4. Dallas
4
DALLAS
I’m not sure what’s more horrifying: seeing Sadie on top of a horse, or seeing last night’s hookup standing beside her, shock all over her features as she takes in the sight of me.
I tear my gaze off the woman—Katie, Sadie had called her—and realise I finally know her name. Last night I called her princess, or a bunch of other names that make me cringe in the stark light of day. She never got around to her telling me her name.
How did my five-year-old learn her name before me and I’ve seen her naked?
I stride across the arena, my boots kicking up dust. “Time to hop down, Sadie girl,” I say, hoping my voice doesn’t reveal my true feelings. I reach up to pluck Sadie out of the saddle. She gives the horse a pat then wraps her arms around me. I inhale the sweet scent of her and try to figure out what to say to the utterly gorgeous woman standing beside me.
Her long blonde hair is pulled back into a loose braid and she’s wearing a black jacket with jeans that might be even better than the ones she wore last night. Everything is crisp and fresh, like it’s brand new for today. Her boots are still pristine.
“Thanks, Katie,” Sadie says, in a quiet little voice. It’s her shy voice that she uses for people she’s smitten with but doesn’t know well enough to fully be herself … and the one she uses when she thinks she’s in trouble.
“It was my pleasure, Lady Sadie,” Katie says and reaches out a hand to give her a fist bump. Sadie returns it, then squirms until I put her down.
“Daddy, this is Katie. She’s Olivia’s very best friend,” Sadie says. “Katie, this is my daddy. His name is Dean, but nobody ever calls him that.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Oh yeah, so what do they call him?”
“Dallas,” she says with an enormous grin.
Katie’s grin matches my daughter’s. “Like the Cowboys, huh?” She says to Sadie, then turns her gaze on me. “Hello, Dallas,” she says, holding out a hand. She tips up her chin and looks me straight in the eye. It’s a challenge.
“Nice to meet you, Katie ,” I say. My voice is sharp, especially on her name. I take her hand. It’s so awkward, but I have no idea how else I’m supposed to act in this situation. One-night stands aren’t my usual way to spend time and I sure as shit didn’t think I’d be seeing this one again, especially at my job.
Katie’s eyes widen a fraction, probably also realising I know her name now.
“Sadie, could you go wait for me by the side-by-side. I’ll take you back up to Violet. ”
“Okay, Daddy,” she says, then gives the horse a final pat before skipping off.
I watch her go, the bounce in her step tugging at my heart. I turn back to Katie.
“How are you here?” I ask. There’s irritation and frustration in my tone. I could barely drag myself out of her bed in the early hours of this morning, could barely tear myself away and have been fighting with myself all morning to erase the memories from my mind.
And now she’s standing in front of me looking like a goddamn dream. One that I can’t have, and one that I can’t afford to be distracting me from this job.
I need this job.
Wildflower Ridge is the only place that’s accepting of Sadie. Nowhere else would make allowances for me being a single parent. Here, Violet and Olivia help with childcare when they’re around the farmhouse, they don’t mind if I have to shoot into town to pick up Sadie from kindergarten early and they’ve helped me come up with a workable plan for when she starts school in a few weeks.
I cannot lose this job. I can’t mess it up.
I also refuse to let Violet and Olivia down.
Henry Austin, the owner of Wildflower Ridge and Olivia’s dad, took a chance on me six months ago. After his sudden passing only a couple of months later, I’ve been determined to help out his family any way I can.
Having Katie here … that’s only going to end in disaster. Hopefully she’s just stopping by for a fleeting visit.
“You heard Sadie, I’m Olivia’s very best friend.”
“Alright then. I’ve got to get Sadie back to the house, then meet a new employee who’s starting today.”
She crosses her arms and cocks a hip, staring me down. “I’m the new employee, cowboy,” she says.
What? No. This can’t be right.
“Are you helping Olivia with the event venue?”
“No. I’m working right alongside you.”
“But … but aren’t you from the city? Last night you said you’re from the city.” The memory of her house comes to mind. The house that is clearly hers. I should have bailed when she took me there, not to a motel room like I expected. Because a house means she lives here. I let out a long breath.
“I said no such thing. You made an assumption.” She scowls at me, clenching her jaw and straightening her posture and resting her hands on her hips. “Yes, I’ve been living in a city for the past few years, but I grew up rural. I can guarantee you I know this farm better than you do.”
I can’t help it. I scoff. Yeah, I’ve only been here six months, but I’ve spent hours on this land, learning every inch of it. Every hillside, every area of bush, every stream and drain and contour.
“Look,” she says. “I’m no happier about this than you appear to be. Frankly, it’s a huge fucking fuck up. But we’re stuck working together, because I am not letting Vi and Liv down. You’re going to have to suck it up. You remember the rules?”
“Yeah, of course I do,” I say with a grumble, because what she’s saying, I have to agree with. I’m not letting anyone down either.
“They still stand. We pretend like nothing happened. I met you here this morning. We get on with this because Vi and Liv deserve that.”
I let out a sigh. “Alright, fine. But I’ve got a tonne of work to get through today, so try not to slow me down.”
She visibly bristles and memories of last night assault me again. Moments when that fire took hold of her, when her passion was fuelled by anger and rage. “Go take your daughter back to the house, cowboy. I’ll wait for you here.”
I scowl at her giving me orders, even though that sass makes her hot as hell, then I turn and walk away.
God, what have I got myself into?
This job was perfect. Steady, reliable, a good house for Sadie, people around to support us.
Now everything feels like it’s up in the air. How can I work with Katie when she so obviously can’t stand me? And when memories of her body haunt my brain every time I think of her?
I climb into the side-by-side where Sadie is already buckled. She chats away as we head back up the hill towards the house, telling me all about how Violet said she could help make a cake today. I offload her into Violet’s care then spin around and head back to the arena where I left Katie and my motorbike.
Katie is mounted on the horse now, looping around the arena. She urges the horse faster, then stands in the stirrups as they increase speed. Her hair streams out behind her and she looks like she was born on a horse.
I may have made a hasty judgement when I told her not to slow me down and when I assumed she was here to help run the function venue in the refurbished old barn on the other side of the property .
Katie sees me coming and slows the horse, but she doesn’t head for me.
Instead, she brings the horse to a halt beside a flag set into the arena surface. She gives me a mocking salute, then kicks the horse forward. It leaps into a gallop, flicking up dust with its hooves and speeding toward a barrel.
I’ve seen Olivia practising her barrel racing in the arena, and even competing in a local race, but she has nothing on Katie right now. Her and the horse move as one, galloping, spinning, racing for the next barrel and once they round the third and final one, they gallop straight back down the line, sliding to a neat stop directly in front of me.
Katie’s eyes are sparking with that same energy from last night when I’d called her a prissy city princess, but there’s something else there too now. Freedom, or joy, or something I can’t quite recognise. Her cheeks are flushed and a grin spreads across her face as she looks down at me.
“Who’s slowing who down now, cowboy?”
I grind my teeth. Fuck, she’s aggravating.
I’ve never seen anything hotter.
I’m so truly screwed.