Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Olivia
I might as well spill the whole truth. I’ve got nothing to hide.
Even though Wylie’s glaring at me for some reason, I figure the more people who know about my situation, the better.
“What Wylie says is true. I’m a runaway. I ran away from The Celestial Order of the Covenant Kinship. Today was supposed to be my wedding to Brother Nevyn Hatch, but I don’t care for that man one little bit. It was time to go. Wylie found me sleeping in the barn this morning. I’m much obliged for the food and shelter and medicine, but I’m feeling much better now. My aim is to help my sisters get out. Now, if I can trouble you all for one more act of neighborliness, I wonder if you might be able to point me in the direction of a job to help me make some money?”
With that, I stab a large chunk of meatloaf and shove the delicious morsel of food into my mouth. It might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted.
I give questioning looks around the table, and the three purportedly hungry and hard-working cowboys and the cook have barely touched a bite since I started spilling my story.
“What’s eating all of you?” I ask, surveying each one of them. Four pairs of eyes are exchanging looks with each other. The four men are having a silent conversation that doesn’t include me. Well, that’s fine. I’m just going to keep eating my meat and potatoes, feeling mighty grateful for food that I didn’t have to cook myself, and warm clothes.
Curly looks thoughtful.
Wylie says, “I don’t think you’re ready for the outside world. Have you ever lived outside of that church?”
His voice is chocolatey and deep, stirring up all kinds of wrong things in my belly.
“No,” I answer, nibbling on a green bean.
Ennis lifts a skeptical eyebrow and stabs some potatoes and finally eats.
Wylie grunts. “As far as I can tell, you’ve got no identification and no references. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a job.”
My heart sinks, but I try to keep a brave face. “I’ll figure it out,” I say, taking another bite of the delicious food.
The pitying look on Wylie’s face makes my cheeks flood with heat. “Olivia. You have to be honest with yourself. You’ve never left the compound; how do you think you’ll fare out there in the wide world?”
I do my best not to let my annoyance show. “I don’t know. But I’m good at lots of things. Surely, someone will give me a chance. I’m good with animals and children. I can cook. I can clean. I’m a crack shot with a rifle, too. Somebody somewhere could use me.”
Weirdly, all eyes go to Wylie.
He looks defensive and clueless. “What?”
Ennis smirks and mutters something under his breath, then shovels more food into his mouth.
Curly sits back on two chair legs, rubbing his full belly. “Well, heck. If all you need is references, I suppose you could get some experience right here at Sterling Ranch.”
“It’s too soon to be talking about work,” Wylie says. “She’s still recovering. And…you know, traumatized and shit.”
I don’t care for someone speaking about that on my behalf. Whatever might be wrong with my head is nobody’s business. “I’m fine,” I say to Wylie. Then I turn to Curly. “I’d love to help you around the house, Curly. Anything you need.”
Curly laughs. “What I need is a few days off. Heck, I haven’t taken vacation time in years. Thinking about going fly fishing.” Jake pipes up with, “You’ve never been fly fishing before.”
“Maybe I’d like to start. You don’t know everything about me.”
I smile as I finish up my meal. I like the way these four men exchange lighthearted barbs with each other. It makes this house feel like a home to me.
Then I catch myself. Don’t get attached, Olivia. You’re not staying long. You’re a fly in their ointment, and they’re just being charitable.
“I’d love to earn some money cooking and cleaning for you all,” I say.
“Olivia,” Wylie says.
“I’m fine,” I repeat, cutting him off before he reminds me that I’m still injured and sick.
“You heard the girl; let her work if she wants to,” Curly says.
I clap my hands. “When should I start?” I ignore Wylie’s surly look.
Curly says, “You can start tonight. And you can use my room while I’m away for a few days.”
After dinner, Curly goes to his room to strip the bed and pack for his impromptu vacation. Jake and Ennis head outside to check on the animals again while Wylie stays behind to help me with dishes and clean up.
“We have a dishwasher that does that,” Wylie says as I fill the sink with hot soapy water. I note the irritation in his voice, but I begin washing the drinking glasses anyway.
“Are you upset with me, Wylie?”
He doesn’t answer yes or no. He only answers with a grunt.
“I know. You think I’m too weak or whatever.”
He continues loading plates into the dishwasher. I rinse out the glasses one by one and place them in a dish rack, thankful for the hot water that warms my hands.
“But I’m eager to move on. And I don’t want to be a burden. One thing to know about me is I bounce back fast. And there’s nothing that I can’t do if I put my mind to it. So I’m sorry if you think I’m too fragile and weak, but that’s not the case.”
When I finish, I notice that Wylie has stopped loading the dishwasher. I turn to see him leaning with one hand on the counter, watching me. His wandering eyes snap up from somewhere below my waist.
“I didn’t say you were weak. If you ask me, I think you might be the strongest person I’ve ever met, Olivia.”
The way he says my name makes my breath catch. Heat pools inside these too-tight sweatpants, and I question the image that floats into my head. It’s one of Wylie ripping this shirt from my body, buttons popping and flying across the room. His hands frantically shoving my bottoms out of the way so he can…so he can what? What would I have him do, exactly?
And why would I be thinking of such forbidden things when he’s paying me a nice compliment?
“Am I brave or incredibly foolish for running away without a plan or a penny to my name?” I ask wryly, shaking my head to clear away the lustful thoughts.
I suddenly notice he’s closer than before, but I don’t recall him moving toward me. He smells like sweat and the barn, and it’s oddly hypnotic.
“Well,” Wylie says, holding up two fingers. “Maybe just a tiny bit stupid.”
The embarrassing snort-laugh from me turns his smirk into a full smile.
“But only because you keep resisting me,” he says.
Um, excuse me?
“Resisting you?”
“Uh,” he says, squeezing his eyes shut. “I meant resisting my advice. My help.”
Wylie is awfully cute right now. No one has any right to be this cute.
“Wylie?”
“Yeah?”
Is he closer still? Yes, he’s definitely closer. How does he do that so stealthily?
“I…um…” What? What is it that I’m going to say? “I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me. I know I can be a little stubborn, but I really do appreciate your kindness.”
“No need to thank me.”
I’m about to protest again when there’s a knock, followed by the sound of the back door opening. I jump and ready myself to run. But why? Who among the elders will simply walk into his neighbor’s house unannounced? I shudder to think, though, that they might just be capable of exactly that.
“Boss?”
A woman in rugged outer gear appears in the doorway of the mud room, carrying a grocery bag.
Her face is wind-burned, and her hair is tucked up under a woolen cap. “Hi, these must be for you,” the woman says.
“Me?”
I turn back to Wylie, noticing the relief at seeing this woman. Oh. Okay. He doesn’t want to be alone with me. I get it now. I don’t know what I was thinking. He wasn’t trying to get close to me.
“Thanks, Dani,” he says.
He crosses to her, takes the bag, and then brings it to me.
“Dani’s one of our ranch hands. I asked her if she had any clothes to spare.”
Awkwardly, I take the bag from him. Inside are several clothing items, including jeans and a bra.
“I don’t want to dirty up the kitchen with my boots,” Dani says, “but there are some shirts in there, a sweater, and a sports bra. Some PJs and socks. Oh, and some new undies from the store.”
My cheeks feel hot as Wylie and his ranch hand discuss me while I stand there.
“Shoot, I didn’t even think about that. Nice of you to make a run to town. I’ll reimburse you.”
“No need, boss. You let me know if there’s anything that doesn’t fit.”
I look up when she addresses me directly, and I nod, trying extra hard to smile.
She really does look like she means well. Why do I feel so uncomfortable right now? “You can call me if you need anything,” Dani says. “My number’s in that phone he gave you.”
She smiles at Wylie knowingly, and then she’s gone.
I feel strangely exposed, like more of a burden than I felt five minutes ago.
Tears sting my eyes, but I fight them off. “Thank you,” I say quietly.
“Are you okay, Olivia? You look upset.”
Upset? How do I explain how it feels knowing that my rescuer has been discussing me with his employees? How do I unpack the unease of knowing that a complete stranger made a special trip to the store and took a guess at my underwear size? And furthermore, how can I explain the flames of jealousy that burst inside when I saw the way that Dani beamed at Wylie? And at the way he looked so relieved when she appeared?
I can’t say any of this out loud. I sound crazy enough in my own head.
Maybe Wylie’s right. Maybe I do need to rest some more.
“I’m not upset. I’m tired, and I’d love a shower,” I say.
Wylie’s jaw tics ever so slightly, and he nods.
“Shower.”
I wait for him to use more words. When they don’t come, I press, “So…just point me in that direction.”
He replies, “You can use whichever shower you like.”
Now I’m confused again. “Whichever? You all have more than one?”
Wylie nods. “Curly’s got his own shower. His room is right across the hall from mine. He keeps it pretty tidy. Or you’re free to use mine. Whatever makes you feel more comfortable.”
But I’ve established that he doesn’t feel comfortable being alone with me, at least not now that he’s assured I won’t die of exposure and starvation on his watch. Certainly, he must be relieved to have me move out of his room.
I blink up at him. “I knew this house was nice, but I’ve never had a private shower before.”
Something seems weird about Wylie at my reaction to that. He doesn’t want me to use Curly’s shower for some reason.
“Is there something wrong with Curly’s room?”
He shakes his head. “Nope. Not at all. Have a good one.”
Wylie turns and disappears down the hall, and I’m left with my bag of clothes, and a thousand thoughts spinning through my head.