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He looked a little scared.
“Please don’t be offended. I’m really bad with faces ...” When he still didn’t say anything, she added, “And names.”
A small smile crept onto his lips.
“We go to the same church. My name is Gunner.”
That made sense. There were a lot of people at that church, and she didn’t know any of them. “Well, it’s great to meet you, Gunner. Thank you for stopping.” The moment grew awkward, and her eyes flicked to his truck.
One of the goats looked at her and let out a bone-chilling scream.
She couldn’t help but giggle. It was a scary scream, for sure, but also funny. “Where are you taking your goats?”
“To their new home, just this side of Rapid.”
“Are you like some kind of goat salesman?”
He chuckled. “No. I run a goat rescue.”
Her knees wobbled a bit. Was she really going to fall in love with this man standing here on the side of the road in hundred-degree heat?
Maybe.
No, she told herself. She didn’t have time for this.
“I’m happy to give you a lift to your campground.”
What was she going to do? “Thanks, but I can’t really camp at the campground without Old Yeller.”
He looked around, and she realized he was looking for a dog.
“That’s what I call my van. Old Yeller.”
“Oh ...” he said slowly. “Well, I can take you anywhere you want?”
The trouble was, she didn’t know where she could go.
“Uh ...” He looked at his toes. “Because I was in church this morning, I know a little about your situation. So I’m not trying to be nosy or creepy or whatever ... but I have a ranch in West Hope. We’ve got a spare room if you need a place to crash. I already have two ranch hands staying with me if that makes it less weird.”
She wanted to jump on that like a trampoline, but she didn’t want to freak him out with her eagerness, so she tried to play it demurely. She pretended to think about it. “Sure, I’d be grateful.”
“It’s not much,” he said quickly. “It’s not the Bannon ranch or anything. It’s actually kind of ancient and—”
“It’ll be perfect,” she said before he could finish insulting his own ranch.
“All right. You mind if I drop the goats off first?”
The goat screamed again and banged its horns into the metal crate. She waited for a break in the ruckus to say, “Not at all.” She certainly had nothing else on her schedule for the evening. She’d been planning on a campfire and a paperback by lantern light. “Let me grab my things.” She hurriedly shoved as much as she could into her over-sized knapsack, but assuming that his ranch had electricity, she left her lantern behind.
She locked all the doors and then double checked them. “Sorry,” she said, feeling self-conscious. “I doubt anyone would try to rob a van that looks like this, but everything I own is in there.”
“No problem. I’m in no hurry.”
She glanced at the back of the truck. “I was thinking more of your goats. They have to be hot.”
“They’ll be fine. They just like to complain.” Did she detect a hint of sadness in his voice?
Chapter 3
