8. Holden #2
His lips thin. “I think somewhere along the way, you got so used to leaving that you stopped knowing how to stay.”
The words land harder than they should. Mostly because I don’t entirely know that he’s wrong.
I shove away from the counter anyway. “That’s bullshit.”
“Is it?” He studies me for another second, then lets out a heavy breath. “No one’s asking you to decide your whole life tonight. But sooner or later, you’re going to have to quit standing in the doorway.”
With that, he hangs his dish towel over the rack, then walks away and takes a seat next to Taryn like the conversation never happened.
I stay where I am, jaw tight, shoulder aching dully beneath my shirt.
At the table, everybody keeps talking and laughing like my whole damn mood hasn’t just been kicked in the guts. I slide a hand into my pocket, pull out my phone, and reread the message Rick sent me just before I came inside for dinner.
Got a team sponsor sniffing around. No riding, just mentorship. Are you interested, or should I shut it down?
A week ago, the answer would’ve been easy. Hell, maybe it still should be.
My thumb hovers over the screen for a few seconds while I consider a response. Then I type back:
I’m interested. Send the details through when you get them.
As I shove it back into my pocket, I catch Sage watching me from across the table. Her expression is focused, curious. It’s the same way she looked at things during today’s tour, just before lifting her camera. As if she were trying to work out what mattered most about them.
I’m not sure I want her trying to figure that out about me.
I jerk my chin toward the door. “Ready to head out?”
Her chin tips up. “Sure.” She turns to Dad. “Thank you so much for the wonderful dinner. I had a great time.”
He pushes himself up to stand. “You’re welcome, love. It’s nice for all of us to have more feminine energy around.”
“Tell me about it,” Taryn mutters.
We say our goodbyes, though I do my best to avoid Sterling, and step out into the orange glow of the sunset. When we reach my truck, I open the door for her to climb in before getting in myself.
Silence fills the cab, but this time it’s not tense. Sage seems relaxed as she gazes out the window, and for some reason, even the lingering tension from my conversation with Sterling drains away.
After a few minutes, she lets out a soft, contented sigh. “I thought maybe I’d go for a walk around some of the trails tomorrow. Get some landscape shots.”
My mind immediately conjures images of her stepping on a rotten log and breaking her leg, or tripping and sliding down a cliff. “I wouldn’t recommend going out on your own on your second day.”
She frowns. “How am I supposed to get the shots I need if I can’t go anywhere?”
“I didn’t say you can’t go anywhere. I said you shouldn’t go by yourself. I’m sure Taryn would be happy to take you.”
“She’s got school tomorrow. I can’t wait around for her every day to do my job. Plus, she’s got plenty of other stuff on her plate.”
“Why don’t you just photograph around the ranch for now?”
She crosses her arms, irritation radiating from every inch of her. “Because I was hired to capture the guest experience, and I’m pretty sure a big part of it will be enjoying the landscape.”
“You’ll get lost.”
She twists toward me. “Sterling said they’ve already started putting up trail markers.” She pulls out her phone and waves it at me. “Plus, I have GPS.”
I grind my teeth. I’m not being unreasonable. She’s already crashed her car and fallen over. Though maybe I can admit she might not have fallen if she hadn’t been angry with me. On the other hand, she’s a grown woman, and despite what I said to Chance, no one’s asked me to babysit her.
I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, trying to talk myself out of saying what I’m about to say.
It doesn’t work.
“The grading on some of the trails needs to be checked. I guess I can do it tomorrow.”
When she doesn’t respond, I glance over and find her glaring at me.
“How kind of you to make the sacrifice.” She throws herself back against the seat.
“I’m really, really tempted to say thanks, but no thanks.
But if I do that now, I’m one hundred percent going to break an ankle just so the universe can prove you right. And I refuse to let that happen.”
Strangely enough, the snark in her voice makes my lips twitch.
A few minutes later, I pull up in front of her cabin. “We’ll need to head out before first light.”
If I’m hoping she’ll protest or change her mind, I’m disappointed.
“I’ll be waiting,” she says. “Though I’m regretting not buying a coffee maker while I was in town today. Rookie mistake.”
She unbuckles her seatbelt and reaches down to collect her camera bag and the bag of clothes she bought today. The movement sends a hint of honeysuckle drifting my way.
I hate that I take a deeper breath. Just because she smells as good as she looks doesn’t make her any less of a pain in my ass.
Though I’m apparently the only one who sees her that way. My sister clearly loves having her around, and Dad already seems to have a soft spot for her. And then there’s Chance. The memory of him flirting with her is enough to make my jaw clench.
Which is a ridiculous reaction to a ridiculous situation.
She pushes her door open and climbs out, then turns and gives me a slightly too wide smile. “See you bright and early.”
I’m usually decent at reading people, but I have no idea whether she’s gotten past her irritation with me or is secretly plotting my murder. Both seem equally likely at this stage.
Still unsettled by my reaction to her, I just tilt my chin, wait for her to shut the door, then shift gears and drive a little too fast toward the peace of my cabin.