes, I remove my boots and head into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. “Thanks for the rescue, sis.”
“No problem.” Lani sets her bag down. “One date eons ago, and she’s still trying to sink her claws into you. I know we’re supposed to forgive, and I’m not holding a grudge exactly, but the idea of letting her anywhere near you after what she did makes my skin crawl.”
Years ago, I’d had a crush on Sharon. I was homeschooled my entire life, and she was the head cheerleader. Beautiful, seemingly confident, and we’d met at church camp. When I’d finally gotten up the courage to ask her out, she’d agreed. Our relationship lasted all of a month before I found out she’d been cheating on me with Billy Granger, who ended up being her first husband.
It was messy, and even though Lani was only twelve at the time, she’d been out the door, ready to get vengeance for my broken teenage heart.
She’s always had a fiery soul, and if she’d been open to it, I would’ve had her join the Search then the front door closes.
I’ve just finished my glass of water when my mom comes into the kitchen. “Hey, honey! You hungry?”
“Not really,” I tell her. “I was just about to go check on Sammy.”
“Good. I took her some food, so you can make sure she eats it. She’s not happy about being in the guest room.” Her brow furrows. “That girl. Stubborn as they come.”
“Why isn’t she happy about being in the guest room?”
“Says she doesn’t want to be an imposition. It breaks my heart to think she believes she could ever be one.”
My thoughts drift back to what she said in the barn yesterday morning. That she and Rev had bonded over traumatic pasts. Is that what’s causing her insecurities about us caring for her? Her childhood or a past relationship?
“I’ll go talk to her.”
“Good. Thanks. And please take her this too. Maybe she’s in the mood for something sweet.” She plates a piece of pie from the leftovers we had after dinner last night then offers it to me.
“Done.”
“Good. Dinner is at seven tonight.”
“Sounds great.” Pie in hand, I head up the stairs and down the hall. The guest bedroom door is closed, so I pause a moment and take a deep breath to steady the nerves in the pit of my stomach.
I can still recall how it felt to hold her in that shed, and the desire to wrap my arms around her again has only grown with every passing hour. The only reason I didn’t come sooner is because I can’t seem to shut down this need to see her. To talk to her. Which I’m starting to think is a problem. I’m falling hard and fast, and I’m a man who likes my feet on solid ground. At least until I know whether or not the feelings are reciprocated.
Before I can change my mind and recruit Elliot for the pie delivery job, I raise my fist and knock.
“Come in,” Sammy calls out.
I gently turn the knob and step into the room. The curtains are open, so the room is full of vibrant light from the bright sun outside. Sammy is lying on the bed, covered by a thick floral comforter, except for her injured leg, which is wrapped and propped up on a stack of pillows.
Her foot is bare, and her bright pink toenails make me smile just a bit. That is until I get a look at the lush honey-colored waves of her hair falling over her shoulders.
She’s stunning.
Breathtaking.
“Hey,” she says. “How is Rev?”
That would be her first question. I smile and set the pie down on the nightstand. “This is for you,” I tell her. “My mom sent it up in case you wanted something sweet. As for Rev, he’s doing just fine, thanks to you. The vet came and saw him earlier and said that, had you not gotten to him when you did, he could’ve ended up lame. So thanks.”
“No need to thank me.”
I take a seat in a high-backed chair in the corner of the room. “I do need to thank you. Especially with how frustrated I was that you were out there.”
“You weren’t wrong. It was foolish to run out unprepared. I have a habit of not thinking through decisions sometimes. I just run.”
Because I sense there’s a lot more to that than she’s willing to discuss, I opt for a subject change. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. But I told your mom I really should go back to my cabin.”
“Why the hurry? Is the room not comfortable? I could?—”
“No, it’s fine. I just—I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You clearly don’t know my mom,” I reply with a smile. “You’re making her day by letting her take care of you.”
“Still, I do okay on my own.”
Who hurt you? I can see it all over her face. Body language is a specialty of mine. It’s one of the reasons I’m so good in the field and why I excelled in interrogation when I’d been stationed overseas.
This woman has been hurt…badly.
The more she lets her mask slip, the easier it gets to see.
“No one doubts that,” I tell her. “We’ll get you back to the cabin as soon as you’re on your feet. I can go get your stuff for you if you’d like.”
“No. That’s okay. Thanks, though.” She’s frustrated but relaxes back against the pillows again.
Awkward silence settles around us, so I lean forward and clasp my hands together. “Lani said that you didn’t want to go get X-rays? The ranch will cover medical expenses for all of its employees injured during working hours. So if that’s what you’re worried about?—”
“It’s not,” she interrupts. “I just, sorry, I just don’t like hospitals.”
“Okay, well, if you decide you want to go get checked out, I could take you.”
She smiles, and my heart flips in my chest. So beautiful. “Thanks, I’ll let you know if I change my mind.”
“Sure thing.”
More silence, and she shifts her attention toward the open window. I take a moment to study her profile in the sunlight, my eyes greedily drinking in the sight of her as she closes her eyes and soaks in the ray of sun sneaking in through the window.
“Well, I should get back out there. We’re sifting through what’s left of the barn.”
She turns back toward me. “I wish I could help. Maybe if I had crutches?—”
“No,” I tell her. “Just rest, Sammy. I promise your job will be here for you when you’re better.”