Page 10 of Honoring Freedom
Freedom stared at the closed door for four solid heartbeats. She heard rustling of clothing and turned in time to see Keller settling himself on the corner of the desk, still wearing that mind-altering grin that sent pulses of awareness through her. “Family politics,” he said smoothly, and far too casually.
He looked as regal as a reincarnated John Wayne. His smile, his movements, his self-confidence both intrigued and infuriated her. Having him on the ranch had kept her on her toes and the work of controlling her emotions had become exhausting. Every turn she took he seemed to be there, offering her a satisfied grin that wreaked havoc on her nerves.
Just yesterday, he’d been examining one of the horse’s gaits in the arena, and she’d been fascinated with how well he worked with the thoroughbred. Even as a teenager he’d been quite a horse whisperer, but he’d polished his talents since. She might not agree with him, but she appreciated how much care he put into each animal. She’d watched him give the same attention to a goat as he did to a prized thoroughbred.
She was also fascinated by his modern techniques in medicine. While change could be intimidating, it could also help push Sagebrush Rose into embracing modern methods that have shown success. He used specialized ear tags, drones in conjunction with smartphone apps to help the hands keep better track of the herd. The family could also watch the activity on the ranch from the comfort of home or the office. Daddy must have liked the idea because he was moving forward in setting up the technology.
The history between Freedom and Keller couldn’t be ignored though.
Their whirlwind of a relationship had left an indelible mark on her soul. Keller had taken a job at Sagebrush Rose during the summer that year. He’d physically changed from the last time she saw him. He’d grown at least three inches, filled out his Wranglers, and had even grown whiskers. Back then he’d had some premature greys threading through his beard which had made him even more enticing. They hit it off right away, and what started as a fun night at the lake quickly became a sizzling summer romance. She fell for him in a way she couldn't fully explain. Like the universe had blazed a path for them.
Until she caught him kissing Lanah. Freedom still couldn’t look at the woman without seeing her pressed against Keller.
It was just a kiss, and others had been forgiven for far worse, but she let her pride interfere. She’d trusted him. She’d been enthralled by his desire and zest for life.
That’s why being around him now made their work relationship so volatile. She couldn’t find forgiveness because she’d never fully moved on.
“I’m not quitting. This is my ranch. My home,” she stated firmly.
“I figured as much. I’m not quitting either. I made that clear the day you burst into my kitchen and wielded the skillet. We need to move on from the past and start fresh. Think that’s possible?” When she didn’t answer right away, he said, “We both know horses. We could make a great team. Sam is right.”
She swallowed against the tension in her throat. Although she wanted to argue the point, she knew better. No doubt Keller knew his way around equestrian meds. He’d proven that. And Freedom, she could ride before she could walk. She wasn’t the award-winning barrel racer like Honor and Liberty, but Freedom had used riding as therapy for many years. To escape the family drama and turmoil, she’d jump in the saddle and ride unfettered across the sun kissed land.
When she didn’t respond, he rubbed his hands down his blue-jean-clad thighs. “Hell, I didn’t want to get into this, but I see there’s no way of working around it. I didn’t cheat on you.”
She laughed. “Is that what you think this is all about?”
“Isn’t it?”
Freedom had no desire to dig through all the manure to get to the root of the problem. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m sure you and Lanah have a lot in common.” Even she heard the bitterness in her tone and wished she would have avoided any mention of the woman.
One corner of his mouth played with a smile. “Yeah, your attitude has everything to do with how you think I betrayed you. I want to clear that up, something you didn’t allow me to do back then.”
“Save your breath. It’s a moot point now.” She dropped down into the leather chair and crossed her legs.
“Lanah said you two haven’t spoken since that day.”
She had to play and replay her response in her head before she spoke. “Oh, did she?”
“I guess I was hoping time would erase the misunderstanding,” he said grimly.
“Time had done its part until you came strolling back into Sagebrush Pine.” She strummed her nails on the arm of the chair. “I guess I was hoping you’d left this small town in the rear view a long time ago.”
“It’s been fifteen years, Free. How long will you hold this over my head?”
“Until I die,” she said quietly.
“See, what happened that night is the issue and I’m telling you what you think happened is clearly wrong.” Agitation shown in the harsh set of his jaw. “That’s a case of too much pride.”
“I saw you two kissing with my own eyes, Keller.” She hated carrying around all this anger and hurt, but she’d never found closure. After she’d witnessed the kiss between Keller and Lanah, he’d chased after her, and she’d refused to hear him. Then he left, and instead of going back to veterinary school, he joined the military. That had made her anger worse so when he came to say goodbye, she’d pretended that he had meant nothing to her, even as she was breaking more inside.
“What you saw was Lanah drunk and throwing herself at me. If you would have listened to me from the start, I could have explained the situation.” His eyes became a shade darker.
“And yet, you two continued to hang out until you left for Basic Training, and from what I’ve heard, you two still enjoy each other’s company.” God, her words made her sound like a jealous idiot. Maybe she was because he still affected her in all the ways she didn’t want him too.
“She didn’t mean to cause trouble between us. She’s a good woman.” Keller adjusted himself on the desk.
“I’m glad for you. Good people are hard to find these days,” she said smartly.