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She couldn’t keep her eyes off Ethan. He made riding a horse look so easy. The animal moved around the group without so much as a flick of the reins. She’d read about this—the way horses knew where to go simply by the pressure of a cowboy’s legs. Ethan didn’t even appear to be using his and yet he had complete control over his animal.
The horses shuffled as they prepared to head out, their hooves pawing at the ground as frantic as her own beating heart. It was hard not to be impressed by these men. Their strength and control of the situation was amazing to watch, and Becca continued to drink in every last drop.
Someone nudged her and she jumped to find Gabrielle standing beside her. When did she show up? Bo’s wife grinned at her and nodded to the men.
“You can’t find men like that in the city. The ones out here are a different breed.”
Becca glanced again toward Ethan only to see him looking her way. He didn’t smile, which probably made his focus on her that much more intense. She could feel the heat burst beneath her skin as Gabrielle’s low voice reached her.
“Ethan is a good man. We’ve been wondering when he’d finally find someone he could settle down with.”
She shot a sharp look in Gabrielle’s direction, not knowing what to say. What could she say? They weren’t really dating. He hadn’t actually found anyone to settle down with. How would they react when they found out it was all a ruse? They’d hate her.
Katrina would hate her.
Becca swallowed hard, opting not to say a word—not until she knew how this would progress over the next several weeks. Hopefully, they could find a way to end things amicably. Sometimes relationships didn’t work out and no one was to blame.
“I remember that feeling.”
She jumped this time, realizing she’d been caught staring again. Becca turned to Gabrielle, shoving her hands into her jeans pockets. “What feeling?”
“The way you’re looking at him. I remember staring at Bo the same way.”
“And what way is that?”
“Don’t play coy.” Gabrielle nudged her again. “I won’t tell anyone. But you clearly have feelings for him that you’re not willing to share with us. That’s perfectly fine, by the way. No one is going to drill you for information.”
Becca snorted. “Have you met Tina?”
This time, Gabrielle laughed. “Okay, maybe Tina will, though I can’t for the life of me figure out why. But besides her, you’re fine. Just take your time with it. There’s no rush.” She jerked her head toward the house. “We were going to have a big breakfast before heading out on a ride today, but it looks like we’re going to have to make something special for the ranch hands. None of us were expecting this turn of events. Want to join? We could use your help.”
She nodded. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
Becca watched Gabrielle head toward the house and glanced back in the direction where the cowboys had ridden off. They were small now, heading north up into the hills.
It was hard not to take what Gabrielle had said to heart. Ethan was a good man. He’d come from a good family. He might have dated several women over the years, according to what she’d heard, but how much of it could she really trust? He seemed likea decent guy. And even if he had a reputation for being a playboy in the past, wasn’t it possible that he’d grown?
She let out a laugh. Who was she kidding? Ethan was a cowboy who worked with horses out in the country. He might be available, and he was definitely the kind of man who could make her realize why there was such a great appeal to cowboy romances—but he wasn’t her type.
On top of that, she wasn’t even sure she could find love. She dragged around far too much baggage to make a relationship easy. Based on the way this one started, she didn’t have high hopes for it turning out like one of her romance novels.
Real life didn’t work that way.
Becca sighed as the men finally disappeared from view and she headed toward the house. One day, she’d find someone she could trust. And when she did, she’d know it was meant to be—just like how Katrina had found her love with Simon.
The wooden steps creaked beneath her feet and her hand trailed along the smooth railing at her side. She’d gotten a good couple of chapters in before she heard the house waking up. That was when she’d quickly snapped her computer shut so she wouldn’t get caught with her work on her screen.
It was proving harder and harder to keep that side of her life secret from those who were living in the house.
A car she didn’t recognize was parked out front, and the only person it could possibly belong to was Tina. Becca groaned inwardly. She wasn’t awake enough to deal with Tina. It was far too early to march into battle with that one.
She opened the front door and listened intently. There was a small chance she was wrong and Tina wasn’t here yet. It could be one of the ranch hands who’d chosen to park in the driveway rather than around the side of the cabin where the wranglers were staying.
“What? Are you serious?” Tina’s voice practically echoed through the house.
This time, Becca did groan. She stepped inside and let the door shut as quietly as she could without being noticed.
“I thought we were going riding.”
