Chapter 12
Cal couldn’t stop staring at Dillon. If he’d thought her attractive holding that shotgun with her tank top, open plaid shirt, cowboy hat, and jeans, she was drop-dead gorgeous in her white dress.
He’d wondered all day what her hair looked like down, and now he got to see it. The shiny, brunette locks were cut in layers that gave the thick tresses beautiful, large waves. Her hair was parted to the side, and she kept shoving away the shortest layer that fell into her eyes.
And those eyes. God. They were so vivid, they competed with her turquoise jewelry.
He swallowed and watched as she reached for a plate of food to fill for herself before handing one to him. Her dress was sleeveless, allowing him to see her trim arms—not that he needed more proof that she worked hard.
Cal took the broccolini from her and dished some onto his plate, then they exchanged bowls. His stomach growled at the delicious smells. Once they each had their steak, he watched as she cut into her meat and took a bite.
Her eyes widened. “This is cooked perfectly.”
“Thank you,” he said with a nod.
For the next few moments, they ate quietly.
The potatoes were some of the best he’d ever eaten, and he also liked the veggies.
He didn’t know why she had invited him to dinner, but he was glad she had.
He’d needed a home-cooked meal. He’d discovered a lot about himself today.
He probably would’ve learned it a lot sooner had he taken the time before, but he hadn’t until forced.
“What?” he asked when he caught her staring.
She swallowed her bite and wiped her mouth with her napkin. “You’re smiling.”
“I was thinking about today. It seems odd that I’ve known you for less than twenty-four hours, but at the same time, I feel as if I’ve been here for months.”
Dillon’s brows rose. “Is that bad?”
“Not at all. I thought my life was over when I didn’t qualify at the rodeo.
I’ve lost so much over the years. A couple of failed relationships, my home, and even what little belongings I had to my name—all in the name of getting on that next bull.
” He set down his utensils and sat back as he took a long drink.
“I thought I had hit rock bottom last night. That’s what drove me to the bar.
I figured I’d drown my sorrows and work out something the next day. Then I woke up here.”
“With a gun aimed at you,” she said with a grin.
He chuckled and glanced at his plate. “Today showed me all the things I’ve been missing. It also showed me that I didn’t know what I wanted or needed. I’ve been following a dream, but it wasn’t mine.”
“Meaning?” she urged.
“I think I’m pretty lucky to have gotten out of the circuit now without too many injuries—as well as my life. Getting on the horse this morning freed something within me. Something I hadn’t known was there. The work here is hard, and I’m sure it’ll only get harder, but this is what I want to do.”
Dillon’s powder blue eyes held his. “For how long?”
“I can’t answer that because I don’t know. I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.”
“Well, don’t get used to these meals because this was a one-time offer,” she said, though there was a smile on her lips.
He laughed and nodded once. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Have you called your mom?” Dillon asked after a brief pause.
“I will tonight. She’ll be thrilled.”
“Which is why you shouldn’t wait to tell her.”
Cal took another few bites before setting his fork down again to say something that had been bothering him. “I hadn’t planned that lie I told Hank about us. Otherwise, I would’ve talked it over with you.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’m sure he isn’t thinking twice about it.”
Cal wasn’t so sure, but he didn’t point that out.
“Besides,” she continued, “you know Hank better than I do. You told him that for a reason.”
“I wanted to see his reaction.”
“What did you see?”
Cal sighed. “I think he’s lying.”
“Most people would stand with their friends versus a stranger. Do you understand now why I’m hesitant to believe you?”
“I do. I know not everything is black and white. The world is full of grays. But, sometimes, a person innately knows when things are either right or wrong—like what is happening to you.”
Dillon finished the last of her steak. “I could have stolen my own horse for the insurance money.”
“You could have, but you don’t strike me as that kind of person.”
“How can you say that? You don’t know me.”
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “When you’re around as many people as I am, you learn to see things quickly.
Like deceit. And honesty. Besides, someone who stole their own stallion wouldn’t be as riled to confront Hank about it as you were.
Then there was the attempt on your life.
You aren’t going to tell me you could’ve done that, too, are you? ”
Her eyes dropped to the table as she shook her head. “No. No, I’m not.”
“Do you have any idea who it might be?”
She shook her head again, causing the brunette waves to move with her.
“You really should have some type of surveillance on the ranch.”
“I didn’t think I needed it with Hank’s land around mine and his cameras. I guess I was wrong.”
Cal wanted to reach across the table and cover her hand with his, but he held back. “I can try to talk to Hank again.”
“That will only make matters worse. Chet, the TSCRA ranger, told me not to accuse Hank.”
“Oops.”
Dillon laughed as she shoved the hair out of her face again. “That was pretty much how I responded.”
“We’ll get the stallion back.”
“I don’t see how. He’s very recognizable.”
Cal frowned since this was the first time he’d heard this. “What do you mean?”
“He’s champagne in color.”
“Shit,” he murmured.
The champagne color was only present in some horse breeds in North America and was a highly sought-after attribute. The gene dilution acted on black and red hair pigments, making the coat appear champagne. It was a stunning color.
Dillon raised her brows and nodded.
“Shit,” he said again, louder this time. “If Hank has him, he’ll have to keep the stallion hidden. He’d never be able to sell him.”
“Hank could keep Legacy forever, and I’d never know.”
“Someone would say something because he’d want everyone to know he had such a stallion. Hank can’t help himself. He loves to show off.”
Dillon rolled her eyes and pushed her plate away. “I feel like I’ll never see the horse again.”
Cal had to agree with her. Because the only way Hank could get out of this situation without charges being brought against him was if he got rid of the stallion. He couldn’t sell him, and he wouldn’t be able to hide him, so that left one option—killing the horse.
Whether Dillon wanted him to or not, Cal was going to talk to Hank again.
“I didn’t mean to put a damper on dinner,” Dillon said.
Cal shook his head. “You didn’t. Not at all. It’s an important matter that needs to be discussed.”
“That’s difficult when I can’t do anything right now to recover Legacy.”
“You’ve done all the right things.”
She made a sound in the back of her throat as she got to her feet and took their plates. “Let’s hope the authorities can do their jobs now.”
Cal helped her clean the table and put away the leftovers. He rinsed the plates and handed them to her to load into the dishwasher.
When they finished, Dillon wiped her hands on the towel and nodded through the kitchen window. “Looks to be a beautiful sunset. Want to join me?”
“I would.”
He grabbed his hat and followed her out of the house to the back porch and two rocking chairs. The setup reminded him of his grandmother and how she would sit out on her porch every night after dinner.
“Being on the ranch has brought back a lot of memories,” he told her.
She turned her head to him. “Good ones?”
“Yeah. I’ve missed a lot of things over the years.”
“You can make it up to everyone now.”
He wrinkled his nose. “There are some things you can’t make up.”
“Did you cheat?”
The way she asked the question made Cal instinctively aware that someone had cheated on her. “No,” he said with a shake of his head. “But I was never around. I chose the rodeo over relationships. Any relationships. Not just romantic ones.”
“Yeah, that one might be hard to make up for. Or maybe not, if there can be a second chance at something.”
Cal chuckled and shook his head. “Definitely not. It’s not easy balancing the rodeo with romantic relationships.”
“Relationships aren’t easy, in general.”
“Some are.”
She shot him a skeptical look.
“Seriously,” he stated. “I think they can be. If both people are in the right places in their lives when they meet.”
“The odds of that are slim.”
“I take it you were hurt?”
Her shoulders lifted as she drew in a deep breath and then slowly released it as she looked into the distance.
“It was a whirlwind relationship. Everything happened really fast. We met through mutual friends, went out the next night on our first date, and within a month, he had moved in with me. Three months later, we were married. Five months after that, I got a package in the mail full of pictures of him with a blond. She was his ex-girlfriend. As far as I knew, they had broken up. Apparently, she came back into the picture shortly after we got married. He kept telling her that he would divorce me. She got tired of waiting, so she made sure I knew what was going on.”
“You divorced him?”
Dillon’s head turned to him. “She got what she wanted. He didn’t have the balls to end things with me. Instead, he strung both of us along.”
“Are they still together?”
“I don’t know, nor do I care. After I signed the divorce papers, I came here to spend time with Dolly. She died less than a year later. Those few weeks with her got me back on my feet.”
Cal noted there was no pain on her face when she talked about her ex, but it had apparently been a horrible experience. “I’m sorry you went through that.”
“I’m not happy it happened, but I’m glad I didn’t waste years with him.
In the end, I came out so much better,” she replied with a smile.
“Look at this place. All the stress I had while living in Dallas and working melted away once I quit and took up the reins here. There’s still stress, but it’s a different kind.
I don’t feel like I’m being run into the ground, either. ”
He nodded, understanding. “It’s rewarding work.”
“Very,” she agreed with a grin.
The rays of the setting sun lit up her face, bathing it in red and orange and giving her hair a burnished appearance. Cal smiled, truly happy for the first time in a very long while.