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“You know? I think you might be right about some folks. But honestly? I think there would be a lot of parents who would be interested in your expertise. From what I can tell, your past hasn’t followed you here. I haven’t seen any evidence to say otherwise.” Sarah gave him a timid smile. “Seems to me you were successful in getting a fresh start.”
He nodded. “If it wasn’t for Zeke, I never would have been offered that.”
“I guess Zeke has a soft spot for troublemakers.”
“Guess so.”
They rode in silence once more. Sarah was different somehow. Yes, there were secrets she was keeping from him. And as much as he wanted to know every little detail, he was getting to a point where he was happy just to teach her and train her.
When she wasn’t in a sour mood, she was just the kind of person he enjoyed working with. Sarah was bright—like more than a normal rancher or even college student. She must have had educated parents. She hadn’t given up on doing any job that had been assigned to her. Once she’d gotten reasonably better from her accident, she was the first out to the barn and one of the last to head inside.
Hers was a work ethic some of his ranch hands could take notes from.
It was getting increasingly harder and harder not to notice every little thing that he discovered about her that made him want to get to know her even more. If their current situation was different, he could have seen himself asking her out on a date.
He let the silence continue to grow between them, almost itching to tell her more. She had a way of helping him feel validated that he hadn’t experienced in years.
The landscape crawled alongside them the farther they went into Slate Rock Ranch property. Tall grasses filled empty areas, and wildflowers grew along the fence lines for the grazing fields they managed.
A breeze drifted around them, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up and goosebumps to cover his arms. Sarah leaned her head back, letting the current of the air lift and tug at her hair. She seemed to fit in this world—the one filled with flowers and horses. It was strange to think she had another life separate from the one she led here.
“Tell me about your family.” The request escaped his lips before he had a chance to consider what it might do to the easy way they were spending in each other’s company.
Just like that, her body language changed. She gave him a suspicious look; everything from her boots up to her eyes were tighter than they had been at the beginning of their ride. “What do you want to know?”
He shrugged, hoping the gesture would be enough to convince her of his next statement. “Whatever you want to tell me. I figure you know my family.”
Her brows furrowed and her eyes narrowed. “No, I don’t.”
“The Callahans are my family.” He said it with a matter-of-fact tone. “I could have sworn I told you that Zeke’s sister raised me. I spent some summers here, which is why Zeke hired me on when I was old enough.”
“You might have,” her voice was quiet, more contemplative than anything else. Then she took a deep breath and released it. “Well, I believe I told you about my mom—to a degree. She’s always been a little more judgmental than anyone else. She always wanted me to play a role in the family that I wasn’t ready for.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” She gave him a wry smile. “There’s that word again.”
He waited for her to go on. This was the most open she’d been with him since arriving. He wasn’t about to squander the opportunity he had to get to know her better.
“My dad was easier on me. But I guess that would be expected with me being his only daughter.”
“Does that mean you have siblings?”
She gave him a strained smile. “I had a younger brother. But he died in a drunk driving accident. I barely remember him.”
A twinge of discomfort sliced through his heart at her statement. Her story came dangerously close to an experience that used to keep him up at night. “I’m so sorry, Sarah.”
“I guess the way they raised me would be the reason I am the way I am.”
Dax reached out toward her, but immediately brought his hand back toward him. That gesture had been inappropriate, and he could only hope she hadn’t noticed. “I guess I know who to thank then.”
“What?”
“Your parents. If they are the ones responsible for how you turned out, then I suppose it’s them I have to thank for raising such a strong person.”
Sarah let out a soft laugh. “I’m really not all that great.”
“Sure you are.”
