Chapter Eight #4
After feeding her the rest of the apple, its sweet scent lingering on his fingers, and spending a little more time with her, he walked out of the dusty arena, asked Micky to put the filly in her stall, then headed across the sunbaked yard, but stopped when he heard the UTV’s engine growling in his direction.
He waited, squinting against the morning glare, then saw Cull driving the mud-splattered vehicle into the yard before coming to a halt at the barn.
Seth watched as Ryan stepped out, her dark hair catching the sunlight as she waved at Cull, then turned toward the barn. When she spotted him, her whole body seemed to pivot, and she headed in his direction with determined strides.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hey, how did it go?” He tried to keep his tone neutral despite the way his pulse quickened.
“Good. It’s muddy up there though.” She gestured toward the trails, a smudge of dirt visible on her cheekbone.
“I figured it would be since it rained last night,” he said with a smirk, fighting the urge to brush the dirt away with his thumb.
“Okay, smartass.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners. “How’s your hand?”
“It’s healing, but I can’t do much yet.” He flexed his bruised knuckles carefully. “Once I can get a glove on, I’ll try to do more.”
“Just don’t hurt it again.” She shook her head, her expression softening. “I’m sorry you had to hit him.”
“I’m not.” The words came out harder than he intended.
“Oh, I’m not sorry you hit him, I’m sorry your hand got hurt. He deserved it.” Her eyes flashed with remembered anger.
Seth looked at the mountains, purple shadows deepening in their crevices as the sun rose higher, then back at her flushed face. “He did.”
“What’s going through your head?” She stepped closer, close enough that he could smell her light perfume that always clung to her.
Seth inhaled deeply, his chest tight. “That you won’t be here much longer.”
He noticed her look away as she blinked her eyes quickly, moisture gathering at the corners, then she looked at him, jaw set firmly.
“Less than a week and a half.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“I know exactly how long, Ryan.” The words tasted bitter. He shook his head, turned and made his way toward his house, boots heavy on the packed earth. He needed to get away from her and stay away. He knew it would end in heartbreak so the less he saw of her, the better.
“Seth?” her voice cracked slightly.
He stopped, shoulders tense, turned to face her and raised an eyebrow, his expression carefully blank.
“Do you… do you want to get together later?” Her fingers twisted nervously at the hem of her shirt.
“What’s the sense in it?” The wind picked up, rustling through the nearby trees.
“But—”
“But, what? I told you how this would end if we got together and I was right.” He swallowed hard. “I think it’s best we just stay away from each other.” He started for the steps again, the wood creaking beneath his weight, when her words stopped him.
“What about what I think? I want to be with you, Seth.” Her voice trembled; words chased by the crisp air.
He paused, then strode back to her. He stepped closer, until only inches separated them. “Why are you making this harder than it has to be?” His tone was low, tinted with frustration. “We need to just stay the hell away from each other until you leave.”
With a furious tug at his cowboy hat, he turned and climbed the steps. The door slammed behind him, rattling in its frame.
Through the wood he heard her shout, “You are the most hardheaded man I have ever met!”
Inside, he shrugged off his damp flannel shirt and hung it on a peg by the door, his hat joining it. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling a long, tired breath and hung his head.
Later, he settled into his recliner in the dim living room, flipping channels as dusk deepened.
A muffled rumble outside announced a vehicle pulling up. He clicked off the TV, lowered the footrest, rose and strode to the kitchen, the floor cool under his socks. A tentative knock. He sighed, opened the door, and found Ryan standing there, twilight outlining her silhouette.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, surprise and caution mingling in his voice.
She held up a white paper bag stamped Clifton Diner in red on it. “Truce?”
He hesitated, then crossed his arms. “Do you think that’s possible?”
Her lips curved. “Maybe. Maybe not, but are you going to turn down a burger from the diner?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Just how do you know about the burgers at the diner?”
“The woman in the cabin next to mine said to try it. She said they had fantastic burgers. Alyssa and I went and had one.” She tapped the bag. “So here I am, offering an olive branch. I don’t want to leave here with us not speaking.” She shifted, her eyes earnest.
He studied her face, then the bag, and nodded. “Come in.”
Inside, she peeled off her flannel shirt, draping it over a chair. “It’s gotten cooler again,” she murmured, breath visible in the hush of the house.
“Sun’s going down,” he replied, leading her toward the living room. “It’ll warm up by midday tomorrow.”
“Where can we eat?”
He motioned to the sofa. “Living room. You get one for yourself?”
She nodded. “I hadn’t eaten dinner, so I headed to the diner, then I decided to bring you one.”
He unwrapped two foil-wrapped burgers; steam curled upward, scented with sizzling beef and toasted buns, then pushed one toward her. His stomach growled. He peeled back the foil on one and looked at her, eyebrows raised. “How did you know my usual?”
Ryan laughed. “I didn’t. I asked Connie if she knew you. She grinned and said, ‘Honey, I know everyone.’ I asked if she knew what you’d want. She said you’d want your usual.” She shrugged, amused. “When I asked how she’d know, she just grinned and said—”
“She knows everyone’s usual.” He bit into the burger, eyes closing as the flavors hit him.
Ryan settled beside him and unwrapped hers. “These are fantastic.” She took a bite.
He leaned back, burger halfway to his lips. “I’ve traveled across the states. Can’t find one near as good. Bet you’ve tried others, too.”
“Yeah,” she agreed around a bite. “And I agree with you, none are as good.”
He blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
Ryan met his gaze steadily. “What do you mean what?”
“Did you actually just agree with me?”
Her lips quirked, eyes narrowing in mock suspicion. Seth lifted his burger and took another hearty bite, then shrugged. “Let’s face it, Ryan, we butt heads.”
“Yes, we do,” she said softly, “but we also have hot sex.”
He choked on his bite, setting the burger down. “Stop. Eat your burger. We’re not talking about sex.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Wuss. I could make you.”
He feigned a tremor. “You’ve got me shaking in my boots.”
“Is that sarcasm?”
“Absolutely.” He grinned as she laughed, and for the first time that evening, the tension between them gave way to something warmer.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. You know that Doris fired Sean, right?” At Seth’s nod, she went on. “Well, he got a job at another magazine, but he had to go to Alaska for an assignment.” Ryan shook her head. “His little dingleberries are going to freeze off,” she said with a laugh, making Seth chuckle.