“Everything hurts right now,” Sean said, shaking his head.
“Here,” Seth said as he handed Sean the jar.
“Thank you. I’ll head back to my room and take a hot shower, then use this. There are quite a few more questions I’d like to get from you, Mr. Harrison, while in the fields. I will probably be here for the rest of the week.”
“Sure. If you’re well enough tomorrow, you can come back around eight. I’ll take you to the fields.”
“Thanks. See you tomorrow.” Sean looked at Ryan. “Ryan.” Then he slowly walked from the barn.
“I bet he doesn’t show tomorrow,” Ryan said.
“You’d probably win that bet,” Seth said.
Ryan looked at him. “What am I going to do tomorrow?”
“Ride with Cull,” Seth said with a shrug, then he walked off to cool his horse.
She stared after him, wondering why he acted like he didn’t want to talk to her. Sighing, she thought he needed to stop running hot and cold with her. She just hoped Sean didn’t fill his head with nonsense, but she wouldn’t put it past him.
By the time Friday rolled around, she hadn’t seen Seth at all, but Cull told her he was still with Sean. She wasn’t sure what was going on with him, but she would definitely be asking.
Ryan sighed. She was glad tomorrow was Saturday. She and Alyssa were going to get out and have some fun and forget about brooding cowboys.
Chapter Seven
Saturday morning, Seth entered the barn, the familiar scent of hay and leather greeting him. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, casting golden rectangles across the worn cement floor. He wanted to work with one of the other young fillies today, the one with the white blaze down her face and the tendency to startle at shadows. He was glad he didn’t have to see Ryan today. The less of her camera clicks, the better. He’d overstepped. And he couldn’t afford to do it again. They were doomed from the start. He saw that, even if she didn’t.
As he opened the stall door to get the horse, his phone rang, the sharp digital tone cutting through the peaceful barn sounds. He pulled it from his pocket to see Ash’s number lighting up the screen.
“Please tell me she’s leaving,” he muttered before answering, his thumb swiping across the glass. “Hey, Ash.”
“Seth, I just wanted to see how it’s going with the photographer and writer.”
“Well, I didn’t get a chance to call you, but Ryan Carroll turned out to be a woman.” Seth leaned against the rough-hewn post, watching the filly’s ears twitch with interest.
Ash chuckled. “No shit?”
“Nope. As far as the writer is concerned, to be honest, he’s a dick.” Seth grinned when Ash laughed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
“What about the woman?” Ash asked, curiosity evident in his tone.
“Send her back to California, will you? She’s a pain in my ass.” Seth ran his hand along the horse’s sleek neck, feeling the muscles ripple beneath his palm.
“I probably said something similar about Cassidy when I first met her.”
“That’s different. This woman didn’t know how to ride, she showed up in stilettos, and the men are probably walking around with hard-ons all day.” He kicked at a stray piece of straw with the toe of his worn boot.
“Not you, though?”
Seth could hear the laughter in Ash’s voice. “I refuse to answer that.”
Ash laughed again. “You just did. Seriously, if she’s a problem, I can call the magazine and request another photographer, but she won’t be there much longer.”
“No, it’s alright. I don’t feel like starting over.” Seth watched a barn swallow dart through the rafters above and tried to ignore the pain that ripped through him at the thought of Ryan leaving soon. “It’ll be fine. I’m having Cull show her the fields when I can’t. I have several horses to get trained.” The horse nudged his shoulder with her velvety muzzle, impatient.
“You do what you have to, Seth. I’ll let you go. Have a good weekend.”
“Yeah, you do the same.” Seth put the phone back into his pocket, then hooked the rope lead to the horse’s halter and led her to the arena, her hooves making a rhythmic clop-clop against the barn floor. He hoped the physical work would keep his mind off Ryan, off those knowing eyes and quick smile, until he had to see her again on Monday. “Yeah, right.”
