Page 8 of Forever Enough
She folded her arms over her chest. “Really? I didn’t think you cared much about the farm side of the ranch.”
My slight smile faded. “I’m not home much.”
She nodded. “That’s right. The cowboy who rides bulls. It is bulls, right?”
Something told me she knew damn well it was bulls. “Do you have something against cowboys? Or those who ride bulls?”
She exhaled in frustration. “I don’t know you, Bradly, so I have little reason to have anything against you. Besides the fact that I think it hurts your mom’s feelings that you don’t take an interest in the farm.”
I raised my brows in surprise. She certainly was direct.
Closing her eyes again, she opened them and said, “I’m sorry. I have no right to pass judgment against you. Nor do I have a right to argue with you in your own barn.” She swallowed hard and looked around before focusing back on me. “I’ll get everything put away and head on out.”
She started to walk away, and I took a step forward. “Wait. Don’t leave.”
Mackenzie gave me a cautious look.
“First, it’s not my barn. It’s my parents’ and uncle’s barn.”
The corner of her mouth twitched.
“Second, you have every right to be here. Maybe not to come after me like you hate me…”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t hate you. I don’t even know you.”
“You certainly don’t like cowboys, so I’m guessing one of them either hurt you or did something bad to you.”
Her arms came around her body in a protective manner, and for some reason, I wished I could take those words back. Holding up my hands in surrender, I said, “I’m going to go. Please, keep serenading the animals. They all seemed to enjoy it.”
The goat took that moment to bounce up to Mackenzie and nuzzle against her.
“When did we get goats?”
Mackenzie looked down and grinned. It was the first true smile I’d seen from her since she’d turned around and seen me in the barn. “Oh, he’s mine. His name is Pickles.”
One brow rose. “You have a goat named Pickles?”
She shrugged. “He’s like my support goat.”
“Right,” I replied with a chuckle. “I, um…I’ll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing. It’s really coming down out there, so you might want to think about leaving soon to head home, if you have a good drive from here.”
“I live in the apartment above the barn.”
I wanted to grin, knowing that she was close by. “Then you’re fine. Good thing. It’s snowing hard.”
She glanced over to one of the barn windows and smiled again. “It’s my first white Christmas.”
“Really?”
As if deciding she’d said too much, she pressed her lips tightly together, and the wall was back up.
“Well, I’ll let you be. Merry Christmas, Mackenzie.”
She looked unsure of whether to respond or not.
Grinning, I said, “This is where you wish me a Merry Christmas as well.”
She laughed softly, and I decided it was one of the best sounds I’d ever heard. “Merry Christmas, Bradly. Please tell your mother and father that I wish them a Merry Christmas too.”