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“Sure, sure,” I said.
“Anyway, get that rake over there. Stall four could use some attention.”
The next few hours were spent with Camden, doing odd jobs around the place and taking a stroll around the grounds. Camden had built a little empire here, and while it was still a small crew, they were very good at what they did. Each person had a list of duties that they performed, and they all seemed happy to do it.
Other chores were completed as part of the rehab program for the vets or for the new riders taking lessons, learning about how to care for the animals and the grounds by doing some of the work. I had to admit, Camden had the place running like a machine. It was impressive as hell to see.
I kept going back to the horses, doing whatever work was available with them throughout the day. This allowed me to keep stealing glances at Carmela as she did her own job, which she was splendid at.
Carmela seemed like a natural at teaching. There were at least five kids in her class currently, and she was making sure each one got the special attention they needed while also knocking out five birds with one stone. I watched her as she rode around on her own horse from time to time, bouncing in the saddle like she was born to do it and guiding the children gently but firmly.
That was all aside from the fact that she looked fantastic in her riding gear. She was beautiful when she was all dressed up to go out like I had seen her at the bar or at her office, but her dressed up to just get her hands dirty in the stables was something else entirely. I thought I liked it more. She seemed more like herself when she was in a saddle or guiding a horse around with a bit of rope as a timid child learned how to ride it.
On second thought, I knew I liked her better this way, working hard and focused on the task at hand. She didn’t seem to even notice me looking at her, and I wondered in the back of my mind if she knew but was playing it cool or if she was going to say something to me or, worse, to Camden about me staring.
Either way, it was worth the risk.
9
CARMELA
CARMELA
I kept pulling out my phone to check the time. Jade was going to be there at nine.
The more I did that, the longer it seemed to take, and the less time passed between checks. Then I would get distracted by something, one of the riders getting frustrated at not being able to get the horse to turn, and the next time I would check, fifteen minutes would have gone by, and my heart would jump. It was simultaneously taking too long and happening too fast.
Jade was going to be there any minute now, and I resolved that I would be prepared for it. I just needed to get it over with. It was why I didn’t call out for my shift or simply not show up. I knew this day was going to come, and I needed to face it head on by pulling up my big girl panties and acting like a grown up.
Yet, as the time ticked away from minutes left to seconds, panic started to settle in at the base of my spine. I wasn’t ready. It had been a year, but that wasn’t long enough. Roughly never would be long enough for that type of betrayal.
Then I saw her rounding the house and coming down the dirt pathway behind it toward the corral and into the sweeping grounds of the ranch. Instinctively, I wanted to duck and hide and escape before she could find me and just put all this off to another time.
But it was too late. She saw me almost immediately.
And she smiled.
A strange shock hit me in the gut as Jade came running toward me, arms extended, squealing like a teenager. She hit me with a tackle-hug, and I just stood there, my arms reaching up to lightly pat her back as she squeezed me. She was acting like I would be thrilled to see her, and I had absolutely no idea how to respond.
“Oh my God, oh my God!” Jade yelled, bouncing in excitement. “Oh, boo, it’s been so long! How have you been? You look so great, girl, what are you doing with your hair now? Do you go see that new hairstylist over in Norge? I bet you are, because that look is hot, hon. I can’t get over this, I had no idea you would be here! I thought you moved out of town. Have you been here this whole time? Oh, my God, this is so amazing!”
