I realized I was staring and tamed my smile into a self-deprecating tilt of the lips. “Sorry. I’m not usually on this side of the surprise at a first meeting.” I leaned in conspiratorially. “You’re not exactly what I expected.”
Wow. Had I really admitted that out loud? My coworkers were probably screamingdouble standard!in their heads, because if they’d uttered those words there’d be more than one brow raised, but really, it was just as inappropriate coming from me.
I winced. “Sorry. Again.”
His cheek twitched like he was holding in his amusement. “Quite all right, ma’am.” He looked like he wanted to say more but was searching for just the right words.
Tonya spoke from the next stall over. “Can you tell me about Lady here? She looks perfect for me.”
Mr. Thomas touched the brim of his hat with a “ma’am” before sauntering down to introduce Tonya to Lady. Domino nudged my shoulder with his nose, and I turned to rest my forehead against his.
“What other surprises are in store for me the next few days, hmm?”
4
Malachi
God bless insurance and well-trained horses. Without the two, I’d feel obliged to call Mr. Whalen up and offer him a full return of his money lest his employees not make it back to their upscale offices in one piece. As it was, as long as the financiers could grip a saddle horn like it was a fistful of cash, the horses would do the rest. Call it equine autopilot. Cattle herding and cutting had been programmed into their DNA.
“Man, I’ve seen green, but that bunch are like salsa verde on steroids.” Nate spoke behind me, and I half turned, one eye on my brother and the other watching the group from the city get acquainted with their mounts.
A few showed promise. Like Domino’s partner. There’d been a sheen of fear in her eyes—the half- draft was a big horse, after all, standing just shy of seventeen hands—but she’d offered the gelding her open palm to smell despite the possibility he could bite. Well, the possibility in her mind at least. Domino wouldn’t hurt a pole cat even if the thing was attempting to turn him into 9Lives essential cat food.
“Nothing a few days on the range won’t fix.” And by a few days, I meant a lifetime. But they weren’t here to join the three-and-a-half-million agricultural workers in America, so they didn’t need centuries of dirt underneath their nails. A few eye-opening experiences on determination and teamwork and maybe they’d return to the concrete jungle with a slightly broader perspective.
“From the way they’re interacting with the horses, I’d say only two of them have any prior riding experience.”
My gaze swept over our seven guests. The oldest gentleman in the group and the woman with Lady had both seemed comfortable in the barn and with the animals. If I had to guess, I’d say the man was on his second career, the first having involved some type of manual labor, judging by the callus scars on his palms when we shook hands. Lady’s woman had mentioned something about trail riding at summer camps as a kid.
“That one is a surprise though.” Nate jutted his chin toward the lady dividing her attention between Domino and Scout. She laughed when the jealous dog pawed at her leg, but the Aussie was rewarded with his face being cradled and a kiss planted on the top of his head.
I didn’t ask Nate what about the woman surprised him. Truth be told, she’d stolen the breath from my lungs as well. I hadn’t been prepared for the juxtaposition of the gentleness in her honey-colored eyes and the quiet strength radiating just beneath the surface of her light-umber skin.
Nate’s lips curved as he studied me. “I see I’m not the only one.”
I flushed and averted my gaze. I may spend my days squinting under the brightness of the full sun, but that didn’t mean I was blind. And noticing a woman’s attractive qualities didn’t mean anything either. Just that I was a man. With eyes. As established. Whatever crazy ideas zinged through Nate’s mind to place that sly grin on his face weren’t the natural conclusion to said observations.
“Looks like she’s already stolen your dog. What’s next, your heart?” Nate nudged my shoulder.
I nudged back. “Sounds like some awful lyrics from one of your honky-tonk bars in Nashville.”
Light faded from my brother’s eyes, and I instantly regretted teasing him about Tennessee. Until I found out what had gone south in the South, I needed to steer clear of any mention of Music City.
“Nate—”
“Don’t worry about it.” He plucked a piece of hay from the nearby stack and placed it between his lips.
I rolled my eyes.Let the show begin.
Miriam slid her arm through mine, and I glanced down at her as she squealed, “Oh, good. I didn’t miss it.”
Byitshe meant, of course, Nate Thomas’s classic rendition of a wrangler caricature. He bent his knees and spread them wide as if an invisible miniature pony walked under him. Straw sticking from his mouth at a jaunty angle, he hooked his thumbs through his front belt loops and created two triangles with his elbows. He walked toward our guests as if something were wedged up his backside, dipping his chin in deference to the ladies.
He used to do the act with a gun holster riding low on his hips, but he’d scared a little girl so badly she’d burst into tears. Letting her shoot him with the water guns nestled inside had smoothed things over, but he’d hung up his “six shooters” after that.
“Howdy, y’all.” Nate stopped, feet braced apart as if he hadn’t the ability to click his heels together.
“Howdy.” The baker’s half dozen responded with smiles and snickers, eating up his shenanigans.
