Chapter 11
Henry didn’t think it was possible, but he actually enjoyed his work throughout the morning. Athena didn’t make an appearance when the members of his family trickled out of the house, but he figured that would happen. There was something in the way she ducked down when he was speaking to her that caught his attention.
Athena might be able to take care of herself, but she was still skittish.
And why wouldn’t she be? She’d had a hard life. From her earliest memory, she’d felt unwanted. His heart broke for her. Well, that wasn’t going to be her experience here. He would make sure of it.
The only person he had to worry about was Hudson. Why couldn’t his brother understand the delicate balance that surrounded Athena? She could easily slip into the night if she wanted to. The fact that she’d admitted she wanted to stay was the only thing that gave him a little reprieve from the worry he’d experienced this morning.
Henry shoved aside all those dismal thoughts. He didn’t want to relive the moment he’d knocked on her door only to find the room empty. No, he was going to have a good day today.
He dove into his chores, working faster and more efficiently than he could remember. Athena might not have come out of the house to join him after she had breakfast, but she couldn’t hide away all day. He had plans—for both of them.
From what he knew about her, she didn’t like spending time with a lot of people. He’d make sure that she wouldn’t have to interact with anyone until dinner. Thankfully, Charlie was in on it and would let him know when he could pick up the lunch he had her make for them.
The closer it got to lunchtime, the more antsy he became. There still wasn’t any sign of Athena when he finally finished up and headed for the house. By all accounts, he had about two hours he could spend on whatever he wanted, then he’d have to head out with his brothers to tend to the cattle in the pastures.
Henry took the stairs in two big leaps and immediately headed for the kitchen, where he could hear voices and the clanking of dishes. The only people in the kitchen were Charlie and Annabel. His sisters stood close together but didn’t bother keeping their voices down as they spoke with their backs turned to him.
“Really? You think he likes her?” Charlie asked.
“I know he likes her. Henry hasn’t shown interest in anything up until this Sam girl showed up. He’s crushing on her hard.”
“Maybe he just wants to make her feel welcome. She probably needs a stable place to live.”
Annabel bumped her hip into the countertop and folded her arms. “Take it from me. If Henry didn’t have any interest in her, he wouldn’t have stuck to his guns when Hudson threw his tantrum. He likes her. He might not know it yet… but he definitely likes her.”
“Don’t you have some kind of meeting to attend somewhere? Those people actually like listening to your voice.”
Both of his sisters jumped, but Annabel glanced in his direction first, an irritated look in her eyes. “It’s supposed to be anonymous for a reason, Henry.”
“You probably should have thought about that before you spilled it to the whole family.”
Charlie chuckled and then turned around. “I got your lunch ready. Did you want anything besides the sandwiches and potato chips?”
Henry ignored the forced scowl from his older sister and moved closer to Charlie. “Do we have any fruit? I don’t know what she likes…”
His baby sister nodded and moved to the fridge. “We have strawberries, grapes, and apples.”
“How about a little of everything?” Henry shot a look over his shoulder. “Did she eat a good breakfast? I couldn’t eat with everyone if I wanted to get done early enough to take a long lunch.”
Charlie nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone eat like she did. I know we say that Daniel has a knack for putting it away, but man, I think she even out-ate him.”
Annabel nodded. “I don’t know where she put it either. That girl is a twig.”
“Probably has something to do with being all alone,” Henry said as he reorganized everything in the pack that Charlie had set out for him. “I bet when she doesn’t know where her next meal is coming from, she figured out a way to make sure she’d survive.”
“You’re probably right.” Annabel moved closer and this time she did lower her voice. “So, how long will she be staying?”
Henry shot a quick look at her. “I don’t know.”
“You… don’t know…”
“Is that a problem? We have the space. Everyone who got married has moved out except for Wade. You’re all just here throughout the day to help with the ranch and get some of Charlie’s cooking.”
Annabel studied him like she might be able to decode everything he didn’t even know was going on inside his head. “No reason. I was just curious.”
Henry paused. There was something about the tone in her voice that threw him off guard. It was as if she knew something he didn’t. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, but he knew it was there. Was she hinting at a bit of concern? Annabel didn’t need to worry about him. It wasn’t like he was throwing everything he had into a relationship that would be doomed from the start.
He simply wanted to help a girl who was down on her luck.
And that was what he’d continue telling himself and anyone else who bothered to ask.
He zipped the pack closed as soon as Charlie deposited the cut fruit she’d quickly prepared. “Well, I’ll let you know when I do. As of now, I have no idea how long she’s going to stay.” He slung the brown bag onto his shoulder. “I’m taking her out to see the property.”
Annabel’s brows lifted. “You’re taking her out to see the… property. Like on a picnic?”
“How else are we going to eat if we’re all the way out by the perimeter of our land? Sheesh, Anna, when did you become so nosy?” He shook his head and left the kitchen, shrugging off the quiet chills that told him she was holding back something important.
Whatever she wanted to say, she’d either say it or she wouldn’t. He wasn’t going to waste his time waiting.
Henry climbed the stairs to where Athena’s room was located, but before he had a chance to knock, his gaze caught a small note that had been taped just above the doorknob.
“Out back” was all it said.
Henry plucked the note from the door with a smile and hurried down the stairs. Either she wanted him to know where she was, or she didn’t want him to lecture her again. Regardless, she was thinking about him.
He blew past Daniel, who was on his way upstairs, and darted around Hudson, who shot him a dark look. Henry only came skidding to a stop when he caught sight of her through a window that oversaw the backyard.
Athena’s blond hair hung down her back. The messy bun she’d had it in during the wedding had been deceiving, to say the least. Even from where he stood, he could tell it had a fine texture. The waves were more delicate than anything else. She could have easily been a deity in another lifetime. She still wore those ridiculous overalls, but she’d chosen a shirt he knew he’d picked out.
Her back faced him as she stared out at their property. The sunrise had long since passed, but just because it hung overhead didn’t take away from the natural beauty that surrounded the Keagan house. It was strange to meet someone who had gone through so much who could take a step back and appreciate something so small as a mountain scene and overgrown brush.
His sisters were wrong. Henry didn’t have feelings for her. Developing feelings for someone he barely knew wasn’t wise. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t like her as a friend. She intrigued him. Every time she opened her mouth, it was like she had a secret that only he was allowed to know.
Athena stiffened, then slowly turned, and her eyes met his through the window. She didn’t stand up from her position on the steps of the deck, but she did offer him a small smile.
Henry waved at her and then yanked his own hand down. What was he doing? Waving was something a child did.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then returned her focus to the scenery around her. Henry wasted no time in darting through the kitchen. He ignored his sister’s quips about his picnic plans, letting the door slam shut behind him.
Athena rose when he reached her side. She glanced at him only briefly, opting to keep her focus elsewhere. “You didn’t come in for breakfast.”
He shook his head. “I had some cereal. I wanted to get my work done early.” His heart sped up slightly. “I thought we might share lunch together.”
Another glance from her was all it took for his heart to shift into high gear. “Are they done already?” She shot a look toward the house. “Your sisters, I mean. Is lunch—”
Henry took a step toward her, closing the remaining distance between them. “No.” He shut his eyes and shook his head. “What I mean is that I thought I’d take you around the property and we could have a picnic at my favorite spot.”
If Athena was surprised by his request, she didn’t show it. A small smile tugged at her lips, and she nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Great!” he said too quickly.
“But…”
“But?” He froze. What possible argument could she have for turning him down if not to make it clear that she wasn’t interested romantically? He should assure her their picnic didn’t mean anything. He wasn’t expecting them to get romantic. But before he had a chance to clarify, she answered his question.
“I kinda want to see more of what goes on here. The animals. The jobs you do. I’ve never been on a ranch before. There’s so much…”
“You want to see the ranch?” He peered at her with confusion. “You realize that the smells alone are enough to turn away even people who grew up here.”
She laughed. It was an enticing sound, and he hadn’t even meant to be funny. Much like her name, her laugh was unique and almost magical. There was an underlying strength while also being beautiful, and it ended far too soon. “I was willing to sleep in the barn, remember? I don’t have aversions to the animals or their smells.”
“If you’re sure…” he hedged. “I guess we could have a picnic out by the barn. If you want, you could lead the way and I’ll answer all the questions you have.”
Her eyes brightened. “Really?”
“Really.”
“What’s dressage?”
He nearly choked. “What?”
“Dressage. Brielle said that word when she was talking about that black horse. What does that mean?”
“It’s a…” He tilted his head. “She wants to train the beast to do dressage?”
“Beast?” Athena laughed again. “He’s not a beast.”
Henry chuckled. “He’s definitely not going to be ready for dressage any time soon.”
“You still haven’t told me what it means.”
He adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder. “It’s a competition of sorts. The horse has to be really in tune to the rider—years of training and practice sometimes isn’t enough. The rider guides the horse through several movements using the slightest bit of pressure from their thighs. If you think staying on a bucking bronc is hard, then you should see the stuff these horses can do while making it look like they’re making all their own decisions.”
Athena’s gaze turned thoughtful. “Oh.”
He stared at her for a moment longer but wasn’t capable of interpreting what her eyes were only giving him glimpses of. “How about we go eat? Then you can ask me all the questions you want.”