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But then she stopped. Her whole body went still as if she’d been frozen by Medusa herself. Then she swung her eyes around to meet his. They were the color of the sky after a rainstorm—bright blue and so different from Sarah’s dark brown ones. The woman’s brows pulled together and she gave him a little wave.
Dax tore his gaze away from her and focused on the speaker. When he was done and had taken his seat, the woman stood. Her gaze locked on Dax, and she offered a small smile. “Hi. I’m Ann, and I’m an alcoholic.”
The small chorus that welcomed her was drowned out by his own thoughts. She was tall and trim. Her clothing was more reminiscent of the sort of stuff a cowgirl might wear in Hollywood. Her shorts were too short, and her boots looked like a fashion statement instead of being something that would actually work on a ranch. If he had to guess, he would have said she came from the city.
By the time she sat down, he realized he hadn’t learned anything about her. It was as if his brain had gone on autopilot and had decided to focus on other things. The room had gone quiet. This was usually when he’d stand and share his wisdom and experiences. But at the moment he didn’t feel he could.
The organizer ended the meeting and reminded everyone to take a donut or maybe two before everyone left. Dax remained seated, ruminating on the feelings that continued to swirl without rhyme or reason within him.
The metal folding chair beside him screeched. He glanced over to find Ann holding a donut in one hand and a coffee in the other. “I was told you might be open to sponsoring me.”
He stiffened. “What? No. I’m not ready for something like that just yet.”
She shrugged, leaning back and resting her elbow on the back of her chair. “It was worth a shot.” Her eyes lifted to his, then darted away. “You could probably tell, but I’m new.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He decided to keep things formal because he didn’t want to give her the wrong idea.
A smile touched her lips. “Like I said, this was my first meeting, and I think I might need a friend.”
He fought the surprise that threatened to paint his face. The last thing she needed was to feel judged by someone when she’d finally found the courage to come to the meeting in the first place. Dax leaned forward. “Well, realizing you need help is the first step in recovery.”
She glanced at him, then away once more. “How long have you been in recovery?”
“I got my five-year chip a few weeks ago.”
It was her turn to look surprised. She swung her attention toward him. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. I promise.” As much as he wanted to ask her more about herself, he refrained. Getting too nosy wasn’t good either.
The host for the meeting approached and pulled a chair to their little group. “Dax. Glad you’re getting to know our newest resident. Ann Keagan just moved here. She and her brothers are taking over that ranch to the west of the Callahan’s property.”
Dax shot a curious look at her. “Really? Wasn’t that place—”
“A hole? Yeah. It’s going to take a ton of work to get up and running. I think my brother’s going to be looking for some volunteers to do an official barn raising.” She snickered. “That’s still a thing, right?”
He nodded. “Sure. We’ve done a couple of them here. Let him know he should put up some flyers at the hardware store. Plenty of people should see it there.”
She gave him a small smile. “I’ll let him know. Thanks, Dax, was it?”
Dax nodded and held out his hand.
She accepted, giving it a firm shake. “Well, I should probably get back. If my brothers figure out I’m missing, they’ll come looking for me. That’s the last thing this town needs.”
He frowned. “They don’t know you’re in the program?”
Ann got to her feet. “That’s why it’s calledanonymous, right?”
He rose beside her. “But you ought to have a support system.”
“I’ll find a sponsor, and then I’ll be set.” She held up her coffee and nodded to Pastor Ben. “Thanks for the food.”
Dax watched the woman walk away until she had disappeared out the door.
“I figured you’d be the best fit for her.”
Startled, Dax glanced at the pastor. “You know I can’t do that sort of thing.”
“Actually, I don’t. That’s why I sent her your way. You’ve been at this a long time, Dax. You have a lot of wisdom to share.”
