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“Sarah! You’re awake!” Brielle hurried forward and pushed the items into Sarah’s hands. “Are you feeling okay? I called Dr. Henry, but he won’t be able to come by until later today.”
Sarah glanced at Dax, then returned her focus to Brielle. “I feel fine. I think I just overdid it.” She seemed to be avoiding his gaze as she murmured, “But maybe you could call my uncle?”
Brielle didn’t respond right away. She shot a look over her shoulder toward Dax. “Your uncle… Oh, right. I’ll go call the sheriff right away.” She reached forward and squeezed Sarah’s hand. “I’m so sorry… for everything.”
Sarah nodded; the smile she offered Brielle didn’t even come close to being genuine. “It’s fine. I just need to talk to the sheriff.”
Brielle hopped off the side of the bed, nodded to Dax, then headed from the room. Dax watched her go. Just as she disappeared from view, Sarah’s words from earlier hit him across the head. Brielle knew something about Sarah—something the sheriff and Zeke knew as well—something Sarah didn’t want anyone else to know.
As much as his curiosity burned within him, Dax had to push it aside. Sarah would tell him when she was ready. He turned back to face her, finding her gaze locked on him.
“Why are you helping me?” Her soft words took him by surprise.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Her hands moved to her lap and she twisted the hem of her shirt between her fingers. “It’s obvious you don’t like me very much.” There was a sadness in the way she’d said it. And for some reason it made his stomach tighten.
“I don’tnotlike you, Sarah.”
She huffed, still not meeting his gaze. “You could have fooled me.”
He moved to the edge of her bed—the place where Brielle had been sitting. “I don’t trust you. There’s a difference.”
Sarah’s eyes darted to meet his. “I guess that’s fair.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “I think we got off on the wrong foot.”
The scrunched-up expression on her face would have been comical if they weren’t in the throes of a serious conversation.
Dax took in a deep breath and released it. “If you’re going to be here for a while, we might as well change that. What do you say?”
She eyed him. “There are certain things I don’t feel comfortable sharing—withanyone. I don’t think you can accept that.”
He blew out a breath through pursed lips. “How about we start with the easy stuff?”
A bark of laughter burst from her chest. “There is literally no such thing.” She peeked at him. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
She shrugged, then gestured toward the room. “You’ve saved me three times now and you didn’t have to.”
“I’m not a monster, Sarah.”
A small smile touched her lips. Seeing her this way, free from the tension and the combative nature that seemed to be so natural to her, he couldn’t deny how beautiful she really was. It was almost like some of her walls had to come down before he could truly see it—just like when she’d been asleep.
Dax looked away. He had no right thinking such thoughts. For all intents and purposes, Sarah was his subordinate. Not only that, but things could also get messy with her being so close to Brielle. It would be far better for him to keep his distance. Especially since she was set on being so private.
He’d have to fight the instinct to delve deeper into her past. It wasn’t his business. Dax gave her a pointed look as he got to his feet. “I expect you to get some rest, and I don’t want to see you out there working.”
“But my hours.”
“You have plenty of time to make them up.”
She frowned. “I’m fully capable of gathering eggs in my condition.”
He couldn’t help it. Dax laughed. “With the way those mongrels chase you around the coop? I don’t think so.”
Sarah’s face reddened, but she didn’t argue.
