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I shoved the instinct down. She had enough going on. She didn’t need to deal with my attraction. “I’ll see you at dinner,” I said and closed the door behind me.
I might not be able to tell her that everything would be okay, but I was going to make sure it was true. Even if she didn’t know that yet.
Chapter 5
Evelyn
My car bounced as I took one of the dirt road’s potholes too fast. I’d left the ranch a few minutes behind, and I didn’t want to show up late on my third day of work.
The past couple of days had been a whirlwind, and it was crazy how quickly things could change.
Despite my nerves, I’d gone to the communal dinner on the ranch and met the other people staying there. An older gentleman who had trouble walking, a quiet, local teenage boy, and a middle-aged woman. No one mentioned why they were there, and it didn’t feel polite to ask.
Lucas was there, too, with his giant body and easy smile, along with Daniel, one of the other owners of the Resting Warrior Ranch. Lucas pretended like any awkwardness between us had never existed, which I appreciated. But my heart still raced when I thought about his suggestion.
It wasn’t a bad one. Talking to someone might help. But I couldn’t risk talking to anyone and bringing hell down on them, because Nathan would hurt anyone I was close to.
And more than that, the fact that Lucas saw me like that made me panic. If a man I barely knew could see it, then I wasn’t doing a good enough job hiding it. Then again, I supposed that showing up out of nowhere and looking for work could give someone pause. Especially with the way I’d reacted to the teacup.
Lucas had been kind and friendly at dinner, managing to put me at ease even when I’d thought that would be impossible. I’d thought that it might be nice to see him around more.
Now, it seemed like I saw him everywhere.
I’d seen him when I’d driven off the ranch to go to the interview and when I’d stopped by the lodge to sign myself up for the communal dinner rotation. He was working with the horses when I went out for walks in the evening, and I’d spotted him doing repairs around the ranch.
Whenever I saw him, he was ready with a smile and a wave, but he’d never forced me to talk to him. In fact, he seemed determined to give me as much space as I needed, and I appreciated it. Though I was starting to admit to myself that I was curious about him.
I shouldn’t be.
Pulling up to the coffee shop, I sighed. It reminded me of the Sandia Bean in a lot of ways. There was a mountain view and a comfortable atmosphere. But Deja Brew felt like walking into a friend’s house. Sparkling crystals hung in the windows and overstuffed armchairs sprawled around an ornate fireplace that frankly had no place in a coffee shop. Somehow, it all worked, pulled together by Lena.
She’d hired me on the spot, and I already liked her. She was vibrant and open. She neither took shit from anyone nor gave it. She wore her heart on her sleeve in a world where the rest of us were hiding. Admirable.
Tinkling crystal chimed as I pushed in—on time.
Lena sat in one of the chairs with a red-haired woman, but there was no one else in the store. She looked up and smiled at me. “I’m glad you’re here. This is someone that I want you to meet. If you’re going to be in Garnet Bend and working for me, you guys need to be friends.” She stood and waved in a “get on with it” gesture.
I laughed. “Hi, I’m Evelyn.”
The redhead looked up at me. She was beautiful, but her shoulders were heavy with something. People who held pain could recognize it in others. “Grace Townsend,” she said, holding out a hand.
“Nice to meet you.”
She smiled. “Lena has been singing your praises. I think once she got used to the idea of having more free time, you became her favorite person.”
“I’m happy to help. And to have a job.”
“Well,” she took a sip of her coffee, “if you ever get tired of this place, you can always come work for me. I’m always looking for more female employees.”
“What do you do?”
Lena appeared with a cup of coffee and set it down next to me like I was a customer and not supposed to be tying on an apron right now. “Don’t you dare poach her already. I will have to lay down the law, Grace. And yes, by lay down the law I mean that I will have to kick your ass.”
“You’re welcome to try,” Grace said, smirking. She looked back at me. “I own a ranch. It’s a pretty typical answer around here.”
“Oh, where? I’m staying on a ranch right now. Until I get settled.”
“North of town. The Ruby Round Ranch.” She smiled, but this time it didn’t reach her eyes. “It was my husband’s way of poking fun at the name Garnet Bend.”
