EXCERPT
He locked onto the area at the end of the aisle, the direction she’d last been seen. Her stubbornness or should he say lack of concern for others’ schedules was rude, disrespectful, and he had a mind to go drag her ass out of the washroom and teach her a lesson.
“You noticed too?”
“Yeah, them city folks. Gotta watch them to keep ‘em outta trouble.”
“Yeah.” Shane blindly stroked Lucky’s mane, staring at the end of the aisle. “I don’t know what her problem is.”
“Her, huh? Take it she didn’t read the fine print.”
“What?” Shane glanced over his shoulder at Jake. Where had his mind wandered? “No, I don’t think she did.”
“With her looks, she’s probably used to having men take care of her. She’s an easy fix. The others are another story. The men outside are acting all macho, and their ladies are giggling little girls, petting the horses like they’re puppy dogs. Ya sure you don’t want me to come along and help, ‘cuz I can tell you’ll have yer hands full with them.”
“Naw, I’m good. If I take anyone, I’ll snatch Ty to come along. I’d rather you stay here and keep an eye on Luck.”
Jake tossed his hat on the hook by the door and ran a hand through gray hair sweat plastered to his head, loosening the normally wild mop. “I really don’t mind, Shane. I’ve gone on the rides with the guests other times. I know which trails to take. Ty’s a good kid, ‘cepten he might get a little too flirty with them pretty girls and get in some trouble, ‘specially the real tall one. She’s a looker. I saw him eyeing her last night.”
Shane’s gut clenched. Ty moving in on Sharon didn’t sit well with him. “I’ll have a talk with him.”
The suspicion on his manager’s face said he didn’t quite buy the half-ass detour for an explanation. Shane knew the familiar look on the old man’s face. He swore Jake could read his mind and knew more was behind him warning Ty off than policy.
“I get yer reasoning with the no associatin’ rule. Somethin’ tells me ya’ve taken a likin’ to her too. Am I right?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s my policy, and I expect everyone to abide by the rules.”
“Lord a mighty, boy. I’d say ya’ve got it bad.” Jake patted Shane on his shoulder. “I knew it. Ya like the pretty girl who could step outta one of them New York City fashion magazines.”
How did the old cuss know anything about fashion magazines? The man lived and breathed cattle and the ranch since his wife died ten years ago. “I don’t have it bad. The only problem I have is she’s messing with my employees and with my schedule. I don’t want trouble. Golden Springs means everything to me.”
Jake leaned against the post of the stall door. “Ya don’t fool me, Shane Marshal. These old eyes of mine aren’t as strong as they used to be, but I ain’t blind to the looks passing between ya two since she got out of the van yesterday. My hearin’ is dang good too. Ya also were mumbling about missin’ supper last night to be out here with Lucky instead of gettin’ to know her. Talk to me, boy. What’s going on in yer head?”
“Nothing.” Shane scrubbed his face with both hands. Shit. Jake called him “boy” and had since he’d been a toddler. He also never put up with his crap, or “nonsense”. Jake managed to run the ranch for him and helped him out when his family died. The old man was his friend and family more than Golden Springs’ manager. When Jake called him by his name and not boy, he was serious. Who was he kidding? He’d used Jake as a sounding board since his first girlfriend in grade school. He’d never been able to talk to his father. Why should now be any different? Shane had to end this conversation and get the trail ride on the road, so to speak, not bear his soul to his old friend.
“You noticed too?”
“Yeah, them city folks. Gotta watch them to keep ‘em outta trouble.”
“Yeah.” Shane blindly stroked Lucky’s mane, staring at the end of the aisle. “I don’t know what her problem is.”
“Her, huh? Take it she didn’t read the fine print.”
“What?” Shane glanced over his shoulder at Jake. Where had his mind wandered? “No, I don’t think she did.”
“With her looks, she’s probably used to having men take care of her. She’s an easy fix. The others are another story. The men outside are acting all macho, and their ladies are giggling little girls, petting the horses like they’re puppy dogs. Ya sure you don’t want me to come along and help, ‘cuz I can tell you’ll have yer hands full with them.”
“Naw, I’m good. If I take anyone, I’ll snatch Ty to come along. I’d rather you stay here and keep an eye on Luck.”
Jake tossed his hat on the hook by the door and ran a hand through gray hair sweat plastered to his head, loosening the normally wild mop. “I really don’t mind, Shane. I’ve gone on the rides with the guests other times. I know which trails to take. Ty’s a good kid, ‘cepten he might get a little too flirty with them pretty girls and get in some trouble, ‘specially the real tall one. She’s a looker. I saw him eyeing her last night.”
Shane’s gut clenched. Ty moving in on Sharon didn’t sit well with him. “I’ll have a talk with him.”
The suspicion on his manager’s face said he didn’t quite buy the half-ass detour for an explanation. Shane knew the familiar look on the old man’s face. He swore Jake could read his mind and knew more was behind him warning Ty off than policy.
“I get yer reasoning with the no associatin’ rule. Somethin’ tells me ya’ve taken a likin’ to her too. Am I right?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s my policy, and I expect everyone to abide by the rules.”
“Lord a mighty, boy. I’d say ya’ve got it bad.” Jake patted Shane on his shoulder. “I knew it. Ya like the pretty girl who could step outta one of them New York City fashion magazines.”
How did the old cuss know anything about fashion magazines? The man lived and breathed cattle and the ranch since his wife died ten years ago. “I don’t have it bad. The only problem I have is she’s messing with my employees and with my schedule. I don’t want trouble. Golden Springs means everything to me.”
Jake leaned against the post of the stall door. “Ya don’t fool me, Shane Marshal. These old eyes of mine aren’t as strong as they used to be, but I ain’t blind to the looks passing between ya two since she got out of the van yesterday. My hearin’ is dang good too. Ya also were mumbling about missin’ supper last night to be out here with Lucky instead of gettin’ to know her. Talk to me, boy. What’s going on in yer head?”
“Nothing.” Shane scrubbed his face with both hands. Shit. Jake called him “boy” and had since he’d been a toddler. He also never put up with his crap, or “nonsense”. Jake managed to run the ranch for him and helped him out when his family died. The old man was his friend and family more than Golden Springs’ manager. When Jake called him by his name and not boy, he was serious. Who was he kidding? He’d used Jake as a sounding board since his first girlfriend in grade school. He’d never been able to talk to his father. Why should now be any different? Shane had to end this conversation and get the trail ride on the road, so to speak, not bear his soul to his old friend.
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