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I didn’t even realize I’d been holding my breath until Richard stole a glance in my direction. His expression was fleeting and difficult to read. There was none of his usual light-hearted self-assuredness. Instead, there was something vulnerable, like he was looking to see if I’d noticed his flubbed dismount and, if so, was I disappointed.
It was almost as if he was seeking some sort of approval from me, which was ridiculous. I’d never met a man so comfortable in his own skin. Richard was who he was and didn’t apologize for it. Why would he give a shit what I thought about him?
I frowned at the thought and shook my head. Of course he wouldn’t care what I thought. I was no one to him—a means to an end. Soon enough, he’d leave as fast as he’d come and never give me or the ranch a second thought.
And why the hell did that thought feel like such a punch to the gut?
It was only then that I realized Jed was staring at me, a knowing look on his face. “You sure you want to wait that long before your trip to Casper?”
I scowled even harder. “Back to work,” I snapped, harsher than necessary. I swung my gaze around to take in the other hands propped against the fence, enjoying the show. “All of you.”
I didn’t spare a glance back at Richard as I stalked toward the barn. I couldn’t afford to. He’d already invaded my thoughts enough for the day, and I needed to get some distance—clear my head.
I saddled Victory quickly and efficiently before pointing him toward the north pasture and giving him a nudge with my knees. He sensed my need to blow off steam and leaped at the chance to run hard and free.
And for a while, it worked. The wind in my face, the land opening up around me, the air crisp and pure—it was always a reminder that the world was bigger than one person and their problems.
Unfortunately, those problems were still waiting for me when I rode back to the ranch a couple of hours later, except that now I also felt guilty for not helping with the late feed. I showered in time for dinner and was happy to see Norma’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes laid out on the table when I arrived. I was even able to convince myself—almost—that it was the meatloaf that made my chest squeeze and not the sight of Richard sitting toward the other end of the table, the tips of his shower-damp hair curling along the back of his neck. I waited for him to glance up at me, give me some sort of acknowledgment, but his entire focus was on his food and remained that way while the other hands chattered around him.
It wasn’t until near the end of the meal that I realized the reason for his unusual silence. Richard rested his head on one hand while he ate, and his eyes seemed to slide halfway closed periodically before opening wide again. I watched him for a few minutes before realizing he was literally falling asleep at the table.
I glanced over at Norma, who’d noticed the same thing. She shot me a wink and said something softly to him. He straightened and shook his head, taking another bite of his food before his eyes slid closed again. Norma had just enough time to pull his plate away before he slumped forward and laid his face against the place mat.
All talk stopped as the hands stared at him. And then the snickering began. I could tell from the tone of everyone’s voices that they found it kind of endearing.
“Gotta give him props for doing everything that was asked of him,” Jed said with a nod.
Even PeeWee snorted in agreement at that. Harrison reached out and ran a hand through Richard’s hair, which set my teeth on edge. “He’s a good guy,” he said fondly. “Never complained once except to the horses.”
Jed chuckled and said something about how Richard could make friends with a wall. Apparently, he’d been talking to the horses all morning while he mucked stalls.
Hiram glanced over at me. “Why’d you hire someone from the city anyway? Poor kid didn’t even know what a curry comb was till I showed him.” As soon as the question was out of his mouth, he blushed with regret. “Not that I’m second-guessing your decisions, boss. Just wondering.”
Jed answered for me. “Ain’t nobody looking for work in town. If any of you hear about good hands who need a place, you let us know.”
They all nodded their agreement, and Mercy mentioned putting out the word on a rodeo internet group he was in.
Harrison looked over at me. “Want me and Hiram to get him to the bunkhouse?”
I opened my mouth to accept his offer, but instead, I said, “Nah, I’ll do it. You guys go on.”
