by Leigh Riker
Kate sat, then spread a blanket over her legs. “Not exactly how you expected to spend your evening, either, is it?”
“All part of this temporary job.” Sitting down on another bale, Noah frowned. “I’m pretty worried.”
“So am I. Lancelot’s helpless, dependent upon us to keep him safe.”
“Like you with Teddie.”
And if the colt failed to survive, her little boy would be devastated, but Kate didn’t want to touch on that subject. She’d already taken a chance in agreeing to Teddie’s relationship with Noah. “What would you have done tonight instead of bunking down in this barn?”
For a moment, he remained silent. “We have unexpected company at the WB. A friend of mine from New York,” he said. “She turned up during dinner. My—uh—girlfriend, actually. I was already on my way to come here. I had to leave her with Mom.”
Kate tried not to react. Of course he would have a woman in his life, and Jean had mentioned one. Noah was handsome, successful, and years ago he’d never lacked for female companionship. It was more surprising that he hadn’t yet married, had a family of his own. “Noah, you don’t need to stay. You should go home, be with her.”
“I don’t want to have to tell Zach I messed up again. No, I’d rather stay here. I’ll make it up to her tomorrow. The WB isn’t mine, but right now—it is my responsibility.”
Kate couldn’t keep from asking, “What’s she like?”
“Who?”
“Your...friend.” The word seemed to stick in Kate’s throat. Not that she had any claim on him. He’d surprised her, that was all.
“Pretty, dark red hair, big brown eyes. She’s a Realtor, sells penthouse condos and classic brownstones with eight-figure price tags to people in New York.” He told her a little more about Margot, then noticed Kate shivering. “You’re cold.” He rearranged their hay bales together before he paired their blankets for more warmth and held them open for her to come closer.
Kate hesitated, but her teeth were beginning to chatter. “Th—thanks. I think.”
It was either sit next to Noah with his greater size and body warmth among the stacked blankets or risk freezing to death. The barn temperature was comfortable enough for the horses, with their shaggy winter coats, and even for the foal wearing his own small stable blanket, but not for Kate.
Tentatively, she snuggled in against Noah’s shoulder, thinking what different paths their lives had taken. Maybe we can connect somehow too. “Well, at least we won’t get hypothermia.” Kate absorbed his body heat and gradually stopped shaking. “We need to check Lancelot every half hour, though, alternating, if that’s okay with you.”
“That should work.” After her first peek into the colt’s stall, she hurried back to their makeshift nest. “He doing okay?” Noah asked.
“No change,” she said. From the row of stalls on either side of the aisle, horses shifted, hooves thudding against soft bedding or a wall. One whickered, another answered, as if having their own Girls’ Night Out meeting. Was it really possible for her to be...friends with Noah?
Kate’s eyelids drooped. She was only dimly aware of him drawing her closer, wrapping his arms around her, telling her to rest. She inhaled his clean male scent, then felt his lips against her hair, a soft kiss at her temple. Too weary to object, Kate didn’t pull away. Friends again, she told herself. And slept.
* * *
MARGOT MET NOAH at the WB’s front door early the next morning. The foal had held its own all night, and Noah was hoping the lab work would indicate something less serious than the infection Doc Crane suspected.
In contrast to Noah’s disheveled appearance, Margot looked fresh in a stylish wrap dress, with her makeup perfectly done. “You spent the whole night in that barn?”
“Sorry about that.” Noah had rushed out the door last night as soon as Margot stepped into the house, exchanging only a few words before he ran for his truck. “If I’d known you were coming...” But that wouldn’t have changed anything. The colt had been his priority then.
“I didn’t want to spoil my surprise.” The expensive scent she wore drifted through the air. “Your mother and I managed without you. Jean and I played cards, watched a movie until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. But I missed you.” She walked with him into the dining room, where his mother had laid out a breakfast buffet on the sideboard. Normally they ate in the kitchen, Noah sometimes standing at the center island. “Do you know where I slept last night?” Margot asked.
Noah could guess. “Not in my room.”
“Can you believe—your mother put me at the opposite end of the hall. The guest quarters are lovely, the bed comfortable, but it wasn’t the same.”
Noah fought a smile. “Mom’s old-fashioned. I’ve never brought a woman to this house to stay overnight. It’s Mr. and Mrs. only at the Bodine B and B, as far as she’s concerned.”
Margot arched an eyebrow. “She apparently made an exception for your brother.”
“He and Cass are...” Noah wouldn’t use the trigger word engaged. He didn’t want Margot to start talking about a ring right now. Which only made him feel guiltier for leaning over in the night to kiss Kate, however chastely. He wasn’t one to cheat on a woman or string her along. But had he? He’d already made up his mind about his relationship with Margot, admitted to his everlasting feelings for Kate, and he’d barely touched her last night. She hadn’t responded. Instead, she’d fallen asleep. Noah finished weakly, “Zach and his girlfriend aren’t here.”
“Well,” Margot said, “I must say I’m surprised to find the WB even more than I expected. So much land, and this house is bigger than I imagined.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Noah guided her to the buffet.
Jean swept into the room, nodded at Margot, then kissed Noah’s cheek. “How’s our baby horse doing? You look tired.”
“Didn’t sleep much.” He wasn’t about to mention spending the night with Kate there, often taking her turn, too, while she slept, being hyperaware of her closeness, the silkiness of her hair under his lips. “We’re waiting for the vet to call with the lab report.”
“You should eat, then rest. Calvin can run things here today. Maybe you shouldn’t have trailered the foal to Kate’s.”
“Kate?” Margot echoed.
Noah glanced at his mother, then helped himself to the steaming scrambled eggs. Margot knew who Kate was. She’d heard about her through Rob. Noah added crisp bacon, a couple of his mom’s flaky biscuits to his plate, then sat down. Jean poured his coffee, and Noah dug into his food. “I’ll be all right after a hot shower.”
Margot wrinkled her nose. “I knew I smelled...animals.” She hadn’t even asked about the colt.
“That’s not uncommon on a ranch.” His mom’s smile looked too bright. “Margot, eat.”
“I never have breakfast. Just coffee, please.” She waited for Jean to pour.
“Goodness, you’d waste away on the WB. We eat hearty. We have to, but then I suppose living in the big city, you don’t get much exercise.”
“I belong to a fitness facility,” Margot said.
“Hmm. Well, to each his own.” She looked at Noah. “I prefer a natural look—especially in men. Nice, strong muscles that come from hard physical work.”
“Mom.”
“You’re looking more fit than you did when you got here,” she told him blandly.
Margot sipped her coffee. “What are our plans for today? After your shower, Noah.”
“I’ll need to get back to Sweetheart Ranch. Plus, the vet will call—soon, I hope.” Guilt ran through him. “Maybe you and I can have dinner in town tonight.” It was time for that conversation they needed to have, and at dinner he might find a way to gently broach the subject.
She sniffed. “You seem to be taking this whole temporary ranch thing too seriously. That horse is not your res
ponsibility.”
“I think it is.”
Margot flinched. “Let me remind you. I didn’t fly halfway across the country to see you only to end up sitting here alone after all.”
Noah watched his mom’s phony smile broaden.
“You’re not alone, Margot. We can shop while Noah’s next door with that darling colt.”
“Is there any real shopping here? On my drive through Barren in the taxi, I saw only a few stores, none that appealed.”
“Then we’ll go to Farrier. It’s not far and a bigger town, even though Barren is our county seat. I’m sure you can find something there.”
Noah doubted that. Margot wouldn’t buy anything that wasn’t from Saks or Bergdorf’s or some designer boutique. During their first months together, she’d insisted on helping Noah buy a whole new wardrobe of European-style Armani suits.
Jean focused on her breakfast—a small serving of eggs, a single biscuit and orange juice. “Afterward, I’ll drop you at—are you thinking the Bon Appetit, Noah?” She turned back to Margot. “The restaurant is Barren’s version of fine dining.”
“I’ll see how the day goes,” he said. “I’ll give you ladies a call.”
Noah decided his mother was pulling out all the stops. With another woman, that would mean a charm assault, but clearly his mom hadn’t changed her mind about Margot. By the time she left, poor Margot might loathe everything about Stewart County.
Noah felt sorry for her. It was Margot’s fault, though. She shouldn’t have surprised him.
* * *
KATE HELD TIGHTLY to Teddie’s hand as they walked into the barn and down the aisle. She was surprised to find Noah already there again, urging the colt to drink from a nursing bottle.
“Mr. Bodine! Hey!” Teddie had jumped onto the low cross board at the bottom of the stall door and went up on his tiptoes to peer into the stall. The foal’s big brown eyes had the dull sheen of illness.
“At least the baby’s on his feet,” Kate said.
Noah looked at her. “With some coaxing. The vet’s treatment last night may have helped a bit.”
“Let’s hope so. I haven’t heard from Doc Crane yet.”
“Me either,” Noah said.
Teddie sent her a worried look. He hadn’t let Kate rest until they came to see the colt, despite her misgivings. “Is Lancelot going to be okay, Mommy?”
“I hope so,” she said again, ruffling his hair.
Satisfied, Teddie hopped down from his perch. “I’m going to see Spencer. He probably wants to go for a ride today. Maybe Mr. Bodine could come too.”
“We’ll see.”
His mouth tightened. “Does that mean no?”
Noah couldn’t hide his smile. “He’s got you pegged.”
“Teddie, we’ll decide later.”
“I already decided.”
He scampered down the aisle before Kate could respond.
Noah laughed. “And I thought my mom had trouble back in the day with Zach and me. Looks like you’ll be taking a trail ride today.”
“We’ll see,” she repeated, then couldn’t help laughing at herself.
Noah patted the colt, then, with the half-full bottle in his hand, left the stall. He stood close to her in the aisle. “You really think you’re going to homeschool him?”
“He may teach me more than I teach him.” But Kate didn’t want to go there. She knew Noah’s opinion of her choice, but that was not his concern. “You didn’t have to come over. You should have stayed with your girlfriend. Gabe and I are here.”
“In New York, I’m very hands on at J&B. Can’t seem to break the habit.”
She took a breath. “Noah, last night it wasn’t wise of you to stay. You should have gone home. You and I will get along—connect—if we don’t pick things apart or...complicate them.”
She meant about Rob, of course, but also friendship with Noah. Kate was already kicking herself for not drawing away from him during the night, from that light touch of his lips to her temple, her hair. Being even closer together on those hay bales than they were now had not been a good idea. Maybe she should have frozen instead.
“I see.” Noah frowned a little. “I thought you were asleep, which sounds bad and is no excuse. Do I need to say I’m sorry? You didn’t stop me,” he pointed out.
Dangerous territory. Kate moved toward the next stall. “I should have.”
He sighed. “And yes, I know. There’s Margot.”
“Which—since you brought up your girlfriend—is the end of this conversation. I don’t know why you did what you did last night, but it can’t happen again.”
Before Noah said anything, Teddie came flying down the aisle toward them.
“Can we take our ride now, Mommy?”
As if she’d never tried to squelch that idea. “I don’t think so, honey.” She could guess what was coming next.
“Why not? I want to—and I want Mr. Bodine to come with us.” He ran over to Noah and wrapped his arms around his knees. “Please, Mommy, can he?”
“Teddie, I—” Noah began but her son cut him off.
“I’ll keep you from falling off your horse this time.”
Noah gave a shout of surprised laughter. “Now there’s an offer that’s hard to refuse.”
He gazed at Kate who had to smile too. As long as the foal’s condition didn’t worsen, what harm could there be in taking her boy for a short ride? Gabe was here to keep an eye on the sick colt. Kate would also take her SAT phone with her. Noah tilted his head toward Teddie. “We did agree to let things happen organically.”
Teddie looked up at him, then at her. “What’s that mean?”
Kate said, “I guess it means we’re going for that ride.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“AT LEAST I’VE had you to myself tonight,” Margot said on the way home from the Bon Appetit. Noah had met her there for dinner after his mom dropped her off.
“Jack—the chef—puts on a good meal.”
“The prime rib wasn’t bad.”
“The best Barren has to offer.” Which Noah thought was pretty good.
But the T-bone he’d eaten weighed his stomach down like a rock. He’d spent the late morning, while Margot shopped with his mother, on that ride with Kate and Teddie, then grabbed a quick lunch at Sweetheart Ranch before going down to the barn again, where Lancelot had been much the same. Back at the WB, Noah had showered for the second time today, then barely made it into town by seven to meet Margot. She didn’t like to be kept waiting. Tonight she was in one of her passive-aggressive moods, so Noah hadn’t yet eased into their much-needed talk. The restaurant had been crowded and Noah had realized he would risk making a scene.
Besides, he’d never been one for tough conversations, which that one certainly might be.
Margot breathed in the warm air. “This is an experience. I’ve never ridden in a truck before.”
“Complete with the WB logo on the side. I’m glad we could forget the ranch for a while and enjoy dinner.” He took a curve in the road a bit too fast. “Margot, I know this isn’t the visit you expected to have, but I didn’t count on having that sick foal to tend to either. The vet came back around five, which held me up. The colt’s infection is just what he thought—neonatal sepsis.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“Basically, an infection that can overwhelm a newborn. I’m praying it doesn’t. Tomorrow he should be better, I hope.” And Noah, who had a genuine affection for her and respected Margot, might find a better opportunity then for that talk. He mentioned several area sites they might visit on more neutral territory, assuming the colt didn’t go downhill overnight. Doc Crane had started a more targeted antibiotic, and when Noah had left the ranch, Lancelot had been gingerly nursing again.
“I’ll need to check the foal first thing in
the morning. I’ll take you to meet him, but after that, we should be good to go. He’s pretty cute.”
Margot sniffed. “I didn’t bring suitable clothes for hanging around a barn.”
Noah knew Margot was out of her comfort zone here, but the WB was still in his blood. Which surprised him, actually. By now, he was enjoying ranch work at times, even when reality—J&B and its problems—were still waiting for him in New York. There, he was truly in command, not merely stopping by, as he was at the WB, although his father wasn’t around now to judge him. The greater success Noah craved was still far from Kansas. And yet... He tried to gentle his tone. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have come.”
She bristled. “What else could I do since you decided again to extend your stay—”
“I didn’t, my sister did. And Zach—”
“Neither of them should expect you to spend one minute on that ranch.”
“Margot—”
“You haven’t been part of the WB for a long time. You always say you never really belonged there. Now, every time someone here needs you, including your next-door neighbor, you jump at the chance to help.”
Noah swallowed. Had Margot really picked up on his feelings for Kate? “The colt at Sweetheart Ranch is the WB’s. And I have a financial share in the ranch, so I can hardly walk away.” Although he had once before. “I have a stake here emotionally too. This is still my family—and because of Willow’s wedding, plus a lot more, I owe them. I happen to love my sister, my mother, my brother...”
“Even when he doesn’t treat you well.”
“He has his reasons.” Noah was surprised to hear himself defend Zach, who’d stuck him with this extra job in the first place. “But, Margot, you didn’t come all this way to fight with me.” He didn’t want to quarrel, either, yet this conversation, not the one he’d planned, was headed in that direction.
“No,” she agreed. “Perhaps I came to stake my territory.”
Noah felt as if he were stepping into a minefield. She was about to bring up the ring business, and his stomach turned over. “I’ve never liked being told what I should do, or when—one reason why I’m not running the WB full-time instead of Zach.”
