Page 25 of See It Through

“No, I do. Relaxing isn’t in my wheelhouse. If I don’t have a task, I go out of my mind.”

“Yeah.” He glanced at the piles again. “Cay offered me work on the ranch.”

I didn’t hesitate. “You should do it.”

His eyes lit on me, sparking with amusement despite the heaviness we’d just shared.

“Trying to get rid of me?”

I scoffed. “Absolutely. I don’t think I can bear another afternoon of you tromping around up here. If we’re being honest, I’m not sure the floorboards can take it either.”

That got him laughing. His head tipped back, revealing the pointy Adam’s apple in his golden throat. My lips twitched with the urge to smile. I’d always found it difficult not to laugh when others were, but managed to suppress it by burying my nose in the flannel. His laughter petered out, and he gazed at me, those starburst crinkles around his eyes.

“This house has withstood many storms. I think it’ll be standing long after I’m gone.”

I swallowed hard, wondering when exactly that would be. I didn’t ask, though. I wasn’t certain I wanted the answer.

“I’m sure it will be.”

Soon, I was back in my office, Graham’s flannel over my tank top. When I heard heavy footsteps on the back porch, I peeked through the blinds. Remi and Henry were outside, and it looked like the old man was bossing Remi around.

Only then, when there wasn’t a chance he could see, did I let my lips curve into a full grin.

Chapter Twelve

Hannah

Teddy played fast andloose with his kisses. A little salt on my skin, and he was all over me, licking my neck and shoulder while I tried to smooth his hoof with my rasp. He had to practically break his neck to get to me, but he wouldn’t be deterred.

I laughed as his big tongue dragged over my skin again. “Teddy, darlin’, I’m trying to do my job here.”

He nuzzled my head, his hot breath blowing my ponytail around.

“You’re a goofy boy, aren’t you? Goofy and troublesome.”

In my line of work, I spent time in close quarters with a lot of horses. They were all good boys and girls, even the troublemakers. I didn’t pick favorites, but if I did, Teddy would be it. He was a sweet, affectionate stallion whose tongue dangled from his mouth when he was happy—which was often. It was simply impossible not to like him, even if his affection made my job take twice as long as it should have.

Once I finished with all four hooves, I gave him a good snuggle and a nice pat, then I packed up my tools and got back on the road. Teddy had been my last of the day, and I was looking forward to a stop at Sugar Rush. I was debating the merits of a muffin versus a donut, which was why I didn’t notice the truck coming up behind me until it was on my ass.

This stretch of road was long and empty. There was no reason for a vehicle to be this close. If he wanted to pass, there was nothing stopping him.

I eyed him in the mirror, making out a vague outline of a man in a ball cap, one arm dangling out his window. I gestured for him to go around me, but either he couldn’t see me or felt like being a dick because he stayed right where he was, about a foot from my bumper.

My stomach twisted. I tried not to jump to catastrophizing, but we were miles from anything with no cell signal. I did not like this. Not one bit. If I drove off the road, I’d have to hoof it a long way to get help. Not my idea of a good time—especially when my stomach was growling for my sister’s baking.

Rolling my window down, I stuck my arm out and waved him past me. Without warning, he slowed down, putting some distance between us. Guessed he’d wised up.

Before I had the chance to breathe a sigh of relief, he sped up again, coming so close I braced myself to be bumped.

My sweaty palms clenched the steering wheel. Instinct urged me to put the pedal to the metal, but the less impulsive part of me told me to keep it steady. The last thing I needed was to lose control of my truck.

I tried to wave him around me again, but he didn’t seem to like that. The asshole laid on his horn and swerved to the side. Holding my breath, I waited for him to pass, but he jerked back into my lane, kicking up dust and gravel.

Pounding heart lodged in my throat, I took the chance to glance at my cell, but it was useless. I’d already known what I would see. No signal out here in the prairie. My brothers had been hounding me to invest in a satellite phone, but I hadn’t bothered. Right about now, I was feeling silly for not listening to them.

The truck swerved in and out of the lane, honking aggressively, before going back to silently haunting me.

“Come on! Just pass me!” I bit out between tightly clenched teeth. “Go around, you idiot.”