Love Under Review

by Britney M. Mills

  Carter Oakland directed them to the trail that led up into the mountain behind the ranch. The trees were a bright green, and the fresh mountain air filled her lungs. A pang of sadness hit her chest, and she realized how much she’d missed this. She’d thought life was best in the big cities with plenty to do—things to fill up her time so she couldn’t think about all she didn’t have in her life. But this was something she didn’t know she needed.

  “You look like you’re about to cry. Are you all right?” Liam asked, pulling his horse up beside her.

  “I’ll be fine. It’s just been a long time. I couldn’t wait to get out of this town when I was in high school, and now…now I’m not sure what I feel.” She looked out at the scenery around her, feeling like every bit of the crisp afternoon weather was seeping through to her soul. “It’s been years since I’ve been up in this area. It’s beautiful.”

  They rode in silence for some time, and Danielle was grateful for it, knowing she wouldn’t be able to speak as she rode. Memories flooded through her, and that love of riding she’d had from so long ago was back, this time even stronger. There weren’t many places she could do this in LA.

  Glancing over, she saw him watching her every so often. She smiled. “What’s new with the bookstore owner? Have you gotten any new mysteries in since yesterday?”

  He shook his head and laughed. “No, I have this one customer who keeps coming in and buying them up.” He gave her a pointed look.

  She giggled. She hadn’t felt this comfortable with a guy since high school, and those were all of her good friends, never a romantic interest. As much as she wanted to tell herself nothing was going on between her and Liam, her feelings for him were sliding out of control.

  “How did the treatments go for Kara?” Danielle asked, maneuvering her horse around a large boulder in the path. She hadn’t had a chance to ask, and she hoped the hospital would have updated him on her situation by then.

  He was behind her now, and she had to twist to see his face, a sober look on it. “She’s—Danielle, look out!”

  She whipped her head back around to see that she’d been leading her horse closer to the edge than she thought, and the front hoof slipped on the edge a bit. She pulled the reins back, directing the horse along the path, her heart racing as she realized how close they’d come to tumbling down to the river below.

  After another few yards, they were in a clearing. Danielle pulled the horse to a stop and slid down, still trying to catch her breath.

  Liam did the same and stalked toward her, placing his hand on her back. “Are you okay? That was a good save.”

  Danielle stood straight up and was grateful his hand was still on her back, allowing her some support as she tried to keep the world from spinning. After several deep breaths, she gave him a quick smile. “I’m just glad you said something.”

  “Let’s stop and eat here. We won’t go much farther so we can make it back before dark.” Liam unloaded the picnic basket and spread out a large blanket he’d stuffed into one of the saddlebags. As he laid everything out, she was impressed.

  “You actually put thought into this. Thank you.”

  He opened his mouth, feigning hurt. “I take it your dates are more spontaneous than this?”

  Danielle threw back her head and laughed. “That would mean I actually date. Thank you for all of this.” She waved to the spread he was pulling out.

  Liam handed one of the two turkey sandwiches to her, and she started unwrapping it from the large paper it was in.

  “I’m just glad Troy knew your favorite sandwich.” He winked at her, and she gave him a small smile, surprised that he would even think about what she would want. Then again, Troy Paul owned the sub shop in town and somehow managed to remember most of the townfolks’ favorites.

  “Troy does a good job of remembering that kind of thing, even from years ago.” She took a bite of the sandwich. “How did he know I like avocado now?”

  “I’m not sure, but it was a good guess.”

  Liam pulled out a few small bags of chips and held them up for her to choose. She decided on one of the cheesy kind, and their fingers brushing sent zaps of electricity flying through her hand. The feeling faded as soon as he pulled away to open his chips, but her eyes lingered on his face, wondering if he’d felt the same thing.

  After a few minutes of silence while they ate their food, Danielle turned to him. “Okay, I know almost nothing about you. Did you grow up riding horses?”

  “Yeah, my dad was a vet, and I grew up in a small town in eastern Utah. Trail riding was something we did as often as possible. There were a few more people than here, but it still has that same feel.”

  “So, how does a guy from a small town end up with a job in New York?” Danielle asked. She took a bite of her sandwich and chewed as she waited for his answer.

  Liam took a few seconds to swallow before answering. “I thought about moving to the city from the time I was thirteen or fourteen. Getting out of a place where everyone remembered every little thing I’d ever done wrong was a good motivator, and I figured that the big cities would be easy for anonymity. It was for a while, but a bunch of things happened, and I realized I missed the slower pace—and my sister and niece.”

  “I never would have pegged you for a guy who lived in New York. I like it there, although I’m not sure I could live there full time.” Danielle thought about his answers thus far. It sounded oddly similar to her own life.

  “You seem like someone who would love to live in Manhattan. I feel like that is the ultimate adventure: milling around all the people on the sidewalk and trying to drive anywhere during rush hour.”

  She tipped her head back and laughed. “I bet those are awful. I love to travel, and sometimes it’s difficult to stay in one place for too long. I guess I inherited that trait from…”

  When she didn’t finish, he prompted, “Your father? Where is he?” From the pink tinging his cheeks, he looked like he regretted saying anything.

  She smiled, hoping to help him feel at ease with the topic. While she’d held back a lot when it came to love, her mother had never outright bashed her father for the choice he made so long ago. That was probably why she didn’t feel like she should hold a grudge.

  “Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t even have memories of him because he left when I was young. It’s just been me and my mom ever since. There are things I do and wonder if it’s just to prove something to my father. It’s irrational, I know, since I don’t know where he is.”

  “Do you wish you knew your father?” Liam asked, popping a chip into his mouth.

  She paused. “I don’t really know. I have days where I think of looking him up, and then others where I think he missed out.”

  Liam’s eyebrows cinched together, and he reached forward, covering her hand with his. A warmth filled her, and she could only stare at their hands joined together.

  “I just hope that when a situation arises, I’ll choose differently than he did.”

  “You mean leaving?”

  Danielle nodded, taking a swig of her fruit drink. “I understand feeling antsy about wanting to go somewhere, but if you have a family, that’s the commitment you made. Work together to make plans to go places. Don’t just take off and leave the rest of the ones you love just because you need to spread your wings.”

  “Is that you talking from an experience other than your dad? An ex-boyfriend who wronged you?”

  Danielle’s laugh was more exaggerated than usual. “No boyfriends, just a lot of one-time dates. And my job allows me an interesting perspective on people.”

  “Is that why you don’t want to call this a date?” Liam asked, the corners of his mouth turning up.

  “Maybe. Sometimes it just takes the pressure off if you don’t refer to things as a date. Any ex-girlfriends in your closet?” She took the last bite of her sandwich and crumpled up the paper, throwing it softly at Liam. He picked it up and threw it back at her, causing her to giggle.


  Liam laughed and then coughed, pounding on his chest. He took a drink of his sports drink and said, “I’ve dated.”

  She hesitated a moment, thinking he was going to continue. When he didn’t, she said, “But that doesn’t tell me anything. Was there someone special in New York?” She looked at him with her head tipped down, causing a smile to form.

  “I dated a woman named Tawnee for about two years.”

  Danielle opened her bag of chips and popped one into her mouth. When she saw he wasn’t going to continue, she said, “And?”

  Liam laughed, tearing a few blades of grass and throwing them at her. “And she lied.” His mouth closed, and she thought she was going to have to annoy him into telling, when he spoke again.

  “I realize now how incompatible we were, but it took a lot to wake me up. I’d lost my parents and then Kara’s husband, Cory. For a while, I just dated girls, making sure there were no real expectations. But then I was ready to settle down. Tawnee and I started dating, and things were great for a while, until she forged my signature for us to appear on a reality show.”

  Danielle paused with a chip almost to her lips. “Did they start filming?”

  Liam nodded. “One of the producers came and said I’d forgotten to sign one of the release forms, and the story began to unravel. That was about eight months before I decided to move here.”

  Danielle had heard a lot of things, but going behind a boyfriend’s back to sign papers for a reality show was a new one. Changing the subject, she said, “Favorite memory.”

  “I used to love when we’d go to a Colorado Rockies game as a family. We’d drive over once a year and buy peanuts and popcorn and hot dogs, usually sitting out in the outfield. I always brought my glove, and one time I actually caught a guy’s homerun. I thought that was the greatest thing to ever happen.”

  “And what about now? Do you still have the ball?”

  He nodded, his smile faltering a bit. “Yeah, I think it’s in storage. I’ll have to find a spot for it one day.” He looked down, and something about his demeanor told her the subject was over for now. After several seconds, he looked up. “What about you? What’s your favorite memory?”

  Danielle scanned the trees surrounding them. She thought of the people in the town, of all the ones who’d helped her learn and grow through the years. But most of all, she thought of her mother.

  “I don’t really have one memory but a whole mashup of them. My mother is pretty much the most amazing person I’ve ever known. She’s so selfless, and as I think about all the things she’s ever done for me, I realize how much she’s sacrificed, how much she wanted me to have a better life than she had.”

  “She’s amazing, for sure. She’s always asking how I’m doing.”

  Danielle took a sip of her drink. “I just wish I could do something to make her life easier. She won’t let me pay her mortgage while I’m here, and I haven’t had to do laundry yet when it’s magically folded on my bed. She’s a saint, and I feel so bad that I haven’t always acknowledged that in her.”

  “Sacrifices are part of the territory when it comes to the people we love. Has she ever dated anyone since your father left?” Liam’s eyes locked onto hers, and Danielle felt the same feeling she had when an airplane took off—that whoosh of something in her stomach.

  Focusing on his question, she said, “No, I don’t think she’s really tried. My father broke her heart, leaving like he did, and I think it would be hard to move on from that. But she hasn’t been catty about it. She’s only told me the facts and left the emotion out of it, which was something for me to learn as a journalist. But I still have problems with that.”

  “Is that why you don’t date anyone? You’re worried about getting hurt?”

  Danielle opened her mouth to say something, wanting to chastise him for being so blunt. As much as she wanted to deny it, her chest told her the truth. “I guess that could be one of the reasons. It’s always hard to have a relationship as a journalist. I mean, I know people who do it, but when I’m sent to different states and parts of the world to write about things, it’s easy for feelings to get hurt.”

  “What about now that you’re here? Are you planning to look for another job like that?”

  Liam’s interest in her career left her wondering how he felt about her. Maybe he was trying to see if it was worth pursuing a relationship, and if that was the case, did she want that? She stared at the man again, seeing the kindness in his eyes, and the dimple in his chin wasn’t half bad either.

  Danielle shifted to lean back on her hand. “I’m not sure yet. There’s a one-in-a-million chance I could get a job in that industry again, but I need to try. I’m not sure what else I can do with my time.”

  “Write your books?” Liam said with a grin. “You’re so passionate about writing that I think you’d be great at it.”

  “You’re funny,” she said, a sarcastic tone coming through. She glanced up and saw the dark clouds above. “I don’t want to cut this short, but we might need to head back. The rain up here can dump buckets, and then it would be a muddy mess on the way back down.”

  Liam nodded, kneeling and putting all the leftover food in the bag. Danielle bent down and grabbed the corners of the blanket, waiting for him to take the other side. As they worked together to clean up, she was transfixed by the softness of his features. They were only a few inches apart, and she thought about leaning forward to kiss him, wondering if he’d taste like the sour cream and cheddar chips he’d been eating.

  A large clap of thunder sounded overhead, causing her to jump. The horses whinnied and moved, restless as they pulled against the reins around the tree.

  Liam loaded the blanket and food quickly before untying both of the reins and handing Danielle’s up to her after she mounted. She put on her jacket to protect against the rain, grateful Liam had thought ahead, and waited for him to slide on before starting the descent.

  They’d made it about halfway down before large drops started to fall, but at this distance, she knew they’d missed the worst of it.

  After another twenty minutes of riding, they pulled up to the ranch. The grounds were clear of people and animals, so Danielle steered her horse in the direction of the stables. Rain pounded on the tin roof overhead as they entered, and she could feel the horse shake a bit as it settled into the warmth of the shelter.

  After dismounting, Liam pulled his horse into the stall next to hers and shut the gate. He fetched some oats from a bucket nearby and rubbed the front of the horse’s nose, speaking softly to it, making Danielle’s feelings for him soar.

  She hadn’t signed up for a relationship when she’d come home to Sage Creek, but she’d found a guy who was a good balance for her, one who she could rely on…if his feelings matched hers.

  After his horse had eaten a fair amount of oats, Liam brought the bucket over to Danielle’s and did the same.

  Danielle leaned against the gate, watching as he worked. She’d never expected him to be like this with animals since everything she’d seen of him signaled an educated city boy. But this was just another side of Liam Pearson she’d unveiled, and it made her want to learn more.

  Setting the bucket down in front of the horse, Liam turned, and Danielle was surprised at their proximity, the scent of his cologne making her dizzy. She looked up at him, saw his eyes watching her, and she was surprised by how much she wanted him to kiss her. The cold wet of her clothes clung to her body, and a chill swept through her, not all from the outside conditions.

  He leaned down, their breath mingling together, right before the door swung open to the barn, sending the two of them jumping back. A silhouette came through the door, and Danielle couldn’t tell who it was at first, only that she’d grabbed onto Liam’s arm in the process.

  “Did ya get caught in the rain?” Carter’s voice came through, and after another few steps, his features were visible in the dimly-lit stable.

  “Not too bad. Danielle suggested we head back, and I�
�m glad we did.” Liam looked down at her, his eyes warm and sending tingles throughout her body. “Thanks, Carter. I owe you one,” he said, his hand resting gently on the small of Danielle’s back.

  He grabbed their picnic bag and blanket from the saddlebag and walked toward the door Carter had just come through. Danielle wished they were alone again, that they could recreate the mixture of tension and excitement she’d felt as he bent down to almost kiss her.

  “No problem,” Carter said as they passed him. “I’ll hit you up when my wife is done reading all these books she just bought from you. I might have to have Colton come over and build me a library.”

  Danielle grinned. “I’m sure he’ll be in the honeymoon stage for a while.” The moment the words left her lips, she straightened and clapped a hand over her mouth. Why had she even said that?

  The two men chuckled as they said goodbye. When they got to the door, Liam leaned over and whispered in her ear as the rain on the tin roof had only gotten louder. “We’d better run to the truck. Otherwise, we’re going to get another shower.”

  Danielle nodded, and they took off, Liam grabbing her hand and linking their fingers together as they leaped over puddles on their way to where they’d left the Jeep. After she jumped inside, he shut the door quickly, hoping to avoid any more water entering. She flipped down the visor and looked in the mirror, wiping under her eyes and fixing the hair that had escaped the ponytail she’d had it in.

  Liam laughed as he got in and started the engine, turning on the heater. The day had been hot, but with the cold water coming down, Danielle could feel the shivers coming on, and she was glad there was heat.

  “I’ve got a dry blanket in the back. I’ll go get it so you’re warm.” He moved to open the door, but Danielle stopped him with a hand on his arm.

  “Just get it later. I don’t want you to get sick from getting a blanket. The car will warm up soon, and we’ll dry off.”

  Raising his eyebrows, he asked, “Are you sure?”

  She grinned. “Yep.”

  Liam turned around and backed out of the spot, turning the wheel to the right to get to her house. Looking at the clock, it was only seven. As much as Danielle hated to go home this early, she wasn’t ready for an all-day outing.