Chapter 6
Six
“ W hat are you guys gossiping about?” Sam jumped down off his horse’s back, stalking towards Derrick and Zeke. They shouldn’t be just standing around gawking when there was work to be done.
“Miss Evie.”
“What the hell about her?” Sam looked back and forth between the two men.
“You know, it’s just really odd. She’s such a sweet lady. Gorgeous eyes too. You’d think her man would want to keep her close by, especially with that baby in her belly.” Derrick’s eyes were trained across the field to where Evie sat under the big oak tree, eating her lunch.
A familiar kick landed in his chest. Why did she always pick that tree to sit under? It was like something called to her there. She couldn’t know what it meant to his family. They barely shared the story with each other, let alone with strangers.
“Maybe her man kicked her out. She doesn’t have a ring on her finger. We should ask. Then we’d know who to knock some sense into.” Zeke rolled the dip in his cheek, held a plastic bottle up to his lip and spit into it.
“You going to ride your horse all the way up to Wisconsin to find him?” Derrick asked.
“A lady like that, you protect. She’s sweet as spun sugar. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to her, is all.” Zeke smiled. That fucker actually smiled.
“Would you two school girls get back to work? No one needs to avenge Evie’s honor. We don’t even know the whole story. Besides, she’s here to work. Not have us butting into her personal information.”
“You’re not at all curious?” Derrick asked.
“No. It’s not any of my business.”
“Keep saying that and maybe one day we’ll believe it.”
“Don’t think I didn’t see you this morning.”
Sam was definitely trying to get a rise out of Evie. She’d been so quiet in the office since he got in, keeping her head down and her eyes on her computer screen. It was unsettling. And what Zeke and Derrick had said slowly seeped into his veins.
“What do you mean?” Her eyebrow quirked up.
“I mean, I saw you watching Zeke and Derrick taking care of the horses. They told me you’re out there every morning.”
“Oh.” A blush dusted her cheeks and Sam couldn’t hold in a chuckle. “I’m an early riser. Since I can’t come into the office to work, I like to watch them bring the horses out for the day. I promise I stayed away from them, though. I wasn’t in any danger.”
“I didn’t think you were.”
“They just looked so free, running out in the pasture. It’s really beautiful. And the horses are always looking at me when I walk through the barn. I didn’t grow up in a rural area, so I don’t know what they’d like or what might spook them. But I’d love to learn one day.”
He should take her to see Jasper. Maybe seeing the old guy would help her open up.
“Do you want to go meet them?”
“I’ve already met Zeke and Derrick.”
Sam laughed. “No, not them. The horses. Well, one horse in particular.”
“Really?” Her eyes lit up, and the smile he’d been waiting for all morning finally showed up on her face. “Would that be okay? I know you were nervous about me being too close to them. I don’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.”
“I was being a little overprotective. As long as you don’t go in the stalls with them or out in the paddock, I think you’ll be okay.”
She practically jumped up from her desk. “Okay! I’d love to meet them.”
He brought her to Jasper. A sweet old man, he wouldn’t hurt a fly…or nip at her if she didn’t hold out his treat in the perfect position like some of the other horses might.
“This is Jasper. He was a gift to me from my dad the year before he passed.” Sam ran his hand up and down the horse’s neck. Jasper rewarded him with a shove against his hand and a pointed exhale.
“Yeah, old man, I know what you want.” He pointed to a bucket near Evie’s feet. “You want to feed him a carrot?”
“Is that okay?”
“He’s the most gentle horse we have. I don’t think he’ll give you too hard of a time.”
“I’m a little nervous, but I’ll give it a try.” He could see her enthusiasm in the way her eyes were sparkling.
“Here’s a little cowboy secret,” he said, running his hand down Jasper’s neck. “The horses can sense your emotions. You feel calm and confident, and they’ll go easy on you. Think you can do that?”
He watched as Evie squared her shoulders, a determined pinch flattening her lips. “Yes.”
“Good. Here you go.” Sam handed a carrot to her. “You’ll want to hold it in the palm of your hand, nice and flat. Don’t be scared if you feel his teeth graze you, he shouldn’t bite.”
“Like this?”
“That’s perfect. Alright, hold it up to him. Don’t make me regret giving you an extra treat, Jasper.”
The horse nibbled the carrot gently before deciding to snatch it from her hand.
“Wow, that was amazing.”
“Run your hand over the bridge of his nose. Just be careful around his muzzle. They can be sensitive.”
“You’re such a gentle giant, aren’t you? Oh, I think I could really fall in love with you, fast. Maybe one day when there isn’t a baby in my belly, I can take you out for a ride. If your dad here will let me, of course.”
“You would want to do that?”
“I want to learn every aspect of this ranch. I know riding is a pretty important part of day-to-day life around here.”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Oh!” She gasped, her hands lifting off of Jasper, only to have it land on her belly. He was beside her in two strides, bracing her arm with his hand.
“What’s going on? You okay?”
“Sorry.” She looked up at him with a big smile, and Sam knew in that moment he was absolutely fucked when it came to Evie. He hadn’t convinced his heart to let her go. Not one fucking bit. Her citrus perfume swallowed him up as he waited for her to explain what the hell had just happened. “ Jellybean just really gave me a good kick. Must be she likes Jasper a lot, too.”
Of course the baby had a cute nickname. Sam stifled a groan. “Jellybean, huh?”
“It’s silly, I know. I just haven’t been able to settle on a name for her yet, and the first time I saw her heartbeat on an ultrasound, she was the size of a jellybean. It sort of just stuck.”
“I like it. You haven’t felt her kick before?” He looked at her belly, still small but noticeably growing since she got to the ranch. Was it normal to feel the baby kick before then? He couldn’t figure out why something so simple was giving him so much anxiety.
“I have, but this was a foot directly into my stomach and I guess it just took me by surprise.”
Jasper nudged Sam’s shoulder. “I think the old man is jealous little Jellybean stole the show.”
Evie bent down to the bucket and grabbed another carrot. “No need to be jealous, handsome boy. I have a feeling you and I are going to become the best of friends.”
“Oh, Evie! I’m so glad I caught you!” Sylvie waved as Evie got out of her car. “Do you have plans for dinner?”
Evie looked down at the bags in her hand, exhaustion washing over her. She had absolutely no desire to cook anything she’d gotten from the grocery store.
“I was just going to throw together a sandwich and call it a night.”
“Oh, no. The baby needs something heartier than that! Come up to the house and have dinner with us.”
“I couldn’t intrude like that.” She didn’t say what she was thinking. How a certain cowboy would probably have a heart attack if he saw her sitting at his family’s dinner table.
“Nonsense. It’s no intrusion at all. Take those groceries upstairs, put on something comfortable and come over! Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes, but don’t wait that long to pop in!” Sylvie waved as she turned back to the house.
What could Evie say to that? Fifteen minutes later, her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and she walked over to the house in yoga pants and a loose shirt. Not her most attractive look, but comfort won out.
“Evie! I’m so glad you’re here!” Abby smiled as she danced around the living room with Katy. An absolute tower of a man stood in the corner, the expression on his face nothing but pure love as he watched them together. That had to be John.
“It was so nice of your mom to invite me.”
Katy came out of her dancing stupor and ran straight at Evie.
“Hi again! Can I touch your belly like I did at the market?”
“Of course. I think Jellybean missed you these past few days.”
“I missed her too!” Katy’s small hand landed right near Evie’s belly button. Katy leaned in and whispered to the baby. “My mom and dad are going to give me a brother. The same as my Aunt Grace and Uncle Jackson are giving Jack Jack!”
“Looks like we are going to be busy after the honeymoon.” The man Evie continued to assume was Abby’s fiance slid his hands around Abby’s waist and kissed along her neck. It was such a sweet and intimate moment, Evie had to look away.
“You can’t be like that when we aren’t alone,” Abby sighed. “Evie, this is my fiance, John. John, this is the woman who has been the biggest blessing to the ranch.”
“I think that’s overstating my role here just a bit. It’s nice to meet you, John. ”
“Nice to meet you too, Evie. If you ever need swaddling tips,” his eyes dropped to where his daughter was patting Evie’s belly. “I’m your guy.”
“Really?”
“Daddy was alone with me until our Abby became my mom. Are you awake, baby?” Katy’s hand formed a little fist and she knocked gently against Evie’s tummy. She didn’t miss the way Abby’s eyes filled up with tears.
“She’s right. I learned a lot doing it on my own, but I really, really, can’t wait to do it all over again with my wife.”
Sadness seared through her chest. Not for her new friend, who had clearly found someone who loved her so completely that it filled up the room and made the air feel different. No. She was sad for herself, and for Jellybean, that they would never have that. Evie shook her head slightly, trying to clear away the tears pressing at the back of her eyes.
She had been prepared to face feelings like this. It wasn’t like she didn’t know that choosing to have the baby by herself would be difficult. Her reaction just then must have been purely hormonal. Right? All she needed was something to take her mind off the ache of loneliness buried deep inside her.
Luckily, an adorable little four year old proved to be the perfect distraction as the baby kicked and got a wild giggle from her.
“She kicked me!”
“That’s her way of saying hello.”
“Abby!” Sylvie’s voice boomed from the kitchen. “Can you help me set the table?”
“Sure, Mom.”
“Can I help?” Evie asked.
“Absolutely not. You’re our guest! I’ll show you where you can sit.”
Abby led Evie to the dining room, the women both laughing when John sat down next to her and immediately used one of the cloth napkins to demonstrate how to properly swaddle a spoon. She had to admit, his technique was something she’d never seen before, but it seemed solid.
“I swear, Evie. Katy was a nightmare to get to sleep, but as soon as I mastered this, she would have her bottle and go out like a light. I cried the first time it worked.”
She couldn’t imagine the man sitting next to her being so flustered that he’d cry. But then again, sometimes the toughest people on the outside were the ones just barely holding it together on the inside.
“I made a pot roast!” Sylvie smiled as she set the large serving plate down in front of Evie. The aroma was so delicious that her mouth salivated and her stomach rumbled. “Sorry I didn’t get a chance to come say hi, honey.”
Evie stood and Sylvie wrapped her arms around her, squeezing tightly. She let her eyes drift close and savor the feeling. It was almost exactly like the hugs her own mother used to give her, and for just one second, she found herself imagining what it would be like to have family there in Bell Ridge.
“It looks great, Mom, but how much salt did you use? Did you read that article I sent you about how we need to be cutting back for his heart?”
Evie looked at John and furrowed her brows as she sat back down. Was he having heart issues? He looked so healthy. Maybe it was something with his blood pressure? That had to be scary as they were so close to their wedding. The stress of planning such a big event would probably make things worse.
“He can have a little salt. And don’t start again about the red meat. It’s just one time this week.”
“You spoil him, Mom.”
The front door opened, bringing with it a light breeze. Work boots pounded against the floor as the cowboy she’d been looking for strolled in and stopped dead in his tracks the seconds his eyes landed on her .
“What are you doing here?”
Pain lanced through Evie’s chest. She was having such a nice time, she’d forgotten to steel her heart for Sam’s reaction.
“What the hell is the matter with you!” Abby’s mouth hung wide open in shock. “She’s having dinner with us.”
“Why?”
“Because we want to get to know her better. She’s part of the family now.”
Sam shook his head slowly, removing his hat before raking his fingers through his hair.
“I’ll go,” Evie whispered as she stood. She waited for Sam to apologize, or at least tell her it was okay for her to stay. But he just stood and stared at her, none of the warmth from earlier in his eyes.
“You don’t have to—” Sylvie started to say before Evie interrupted her.
“Yes. I actually forgot I promised my friend back home that I’d give her a call tonight. I should go and do that. Thank you for inviting me.”
She willed the tears stinging her eyes to just wait until she made it out the back door before they fell. There would be no satisfaction in letting Sam see how deeply his rejection hurt her.
“Evie, wait! I’m so sorry about my brother. I have no idea what has gotten into him lately, but I just can’t believe it.” Abby stood in the doorway, looking nervous.
“It’s okay. I know I messed things up by not being completely honest with him about…” She placed her hand over the baby. “I can’t be mad now that he didn’t take it the best.”
“Will you come back inside? He can eat out in the barn with the horses.”
Evie smiled. “I really should get back.”
“For that phone call. Right.” Abby’s brows furrowed, the suspicion written all over her face. “Wait here for a second. Dinner is ready, I’ll grab you a plate to go.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Mom and I made more than enough. Plus, we have to make sure Jellybean has plenty of rolls when she’s born. Chunky babies are so cute.”
“Just wait until you have to push one out one day, you’ll want those rolls to come in after the baby is born.”
“I can’t wait.” Abby smiled and walked back into the house, leaving Evie to feel the ache in her chest return.
Would this be what her family was like if her parents were still alive? Would they have big family meals and talk about all the fun things they wanted to do when the baby arrived?
She’d had that for a moment tonight. Her heart swelled thinking about Katy patting her belly. About John walking her through the secret way he used to swaddle Katy to get her to sleep at night. About Abby saying she was part of their family. But the ache bloomed painfully when she thought about how quickly Sylvie had embraced her. She hadn’t had a mom hug in years, and yet she’d gotten two from Sylvie since showing up on the ranch. It was warm, and loving, and filled with so much emotion that Evie couldn’t stop the tears from falling down her face as she thought about it.
She sat on the porch step, knowing she wouldn’t ever be able to repeat it. That was clear. Sam wanted her nowhere near the office, and he certainly didn’t want her anywhere near his family. She couldn’t hold back the soft sniffle that escaped as another tear rolled down her cheek.
“Shit. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
He watched her jump at the low rumble of his voice. Her shoulders looked tense, even as she sat on the step, curled around herself.
“It’s fine. This isn’t the first time it's happened.”
Fuck. He needed to find a way to deal with his anxiety that didn’t involve him being a total and complete ass to Evie.
“No, it’s not okay.”
“I just don’t get it, Sam. Why are you so cold towards me? I know I showed up here, with Jellybean hidden away, and that makes you mad. I thought I was doing a good job of showing you I belonged here, that the job and the ranch were meant for me…”
“It’s honestly not you?—”
She scoffed, interrupting him.
“What?” he asked.
“Were you really about to say ‘it’s not you, it’s me’?”
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “I guess I was. Look, I’m sorry I’ve been being an ass to you. I don’t have a good reason why, I’ve just been in my head about a lot of things recently. Not about you,” he hurried to add. “Stuff that happened before you even got here. It’s just been a tough year.”
“All I keep hearing about is how amazing Sam Cooper is. Kind, warm, funny. Would do anything for his friends. And I wonder why I can’t be one of his friends. What’s wrong with me that this great man, who everyone loves, keeps being cruel to me.”
“Shit. Evie, I’m so sorry. Let me start making it up to you.”
Her eyebrows raised, surprise written all over her face.
“This isn’t a trick?”
He groaned, closing his eyes as he leaned against the porch post. “No. It’s not a trick. How about… would you like to go on a walk with me? Tomorrow, to see the ranch. I know you’ve been wanting to get the grand tour.”
“You’re not going to leave me out in some field to have to find my way back, are you?”
His whole body went stiff at the thought of her being out on the unfamiliar land all alone. “Never. I’d never let you be in danger like that.”
“Okay.” She sniffled.
“Okay.” He nodded. “Will you come back inside and eat dinner with us? I’m pretty sure my family would rather have you at the table than me right now.”
“I’m going to go home. But I appreciate you coming out here to apologize. I’m willing to put this behind us, Sam. Please don’t let me down.”