Chapter Eleven #2
“Golden boy?” I shift toward her, positioning myself where I can see her face illuminated by the computer screen’s glow. The light catches the green-and-blue flecks in her eyes.
“Consider it a nickname. Blond sweet boy; fits you perfectly, if you ask me”
“Suppose it does.”
Sweet. She thinks I’m sweet. That oughta be a good thing, right?
I show her all the ordering stuff—which companies we use, when orders go in, delivery days, all that.
She’s fully focused, writing stuff down in a horrendous blue fluffy notebook that looks like someone has run over the Cookie Monster.
Watching her concentrate, biting her lip when she’s writing…
It’s impossible to ignore the hardness making my jeans very tight.
“Alright, that's pretty much it,” I say, finally stepping back. My back's killing me from leaning over, but I didn't want to move away. “Anything comes up you're not sure about, just call me. Better than getting an ear bashing from Wade.”
“Gotcha!” Maeve stands, taking a moment to look at her phone. “And, just in time for dinner. Should we head down?”
I nod in agreement, holding the door open as she walks past. Following her down the stairs, unable to wait any longer, I ask, “So how did yesterday go?”
Maeve stops in her tracks, a sheet of nervousness covering her body. “What do you mean?”
“The trip to town with Wade? Get everything you want? Survived it?”
“Oh, right, yeah!” Relaxation returns to her and we continue the journey to the kitchen. I decide to ignore her odd behaviour, focusing on getting the information I need from her.
“It was really good, actually. I got some new boots, so I fit the bill now. Officially a cowgirl,” she jokes. “Also made a new friend!”
“Oh?”
“Naomi from the apothecary! In fact, she said to say hi. Though if you ask me, it did seem off… You know each other?”
Of course she was off. The last time I saw her, she told me to walk away, to get help.
“Sort of,” I answer, praying that's the last of that question.
We enter the kitchen, already busy with tired, hungry ranchers, ready for their bit of grub. Plates firmly in hand, we move along the trays of food Mrs. Mae has prepared, the smell of a good old’ Texas chilli making my stomach roar. I hadn’t realised how hungry I was.
“Well, she seems to know you.” Maeve clearly wasn’t going to drop the conversation.
Bryan bounces behind us, his arms wrapped around us, and his head coming in between our faces. “Knows who?” he asks. Nosey bastard.
Maeve shrugs him off, continuing to dish her food, “Naomi, I met her in town. Gave me her number to hang out. It’s like she knew I am around too much testosterone with you smelly ranchers, and I need some girl time,” she laughs.
Maeve never fails to have good banter with the guys; it’s why she fits in so well here.
Bryan points at her, “You’re a funny little shit, aren’t you.
But girl time sounds good for you! Hit the town, see what the Wildbrook Hollow men have to offer outside the ranch.
Get Naomi drunk enough, maybe she will even tell you all about our boy here,” he messes up my hair annoyingly, “then report back to me so I can tease him more.”
“Ha-Ha, very funny, Bryan. Why don’t you piss off?” Trying to hide the unease with the most fake smile I can muster.
“Seems like you sort of know each other a lot then, Colt? If she has some good stories to tell about you.” Maeve teases, thinking it's all part of the joke. Everyone seems very comfortable with this conversation, when I am in fact nothing but.
“Naomi is Colt’s ex-girlfriend, of course they know each other well,” Bryan airs out the one thing I was trying to avoid. My hands grip tight to the plate almost to the point my knuckles turn white, and a headache is forming with how hard my brows have furrowed.
As though sensing the shift in atmosphere, Maeve sets her plate down and pulls out the chair beside her, patting it once. I sit, thankful that she isn’t making a big deal outta this.
“Cute, well—shame you two didn't work out,” she says, easy and quick, like she's already decided it's not her business and is moving on accordingly.
Bryan opens his mouth. I shoot him a look. He closes it again.
Later, once the plates are cleared and the kitchen empties out, Maeve and I end up on the porch steps.
The last of the evening light bleeds out behind the hills.
She's got her knees pulled up to her chest, hugging them tight, chin resting on top.
I can tell her mind has been somewhere else since we sat down—I can always tell with her now, the way she goes slightly quiet, like she's working something out.
I find myself running through every possible thing it could be.
That is, until she finally breaks the silence.
“Can I ask for a favour?” she says.
“Go on.” I try to keep my voice easy, as if the fact that she needs me doesn't make my whole evening. It does, though. It really does.
She takes a second, like she's still deciding whether to say it.
“Can you teach me to ride a horse, please?” She picks at the sleeve of her hoodie.
“I know it's extra work on top of everything else you already do, and you can absolutely say no.
But I've been watching you with the kids and—” She pauses.
“I don't know. It seems like something I need to do here to fully get to know this place.
I can't do that properly if I can't ride.”
There's something in the request that sits heavier than face value. She's all serious and deep in thought, like if she doesn't learn to ride, it will mean something more than just missing out on exploring the ranch. Like it matters in a way she hasn't quite put into words yet.
“Yeah,” I say. “Of course.”
Her shoulders drop. Just slightly. Like she'd been bracing herself for a rejection without realising it.
“Yeah?” She looks at me properly for the first time since we sat down.
“Yeah, Maeve.” I smile. “Tomorrow morning, if you're up for it.”
More one-on-one time with Maeve? Like I was ever going to say no to that.
“Yes, thank you so much,” she says, and before I can respond, she's thrown herself sideways, arms around my shoulders, enthusiasm firmly in the driving seat.
I laugh and squeeze her back, fully embracing her closeness. “We'll have to start slow, though. Get you comfortable around them first, build their trust. No riding right away.”
She pulls back, wrinkling her nose. “How long till I can?”
“Depends on how good of a student you are.”
She lets out a small laugh. “So potentially forever.”
“I didn't say that.”
She smiles at that, and my chest does what it's been doing around her more lately. That quiet, inconvenient lurch I've stopped pretending isn't there.
The last of the light drops behind the hills. The evening settles around us, the ranch ready for its rest.
And just like that, the dopamine high I was riding earlier has returned. All thanks to the girl who is becoming more than what I ever could have wanted.
The girl whom I am pretty sure I am falling for…