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“I’m a sucker for ballroom dancing.” She peered at him again. “Do you know that style?’
He chuckled. “Unfortunately, no. I’m afraid I have two left feet.”
“So what is it you like to do? Besides working 24/7, I mean?”
Shane tossed back his head and let out a laugh. “I see you know me far better than you let on.”
12
Eloise
What had started out as a strange and awkward beginning had soon shifted into something more comfortable. Eloise looked at Shane a little differently. It was funny how his disheveled appearance had been enough to humanize him, and hearing about his upbringing had solidified it.
Shane wasn’t some untouchable billionaire or whatever. He could bleed and lose just like the rest of them.
She found herself drawn to his features more so than before. When he was uncomfortable, he had a tell. That endearing twitch in his cheek could alert her to when they were nearing a topic he wasn’t willing to discuss.
Then there was the dimple in his chin that deepened when he had completely let down his walls. Usually that only happened when she caught him off guard or made him laugh. She no longer wondered what Brielle had seen in him.
Something tugged on her heart, demanding that she continue to peel away the layers he had wrapped around him. There was someone softer beneath his closed-off exterior.
After their plane ride, they were taken to a ranch that was about thirty minutes from the airport. Before they got out of the car, Shane turned to her. “You can stay here, or you can take a look around. These folks are great. Just don’t get into trouble.”
“Me?” She snickered. “Since when have I ever gotten into trouble? That’s Brielle’s doing.” Almost immediately, she regretted saying her sister’s name. Eloise wasn’t certain how much of Shane’s heart her sister still held. But from the looks of it, enough.
Shane’s expression faltered. It was so quick she almost thought she’d imagined it.
Almost.
He nodded toward several structures. “Those barns are filled to the brim with horses you’re gonna love meeting. I’ll be at the main building. If you need me, just text my cell phone.”
Eloise nodded. She watched him leave, feeling terrible over what she’d said even though it really wasn’t all thatbad. She’d simply reminded him of someone he had lost. She couldn’t help but feel like she was competing with a ghost. Deep down she knew they were over; that wasn’t the problem. She just didn’t want to be compared to her sister.
Heaving a sigh, she wandered toward the barn. She needed to be more careful about what she said around him—especially since she was beginning to like him.
A small smile graced her lips. She was looking forward to their date more than she cared to admit. Shane wasn’t her usual type, but maybe she could get used to someone who spent his money a little more frivolously than the average joe.
The barn she stepped into was painted red with white trim. It looked just like a barn right out of the movies. The paint was kept up well, indicating this ranch had the money and means to take care of it.
Eloise shook her head, a chuckle escaping her. Why was it wealthy people had a tendency to attract other wealthy people? If she had been completely honest with Shane, she would have told him to hunt for a supplier closer to home. There were several ranches that could accommodate Shane’s endeavors. They could work together and help his expansion over a few years rather than all at once. She wasn’t a businesswoman by any means, but she knew horses.
Her fingers trailed along the smooth wood on the side of the barn as she wandered alongside it until she reached the door. Her heart stuttered when she turned the corner and entered the building.
The Callahan ranch was one of the largest and most profitable places in Copper Creek. But it was nothing compared to what she was staring at in this moment. There had to be at least two hundred stalls. From the front of the building, it had been rather deceiving. The barn stretched far longer than she’d been able to see from her vantage point.
No wonder Shane had gravitated toward this company. They had the ability to give him everything he wanted. Their price point was also more understandable, though it didn’t change her mind on what route he ought to take.
One step in front of another, Eloise wandered along one side of the barn and then up the other. Time seemed to pass slowly as she admired each animal one by one. Finally, she stopped in front of a stall with a starkly white horse.
This wasn’t just any horse. Its beauty was clearly showcased from the way its mane was styled to the way its hair was maintained. This steed had to have won several awards.
Eloise crossed her arms over the top of the stall door and gazed at the animal. It caught sight of her and shifted until it wandered close enough to nudge her.
She let out a laugh, rubbing the horse’s nose. “What’s your name, beautiful?”
“That would be Snow White.”
Eloise let out a yelp, spinning around so she could stare down the intruder. The cowboy before her wore a black shirt and jacket with a matching hat. He sported a beard and dark blue eyes. There was a bag of something over his shoulder and he grunted as he placed it on the ground. His lips quirked upward. “You don’t belong here.”
