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The sound of boots echoed through the too still barn. Their cadence told me it was Bobby Allen coming through to check on his horses. He’d always had an unhurried gait that spoke of his patience with the animals. I had a feeling it’s why they trusted him so implicitly.
I tucked Ashley’s photo away, then added his letter and my wallet to my back pocket. Stepping out of the office, I kept an easy smile on my face as I headed toward where I knew Bobby Allen would be.
“Morning,” I greeted him as if I hadn’t been seconds away from a meltdown over my secret friend. Today would be another normal day. A day where I laughed and joked with my friends as we worked on the ranch.
I’d tell myself that over and over again until I believed it.
“Morning, Corey. What are you doing hiding out in here?” His smile was genuine as he watched me approach slowly. His hand stroked the horse gently.
I shrugged at his question. “Not hiding out. Woke up early. Checked the mail. Didn’t want to be up under Harlan as he cooked so I came out here. You’re up earlier than normal.”
His grin turned to a scowl. “Elton had a nightmare. Woke up and struggled to get back to sleep. Once he finally passed out again, I laid there to watch him for a bit before deciding I should just climb out of bed before I bought a plane ticket to visit his family and wind up in jail for being a murderer.”
“You’d be a famous one, though. With his family being royalty, I bet you’d get your own tv special,” I joked.
That made some of the tension in his body ease, though not all of it. I knew Elton still struggled with the issues his family caused to his mental health. There were more times than not that the sweet young man jumped at loud noises or flinched if someone moved too quickly. We all saw it. And we all kept quiet. Pointing it out would only make him feel worse.
“Good thing I kept my cool and came to start my day. You working with me today or somewhere else?”
“I’ve got to check on a bit of fence work that I know needs reinforcement but after that I’m all yours. Well, you know what I mean. Elton takes care of that.” I blushed at the innuendo. It felt wrong to mention after reading Ashley’s letter so recently. Besides, I didn’t feel that way about anyone on the ranch.
Only one man had my heart. And with the clock now ticking, I guess we’d find out soon enough if the two of us would work outside the pages of our letters.
Chapter Two
Ashley
Present Day
I couldn’t takea deep enough breath to calm my nerves. It was like I’d suddenly fucking forgot how to do something so basic after spending my whole life doing it naturally.
Facing myself to suck down some much-needed oxygen, I focused on the path before me. “Hey bud, you good?”
I turned to the sound of the cautious voice. A man wearing a pair of worn coveralls and a backwards ball cap nodded my way.
“Me?” I asked in reply, although there wasn’t anyone else around.
When I’d picked this stop at the bus terminal, the attendant had to verify if there was actually a stop here. Apparently, not too many people came out this way. At least not in recent years and not by public transport.
Fine by me. I hadn’t wanted to spend the trip talking with someone else. Not when I was worried about what waited for me at my destination.
“Yeah, you. Look like you’ve seen a ghost. I’m guessing you’re not from around here. I figure I’d know you.” His voicewas heavy like the molasses my mother loved to smother her breakfast with. It rolled through you, sticking to your sides long after each syllable finished.
I nodded to let him know he was right. “Not from here. Swinging through.”Maybe.“I’m looking for the Coleman Ranch. Is there a way to get there from here?”
The guy chuckled and shook his head. His hands tugged at the opening of his coveralls as he whistled softly.
“Afraid not. They’re not really all that close,” he paused as he looked me over. “You’re military, aren’t you?”
“Retired.”
“Branch?”
“Army, sir.” I gave the automatic response despite him being my age or maybe even younger. It had been too deeply ingrained in me not to show respect to others.
He grinned at the title. “At ease, soldier. Former Navy man myself. Got out ages ago after the wife complained too much. Turned out to be bullshit since she left to chase some city slicker a month before I made it home.”
“Sorry to hear that. Her loss.” I winced inwardly at the somewhat flirtatious tone. It wasn’t meant to give him any hint I wanted more or anything. It was merely an observation.
