Chapter 18
FOR THE NEXT week, everyone walked on pins and needles around Levi.
Naomi was reinstalled, along with Ruby, at the same motor lodge; Mason and Taylor took care of preparing all the meals; and Trent drove Wyatt to and from his welding job.
Naomi and Trent managed to find time alone between Trent’s chores and Naomi’s energy efficiency audit and her personalized workshop with Holger on pesticides and how to implement cover crops for the next season.
“You taught him what?” Trent asked on Friday, after lunch.
“You heard me. I showed him how to test the soil’s nutrient levels on his own.”
“Are you going to do that on the Silver Road property before you buy it?”
She grinned at him. They were alone in the dining room. Everyone else had eaten and gone on to the kitchen or the barn or a bedroom and left the two of them alone.
“I just checked on the listing and the owner dropped the price by five percent. That’s huge.”
He scooted his chair closer to hers. “So, are you going to make an offer?”
“Well, I have one more week here—”
“Only one?”
“Yeah.”
Trent moved closer still. “Wyatt’s gonna give me some gas money tonight. You want to go out?”
Naomi chuckled. “Sure. Where?”
“Well, I was thinking … maybe we could listen to music … at your place. Remember, I’m just a poor boy, living on charity here.”
Naomi leaned in. “My place, huh? A tiny motel room? What would the Olsens think?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you’d behave yourself, but … we could listen to music for the price of a beer or a soft drink at one of the places in town. My treat.”
Trent’s grin widened, his deep brown eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and anticipation. “Your treat, huh? Well, I guess I can live with that. As long as you promise not to pick one of those fancy places where they give you funny looks if you ask for ketchup.”
Naomi laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Don’t worry. There’s nothing fancy in this town. I’ve seen a couple of places that look like they might have decent live music. We can check one out.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Trent said, leaning back in his chair but keeping his gaze fixed on hers. “You know, you’re a tough woman to keep up with, Naomi Foster. Soil testing, energy audits, and negotiating property deals all in one week? Makes me feel lazy just thinking about it.”
She shook her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I’m just trying to make the most of my time here. Besides, you’re the one running around with Wyatt, helping Holger, and fixing stuff around the ranch. Don’t sell yourself short.”
He smirked, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. “I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing enough, you know? Seeing you tackle all these big plans, it makes me want to step up my game.”
Naomi’s expression softened, her teasing tone giving way to something more sincere. “Trent, you’re doing more than enough. And for the record, it’s not a competition. I think you’re pretty great just the way you are.”
Her words seemed to make him think, and for a moment, he simply stared at her. Then, his grin returned, smaller but more genuine. “Thanks.”
The sound of footsteps approaching broke the moment, and Trent straightened in his chair as Holger poked his head into the dining room. “Trent, can you give me a hand with the fencing out back? One of the posts got knocked loose.”
“Be right there,” Trent said, rising to his feet. He glanced back at Naomi, his expression lingering somewhere between playful and reluctant. “Guess I’ll see you tonight?”
She nodded, her smile bright and reassuring. “I’ll be ready. Try not to wear yourself out fixing fences.”
Trent chuckled as he headed for the door, his voice carrying over his shoulder. “I won’t.”
She heard the outside door slam and sat there for a moment longer then remembered she needed to make a quick trip to the store to buy some dog food for Ruby.
“Ruby? Where’d you go, girl?” She looked under the table, but the pup was gone.
She might have slipped outside when the door was open, but Trent would have brought her back.
“Ruby!” she yelled, getting out of her chair and going into the kitchen where Taylor and Mason were making a grocery list. “Have you seen my best friend?”
“Man or dog?” Mason joked.
Taylor started to nod. “I know where she is. I saw Levi scoop her up when he left. I think maybe Ruby has become his emotional support animal.”
Mason frowned and focused on the list.
“Oh,” Naomi breathed, “so he’s taken her to the barn, you think?”
“That’s my guess.” Taylor emphasized the possibility with a quick raising and lowering of her brows.
Naomi grabbed her coat and went out. “Ruby? You out here?” She kept calling for the dog as she walked to the barn.
She’d never had a reason to enter the barn on her own and she knew that Trent and Levi had rooms in the barn loft, so she felt a little like she was entering someone’s house uninvited.
But she knew the rhythm of the ranch by now: Wyatt was gone, Sophie was napping, the infatuated couple was in the kitchen, Holger and Trent were fixing a fence.
That left Colton and Levi. It wasn’t cow milking time, but …
She was about to slide the big barn door aside when it seemed to slide open on its own. Colton appeared.
“Hey. Looking for your dog?” He kept pushing the door wider so he could get a wheelbarrow through.
“Yeah, have you seen her?” She stepped aside so he could shove the manure-laden cart out.
“Go up the stairs and knock on the first door. She’s babysitting Levi.”
“Babysitting?”
Colton rolled his eyes. “Just listen at the door first.”
She went in, her eyes adjusting to the dimmer light as Colton closed the door. She walked by the empty stalls and started up the stairs. She wondered if she should start calling for Ruby just to give Levi a heads-up, but then she heard the sobs.
Her heart jumped to her throat. Poor Levi. She stopped halfway up the steps and listened. He was talking to Ruby. She could make out a few words as the sobbing lessened and the talking took over. She crept up the last six steps and stood by the door.
“or lose it for non-payment of taxes.”
She figured he was talking about his ranch. Maybe he did own it and he wasn’t really homeless. But if home was where the heart was then she knew why he went to the cemetery and why he couldn’t go to the ranch.
“Levi?” She knocked. “Is Ruby with you? I can’t find my dog.”
She heard a rustling inside and the sound of Ruby, who hadn’t been much of a barker, scurrying toward the door.
“Yeah,” Levi said, opening the door and letting Ruby out, “she sort of followed me over.” He kept his head down.
Naomi knelt to give Ruby a good head scratching and cuddle.
She felt a dampness in her fur. “No problem. I need to go buy her some food, so if you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you could watch her a little longer.
” She dared to glance up at him. He was holding his head up now, but his expression told her nothing about his state of mind.
Unexpectedly, Levi said, “Trent’s in love with you.”
She stood up and stared in his dark eyes. His shaggy long hair reached his shoulders, his beard and mustache needed trimming, and the frown line between his eyes was deeper than ever, but all she could see was a broken man. She couldn’t quite resolve what he said with how he looked.
“How do you know?”
“I know about love. I know it’s patient and kind and unconditional.
It doesn’t envy, or boast, it’s not proud.
It doesn’t … dishonor others. It’s not self-seeking, or easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love doesn’t … get satisfaction … in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ” He looked off to the side.
“You’ve memorized the Bible.”
He grunted a consent. Ruby circled their feet and ran back into the room.
Naomi followed Ruby with her eyes. She was interested in why Levi would say Trent loved her, but she was much more concerned at this moment with Levi’s state of mind.
“Sounds like you had a wonderful, loving marriage. Is that right, Levi?”
Again, he grunted his affirmation.
“Um … I couldn’t help but hear you through the door as I was coming up the stairs. Something about losing your ranch?”
His chin jerked up and without a moment to process it, he said, “Want to see it? You can drive us there.” He turned and picked up Ruby. “And get this lady some food, too.”