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I’d liked the way he’d looked at me last night. Like maybe I could burn him alive, too.
I couldn’t have it, but that didn’t mean I was going to string poor Nate along when my feelings had slanted in the direction of my boss, either.
Ugh. Why did this all of a sudden feel so messy?
There was only a flicker of disappointment in Nate before he pushed off the stall. “Rain check, then.”
“Sure.”
Damn it, Paisley. Don’t do that.
I resolved to tell him we could be friends but nothing beyond that when we didn’t have an audience. It really wasn’t a discussion Evelyn needed to be privy to.
Caleb was right.
I needed to watch what I said around her.
“See ya around.” He tipped the brim of his hat before he dipped his chin and said, “Miss Evelyn.”
Then he turned and strutted his really nice ass in his fitted jeans down the aisle.
I blew out a sigh, then glanced down at Evelyn who stood there with her hand swinging in mine, grinning up at me, totally oblivious to the exchange.
“All right, let’s get you a bath before your uncle gets home.”
Calling him her uncle sounded so foreign on my tongue. A mindfuck. All my assumptions twisted, chewed up, and spit out.
“He probably isn’t going to appreciate that you’re covered in horse kisses and mud.”
In my humble opinion, that was exactly the way she should be.
“I like the horse kisses,” she said.
“That’s because they’re the best,” I told her as we left the barn and started down the dirt trail that led back to the house.
Evelyn skipped along at my side, holding onto my hand. “I had so much fun for all the days you have been here. How many days until you come back?”
She squinted up at me through the rays of light that cut through the leaves, using her free hand to rake back the matted locks of hair from her face to give me a better view of that adorable grin.
“I should be back tomorrow, so only one.” As long as things hadn’t gotten weird.
Evelyn suddenly released my hand. “Watch me, Ms. Dae, I bet I can run just as fast as Mazzy!”
“You think so, huh?”
“Yup!”
She took off in a clumpity sprint, her little pink boots kicking up a plume of dust. Strands of brown hair whipped like a horse’s mane behind her.
“You are so fast!” I shouted, laughing at her joy because she was laughing, too.
“As fast as Mazzy?”
“Faster!”
She turned to look at me from over her shoulder, her smile so wide and free.
Then the sole of her boot skidded on a loose rock.
My heart clutched. I started to shout at her to watch where she was going, only it was too late, and the toe of her boot caught on a larger rock, tripping her. She toppled forward, her little arms flailing.
There was no stopping the fall.
She hit the ground with a hard thud.
“Oh my God, Evelyn.” The words wheezed from my lips, and fear crashed through my senses.
I ran for her. I was at her side in the flash of a second, right as a shattered wail ripped from her lungs.
That fear screamed, and I was on my knees so I could gently peel her from the gravel and roll her over, one arm beneath her back to keep her supported.
My gaze was frantic as I searched for wounds. “Evelyn, oh my gosh, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Tears streamed fast down her cheeks, leaving streaks of mud in their wake. I cringed when I saw she was holding her left arm protectively against her chest.
“I think I got broken,” she whimpered.
Oh God, that was not good. Not good at all. Dread seeped into my bloodstream, slogging like sludge through my veins.
At the commotion, a bunch of ranch hands came running up from the barn.
I shooed them back. “She’s fine, you’re all going to scare her if you get up on her like that.”
Mostly, I didn’t want anyone to touch her. Didn’t want any more harm to befall her.
I wanted to wrap her up and keep her safe and protect her.
I’d certainly done a bang-up job of that, hadn’t I?
“Can I see it?” I murmured, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.
She nodded warily.
Gingerly, I lifted it. Her wrist was already swollen, and a big scrape ran about three inches up her forearm. A bunch of tiny pebbles of gravel were embedded in the wound.
Crap, crap, crap.
“Does it hurt if I move it?” I really couldn’t even do that for fear that I would cause her additional pain.
More tears streaked down her face. “It hurts really bad, Ms. Dae.”
I held back the slew of curses that wanted to whip from my tongue.
“You’re alright, Evie-Love. We’re just going to take you into town and get it checked out. How does that sound?”
